Steelbound
Published on 9. June 2026
Book
Hardback
288 pages
978-1-78758-982-7 (ISBN)
Description
An "expansive magical adventure" - Publishers Weekly on Tinderbox, Book 1 of 'Tales from the Riven Isles'
In the epic conclusion of the Tales from the Riven Isles series, Ursa, a once selfish princess turned bitter exile, and Lucea, a determined chronomancer, must unite to stop the Rot threatening their world. Tasked with recovering the Steel Driver's Hammer, a powerful relic, they face internal demons and external threats. Their journey through a world teetering on the brink of destruction reveals secrets that could save or doom the Riven Isles. Steelbound is a gripping tale of redemption, resilience, and the power of unity in the face of overwhelming darkness.
Tales from the Riven Isles is a dark fantasy series set in a world outside of our own, where the characters of myth and fairy-tales exist, and their legends live on. Featuring the novels: Tinderbox, Tarotmancer, The Hatter's Daughter and Steelbound.
FLAME TREE PRESS is the imprint of long-standing independent Flame Tree Publishing, dedicated to excellent original writing in horror, science fiction and fantasy. The list brings together fantastic new authors and the more established; the award winners, and exciting, original voices. Learn more at www.flametreepress.com and connect on social media @FlameTreePress. Awarded independent publisher of 2024 by the British Fantasy Society.
In the epic conclusion of the Tales from the Riven Isles series, Ursa, a once selfish princess turned bitter exile, and Lucea, a determined chronomancer, must unite to stop the Rot threatening their world. Tasked with recovering the Steel Driver's Hammer, a powerful relic, they face internal demons and external threats. Their journey through a world teetering on the brink of destruction reveals secrets that could save or doom the Riven Isles. Steelbound is a gripping tale of redemption, resilience, and the power of unity in the face of overwhelming darkness.
Tales from the Riven Isles is a dark fantasy series set in a world outside of our own, where the characters of myth and fairy-tales exist, and their legends live on. Featuring the novels: Tinderbox, Tarotmancer, The Hatter's Daughter and Steelbound.
FLAME TREE PRESS is the imprint of long-standing independent Flame Tree Publishing, dedicated to excellent original writing in horror, science fiction and fantasy. The list brings together fantastic new authors and the more established; the award winners, and exciting, original voices. Learn more at www.flametreepress.com and connect on social media @FlameTreePress. Awarded independent publisher of 2024 by the British Fantasy Society.
Reviews / Votes
"THE HATTER'S DAUGHTER is a fun and fresh adventure through a land of magic and encroaching decay. This fast-paced, magical tale is filled with charm and surprises, and features a world at once familiar and unique." -- M.H. Ayinde, author of A Song of Legends Lost & 2021 winner of the Future Worlds Prize "Simpson's newest installment from the Riven Isles is filled with whimsy and wonder. With protagonists you can root for and a supporting cast of characters both old and new, familiar and unique, this book will charm fairy-tale readers of all ages!" -- Elana A. Mugdan, author of The Shadow War Saga "The Hatter's Daughter is a breeze to read, complete with the whirlwinds of a dynamic leading couple. I loved every minute of it!" -- Independent Book Review "The Hatter's Daughter is an action-packed adventure of a retelling. [...] This book takes you on a wild ride down the rabbit hole and all the way up again, and it won't let you off." -- Kelly Ann Jacobson, author of Tink and Wendy and Lies of a Toymaker On Tinderbox, book one in the Riven Isles series:"Simpson sticks the landing with an epic conclusion. Fans of Andrea Hairston's Master of Poisons and other secondary world fantasy will enjoy this expansive magical adventure." -- Publishers Weekly "This promising debut features strong world building and well-developed systems of magic. It will appeal to readers of Kacen Callender's Queen of the Conquered (2019), N.K. Jemisin's The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms (2010), and L. Penelope's Song of Blood and Stone (2018)." -- Booklist
More details
Series
Edition
New edition
Language
English
Place of publication
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Flame Tree Publishing
Edition type
New edition
Dimensions
Height: 159 mm
Width: 237 mm
Thickness: 28 mm
Weight
494 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-78758-982-7 (9781787589827)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Wendy A. Simpson is an award-winning author of fantasy and science fiction whose work blends emotional resonance with genre-defying imagination. She began writing at five and completed her first novel by fourteen, starting with mysteries before discovering speculative fiction through the influence of Ray Bradbury. Her contemporary, character-driven style often centers strong, complex female protagonists navigating richly built worlds.
Her debut novel, Tinderbox, and its sequel, Tarotmancer, launched the Tales from the Riven Isles series with Flame Tree Press. Tinderbox reached the Top 100 on Amazon's Best Sellers List in Black & African American Fantasy Fiction and won the 2022 Foreword INDIES Gold Award for Fantasy. The third installment, The Hatter's Daughter, released in April 2025, and the final volume, Steelbound, arrives June 9, 2026. Critics have compared her work to N. K. Jemisin, L. Penelope, and Sarah J. Maas.
Wendy is currently developing several new projects for her readers, including The Girl of Morning Glory (MG contemporary fantasy), The Last Storyteller (grimdark fantasy), The Good Guys (AU contemporary fantasy), and Immortal Stream (science-fantasy).
A proud Delaware native, she lives with her older brother - fondly known as Big Brother - and two diva cats. When she's not writing, she enjoys reading, gardening, gaming, and streaming on Twitch as Runic Nightshade. Visit her at www.authorwasimpson.com to explore her works-in-progress and connect.
Her debut novel, Tinderbox, and its sequel, Tarotmancer, launched the Tales from the Riven Isles series with Flame Tree Press. Tinderbox reached the Top 100 on Amazon's Best Sellers List in Black & African American Fantasy Fiction and won the 2022 Foreword INDIES Gold Award for Fantasy. The third installment, The Hatter's Daughter, released in April 2025, and the final volume, Steelbound, arrives June 9, 2026. Critics have compared her work to N. K. Jemisin, L. Penelope, and Sarah J. Maas.
Wendy is currently developing several new projects for her readers, including The Girl of Morning Glory (MG contemporary fantasy), The Last Storyteller (grimdark fantasy), The Good Guys (AU contemporary fantasy), and Immortal Stream (science-fantasy).
A proud Delaware native, she lives with her older brother - fondly known as Big Brother - and two diva cats. When she's not writing, she enjoys reading, gardening, gaming, and streaming on Twitch as Runic Nightshade. Visit her at www.authorwasimpson.com to explore her works-in-progress and connect.