“Part road-trip novel, part fantasy epic, The Lioness and the Rat Queen is gritty and entertaining sequel that skillfully balances humor and drama as it tells a moving story about vengeance and forgiveness. Above all, it’s the characters that bring the world alive—from our three complex and layered protagonists to the wonderfully flamboyant and sinister villain.”
– Aatif Rashid, author of Portrait of Sebastian Khan
“Noah Lemelson’s The Lioness and the Rat Queen is a smart, unputdownable sequel set post-war where the “evil” empire wins, and the scrappy underdog rebels find themselves irrevocably tied to the person who defeated them. Its commentary on corporatism, imperialism, religion, and individualism strikes at the heart of characters who all have their own secrets. Nothing is sacred, and everything is bleak. Yet, with revenge on the horizon, hope springs.” – AJ Super, Author of Erebus Dawning
Praise for Book 1, The Sightless City:
“Stellar worldbuilding and quick pacing. This is sure to entertain any fan of gritty speculative fiction.” — Publishers Weekly
“The Sightless City is like nothing I’ve ever seen. Fantasy, dieselpunk, and sci-fi. Past, present, and future — all at once. Step inside and never leave.” – Gary Goldman, screenwriter for Big Trouble in Little China (1986) and Total Recall (1990)
“Take one step into The Sightless City and you’re pulled into a crackling adventure of intrigue, danger and mystery until the very last page. Lemelson builds an intricate steampunk fantasy world and sets it ablaze with haunting characters and deep moral questions. It’s a thrilling debut!” – Amanda Silver, screenwriter for Rise of the Planet of Apes (2011), Jurassic World (2015) and Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014)
“With one foot in the seemingly magical and the other in SF, The Sightless City hits that same sweet spot that Tamsyn Muir mines so successfully in Gideon the Ninth. Lemelson revives and updates the gestures of science fantasy to make it a truly 21st century form. Funny, dark, irreverent, and endlessly entertaining, The Sightless City is a rustpunk wonder and a first-rate debut.” – Brian Evanson, award-winning author of Song for the Unraveling of the World and The Warren
“Lemelson melds industrial revolution with powerful magic; and, like all revolutions, this one isn’t a tea party.” – Dave Higgins, author of Origin and Seven Stones
