Seattle, WA.—On July 1, 2014, Camel Press will release City of Tigers ($14.95, 280 pp., ISBN: 978-1-60381-973-2), a work of fantasy by debut novelist Leif Chappelle about a street musician who defies the authorities to conjure music out of the air. City of Tigers is Book 1 of a new fantasy series: Under the Sunstone.
“Mr. Chappelle has crafted a dark and moody journey through an alternate Earth filled with interesting characters, intriguing magic, and creative alternative technology.”
—John Patrick Lowrie, author of Dancing with Eternity
Sigurd resides in Tigrebyn, where he performs on the street, conjuring original music out of thin air. The magical art he practices, projeksjon, is disappearing, replaced by a new dependence on machinae. After he discovers that the University wishes to exploit his unusual talents, Sigurd takes a stand against them, little knowing that his lonely battle may lead to catastrophe.
Says the author, “I envisioned a world where magic is practiced that is not a form of sorcery, but a natural part of everyday life—utilitarian. It started with the question: ‘What if we never needed to invent modern technology?’ But then the secondary question arose: ‘What happens when the magic—control of the elements—goes away?’ A lot of current fantasy literature centers around post-apocalyptic worlds where technology goes away. The most human reaction, of course, is to replace what has been lost by any means necessary. Thus, the creation of ‘machina.’ From there, I imagined what sort of conflict would arise if the replacement for magic grew in popularity while some magic users still existed and were trying to earn a living. What social stigmas would be placed upon them? What kind of oppression would they fall victim to? What sort of uprising would take place? These are the questions that set the stage for City of Tigers.”
Leif Chappelle was born and raised in Seattle, WA, and studied music composition at Cornish College of the Arts. He has written accompaniments for a number of collaborations with dance choreographers, music for classroom education software, and a number of video games. Most notably, he has contributed to critically acclaimed PC game Guild Wars 2, writing music and contributing all manner of nefarious plot developments in the game’s ongoing story. His music can be found on his studio’s website, www.woodlandalien.com, as well as Soundcloud and Bandcamp. For more information, go to www.leifchappelle.com.
City of Tigers is currently available for pre-order on Amazon.com. After July 1, 2014, it will also be available in eBook and 6x9 trade paperback formats online at BN.com, Amazon.com, the European Amazons and Amazon Japan. Bookstores and libraries can order through Ingram, Baker & Taylor, or by contacting info@camelpress.com, Follett Library Resources or Midwest Library Service. Other eBook formats can be purchased on Smashwords.
ABOUT Camel Press—Based in Seattle Washington, Camel Press is a new imprint owned by Coffeetown Press. Camel Press publishes genre fiction: romance, mystery/suspense, science fiction and fantasy. We publish the books that grab you and hold you in their grip long into the night.