Sargassa

An unlikely group of rebels are ready to burn down the Roman empire like you've never imagined it before.From the halls of the Senate floor to the bloody sands of the gladiatorial pits, Sophie Burnham's debut is full of riveting political danger, thoughtful worldbuilding, and a tightly-knit group of conspirators.An unlikely group of rebels are ready to burn down the Roman empire like you've never imagined it before.From the halls of the Senate floor to the bloody sands of the gladiatorial pits, Sophie Burnham's debut is full of riveting political danger, thoughtful worldbuilding, and a tightly-knit group of conspirators.The role of Imperial Historian is Selah Kelios's birthright, but she was supposed to have more time to learn the role from her father, the previous Historian. In the wake of her father's sudden and shocking assassination, Selah finds herself custodian of more than just the Imperial Archives when an old flame returns intending to steal the Iveroa Stone-a seemingly harmless artifact containing secrets that could destroy the empire.Theo Nix is a damn good spy, and they know it. By day, they work in Senator Naevia Kleios's office; smart, unobtrusive, and grateful, they're the model of a perfect plebeian. By night, their time belongs to Griff- master strategist, commander of the Revenants, the spider at the center of a very large and very dangerous web. When Griff gives Theo an assignment, they move, no questions asked, so it's really no surprise Theo is flirting with Arran Alexander-Selah's low-caste half brother is an obvious target. It is a surprise, however, that they're enjoying it so much.After a year away in the legions, Arran has recently returned home, only to find the cracks beneath his feet widening. Struggling with his own identity and purpose, drawn into an underground independence movement through his growing feelings for Theo, Arran must choose between the sister he loves and the chance to take control of his own life for the very first time.Sargassa is the first book in a new speculative trilogy that is equal parts political intrigue, queer romance, and revolution.

"A novel of sweeping politics and burning passions, all aimed at bringing down a seemingly immortal empire. Thought-provoking and explosive. Great for fans of Guy Gavriel Kay and Elizabeth Bear." —John Wiswell, author of Someone You Can Build a Nest In

"At once sprawling and intimate, Sargassa is an alternate history, a murder mystery, and an incisive critique of the far-reaching impacts of imperialism all rolled into one. Gloriously queer, beautifully crafted, and impossible to put down—I can't wait to read the sequel!" —Emet North, author of In Universes

"Sargassa begins as a murder mystery and ends as a brilliantly realised examination of class and politics, love and sexuality, oppression and revolution in an alternate Roman city state. A warning for our time wrapped in a genre defying epic with an ending you won't soon forget, Sophie Burnham's debut is the start of a series that promises to be as unflinchingly true to our human failures as it is to our triumphs. Complex, richly imagined and gorgeously written, Sargassa is a place where history is not just our past, but our future—a lesson we would all do well to remember." —R.S.A. Garcia, author of The Nightward

"This is a deft, vividly observed novel that is precisely interested in social realism and the relations of power. It uses Rome, and Romanitas, to examine and to critique the nature of systems of oppression, and it uses Selah’s dawning realisation of just how insulated she has been from consequences, and her potential (or lack of it) to use her power to make change, to very pointed effect." —Locus

"Sargassa is a masterclass in world-building, with its realistic politics, complex and brutal caste system, and gorgeous settings. It takes time to get the lay of the land, but the payoff is worth the effort. The expansive scope multiplies the emotional and conceptual weight of the narrative." —Shelf Awareness (starred review)

"Burnham offers queer love not only as a reason to keep fighting, but perhaps, as the fight itself. Sargassa is a celebration of misfits who slip between the cracks, a book for rebels who believe that the world not only can change, but that it must." —Motif Magazine

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.

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