Blog Archives
Stillness and Reflection
Shifting Sands follows the survivors of Sol Thalen in the aftermath of its fall as they try to rebuild their culture and society when everything has literally been destroyed. How did you approach writing about this destruction and your characters’ response to it?
For me, destruction is never just about the physical loss of a city—it’s about what happens to identity, purpose, and relationships in the aftermath. When Sol Thalen fell, it wasn’t just the loss of a home; it was the unraveling of legacy, belief, and the illusion of safety. I approached the writing with a deep sense of grief—both personal and communal. I asked myself, What do people hold onto when everything collapses? The characters’ responses came from that place of questioning. Just as some characters choose hope—clinging to survival and the chance to rebuild and dream of a future—others give up hope for themselves, often believing that their own death or disappearance might still serve a purpose. There’s this tragic tendency to justify surrender as a kind of sacrifice: If I fall, maybe someone else can rise. That contrast—between hoping for self and hoping for others—is the heart of the emotional conflict I wanted readers to feel. It’s rarely clean or heroic. It’s messy, human, and deeply personal. And it’s in those moments, I think, that the soul of a story reveals itself.
It seems you took your time in developing the characters and the story, creating a great emotional impact while the survivors process what is left of their world and civilization. How did you manage the pacing of the story while keeping readers engaged?
Thank you—that means a lot. Pacing is something I pay obsessive attention to. I wanted the emotional beats to land, but I also didn’t want the story to feel like it was dragging its feet. What I aimed for was a rhythm: moments of stillness and reflection followed by bursts of urgency. It’s like breathing. When the characters pause to mourn or reflect, the reader breathes with them. But when danger returns—and it always does—they’re pulled right back into the action. I layered multiple storylines so that even when one character is reeling, another might be scheming or moving forward. That way, readers never feel stuck. There’s always a heartbeat somewhere.
I also use an outline, and I’m meticulous about following it. That’s where I catch when there’s too much breathing space, when a chapter feels like it’s meandering, or when a sequence clearly needs to be tightened with rising tension or sharper stakes. The outline becomes a map of emotional flow and momentum, helping me keep that delicate balance. I layered multiple storylines so that even when one character is reeling, another might be scheming or moving forward. That way, readers never feel stuck. There’s always a heartbeat somewhere.
Are you a fan of the fantasy and adventure genres? What books do you think most influenced your work?
Absolutely, I’m a lifelong fan. Fantasy gave me the language to talk about things I didn’t always have words for—identity, grief, power, longing. I grew up reading Tolkien and C.S. Lewis like many others, but it was later on that I was deeply moved by authors like Brandon Sanderson, Cassandra Clare, J.K. Rowling, and Ursula K. Le Guin. Each of them, in their own way, showed me that fantasy could be epic and intimate. That worldbuilding could serve emotional truth. Their works taught me that it’s not just about dragons or swords or kingdoms—it’s about the people who bleed and hope in between. I try to carry that into every page I write.
I hope the series continues in other books. If so, where will the story take readers?
Thank you—and yes, it absolutely does continue. Shifting Sands is the fourth installment of a five-book saga, and the next book is the finale, where everything comes to a head. The choices made in Shifting Sands ripple outward, and readers will be taken to corners of the world that have only been hinted at until now. The political game gets even deadlier. Old wounds resurface. And the more fantastical elements take center stage in ways that force the characters to question not just their loyalties, but their very sense of identity.
If Shifting Sands was about surviving the collapse, Ancient Paths is about reckoning—learning who you really are when certain truths come to light, and deciding what kind of legacy you want to leave behind. Some legacies, after all, might be too broken to rebuild. And some people may discover they were never meant to serve themselves, but something far greater.
Readers have often told me they don’t know how the stakes could possibly get any higher—and to that, I say: I’m excited for them. Many have also noticed how I tend to plant seeds in earlier books that only bear fruit later on. Well, this fifth and final book is where all those seeds bloom. Every thread comes together. Every secret is revealed. This is the climax of everything.
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THE DAWN OF A NEW ERA IS ALWAYS PAID IN GRAVES. And with the Sunken City subdued and Sol Thalen fallen, this truth has become undeniable. The Cycle of the Capitals has ended, leaving a world fractured by distance and silence. As Chris joins a people in exodus, he finds no victory left untainted—every gain paid for in blood, every cost sharpening like a blade. Joined by the new Chronicler, he journeys in a final attempt to save a scattered remnant from extinction—and soon realizes he must confront the creature within him… and accept that surviving the monsters around them may require becoming one himself.
Elline faces a different reckoning. With the Capitals isolated and every line of communication severed, mistrust coils behind every stone of Djarin Tor—ready to ignite a coup that would ensure their defeat in the widening war. To stop this collapse, she must embrace the birthright she has long avoided—even if it means defying the Magister. Meanwhile, Havet’s designs tighten with a precision that suggests his victory has already begun, and his cruelty shows no end. As an era dies in silence, the fate of the next will be written not by those who hope to endure it, but by those who dare to shape it from the ruins left behind.
A fast-growing favorite among epic-fantasy readers, this saga delivers cinematic battles, devastating stakes, and slow-burning bonds caught in the crossfire of a war that threatens to consume entire eras—set in a world where monsters rise and no victory comes without a price.
Unsolved Mystery
Hypocrisy drops readers right into a wild mix of government secrets, alien power plays, and strange visions that blur the line between what is real and what is imagined. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
I have been intrigued by the UAP disclosure activity in Congress and the ongoing mystery and debunking of the entire UFO phenomenon. I felt that would be a terrific background to create conflict and have different points of view to set the story against, since it still remains an unsolved mystery.
When you first sat down to write this story, did you know where you were going, or did the twists come as you were writing?
The characters came first, and I wanted them to be distinct and different, and from that came the outline of the story.
How did you balance the action scenes with the story elements and still keep a fast pace in the story?
I think it was Dean Koontz who said, “Put a character in a terrible situation and keep making it worse,” and that helped serve as a guideline for how things go wrong to maintain the tension and active plot.
Will this novel be the start of a series, or are you working on a different story?
This will be the start of a series. I intentionally set it up so that the characters could have an ongoing life full of adventure, chaos, and immense conflict. With a little bit of humor and self-reflection thrown in on the side.
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In the world’s most remote outpost—Antarctica—a covert excavation unearths something ancient, intelligent, and alive. CIA asset Charisma, her teenage protégée Leticia, and enigmatic xenoanthropologist Alen Innocent are drawn into a web of deception that spans governments, galaxies, and the very fabric of human consciousness. As shadow factions fight for control of the mysterious Veil of Hypocrisy, the boundaries between truth and illusion collapse.
From Milan’s glittering runways to military tunnels buried under polar ice, Hypocrisy blends science fiction, espionage, and moral satire in a gripping tale of identity, power, and survival. As alien technology exposes the lies that bind humanity, Charisma and Alen must decide whether saving the world means revealing its greatest hypocrisy—or becoming part of it.
Science-fiction fans will be drawn to this mind-bending, character-driven thriller where the ultimate battle is not between species, but between truth and self-deception.
Leave Them a Legacy
The Tralls of Nindarry follows two ordinary children who, while visiting their grandparents, discover a hidden realm of magical beings called the Tralls and wind up on an epic quest. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
Fantasy is a wonderful genre that exercises our brains and encourages us to think outside the box.
Young people today are often presented with a world facing shattering crises and heroes that save it by blowing up the invaders or performing dangerous and unbelievable stunts.
I wanted to introduce my readers to the beauty of nature and the dangers it faced. I also wanted them to realize they could be the heroes who save it for future generations to enjoy – not by engaging in incredible feats of daring or strength but by making small changes that could have a great impact.
I find the world you created in this novel brimming with possibilities. Where did the inspiration for the setting come from, and how did it change as you were writing?
The tralldoms were modelled on Badu Island, where we once lived and where we were very happy.
The setting of this story is my beloved Mt Ninderry. A beautiful mountain, shaped like a resting lion, and filled with an abundance of Australia’s amazing flora and fauna.
Of course, I needed to change some facets of the setting to accommodate the plot as it developed.
What is your background and experience in writing, and how did it help you write The Tralls of Nindarry?
I was a classroom teacher for many years, and I took classes as well in Drama, Digital Storytelling, and Creative Writing.
I also enjoyed entertaining my classes with stories of the brave tralls fighting to save their ancestral lands, but I was always careful not to impinge on the myths and legends of the traditional residents.
When I retired, I became The Storyteller and entertained children with my themed stories both locally and internationally, and I realised that even in this digital age, children love to be told stories.
When I had my own grandchildren, I wanted to leave them a legacy, so I combined some of my stories into a book and based the main characters, Bella and Gemayn, on them.
What story are you currently in the middle of writing?
My stories are complete. There are five published books in the Trall Series:
The Tralls of Nindarry
The Tralls of Mundi
The Tralls of Maruchus
The Tralls of Colum
The Tralls of Nosa
Each one covers an environmental problem impacting our natural world.
I hope these books will make young people more aware of the beauty and importance of our precious flora and fauna, and encourage them to become real heroes by taking care of their own natural environment.
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Suddenly, the tralls are forced to go to war to save their ancestral lands from the evil Mr. Handley and Gemayn and his grandmother are trapped in the tralldom. During their enforced stay, Gemayn uncovers a long-held secret that links his family to the tralls. Could it shatter the emerging friendship between Gemayn, Bella, and the tralls, or will it destroy the bonds of trust that have always existed between them and their beloved grandparents?
The Tralls of Nindarry, written by emerging author Gayle Torrens, is the first book in The Trall Series; a collection of five portal fantasies set in Australia. It explores the concepts of intergenerational relationships, trust, loyalty, self-confidence, and environmental issues.
In 2024, The Tralls of Nindarry was awarded a Golden Wizard Book Prize for a fantasy book written for eight to twelve-year-old readers.
The Presence of Magic
The Heart Scarab examines the fates of warriors, mystics, and serpents who are navigating a landscape that has been altered by mining, politics, and tribal magic. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
THE HEART SCARAB is Book 2 of the second series, so there are many strands of plotlines. The writer assumes that a reader who made it this far into the story is invested in the characters and ready to see them triumph.
Mostly, my stories are about the women, but this setup offers two men to carry the plot. Rufus el Arrivi has been present in all the previous books. Now, as a grown man with children, he decides to run for the office of khalif in open elections in a duchy where refugees called Rundi are allowed citizenship.
Meanwhile, Stuben works with Rufus as police in Urbyd and witnesses some difficult moments for the refugees. He breaks with Rufus and goes on an adventure with Obye, who is laboring to recover some Rundi who are abused at a stone quarry.
My inspiration comes from a love of the characters and my own questions about how their lives shape – sometimes as much of a surprise to me as to you.
Were there any characters that you especially enjoyed writing for?
Kore is 14 now and has inherited the treasure of Rularim. She attends a wedding in Utica, traveling with Rufus and her half-brother Karisma. Always willful, she gets into plenty of trouble.
Bybiis, the beastmaster, has worked through some of her problems with finding a place among the tribes, following her own destiny for working with sea serpents. She has met Aresur, who has some skills with magic and takes the banner for countering Ulaya, who wants Bybiis dead. I had fun with Aresur and her sideways attitudes about how to handle a difficult boss. She manages to
undercut Ulaya at every turn.
How did you balance magic and its use throughout the story to keep it believable?
Ah, magic…Hedge magic belongs to Aresur – charms and hexes – and Bybiis has many tattooed skin wards. The serpent pouches are based on a real occurrence in our world where sharks make pouches out of seaweed fronds as an incubator for living newborns. Bybiis has harvested a clutch of serpent pouches made the same way. When a holder stares into the hole drilled through the brain of the dead serpent fetus, she may connect with the holder of a similar pouch. I like it! Mostly, though, I wanted the presence of magic in their everyday lives, and several characters don’t believe in its power over them.
Can you give us a peek into the next book in this series? Where will it take readers?
THE IRON SNAKE is about resistance to a larger country tangent to the duchies and sending assassins to take or kill the children in order to weaken leaders. We follow Rufus again and Stuben, who grows into his leadership roles. Kore becomes a young woman – vulnerable to abduction, in fact – who becomes an opponent to Ulaya (and more) and her scheming ways. I keep setting obstacles in the paths of primary characters and fashioning a plot where they must work together to get ahead.
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Meanwhile, Stuben el Cylahi has taken a position as police in the duchy capital of Urbyd where he butts heads with his boss Rufus el Arrivi. Stuben realizes that he also must strike out on his own and joins a group of Rundi who are on mission to recover some quarry slaves. His witness of coming events makes him wish that he had remained nearby Rufus. Can Stuben regain his tribal status?
Friendship and Responsibility
The Tralls of Maruchus follows a spirited young trall who befriends a water sprite and promises not to reveal their existence, yet after a devastating fire, she is forced to break that promise. What was the inspiration for the set up of your story?
There were two important issues I wanted this story to cover.
Firstly, I wanted to show my young readers that even if someone is very different from them, they can become friends. I firmly believe that, as Australia and indeed the whole world become more multicultural, this is an important concept for children to understand.
Secondly, children quickly learn that promises must be kept, and this can sometimes cause them worry and concern, and even lead to dire consequences. I wanted to demonstrate through this story that there are good promises and bad promises. Promises that make you feel happy and excited are good promises and can be kept, but promises that make you feel unhappy, sad, or worried are bad promises and they can be broken, and should be shared with others.
In many contemporary coming-of-age fiction novels, authors often add their own life experiences to the story. Are there any bits of you in this story?
When I was teaching, I would read a chapter of a book to my class each morning, and the stories, although wonderful and exciting, were always about the lifestyle of children living in other countries. By the time I retired, I had three grandchildren, and I wanted to leave them a legacy that would remind them of our family and the close bonds we shared, so I decided to write a portal fantasy, and set it in Queensland so it would showcase an Australian lifestyle.
I included many of the good times we’d shared as a family and the valuable lessons we’d learned along the way. I also included some childhood memories of happy times spent with my own grandparents.
Then, just after the first book was released, my mother and my husband passed away, so I included many of the maxims they loved to pass on. Sadly, a lot of today’s children don’t live near their grandparents, and consequently, they miss out on these nuggets of wisdom.
As more grandchildren arrived, more books were added, and gradually, The Trall Series developed into a stylised biography of our extended family. The tralldoms, for instance, were influenced by the happy carefree existence we had when we lived on Badu Island in the Torres Strait, and the personalities and traits of the various characters are an amalgamation of several family members. There are always a few chuckles when someone is recognized or an event is recalled.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
Each book in the series covers issues that I feel strongly about; namely empathy, inclusiveness, fairness, and responsibility.
In The Tralls of Maruchus, I focused on friendship and responsibility. I hope this story encourages young readers to realise that true friendship should be based on shared beliefs, shared interests, a strong commitment to understanding each other, standing by each other in times of need, and embracing differences as well as similarities.
I’m also very committed to preserving the environment and its native flora and fauna. Each book in The Trall Series is based on a different environmental problem that the characters work together to overcome. I truly believe that if we can introduce young people to the beauty of their local environment early enough, they will develop into adults who will take positive steps to care for it.
I hope the series continues in other books. If so, where will the story take the readers?
The series now consists of five books: The Tralls of Nindarry, The Tralls of Mundi, The Tralls of Maruchus, The Tralls of Colum, and The Tralls of Nosa. As previously stated, each story includes an environmental issue (mining, misuse of water, fracking, plastic waste, and local fauna and flora being displaced by introduced species).
They also deal with many of the issues that have an impact on children as they develop their own character and personality.
My hope is that The Trall Series will have a positive effect on young readers and encourage them to make choices that will help them to promote the best facets of themselves. I also hope it will encourage them to become more aware of the environmental problems our world is facing, and that the brave, resourceful young characters that feature throughout the series will motivate them to take an active role in protecting their own environment.
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Eventually, Ellie takes her new friend to her tralldom to meet her kinships and Maya promises the fief that she will never tell anyone about the Tralldom of the Rivers or the water sprites who inhabit it but when their home is destroyed by fire and the lives of the water sprites are put at risk, Maya soon realises that she is unable to help them by herself and that promise becomes a burden too great for her to bear.
Eventually, Maya is forced to break her promise and the story she shares leads to a chain of events that will change the lives of the sprites forever.
Will Ellie, who considers a promise to be a sacred oath be able to forgive Maya or could her betrayal lead to the end of their friendship?
The Tralls of Maruchus is the third book in The Trall Series, a collection of exciting portal fantasies set in Australia. The books may be read as stand-alone books but reading them in sequence opens up the wonderful world of the tralldoms and their inhabitants and uncovers some long-held secrets.
The series has been written for competent readers aged between 9 years and 13 years.
Environmental Destruction
The Last Ayer follows a spirited young numbat who discovers she is the last of a sacred line known as the Ayers, and must find the courage to fulfill her destiny and rid her homeland of evil. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
The inspiration is all around us at the present time. Human encroachment and global warming are affecting humans and animals around the globe. I wanted to shine a spotlight on the issue while providing a very enthralling adventure story. Inspiring young minds is at the forefront of my work.
I find the world you created in this novel brimming with possibilities. Where did the inspiration for the setting come from, and how did it change as you were writing?
As a child, I was fascinated by animals worldwide. I was especially interested in those found only in Australia. When I began writing, I researched children’s books and noticed a dearth regarding endangered animals and/or the animals of Australia. I was determined to write a story that took place in a fantastical world reminiscent of Australia. The Last Ayer is the third book created in the world called Sunderland.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
The dominant theme of environmental destruction drives the story. However, I also wanted to express the need for accepting responsibility, facing up to those responsibilities, and having the courage to do so. The story emphasizes the importance of friendship despite the differences between friends.
Is this the first book in the series? If so, when is the next book coming out, and what can your fans expect in the next story?
No, this is not the first. My first book, The Sword of Demelza, also takes place in Sunderland and tells of the wonderful and powerful journey of two siblings who face the world of Sunderland alone to save their dying mother. It is a multi-award- winning middle-grade novel.
My second book, The Gift of Sunderland, plays off of the first book. A major theme in this book revolves around a reluctant hero who has hidden himself away after a traumatic experience. He saves a young numbat from drowning, and she helps him to realize that he must face up to who he is, namely the Guardian of the forest. She helps him accept that responsibility and return to Sunderland’s creatures who need him.
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Elsewhere, in the city of Dungarah, an evil perentie named Jago is driven by revenge for the death of his father at the paws of the numbat colony, and has stripped Sunderland of its natural resources. Jago’s need for power over the inhabitants of Sunderland is never ending. His efforts have resulted in the servitude of many woodland creatures.
But now, their slavery has brought them to the precipice of revolt. They only await the return of one called The Guardian of the Forest who they believe will bring nature’s balance back to Sunderland along with their own freedom.
At first, unaware she is the key to saving Sunderland, Keera and Echo travel to Dungarah, a long and dangerous journey. On their way, she discovers her true identity . . . and her destiny. Discover how Keera, the last of her kind, learns to face and overcome the evil perentie overlord, Jago, as the Last Ayer of Sunderland.
A World of Wonders
The Death Wizard Chronicles: Volume 1 follows a warrior-king whose mystical powers strengthen each time he dies and returns to life as he stands alone against a sorcerer capable of dark magic. Where did the idea for this novel come from?
Back in high school, I was a huge fan of J.R.R. Tolkien, who inspired me to write my own epic fantasy series. I envisioned a magical world called Triken with a main character named Torg, a powerful wizard who was ruler of an army of desert warriors called Tugars. I called him a Death Wizard because of his ability to die, enrich himself with death energy, and then return to life. I ruminated over this before I fell asleep at night, while driving alone in my car, even when taking a shower. Characters developed, plot lines thickened, and settings took on new depth. I grew more and more excited about it, but I couldn’t seem to write it no matter how hard and often I tried. Life kept getting in the way. This went on for 25 years. I finally decided enough was enough and took a big risk, stepping away from the rat race for three years and living off savings. Freed from the restraints of my day job, I was able to write and revise 750,000 words in 34 months. My dream finally came true, not in high school but in middle age.
Writing about fantastical worlds isn’t easy for everyone, but for me it’s a piece of cake. My larger-than-life imagination was seared into my brain during my childhood growing up in Florida during a time when kids ran as far and wild as their imaginations would take them. All we needed was a Pop-Tart for breakfast and a peanut butter and jelly sandwich (on Wonder Bread) for lunch, and we were good to go. We’d throw on T-shirts and shorts and rush out our front doors into a world of wonders. Some of the things we did—climbing towering trees, swimming in surging seas, riding our bikes to faraway places—were downright dangerous. We didn’t care. We were the rulers of our domain.
I wouldn’t trade my childhood for anything. I wouldn’t trade my imagination, either.
In fantasy novels, it’s easy to get carried away with the magical powers characters have. How did you balance the use of supernatural powers?
This isn’t an idea unique to me, but in my series most of the magical characters derive their powers from something specific. In Torg’s case, it is death energy. In the evil sorcerer’s case, it is sunlight. Torg’s love interest, Laylah, derives her powers from moonlight. Another example is a monster called a Stone-Eater, who literally devours obsidian to obtain his powers. There are many more examples of this in the series. As for balancing the use of supernatural powers, I did this in two ways. First, I made it clear to my readers that Triken is a world ablaze with magic, so it’s not unusual to encounter a magical being. Second, my magical system has a hierarchy, as in some magical beings are far more powerful than others. This helps to create tension and unpredictability.
Do you have a favorite scene in this novel? One that was especially enjoyable to write?
My favorite scene in Volume 1 is when Torg emerges from the mouth of a cave and reaches the surface of the world after being trapped deep underground in claustrophobic conditions for more than a week. There’s a lot going on between the lines in that scene, and it is quite powerful, IMO. I cried when I wrote it, with Sade’s extraordinary song Pearls blaring in my headphones to help set the appropriate mood.
Can you give us a peek inside Volume 2 in this series? Where will it take readers?
The series is composed of three volumes, with each volume containing two books (LOTR was also set up this way). In Volume 1, Torg and Laylah are imprisoned by the evil sorcerer (in separate locations) and finally escape. Fate brings them together and they fall in love. In Volume 2, Torg and Laylah spend much of their time on the run while being hounded by the sorcerer’s monstrous minions. Meanwhile, three great wars begin to take shape that will alter the course of the world.
FYI: Volume 2 will debut in July 2025 and Volume 3 in October 2025.
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In the desert kingdom of Triken, sorcery is feared, power is brutal, and one man defies the laws of life itself. Torg, a Death Wizard, draws strength from the moment of his own death, returning again and again to protect a realm teetering on the edge of annihilation. But his greatest battle lies ahead—not just against armies and dark sorcerers, but against a monstrous evil that feeds on suffering and threatens to consume everything he loves.
As war ignites and ancient powers awaken, Torg must confront a destiny soaked in blood, bound by sacrifice, and forged in a darkness deeper than death.
Perfect for fans of The Witcher, The Malazan Book of the Fallen, and The First Law series, The Death Wizard Chronicles delivers relentless action, rich world-building, sexual tension, and a haunting exploration of power, mortality, and what it means to be truly alive.
From award-winning fantasy author Jim Melvin comes a new three-volume edition of his dark fantasy series, The Death Wizard Chronicles. Volumes 2 and 3 will debut in July and October 2025.
If you’re ready for fantasy that doesn’t hold back—this is your next obsession.
The Death Wizard Chronicles: Volume 1
Jim Melvin’s The Death Wizard Chronicles: Volume 1 is a sweeping and gritty epic fantasy novel that plunges the reader into the war-torn world of Triken, where magic, violence, and fate collide. The story centers on Torg, a Death-Knower—a warrior-king who dies and resurrects repeatedly, gaining mystical powers with each return. As the leader of the desert-dwelling Tugars, he stands alone against Invictus, a rising sorcerer whose dark magic and monstrous allies threaten the very balance of existence. When Torg trades his freedom to save a peaceful race known as the Noble Ones, the tale shifts into a tense meditation on sacrifice, loyalty, and power. The plot is fast-paced and cinematic, with vivid world-building and sharp dialogue.
Reading this book was like stepping into a dream soaked in blood and moonlight. I found myself torn between awe and discomfort. Melvin’s writing is intense. Every sentence is packed with texture and movement. He doesn’t shy away from the raw stuff: pain, rage, lust, and death are all front and center. Some of it is genuinely brutal, but it fits the world he’s built. What impressed me most wasn’t the action (though it’s stellar), but the psychological depth of Torg. He’s not your average sword-swinging hero. There’s a stoic grief to him. A strange tenderness even when he’s cracking skulls. That complexity kept me emotionally hooked, even when the violence became overwhelming.
Melvin’s prose is lush and immersive, often leaning into a rich, almost poetic style that brings the world of Triken to vivid life. He isn’t afraid to slow things down with detailed exposition and bold philosophical themes, giving the story a thoughtful, almost meditative weight. The villains are unapologetically dark, embodying evil in a way that feels mythic and larger-than-life. While the lines between good and evil are stark, it adds to the high-stakes drama and classical tone of the tale. What truly stands out is Melvin’s fearless storytelling. He dives deep into spiritual allegory without losing the grit and guts that define epic fantasy.
This isn’t casual fantasy fare. It’s a deep dive into the violent, mystic, and strangely poetic mind of a world at war with itself. If you’re someone who loves dark fantasy with spiritual weight, who doesn’t flinch from graphic content, and who wants more from their fantasy than just dragons and quests, this one’s for you. I wouldn’t hand it to a casual reader, but for the seasoned fantasy fan craving something fierce and different, it hits like thunder.
Pages: 502 | ASIN : B0F3MVZWWD
LITERARY TITAN 