365NEWSX
365NEWSX
Subscribe

Welcome

Blood Reveals a Troubling Mystery in This Excerpt From Fantasy Tale The Bruising of Qilwa - Gizmodo Australia

Blood Reveals a Troubling Mystery in This Excerpt From Fantasy Tale The Bruising of Qilwa - Gizmodo Australia

Blood Reveals a Troubling Mystery in This Excerpt From Fantasy Tale The Bruising of Qilwa - Gizmodo Australia
Jan 20, 2022 2 mins, 43 secs

The debut novel from Persian American author Naseem Jamnia, The Bruising of Qilwa follows a nonbinary refugee who’s just fled a homeland where they faced persecution for being a practitioner of blood magic.

Their promising new life faces its first challenge when a strange new disease begins to appear — and blood magic comes under fire once again.

Check out this quick description of the story, followed by the full cover reveal — and a excerpt from a (sorta gruesome!) part of the book where its central mystery really begins to reveal itself.

Firuz-e Jafari is one of the fortunate ones who have emigrated to the Democratic Free State of Qilwa, escaping the slaughter of blood-magic practitioners in their homeland.

But a strange plague is spreading quickly through Qilwa, and the local government is quick to blame it on refugees.

In order to survive, Firuz must break a deadly cycle of prejudice while finding a fresh start for both their blood and found families.

Here’s a look at the full cover, designed by Elizabeth Story, followed by an excerpt from The Bruising of Qilwa — a vivid autopsy scene involving the unfortunate victim of some rather sloppy blood magic.

Mortician Malika had worked closely with Firuz over the weeks, as Kofi’s was the closest clinic “whose healers don’t have asses for brains.” She also once told Firuz she worked with the dead because she wanted to avoid dealing with the complaints of the living.

“Malika-khan, what brings you here?” Her attention flicked towards them and back, and Firuz followed her gaze to the raised sheet stretched over an examination bed that usually did not reside there.

Firuz turned their cheek to breathe in the scent of dried herbs the mask had been nestled in, as Malika coughed.

Kofi waved a hand in front of his face.

“How long has this one been dead?” Firuz retrieved surgical tools.

The initial gases had resembled that bouquet of scents, but there was no real skin slippage as Firuz pinched the arm, no telltale yellow marbling.

Their blade slid through the chest like a ripe mango, the skin curling as the pressure released.

Firuz suppressed a gag.

Firuz used a rag to wipe down the flat bone connecting the ribs before tapping it, but did not hear the expected hollow-ish ring.

Kofi already held out the handsaw, then flipped the skin back so Firuz could work?

A chunk of sternum in hand, Firuz stepped to the magnifying lens set on the back counter, but there was a more precise way to puzzle out what was happening.

With their back to the others, they freed the tip of the needle sewn in their sleeve and pressed it to their wrist until a drop of blood welled up.

The blood still present felt wrong, lacking something, and the bone was too thin, as if eroded away.

Kofi moved one hand over the open chest cavity.

The truth was, thought Firuz as they washed their hands, this was the work of the most incompetent blood magic user they’d ever seen

Excerpt from The Bruising of Qilwa by Naseem Jamnia reprinted by permission

Naseem Jamnia’s The Bruising of Qilwa will be released in July, and you can pre-order a copy here

Summarized by 365NEWSX ROBOTS

RECENT NEWS

SUBSCRIBE

Get monthly updates and free resources.

CONNECT WITH US

© Copyright 2024 365NEWSX - All RIGHTS RESERVED