In the gritty city of Dusk, seventeen-year-old Irina makes her living as the street magician Bantheir’s assistant. The job isn’t glamorous, but she loves the crowds, the shows, and most of all, the illusion of magic. But Irina’s world is shattered the night she is arrested and charged as Bantheir’s accomplice to murder—murder by magic.
In the gritty city of Dusk, seventeen-year-old Irina makes her living as the street magician Bantheir’s assistant. The job isn’t glamorous, but she loves the crowds, the shows, and most of all, the illusion of magic. But Irina’s world is shattered the night she is arrested and charged as Bantheir’s accomplice to murder—murder by magic.
Real magic, the kind that’s been forbidden since the old wars.
Irina finds the idea of flashy showman Bantheir using actual magic to kill someone laughable, but she’s the only one who sees how ridiculous the claim is. But how can she convince everyone Bantheir is innocent when they’ve already made up their minds? Desperate, Irina must decide who she can trust to help her win her freedom. Is the surly, handsome Captain Leonid telling the truth when he says he believes Irina is innocent, or is he just using her to get to Bantheir? What about Aden, the sweet soldier and longtime fan of Irina’s who claims he’s on her side?
Irina said she wanted to know the truth, but when she stumbles across a dark secret that changes everything, will she be strong enough to survive?
GUEST POST
When magic can change all
When I set out to create the world of The Fading Dusk, I knew magic was going to be a big part of it. Irina, the main protagonist, was always a street magician’s assistant. One of the very first questions I asked myself was, “Is the magic real?” Were Irina and the magician Bantheir using actual magic in their shows, or were they relying on smoke and mirrors (which, as it happens, was the original title of the book)? Very early on I realized the magic in their shows wasn’t real for the simple reason that in this world, magic was forbidden.
But why was magic forbidden? As it turns out, a thousand year ago there’d been a war between the magicians and dragons. It was so bad it nearly destroyed the world, and it did kill off all of the dragons. The remaining magicians agreed magic had no place in this world, and it was banished. Fast forward to the present and the city of Dusk, where most of the citizens are more concerned about where their next meal is coming from than the old wars and the extinction of the dragons. They embrace magic shows like the ones Irina and Bantheir perform because even though they know the magic isn’t real, they’re still dazzled by the tricks. But as the story progresses, Irina realizes that magic is still real, and despite wanting nothing to do with it, it’s very much a part of her life.
Creating the magic was a fun process for me. In this particular story, the magicians chant spells and wave their arms, and all sorts of dangerous things happen. I wasn’t looking to create a sophisticated magic system with all sorts of rules. I just knew that I wanted there to be magic, and that the people who wield it are the ones you should stay away from because they almost always succumb to the allure of power. Magic is supposed to be forbidden, right? Try telling that to these guys. Spoiler alert: They’re not listening.
As the story progresses with the next books in the series, we’ll see more and more of the magic, and we’ll also learn more about the old wars between the magicians and the dragons.
Thank you for having me on your blog!
About the author:
Goodreads ** Amazon ** Barnes&Noble
About the author:
Melissa Giorgio is a native New Yorker who graduated from Queens College with a degree in English.
She’s always dreamed of being a writer and has been creating stories (mostly in her head) since she was a little girl. Also an avid reader, Melissa loves to devour thick YA novels. When not reading or writing, she enjoys watching animated films, listening to music by her favorite Japanese boy band, or exploring Manhattan.
She is also the author of the Silver Moon Saga.
Author's Giveaway
a Rafflecopter giveaway
1 comment:
Always with great pleasure for you; You bring good authors :)
Post a Comment