Seven Faceless Saints

Product Information

Giada was the first person Damian would question, but she wouldn’t be the last. The Palazzo—the city—was teeming with people whose motivations he couldn’t discern. Through their very different perspectives, we see how Wes and Margaret directly influence each other’s character development. Wes teaches Margaret she doesn’t always have to be alone; in turn, she teaches him that he’s allowed to be vulnerable. Knowing them both on such an intimate level is crucial to appreciating the depth of their connection. Both are outsiders in their society, and are full to the brim of fears and desires. It takes them some time to be honest with one another, and only then can they change their circumstances (and kiss).

M.K. Lobb: The hardest part of writing “Seven Faceless Saints” was definitely balancing the world-building, the progression of the murder mystery, and the character relationships. There’s so much to sift through when it comes to each, and I had to decide which elements were going to make the cut. I could have written an entire book solely about Roz and Damian’s relationship, or the history of Ombrazia, its politics, and its saints. I really had to think about what I wanted to include, and how I was going to include it in a way that fits into the narrative. As I said, there were a lot of drafts, and I ended up adding and removing stuff over and over again. I did end up having to cut a lot of scenes that showed more of the secondary characters because they just weren’t driving the plot. Doing that is always sad, but I tell myself revising is all about making tough choices. Especially when you have to stay within a certain word count! In a time of typewriters and steam engines, Iris Winnow awaits word from her older brother, who has enlisted on the side of Enva the Skyward goddess. Alcohol abuse led to her mother’s losing her job, and Iris has dropped out of school and found work utilizing her writing skills at the Oath Gazette. Hiding the stress of her home issues behind a brave face, Iris competes for valuable assignments that may one day earn her the coveted columnist position. Her rival for the job is handsome and wealthy Roman Kitt, whose prose entrances her so much she avoids reading his articles. At home, she writes cathartic letters to her brother, never posting them but instead placing them in her wardrobe, where they vanish overnight. One day Iris receives a reply, which, along with other events, pushes her to make dramatic life decisions. Magic plays a quiet role in this story, and readers may for a time forget there is anything supernatural going on. This is more of a wartime tale of broken families, inspired youths, and higher powers using people as pawns. It flirts with clichéd tropes but also takes some startling turns. Main characters are assumed White; same-sex marriages and gender equality at the warfront appear to be the norm in this world. I knew from the beginning I’d love Rossana, her anger, her hatred of her power, and her determination. She was a character I knew from the premise alone that I would love. And I did… I cannot wait for the sequel because I may have screeched a bit at the end.”Paste: I’m hoping the ending to this one means we might learn a bit more about the saints and their history in the Seven Faceless Saints sequel? (Warring gods are a weakness of mine!) It’s too convenient,” Forte growled. “Targeting Death’s representative so that no one is around to read the body?” reddorakeen on Beyond The Exorcist: Five Movies That Explore Possession From Non-Christian Perspectives 4 hours ago

Anyone looking for a sizzling slow burn should know that romance is never the focus of the main plot, though there is plenty of romantic tension rippling below the surface. Fans of the dystopian genre will welcome this breath of fresh air, as will those looking for a new high fantasy to add to their TBR. I loved how the world-building climbs throughout the novel with incredibly vivid and immersive imagery and a mastery of sharp, cutting prose that transported me straight to the magical world of Ombrazia. What influenced your choice of Guilds of Florence as the setting for Ombrazia? What were your key takeaways as you created this intricate, layered ambience with lush visualisation? That said, it likely comes as no surprise that my debut novel Seven Faceless Saints contains the perspectives of both main characters as their paths converge after three long years apart. Of course, it’s far from a peaceful reconciliation, but that’s to be expected when one’s former beloved stood by as his father ruined one’s life. Oh, the perils of young love. Roz Lacertosa and Damian Venturi grew up as close friends–turned–young lovers until the war between rebel and national forces tore Damian away from home. Years later, the two are shells of their former selves and in vastly different social circles in Ombrazia.

New in Series

I loved Roz and Damian, and wow have they been through it. Roz is surly and tough as nails, while Damian is trying to find his place in the world and has a lot of heart… Great characters and an exciting plot make me very excited for the second book!” I’m absolutely obsessed! I love the world and Damian and Roz are *chef’s kiss* perfection as main characters. I know I’m going to be begging the NOVL for an ARC of book two… Don’t miss this one!”

Seven Faceless Saints combines the best aspects of true crime, high fantasy, and YA dystopian novels into one fast-paced story worth re-reading. The worldbuilding climbs throughout the novel as the reader follows Roz, Damian, and the variety of secondary characters they interact with. The split-perspective POV adds layers of depth to each of the characters without complicating the narrative.

Need Help?

Lobb: Honestly, I read more YA than adult SFF, so I think I just naturally gravitated toward that age group! I’d say my writing “voice” lies somewhere between YA and adult, and in this case leaning towards the former made sense—-especially because Roz and Damian were very much older teens in my head. Dark YA fantasy Seven Faceless Saints is set in a richly detailed magical world with a complex political hierarchy. The city of Ombrazia is built around the worship of seven gods, who have each gifted their descendants—known as “disciples”—-with specific kinds of magic. Unfortunately, those without similar gifts are discriminated against as part of a lesser caste known as the “unfavored,” citizens who are destined to live lives of poverty and strike, with their sons and daughters sent to battle and die in the city’s seemingly endless war with a Northern kingdom. Discover what’s lurking in the shadows in this dark fantasy debut with a murder-mystery twist, perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo and Kerri Maniscalco. In our latest interview, we discovered what’s lurking in the shadows in “Seven Faceless Saints,” the first book in a deliciously dark murder-mystery fantasy dripping with a sizzling romance of Roz and Damian Venturi; all synthesised into one epic story. Inspired by Guilds of Florence, the new, dark YA fantasy “Seven Faceless Saints” transports us to the magical world of Ombrazia which is built around the worship of seven gods, who have each gifted their descendants—known as “disciples”—-with specific kinds of magic. Truth be told, he was weary in general. The night had long shifted closer to dawn than dusk, and it was increasingly difficult to focus on the dead disciple before him. He adjusted the collar of his Palazzo-issued coat, hoping it might ease some of the pressure building in his throat.

In the city of Ombrazia, saints and their disciples rule with terrifying and unjust power, playing favorites while the unfavored struggle to survive. M.K. Lobb: When I plot a new book, I always start off by developing my world. As you note, in this case, the city of Ombrazia was inspired by the seven major guilds of Florence, Italy. Historical fun fact: there was a time during which Florence’s economy was more or less run by these guilds. They had their own city watchmen, and the people who weren’t part of a guild lived rather poor lives in comparison. Eventually, this led to unrest and rebellions. I thought this was a really interesting way to set up a city, mainly because of all the potential division and hierarchies I could see arising from it. Of course, Florence was also very heavily religious during this time, which got me thinking about how a strict system of belief might interact with a system like this. I decided to link them directly through my creation of the seven saints, which lent to that vaguely creepy religious aesthetic I’m so fond of.M.K. Lobb:“Seven Faceless Saints” is a book I wrote solely for myself, at least in the beginning. I knew I wanted to write a murder mystery, and that the story was going to contain all the things I enjoy about young adult fantasy. After failing to secure a literary agent with each of my previous novels, I decided I need to make writing fun for myself once more. It only took me about three months to draft the book, but because I’m not much of a plotter, it required a lot of revisions afterwards. I unravel my plot and get to know my characters as I write, rather than planning it all in-depth ahead of time. Lobb: I think Roz’s main issue is that she was already on the path to radicalization, and being forced to join what’s essentially the ruling class made everything so much worse. She’s seen how people without magic are treated, because she was one of them for most of her life. She knows what happened to her father, and how those like him are seen as disposable. When it comes to building tension on a character level, I find it a lot easier to do when writing from both perspectives. Especially when the characters have a complicated past the way Roz and Damian do, there’s so much to play with. They have such different perspectives and focus on different elements of the mystery, so while it required a lot of trial and error, it’s definitely satisfying to weave everything together in the end.