Stay out of sight. Stay hidden under the lake. Even as giant water-ants scout the surface, and deadly trees slop their hungry roots along the shoreline.
For unrest surges in the swamps, getting closer and closer… Sala will only be safe for as long as their ship’s location remains a secret.
But when a horrifying threat ignites close to home, and the lakeside hillfarms are forced to reveal a desperate truth, it unleashes a wreckage of terror and destruction on the world of Palude. What Sala fears most becomes irrelevant.
All she can do is run, and make one irrevocable choice after another. If she’s to have any kind of future, she must fight to accept the collapse of her past. Hiding from it was never an option.
Praise for When Dark Waters Burn
‘When Dark Waters Burn held me captive from page one! This engaging, action-packed fantasy world will appeal equally to lovers of fantasy and science fiction. Five out of five stars.’ USA Today Bestselling Author Dionne Lister
‘A timely epic futuristic quest, fast paced and absorbing, with a slow burn romance that will leave readers wanting more. Readers will be gripped by this thrilling and immersive tale from one of Australia's most exciting and inventive writers.’ CBCA Notable author Pip Harry
‘A fascinating and utterly original world; a great adventure.’ Ian Irvine, bestselling author of the Three Worlds fantasy sequence.
Genre Bender
Dark Fantasy, World of Palude, Science Fantasy
About The Author
Zena Shapter is a multi-award winning author of science fiction, fantasy, speculative and contemporary fiction, conjuring journeys into the beyond and unusual.
Author of ‘When Dark Roots Hunt’ (Finalist ‘Best Novel’ 2024 Ditmar Award), ‘When Dark Waters Burn’, ‘Towards White’, and co-author of ‘Into Tordon’, she’s a "writer with a need for adventure" (Midnight Echo magazine), who "deserves your attention" (Lillian Csernica, Tangent Online), writing “dark fantasy at its blood-soaked finest” (Australasian Horror Writers’ Association), “cold and brutal” (Tor.com) and “beautifully crafted and well told stories that deserve to be read many times” (Glen Miles Short Story Prize).
She loves movies, frogs, chocolate, potatoes, and living with her family on Sydney’s beautiful Northern Beaches, where she’s also an inclusive creativity advocate, writing mentor and editor.
