Today’s the day! The Book of Gold is out in hardback and trade paperback in North America!
To celebrate, here’s a guide to some of the locations in Amberes in the form of an interactive map. The map itself was created by Dewi Hargreaves for The Book of Gold, and the interactive part is thanks to the amazing Jeevani Charika. Photos are my own, and the text is from The Book of Gold.
Click on the links in the maps to find out more about the locations in the books.
Book of Gold Map by Ruth Long
Music is a really important part of my writing ritual and I invariably end up making a playlist for each book. Someone suggested I share the one for Feral Gods – it’s by no means complete and it can be subject to change on a whim, but as I’m deep in edits on The Lore of Silver (out in November 2025) and starting to write Book 3 (title TBA) I thought now was as good a time as any.
It was a fairly hectic weekend here when it came to all things The Book of Gold.
First up. the wonderful Goldsboro books posted on Instagram the The Book of Gold was one of their January bestsellers – and look at the books its up alongside! 😀
Then the BSFA Awards longlist was released and there it was in the Best Novel section (please vote for it if you can! I’m going to be at Eastercon in Belfast this year!)
And finally, to top it all off, The Book of Gold also appeared on the 2024 Recommended Reading Guide from Locus Magazine!
It has been quite a few days! (including all the stress of an unwell dog, but she’s on the mend now thank goodness – part of the reason why I’m only getting around to posting now…)
So to celebrate, and because you all know my obsession with art, and especially pictures of my characters, I’m over the moon to share with you some beautiful artwork featuring Amberes, Sylvian and Lyta from The Book of Gold by the very talented Running bird Inc (lexiaarts001 on Instagram ; @lexiaarts on Bluesky )
Enjoy, and if you have any Amberes art of your own, be sure to let me know! <3
They’re out in the wild.
If you see The Book of Gold on the bookshelves in your local bookshops, or on your bookshelf/reader, tag me with a photo on social media – #FeralGold
I’m so excited today because I have not one but TWO cover reveals to share.
First of all the cover of The Book of Gold, which is out from Hodderscape on the 28th November this year, has just been revealed. It’s by the Hugo nominated Micaela Alcaino and captures so many hints of the story, nods to 16th century bookbinding and glimpses of the city of Amberes that I have basically lost my mind.
OBSESSED – it’s available for pre-order now
I can’t wait for everyone to meet Lyta and the gang.
Also revealed today is the cover for A Kiss of Flame (by Jessica Thorne) from Second Sky designed by the talented Mary Luna who also designed the cover for A Touch of Shadows. And the other surprise is this, Book 2 of the Lost Queen, will be out on the 5th September, the same day as book 1 so no waiting around at all!
I’m so delighted to finally share this news because I’ve had to sit on it for a while. Anyone who has seen me talk about rare books knows it’s an absolute passion of mine, especially when I get onto the subject of the wonderful Plantin Bible and all the stories of the wild west that was early western printing.
Well, that went somewhere. 🙂
From Bookbrunch:
Hodderscape signs Ruth France Long’s ‘brilliant’ historical fantasy trilogy, which kicks off with The Book of Gold, set in an alternate-Renaissance fantasy world
Hodderscape has signed a historical fantasy trilogy from rare-books librarian Ruth Frances Long after Publishing Director Molly Powell acquired World English rights from Sallyanne Sweeney of MMB Creative. The first, The Book of Gold, will be published this November.
Long (pictured) said: “Inspired by the wild and dangerous world of early western printing, my love of rare books, and a city at the turning point of modernity, all of which had been simmering away in the back of my brain for so long, writing The Book of Gold has felt like my own quest, alongside characters who are forever part of me, and I am delighted this book of my heart has found its home with Hodderscape.”
Powell said: “Trapped gods, found family, a magical book, a second-chance romance, and a royal heist for the ages – what isn’t to love? I’m so excited to be bringing Ruth’s brilliant historical fantasy trilogy to Hodderscape.”
Sweeney said: “The Book of Gold is the series Ruth was born to write. I’m thrilled to have the perfect publishing home for it in Hodderscape and can’t wait for readers to discover Amberes.”
According to the acquisition statement: ‘The Book of Gold is a part-historical, part-fantastical heist novel set in an alternate-Renaissance fantasy world and inspired by the early days of printing in Europe. When thief Lyta’s brother is arrested for sedition, she strikes a bargain with the king to steal the Book of Gold, a manuscript reputed to hold vast magical power, from his rival.
‘Ruth Frances Long writes young adult romance and fantasy from the heart which often strays into weird and wonderful liminal places. She works in a specialised library of rare books. In 2015, she won the European Science Fiction Society Spirit of Dedication Award for Best Author of Children’s Science Fiction and Fantasy for A Crack in Everything.
‘As Jessica Thorne, she also writes adult fantasy which wanders from space opera to time travel to epic fantasy, including The Water Witch, The Bookbinder’s Daughter, The Stone’s Heart and more. The Stone’s Heart was nominated for the RNA Romantic Fantasy novel of the year in 2020.’