Free (Kindle) The Winds of Khalakovo by Bradley P. Beaulieu [Fantasy]

[ATDrake]

The Winds of Khalakovo by Bradley P. Beaulieu is the 1st in his The Lays of Anuskaya fantasy trilogy based in part on Russian cultural influences, free courtesy of Night Shade Books, who also gave this one out as a former B&N Free Fridays book last year.

Free @ Amazon (available to Canadians but not in the UK). If you click on "See All Editorial Reviews" in the product description, there's a nice author's note detailing the inspirations for this book's setting.

And as always I remind you that if you want to pick up the sequel to this once it's released or any other Night Shade book, barring special sales they are generally cheapest over at Baen's webstore, which offers them DRM-free MultiFormat worldwide for just $6, compared to the $7.99 + DRM most other stores carry them for (mind you, they are discountable at Kobo if you've got a good coupon).

Description
Among inhospitable and unforgiving seas stands Khalakovo, a mountainous archipelago of seven islands, its prominent eyrie stretching a thousand feet into the sky. Serviced by windships bearing goods and dignitaries, Khalakovo's eyrie stands at the crossroads of world trade. But all is not well in Khalakovo. Conflict has erupted between the ruling Landed, the indigenous Aramahn, and the fanatical Maharraht, and a wasting disease has grown rampant over the past decade.

Now, Khalakovo is to play host to the Nine Dukes, a meeting which will weigh heavily upon Khalakovo's future.

When an elemental spirit attacks an incoming windship, murdering the Grand Duke and his retinue, Prince Nikandr, heir to the scepter of Khalakovo, is tasked with finding the child prodigy believed to be behind the summoning. However, Nikandr discovers that the boy is an autistic savant who may hold the key to lifting the blight that has been sweeping the islands. Can the Dukes, thirsty for revenge, be held at bay? Can Khalakovo be saved?

The elusive answer drifts upon the Winds of Khalakovo...

[emellaich]

Amazon (main): Among inhospitable and unforgiving seas stands Khalakovo, a mountainous archipelago of seven islands, its prominent eyrie stretching a thousand feet into the sky. Serviced by windships bearing goods and dignitaries, Khalakovo's eyrie stands at the crossroads of world trade. But all is not well in Khalakovo. Conflict has erupted between the ruling Landed, the indigenous Aramahn, and the fanatical Maharraht, and a wasting disease has grown rampant over the past decade. Now, Khalakovo is to play host to the Nine Dukes, a meeting which will weigh heavily upon Khalakovo's future.When an elemental spirit attacks an incoming windship, murdering the Grand Duke and his retinue, Prince Nikandr, heir to the scepter of Khalakovo, is tasked with finding the child prodigy believed to be behind the summoning. However, Nikandr discovers that the boy is an autistic savant who may hold the key to lifting the blight that has been sweeping the islands. Can the Dukes, thirsty for revenge, be held at bay? Can Khalakovo be saved? The elusive answer drifts upon the Winds of Khalakovo...

This was offered free in an email from Night Shade books:
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To celebrate the upcoming release of The Straits of Galahesh, for a limited time we're giving away the Kindle edition of The Winds of Khalakovo absolutely free.*

Coming April 2012 from Bradley P. Beaulieu, author of the critically acclaimed debut novel The Winds of Khalakovo, comes Book Two of The Lays of Anuskaya, The Straits of Galahesh.

West of the Grand Duchy of Anuskaya lies the Empire of Yrstanla, the Motherland. The Empire has lived at peace with Anuskaya for generations, but with political turmoil brewing and the wasting disease still rampant, opportunists from the mainland have begun to set their sights on the Grand Duchy, seeking to expand their empire.

Five years have passed since Prince Nikandr, heir to the scepter of Khalakovo, was tasked with finding Nasim, the child prodigy behind a deadly summoning that led to a grand clash between the armies of man and elder elemental spirits. Today, that boy has grown into a young man driven to understand his past--and the darkness from which Nikandr awakened him. Nikandr's lover, Atiana, has become a Matra, casting her spirit forth to explore, influence, and protect the Grand Duchy. But when the Al-Aqim, long thought lost to the past, return to the islands and threaten to bring about indaraqiram--a change that means certain destruction for both the Landed and the Landless--bitter enemies must become allies and stand against their horrific plans.

Can the Grand Duchy be saved? The answer lies hidden within the Straits of Galahesh...
The Straits of Galahesh is available for pre-order from many of your favorite retailers.

Follow these links for your chance to win a Kindle and to read an awesome excerpt from the Straits of Galahesh.