Swordheart

Step into a lovely fantasy romance novel by Hugo award-winning and New York Times bestselling author T. Kingfisher. Based in the world of the Clockwork Boys, Swordheart has received an all-new cover to match the sequel, Daggerheart, coming out this year. Long ago three mercenaries were punished for turning traitor by being spelled into swords. Compelled by magic to defend the sword bearer, these three warriors were now immortal, able to die over and over again. When not needed by the bearer, though, they are trapped in the silver sleep of the sword.

Halla’s late husband left her poor, so she gratefully moved into her late husband’s great-uncle’s home when he died. There she worked as his housekeeper and nursed him before he died. When the uncle leaves everything to her, the other relatives lock in her in the house to coerce her into marrying a cousin so he and his mother can have the inheritance. Contemplating suicide to escape a fate she didn’t want, Halla pulls a sword off the wall and is shocked when a man appears. He is bound to the sword and now to her. Sarkis of the Weeping Lands helps her escape the room, the house, and her greedy relatives.

They flee into the night and travel by foot to the capital to ask for help from the Temple of the White Rat. There’s a growing attraction between them as they travel, and while Sarkis’s sword is useful along the way, Halla has her own weapon whenever they face danger. She is curious and chatty, lies easily, and plays stupid when necessary. She tells Sarkis, “Hardly anybody kills stupid women… They kick us out of the way, they smack us occasionally, but nobody thinks we’re a threat.” Between the two of them, they’re a formidable pair.

Halla is older than most romantic protagonists at age thirty-six, but she is delightfully young at heart. In contrast, Sarkis is centuries old, and his history weighs heavily upon his heart. He’s wracked with nightmares and just wants his existence to end. But when the choice comes, he chooses to stay and guard Halla.

The original cover of Swordheart focused on the man in the sword. Its cover featured the words, “Faithless in Life. Faithful After Death.” The new cover, which matches the style of Daggerbound reads, “Love is a double-edged sword.” It’s definitely more suited to the series, which is less about the people trapped in the swords and more about these tortured souls meeting ridiculously charming people they actually want to protect and defend. These are billed as cozy fantasy romances, and while they do have the charm, they’re also endlessly amusing. Comparisons to The Princess Bride are spot-on. It’s no wonder fans have been begging for a sequel.

Swordheart is an absolute delight.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Visit the author’s website.

Swordheart cover design: Andrew Davis

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Audiobook narrated by Jesse Vilinsky

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️