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Geographical Quirks
The Strains of Malice follows a 15-year-old girl baker’s daughter in Ghantiss, who is pursued by authorities after rescuing an ill-fated dog from a bloodsport ring. Where did the idea for this novel come from?
Emilya (the baker’s daughter) is just one of many character threads, which cover royalty, miners, druids, astronomers, gladiators, naval captains – and a baker’s daughter! I wanted to start the story with Emilya so that it begins grounded in ordinary folk – but who soon have the misfortune to cross paths with the entitled elite.
As for the idea for the novel, I sat down in December 2019 and designed my world first. Next came an outline of what was originally intended to be a five-book series, with a catastrophic event right at the end. Alongside this, I began creating the characters, and that was when Emilya and her pathway through the book was established. I even created timelines for my main ten POV characters, all mapped together a bit like a Gantt chart!
I then started designing the secrets of the world of Thera – and which will be revealed in a book called Decoding the Hidden World of Thera, which I plan to release at around the same time that Books Three and Four in The Nessemiah series are released. Only two other people know about these secrets, and they are bursting with impatience for the cat to be let out of the bag!
Finally, just to clarify, The Nessemiah is now a four-book series that only covers what was originally intended to occur in Books One and Two of the five-book series I planned back in 2019! The final three volumes of that story will now form the sequel series to The Nessemiah!
As the opening book of a series, what did you most want readers to understand about this world in the first installment?
It was important that the world of Thera itself should be slowly revealed in Book One, along with the pending catastrophe that ultimately ends the series. Thera is a world of some ancient mystery and interesting geographical quirks that I loved creating and slowly begin to reveal in Book One. Indeed, one reviewer who was being very generous about the depth of my human characters declared that Thera itself is almost a character in its own right. That said, there is nothing fantastical about Thera. There are no dragons, elves, magical powers or thousand-year-old prophecies waiting to be revealed/fulfilled. It is a hard, gritty world, for which the publisher uses the strapline, “Poldark meets Gladiator…on another world.” That is very apt.
The strapline refers to the temperate polar islands which resemble British regency times, and the brutal Theran Empire further south, which is a throwback to Ancient Rome. These are two cultures which are destined to collide, but which are currently kept apart by one of my favourite geographical quirks!
It is also worth adding that many reviewers have picked up on the depth and quality of my world-building, given the book is front-loaded with detailed maps, layouts of monasteries, explanations of geographical features, temperature charts, the daily and monthly cycles, and even Thera’s solar system. This is all important information that is going to come significantly into play as the four-book story unfolds.
Where did you get the inspiration for Prince Magnus’s traits and dialogue?
Every book needs at least one villain. Mine has several – hence The Strains of Malice. But Magnus does seem to be everyone’s favourite. I guess he must be a little bit of every nasty villain I’ve ever read about myself, from several thousand novels. Of course, his traits and dialogue have been dictated by his privileged upbringing: entitled, never been disciplined, and can do whatsoever he pleases with whomsoever he pleases. And, of course, he does!
I can tell you that he was an absolute joy to write! I suppose if I were to be pushed on an inspiration, it would have to be A Song of Ice and Fire. There have been review comparisons to Prince Joffrey, but as one wise reviewer pointed out recently, Joffrey was still boy, albeit an incredibly cruel one; Prince Magnus is very much a man – and far darker than Joffrey. Maybe there’s a bit of Cersei in him as well, if that makes sense? But not Jaime Lannister; there is absolutely no good in my Prince Magnus!
As for the dialogue, I guess he is very British. But again, he isn’t cliché’d. As one reviewer recently said, “He does not monologue. He does not twirl his cape. He is simply a man who has never once in his life been told that his desires have consequences.”
I suppose that if there is one character from literature for whom there is perhaps a fair likeness to Prince Magnus, it would be a certain character from my childhood called Count Grendel of Gracht – and you would have to go all the way back to 1978 to find out who he is! I hated him, back in the day, and I think he must have hidden in my subconscious for over forty years before covertly embedding himself into The Strains of Malice!
Can you give readers a glimpse inside Book 2 of The Nessemiah?
Book Two of The Nessemiah, Cold Sanctuary, is essentially a continuation of the various plights of all of the POV characters introduced in Book One, but with the threat of Nessemi becoming ever-more real as their storylines progress and The Event draws nearer. I also significantly ramp up events in the supercontinent of Epanaga, with brutal gladiatorial fighting pits taking centre stage alongside Emperor Calidius’ Expurgatio – a cruel and callous purge of various demographics of Theran society in preparation for the arrival of Nessemi.
Pretty much every reviewer has stated that Cold Sanctuary is better, deeper and darker than The Strains of Malice, and reviews so far have been out of this world – with most reviewers desperate for Books Three and Four. Happily, they will both be released shortly.
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Is anywhere on Thera safe from Nessemi? Or the hell that lies beyond?
“I’m afraid there are good and bad everywhere, Emilya. It’s a fact of life that wherever you look, there are strains of malice.”
Fifteen-year-old baker’s daughter, Emilya Luca, is in serious trouble with the Glennadian Crown. Her crime: to prevent a small dog from being torn apart by hounds belonging to the callous Prince Magnus. Having been rescued by former naval captain, Jake Oscom, the unlikely pair become fugitives, hunted across Glennad – initially for cruel sport but latterly after Oscom is framed for a heinous crime committed by Magnus himself.
Elsewhere, in a world with unusual geographical quirks and subtle energy lines, hardships endure for a close-knit community of miners and unimaginable foul play befalls a Glennadian princess – but these trials pale into insignificance compared to what northern astronomers have just discovered. Four hundred leagues south, in the ancient city of Thera, the cruel eyes of Calidius Antoninus Dominius have seen the same thing – but to him it merely expedites his imperial ambitions and presents a justified opportunity to brutally murder thousands of his subjects.
The Strains of Malice: Book One of The Nessemiah
The Strains of Malice, the first novel in Andrew Beardmore’s Nessemiah series, offers assured, character-led storytelling in a vividly imagined setting. Clear maps and a welcoming introduction make the world easy to step into from the outset.
Set in a pre-industrial society with strong late–eighteenth-century European echoes, the story centers on fifteen-year-old Emilya, a baker’s daughter in the port city of Ghantiss. Her compassion is not performative. It’s defiant. When she pulls a dog from Prince Magnus’s brutal bloodsport ring, she challenges the one person no one is meant to challenge. Magnus responds with predictable entitlement and very real menace. Protected by royal privilege, he decides she will pay.
Former naval captain Jake disrupts Magnus’s retaliation long enough to give Emilya a chance to run. The escape becomes a life. It also becomes a binding. Later, Elyse, a perceptive healer with sharp instincts, joins them on the road. The trio turns fugitive. Necessity hardens into trust. Trust turns into affection, earned in breathless flight and in the quiet gaps between threats.
A strong supporting cast adds weight and texture. Freya, Emilya’s childhood friend, carries her own scars from Magnus’s cruelty. Magnus’s sister offers a gentler counterpoint and a tragic lens on a fractured royal household. And Magnus himself? Chilling. A narcissist with a talent for performance and a taste for control. His depravity feels calculated rather than chaotic, which makes him far more unsettling.
The novel grips from its opening pages. Emilya is immediately sympathetic and never simplistic. Magnus’s amused coldness lands like a warning bell. Action scenes arrive with momentum and stay readable. Tension builds cleanly. Sensory detail does a lot of heavy lifting, keeping each sequence sharp and immediate.
Graphic violence and mature themes appear with intent. They underline abuses of power. They raise the stakes. They also shape the book’s central idea, the “strains” of malice that seep into institutions, families, and ordinary lives. The intensity will not suit every reader, yet the darkness is consistently counterbalanced. Loyalty surfaces. Love persists. Compassion refuses to be extinguished.
The Strains of Malice stands out for immersive worldbuilding, well-timed twists, and a cast that is vivid and easy to root for. The opening volume introduces its setting with care, blending the fantastical with the uncomfortably familiar and grounding imaginative elements in a plausible social reality. The historical texture adds depth and authenticity. As a series opener, it’s gripping and confident. Epic-fantasy scope meets the brisk punch of pulp adventure. Beardmore’s novel is best suited to readers who want their fantasy darker, sharper, and unafraid to look directly at cruelty, without losing sight of warmth.
Pages: 548 | ASIN : B0DYZ5T653
Moral Danger
The Founding Scroll follows a ledger-trained merchant’s daughter who accidentally touches a run-shifting guild scroll labeled Vow of Accord / Twelfth Hand, leaving her Oathbound and forging the beginnings of the Vowforged. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
The inspiration came from a blend of gaming, anime, and real-life responsibility. I’ve spent years playing games like New World, World of Warcraft, and Elder Scrolls Online, and I’ve always loved how life-skills, crafting, and non-combat systems give players identity and purpose beyond fighting. Those systems feel lived-in, and they make the world believable. I wanted that same feeling in The Founding Scroll.
Anime such as Shield Hero also influenced the story, especially the idea of power that isn’t glamorous or chosen, but forced upon someone who never asked for it. Seren doesn’t begin as a warrior or a savior; she’s trained to track, record, and survive through systems. When she touches the scroll, the power she gains isn’t freedom; it’s obligation. That idea mirrors real life far more than traditional hero narratives.
Seren doesn’t just gain power; she gains public responsibility. How did you approach writing leadership as something morally dangerous as well as necessary?
Leadership in this story is shaped by my own experiences with responsibility, particularly decisions made through co-parenting, where the right choice isn’t always the one that benefits you personally. Sometimes leadership means choosing stability, protection, or fairness for others, even when the outcome costs you something. That tension is at the heart of Seren’s growth.
I wanted leadership to feel exposed and irreversible. Once Seren becomes visible, every decision she makes carries public consequences. There’s no version of leadership where she can please everyone or walk away unscathed. That moral danger, knowing that even the best choice will still hurt someone, is what makes leadership necessary, but never comfortable. Power in this world isn’t about dominance; it’s about carrying the weight of impact.
What role does the in-world codex play for you as a storyteller?
The codex is the structural backbone of the world. As a storyteller, it allows me to build a setting that feels governed rather than improvised. It defines how oaths function, how systems interact, and why consequences exist. Instead of magic being vague or reactive, it operates through rules that characters must learn, challenge, and sometimes exploit.
Beyond the page, the codex represents a larger creative vision. It’s designed to support expansion into multiple formats, whether that’s tabletop storytelling, interactive experiences, or visual adaptations, without losing internal consistency. I’ve always felt that many fantasy worlds are missing connective tissue between mechanics and meaning. The codex lets me fill those gaps, creating systems that feel discoverable, intentional, and alive.
Where does the story go in the next book, and where do you see it going in the future?
The first book is designed to complete a full rise-and-trial arc. Seren’s journey establishes her as a leader whose influence comes not from force, but from trust, trade, and the systems she helps shape. By the end of the story, she earns legitimacy, but that legitimacy comes with a visible cost. The world begins to recognize that her voice doesn’t just affect people; it affects how power itself moves.
The next book expands the scope of the story while deepening its relationships. As Seren’s influence grows, so does the complexity of leadership, particularly around partnership and responsibility. The world is structured so that growth feels earned, layered, and discoverable, where progress comes from systems, cooperation, and long-term choices rather than brute force. This is also where familiars take on a more prominent role. They aren’t pets or accessories; familiars aren’t pets in this world, they’re reflections of trust, role, and responsibility. They reinforce identity and function, shaping how individuals and groups operate together rather than acting as isolated sources of power.
Looking further ahead, the series explores legacy. It asks what happens when systems, oaths, institutions, and alliances become larger than the people who created them. As influence scales, those systems begin to strain, and Seren must confront whether they can evolve without losing the values they were built on. The familiars, like the people bound to them, become part of that question: what is chosen, what is inherited, and what endures.
Each book builds outward from personal survival, to shared leadership, to long-term consequence, while leaving room for future stories that explore different perspectives within the same world. At its core, the series isn’t just about gaining power, but about deciding what kind of world that power ultimately sustains.
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Seren has spent her life balancing ledgers, not shaping history. But when she accidentally binds herself to an ancient guild oath—the Vow of Accord—her quiet world is pulled into a system far older and more dangerous than she imagined.
In a realm where contracts shape reality and trust is a form of power, Seren must navigate guild politics, rival merchants, and unseen forces that seek to control what she represents. Leadership is earned, not claimed. Every promise carries weight. And every decision leaves a mark.
The Founding Scroll is a system-driven fantasy about leadership, responsibility, and the cost of building something others depend on. Blending immersive worldbuilding with moral tension, it offers a fresh take on power—one forged through cooperation rather than conquest.
⭐ Perfect for readers who enjoy:
Guild-focused fantasy
Strategic worldbuilding
Moral leadership dilemmas
Progression with real consequences
Significant Purpose
The Legends of Astorynia: War of Wars Ending follows a young elf hunter who gets pulled out of his quiet life in Edengrove and dropped into the middle of a world-ending war. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
I actually began writing my book on a whim. What inspired me to write fantasy was everything fantasy, I guess (LOTR, Elder Scrolls, Dragonlance Chronicles, D&D, etc., etc.). I’m a huge, huge fan of the genre.
What made me want to write an actual full-length book would have to be The Hobbit by Tolkien. It was the first novel I had ever read from cover to cover, and I fell in love instantly. It wasn’t even so much the story itself, but how it was written, that I loved so much. I must have read it a dozen times by now. I sometimes still crack it open randomly and read passages or excerpts just to appreciate how well-crafted it truly is.
I started my story much like Tolkien started The Hobbit. I just wrote the first sentence off the top of my head without any plan or idea of what it would become, and then just rolled with it.
I began writing my book when I was 24, though I treated it more like a hobby than anything serious. I would write a paragraph or two here and there, sometimes several months apart. And on very rare occasions, an entire page! This went on for about 12 years, resulting in a mere 6 chapters.
A few years back, when I was between jobs, I decided to finally finish my book with the free time I had available. I would start at 6 am and grind away at the thing until midnight. I did this for 14 days straight. The result was a novel (War of Wars Ending) and 6 prequel novellas—approx. 140K words total (5 days on the novel and 9 on the prequels). I didn’t even mean to write any more than the main novel, but once I got started, I just couldn’t stop until the entire thing was out of my system.
It was a lot of fun to write!
Keagle begins as a quiet hunter and ends as a central figure in a world-altering conflict. What defines his growth?
Determination, courage, and persistence.
The story emphasizes loyalty across races and backgrounds. Why was chosen family such a central theme?
I just like the idea that no matter who you are, or where you’re from, there is a significant purpose for you somewhere in the world, even if you’re completely oblivious to it.
What lessons or values do you hope younger readers especially take away?
That anyone from anywhere can make a difference that truly matters. It’s not about where you’re from but how far you’re willing to go that defines you.
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When a young Elf named Keagle meets a wise wandering wizard called Mannus, his small-time adventures become a grand one in this thrilling and epic action-adventure fantasy of one world uniting against an ancient evil.
In the world of Astorynia (Astor-eenie-uh) as war is ever wavering on the horizon, a group of companions, led by Mannus, travel the lands to bring together and unite the armies of Elves, Gnomes, Dwarves, Gruflyn, and Man against the ever-growing evil that is spreading. They strive to bring the People’s Army together one last time to put an end to this menace.
The vile creatures of the southernmost mountains of Shadowrock are led by a wicked sorceress known as Veldora. She leads this evil army of Vurkyn into battle against all the peoples of all the lands of Astorynia, to try and take the world for reasons all her own.
She must be stopped at all costs, and the company of companions are the ones to get the job done. With the help of a guardian dragon, they go to war to destroy this evil once and for all.
This is the story of the final war to end all war in the world of Astorynia.
A Personal Challenge
The Manglers of Carraig centers around a boy fighting to protect his mother and sister and a jeweler known for her grim designs, both living in a world split by wealth and riddled with monsters. Where did the idea for this novel come from?
Believe it or not, the idea came from Brandon Sanderson’s writing course. I was in a bit of a literary slump, so I decided to check out the free creative writing course Brandon Sanderson posted on YouTube. In one of the classes, he asks students to come up with a setting or plot for a horror story. One of the students suggested “economic,” which stumped Sanderson. However, as an economics teacher, I took it as a personal challenge. Not long after, the idea hit me: what if a nation’s currency was not only a medium of exchange but also something people needed to keep the monsters away at night? I immediately took that concept and layered it over Hemingway’s To Have and Have Not—and voilà, my masterpiece was born.
What intrigues you most about the horror genre?
Definitely the characters. All genres need compelling characters, of course, but there is something about horror that requires very human and flawed people. I think this is why Stephen King is so successful. His plots are powerful, but it’s his characters that keep people invested for hundreds and hundreds of pages. To be honest, I would consider The Manglers of Carraig more dark fantasy than horror, but I knew I needed compelling characters if I was going to get readers invested in the setting.
What was your favorite scene in this story?
The scene with the Finger Baron. The chapters set in the Hen House, in general, are some of my best writing. I remember when I finished those chapters, I felt tremendous pride in how they turned out. Normally, I’m nervous after finishing a chapter because I worry the writing wasn’t as clear as it felt while it poured from my fingertips. But I had so much fun writing those chapters that they required almost no revisions in later drafts. The interaction with the Finger Baron was especially fun, and I actually laughed out loud at the madness I had created—or, more accurately, the madness the characters created for themselves, as sometimes happens when they take over the narrative. Hopefully, readers will find the same horror, humor, and suspense that I felt while writing the scene.
Can we look forward to more work from you soon? What are you currently working on?
I have quite a few books waiting to be discovered on Amazon, but for now, I’m working on a seafaring fantasy with pirate orcs and sea monsters. It’s in the early stages, but I’m happy with where it’s headed and hope to be finished by the end of 2026.
Author Links: GoodReads | Website | Amazon
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.
Choice, Redemption, Love and Sacrifice
Zodak: The Last Shielder follows a teenage orphan who grows up in a cruel household where he’s treated like a curse, his life is bleak and miserable, till a water sprite calls his name and beckons him toward a greater purpose.
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?
This book is about relationships. While the dynamic between Zodak and his bully of a step-brother Ergis is drawn from childhood experience, thankfully, most of the horrible hardships, loss and abuse are not drawn from my story, but my life experience definitely fills gaps and let’s me juxtapose healthy relationships against unhealthy ones. My personal family is 100% the opposite of Zodak’s (again, thankfully), but the redemption in the story is drawn from truth I see and have experienced.
Also, since I was a boy, I was always enthralled with adventure.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
Choice, redemption, love and sacrifice were all themes I wanted to explore in the book.
Choice was one theme. Life happens to us all, sometimes in unusual and unexpected ways, but we’re the sum of the thousands of choices we make every day. Zodak made choices (and failed to choose at times) that made the difference.
Redemption is another theme I wanted to explore here, both redemption of a seemingly worthless and insignificant life, but also redemption of broken relationships. Alana is one of the characters who experienced a life-changing about-face in her character arc.
Love – I hoped that the love found in the tuk family, in Ardon and in Daen would shine through the slog of trouble and trial Zodak faces.
Sacrifice – like the focus on choice, the emphasis on sacrifice was an important element in the book. The culmination of Book 1 sees lots of hard choices demanding sacrifice from characters, some intentionally and some not.
Can you tell us a little about where the story goes in book two and when the novel will be available?
I’m really excited about book 2. We will continue to follow Zodak’s journey, but book two weaves in the primary POV storylines of Alana and Daen. I can’t wait to share it. The expected release is in the first half of 2026.
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In the village of Laan, Zodak endures a bleak life of misery at the hands of his hateful cousins and aunt. His steadfast uncle Ardon is his only anchor. When a water sprite arrives, speaking of destiny and an epic journey that awaits, Zodak struggles to grasp how an adventure with goblins, krikkis, and dwarves could ever be his story.
But when his uncle falls in a kidnapping plot and entrusts Zodak with a mysterious medallion, Zodak flees into a vast, unknown world. Seeking answers about his past and the medallion he carries, Zodak finds himself drawn to the magnificent city Uth Becca. In his journey, he unearths a clandestine order, a corrupt Magistrate, and a sinister plot that threatens humanity’s very existence.
A great evil awakens. Dark hordes are on the march. In a world desperate for a hero, can an outcast be enough?
Get swept away in an epic fantasy adventure with an unlikely hero on the edge of manhood, world-building reminiscent of Brandon Sanderson, and a protagonist who must decide whether to fight for truth, even if it costs him everything.
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
