How long will you hold onto what you've lost?

Interstellar fugitive Idrian Delaciel will die by inches, and Remy Canta will laugh as he goes.

Five years ago, Idrian ordered a withering - a death curse - cast on Remy's brother that cost him his life, and Remy hasn't been the same since. Now Remy finally has the materials he needs - ash, honey, and a drop of Idrian's blood - to repay the favour. Only when he casts the withering, it rebounds onto him.

The implications are unthinkable: that he is fatebound to his brother's killer.

Even worse, the only way to slow the curse for long enough to find a cure is if Remy joins forces with Idrian and his criminal crew. But when he gets there, Remy learns there are more than just their lives at stake.

Idrian is the sole provider of life-saving supplies to tens of thousands of innocents, and when he dies, they will die with him. Caught up in perilous heists and a race against time, Remy finds himself truly living for the first time since his brother died.

Too bad for Remy - the only way to stop a withering is to kill the witherer.

About the Author
Jules Arbeaux was born in Sacramento but raised reckless and barefoot deep in the Midwestern woods. When not writing, Jules paints, folds increasingly tiny paper animals, and artfully neglects a throng of thriving succulents.

Reviews
A heartwarming - gut-wrenching - and thrilling adventure. Arbeaux's debut features a glorious cast of misfits that will make you laugh and cry in equal measure - even as they hold a gun to your head. They're all my babygirls. And you better not come for them because they take a wicked pleasure in protecting their own. Found family at its very best! * Kate Dylan, author of Mindbreaker *
Equal parts heartbreaking and heartwarming, this story asks how far you'll go for the person who is your whole world, when revenge is a knife that cuts the wielder just as much. A fantastic debut for fans of found family, queerplatonic relationships, and deeply human characters who are allowed to be monstrous: vulnerable and violent at once * Essa Hansen, author of NOPHEK GLOSS *
I adore this book - it has complicated, prickly, tender characters that will win you over and break your heart, a fresh and fascinating world with a beautiful new take on soul-bond magic, and Arbeaux has a voice so crisp and compassionate that you can't help but fall in love. Lord of the Empty Isles is an absolute delight * Sunya Mara, author of The Darkening *
Guaranteed to break your heart and simultaneously mend it, Lord of The Empty Isles is an un-put-downable magical space adventure with a lovable found family cast as morally complex and clever as they are chaotic! * Rosie Talbot *
Set in a vividly realized universe shaped by environmental devastation and soul-bonds, Lord of the Empty Isles brims with big, fascinating ideas - but even more than that, it is full to bursting with feelings. Amidst all the magic and space-faring adventure is a stunning, thoughtful treatise on grief and love in all its forms. A wonderfully cathartic experience * Julie Leong, author of The Teller of Small Fortunes *



Book Information
ISBN 9781399724975
Author Jules Arbeaux
Format Hardback
Page Count 368
Imprint Hodderscape
Publisher Hodder & Stoughton