Blog Archives
Eternal Search for Meaning
Flight of a Prodigy follows an eight-year-old street kid in ancient Rome who, after witnessing the death of his only friend, is captured and thrown into slavery, where he is trained to become an elite warrior. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
The inspiration came from my fascination with how traumatic events, particularly in our formative years, can affect the type of people we become, and how our perception of such events can either damage or expand our minds. I wanted to explore what happens when innocence refuses to yield to a predominant evil, and ancient Rome provided a platform where brutality and glory coexisted.
The death of the boy’s only friend symbolizes the loss of all he had, including his dreams and his childhood itself, while his capture into slavery reflects the harsh truth that fairness is rare. The exceptionally brutal training he is thrown into could be perceived as a punishment or a transformation, an allegory for resilience, identity, and strength through suffering. I wanted to reimagine them in a historical setting that feels both raw and epic.
What are some things that you find interesting about the human condition that you think make for great fiction?
What fascinates me most about the human condition is that, first of all, we are emotional creatures driven by hereditary traits in addition to our learned traits. And when we are forced into confrontation and must defeat the challenge or fall to it, emotions can be cast aside for incredible resolve or enhanced for a potential final stance. We all experience grief and hardship, but what makes great fiction is seeing how characters rise or fall when tested. I’m drawn to resilience because only in due time can we appreciate sadness for providing happiness, or weaknesses for providing strength, or hatred for providing love. For me, fiction thrives when it explores innocence colliding with a brutal reality, weakness evolves into power, and the eternal search for meaning in a chaotic world continues.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
I enjoy a good coming-of-age story, so one of the most important themes to explore in this book was the loss of innocence, how a kid is forced to confront a brutal reality and reshape his identity in a world that never allowed him to be a child. How, after his escape from servitude, he teeters on a fulcrum between good and evil as he strives to learn more about himself and how to survive in civilization.
Another key theme was poking a little fun at humanity’s futile need to understand everything. What we cannot fully wrap our minds around must be magic, the will of the gods, preordained fate, or perhaps ancient aliens. I leave it for the readers to decide.
Ultimately, I am fascinated by how transformation from grief, through struggle and survival, can propel someone into an event larger than life. Those explorations felt essential to me because they create the kind of epic, emotionally charged fiction I love to read and write.
Will this novel be the start of a series, or are you working on a different story?
Although I would never say never to a sequel, Flight of a Prodigy was written as a stand-alone story. I try to write what I want to read, no endings left open or loose ends untied, no poor editing to save time, and no short stories disguised as a book.
I am currently working on a new Historical Fiction, and I’m starting to get excited for it. It has the potential to be my best work… if I don’t screw it up.
Author Links: GoodReads | Amazon
Remy’s journey begins as a homeless eight-year-old surviving on the unforgiving streets of ancient Rome. When his situation could not possibly become worse, it of course does. Thrown in to slavery, he must undertake what would become an eight-year training regimen devised by evil people for evil purposes. Only a few hundred survive, to form an elite group of warriors. Remy not only endures but thrives, becoming its prodigy.
Remy escapes with his life, only to find freedom is full of more challenges than expected. Though merely sixteen he is a volatile and dangerous weapon, at home in a fight but lost in civilization. He gains employment to scout for a traveling wagon party in hopes of remaining unnoticed by those that may be searching for him.
His new employer and coworkers consist of three beautiful young ladies, Annabelle, Divina and Gee, along with their surviving family members and household guards. It is a slow, difficult, and humorous process of growth for Remy. Will his newfound friendships, acceptance, trust and maybe even love, allow him to overcome the evil psychological affects that manipulate his childhood traumas?
The Concept of a Living World
Claw & Ember follows a young rider bound to her saber-tooth black panther companion as she navigates treacherous politics, tangled loyalties, and a power simmering under her skin that could remake the world. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
Fantasy has always been a genre that appealed to me. As I grew older – and some, not many, would say wiser – I also noticed that a lot of it was quite naive, typically written for a very child-like audience, with very morally black and white characters and situations that are not very “sticky.” I decided that I wanted to tell this story in a Romantasy genre, where you still get the elements from fantasy, but scaled up for adults. That was the first part. The second part flowed from there. I could’ve written a whole series on Nyra’s time at the Academy and have it as a Harry Potter quasi-clone, but I was more interested in discovering and exploring the world, not has a teen in a school setup, but rather as a young adult discovering that the world is not simple and that outside of the walls of the Academy there are situations and people that are not as clean cut as one might think.
Nyra is an intriguing and well-developed character. What were some driving ideals behind your character’s development?
I wanted a strong female. That was important. Someone who takes no bullshit from anyone. She’s her own person. I also wanted someone who had a very strict – but good – upbringing; someone who knew that hard work and sweat were important, even though the easy path is sometimes easier. I also wanted someone who was not ashamed of herself or her thoughts. Someone who would process them and not necessarily assign a ‘good’ or ‘bad’ epithet to them, but rather “these thoughts are me; they are part of me, let’s see where they go.”
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
Uniqueness. Friendship. Desire. Politics. Sexuality. Each by itself and intertwined with the others (especially in the subsequent books). There’s also the concept of a living world. Not everything that’s important happens to – or when – Nyra is there. Some events that change the story happen in the background, even though they have a major impact on Nyra.
What is the next book that you are working on, and when will it be available?
Flame & Veil. It is currently on pre-order on Amazon and will launch November 28th, 2025. Then in 2026, we will have Ash & Oath and Crown & Covenant. There are many strings that will lead us to many more stories in this world in the future. We’ve seen this world through the eyes of Nyra from the Felinar Empire which is centered around big cats, but there’s The Voruun around canines, the Glyptan Kingdom around bears and armored Glyptodons, the Keshari Dominion with its woolly mammoths and woolly rhinos, and the Skyborne on their birds, there are other segments as well, mages, nobles, etc. Expect many more stories.
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | Amazon
Riders are made to obey. To patrol the line. To bleed without question.
Nyra’s done her part, bonded to her panther, trained to serve, and hardened to survive.
But when a strange heat stirs beneath her collarbone, it isn’t duty calling. It’s desire, and it answers to Kaedric, the silver-eyed Voruun rider with a voice like a blade and a dire wolf at his side.
One glance, and something ancient wakes.
Forbidden magic. Dangerous hunger. Power that shouldn’t exist in her blood.
If the Towers find out, she’ll be caged… or worse, claimed.
And with war looming, secrets won’t stay buried for long.
For fans of slow-burn tension, shadow-bound magic, and fierce heroines who refuse to kneel. Perfect for readers of Rebecca Yarros, Sarah J. Maas, and Carissa Broadbent. This is your next obsession.
A Curse of Wings & Gems – A Cursed Royals Fantasy Romance
This book swept me away from the very first page. It’s a sweeping fantasy full of curses, immortal kings, and mermaid princesses bound by fate. The story follows Edmar, a dragon cursed to live through endless cycles of tragic love, and Emmy, a mermaid whose power burns as fiercely as her pain. Their worlds collide in a storm of magic, betrayal, and longing. The world of Agondray feels enormous, filled with kingdoms and mythic creatures, yet the heart of the story stays close to its two leads, whose connection burns brighter than the jewels and wings that define them.
I’ll be honest, the writing hooked me. The author’s language flows like music at times. It’s lush but never pretentious. The imagery of waves, wings, and storms paints scenes I could almost taste and feel. Huston’s pacing takes its time. There are quiet stretches where the tension hums under the surface, and I liked that. It felt deliberate, like watching a storm gather before it breaks. The dialogue, though at times formal, fits the epic tone. The emotional beats land hard. Grief, hope, love, and desperation all tangled together. It made me ache for the characters, especially Emmy, whose pain and restraint felt heartbreakingly real.
That said, I had moments where I wanted to shake the characters. They circle around their fates, and the world’s mythology can feel dense, almost overwhelming with its many names and histories. But even in those moments, I couldn’t look away. The story carries an emotional weight that builds quietly until it explodes. Huston doesn’t just tell a tale of magic, she dives into what it means to carry guilt, to long for freedom, and to love in spite of everything that says you shouldn’t.
By the time I closed the book, I felt wrung out but satisfied. It’s the kind of story that leaves you staring at the last line for a while before you move. I’d recommend A Curse of Wings & Gems to anyone who loves romantic fantasy with deep lore and a bittersweet edge. If you enjoy stories that mix beauty with sorrow, this one will stick with you. It’s a haunting, lovely book that feels like it was written with both pain and hope in every line.
Pages: 842 | ASIN : B0FVTRQZF9
Defenseless Sea Life
The Tralls of Colum follows two siblings from the Tralldom of Colum, who face challenges tied to environmental changes, friendship, courage, and discovery. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
I was a primary school teacher for many years, and on rainy days, I’d tell my class stories of the tralls and their battles to protect their environment.
I noticed that after a storytelling session, my young audience would become more conscious of their effect on the surroundings and more interested in the local flora and fauna.
So, when I retired from teaching, I decided to publish the stories in the hope of reaching a wider audience
and making more children aware of the ways they could protect their own environments.
What were some ideas that were important for you to personify in your characters?
The Tralls of Colum was written for two of my grandchildren, and the main characters Jai and Emi were fashioned on them. They are often complimented on their co-operation, resourcefulness, perseverance, and tolerance, and I wanted to focus on those characteristics in the hope they would resonate with, and influence, my young readers.
What were some goals you set for yourself as a writer in this book?
I live near the coast, so I often see the deleterious effect that plastic waste is having on our beautiful oceans and our defenseless sea life. I wrote The Tralls of Colum to highlight those problems and make our younger citizens aware of the problems that we will face in the future if we don’t act to rid all our waterways of this dangerous material.
What is the next book that you are working on, and when can your fans expect it to be out?
The Trall Series consists of five published books, and each one revolves around a different environmental problem.
The Tralls of Nindarry – displacement of people due to mining.
The Tralls of Mundi – watercourses, aquifers, lakes, and rivers being diverted or polluted due to mining.
The Tralls of Maruchus – the dangerous effects of fracking on the environment.
The Tralls of Colum – the danger our oceans and sea-life face due to plastic waste.
The Tralls of Nosa – the danger faced by native flora and fauna when invasive species are introduced.
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | Website | Amazon
When Emi overhears her grandfather and two of his chars making plans for them to leave their ancestral lands she is devastated but the next morning a huge island of fresh green kelp and thousands of plump jellyfish miraculously appear off-shore, and she quickly realizes this precious gift from Mother Ocean will change everything.
Emi and Jai are determined to collect as much of the unexpected bounty as they can before the sea creatures devour it all but unfortunately, their dugout is overturned by a mysterious creature. Emi is almost drowned and Jai is lost at sea, and sadly, their exploits were in vain because the kelp and jellyfish are not what they seem. They are an unknown substance that is inedible and very dangerous for all living things.
Eventually, the tralls are forced to leave their beloved tralldom and begin their trek south in search of a new home.
Could this signal the end of the Tralldom of Colum?
The Tralls of Colum is the fourth book in The Trall Series – a collection of environmentally-themed portal fantasies that are set in the Sunshine Coast region of Australia. Each book in the series can be read individually but when read in sequence, they introduce the reader to an enchanting world full of unforgettable characters and locations..
The series is suitable for competent middle-grade readers.
Warrior Mystics
A Shroud of Sorcery centers around a mystic and his companions, simultaneously navigating tribal politics and the emergence of a ritualistic killer. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
I visited a hillfort in Shropshire called Bury Ditches about a year before I started writing. Whilst there, I imagined what it would be like at the pivotal point in ancient British history when these Iron age tribes with their pagan beliefs and mysticism came up against the technologically advanced but brutal Roman Empire as they took over Britain. Other sites, such as the great stone circles at Avebury, inspire me to think of what spiritual and magical beliefs led the builders and successive generations to build and use these monuments. What if they were not just meeting places or locations to celebrate the dead, but, instead, they were used by tribal mystics, mages, and seers? In this book, I wanted to use these ancient sites more dramatically to weave a fantastical, yet believable tale, and still within a real historical framework.
A Shroud of Sorcery continues to explore the tensions within the Cornovii. Big characters such as Toryn remain loud and full of bluster, and just when you think he and Alba are getting along, it can change in an instant. These interactions are forced into cooperation both by the ritualistic killings and the ongoing Roman threat. It was important to me that the characters should be believable, yet colourful enough for the reader to understand their loyalties, emotions, and personal circumstances to explain how they interact. Even lesser characters like Duro had to have a personality that, whilst unpleasant, fits within a culture of its time. In this book, I explore more of Favius’s background – what made him the cold killer he became with a look at his initial history of assassinations within the Organisation. He also represents the opposite of the likes of Toryn, who airs his views and emotions (and anger) openly, whilst Favius connives and plots in secret. Both are strong, both are very different.
A Shroud of Sorcery has several moments where the darkness of the sorcerer’s actions or the threat of the Roman legions are balanced by introducing moments of humanity, and sometimes these prevail, others they do not. This was an exploration of character, and I wanted to illustrate how light and dark, good and evil are not absolutes; there are positions in between these two polar opposites, such is real life. For example, the sorcerer occasionally makes a decision not to kill, but I want the reader to understand why that is, and hopefully that comes through in the book. Favius can be brutal, but he always acts from his own reasoning or logic, dispassionate though it is. Of all the characters, he is the most absolute for there is no compassion in a void.
The sorcerer was conceived to be a complex character, not just someone who kills with barbarity. The story weaves a tale around their origin, which explains where they came from, but deliberately sets up the reader to realize that environment is not always the explainer for evil actions. Yet, there are times when a sliver of compassion hovers intriguingly about their decision to let someone live, but would you rely on it – probably not!
How did you handle balancing the power and use of magic in the story?
I wanted the use of magic to be menacing and dark, but at the same time grounded and believable. The contrast between the sorcerer (dark) and Alba (light) exemplifies how, like our own modern technology, there is no good or bad magic or technology; rather, it comes down to the people who use it for good or ill. As such, magic in the story is a tool, used to project good or evil, but it is still a tool. Because I use it in this way, it becomes an aspect of the characters, who are the real power. In contrast, Favius, who (as far as we know) is not skilled in the dark arts, uses his power to steer the Roman Empire to the will of the Organisation. He does not need tools such as magic and instead uses assets like the sorcerer or his legionary commanders to achieve his aims.
The use of magic in this book is what delivers the main threat. Even Alba, when emotionally compromised, can use it for ill, and at one point we see that when he and Toryn have one of their disagreements. It is the threat of magic and its use for evil that first brings Toryn to Alba, for even a seasoned warrior such as Toryn knows his limitations when faced with such a force.
What do you think were some of the defining moments in Alba’s development?
As a character, Alba had to be first and foremost a man who believed in the old ways – someone who viewed his culture and history as something worth protecting in the face of a powerful conquering empire that regarded him and his kind as nothing more than barbarians and subhumans.
I have set him at a time when the Cornovii’s entire way of life is under threat, including their beliefs in their own gods. Set amongst this, he is one of the last remaining warrior mystics, capable of fighting with sword or bow as well as skilled in ways of magic.
In A Shroud of Sorcery, Alba is also defined by loss. The love of his life is gone, lost to a sickness which would of course have been a constant threat two thousand years ago. Grief often leaves a hole, and for Alba, that is an exploitable weakness as we see the sorcerer take advantage of (and for other reasons!). Alba worries about his tribe becoming redundant and subsumed within the Roman empire, but there is also the doubt he has over his own skills becoming redundant. This is not merely because his is a declining art but also that his knowledge and his own skills in magic have become stale and stuck. In contrast, the sorcerer has knowledge that he does not have, and this plays out in his mind as a character flaw.
Alba’s balance is often Argyll, who, with friendship and humour, keeps him centred. I originally conceived Alba as more of a loner, potentially with just a horse or dog as a companion, but I wrote Argyll as someone who could provide a deeper interplay – someone who can hold his own in a fight, who backs up Alba in a fight, and who keeps him focused on his own abilities in the face of whatever threat faces them.
Can fans look forward to seeing Book 3 of the Alba Mysteries released soon? Where will it take readers?
Planning for Book 3 is underway, and I aim to start writing in October. I have outlined the overall plotline and visited some of the locations that will feature in it.
I have also started writing a side novel, focused on Favius and the Organisation he works for. Set in multiple locations, it explores his younger years when he was climbing the ranks of the Organisation and becoming one of their top assassins. I have not yet decided whether to release this before or after the third book – we will see!
Author Links: Goodreads | Website | Amazon
“In all the legends the child is taken and trained in the magickal arts. Seldom do they return.”
Attempting to subvert the native Cornovii to Imperial rule, the Romans are increasing their presence in one last effort to turn the barbarian to Roman rule. Legionary commanders want all-out war; an opportunity to defeat Cornovii resistance once and for all which will send a powerful message to other British tribes who resist.
The Organisation, the hidden overlords of Imperial rule, deploy a new asset to encourage the barbarian Cornovii tribe to turn to Rome for their protection. A series of brutal murders follow where victims bear witness to ritual magick and sorcery.
Cornovii warrior mage Alba must uncover an adversary who has deep knowledge of the dark arts, perhaps exceeding his own. Their identity is a mystery reaching into the most ancient myths of the craft. The killer uses illusion to subjugate their victims and soon Alba finds himself battling elemental entities, hexes and even traps laid in the dreamworld.
Chieftains, tribal elders, spies and assassins inhabitant the turbulent and often violent world of Roman Britain, where the old ways of magick and tribal allegiance slam into Empire and Imperial domination.
Set in the mysterious landscape of ancient Britain amongst stone circles, hillforts and rock caves, A Shroud of Sorcery takes the reader on a journey into the mists of another time where magick, conflict and a secret organisation will determine the future of an entire tribe.
A Shroud of Sorcery is the second book in the Alba Mysteries.
Where history meets fantasy; where magick meets reality.
A Shroud Of Sorcery
A Shroud of Sorcery plunges the reader into first-century Romano-British Britain, where the fragile balance between tribal independence and Roman occupation teeters on the edge of war. We follow Alba, a mystic of the Cornovii tribe, and his companions as they navigate mounting Roman incursions, tribal politics, and the unsettling emergence of a cunning and ritualistic killer whose methods suggest dark, supernatural forces at work. Griffiths weaves a tale that shifts between tense skirmishes, eerie encounters, and moments of quiet reflection, building a world steeped in ancient magick, folklore, and the gritty realities of survival in a land caught between cultures.
This book was an immersive experience. Griffiths has a knack for painting landscapes that feel both tangible and ominous, from the shadowy forests of Wyre to the fortified hilltops of tribal strongholds. The opening scenes grip you with breathless pursuit and never quite let go. I found the interplay between historical detail and mystical elements especially engaging. Neither overwhelms the other, and both work in tandem to keep the stakes high. The pacing occasionally lingers in dialogue-heavy sections where tempers flare and egos spar. Still, those moments reveal the personal grudges, fragile alliances, and shifting loyalties that underpin the plot, giving weight to every confrontation.
The characters are the heart of the story, and they’re written with a mix of grit, stubborn pride, and surprising vulnerability. Alba’s blend of mystical insight and pragmatic warrior sense kept me invested, while Argyll’s sardonic humor balanced the darker beats. Even minor characters, like the prickly and insecure Duro or the calculating Roman officers, feel distinct. The antagonist’s presence, both human and possibly otherworldly, hangs over the story like a cold mist, and while not all mysteries are resolved, the sense of dread they bring is palpable. There’s a grounded cruelty here, both in Roman tactics and in the killer’s methods, that makes the moments of trust and camaraderie stand out all the more.
This book will appeal to readers who enjoy historical fiction laced with dark fantasy, as well as anyone drawn to stories where political maneuvering, ancient beliefs, and personal vendettas collide. If you like your battles visceral, your landscapes vivid, and your mysteries threaded with the supernatural, A Shroud of Sorcery is worth your time.
Pages: 324 | ASIN : B0F6KLHYQP
Grow and Learn to Let Go
Monster Hunter is a thrilling coming-of-age adventure where sixteen-year-old Ollie Baxter discovers a hidden world of monsters, magic, and the buried truth of who he really is. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
There are many inspirations in my life, but I think finding oneself is crucial to our identities. I think of our youth as an adventure, too. We have school for twelve years, then some of us go off to the military, others go off to work, and many of our friends go off to college. That final summer before everything changes really is an adventure and a memorable experience. I wanted to capture that essence in a story—this adventure where Ollie is on his last leg of summer before getting accepted into The University of Dragonspire, a school where he can learn to use his aura in special ways, making friends and rivals along the way, all before the emotional truth of what the end of that summer brings: loss.
I think I captured that goal. Two of my best friends committed suicide, and I felt so hurt. I’ve lost my sister to COVID, and I was helpless watching my friends drift away, but the final straw was when Bones, my dog, died. I fell into this deep sense of loss regarding my identity. Ollie loses Gwen to someone they trusted—his professor and Gwen’s father—all for selfish reasons. But it was the way he lost her that mattered. She was turned into a smaller chimera creature in order to capture the big one. When Ollie, Samantha, and Hudson find her, there is nothing they can do but face the danger they are in head-on.
I think loss can resonate with everyone, but the beauty in acceptance is gaining the strength to let go. That was my inspiration.
The emotional undercurrent about Ollie’s parents and identity hit hard. How did you balance grief with the high-octane adventure?
Well, Ollie’s parents are long gone. I like the trope of an orphaned hero, but the goal here was to offer a fresh coat of paint on an old trope. We just barely scratched the surface about Ollie’s parents. The world loved Evie, his mother—she was very famous for pushing the boundaries of the Hunter World. Oliver, Ollie’s father, ran away the night she was killed and has been on the run ever since. Ollie, being new to the Hunter World, is learning about them while the reader does, but he lives as a constant reminder in their shadows.
Lots of people do say that they love the action and adventure, and that it feels non-stop engaging, and I think that comes from the word count. I think each book in the series will have about 80,000 words. I came from a background of writing short stories. My first two books were just published stories that I wrote while I was in grad school or the military. The third was just a continuation of one of them. Now that I am in law school, I find myself reading books every day, and the ones I find the best are around the 75,000-85,000 word mark. They engage me the best and can be read in one day.
As far as grief goes, it’s a natural feeling we all experience at some point in our lives. It’s what we do with it that determines our value. I’m really glad you asked about grief, I really am. I balanced the action with grief by creating a villain who dealt with grief in every wrong way possible. We can fall into despair, or we can grow and learn to let go. I think once we get to the main villain of this first story arc, we encounter a character who has suffered a tremendous amount of grief, much like Ollie. But he never learned to let go and, as a consequence, has refused to let go of anything or anyone in his life. You’ll see his own twisted morals on full display when he justifies his corrupted actions. I don’t want to spoil it, but this isn’t just a mustache-twirling bad guy—this is Erebus Bahne.
If Dragonspire were real, what class would you most want to teach or take?
I think I would want to be a Professor of Specialty. The students there learn all about themselves and what makes them unique. This is why I created the Affinity System. In this world, all living beings have a life force called an aura. Think of it as your ki, your chakra, your essence. The students learn to harness their own aura into unique abilities. Ollie has his Aura Sphere. Hudson is learning to turn invisible, and Sam can summon a strong creature that defends her. Each of these abilities falls into categories that help determine your Affinity Type. Ollie, since he can throw his Aura Sphere, is Projection. Hudson’s ability is Alteration because it alters his aura around him, turning him invisible. Sam is a Summoner. There are also Augmentation, Manipulation, and for the gifted, some students even develop a rare Specialty that doesn’t fall into any other category.
When Ollie and Hudson duel Cassius, Ollie is on the verge of using this rare Specialty, so I would most likely want to help students discover how to use this secret ability that hides even from themselves. That, or have Bjorn’s job working with all the mythical dragons and legendary creatures.
Is Ollie’s story just beginning? Any hints about what’s next for him or the world you’ve built?
This is just the beginning. I think the epilogue sets up the next book nicely from a unique perspective. The Rogue Hunter: Book Two of the Hunter Archive will be out in the fall. I’m in the editing phase now.
As for hints, I’ll say that I’m a huge fan of well-done twists that successfully subvert the audience’s expectations—and not just for the sake of having a twist in your story. You may think you know about Ollie’s origin, but I promise you that I’m putting a fresh take on it. I don’t think anyone will properly guess what happens. Be sure to tag me in all your theories; I love to see what readers think is going to happen.
Author Links: GoodReads | X (Twitter) | Instagram | Website | Amazon
I am delighted to inform you that the Committee on Admissions has approved you to attend the freshman class of 2025. Please accept my personal congratulations on your outstanding achievements that brought you to our door. Your application has demonstrated exceptional potential, and we are thrilled to welcome you to join the legendary hunters who have walked these historic halls of Dragonspire.
As you prepare to embark on this epic journey we must warn you: life at the University of Dragonspire is not for the faint of heart. Here, you’ll delve deep into training and harnessing your own Aura, discovering your unique Affinity—be it Augmentation, Manipulation, Projection, Alteration, Summon, or perhaps even a rare Specialty. You’ll learn to wield these abilities as you track mystical beasts, outsmart mischievous spirits, face creatures that haunt the darkest corners of your imagination, or even face down rebellious rogue hunters.
Your acceptance grants you access to:State-of-the-art training facilities, where you will forge your skills and represent Dragonspire in the infamous “Hunter Games”
A vast library of ancient tomes on fantastical monster lore and hunting techniques that will fulfill your desire to learn about the world of Aerith
A diverse faculty of experienced hunters, each with their own hair-raising tales to tell will guide you through this once in a lifetime quest
The opportunity to forge lifelong friendships (or rivalries) with fellow monster-hunting prodigies
World class meals and competition to fuel your appetite for adventure, ever tried Dragon’s Tongue?
Be warned: the challenges that await you are as thrilling as they are perilous. You’ll face spine-chilling challenges, heart-pounding field missions, and the constant threat of death or worse expulsion, should you fail to meet our standards.
Don’t get ahead of yourself, you are a first-year student and although we take safety seriously at Dragonspire, accidents happen. We want you to complete all six years, whole. No hunter is invincible, and it will be best if you remember that during your time here.
Pack your courage, sharpen your wits, and prepare for a year like no other. The monsters are waiting, and the University of Dragonspire is ready to transform you into the hunter you were born to be.
We await your arrival with bated breath. That is, if you dare to accept…
Yours truly,
Magnus G.D. Holloway
Headmaster, University of Dragonspire
Warden of the Realm
The Monster Hunter begins the thrilling Hunter Archive series, where dangerous abilities, ancient secrets, and a mystery years in the making collide at the world’s most prestigious Hunter academy. Perfect for fans of Harry Potter, Hunter x Hunter, Percy Jackson, Game of Thrones, and The Magicians.
Other Books by Benji Wyvern
True Tales SeriesDiaries of a Time Traveler
Noir City: Machines and Monsters
True Tales of the Multiverse
The long-awaited epic fantasy debut of The Monster Hunter: Book One of The Hunter Archive—a thrilling masterpiece willed to life by fans of the genre and author, available now from Amazon bestselling author Benji Wyvern.
At the Publisher’s request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
Magi’s Curse
Magi’s Curse is a sprawling epic fantasy set in a war-torn world on the brink of collapse, where the divine pantheon meddles with mortals and fate itself unravels. The novel centers around Captain Bronwyn Amyna, a resilient and battle-worn soldier tasked with leading a ragtag group into the icy wilderness in search of a mythical artifact said to turn the tide of war. Alongside her is Clara, a broken yet defiant prisoner with a secret past and vital knowledge. As gods debate the role of death and freedom, mortals struggle with politics, survival, and destiny. The book intertwines divine conflict with gritty human drama, laying the foundation for a larger saga of legendary proportions.
I found the writing to be immersive and bold. Christopher Harris doesn’t shy away from violence, pain, or emotion, and his prose reflects that. Some parts feel cinematic, especially the opening clash between gods and the snowy military camps where tension simmers. His world-building is dense and thoughtful without being overbearing. The pacing, though deliberate, allows the emotional weight to settle in. What hit me hardest was Clara’s trauma. Her pain felt real, and her voice carried history. At times, I wished the secondary characters had more dimension to counterbalance the intensity of the leads.
What stayed with me, more than the plot, were the ideas. The gods’ detachment from human suffering felt both timely and deeply symbolic. The exploration of power, divine, political, or personal, felt honest and raw. Harris doesn’t paint in black and white. Clara isn’t a hero. Captain Amyna isn’t perfect. They’re both flawed, battered by systems larger than themselves, and trying to do the right thing in a world that punishes it. There’s something painful and beautiful in that. I didn’t agree with every choice made in the story, but I respected its guts. It’s a rare kind of fantasy that dares to be this emotionally intimate while still being packed with magic, snowstorms, and sword fights.
Magi’s Curse is a rough ride through frost and fire, grief and grit. It’s for readers who like their stories morally murky and their characters relatable. If you enjoy books like The Broken Empire series or The Poppy War, and you don’t mind a slow burn, this one’s for you. I’m still chewing on some scenes. And that’s a good sign. This book haunted me a little. I’ll definitely be picking up the next in the series.
Pages: 319 | ASIN : B0DWTXGYVF
LITERARY TITAN 