Fighting to liberate his country from the Galan control, Roske is an assassin; part of a cell working covertly in the Galan capital, Ijahg. The story opens as he achieves his greatest success – penetrating the heart of the Karskoe Palace and killing the man who exerts colonial rule over his homeland. This fast-paced fantasy novel follows him over eight days as Roske and his comrades fight to guard and exploit the gain they have made in the face of the hunt by the dreaded Ikhrane and the oppression of the Yanisory forces.

‘The Karskoe Assassin’ is not a typical fantasy novel. It is set in a world different to our own. Gunpowder weapons are in the place of fireballs and a calm; in the absence of magic, a tranquil mind in combat is essential for overcoming your enemy. The focus is on a small group striving to advance their cause and keep ahead of those hunting them in the streets of this rambling city. Focus on the cause collides with personal objectives and each member has to balance the tension of such a life.

Alexander Rooksmoor but this was the first of his fantasy novels to be available as an e-book. As with his other writing, it combines well-realised exotic locations with strongly crafted characters, credible even when existing in a world very different from our own.