Bloodtide

In Bloodtide, the second installment in the genre-bending Ex Romana trilogy, the fate of the empire hangs in the balance

This speculative imagining of a world where Rome never fell is perfect for readers of Saara El-Arifi and C. L. Clark

In the wake of startling revelation and personal betrayal, Tair sets out to unite the city of Luxana behind the Iveroa Stone as Selah, up in the Imperial Archives, tries to make sense of her family's complicity in the Imperium's shadowed beginnings. Meanwhile, Darius faces exile in the far-flung reaches of Roma Sargassa's badlands, while Arran and Theo undertake a mission for the Revenants to revive the old world's communications grid.

But long-laid plans and careful maneuvering are nothing compared to the forces of nature, and Sargassa's future might just be determined by the coming storm. Sophie Burnham is a queer nonbinary novelist and screenwriter, backed by an Acting BFA and a concentration in Playwriting from Syracuse University. Honored with a We Need Diverse Books writing grant and a placement in ScreenCraft's 2020 Sci-Fi & Fantasy Screenplay competition, Burnham's debut novel promises to enthrall and enlighten readers. Follow them on Twitter at @sophielburnham.