{"product_id":"book-1n06","title":"The Novice \u0026 The Guardian","description":"\u003cb\u003eThe ruling clergy promised that the holy beasts were willing sacrifices. They lied.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eNovice caretaker Fiona Finch survived a childhood fire only to be swallowed by a different kind of nightmare: the grueling, silent servitude of the Cathedral of Unquiet Flesh. Here, the ruling priests demand absolute obedience, protecting the continent from deep-earth horrors by allegedly binding the flesh of willing martyrs to ancient, violent forces. These transformed beings, the holy guardians, are kept chained in the pitch-black subterranean vaults-revered as mindless beasts of divine wrath.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBut when Fiona is ordered to clean the holding cell of a newly created abomination, she uncovers a terrifying heresy. The towering, bone-plated monster known as Kael Nightshade is not an empty vessel. He possesses a desperate, fractured human soul. As a ruthless Inquisitor from the capital arrives to investigate a string of brutal murders in the upper cloisters, Fiona realizes the high priests are hiding a slaughterhouse behind their golden altars. To save the gentle monster she is falling in love with, the meek, obedient novice must become a rebel in the light, ready to burn the cathedral to its foundations.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eWhy you will love this:\u003c\/b\u003e Delve into an immersive Dark Fantasy filled with gothic architecture, forbidden romance, and pulse-pounding tension. Fans of 'Beauty and the Beast' retellings with a grimdark twist, corrupt religious orders, and tragic, monstrous heroes will be utterly captivated by Fiona and Kael's desperate alliance in the dark.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eAuthor and narrator John Newbill weaves a masterfully cinematic tale of dread, empathy, and dark magic. With evocative narration, this audiobook plunges listeners straight into the claustrophobic depths of a breathtaking new universe.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"INAudio","offers":[{"title":"Audiobook","offer_id":66723532013872,"sku":"BD1n06","price":19.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0879\/2784\/9264\/files\/1n06-Square-cover.jpg?v=1777944471","url":"https:\/\/downpour.com\/products\/book-1n06","provider":"Downpour","version":"1.0","type":"link"}