Land of Hope and Glory

This impressive debut fuses fantasy with alternate history, reversing the British Empire’s conquest of India. Wilson’s version of 19th-century England has been invaded and conquered by the Indian empire of Rajthana, which rules all of Europe with vast armies and a magical source known as sattva. Jack Casey is a retired soldier who wants nothing to do with a growing rebellion of English natives, but when his daughter is arrested for being a rebel sympathizer, Casey is blackmailed into tracking down the mysterious rebel leader known as the Ghost, Casey’s former comrade in arms. If he turns in the Ghost, he’ll save his daughter from the gallows. Suffering from a magical wound that could kill him at any time, Casey begins his quest in an England on the verge of all-out war. The mix of Arthurian legend and Hindu mysticism make this breakneck-paced adventure a rich and engaging read. Agent: Stringer Literary Agency. (Aug.)