The Five Kingdoms Series

What if the magic that could save your loved ones condemns you to death?  Rakish royal spy, Rustam Chalice, loves his life the way it is, so when the kingdom he serves is threatened from within, he leaps into action. To his dismay the spymaster prince teams him up with an untouchable aristocratic assassin. To make matters worse, she's the most beautiful woman in the Five Kingdoms. Plunged into a desperate journey over the mountains, the mismatched pair struggle to survive deadly wildlife, the machinations of a spiteful god - and each other. When Rustam discovers he has magic of his own, he is forced to question his identity, his sanity, and worse, his loyalty to his prince. For in Tyr-en, all magic users are put to death. The Prince's Man is the first book in The Five Kingdoms epic fantasy series. If you like action, intrigue, and magic, spiced with a touch of romance, then you'll love Deborah Jay's vividly realised characters.  

Think 'Lord of the Rings' with a 'Game of Thrones' edge. Nessa Haddo has been raised to pursue what every young noblewoman needs: a suitable husband. Unfortunately for her, as a younger twin, her prospects are limited.Things start to look up when she lays eyes on the handsome foreign envoy sent to escort her sister to an arranged marriage, but her romantic fantasies quickly entangle her in events beyond her darkest nightmares. Compared to his last mission, ex-spy Rustam Chalice's new assignment sounds simple:  wrangle an unwieldy bridal caravan across a mountain range populated by bandits, trolls, werecats, and worse, try to cajole a traumatized princess out of her self-imposed isolation, and arrive on time for the politically sensitive wedding. What could possibly go wrong? Meanwhile, Lady Risada - the woman who haunts Rustam's dreams - is struggling to adjust to a normal life. All her carefully honed assassin's instincts scream warnings of foul play, yet she can find nothing obviously amiss. And deep in the halls of a mountain clan, an old enemy plucks his victims' strings with expert malice. THE PRINCE'S SON is book #2 in THE FIVE KINGDOMS series, but can also be read as a stand alone novel.

Following on from The Prince's Son, continue reading the gripping Five Kingdoms fantasy adventure... In the aftermath of the devastating coup, King Marten strives to rebuild his subjects' confidence in the throne, but not all his councillors believe the young monarch is ready to rule alone. An assassin's stalking him, his closest advisor has been murdered, and rumours have surfaced that the malicious god's cult is reborn. As Marten grapples with a dark, personal secret, who can he trust? Meanwhile, fledgling spy, Lady Betha, successfully infiltrates a conspiracy. However, getting back out alive with information vital to the king's survival may prove beyond her capabilities. And as Rustam and Risada search for Risada's kidnapped son, they find the dual-natured deity meddling with their lives again. If only they could tell which apect: god or goddess, evil or good? The fate of the land--and possibly mankind--depends on each of them completing their tasks. Problem is, with both sides of the deity now openly interfering in human affairs, will they all survive?

Read the gripping conclusion to The Five Kingdoms... King Marten's reign teeters on a blade's edge. Chel's Casket, symbol of his right to rule, is missing. Can master spies Rustam and Risada recover it before someone notices its absence and challenges Marten's sovereignty? Or is there a more sinister motive behind the disappearance of the casket—a relic that could be used to raise Charin, the demonic half of the dual-natured divinity? As a series of natural disasters besets the kingdoms, evidence points towards interference by the meddlesome deity, and the terrifying prospect of war between its two opposing aspects.  When Marten's beloved wife, Betha, and their infant daughter vanish, Marten faces a stark choice: save his family, or try to save his kingdom from a conflict that threatens all humanity.  

Dive into an epic tale of magic, intrigue, and deadly politics, spiced with a pinch of romance and overshadowed by the mortal threat of a deity at war with itself.   "I'm not sure what I was expecting when I started reading 'The Prince's Man', but the reality blew me away." ★★★★★ Review   Rustam Chalice serves the spy-master prince with loyalty and enthusiasm – especially when that means smooching high-born ladies for pillow talk. But when a threat to the kingdom escalates from political shenanigans to the very real danger of a coup, life turn more deadly.   Lady Risada's service to the prince is a mutually beneficial pact. As the royal assassin, Risada deals with the kingdom's more dangerous rogues, while using the prince's spy network to tease out hints of the identity of her parents' murderer. Being ordered to work with the meddlesome ladies-man, Chalice, is both an unpleasantness and an imposition, and yet she accepts the need to lower her standards for the good of the kingdom.   Manipulating things from behind the scenes, the opposing halves of the land's dual-natured deity wreak havoc with the lives of their followers. Kings, queens, princes, nobles, and commoners alike; all are subject to the schemes and subterfuges visited upon them as the two sides of the deity vie for ascendency.   In a world fraught with deadly political machinations, in a land stolen from the elves, will humanity and elf-kind survive, or will all be laid to waste as divine powers overwhelm the races' natural magics?   Books in series: The Prince's Man The Prince's Son The Prince's Protégé The Princes Heir   A fast-paced, character-filled complete series best described as 'Think James Bond meets Lord of the Rings', ideal for fans of Robin Hobb, Brandon Sanderson, Robert Jordan, David Eddings, and GRR Martin.   What readers are saying: ★★★★★ "It starts off hitting the ground running with action, but carries the reader along easily."  ★★★★★ "Reminiscent of Game of Thrones, this delightful fantasy will hold your attention from beginning to end."  ★★★★★ "Jay paints a vivid world, that we are treated to in this dangerous adventure that tests our heroes to every limit. Including having them question everything they had ever taken for granted."  ★★★★★ "Please note, that it is advisable to start this book when you have a block of time to dedicate to it. Starting an hour before needing to leave the house will make you late, I should know"  ★★★★★ "Firstly let me say, if you have enjoyed books by Tolkien, Christopher Paolini, or Robin Hobb - you will absolutely enjoy this book."  ★★★★★ "Adventure, heartache, murder, horses, mayhem, elves; the list gallops on, bursting with action in this well written novel set in a completely believable world. Attention grabbing story and underlying layers of detail make it a 'can't put downer'."  ★★★★★ "I enjoyed this greatly. It is indicative of a good read if you immediately search for the next book in the series."