The Highwayman Kennedy Thornwick by Lisa Kuznak Framed for murder and horse theft, Tommy Fellham is stuck in Magelock Penitentiary, rotting like a bad pickle in too small of a crock. Capital punishment was banned, how convenient—instead of getting hanged he spends his time learning how to fight, steal, gamble, and drink. There isn't much else to do with himself until his best friend and teacher, the notorious highwayman Kennedy Thornwick, confides in Tommy his plans to escape. When Tommy receives a visitor that promises fortune at the expense of a newly built bank, that settles it. He has to help Kennedy. But what Tommy doesn't account for is how much the prison has shaped him, and not only will he have to get used to magic outside the walls, but come to terms with who he has become . . . All while trying to avoid the mage hunters after the price on his head. Kennedy might have been too good of a teacher. |
Echoes of Memory by M. Anthony Harris If you can't trust your memories, what can you trust?

This question gnaws at Aris Ravenscroft after foreign memories invade his mind and nearly get him killed during an assassination attempt on the Emperor, a hero beloved by all. A hero he's sworn to protect. Kestrel, a street-smart orphan, also finds his mind filled with memories that aren't his. Memories that say that his world is nothing like it seems. Now the duo must make sense of the alien memories while unraveling the mystery of the Emperor's true colors while dodging attempts on their lives by the mysterious Inquisitors, crooked politicians, and a host of dangers in a world where the greatest villain is the biggest hero. |
Darkness Below by Barbara Cottrell 2023 Readers' Favorite Silver Medal Winner in the Fiction - Horror genre!

Nightmares. Disappearances. Suicide. Fall semester is always a challenging time at Miskatonic University. All Ellen Logan wants to do is pass her classes while holding down a bad job at a New Age bookstore. But when a former roommate jumps to her death from the university clocktower and another friend vanishes, leaving her with a mysterious book, she embarks on her own investigation. With the help of renowned professor Andrew Carter, she uncovers evidence of a murderous cult, a terrifying creature, and a ghost who knows far too much about her. To survive, Ellen and Carter must descend into the Darkness Below to stop the forces that threaten to tear their world apart. |
Worldbreaker by Becca Lee Gardner The Dark hungers for Ksara. It has plagued her since she was a child. She is desperate to control it. As a Land Mage, she should be able to control it. But the Dark is growing wild. She cannot pass within fifty feet of a noktum without its inky arms lashing out to drag her inside. Even the most commonplace shadows have begun to reach for her. Now her brother lies dying on the deck of her ship. Her only hope of saving him is to sail to Nokte Murosa, a city wedged between two walls of noktum. There, she must strike a deal with the city’s vengeful leader, avoid a fanatical cult that wants to own her… And resist the whispers in her mind. Voices that accompany the shadows. The Dark is alive. It wants her, and once it succeeds… It will swallow the entire continent. |
The Dreams Thief by Bella Dunn THE FAE LIVE AMONGST US. Brun MacLugh is weary. For five hundred years he endured a life of loneliness, impatiently waiting for his days to come to an end and his grief along with it. Fate, however, has other plans: a new heir to the legacy he is duty-bound to protect is born, two hundred and fifty years after his greatest failure. Brun has no choice. He has to fulfil his purpose. And hope this task will be his last. Elizabeth “Lizzy” Endell was prepared to spend a very long summer in the company of her parents when the news of an astonishing inheritance in Scotland wreaks havoc on her otherwise ordinary life and puts her on the path of the captivating Brun MacLugh. And of mortal danger. To survive, Lizzie and Brun will have no choice but to unearth layers of secrets and solve ancient riddles. Will they find a way to defeat the faceless creature known as the Dreams Thief? Warning: Contains Mature language, Intense Violence, Graphic Sexual Situations. Expect magic, both Seelie and Unseelie and remember that the Fae live amongst us… |
My Boss is the Devil by Ben Schenkman Finding the balance between good and evil is about to require a lot of coffee. What’s better than being a college dropout twenty-something working as a barista in New Haven, CT? Just about anything. Nick would give anything to escape the dead-end life he’s made for himself. He gets the offer of a lifetime from Lucifer himself, to trade his apron for a suit. Should he really consider becoming an agent of the Devil? With the way things are going for Nick, of course he should. Lucifer wants to give Nick a chance to do what he always wanted, to help people, wielding power and influence to make their dreams come true. He would have to sell his soul, but the Devil is a gambling man and lets Nick experience his new life before he has to sign on the dotted line. Can he use the Devil’s power for good, and make his mark on the world, or will he fall victim to his own desires and lose his humanity? As if that wasn’t enough, the very friend that made the meeting with Lucifer possible turns on Nick, and he needs to do some quick thinking to come out on top. Maybe the ends justify the means, but there are no easy answers. |
Sailing to Redoubt by C. Litka Be good. Or one dark night the sorcerers of the Vente Islands may come for you. On the islands of the Tropic Sea, parents caution naughty children to behave or risk that some dark night the sinister sorcerers of the Vente Islands might come to carry them off. The reputed fate of these naughty children varies from island to island, but it is often whispered that they end up in a stew. Navy lieutenant Taef Lang must have been a very naughty boy, for one soft, tropical night the Vente came and carried him off. And he certainly ended up, if not in a stew, at least in some very hot water. Sailing to Redoubt is the story of his adventures in the company of two Vente Island sorceresses, Sella and Lessie Raah, and their quest to discover a legendary outpost of the world’s first people, the Founders. Equipped with a map and a golden key, they set sail in a small yacht to cross the bright, blue, and sometimes deadly, Tropic Sea. Sailing to Redoubt is the first book in a completed trio of stories set in the Tropic Sea. It is filled with the characters, humor, and adventure that are the hallmarks of a C. Litka story. |
Goddess Found by Calanthe Colt The God Incarnate, forced into a public role he didn’t seek. ~ The mere mortal who wants a quiet life. ~ The very public, very popular reality show that will complicate their lives. This is the second time Jack’s been coerced into searching for the Goddess Incarnate among the most promising, and beautiful, mages of his generation for the entertainment of the nation. Tired and jaded, Jack fears the new season of Goddess Found will play out like the last, until a new crew member makes him feel more at ease than he has in years. But she has no magic so she can’t be his goddess. Can she? All Leta wants is enough money to pay for a pâtisserie course so she can be her own boss. She just needs to keep her head down for six weeks and not get fired for bothering the ambitious contestants or making a fool of herself in front of the dreamy God Incarnate. A simple task for a wallflower, right? As Leta and Jack draw closer, the attention of the media and the mighty mage families places conflicting expectations upon them. And whoever the Goddess Incarnate turns out to be will have another problem: Not everyone wants the goddess to ascend … |
The Lost Wings by Camilla Vavruch A lost princess. A mermaid looking to prove herself. A dragon with peculiar tastes. The start of an adventure. Crown Princess Moira of the air country of Aurora is known as the unwilling princess, the one who doesn’t want to rule. A chaotic dinner with foreign dignitaries turns into a furious fight with her mother, and the night ends in catastrophe. When Moira loses her wings and nearly drowns in the stormy ocean, a woman who should be her enemy rescues her. Water woman Nerida has never been to the surface and isn’t looking for adventure—but she is trying to prove to herself that she’s more than the people around her believe. Add in a lonely dragon, and Moira has some strange traveling companions to help her as she searches for a way to get her wings back and return in time to claim her place in the world she thought she wanted to escape. Will she find a way? Or will she get not only herself, but her friends as well, killed? Do you love a clean fantasy with mermaids, magic, dragons, and adventure? Then this book is for you—grab your copy today! |
Tomb of Heart and Shadow by Cara N. Delaney Their marriage was a simple bargain. Love was not supposed to complicate things. When her reputation-obsessed family issues her an ultimatum – get married or be disinherited – Saria seizes upon what seems like a most convenient solution. She strikes a deal with a stranger – marriage and a child in exchange for freedom and security. That her bride is a sorcerer from the mysterious city of Neeth is not a problem. Or so Saria thinks. Taleysin doesn’t expect much from her second marriage. A child and heir to carry on her sworn duty to the city of Neeth, and more importantly, a wife who won’t ask too many questions. The deal with Saria seems to be everything she wants – and nothing more. She will have her heir, and Neeth will remain safe for another generation. But soon enough, their resolve over their practical decision begins to crumble. While Saria grows ever more curious about Neeth’s magical secrets, Taleysin finds herself falling for a woman who was supposed to be nothing more than a means to an end. When a mysterious assailant begins to hunt down sorcerers, Saria and Taleysin must find a way to work through this shift in their relationship – to save both their marriage and the city. |
Touched by Magic by Celine Jeanjean I’m Apiya. No, I’m not a badass magical assassin. I’m a barber to the supernatural. My magic is very weak and very niche—it works best with keeping things clean. I know. I can sense your awe at my power already. And I’m sure you can see why barbering suits me well. Although now that I’ve mastered the art of trimming a weretiger’s regrowth, my biggest challenge is fielding the insults of the shop’s cat. Sometimes I wish I had enough magic to go deeper into the city’s magical underbelly. You know what they say—be careful what you wish for. Everything changes when a pair of forest fae come into the shop one night, asking for help to protect their youngling. Something’s got them properly spooked, but they won’t say what. If it’s big and bad enough to scare the fae, it’s most definitely powerful enough to make a mouthful of me—probably a small mouthful, at that. And now that the fae have come to me, whatever’s after them is also after me. My weak magic and a sarcastic cat for backup are unlikely to be enough to keep me alive and save the fae youngling. How the hell am I going to get out of this mess? Grab Touched by Magic to see if I make it. Oh, and don’t get offended if the cat insults you… |
Fortitude's Prize by Ceril N Domace The Master of Fortitude, the largest city in the Flying Isles, has been robbed. Normally, this wouldn’t concern Edward Bardsley. He’s an alchemist and surgeon on a small privateering vessel, and there are much larger and better equipped ships in Fortitude. It only becomes his concern when his crew is commissioned to retrieve the master’s stolen property. Between storms, injuries, and secrets that could see Edward exiled from the skies the way his father was, just getting to the thief’s hideout is enough to test the hardiest crew. Thrust into the middle of an adventure that will take him from one end of the Flying Isles to the other, Edward must use every ounce of his alchemical and sailing knowledge to keep the crew intact as they inch closer to their goal. |
The Children of Never by Christian Warren Freed FEAR NO DARKNESS! The War Priests have defended the world against the vile Omegri for generations. Staunch defenders of the Purifying Flame, the lone light capable of preventing the darkness from creeping in, they stand the watch for 100 days each year. It is the Burning Season. A time of strife where their power is sorely tested and there are constant dangers let loose in the world. In the Duchy of Fent the Grey Wanderer has been spotted moving through the mist. Where he goes, bad things follow. Children soon begin to disappear. Whispers of the dead returned to life spread. The Baron is beset by evil and forced to turn to Castle Andrak for aid. Brother Quinlan and his squire are deployed to Fent in the hopes of solving the mystery of the missing children and stopping the evil from spreading. What he discovers stretches him to the edge of sanity, for evil is never satisfied. The Omegri will have this world and all within it should the War Priests fall. The Children of Never is the follow on novel to the L Ron Hubbard Writer's of the Future Contest 4th place winner The Purifying Flame. |
The Unspoken Truths of Casemiro by Christopher Clouser Casemiro, a down on his luck wizard with little magical power, travels back to the location of his greatest accomplishment twenty years before, the village of Lillenhold, to recapture his glory, power, and perhaps a little coin. Casemiro, while grappling with his past and identity, finds himself amidst complex relationships involving Prince Arenton, Princess Laural, and various other characters including his brother Quinto and Forrest — a troll-man hybrid with a connection to the wizard’s past. Believing he takes a simple job for a local festival, Casemiro soon gets thrown into a murder investigation, an unexpected and perhaps unwanted (he just can’t decide) tryst, a heroic quest involving witches and a dragon, and the involvement of (wait for it)…. medieval professional wrestlers. All this from responding to a harmless job advertisement. But Casemiro wonders if it all could have been prevented if he did one thing: tell the true story of what happened twenty years ago and reveal his unspoken truths. In summary: a tale about overcoming guilt associated with lost love alongside navigating treacherous waters full of deceitful plots hatched by those most unexpected — all set against a backdrop rich in fantasy elements such as magical creatures & epic showdowns between good versus evil forces vying for control over lands steeped in lore & legend. |
The House of Starling by Ciara Hartford Hatred divides the elves by the color of flesh and the sharpness of steel. Crossing the border is forbidden. Raemian Starling knows the consequences better than most. As a renowned fighter in the Shay army, she’s fought the Bleck Larin for years. But when she’s captured by the enemy, Rae finds the last thing she would have expected—kindness. Forced to reevaluate friend and foe, she puts her trust in the unlikeliest of places. Gastel, the youngest Bleck Larin prince, has never left his home, has never met a Shay, and is entirely unprepared when the Shay’s prized warrior is not the monster he'd anticipated. A decision to help Rae return home forces Gastel to face the true power he possesses and the reason his father has kept him hidden from the world. But time isn’t on anyone’s side. An unimaginable power threatens their world, one that cannot be defeated with a sword alone. Rae may be the only elf capable of confronting her queen and stopping the war, but she’ll need Gastel’s help to bring balance to elvenkind. Lest their world cease to exist entirely. . . . |
Glory to the Waxing Sun by Cooper Ward Each winter, the People of the green land gather at their henges to mourn the newly dead. And to offer up one life to the god who loves them most, to aid him in his holy war against the darkness and the cold. The Ardring, greatest of the henges, has stood from time immemorial as a symbol of the power of the ruling line. With iron in their fists and fire on their brows they have reigned unchallenged. Divinity made flesh. But now the green land is blanketed in snow, and bloody banners fly above the Ardring. Deep within its black stone bones is a priestess with a thousand thousand eyes. Beneath the dismal winter sky brews a desperate clash that will forever reshape the green land – if it survives at all. |
Embers of Dusk by D.G. Roberts Adelyn is half human, half aradyne–a race lost to time after inciting war–but she is no less human for it. After her world is thrown into chaos when an unthinkable tragedy shatters her heart, she is forced to seek answers in Parallim, but is met with only rumor. With an unsatisfied answer, she travels across the sea with her two friends to the city of Markalla. However, her search for closure ends in shocking revelation, and a darkness within leads her to make a personal choice that could forever change her. Meanwhile, the wizard Alistair and his captains, who parted ways with Adelyn in Parallim, seek the council of the queen of Valero with dire information. But their journey holds troubling secrets of its own, as they uncover the forces behind the impending war, and of a darkness that now engulfs the world of Era’Nyn. Join Adelyn and Alistair as the Embers of Dusk fall on the beginnings of their tale, in Book One of the Lost Light of Era’Nyn trilogy. |
Lizardskin and Sharpened Steel by Damien Larkin Death stalks the jungles of the landmass, on two legs and four. On an isolated continent where dinosaurs still roam, the Dead Mudder legion must embark on a perilous mission to steal great-lizard eggs for use in war. Led by Captain Dustn, alongside the fierce Cohort Sergeant Ullndu and enigmatic tracker Boy, they navigate treacherous terrain and cunning predators. As the Dead Mudders delve deeper into unexplored territory, mysterious forces emerge, hinting at secrets untold. With alliances tested and dangers lurking, every step could be their last. In a bid to succeed, they face ancient beasts and traverse the blurred lines between friend and foe. In this unforgiving land, mastery of lizard skin and sharpened steel determines survival. |
The Glorious and Epic Tale of Lady Isovar by Dave Dobson Lady Isovar is a mighty and supremely confident knight errant who tends to leap into adventure with both feet and then track it all over the rug. Chevson, her long-suffering squire and companion, is a former student of stone magic who spends most of his time keeping his mistress from causing enthusiasm-related injury to innocent bystanders. A tragic turn of events has sent them far from home, where they roam the countryside righting wrongs, smiting miscreants, deposing despots, and taunting their foes, often with seriously questionable one-liners. This new life is more than enough for Izzy, but Chevson wants nothing more than to set right what he harmed long ago. Following clues to sites of ancient power, they might just achieve his aim. That is, if they aren't murdered, dismembered, devoured, executed, roasted, or derailed by Izzy's bravado first. The Glorious and Epic Tale of Lady Isovar is an epic fantasy story of adventure, friendship, heroic battles, and vile villains. Content Warning:Â This book includes a lot of medieval-style violence and some gore (so long as it's not a Fourthday). |
Death and the Taxman by David Hankins Never trust a dying auditor. Allies are few and hijinks are many in this hilarious race against time as the Grim Reaper himself tries to cheat death and avoid an audit by Hell's Auditor and the Office of Micromanagement. After sharing an ill-advised cup of tea with IRS auditor Frank Totmann, Grim finds himself trapped in Frank's life amid a world of dangers: love, betrayal, reckless cabbies, implacable demon hunters, and the incessant needs that keep his body ticking . . . for now. But what happens when Death isn't shepherding souls to their final destinations? When bodies refuse to die in a world-wide epidemic of miraculous survivals? Grim has seen this once before. He knows what's coming, and it's not good . . . Written in the witty comedic styles of Sir Terry Pratchett and Piers Anthony, Death and the Taxman is a lighthearted contemporary fantasy that began as an award-winning short story of the same name published in Writers of the Future Volume 39. Acclaim for that short story by readers and critics alike called it "brilliant and hilarious," "delightful and quirky," and "laugh-out-loud funny." |
Wolves Running by Deborah Jarvis The secret is out about the shapeshifters of the world, and as they face the wildly disparate reactions from all parts of the globe, the local groups of shapeshifters are trying to adapt to being in the public eye. For some, like Sasha Wellington, the revelation of her status as a wolf shapeshifter is not something she can reveal just yet in her role as a biology teacher at a Boulder, Colorado high school. As a matter of fact, that is probably the last thing she should consider. Things begin to change when one of her friends from student-teaching days suddenly discovers he is a shapeshifter, and she has to find a way to get him trained so that he will be able to keep her secret. Bringing the younger wolf home to her family’s house for New Year's, Sasha discovers that there is more to her young protégé than she originally thought and finds herself at a crossroads between the world she has built for herself in Boulder and the life that has always been hers amid the snow-capped mountains of Wyoming. In order to make these two parts of her life work, she will have to risk not only her livelihood as a teacher, but possibly the safety of her family and her friends in order to help achieve the lasting peace all of the shapeshifters desire. |
Amiant Soul by Deborah Makarios Ghost has no brother, no kin, no tribe. His only chance to find his own people is a trial mission with legendary adventurers the Three Men. But when their search for a vanished princess collides with his missing past, he must decide what price he's willing to pay to finally belong. And his is not the only soul at stake... |
Infinite: Rise of a Rebel by Diana Priyanka Chowdhury Leon Hearth-Bringer is being watched... The enslavers of his kind are now after his ancestral powers. How will he escape this dark & dangerous situation? Read this book right now to find out! |
Moonshadow's Guardian by Dianna Gunn All Riana has ever wanted is freedom. Unfortunately, that’s the one thing her kind cannot have. Bound by the curse in her demonic blood for millennia, Riana has tried several times to bend the rules and live out her life in the mortal realm. Now her consistent rule breaking has drawn the attention of Loki, God of Mischief, the main tormentor of Riana’s kind. But instead of punishing her, he offers her the escape she has always desired. All she has to do is save the kingdom of Moonshadow from a mysterious magical plague. Armed only with the inherent power of her own blood and Loki’s pet dragon, Riana is determined to fight for the right to create her own destiny. However, when her mission forces her to destroy the last remnants of an ancient culture, Riana must ask – what is freedom really worth? Moonshadow’s Guardian is a tale about the meaning of belonging, and the struggle to create a future not defined by your past. |
Clysm Games: Dark Seeds by Dom Sabasti [must be read in *movie guy* voice] In the wake of an arcane cataclysm, in a storm of lust and deceit, swirling in shadows of ancient magic, a brilliant light shines, eager to breed. |
Smoker on the Porch by Dom Watson 1989. Suffolk, England All the children saw it. Out there, in the night-time swirl of dreamy sleep. The House of Sweet Things. It promised full bellies forever. On the periphery of childhood to adolescence, Jake and his friends wonder where their lives are heading. An accidental encounter with Francis William Biggot propels them into a battle for their souls. Not just their own, but those of the whole world. Jake will face a choice and a journey like no other. Be at Biggot's side and have the power of a god, or be a boy. |
Wings and Wounds by Dr. S.K. Burkman Doc is just an ordinary veterinarian trying to make ends meet — until she stumbles upon an injured dragon and her world is turned upside down. Unable to resist helping an animal in need, she cares for the creature, but quickly realizes she may have bitten off more than she can chew as dragons from far and wide begin seeking out her medical assistance. Soon, Doc’s peaceful veterinary clinic becomes a trial by fire as she develops dragon medicine on the fly while trying to keep her unpredictable, occasionally destructive patients a secret. As she navigates unfamiliar anatomy, perilous physiology, and peculiar behavior, Doc must learn to bond with the extraordinary creatures that have chosen to trust her with not only their own lives, but their species’ survival. Can the Dragon Doc find a way to balance her normal life with helping her new patients — or will her career and her clinic go down in flames? One thing is for sure: life with dragons is never dull. And in the end, Doc might need the dragons just as much as they need her. |
Severed Legacy by E.M. Zolotor A stunning illustrated book for readers of fantasy adventures—featuring black-and-white illustrations in every chapter. You will never find your way. You are lost. Such are the hauntings of Eos Bellator, trapped in the North American Sector desert by a never-ending sandstorm. The government forces the orphan siblings, Eos and Maxima, to harvest their Soul Energy, providing power for the Sector. Beyond the sands lies a tattered world being vied for by many forces. Yet, the biggest threat to Eos is not having control over his emotion-driven abilities. When fear overwhelms him, disaster strikes, and the siblings are separated. They learn that they are not alone. The Mitad, an off-world organization of similarly super-powered members, is attempting to capture them. The government has them cornered. A crazed prisoner seems to hold the answers. So begins a journey of high-powered, dangerous adventure. Eos and Maxima's search for freedom and the truth about their past leads them to pursue a mysterious world they never knew existed—Hyperborea. |
Counsel of the Wicked by Elizabeth Schechter Matthias has spent his whole life on the edge of a very small world. The bastard child of a fallen woman, he's known nothing but judgment and hatred from the harsh, religious people of his enclave--except for Balthazar. The son and heir of the High Elder, Balthazar shows Matthias kindness, love... and desire. But when the High Elder discovers what his son has been doing, Matthias is arrested and sent to an isolated prison known as the School. There, and in the wastelands beyond, Matthias learns the secrets behind the hypocrisies of the Council of Elders, and his true heritage, true power, and true love. |
Throne in the Dark by A. K. Caggiano His dark destiny awaits, and nothing will stand in his way. Except her. Dark lord Demon spawn Prophesied realm destroyer With a demon for a father, Damien Maleficus Bloodthorne’s destiny could be nothing but nefarious, and with the completion of his most vicious spell, Damien is on the cusp of fulfilling the evil inevitability all of his dark machinations have led to. And then, her. Bubbly Obnoxious Blonde Harboring secrets of her own, a tiny yet troublesome thief calling herself Amma completely upsets Damien’s malevolent plans when she mistakenly gets chained to his side through magic, forcing him to drag her across the realm. Killing her would fix things, of course, but the nauseatingly sweet Amma proves herself useful on Damien's unholy crusade and then proves herself the source of something even more sinister: feelings. Will Damien be forced to abandon his villainous birthright to help the tender thorn in his side? Or will he manage to overcome the virtue Amma insists on inspiring and instead cut it out at the heart? |
The Crippled King by A. Trae McMaken Who can withstand the vengeance of dwarven kings?

The life of a dwarven prospector is one of shame, loneliness, and a constant battle for survival. Striking it rich is the only way for Naen to keep his bones from bleaching in the sun without heritage or memory. When riches finally fall into his hands, he encounters a group of indentured servants fleeing from a vengeful master. A dwarf-maid named Jade leads the refugees, but she has her own desires for her future and they don’t seem to include Naen. Yet in the face of the brutal wilderness, they need help to survive, and the experienced Naen could give it. When spring comes, should he leave them to their fate and return to the wilds alone, or should he stay with the outlaw dwarves and face the coming onslaught? Mocked as the King of the Cripples, the epithet could become Naen’s true heritage as the ragged refugees prepare their mine to withstand the vengeance of dwarven kings. |
Darkness of the Northern Sky by A.E. Engle Can a battle-weary warrior stop a vengeful sorceress from building an empire of evil? Commander Soltari is jaded by battle and returns home to his wife and daughter to lay down his sword for good. When nightmarish hordes suddenly strike his city and murder his family, he promises to find and destroy the sadistic sorceress behind the raid. Blinded by his desire for revenge, he leads an army deep into a frozen wasteland to strike first and stop her next attack. But a supernatural event wipes out his force, leaving him and a handful of soldiers stranded in the barren lands. Driven to madness, Soltari swears to return to his homeland and fulfill the promise he made. Yet, now the sorceress holds his lands captive, preparing for her next deadly attack. Can Soltari rise from the void of his inner abyss to return and save his homeland before the sorceress unleashes another wave of destruction? For fans of classic sword and sorcery comes Darkness of the Northern Sky, a story of one soldier’s journey to reclaim his home, his land, and honor his family. |
Father of Constructs by Aaron Renfroe #1 Best Seller and #1 New Release - LitRPG with heart! Lorith's magic is fading. Centuries ago, heroic adventurers stopped the World Boss’ cycle of rebirth by reducing the creature to one hit point and sealing it away so no one would ever find it. But, by ending one calamity, they halted the natural flow of magic within the world and brought about the Havoc Plague. With all civilization now on the brink of collapse, humanity's only hope is to find and kill the World Boss in order to restart the monster's rebirth cycle and bring back magic. When the Plagued janitor Harvey stumbles into a mysterious wreckage and accidentally kills the missing World Boss, he gains a million experience points, making him the target of almost all the would-be adventurers of the world. Burdened with ancient knowledge, and hunted by countless rivals, he must join with unlikely allies to do the unthinkable: find the reincarnated World Boss and defeat it again, before it can ravage the world anew. Father of Constructs is an optimistic LitRPG novel with a dash of Slice of Life. |
Mushroom Blues by Adrian M. Gibson “A fascinating merging of oppressive imperialism and disconcerting alienation.”—Adrian Tchaikovsky, award-winning author of Children of Time & Shadows of the Apt SPFBO X Finalist. Readers' Favorite Book Award Finalist. ENTER THE FUNGALVERSE. Blade Runner, True Detective and District 9 meld with the weird worlds of Jeff VanderMeer, Philip K. Dick and China Miéville in Adrian M. Gibson’s hallucinatory, fungalpunk noir debut. Two years after a devastating defeat in the decade-long Spore War, the island nation of Hōppon and its capital city of Neo Kinoko are occupied by invading Coprinian forces. Its fungal citizens are in dire straits, wracked by food shortages, poverty and an influx of war refugees. Even worse, the corrupt occupiers exploit their power, hounding the native population. As a winter storm looms over the metropolis, NKPD homicide detective Henrietta Hofmann begrudgingly partners up with mushroom-headed patrol officer Koji Nameko to investigate the mysterious murders of fungal and half-breed children. Their investigation drags them deep into the seedy underbelly of a war-torn city, one brimming with colonizers, criminal gangs, racial division and moral decay. In order to solve the case and unravel the truth, Hofmann must challenge her past and embrace fungal ways. What she and Nameko uncover in the midst of this frigid wasteland will chill them to the core, but will they make it through the storm alive? “This is like nothing I’ve read before. Its premise is cool, creepy, and incredibly unique, bolstered by prose as savvy and knife-sharp as the detectives of the NKPD.”—Nicholas Eames, award-winning author of Kings of the Wyld & Bloody Rose “This is more than a full-throttle, mushroom-and-blood-drenched adventure. At its heart, Gibson's story is one of acceptance: of hard truths, of others, and, perhaps most critically, of oneself.”—M. J. Kuhn, internationally bestselling author of Among Thieves & Thick as Thieves “Mushroom Blues is a brilliant debut that encapsulates all I love about the noir mystery genre.” —R.R. Virdi, bestselling author of The First Binding & The Grave Report “The imagination on display in Mushroom Blues is immense. Prepare to enter a fantasy world unlike anything you've ever seen, one that surprises, delights, and grosses the fuck out.”—Moses Ose Utomi, author of The Lies of the Ajungo |
Seeds of Inheritance by Aimee Kuzenski A decade ago, Berenike, adept of the Fingertip Order, conspired to put her son on the throne at the head of a group of rebels who only wanted their futures back. Â She failed. Â Her son and husband dead, her dreams and reputation in tatters, Berenike makes the only bargain she can - she gives her magic-sealed oath to serve emperor Leontios the Unbending in exchange for the life of her young daughter, Evrim. Â Now, after her failure to help the rebels and her years of slavery and humiliation, Berenike is dealt yet another blow. Evrim, frustrated with her mother's dedication to a lost cause, rejects Berenike's plans. She will not fight the battles Berenike cannot. Â Berenike must find a way to unseat Leontios and redeem her promises to the rebels, all while navigating an almost unbreakable oath. Alone and disregarded, she will use any weapon that comes to hand - even if that weapon is her own daughter. |
A Witch's Guide to Business by Alex Evans In the free port city of Barramar, the only law is the law of money. Here, the dingy taverns and the opulent teahouses alike thrum with the whispers of dark dealings. It's a place for the ruthless — spies and smugglers, or the desperate—refugees running from war, opression and poverty. Trust is a rare currency and alliances, as fluid as water. After spending their youth on opposing sides of a brutal war, Tanit Murali and Padma Amrithar are as different as night and day. One is a former spy, a rogue with a serious taste for violence, brandy and handsome men. The other is a compassionate surgeon and devoted family mother. They share but one thing: their rare magic gift. Forming an unlikely partnership, they run together an occult business. Their enterprise is thriving until two peculiar cases land on their doorstep: a murderous vampire ensnared by a hex and a string of deadly mishaps in a notorious factory operated by zombies. Pursuing the truth leads them to the city's influential high priest of the god of wealth. Soon, they uncover a web of intrigue and realize that humans are far more dangerous than magic creatures. A special note for readers: this book contains a lot of different characters and a lot of worldbuilding. If you prefer your settings conventional and your story focused on a few heroes and villains, you probably won't enjoy this novel. |
Trollgrave by Alex S. Bradshaw Something stirs in the Forest of Broken Trolls... Despite all his skill in healing and runecraft, God-Speaker Alvir Einarson could not save everyone. In the wake of failure, he seeks aid from an old mentor and witnesses a wave of darkness sweep over the land that, for a single moment, extinguishes all magic. In the capital, he discovers a fellow god-speaker is missing and the streets swarming with Windborn - resurrected warriors gifted with supernatural powers by the gods’ enemies. Answers await in the Forest of Broken Trolls, but within its sinister depths even the gods’ protection may not be enough, and no more so than now, when the gods’ strength may be fading and dark powers are on the rise. One thing is certain: Alvir Einarson would rather die than let the gods fall. Trollgrave is a standalone Norse fantasy filled with fanatical outlaws, strange magic, and vicious monsters. |
Woe to the Stargazers by Alex Shipper Heroes strive to end the world. Villains fight to save it. Kelydy just wants to go home. But it's too late. He’s been sucked into this backwards debate with no way out, forced to choose. Either preserve his spoiled, rotting reality or obliterate it forever. Either side with the selfish, narrow-minded saviors, or join the misguided bringers of doom. Saints clash over holy ground. Cults squabble and scheme in secret. Divine weapons are forged and shattered until the morality of creation itself is brought into question. Why begin if the end is inevitable? Why live, only then to die? Kelydy doesn’t know. Kelydy just wants to go home. But he must make a decision. Which side would you choose? Woe to the Stargazers is a standalone tragic fantasy set in a world filled with mythos and mystery. Explore new societies and cultures as they each wrestle with their own inevitable end in unique, gut-wrenching ways. |
The Autumn Apprentice by Alexandra Runes A disabled young woman opens her heart to a man with a soul full of secrets and magic of the darkest kind… Kirzemaj Rüdisch, daughter of a wealthy merchant family, is soon coming of age and ready to enter society. Recovering from a curse that left her disabled, Kirze has spent much of her life in convalescence and seclusion, and now she must learn everything all over again. Under the guidance of Master Andruš Bagadúr, Kirze discovers not only her lost abilities but a wider world beyond her privileged life—and feelings that call all her beliefs into question. As the reality of the world unravels, Kirzemaj is torn between duty and desire–because the man is twice her age, of an undesirable, foreign background, and has a darkness about him that, even with her new-found knowledge, Kirze cannot explain… A romantic fantasy, The Autumn Apprentice is set in a world evocative of Hanseatic Northern Europe and inspired by the histories and mythologies around the Baltic Sea. |
Merewif: the Mermaid Witch by Amanda Adam When Madge receives a moonstone necklace on her sixteenth birthday, she discovers she is not only a mermaid, but also, a witch. Problem is, she never knew either existed in the first place. As if wrapping her head around the fact that she’s a mermaid-witch isn’t enough, it also turns out her parents were royalty to her kind and didn’t die as she’s been told her entire life. Instead, they were murdered by her estranged aunt Viviane, who is now after her. If Madge is to prove herself fit to lead her kind, she’ll have to hone her newfound Vala and unravel clues from her mother’s tome. But when Madge uncovers the dark power her murderous aunt wields, will she have what it takes to save them all? |
Quaint Creatures: Magical & Mundane by Andrew D Meredith When a city councilor comes into Quaint Creatures and asks veterinary doctor Norrik Softstep to investigate the magical crate confiscated by his customs agency, the entire staff of Quaint Creatures will need all their skills and knowledge to unravel the troubles threatening the relatively peaceful city of Brightfall. From liches seeking city approval for their public adventurer dungeon, to strange goings on at the pet food factory, no problem is too magical nor mundane for Rik and his friends. |
The Best of Us Is the Last of Us by Anthony Halligan Enter a world where forgotten magic thrums in the very air and danger lurks around every corner. Awakening in a realm tinged with mystery and wonder, a spirited young woman finds herself at the heart of an extraordinary journey shrouded in secrets, prophecies, and ancient powers waiting to be unleashed. As she navigates through perilous quests and unexpected alliances, her quest for self-discovery intertwines with the fate of realms on the brink of chaos. A chance encounter with an enigmatic wizard sets her on a path rife with trials and revelations, leading her to confront not just her past but a future enmeshed with destiny itself. Beset by dragon fire and shadowy betrayals, her metamorphosis heralds the resurgence of forgotten magic and the awakening of a long-dormant legacy. With each step she takes alongside a magnetic rebel leader and his formidable father, she uncovers truths that will shake kingdoms to their core. Amidst a tapestry of love, sacrifice, and treacherous intrigue, she finds herself torn between conflicting loyalties while harnessing powers beyond imagination. As she embraces her legacy, the stage is set for an epic clash that will test the very fabric of existence. Prepare to embark on an odyssey where bonds are forged in fire, destinies are rewritten in blood, and the battle between light and darkness reaches its crescendo - for in this realm of magic and mayhem, our mysterious and courageous heroine will discover that her true power lies not just within her, but in the choices that she makes when faced with the ultimate test of courage. |
The Plagued Elf by Armanis Ar-feinial In a race against time, Quarala battles against the unknown, desperately striving to save the life of Anaergienne, Malitu's hunter. Armed with her vast knowledge and unwavering determination, she must unravel the mysteries of a disease that has eluded even the most skilled healers. Will she succeed in her quest to find a cure and restore him? Dive into this gripping tale of magic, courage, and sacrifice, and prepare to be spellbound. |