The Unspoken Name cover art

The Unspoken Name

The Serpent Gates, Book 1

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The Unspoken Name

By: A. K. Larkwood
Narrated by: Avita Jay
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About this listen

The Unspoken Name by A. K. Larkwood is the incredible first epic fantasy in the Serpent Gates duology.

'An astounding debut . . . unlike anything I've read before' - Nicholas Eames, author of Kings of the Wyld

Does she owe her life to those planning her death . . .

Csorwe was raised by a death cult steeped in old magic. And on her fourteenth birthday, she’ll be sacrificed to their god. But as she waits for the end, she’s offered a chance to escape her fate. A sorcerer wants her as his assistant, sword-hand and assassin. As this involves her not dying that day, she accepts.

Csorwe spends years living on a knife-edge, helping her master hunt an artefact which could change many worlds. Then comes the day she's been dreading. They encounter Csorwe’s old cult – seeking the same magical object – and Csorwe is forced to reckon with her past. She also meets Shuthmili, the war-mage who’ll change her future.

If she’s to survive, Csorwe must evade her enemies, claim the artefact and stop the death cult once and for all. As she plunges from one danger to the next, the hunt is on . . .

Continue the thrilling fantasy adventure with The Thousand Eyes.

©2020 A. K. Larkwood (P)2020 Macmillan Digital Audio Action & Adventure Epic Epic Fantasy Fantasy Fiction Magic Users War Cult

Critic Reviews

A fun, fresh new take on the traditional fantasy quest and an adventure I couldn't put down! (S. A. Chakraborty)
The Unspoken Name is the best kind of modern fantasy – it feels totally fresh, it's full of satisfyingly weird gods and frightening magic . . . I loved this book! (Jen Williams)
What a glorious book! Richly detailed, enthralling, and extraordinary, with brilliant nods to such luminaries as Ursula K. Le Guin and Diana Wynne Jones . . . Fabulous, in every meaning of the word (Jenn Lyons)
The action is fast-paced and emotionally compelling; the magic is dangerous, beautiful, and utterly compromising. I love this book so much (Arkady Martine)
An unexpected and new take on classic orcs 'n' swords fantasy. Stylish, classy, and timeless - but with racing stripes and an inbuilt camera. I cannot recommend it enough (Tamsyn Muir)
A perfect fantasy debut (Daily Mail Best SFF of 2020)
Takes all the tropes of fantasy – orcs and epic quests, dead gods and undead souls, daring rescues and last-second escapes – and spins them into something wild and new. A dizzy, delicious debut (Alix E. Harrow)
A truly wonderful book . . . grabbed my attention on the first page and wouldn’t let go. Fresh, exciting and new, with fascinating characters, shifting alliances, impossible odds, breathtaking settings, and shocking twists (Dyrk Ashton)
The Unspoken Name has everything – spine-tingling prose, gorgeous worldbuilding, powerful older women, found family (but it's terrible), giant snakes, ancient tombs, dead gods, and true love. It's fantastic. I read it in one sitting (Emily Tesh)
Larkwood's debut is a fresh, fun take on the genre, packed with smart prose, badass characters, and fantastic worldbuilding. A necessary addition for any fantasy lover's collection (Tara Sim)

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TLDR

There are glaciers in Antarctica that move faster than this book. It just doesn’t grab you and pull you in because of this.

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