Publishers Notes
Imagine Game of Thrones, but with Neanderthals, too! It’s
1107, and the once-great Neanderthal empire is no more, laid waste by
the dark Sapien King Isaac, the same bastard who slaughtered the Thal
queen’s young heirs. A brutal reversal of medieval power forged in blood
and fueled by Sap ingenuity. But one babe escaped the mad king’s wrath. Raised
the son of a simple Thal herder, Maralek’s a rough lad with the
ferocious pride and temper of his ruined people, a scorn for rules and
rulers, and less than a little creativity in his thick skull. In a word,
your average Neanderthal. And life’s livable, until King Isaac
resumes his bloodthirsty crusade, and Maralek’s forced into slaving
shackles. Then, a rowdy caravan, a mysterious gypsy, a whispered
prophecy.... A whirlwind of devastation and war as his master is
murdered, his fate unwoven, and his world ripped asunder in an epic
battle to end all. Neanderthal King is a historic epic YA
fantasy by renowned science-fiction and fantasy author Matt Ward that
features savage twists and darker secrets, raging kings and enslaved
heirs, and an audaciously ambitious coming of age quest set in an
alternative medieval Europe. If you love Brandon Sanderson, Ursula le
Guin, or Robin Hobb, or explosive high and low fantasy classics like
Lord of the Rings, the Kingkiller Chronicles, and the Earthsea Cycle,
you’ll love this heroic historical tale. Buy Neanderthal King today for a bold new take on a daring teen hero’s fantastic adventure...right up to its shocking conclusion.