The Spear Cuts Through Water: A Novel

Simon Jimenez

Aug 2022 · Sold by Del Rey

About this ebook

Two warriors shepherd an ancient god across a broken land to end the tyrannical reign of a royal family in this epic fantasy from the author of The Vanished Birds.

“A beguiling fantasy not to be missed.”—Evelyn Skye, New York Times bestselling author of The Crown’s Game

WINNER OF THE IAFA CRAWFORD AWARD • WINNER OF THE BRITISH FANTASY AWARD • SHORTLISTED FOR THE URSULA K. LE GUIN AWARD • SHORTLISTED FOR THE IGNYTE AWARD

ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: Oprah Daily, Vulture, Polygon, She Reads, Gizmodo, Kirkus Reviews, The Quill to Live

The people suffer under the centuries-long rule of the Moon Throne. The royal family—the despotic emperor and his monstrous sons, the Three Terrors—hold the countryside in their choking grip. They bleed the land and oppress the citizens with the frightful powers they inherited from the god locked under their palace.

But that god cannot be contained forever.

With the aid of Jun, a guard broken by his guilt-stricken past, and Keema, an outcast fighting for his future, the god escapes from her royal captivity and flees from her own children, the triplet Terrors who would drag her back to her unholy prison. And so it is that she embarks with her young companions on a five-day pilgrimage in search of freedom—and a way to end the Moon Throne forever. The journey ahead will be more dangerous than any of them could have imagined.

Both a sweeping adventure story and an intimate exploration of identity, legacy, and belonging, The Spear Cuts Through Water is an ambitious and profound saga that will transport and transform you—and is like nothing you’ve ever read before.

Ratings and reviews

This book was an absolute pleasure to read! The story was fantastic and did a good job of throttling tension to provide very satisfying moments. But the way the book is written is the best part for me!! It was both unique to experience and satisfying to read. The book borders on poetry! It's so good! I can not emphasize enough how much satisfaction I got from just the author's choice and rhythm of words. Reading this book felt like savoring a delicious dessert...every bite just as good as the last. I also appreciated reading the lgbt story of discovery and romance. It is really well done and, speaking from a non-lgbt perspective, very eye-opening. I found the romance to be very relatable and, in that regard, I learned a lot too! It also isn't the entirety of the book, for anyone wondering. I think it is really well paced. I recommend this book entirely! I'll say it again, this book is a pleasure to read!! Find a cozy place, a warm drink, and have at it!!

I had great expectations for the book and it met or exceeded all of them. The writing style is intriguing and lends itself very well to how the narration weaves in and out of perspectives. I was not aware of it being an LGBT fantasy before going in and was pleasantly surprised by how it was handled so naturally.

About the author

Simon Jimenez is the author of The Vanished Birds. This is his second book.