Stars and Soil (Mass Market Paperback)
Scions and Shadows #1
Mass Market Paperback (5" x 8") includes complimentary ebook version which will be emailed to email address provided at checkout.
Die as a queen or live as a rebel?
Caitlin Peddigree faces a dire choice: accept a loveless marriage to the crown prince, or die as a traitor to the throne. While Caitlin still grieves the death of her wife, a rebellion simmers in Fayn, the streets filled with cries for the monarchy’s fall and the rise of democracy. When Caitlin unwittingly befriends a rebel leader, she believes she may have a way out of her unwanted relationship.
Marrying the prince would protect her family’s fortune, but can she also be an informant for the rebellion? Caught in a tangled web of political intrigue and court gossip, Caitlin treads a treacherous path, made more dangerous when a spirited new lady arrives at court and ignites a new fire in Caitlin’s heart.
But power in Fayn is ever-shifting. Whispers of magic and long-forgotten gods stir beneath the surface. Religious orders conspire against each other. New nobles scramble for power and old bloodlines seethe with resentment. The rebellion fractures into factions as they bicker over strategy. But underneath it all and unbeknown to most, dark and ancient forces are waiting, watching, and plotting. Surrounded on all sides, Caitlin finds herself a pawn in a deadly game.
But she must decide for herself: remain a prisoner of her circumstances—or reclaim her own life. And she must decide fast, otherwise the flames of revolution may be put out by a force far darker than a tyrannical king.
Read a sample
Stars and Soil is the exciting first novel in the Scions and Shadows series from Dax Murray. A finalist for the 2024 Indie Ink Awards for “Writing the Future We Need: Best Disability Representation by a Disabled Author” and “Writing the Future We Need: Best Gay and Lesbian Representation,” Stars and Soil is perfect for those who like their fantasy full of shifting alliances, deep worldbuilding, backstabbing and betrayal, and sapphic and disability representation set in a magical, queer-normative world.
Note: This book contains LGBTQ+ characters who use gender-neutral pronouns such as they/them/their, xie/xir/xirs, and more.
Representation:
- Lesbian
- Gay
- Trans
- Non-binary
- Bisexual
- Aromantic
- Asexual
- Disability (POTS, PTSD, C-PTSD)
Credits:
Interior Formatting: Dax Murray (Lacuna)
Interior Art: Ethetic Tales
Editing: Liz Sauco, Ingrid Moon
Cover Design: GetCovers using digital assets on DepositPhotos uploaded before 2022 and verified to have been created entirely by a human being.
This book was written without the use or assistance of generative AI. For more information, see the author's anti-AI promise.
Praise for Stars and Soil
Praise for STARS AND SOIL
"Dax Murray has a way of getting you hooked and their descriptive style is quite endearing. Their will to craft a world that is so unapologetically and simply queer was also something that made me quite happy while reading."
- NetGalley Reviewer
"You can tell how much work has gone into the worldbuilding. Fascinating cultures and magic systems, and plenty of intriguing threads that can be addressed in later works."
- Amazon Reviewer
"The world-building is intricate and immersive, drawing you into a universe filled with rich lore and compelling characters."
- Amazon Reviewer
"I really enjoyed the overall worldbuilding and magical elements and loved the nuances of the political intrigue. Definitely recommend this book with a hot cup of cocoa and some tissues to help you work through the expansive range of emotions this will invoke."
- NetGalley Reviewer
More details
This is a mass market paperback. This book is 5 inches by 8 inches and contains 510 pages.
Content Warnings
This is a work of fiction; the behaviors, actions, and views of characters should not be conflated or confused with the author's opinions and beliefs. The presence of these darker themes in this work is not an endorsement of them. This list is as complete as the author can make it. If you feel that something was left out, please use the Contact Me form to let the author know.
- Consensual intercourse,
- Abortion,
- Infertility,
- Pregnancy,
- Childbirth,
- Violence,
- Murder,
- Execution,
- Revolution,
- Domestic violence,
- Arson,
- Assault,
- Torture,
- Blood,
- Religious abuse,
- Consumption of alcohol.
