Songs of the Dead – Hardcover (The Strata Wars, Book 1)

Why We Shelved It:

An electrifying blend of dark urban fantasy, high-stakes necromancy, and rich musical lore. When #1 New York Times bestseller Brandon Sanderson teams up with musician and author Peter Orullian, you get a world that feels both hauntingly ancient and undeniably visceral. It’s moody, atmospheric, and an essential piece for any reader drawn to the dark corridors of speculative fiction.

The Story:

Jack Solomon is a down-on-his-luck London metal vocalist whose world shatters the night he and his mentor are murdered in cold blood. But death isn’t the end—Jack awakens to find himself reborn as a thanatist, someone capable of binding wandering souls and walking the thin veil between the living and the dead.

Beneath modern London lies the Strata—layers of historical eras living side by side, fueled by memory and sound. Now, a brewing revolution among the dead threatens to rewrite history itself, and Jack must harness a dangerous, sound-and-light-based magic before modern London is pulled into the grave.