Short Synopsis
A Shadow in Summer is the first novel of an epic fantasy series by one of the field's hottest talents.

Full Synopsis
The powerful city-state of Saraykeht is a bastion of peace and culture, a major center of commerce and trade. Its economy depends on the power of the captive spirit Seedless, an andat bound to the poet-sorcerer Heshai for life. Enter the Galts, an empire committed to laying waste to all lands with their ferocious army. Saraykeht has always been too strong for the Galts to attack, but now they see an opportunity. If they can dispose of Heshai, Seedless will perish and the entire city will fall.

In the middle is Otah, a simple laborer with a complex past. Recruited to act as a bodyguard for his girlfriend's boss at a secret meeting, he inadvertently learns of the Galtish plot. Otah finds himself as the sole hope of Saraykeht: either he stops the Galts or the whole city and everyone in it perishes forever.

"I liked all of [Neil's] voices for the male characters and I thought he did a great job of relating the occasional irony and humor that Daniel Abraham intended, especially with his slightly slimy voice for Seedless." ---Fantasy Literature

"Narrator Neil Shah matches his delivery to the complex social conventions of the formal society portrayed in this fantasy." ---AudioFile

"Reader Neil Shah does a remarkable job with tone, accent, and inflection to individualize the cast of characters." ---Library Journal Audio Review

"A Shadow in Summer is a thoroughly engrossing debut novel from a major new fantasist. A poignant human tale of power, heartbreak, and betrayal." ---George R.R. Martin

"Gesture and posture convey as much information as spoken words in Abraham's impressive first novel." ---Publishers Weekly