Bruising of Qilwa (Novella)

Bruising of Qilwa (Novella)
Naseem Jamnia
RRP:
NZ$ 29.99
Our Price:
NZ$ 23.99
Paperback
h203 x 127mm - 176pg
9 Aug 2022 US
International import eta 7-19 days
9781616963781
Out Of Stock
Currently no stock in-store, stock is sourced to your order
In this intricate fantasy novella, a nonbinary refugee practitioner of blood magic finds a strange disease that causes political rifts in their new homeland. Persian-American author Naseem Jamnia is a vital new voice who has crafted a gripping narrative layered with themes of persecution, healing, and family. The Bruising of Qilwa is the newest arrival in the era of new fantasy classics such as the Broken Earth Trilogy, The Four Profound Weaves, and Who Fears Death. Firuz-e Jafari is one of the fortunate ones who have emigrated to the Democratic Free State of Qilwa. Firuz has escaped the slaughter of other traditional Sassanid blood-magic practitioners. They have a good job at a free healing clinic in Qilwa; a kindly new employer, Kofi; and a gifted new student, Afsoneh, a troubled orphan refugee. But Firuz and Kofi have discovered a terrible new disease which leaves mysterious bruises on its victims. The illness is spreading quickly through Qilwa, and there are dangerous accusations of ineptly-performed blood magic. In order to survive, Firuz must break a deadly cycle of prejudice while finding a fresh start for their both their blood and found family.
Book Riot 8 Notable Nonbinary SFF Books You Need to Check Out Buzzfeed Best Books Coming Out in Summer 2022 Literary Hub 10 New SF and Fantasy Books to Augment Your August A Foreword Book of the Day[STARRED REVIEW] "This debut fantasy novella featuring a nonbinary protagonist sets its intriguing medical mystery within a Persian-inspired world. The city-state of Qilwa has provided a reluctant welcome for Firuz-e Jafari and their refugee family. As a healer practicing forbidden magic, Firuz fears discovery but still offers a helping hand at one of the city' s few remaining free clinics, where they find a friend and mentor in the healer Kofi. But the plague that is ravaging Qilwa increases tensions about migrants flooding the city and creates reams of new rules and regulations for the clinic. When a strange, new disease starts killing people and results in bodies that are preserved while decomposing, Firuz has a medical mystery on their hands that will lead to the greatest dilemma that a healer can face--how much harm is acceptable in the race for a cure? VERDICT The delicately interwoven complexity of the story, along with the loving portrait of Firuz and their found family, makes Jamnia' s fantasy puzzler a delight to read. Highly recommended, especially for fans of Katherine Addison' s The Witness for the Dead. " --Library Journal[STARRED REVIEW] "Naseem Jamnia' s brilliant and insightful novella, The Bruising of Qilwa explores questions of identity and belonging in a nuanced medical mystery. . . . Jamnia has built an intricate, multi-layered world full of magic and queerness. " --Shelf Awareness"I loved this gorgeous book about blood magic, chosen family and refugees in a hostile city. Naseem Jamnia has created a rich, complex world in a very short space, and I am so into it. I' ve read a lot of books lately about empires and rulers and warfare, and it' s so refreshing to read a book that' s about healers. People in this book are trans, nonbinary, asexual and aromantic, and it' s never a big deal but does matter to their characters, which I just adore. " --Charlie Jane Anders, author of All the Birds in the Sky"With prose that reads like lush poetry, The Bruising of Qilwa builds an intricate world full of history, magic, and life. " --Z. R. Ellor, author of Silk Fire"A stunning fantasy novel that confronts questions of belonging: to a culture, to a family, and to yourself . . . Jamnia' s queer-normative world is a welcome break from fantasy trends and tropes: people introduce themselves with pronouns without fanfare, and homophobia and transphobia as forms of oppression do not factor in. Cracking the door to a fresh fantasy world, The Bruising of Qilwa makes an unforgettable first impression. " --Foreword"I adored this city, with its vibrant history and super-fresh magic system, but I loved these astonishing complex vivid characters even more. A fun and fast-paced ride that keeps you guessing all the way (and, yeah, it' s tough to grapple with the ugly legacies of empire and oppression and still have fun, but Jamnia pulls it off). " --Sam J. Miller, author of Boys, Beasts and Men"Naseem Jamnia is a bold, visionary writer, and The Bruising of Qilwa makes for a superb introduction to their nuanced and evocative Persian-inspired fantasy. The good news is that there are many more brilliant novels already in this writer' s literary quiver. Get ready for them; they' re coming! Naseem is fierce and dangerous--in all the best ways. " --David Anthony Durham, author of the Acacia Trilogy "A fascinating medical mystery in a rich, complex world I didn' t want to leave. " --S. A. Chakraborty, author of The City of Brass"Readers of queer fantasy will fall hard for the rich characters, particularly our aromantic, asexual, nonbinary protagonist. The frank narrative tone and short page count paired with an intricately built world is a winning combination. " [YA: "Despite the blood and themes of death, the fast-paced story and young, queer protagonists will appeal strongly to young readers. "] --Booklist"Reading The Bruising of Qilwa was an incredible experience. I didn' t know world-building in a fantasy story could feel so seamless. That scenes around medical magic could make sense to me and increase my enjoyment of the story is still blowing my mind. The queerness in this book is so natural--no explanations, no phobias, just queer people living their lives. " --Women Write About Comics"A quick, engaging read with real heart and a thoughtful subtext to its immersive setting. " --Christopher East "A tense exploration of weighty themes that can be easily mapped onto present-day issues, but grounded in lovable, sympathetic characters -- many of them queer -- and fun fantasy elements that are easy to understand but deep in their implications. " --Autostraddle"Read if you like: blood magic, an overall science-based magic system, multicultural setting, healing, plants, sibling dynamics, a celebration of queerness, mentor figures, personal stakes, community, mystery, medicine/medical science, competent characters . . . What truly shines here, as far as I am concerned, is the theme, the world, and the characters. " --A. R. Frederiksen, author of The Deathsea Dyer"A short, propulsive tale that admirably centers a strong queer protagonist and offers thought-provoking commentary on the struggles of refugees. " --Publishers Weekly"The Bruising of Qilwa transports you to a lushly-described, beautifully imagined world where magic and medicine meet. Heartfelt relationships temper the grim reality of a flawed world with a creeping, strange new disease. A delightful read. " --Neon Yang, author of the Tensorate Series "The Persian-inspired, queernorm setting is a wonderful change from the white cishet quasi-Medieval Europe aesthetic we see so often in Western fantasy, and Jamnia' s prose is lovely and descriptive, making that setting come alive for us in these pages. " --Every Book a Doorway"An incredibly timely story, told by a deft hand that manages to weave a fascinating magic system together with all-too-real issues into something truly, wonderfully, not seen before. Equal parts slice of life, fantasy tale, medical drama and mystery blend into a book not soon to be forgotten, one that should be on everyone' s tbr!" --Alice Scott, Barnes and Noble 5/5 stars. "This novella has a bit of everything: medical fantasy, slice-of-life, and a mystery, all presented in some of the tightest, most layered writing I' ve had the joy and privilege of reading. " --Jo Writes Fantasy
Naseem Jamnia is is a queer, nonbinary, trans Persian writer from Chicago. They are a former neuroscientist and a recent MFA graduate from the University of Nevada, Reno. Their work has appeared in the Washington Post, Cosmopolitan, The Rumpus, The Writer' s Chronicle, and other venues. They have received fellowships from Bitch Media, Lambda Literary, and the Otherwise Award, and they recently received the inaugural Samuel R. Delany Fellowship. Jamnia is the managing editor at Sidequest, an independent gaming-criticism website that centers the voices of queer and marginalized genders, and they are also an author mentor through Author Mentor Match. A Persian-Chicagoan and child to Iranian immigrants, Jamnia now lives in Reno with their husband, dog, and two cats.
Status: Active
ISBN-13: 9781616963781
Published: 9 Aug 2022
Published In: United States
Imprint: Tachyon Publications
Publisher: Tachyon Publications
Format: Paperback
Height: 203mm
Width: 127mm
Pages: 176

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