A jinn boss and a gambling debt drive a new fantasy novel
Piers Furney's second book casts an accountant as the reluctant hero in a war-torn realm.
By Mia Bennett ·
One character in a new fantasy novel is saddled with a massive gambling debt that forces her into indentured servitude.
The debt belongs to Abigail Ashurst, an accountant working for Mehnid Kyfaz, a high-ranking jinn who rules the Timeless Sands. Her boss is described as a Dreadlord and a terrible workplace leader. She dreams of opening her own financial advice firm in Aarkland, the capital of the country, but she cannot leave until the debt is settled.
Her duties become urgent when Kyfaz launches a military campaign days before the Nowruz holiday. Abigail must negotiate higher annual tributes from the four Dreadsworn Houses, a group of large family-owned commercial enterprises. She also has to audit the government's own finances. This task is dangerous because ministers view her questions as personal insults.
The plot tightens when several of the Dreadsworn Houses are linked to an assassination attempt on Kyfaz. Abigail re-examines their financial records to look for evidence of collusion with hostile forces. She suspects the attack is connected to a series of murders on major trade routes and a wider plan to weaken the Dreadlord's power. The stakes become personal when someone tries to kill Abigail herself. This forces her to use powers she has tried to ignore for years.
Piers Furney, an alumnus of the University of Otago, self-published this second novel. The reviewer, Cushla McKinney, a scientist from Dunedin, notes that the book makes accounting entertaining. She describes the story as an action-packed black comedy that mixes bureaucratic work with violent moments.
The setting draws heavily on Middle Eastern culture and language. The author introduces these elements directly without translation, though Abigail helps guide the reader through the unfamiliar details. The world includes characters from many different mythologies, such as jinn, golems, satyrs, dwarves, and lizard-folk. Human characters like Abigail are near the bottom of the social hierarchy. The reviewer suggests this mix provides a break from the real world's apocalyptic tone.
