M. A. Carrick, ”Labyrinth’s Heart” (Orbit, 2023)

M. A. Carrick’s newest novel Labyrinth’s Heart (Orbit, 2023) is the culmination of their Rook and Rose trilogy, which chronicles the life of the thief Arenza Lenskaya after she returns home to the city of Nadežra to con her way into one of the city’s noble families.

The co-writers describe the trilogy’s origins–as the spinoff of a tabletop game–and the influence that their backgrounds in anthropology have had on their work. They discuss the importance of different kinds of family relationships and the power of queernorm stories, how they balanced trauma and joy in the narrative, and what makes vigilante characters so compelling to both write and read.

The Rook and Rose trilogy is a fast paced adventure that is simultaneously intricate and empathetic. It is a testament to the things that make fantasy compelling as a genre and it was wonderful to speak with the authors about its conclusion.

A. E. Lanier is a short fiction writer and educator living in Central Texas. More about her work can be found at aelanier.com.

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