New Releases by James Zwerneman

In his follow-up to Uruk: A Novel of the First City, James Zwerneman continues his stunning, action-packed historical adventure series set in ancient Mesopotamia. Jakka has taken his army and Ki , the genius who helped establish Uruk, north to a rich copper mining village to reestablish Magog's empire. He starts building a fort, mining copper, recruiting warriors, growing fields of Ki's wheat, and extracting tribute from vassal villages. Meanwhile, in Uruk, Sargon is elected lugal, and he helps Uruk prosper. But when he finds out where Jakka is keeping Ki, the hostile council refuses to send military to save her. Sargon realizes he must go himself. He goes with Rogg, his best friend, to rally the north to overthrow Jakka. Nisaba, his advisor, remains behind as his deputy lugal, but she warns him that without his influence, wicked chiefs may tear Uruk apart. On the journey Sargon is captured and sold to work the mines. There, concealing that he is the famous "Gog Slayer," he takes on his old name "Ta" and rediscovers his purpose. A natural leader, he inspires his fellow slaves to dig an escape. Rogg, who has escaped capture, rallies a tribe to fight Magog. What follows is not merely a clash of armies, but a collision between cruelty and order, tyranny and freedom. Magog is a relentless historical epic—where the fate of the ancient world will be decided.

The first in a series inspired by ancient Mesopotamia, following a small band of misfits on an epic, dangerous journey to realize their dream, their establishment of Uruk, the first city. Ki, a member of a nomadic tribe, has figured out how to plant seeds to grow food and invented a dart-thrower, a new weapon that can kill from a distance. Labeled a witch, her sister is the only person who appreciates her genius. That is until Magog, a vicious warrior tribe, attacks, killing her entire family and enslaving her people. The Magog leader discovers Ki's talent and takes her prisoner, wanting to exploit her knowledge for his own gains. Ki manages to escape down the river, but Jakka, the insecure and cruel son of the Magog leader, relentlessly pursues her, seeking to redeem himself to his father. Ta has been exiled from his tribe with other unwanted members, his hand cut off for stealing food. When he steals again and is cast out of the small group, he fears he will die alone. Luck comes in the form of a man, woman, and her baby who have fled their tribe to be free of its rules. Hopeful for a new start and more freedom, they are headed toward the Euphrates River and invite Ta to join them. They discover Ki stranded during a storm, and Ta risks himself to save her. The misfits dare to dream of a new tribe that lives by a revolutionary new code, where everyone has a voice and the elderly and disabled are protected, not left to die. But Jakka is coming for them, and they'll need to pool all their talents to stop the Magog from advancing their reign of terror over the region.