The first two novels of the Vagrant Gods trilogy: The Bladed Faith and The Sapphire Altar
(Orbit Books, April 5, 2022 and January 10, 2023). Cover art by Chase Stone

David Dalglish is the author of more than two dozen fantasy novels, including the Seraphim trilogy, the 6-volume Shadowdance series, and The Keepers trilogy. His Vagrant Gods trilogy, which opened last year with The Bladed Faith, takes place in a brand new setting, a world in which an usurped prince dons the skull mask of a legendary assassin to reclaim his kingdom and his slain gods.

Booklist says “This dark adventure will hook genre fans with its detailed world building, strong characters, and gory, action-packed scenes,” and BookPage calls it “beautiful, grandiose and expansive.” The second volume in the series, The Sapphire Altar, arrived in January, and the third book, The Slain Divine, is due on January 9, 2024.

[Click the images for Vagrant versions.]

Back covers for The Bladed Faith and The Sapphire Altar

Here’s an excerpt from the BookPage review by Chris Pickens.

David Dalglish’s beautiful, grandiose and expansive The Bladed Faith begins at the roots of a rebellion.

Cyrus Lythan, heir to Thanet’s throne, witnessed his parents’ capture and execution when their small island nation was invaded by the Everlorn Empire. Having been held as a political prisoner ever since, Cyrus was helpless as the empire worked to eradicate his kingdom’s culture and religion. But during a skirmish with Thanet resistance fighters, Cyrus is rescued by Thorda Ahlai, a wealthy aristocrat bent on overthrowing the empire. With his two highly trained daughters and vast wealth, Thorda seeks to avenge his homeland’s destruction. Cyrus is all too happy to join the effort, but the price of reclaiming the country may be steeper than he realized. Cyrus will need to become something new: a folk hero and vigilante who exacts bloody revenge from the shadows. Will his and Thorda’s need for vengeance cost them their souls?…

The world around Cyrus and Thorda is vivid in every way, and the opening sequence depicting the fall of Thanet is particularly breathtaking. The nation’s two guardian spirits, who take physical form as a massive golden lion and a woman with shimmering wings, are cut down by goliath super soldiers from Everlorn. It’s sad, brutal and beautiful. But Dalglish takes equal care with smaller details, too, like Cyrus’ running route as he trains or the details on a character’s ax. At every turn, The Bladed Faith feels fully formed, without a single description haphazardly thrown in…

Yes, rebellion against an evil empire is a familiar plot in fantasy. But this is a rebellion with soul, and one that promises to reach even greater heights as the series continues.

Read the complete review here.

Here’s the complete details.

The Bladed Faith (472 pages pages, $17.99 trade paperback. $9.99 digital, April 5, 2022)
The Sapphire Altar (544 pages, $18.99 trade paperback. $9.99 digital, January 10, 2023)
The Slain Divine (520 pages, $19.99 trade paperback. $9.99 digital, January 9, 2024)

All three books in the series are published by Orbit, with covers by Chase Stone

We previously discussed Skyborn, Book One of Seraphim, back in 2016.

See all our coverage of the best new fantasy series here.