Blog Archives
The Condemner: Arisen
The Condemner: Arisen is a dark fantasy novel that drops you straight into a world already splitting at the seams. It opens with Snip, a wiry and stubborn survivor, returning to a growing settlement ruled by his old friend Bobby, now “King Robert.” Their relationship is complicated, built on shared history and shaky trust, and things fall apart fast. A single moment of violence sends Snip running for his life, hunted by people who once saw him as family. From there, the story shifts to his struggle in the northern kingdom of Fanlon, where he gets tangled in cults, crime, and a hulking miner named Laf who saves him for reasons that feel as mysterious as they are unnerving. It’s gritty, moody, and full of momentum.
The writing has a lived-in roughness that good dark fantasy thrives on, but it also lets in these brief moments of softness, just enough to make the hard edges hit harder. Snip’s voice in particular is addictive. He’s flawed, cynical, sometimes funny without meaning to be, and painfully honest. His reactions feel grounded, even when the world around him swings between political ambition, daemon worship, and back-alley chaos. The author’s choice to center such a small man in such a dangerous world works beautifully. It makes everything feel bigger, heavier, more threatening. Even the early warehouse scene with the plague-masked revelers lingers like smoke in the lungs, strange and unsettling without feeling forced.
What surprised me most was how often the book made me feel two things at once. Curiosity and dread. Warmth and irritation. Admiration and exhaustion. The genre label here is firmly dark fantasy, but it’s got a human pulse running through it that keeps it from sinking into hopelessness. The ideas around power, loyalty, and the cost of survival show up in small gestures as often as in big confrontations. And whenever the world starts to feel too large, too mythical, the story tugs you back to the intimate perspective of someone who just wants to make it through the day with his ribs unbroken and his conscience mostly intact. That balance kept me turning pages.
If you like character-driven dark fantasy with grit, tension, and a touch of the uncanny, this book will be right up your alley. It’s especially suited for readers who enjoy morally tangled protagonists and worlds that don’t pretend to be kinder than they are. I’d recommend it to fans of grimdark and anyone who appreciates a fantasy story that feels personal even when the stakes swell to the size of nations.
Pages: 322 | ASIN : B0GC8R8LXF
The Gap
The Gap is a survival-horror novel that follows a group of migrants forced through the Darién Gap under the control of brutal coyotes. The story begins with a claustrophobic march through the jungle, where the guides Pinche, Mosca, and Guapo terrorize the group, and the environment itself seems determined to finish the job. As the days stretch on, exhaustion, cruelty, and the strange dread creeping through the rainforest shape a journey that becomes as psychological as it is physical. By the time the story reaches its ending, the line between man and monster feels disturbingly thin.
The writing is direct and raw. The misery hits you in small, relentless details: ants marching through a dead boy’s mouth, water that can’t be drunk without risking agony, a jungle that seems to breathe around the characters. The choices the author makes feel purposeful, even when they’re harsh. Scenes of violence make your stomach churn. At the same time, there’s a strange tenderness woven in through the quiet connections the migrants form, even when they don’t share a language. Those brief human moments, scattered among the horror, make the whole thing feel heavier.
What surprised me most was how the novel blends realism with a slow, creeping sense of the uncanny. For a long stretch, it reads like pure survival fiction, the kind grounded in real-world danger. Then the edges blur. Nightmares start to feel prophetic. The violence becomes ritualistic. By the end, the horror has tilted into something almost mythic, and the shift feels earned because the world was already so brutal that monsters didn’t seem far-fetched. I kept thinking about how trauma can warp perception, how the mind tries to make meaning out of dread. The book never overexplains its stranger moments, and that restraint makes them even more intriguing.
The Gap is a gritty survival horror novel with psychological and supernatural undertones, and it leans hard into the reality that human beings can be more dangerous than any jungle. I’d recommend it to readers who appreciate dark, visceral fiction that doesn’t pull punches, especially those who like their horror rooted in real places and real suffering.
Pages: 356 | ASIN : B0DQJ85XCG
The Awful Odyssey
The Awful Odyssey follows young Burgeon, a half-canid, half-raptor pup caught between two worlds. The story opens with dreamy flights through Sleeping Locus and shifts fast into the grim reality of the Loyal Trench. What starts as a simple coming-of-age tale becomes a journey through class divides, harsh routines, emotional wounds, and the mysteries of realms beyond sight. Burgeon fights expectations at school, struggles under the weight of poverty, and clings to a fading bond with his mother. The book grows darker and stranger as secrets seep through the cracks of his life, and the tone swings between wonder and dread. It feels like a fable wrapped in a nightmare, stitched together with heart.
I was swept up in the contrast between light and dark. The author writes with an emotional honesty that I really enjoyed. The dream sequences are soft, fragrant, and warm. They lulled me in with that childlike belief that everything bright will stay bright. Then the trench scenes slapped me awake, though. The grime, the cold, the cruelty, the sense that the world has teeth. The writing leans into that contrast again and again. I was frustrated with Burgeon sometimes. At other times, I felt like I understood him and really cared about him. The pacing dips occasionally, yet even in the slower parts, I felt the tension humming. The story carries a sense of constant threat and constant longing that kept me engaged in the story.
The ideas the story explores were really intriguing. Identity. Shame. Desire. Responsibility. The book pushes all of those themes into a tight space and watches them rattle around inside Burgeon’s life. I kept thinking about how much he wants structure even as he fights it. How much he wants freedom even as it scares him. The scenes with the wizard surprised me the most. They were tender. They were strange. They reshaped everything I had assumed about the world he lives in. I loved that shift. It made the story feel bigger than its darkest moments and gave me something hopeful to hang onto. The writing never tries to sound clever, and that plainness works well. It lets the emotional weight sit right on the surface where you can’t ignore it.
I’d recommend this book to readers who enjoy character-driven fantasy that leans emotional, odd, and a little grim. If you like stories about broken places and resilient kids. If you like worlds that feel worn down yet still magical. If you like tales that sit with pain but don’t give up on wonder. Then this book is perfect for you.
Pages: 200
Coping With Inner Turmoil
The Winds of War opens with a sweeping fantasy world marked by old grudges, broken continents, and horrors that crawl out of black oceans. What was the inspiration that drove the development of the world the characters live in?
From a literary standpoint, the biggest inspirations were George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire and Steven Erikson’s The Malazan Book of the Fallen. I owe so much to these titanic authors for planting the seeds in my imagination that would eventually grow into the setting and themes of The Winds of War. Beyond books, I’m a big fan of video games, and The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is my all-time favorite game. The grit and brooding of that game and series have undoubtedly influenced the world of The Tapestry of the Tarnished, from its characters and politics to its bestiary and scenery.
What was the chosen theme of the novel, or did it develop organically as you were writing?
I feel that choosing firm themes from the outset can lead to stiff, forced writing, and so I let themes develop organically through the course of a book. With that said, themes of oppression, religious fanaticism, and one’s journey in coping with inner turmoil are things that I feel strongly about, and I’m not surprised that all of these and more made their way into The Winds of War.
I think the story has roots in the classic fantasy genre and blends darker themes. Do you read books from that genre? What were some books or authors that you think influenced The Winds of War?
The classic fantasy roots all lead back to The Lord of the Rings. That’s a very unoriginal answer, I know, and yet I know that I would not be here today discussing my own epic fantasy story if not for Tolkien’s work. While my own books are darker and grittier than those that typically fall under the classic fantasy genre, the influence of those foundational works is irrefutable. Moreover, Tolkien was a big inspiration in showing me that an author can be more than just a writer. I designed the cover of my own book, created its world map, and drew most of the interior artwork. The confidence to embark on such an independent journey came in large part from knowing that Tolkien once did the same.
Where does the story go in the next book, and where do you see it going in the future?
I don’t want to give away too much, obviously, but the story is going to both expand and go deeper in book two. The events of the first book set up the sequel to be highly climactic, and I intend to follow through on that. There will be new characters, new locations, and new creatures, along with all that came before. There will be deeper introspection and more thought-provoking insights than anything in the first book. The mysteries of the world will continue to unravel, and the wars will rage on ever fiercer. The stakes will be higher than ever. It’s going to be awesome.
Author Links: GoodReads | X (Twitter) | Website | Amazon
The Astaris Empire is fracturing, its realm flogged by war and fanaticism. Empress Seline and her Gold Council vie to maintain control, but what is control for a nation built on blood and lies?
In the east, the storied Rhaavi people cling to their independence, but as the ruinous First Legion of the Empire arrives at their walls, hope is decimated. Even so, Yuei, the dragonrider, and Rizu, the shadow guardian, will lay down their lives to protect their home. And Kirana, High Chieftainess of the Rhaavi, vows to lead her people through . . . no matter the cost.
Elsewhere, the prodigious Hatsun pursues an education at the fabled Great Library of the Awakened. But he quickly learns that curiosity is both a boon and a burden as his studies unveil cataclysmic secrets about the world that could change everything.
This book marks the first chapter of The Tapestry of the Tarnished. Here is a tale spanning the whole of the Ring: A circle of continents rife with war and unrest. A world colored by magics and mythical creatures. A place you will fear, yet not wish to leave.
George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire meets Steven Erikson’s The Malazan Book of the Fallen in this burgeoning epic fantasy saga.
Literary Titan Silver Book Awards
Celebrating the brilliance of outstanding authors who have captivated us with their skillful prose, engaging narratives, and compelling real and imagined characters. We recognize books that stand out for their innovative storytelling and insightful exploration of truth and fiction. Join us in honoring the dedication and skill of these remarkable authors as we celebrate the diverse and rich worlds they’ve brought to life, whether through the realm of imagination or the lens of reality.
Award Recipients
Losing Mom by Peggy Ottman
This Is For MY Glory: A Story of Fatherlessness, Failure, Grace, and Redemption
Toil and Trouble by Brian Starr
Visit the Literary Titan Book Awards page to see award information.
Etched Into the Magic User’s Flesh
Bathed in Ink and Blood follows two threads: the Butcher of Greenlake’s desire for revenge, and twin siblings, as they undergo the Test that reveals their signamantic abilities. What was the inspiration that drove the development of the world the characters live in?
A large inspiration for me was Brandon Sanderson’s Mistborn and its magic system. I had an idea for a hard magic system built around symbols etched into the magic user’s flesh and took that idea into Dave Wolverton’s Advanced Story Puzzle course, and Bathed in Ink and Blood was born. A caste system grew around the magic system, one that would lend itself well to the darker world I was attempting to craft. Then, I dove into how this magic system would impact the world as whole, and found myself asking a variety of questions. How could the magic users be used for benefit or detriment? How would technological advancement be different with the presence of this magic? This basically a long way of saying, Signamancy was born and the world grew around it.
I felt that your novel delivers the drama so well that it flirts with the grimdark genre. Was it your intention to give the story a darker tone?
I always planned for Bathed in Ink and Blood to be darker. I wanted to explore if a character was pushed too far, what they would do in response. You can call it a spectrum, each of the characters, Brist, Dacre, and Raya, are at different spots at the start of the novel, and move across that spectrum throughout it. For example, with Brist, easily the most morally gray character in the story, he’s on the far side of the spectrum. His objective is all that matters, no action too brutal if it takes him a step closer to his goal. Having a character like that, the darker tone seemed the only choice. Then you are provided the opportunity to push your other characters and explore questions like “What is too far?” or “What will I lose if I do this?”.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
The main themes I explored were revenge, coming of age, found family, and belonging/acceptance. Of course, there are other themes, but there were the big four, each one mainly applied to one of the three POV characters. Brist’s main theme was revenge and that is what he becomes, it is his singular focus and he blocks everything else out. With Dacre it is coming of age and found family; we have a teenager with a new found power that destroys his family. He has to navigate a new power and finds himself with Brist and his team. What starts as a need, turns into a family. For Raya it is belonging/acceptance. She wants her father’s approval, but to him, her only use is to form a relationship with a former king through a marriage, a marriage she does not want.
What will your next novel be about, and what will the whole series encompass?
My next novel will be the sequel to Bathed in Ink and Blood and will start directly after the events of the first novel. Readers will find certain characters on a similar path they were previously on, while other characters start new ones. The main theme that will be explored in the sequel will be “war”. The series, Ink, Brand, and Knife, is a planned trilogy and will include at least two novellas, one of which I’m actively working on, before I move to the sequel.
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | Website | Instagram
Signamancy opens a world of possibilities for a low-born teen. However, a power that gives can also take away. Dacre Caeinn finds himself in the company of the Butcher of Greenlake. Will the most wanted man in Camoria help Dacre save the one he loves most or will he be another victim buried in the Butcher’s trail of revenge?
The life of the standard noblewoman was one Raya Adan never wanted despite her father’s insistence. Now, she finds herself betrothed and the idea of being shipped across the sea as little more than a commodity does not sit well with her. To gain her father’s approval and show her worth as more than a bargaining chip, she dives into the investigation of recent attacks on the family’s ventures. However, not all is as it seems and Raya slowly unravels truths that will upend the world she knows.
It Became Much Darker
Dark Threads tells three haunting dark-fantasy stories where desperate survivors endure brutal magic and impossible choices in worlds crumbling under their own shadows. What sparked the initial idea for Dark Threads, and did one story come first?
The Breath Borrower was the first dark-fantasy story I’d ever written. I wrote it specifically for the Writers of the Future contest about five years ago. When I first had the idea, I don’t think it was dark, per se, but as the story developed, the weight of it grew, and it became much darker.
It received a Silver Honorable Mention in the contest, and I really loved the story, but after trying for a few years to get it published—and receiving a few quite nice rejection letters—I decided to share it with readers on my own. The other two stories in this volume had also received HM’s in the contest, and since they were also rather grim and dark, I thought they’d work well together.
I plan to continue the series, since I enjoy dwelling dark occasionally, but their release may be erratic since I write across multiple genres, and these types of stories can be emotionally intense to create.
The magic systems are uniquely brutal. How did you approach designing magic that feels both inventive and emotionally costly?
I think because of the depth of magic involved in these stories, the giving or receiving of something from inside the characters themselves, it made the cost automatically become greater and more intimate. Very personal. And because of that, it became a choice for each character. Risking their own life for others. Even in the case of Vapors of Misuse, the twins are seeking revenge, but also an end to the misery their lives are a part of, either for each other, or for the community after they’re gone.
Your characters often operate in moral gray zones. How do you balance empathy with their harsher decisions?
Once I started coming up with the ideas, the characters themselves took over. That often happens in my writing. They flesh themselves out. They become very real, and real people often have far more gray in them than edging toward black or white. And the gray is interesting to explore.
It goes back to the choice thing. Under “normal” circumstances, the main characters would be ordinary people, but I’ve thrown them into some type of chaos, and they have to react while trying to still keep part of themselves…well, themselves.
The endings are powerful but intentionally not tidy. How do you know when a story with this much darkness has reached its conclusion?
Life isn’t very tidy. A lot of my short stories feel like vignettes of the character’s life to me. You know things were happening before this moment, which are sometimes alluded to, giving the reader more background, but you also get the feeling something else will probably come after the story, though perhaps not with the central character.
The vignette ends at a pause, like the end of an exhale. The flow of that particular moment narrows until you break away. It’s not always a clean break. Something might not be fully resolved. It’s a bit like ending on a discordant note in music. It might leave you feeling a little disturbed, but glad it’s fading away at the same time.
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In this collection of haunting dark fantasy tales, mortals and spirits alike wrestle with destiny, sacrifice, and the cost of power.
In The Breath Borrower, a sacred thief of breath must choose between duty and mercy in a city where life and death hang on a whisper.
The Withering follows a lone scholar through the dream-infested Underland, seeking a cure for a dying world—even as her own body fades.
And in Vapors of Misuse, a cursed twin races against time to use forbidden magic against a ruthless tyrant—before he is consumed by the very power he wields.
These are not stories of easy victories or neat endings. They are stories of survival, of sacrifice, and of what lingers when hope is gone.
Quests & Queries
Quests & Queries follows Query, a young Devil leaving her home in Hell for the Dalton Adventuring Academy for Monsters. The story blends coming-of-age nerves, queer self-discovery, explicit desire, and creeping supernatural dread as Query wrestles with a seductive aura she can’t control and a nightmare creature that seems to have followed her into the mortal world. The book mixes cozy moments, raw vulnerability, messy hookups, strange magic, and a big, warm cast of monsters who fill every scene with energy and charm.
I was pulled in by the tone most of all. The writing swings between funny, tender, anxious, and sensual. It feels alive in a way that made me grin one moment and wince the next. The voice is confident and conversational. It jumps from casual jokes to heavy emotional beats without losing its footing. Some scenes ran hot enough to fog up my glasses, and others punched me right in the gut. I liked how boldly it sat with uncomfortable feelings, especially Query’s mix of shame, desire, and fear. The pacing is quick most of the time. I enjoyed being tossed around by it.
Query’s aura, which makes nearly everyone want her, could have stayed a simple erotic device. Instead, it carries weight. It shapes her loneliness, her guilt, her longing for connection that isn’t warped by magic. The book leans into that ache, and it made me care about her. I also felt something real in the way the academy welcomes her with open arms and sudden chaos. The crush of new people, the confusing attention, the tiny disasters piling up. It reminded me of how starting college feels. Big and scary and exciting. The worldbuilding is vibrant and wild, but the emotional heart is surprisingly grounded.
By the last pages, I realized how much the book aims to blend comfort with danger. Cute friendships sit right next to unsettling hauntings. Steamy encounters overlap with moments of deep insecurity. It’s a mix that works.
I’d recommend Quests & Queries to readers who enjoy queer fantasy with spice, humor, and a lot of emotional honesty. It’s perfect for anyone who likes character-driven stories packed with magic and heat and who doesn’t mind things getting messy. If you want a book that feels playful and cozy and sometimes downright chaotic, this one will hit the spot.
Pages: 337 | ASIN : B0G1D4BHNY
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