The Witness for the Dead (novel)

"The Witness for the Dead" is Book 1 in "The Cemeteries of Amalo".

Summary
When the young half-goblin emperor Maia sought to learn who had set the bombs that killed his father and half-brothers, he turned to an obscure resident of his father’s Court, a Prelate of Ulis and a Witness for the Dead. Thara Celehar found the truth, though it did him no good to discover it. He lost his place as a retainer of his cousin the former Empress, and made far too many enemies among the many factions vying for power in the new Court. The favor of the Emperor is a dangerous coin.

Now Celehar lives in the city of Amalo, far from the Court though not exactly in exile. He has not escaped from politics, but his position gives him the ability to serve the common people of the city, which is his preference. He lives modestly, but his decency and fundamental honestly will not permit him to live quietly. As a Witness for the Dead, he can, sometimes, speak to the recently dead: see the last thing they saw, know the last thought they had, experience the last thing they felt. It is his duty use that ability to resolve disputes, to ascertain the intent of the dead, to find the killers of the murdered.

Now Celehar’s skills lead him out of the quiet and into a morass of treachery, murder, and injustice. No matter his own background with the imperial house, Celehar will stand with the commoners, and possibly find a light in the darkness.

Characters

 * Anora Chanavar
 * Csenaia Ulzhavar
 * Iäna Pel-Thenhior
 * Teru Tethimar
 * Thara Celehar

Locations

 * Amalo

Trivia

 * "The Witness for the Dead" is a spin-off of "The Goblin Emperor", and not a direct sequel.
 * "Lora Selezh" is a short story set prior to "The Witness for the Dead".
 * "Min Zemerin's Plan" is a short story sort of prequel to "The Witness for the Dead".
 * "The Witness for the Dead" was adapted into an audiobook and narrated by Liam Gerrard.