Libbey, Steve: The Bloodbaths- Book One of the Aqua Pura Trilogy , v1 4 Jun 2008
 

The Aqua Pura Trilogy

Crixus Oraan is a water artesan, an engineer who builds aqueducts and piping for bathhouses and mansions in the empire of Rond (which bears a resemblance to our own Roman Empire). His guild has entrusted him with a large sum of gold to establish a branch in the up-and-coming coastal town of Restia. In a misguided effort to win enough gold to buy a lavish house for his new fiancé Kharrina, he loses the guild’s gold in a card game.

A shady sea captain present at the game—and possibly responsible for fleecing him—offers to sneak him off to the wild and mysterious continent of Minq. Afraid to lose his status in society for his crime, he agrees, hoping to gain back the gold he lost and compensate the guild back in Rond.

In this first volume in the bold new Aqua Pura Trilogy, Crixus finds employment with the Lamiae of Nistru, a cruel society where those at the top bathe in the lifeblood of those on the bottom. Will his conscience allow him to finish the job?

By turns dark, comedic, erotic and thrilling, The Bloodbaths is a book that transcends genre to stand on its own. Subatomic Books will be publishing book two, The Quartz Odalisque, in 2008. The Good King's Tomb will follow in 2009.

Subatomic Books releases novels under a Creative Commons license which permits you to share and distribute the novels to your friends and colleagues for free, as long as you give credit to the author (and a link to the website). Try before you buy is the wave of the future for the publishing industry, and we're excited to be able to participate in the revolution.

http://www.subatomicbooks.com/aquapura/series.html