The First Binding

R.R. Virdi's The First Binding is engrossing and beautiful, joyous and painful -- always entertaining, sometimes profound. This book makes me remember why I love epic fantasy * Kevin J. Anderson, New York Times bestselling author * Crafted with patience, passion and, most importantly, tremendous love. Read R.R. Virdi * Jim Butcher, New York Times bestselling author of the Dresden Files * R.R. Virdi spins a very personal epic fantasy about the consequences of our actions and the nature of heroism. Rich world-building, plenty of action, and devious twists abound. Very highly recommended * Jonathan Maberry, New York Times bestselling author * An epic like no other - grand, sweeping, dramatic, a love letter to fantasy burning with the dust and heat and mythos of South Asia. It reads like magic and tastes like saffron * Yudhanjaya Wijeratne, Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia, Washington Post bestselling author of The Salvage Crew * If you loved The Name of the Wind and The Lies of Locke Lamora, this is your next reading addiction * Dyrk Ashton, author of the Paternus Trilogy * The First Binding is epic fantasy at its finest -- an homage to storytelling and legend, richly told and endlessly engaging. Complex and luxuriant, this is an emotional, multifaceted gem of a book that examines the twists and turns a story takes on its journey from the truth * Andrea Stewart, critically acclaimed author of The Bone Shard Emperor * If you're a fan of The Kingkiller Chronicle, like me . . . well, The First Binding is for you . . . It is a novel about coming-of-age, found family, kindness, empathy, storytelling, magic, truth, and lies . . . [it's] the first volume in a new magnificent and ambitious high fantasy series to obsess over * Novel Notions * Lavish in detail, a saga colourfully flavoured with the mythos of India, R.R. Virdi's The First Binding is a fantasy debut recommended for the exceptional promise that The Name of the Wind enthusiasts have been pining to discover and read * Janny Wurts, author of The Wars of Light and Shadow * A work of extraordinary depth; readers will be unpicking the secrets of Tremaine for years to come * Richard Swan, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Justice of Kings * An ode to storytelling, complete with a rich mythology, turbulent adventures, and a flawed hero you'll root for * Kirkus * The First Binding is, at its core, a coming-of-age/underdog story with the found family and pet companion trope (and LOTS more)! . . . a new favourite of mine * Library of a Viking * The First Binding is a masterpiece of epic fantasy storytelling * Michael Mammay, author of The Planetside series * The pattern woven by the recurring elements is beguiling. You'll want to sit down with this Storyteller again * SFX * I have read many good books this year, but The First Binding climbed incredibly quickly to the top and currently has wiped out every other amazing book I have read * Moon Kestrel * An unforgettable, magical tale . . . A beautifully told story from start to finish, this is the kind of book that will stay with you long after you finish reading * The Bibliophile Chronicles * One of my top reads this year. It celebrates storytelling, is written in lyrical prose, and contains elements that are immersed in South Asian mythos and culture * Fantasy Book Critic * I recommend The First Binding to every epic fantasy fan . . . in a decade it'll be remembered as one of the cornerstones of this genre * Books in Blankets * An immense achievement, and deserves a place on any epic fantasy reader's shelf beside the other greats of the genre. It's a mesmerizing love letter to stories, to the South Asian culture and history that inspired it, and to the fantasy genre as a whole * winteriscoming.net * This is a SPECTACULAR book, deep and rich and intense. It takes my breath away * Faith Hunter, New York Times bestselling author * There is little else out there to rival The First Binding. It is an entire mythos and world, epic fantasy and autobiography, a comprehensive retelling of one man's life * The Wall Street Journal *