Faith shapes the landscape, defines the laws of physics, and makes a mockery of truth. Common knowledge isn’t an axiom, it’s a force of nature. What the masses believe is. But insanity is a weapon, conviction a shield. Delusions give birth to foul new gods.
Violent and dark, the world is filled with the Geisteskranken—men and women whose delusions manifest, twisting reality. High Priest Konig seeks to create order from chaos. He defines the beliefs of his followers, leading their faith to one end: a young boy, Morgen, must Ascend to become a god. A god they can control.
But there are many who would see this would-be-god in their thrall, including the High Priest’s own Doppels, and a Slaver no one can resist. Three reprobates—The Greatest Swordsman in the World, a murderous Kleptic, and possibly the only sane man left—have their own nefarious plans for the young god.
As these forces converge on the boy, there’s one more obstacle: time is running out. When one’s delusions become more powerful, they become harder to control. The fate of the Geisteskranken is to inevitably find oneself in the Afterdeath. The question, then, is:
Who will rule there?
io9: At the end of the day, Vermilion is a roller-coaster of a ride: it’s exciting, suspenseful and a downright blast to read, but it maintains a serious side that underscores the complicated history of the American West.
Audio rights to Molly Tanzer’s VERMILION, to Haila Williams at Blackstone Audio, at auction, by Katie Shea Boutillier on behalf of Cameron McClure.
Romanian rights to Robert Jackson Bennett’s CITY OF STAIRS, to Grupul Art, by Nada Cipranic at Prava I Prevodi, in association with Katie Shea Boutillier on behalf of Cameron McClure.
Booklist: Griep’s debut is a fresh, original take on a group of fairy-tale familiars. Though Ceci (Cinderella), Bianca (Snow White), Rory (Sleeping Beauty), and Zell (Rapunzel) seem to have it all as princesses of Grimmland, their perfect team is broken up and their storybook happily-ever-afters are rocked to the core when Zell, in a troubling fit of independence, departs Grimmland to manage a unicorn preserve. Forced to question their own stories, the other three pen a series of letter to Zell, revealing a poignant restlessness and dissatisfaction with their own seemingly predetermined fates. As the princesses flit between Grimmland and contemporary Los Angeles, each grapples with timeless questions of love, desire, freedom, and ambition. This fractured fairy tale will appeal to Gregory Maguire devotees as well as fans of television shows like Once Upon A Time and Grimm.