The Dead Man's Empire

An innovative grimdark fantasy, with expansive world-building, powerful female characters and political intrigue, for fans of Brandon Sanderson and Scott Lynch. The follow up to the award winning The Last Blade Priest.

Two in the eye of the storm. Two in touch with the end.

Syzenne. A princess? Or a mere bargaining chip in a contest between two powers?

Duna. A teenage girl dragged into a war by a fanatical priest? Or a child who can break mountains?

As blood-thirsty elves sweep the land, as religions crumble and rumours spread of an empire of the dead revived it is two young women who hold the key. As the world spirals down into war, The Last Blade Priest must face the fear and wonder of The Dead Man’s Empire. In The Holy Mountain, W.P. Wiles has created an epic fantasy of incredible richness and originality. A celebration of the genre and breath of fresh air."Worldbuilding by a writer who knows how to build and haunt and enchant. Grim but not Grimdark, romantic but not Romantasy. I haven't been as surprised and enthralled by a fantasy series in years."
– Francis Spufford


W.P. Wiles was born in India in 1978. For more than twenty years he has written about architecture and design. He is the author of the award winning epic fantasy The Last Blade Priest (Angry Robot, 2022) and three literary novels: Care of Wooden Floors (Fourth Estate, 2012), The Way Inn (Fourth Estate, 2014), and Plume (Fourth Estate, 2019). Care of Wooden Floors was a Waterstones 11 pick and won a Betty Trask award.