Loose the Sealed Tongue

Loose the Sealed Tongue is the third full-length novel in “The Heir and the Herald” tetralogy by Austin Gunderson. It is AVAILABLE ON KINDLE AND IN PAPERBACK from Creative Texts.

The back-cover description below—as well as the related “Cast” and “Locations” pages—contains significant SPOILERS. It’s highly recommended that you first read Books 1 & 2 before continuing.

The border is breached, the censors slain, and the Hidden Kingdom lost forever. Hugh Conrad, driven by rage and plagued by guilt, breaks and enters the Enemy’s fastnesses in search of his offworld precursor. What he finds will send him on a journey of self-discovery into the heart of darkness.

Ilina Lightkeeper, fleeing the destruction of all she has loved, is granted a vision—but whether of hope or despair she cannot tell. Of one thing she is certain: the Heir of Henred must not be allowed to reach the Withered Throne. And she must be the one to stop him.

But they aren’t in Kramarack anymore. Here there be not merely monsters, but men who know more than they should. The coming of the Earthling King will fulfill or foil many schemes. As secret factions and ancient conspiracies uncoil from the stonework, can a notorious terrorist and a disgraced religious figurehead finally figure out how to distinguish friend from foe?

The Wheel of Fate is turning as king and herald again converge. The first round may have crushed them, but now the game has opened up, and all of Arlam constitutes the board.

Loose the Sealed Tongue is a mesmerizing plunge into espionage and allure that only accelerates over time. Ferocious action, amplified by a unique magic system, unfolds against culturally-complex backdrops. This Indiana Jones-goes-to-Narnia adventure will delight fans of Tad Williams, Brandon Sanderson, and Patrick Rothfuss.