Wind-Up Garden

Rory Power
Fantasy
Cover image for Wind-Up Garden series
Fantasy

Summary

Within the winding alleys and shadowed courtyards of Eldoria, a young tinkerer named Liora Thorne becomes embroiled in a web of secrets spun by the enigmatic Wind-Up Garden. Her life takes a dramatic turn as she ventures beyond the familiar boundaries of her immediate surroundings, delving into architectures of brass and worn wood pulsing with ancient magic. The garden’s strange automata and whispering shadows hold mysteries that challenge her perceptions of reality, pulling her into a dangerous dance of discovery and peril. Struggling against a tide of foes both seen and unseen, Liora must piece together clues that threaten to unseat her very understanding of her world. As rival factions and concealed histories clash beneath her feet, her resilience and resourcefulness are tested time and again. Each revelation uncovers truths that are as beautiful as they are devastating, making her quest not only a fight for survival but a rite of passage into the true heart of the Wind-Up Garden.

'Wind-Up Garden' stands as a compelling blend of steampunk-inspired aesthetics with a touch of dark fantasy elements, showcasing Rory Power’s talent for atmospheric storytelling. While not as widely recognized as her YA horror works, it has garnered praise for its inventive worldbuilding and evocative prose. Critics appreciate its gritty tone and complex characters, though some find its pacing uneven. The series has yet to win major literary awards, but it has a dedicated niche following that values its originality and depth. The narrative is praised for its immersive settings and memorable protagonist, making it a significant contribution to contemporary fantasy literature. Its appeal lies in its atmospheric richness and nuanced conflicts, positioning it well within the genre for readers who appreciate layered storytelling.

Main Titles

1
In a Garden Burning Gold
Book cover for In a Garden Burning Gold
In a Garden Burning Gold follows two sisters who guard a dangerous secret as a family legacy and a world of shifting loyalties. Aiden and his sister, or perhaps it is two sisters in disguise,...
In a Garden Burning Gold follows two sisters who guard a dangerous secret as a family legacy and a world of shifting loyalties. Aiden and his sister, or perhaps it is two sisters in disguise, circle a hidden power that can bend seasons and memory. The plot tightens around the delicate balance of protecting a growing power and preserving the fragile love that binds them. Every choice weighs on the heart: sacrifice, trust, and the slow recognition that the garden itself is alive with choice and consequence. Personal stakes pull tight as a quiet rebellion stirs beneath glossy, sunlit blossoms, revealing that survival depends on choosing which memories to keep and which to surrender to the wild weather of their world. The garden is both sanctuary and battleground, and the sisters' bond becomes the only compass when the world outside begins to unravel. As danger accrues, the sisters must decide who they are willing to become for each other and for the generations who will inherit the garden’s secrets. A legacy designed to shield may demand a price that transforms love into a whispered vow. The core impulse stays intimate: to shield family, to endure, and to fight for a future where the garden’s gold is earned at the cost of a heart’s own bloom. The narrative threads toward a quiet, inevitable reckoning that asks what it means to be guardians of something larger than themselves.
2022 Year
8 Publications
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2
In an Orchard Grown from Ash
Book cover for In an Orchard Grown from Ash
In an Orchard Grown from Ash follows the consequences of the choices made to protect the garden’s power, now ripening into something uncontrollable. The sisters face a world transformed by the...
In an Orchard Grown from Ash follows the consequences of the choices made to protect the garden’s power, now ripening into something uncontrollable. The sisters face a world transformed by the earlier revelations, where old loyalties fracture and new alliances emerge from the shadows. Personal danger intensifies as a familiar peace cracks, exposing wounds that were never meant to resurface. The heart of the story remains the bond between siblings and the stubborn hope that love can steer a terrible destiny toward a humane ending. Yet every step toward safety seems to pull them farther from the childhood that shaped them, forcing them to confront the cost of guardianship in a world that no longer colors within the lines. The orchard itself becomes a living antagonist and a possible beacon—a place where choices blossom or wither under strain. The sisters must navigate betrayals, unearth truths long buried, and learn what true sacrifice looks like when the trees bear witness to every mistake and every mercy. The path forward is haunted by memory and possibility, testing whether courage can outgrow fear and whether the garden’s warmth can still offer shelter when the chill of consequence bites hard.
2023 Year
4 Publications
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Additional Titles

Short Fiction