Captain Marcus d’Ivoire, commander of one of the Vordanai empire’s colonial garrisons, was serving out his days in a sleepy, remote outpost—until a rebellion left him in charge of a demoralized force clinging to a small fortress at the edge of the desert.

To flee from her past, Winter Ihernglass masqueraded as a man and enlisted as a ranker in the Vordanai Colonials, hoping only to avoid notice. But when chance sees her promoted to command, she must lead her men into battle against impossible odds.

Their fate depends on Colonel Janus bet Vhalnich. Under his command, Marcus and Winter feel the tide turning and their allegiance being tested. For Janus’s ambitions extend beyond the battlefield and into the realm of the supernatural—a realm with the power to reshape the known world and change the lives of everyone in its path.

From Booklist

Wexler’s polished military fantasy, first in the Shadow Campaign series, distinguishes itself from other epic doorstops with its unique setting, intricate plotting, and layered characters. Seasoned captain Marcus d’Ivoire is the only volunteer in Khandar, a distant Vordanai colonial outpost surrounded by desert. When a religious rebellion turns the quiet outpost into a war zone, Marcus must whip out-of-practice soldiers into a functioning army. One of these rankers, Winter Ihernglass, is unexpectedly promoted, making it difficult to protect her—yes, her—secret, though her competence is undeniable. Both rely on the brilliant, enigmatic new leader, Colonel Janus, but he has an ulterior motive: a magical relic that has been the true danger all along. Wexler makes military tactics riveting, though at times the sheer detail given over to the realities of pseudo-eighteenth-century warfare (think muskets, swords, and cannons) is too much. Fortunately, at these times, a riotous battle, a perceptive character beat, or another hint of insidious magic comes to the fore. This excellent series debut is for fans of Peter Brett, Daniel Abraham, and Joe Abercrombie. --Krista Hutley

Review

Praise for The Thousand Names
“ONE OF THIS YEAR’S HIGHLY ANTICIPATED NOVELS AND WITH GOOD REASON…”*

“Wexler has produced something unusual in the fantasy line, with a setting reminiscent of the early Victorian period, out on the bleeding edge of Empire, a world of dust and bayonets and muskets... and magic. The characters are fascinating and all of them have secrets. The heroes range from the noble to the distinctly ambiguous…I read it at a gulp and look forward to more.”—S.M. Stirling, New York Times bestselling author of The Given Sacrifice

“I absolutely loved it. Wexler balances the actions of his very human characters with just the right amount of imaginative ‘magic’ to keep me wanting more.”—Taylor Anderson, National Bestselling Author of The Destroyerman Series

“The incredible world building, character development and yes, even the complexity of it all, will hook epic fantasy fans and leave them anxiously waiting for the next book in the series. ”—*Bookworm Blues *

“Django does an excellent job with his characters…they are great fun to ride along with...”—*Speculative Book Review

“Strong pacing and thrilling action highlight this series debut that you can’t miss. Django has said that we can expect a deployment in The Shadow Campaigns roughly once a year, and next summer cannot come soon enough. ”—A Bitter Draft

“Plenty of promise for the next novel in the series. I’ll certainly be back, and definitely recommend this book for anyone in the market for a new flintlock-style military fantasy novel. ”—Booksmugglers

“A spectacular epic fantasy debut that heralds Django Wexler as a talented author and The Shadow Campaigns series as a future flintlock fantasy classic.”—Fantasy Book Critic

“Such detail on the military life! From camp conditions to battle tactics, to the lines of grand strategy, the authenticity of the military fantasy is here in full flower.”—*SF Signal *

“The scenes of military life and combat tactics are well crafted.”—*Publishers Weekly *