SPFBO6 Self-published Fantasy Blog-Off Entries 2020
Entries into Mark Lawrence's Self-published Fantasy Blog-off in 2020 (the 6th year of the contest).
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Wyrd Gods by Susana Imaginário The God of Time wants to destroy Eternity. A mysterious immortal seeks vengeance. And a reclusive deity does what no god should ever do: she answers a prayer. As punishment, she is stripped of her powers and trapped in a mortal's body. Now a Wyrd – a fated god – she is haunted by the memories and thoughts of her host and must hide her true identity in order to survive in Niflheim, the rival Norse Underworld. There she discovers the afterlife is not quite what it used to be. Niflheim's new ruler threatens the precarious balance of a world overrun with outcast deities and mortals alike. To save her own sanity and find her way back to the stars, she must help the other Wyrd overcome their grievances to defeat this enemy, but those who would be her allies appear to have motives as hidden as her fragmented consciousness. And yet it seems the greatest threat to her freedom comes from within, and the prize it seeks is her immortal soul... |
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The First Rule of Adventuring (Cruxverse #1) by Vichet Ou He was just trying to be polite. Asmund Alefson is a professional adventurer who hates his job. Silga Goldenfield is the chronically-kidnapped princess that he accidentally inspires to become an adventurer. Unwilling to dash her dreams, and because dead princesses result in low-or-no reward, Asmund reluctantly takes Silga on as an apprentice. Little do they know, her life choices have run afoul of more than a few dastardly schemes, as an old enemy of the Norlanders waits in the shadows, and a very strange goose follows them around from job to job. The First Rule of Adventuring is a Pratchett-esque comedic fantasy adventure set in the Cruxverse, where music is magic, no one fights werecreatures for free, and even the Composer Gods have to pay rent. |
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Of Honey and Wildfires (Songs of Sefate #1) by Sarah Chorn SPFBO6 Indie Recs Indie SFFOasis From the moment the first settler dug a well and struck a lode of shine, the world changed. Now, everything revolves around that magical oil. What began as a simple scouting expedition becomes a life-changing ordeal for Arlen Esco. The son of a powerful mogul, Arlen is kidnapped and forced to confront uncomfortable truths his father has kept hidden. In his hands lies a decision that will determine the fate of everyone he loves—and impact the lives of every person in Shine Territory. The daughter of an infamous saboteur and outlaw, Cassandra has her own dangerous secrets to protect. When the lives of those she loves are threatened, she realizes that she is uniquely placed to change the balance of power in Shine Territory once and for all. Secrets breed more secrets. Somehow, Arlen and Cassandra must find their own truths in the middle of a garden of lies. |
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In the war-torn land of Cyraveil, four heroes strove to overthrow an empire. By cold steel and elemental sorcery, they brought peace to a warring land on the brink of destruction. As the flames died, the realm needed strong leadership, and who better than the champions who had saved the kingdom? But when the people sought out their saviors... they vanished. Matt, Blake, Jen, and Carl: the four mysterious companions, who together had deposed an insane ruler and saved countless lives, were gone—spirited back in a whirlwind of magic to a sleepy suburb in Mellbridge, Oregon, never to return. The friends found themselves home in the real world, exactly as they'd been the night they were taken, as if no time had passed... except only three came back. |
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My Friend, The Gifted: A Sci-Fantasy (The Universe of Infinite Wonder Book 1) by E.L. Aldryc What would you sacrifice to become extraordinary? 
 
 Elodie Marchand struggles to stand out at the Sight Institute. With so many brilliant minds pushing the limits of AI, alchemy, and nanotechnology, it feels impossible to compete. A stark contrast to her best friend, and the Institute’s unrivalled favourite - Soraya Gourrami. 
 Soraya’s firm encouragement curbs Elodie’s impatience, and in turn, she helps keep Soraya’s temper in check. A perfect symbiosis. 
 But all that is about to change with one simple meeting. 
 When the Institute’s psychic organisation mandates a thorough search for new gifted blood, Elodie jumps at the opportunity to finally reach for greatness. 
 Even if she may not survive the test, or the process that follows. 
 Elodie will need all the help she can get to keep her life and sanity through the test that will establish her suitability for a life of duty and prestige. But Soraya’s friendship suddenly comes with a single new rule. 
 Elodie can never look into her past or future. 
 But accidents happen. And some secrets are too big and dangerous to keep. 
 It’s time to choose. Friendship or a chance to claim her true self at any cost? |
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Vampire Wars: Inescapable: Book One by Sean Harris Star is a typical teenage girl just trying to get over a breakup and the near loss of her father, but vodka isn't helping and even her best friend Jenna can't seem to find the right words. That is until mysterious stranger Jack shows up in town. Star finds herself smitten, but her emotions aren't the only storm causing trouble. The fine summer weather has taken a sudden turn for the worse, and people have started dying in increasingly gruesome ways. Could Jack have something to do with it? |
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Awakening: Dragonborn Series, Book One by Brett Humphrey I soared high in the night sky in the most realistic dream I'd ever had. At least, I think it was a dream. * * * On the eve of his thirteenth birthday, Alister Drake believed he was a typical middle-school-aged boy—until he grew four inches overnight. Developing superhuman abilities that rivaled those of characters in books and movies he and his friends cherished, he struggled to understand how his life had turned upside down so suddenly and so completely. Little did he know how drastically his life was about to change, challenging everything he'd experienced as true and right in the world. Accompanied by his two best friends and led by a teacher who was much more than he seemed, Alister was about to embark on an adventure that surpassed anything he'd read or seen in movies. Extraordinarily morally centered for his age, surrounded by family and friends he loved unconditionally, Alister stepped into the unknown with one clear goal in mind… Protect the Weak! |
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Truth Unearthed: Book One of A False Dawn (The Tales of Lugon) by Eric Sparks Arun, a budding historical scholar, and his belligerent best friend, Baran, are preparing to graduate from The Academy in The Dawn’s capital of Hilae. As they set off to go on their Graduate Field Task, they are accompanied by the recently disgraced Warden Athaz as their chaperone. What starts as a simple historical excavation quickly becomes more than any bargained for when a massive army of Orcs and Goblins attack their dig site. But unexpected help arrives from the Bewildered, a nomadic people who resist The Dawn and its Emperor, the Son of Bälech. At first unwilling to say anything, eventually the Bewildered explain the plans they have in mind for the three of them – and the world. Surrounded by ancient peoples with knowledge and magic Arun never learned in his history books, he and his friends now find themselves just trying to keep their heads above water as their previous lives are swept in away in a flash. Caught in a struggle they did not ask to be involved in, and beyond their abilities, all of them must try to navigate a new world of wonder and danger while saving the lives of those they love most – as well as their own. |
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SPFBO6 WriteHive Book Club Teacup Dragon Coop SFFOasis Never leave the path. It’s sacred law, punishable by exile. When her son goes missing in the perilous mountains, Kaemada defies the law to search for him. She enlists the help of her hero brother, a priestess berserker, and a fire-wielding friend. But the law exists for a reason. When the search party is captured by the mythical Kamalti, they learn that Kaemada’s son was sent to an ancient prison city. As they battle for freedom, they discover a horrible truth that will change the future of both races forever. With their world in upheaval, Kaemada must find a way to peace if she's to save her son—but tensions between the two races are leading to war. |
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The Whisperings in the Shadows (Shadow Series Book 1) by Bekah Berge Marble Moreno isn’t exactly human. When the Collection—a group of radicals dedicated to cleansing the land of magic—shows up in her village, all those tied to the mystical receive a spot on their kill list. Upon realizing that Marble is the daughter of a Sea Prince, and that magic runs through her veins, the head of the Collection captures her. Yet, instead of taking her life, he seizes the opportunity to force her into finding a cursed chest that no human can touch. A chest hidden deep within the walls of Stonegarde, a heavily protected school dedicated to educating the realms’ aristocratic Sovereigns and their servile Lackeys. But if she fails, he’ll put a knife through her mother’s heart. Inspired by the resemblance between Marble and Princess Zamia—a Sovereign who has never found her decoy, her doppelgänger, her Lackey—the leader of the Collection weaves together a plan that places Marble in the Princess’s path, ensuring her entry into the school. |
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The dragons once sacrificed everything to destroy their enemy. They failed. Now the burden of that failure falls on the man they have called to reforge what their war destroyed – the link between the races and the magic that holds the world together. Touched by elemental Fire, Aarin is driven by his need to return the dragons to Andeira. But the dragons vanished three thousand years ago, taking their magic with them, and their ancient partnership with mankind is now no more than legend. Even the memory of the magic they shared is fading, and Aarin’s obsession has made him an outsider even to his own people. But when he is confronted by a magic he thought long lost, he suddenly finds himself in conflict with powerful forces intent on preventing the return of the dragons at all costs. And, deadlier still, the machinations of an age-old power that would sacrifice anything to see them returned, even the life of the man they have waited thousands of years to find. Beset on all sides, Aarin must sort friend from foe and unravel the mysteries of a past long forgotten. Because, to survive, he must first discover the secret of why the dragons left – and what they risked everything to destroy. A classic epic fantasy adventure, Silver Mage is the standalone first novel in the Long Dream sequence. The sequel will be published in 2021. |
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Rumble in Woodhollow by Jonathan Pembroke Sydney was bored--bored with mixing potions in her aunt's alchemy shop and bored of life in the faery homeland of Sylvan Valley. So when her sister Marla sends her a letter and asks Sydney to bring some family documents to the crime-ridden city of Woodhollow, Sydney leaps at the chance--only to discover Marla in charge of one of the criminal syndicates competing for control of the Woodhollow underworld. Before she knows it, Sydney finds herself embroiled in a gang war and must maneuver her way through the plots of rival thugs, ogre peacekeepers, and the semi-immortal ruler of the city. And through it all, she learns she has drawn the attention of a mysterious order of assassins...who want Sydney for some sinister purpose of their own. |
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Cat is living as quiet a life as the only human/demon hybrid in existence can; practicing as an alchemist, spending time with her adoptive family and her girlfriend, and keeping her head down. But she is the only human/demon hybrid in existence, and when cultists attack her and those close to her, she realizes that keeping her head down can never be her solution. Instead, she must cross the face of Yirath, see the deep-running conflicts for herself and face her destiny in the demon city of Arok-Kor. |
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Aegyir Rises (Guardians of The Realm Book 1) by Amanda Fleet Reagan Bennett has always felt like an outsider. Left at the doors of a hospital at birth, her relationship with her adopted family hasn’t been easy. Especially when one of them almost killed her. Now he’s due to be released from prison and Reagan’s settled world is about to be turned upside-down. But not by him. Something old—something evil—is about to be released. Something that can kill you by ripping all of your energy out. Aegyir. Who believes Reagan Bennett is an old enemy, and is out to destroy her. All of her life, Reagan has dreamed of living in another place – The Realm. Can these dreams really be memories? If so, who is Reagan Bennett? Reagan needs to figure out who her enemy is, before they slaughter everyone she loves. And to do that, she needs to figure out who she really is. |
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IRONSHIELD (The Ironshield Saga, #1) by Edward Nile A Pile of Scrap, Held Together by an Ideal. It's been almost thirty years since the budding nation of Arkenia used Kaizer Warsuits, gas-powered mechanical giants, to wrestle independence from a tyrannical empire. Now, Arkenia is pressured into disarmament by that same power, strong-armed into a deal that will strip them of the very weapons that won their sovereignty. The Southern provinces agree to the terms. The Northern Industrialists do not. Led by commander James Edstein, heir to the legacy of the mighty Ironshield Warsuit, the North defies the Southern Appeasers. Intent on keeping their Warsuits, and their nation’s hard-fought independence, from Imperial rule. Senator Samuel Mutton, veteran of the Revolution and a key leader in the South, wants nothing but peace for his nation. No matter how high the cost. As the Civil War ramps up, both men are forced to question their morals, forced to decide what matters most. Victory, or Honor. |
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Shadow of the Lantern Bearer by Chris R. Underwood Magic is a disease. It spreads like a plague and drives the infected mad with power. Death is the only cure. Seventeen-year-old Kole Felmen is destined for a life spent executing infected sorcerers and disposing of their tainted remains. But his first execution ends in disaster. Fearing he has been infected with the sorcerer's plague, Kole sees only one option: flee his village before his mind snaps and he destroys everyone he loves. His chance for escape lies with a band of treasure hunters traveling to a lost ruin from a plague-ravaged empire, where ancient dangers lurk and the shadows of the past still linger… Embark on a journey across a shattered empire in this coming-of-age fantasy brimming with ancient mysteries and deadly adventure. Shadow of the Lantern Bearer is perfect for fans of Robert Jordan, David Eddings, and Anthony Ryan. |
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Black Stone Heart (The Obsidian Path Book 1) by Michael R. Fletcher SPFBO6 Indie Recs Indie SPFBO Finalist A broken man, Khraen awakens alone and lost. His stone heart has been shattered, littered across the world. With each piece, he regains some small shard of the man he once was. He follows the trail, fragment by fragment, remembering his terrible past. There was a woman. There was a sword. There was an end to sorrow. Khraen walks the obsidian path. |
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Earthcore Book 3: Aftershocks by Grace Bridges They saved a town with the help of the creatures that command the geysers. They saved a city from volcanic eruption. Surely they've earned a break? Tell that to the Titanosaur. Now the faultline network is active, threatening all of central New Zealand with aftershocks that might be bigger than the initial event. Amateur geologist Anira Fraser is in Picton, facing her final high school athletics competition. Along with her friend Tiger McRae, she realises their presence is disturbing the area's guardian spirits. Soon other Earthcore members arrive in town and discover an old enemy stirring up fresh trouble, while the locals hint at the legend of a mysterious taniwha war that could worsen the series of quakes. It's up to Anira and the Earthcore team to find the cause of the war and end it--otherwise they themselves could be responsible for a cataclysmic natural disaster. |
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The Knights of Dragonwatch (The Dragon Queen of Chaos #1) by Eric T. Knight Led by dragons, the Emperor’s vast army conquers every nation in its path… The Emperor seeks to free the Dragon Queen from the Abyss. The only ones who could have opposed him are the Knights of Dragonwatch, an ancient order created to defend the world against the Dragon Queen, and they are no more, betrayed by one of their own and hunted to extinction. Jarryd is a young man with a secret. He sees demons. The visions have plagued him since he witnessed a traumatic event as a small boy. Jarryd lives in fear that his secret will be discovered, and he will be condemned to the fate of those who consort with demons. Or, even worse, that the demons will consume him, make him one of them. As the visions grow ever more powerful, Jarryd sets out on a journey to find answers at Knights Keep, the ancestral home of the Dragonwatch Knights. The journey brings him to the notice of the Emperor himself and sets Jarryd on a desperate quest to resurrect the Dragonwatch Knights. Can Jarryd overcome the demons within himself and defeat the Emperor in time? Or will the Dragon Queen escape her prison and ravage the cosmos once again? |
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The Dragon's Banker by Scott Warren Finance: The lifeblood of any country’s beating heart and the life’s work of Sailor Kelstern — Merchant Banker. While wizards brood in their towers and great warriors charge into battle Sailor is more interested in the price of ore, herbs, and alchemicals carried by the trade ships. But when a spell of bad fortune and bitter rivalry leaves him scrambling to turn a profit on little more than winds and whispers, one such whisper catches Sailor’s ear— a dragon has been seen in the west. Sailor soon finds that the dragons are very real, and not at all what he expected. And they practice a very different sort of economy — one of subterfuge and fire. With bonus novelette: Forego Quest What if you were the hero of every song, story, and legend? What if you didn’t want to be? Find out in this hilarious fantasy short. |
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The Hunter's Gambit by Nicholas McIntire No one promised Aleksei Drago an easy life. Growing up amongst the Ri-Vhan of Seil Wood, losing his mother and just as suddenly being torn from the forest folk, Aleksei had no choice but to make the best of an unpredictable situation. But what happens when the monsters and figures of fiction become horrifyingly real? How will Aleksei cope? When the stakes are at their highest, will he finally falter? Or will he rise to the occasion, reforging himself into the man Prophecy demands he become? In a world of magic and Magi, of Angels and Demons alike, how will a simple farm boy survive his own contorted destiny? This is the story of a seemingly-simple world gone mad, and the reality that every action, no matter how apparently benign, can serve to unravel terrifying truths. This is the story of Aleksei Drago, farmer, Hunter, and so much more. |
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Sentenced to Troll by S.L. Rowland Big, green, and ugly. Who says a troll can’t be the hero? Punished for his toxic online behavior, Chad faces a thirty-day sentence of full-immersion therapy designed to improve his anger issues. For his endless trolling in real life, he's forced to play as a forest troll, the most hated race in Isle of Mythos, so that he can finally experience what it's like to be on the other side. To make matters worse, the heroes sent to rid the world of evil aren't heroes at all—they're violent felons on their own twisted paths to redemption. Playing as a monster in a world where it ain’t easy being green, what could possibly go wrong? Pick up this epic litRPG full of humor, action, and adventure today! |
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The Edge of Darkness (The Volatar Saga #1) by D.K. Holmberg They called him the Volatar. He came from nothing. Found his power. Became a legend, then lost it all. Now he has all the power in the world but can't touch it. With war growing, an old enemy on his heels, his best friend by his side, only the north holds the secret to reconnecting with his lost power. But war has a way of pushing old heroes aside. Hevith Alaster knew nothing of the Hith when their dark magic took his family away. Life on the wagon train had been simple. Keep moving north, stay ahead of the war. But war found him all the same. Hurt, humbled, and left to rot in a northern prison, Hevith must carve out a new life for himself in the wake of tragedy--but only if he can find a way to break free before the Hith break him. Either he must rise to the challenge or he will be yet another casualty on the Hith's path to total domination. |
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Two Blades (True-Steel Trilogy Book 1 by stuart kurth It’s been thirty years since the end of the Primrose War, thirty years since High King Goring Saedren drank and whored and murdered his way to all points of the compass, delivering his right to rule to all who would listen, and ramming it down the throats of those who wouldn’t. He marched straight into the Great Desert and became the first to knock those sand-eating Shaadi Princes off their golden perches and unite all of Varri-Mennyn under one banner. Thirty years on and he’s grown fat and soft, lost his thirst for the fight, and all along the margins of his shrinking Kingdom, his enemies swarm. Kannath Meadowmere, exiled Mendran nobleman and one-legged warlord, has come south through the wall with an eye for plunder and an army in tow. While the High King sleeps in the west, he marches upon the east swallowing one territory after the last, aided by his Shaadi allies. Nursing a dusty grudge thirty years in the making, those Desert Princes won’t stop until the city of Nostalla, and the Senovium Throne within, are pulled down and stomped into ashes beneath their boots. Mercenary scum Pelt and Halling, two black-hearted murderers with red reputations and not enough common decency to deserve surnames, have been on the run from Saedren’s King’s Men for four years, spilling enough blood to drown a cow. With no code of honour and only the meanest grasp of the concept of morality, the brothers fight for the highest bidder and turn coat more often than a tailor. Their hands are red, their blades priceless, and their ambitions dark. But when they find themselves facing down Meadowmere’s relentless army, they begin to realise the storm they’ve landed themselves in, and that history, as well as a bleak future, are about to stab them both in the back. |
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Harpyness is Only Skin Deep by D. H. Willison On a world where death lurks around every corner, is friendship the strongest survival tool of all? Darin: bored with his paper pusher existence, he accepts a questionable deal for the LARP adventure of a lifetime. A jump through a dimensional portal strands him on the mythical world of Arvia, where everything is gigantic. Except the life-expectancy of newcomers. Rinloh: a mere ten meters tall. Life in the harpy flock has never been easy for her. Determined to become full-fledged at the upcoming human-hunt, nothing is going to stand–or fly–in her way. A chance encounter between these two–what could possibly go wrong? Humans consider consorting with a harpy a capital offense. Harpies consider the human citizens a tasty part of a balanced diet. Yet the two must overcome a most monstrous conspiracy as the citizens of the city begin disappearing, with a list of suspects as big as the inhabitants of Arvia. Harpyness is Only Skin Deep blends endearing characters and whimsical fantasy adventure in a uniquely witty, charming style. Contact your neighborhood dimension broker, or download Harpyness, and jump into the world of Arvia today. |
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Where Ravens Soar by Michelle Connor A genre-busting mix of urban fantasy, detective mystery, and Norse mythology. Rifinn, or Finn as she prefers to be known, is an agent working for the Nine World Protection Agency. Her job involves getting to the bottom of events that are often beyond the understanding of humans. She is also the granddaughter of Odin. While working on a shocking case where wolf-skin children are being kidnapped and then skinned for the black market, Finn and her partner Augustus track the suspect back to his palatial home where they discover a grisly scene that leaves them devastated. Worse is to come, when Odin sends his raven, Huginn, to deliver dreadful news that three Valkyries are dead. Finn and Augustus discover that the killer has used the blood of the slain Valkyries to try to enter Asgard, the home of the Gods. But why? As Finn begins to discover that the threads of fate and the tapestries are starting to unwind she is told that she must track down a warlock called Ask who can help her find those responsible. Can Finn and Augustus work out who killed the Valkyries before something even more terrible happens? Or has the devastating fate of the Nine Realms already been decided? |
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Half-Blood Mage: A Romantic Portal Fantasy (Light and Fire Series Book 1) by Ginger Li Travel to another world. Awaken your magic. Save a cursed hunter. Fall in love? Seventeen-year-old Lia struggles to keep it together. Her nights are plagued with the same terrifying nightmare. A handsome, silver-eyed warrior transforms into a dragon and then begs for her to kill him. Lia chalks up the nightmares to an overactive imagination. Until the day the guy from her dreams arrives at her Jersey diner, and she’s transported to his cursed world. On the outside, it looks like Kieren has it all. He’s betrothed to a princess, next in line for the throne, and admired as one of the best dragons hunters in Solair. Everything is finally going well for him. Until the day he’s cursed to become one of the beasts that he hunts. Together, Lia and Kieren must journey to uncover the long hidden secrets behind unlocking her magic and breaking his curse. Their hunt for answers has far-reaching consequences, both for the fate of their worlds and for their hearts. Half-Blood Mage is the enthralling first novel in the Light and Fire Series. Epic worlds, high-stakes adventure, forbidden magic, and romance, this Young Adult fantasy will hold you captive and leave you hungry for more. |
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Political Nightmare by Rainbow Maccabre The girl who was blessed when Daddy killed Mommy; the bird lady born with four arms and no wings; King Kess's trans widower; the most forgettable prince who ever died; secret agents popping up everywhere; and the mind controlling bunny rabbit. Who will put an end to Vasagne’s dark conspiracy? Political Nightmare weaves a plot through past and present to arrange a story full of twists. |
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The Singing Gold by T.K.P. Sternberg A simple shepherd who can see all things invisible, a dwarf who risks his honour to strike the deal of his lifetime, and a clandestine necromancer who somehow manages to do good despite his own worst intentions. This unusual fantasy epic shows how petty shortcomings like jealousy, suspicion and greed can throw up just as dangerous challenges as revealed destiny or the unfolding of evil plans. Set in the deep forests of medieval Svitjod, at the shift between the coming of Christianity and the worship of the old gods, it stands firmly rooted in the muck and mud of the everyday while at the same time revealing a fantastical world of trolls, alfs and magic. When Stig accepts to guide some dwarven miners through the hexed forest only he knows how to navigate, he already has a bad feeling. The payment is far too generous for something supposed to be so simple. With a hungry family at home and still a few weeks before summer would break and end their hardship, he cannot afford to say no. As they set out on a journey fraught with troubles, not only do Stig realise he has gotten himself tangled up into something far greater than he could ever have imagined, the dwarves also slowly learn that Stig is not your average shepherd. |
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Beneath Black Sails by Clare Sager Pirate versus pirate hunter. To lose is death, but winning just might be worse. With weather magic on her side, Lady Vice is the bane of the high seas, but she isn’t captain of her own ship. Yet. If she can persuade her captain to give her a command, she’ll be in charge of her own fate at last. To pay off his family’s debts, Knigh Blackwood hunts pirates for the Royal Navy. And he’s damn good at it. When the bounty on Lady Vice grows, he’s determined to make her face justice, even if that means using unorthodox methods. Forced to work together, neither can deny their mutual attraction. As they face battles at sea and schemes amongst their crew, they discover hints about a long-lost treasure that could be the answer to both their problems. But treasure isn’t the only thing buried. Secrets best-forgotten lie in wait that could blast them apart. And the closer Vice and Knigh grow, the greater the threat – to her freedom and to his family. Because for one to succeed, the other must fail. If you love cunning heroes, feisty heroines, and enemies to lovers romance, you’ll love this new adult fantasy series that’s perfect for fans of Sarah J Maas and Miranda Honfleur. Buy Beneath Black Sails today to escape on rum-drenched adventures in a world where flags can lie, X marks the spot, and loyalties shift more than sand. |
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Emissary (Emissary Quintet #1) by E.B. Brooks Ewan O’Meara dreams of becoming the greatest adventurer Veridor has ever known. Problem is, there haven’t been any epic quests since the ancient war of independence. His parents keep badgering him to take a respectable profession, and the overbearing Church soaks him for penance gold every time he dies. When he encounters a young woman fleeing arrest, he can’t resist helping her. At first glance, Treanna Rothchild needs it: she’s clueless about Veridian life. But she has other skills that defy Ewan’s understanding, and she knows things. Unsettling, seditious things the Church wants kept secret at any cost. And she’s here to raise an army. Risking both life and soul, Ewan follows Treanna where no Veridian has been, but he must come to terms with the harsh world she reveals as he discovers how much they have in common—and how much they depend on each other to survive. |
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Nightfall: A Sci-Fi/Fantasy Dystopian Novel by J.J. Coffelt Death awaits if you're caught outside during Nightfall. Humanity hides from the horrors of Night within the dome of Mecca, paralyzed by fear. Few dare to cross into the world beyond. Venturing out into the underworld, Jericho uncovers an artifact of the Old Ones. Using this technology, Jericho and his clan plot to overthrow the false god of Mecca. Embarking on a thrilling journey across the underworld, they learn many secrets, including some better left undiscovered. Gripping your mind with a sense of wonder, this epic Sci-fi/fantasy adventure will leave you breathless. This story catapults you into a world of dark mystery and chaos. This would be a perfect gift for any YA that enjoyed reading Percy Jackson, The Maze Runner, Dune, or, The Hunger Games. |
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God of Small Affairs by Olga Werby Time is made out of threads. Pull one and someplace somewhere things unravel. We know how to pull on the right thread because we see the whole tapestry of life’s possibilities. That’s why we are so good at finding a good path into a future. I say a future because there is no such thing as the future. We are made of time threads—thick bundles of knots that can pull and twist and change the course of history. It’s all about connections—pull one strand, and the others twist with it. Like Newton’s second law, for every action there is an equal an opposite reaction. But we are small in relation to civilized time, planetary time, cosmological time. To make a big change requires a course correction many many years prior. Like if you want to deflect a meteor hurtling toward Earth, you need to change its course far out in space where just a nudge would do it. To make a course correction close to the impact event, a lot of energy is required. Same with history… So we are great at little things, at manipulating tiny threads of life. We are the gods of small affairs…until we are not. “God of Small Affairs” is a creepy and slightly twisted mystery tale of a small mid-Western town, struggling to survive, told from the perspective of man who is culturally a stranger there and yet learns to find comfort and gives back love to people in need…his and those that reside in the town of Wilkins. It’s a bit of a horror story, a bit of fantastical science fiction, and a take on what the world would be if one could talk directly to a god…even a god who is only interested in micro-management of human species. Jon Uolan is the grandson of First Nation tribe elder. His assignment is to bring home a god. Not the omnipresent god or the god that set the weight of the proton and the rate of universal expansion, but rather an everyday kind of god, the god that lives among her people, the god of small affairs, Ay-Tal Blue. An easy assignment turns into a nightmare when Ay-Tal gets accidentally shot and Jon becomes a suspect in a murder investigation. And while Jon is in prison, a huge earthquake and tsunami wipe out his home village. His grandfather dies in the disaster. With his people scattered and living apart, the whole tribe might cease to exist. The new generation just is not interested in the old tribal ways. Ay-Tal is no longer there to help and guide them. What is Jon to do? How will a new path into the future shape the people who got mixed up with a god of small affairs? |
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Magic, Sorcery and Witchcraft: Book One of Marcus Grimm saga by Stas Borodin, Stanislav Borodin The steppes were always feared, for the steppe warlocks were cruel and ruthless. For centuries, the tiny kingdom of Lieh was a shield that protected civilization from the hordes of ferocious nomads. But one day, everything changed. The truce that had lasted for many years was broken and a powerful new warlock invaded the kingdom. Young Marcus Grimm must take up arms and join his father's army in his maiden battle. Adventurer, student at the Academy of Magic, pirate hunter, army scout and slayer of sorcerers – on the way he will find true friends and make some fearsome enemies. He will become the Hand of Destiny. The first book of the Marcus Grimm saga. Translated from Russian. Stas Borodin is the author of the popular fantasy series “Magic, Sorcery and Witchcraft”, written in the genre of heroic fantasy. The series includes the novel of the same name “Magic, Sorcery and Witchcraft”, novels “Black Hands” and “Funeral Pyres”. “Fists of clay” is a stand-alone novel and a sequel to “Magic, Sorcery and Witchcraft”. The novel “Stars and Arrows” is written in the genre of alternative history and set in times of American Civil War. |
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Fire Eyes Awakened (The Senturians of Terraunum #1) by R.J. Batla Jayton Baird worked for years to save enough for his powers to be Awakened, becoming a Senturian. Protectors of Terranum from the terrors on the West Side. This power comes with a price - Jayton becomes the most powerful Senturian Awakened in a hundred years. And the most feared. With an invasion imminent and a death sentence over his head, Jayton is chosen to fight in a gladiator style tournament to prevent a potent weapon from falling into the hands of an enemy bent on conquest. A team of elite warriors escorts him on the trek fraught with danger. Can Jayton and his team survive long enough to complete his mission, or will the dark power burning inside consume him? The first in the Senturians of Terraunum Series, FIRE EYES AWAKENED combines epic fantasy with fantastic powers. Join the action and adventure! |
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Vestige Rise of the Pureblood (Vestige Saga, #1) by Antonio Roberts Fangs, scales and a tail never looked good on anyone. Another home gone. Another parent dead. And now Sinopa's on the run for her life and must prove her innocence alone in a strange place. But appearances are deceiving, and the police are the least of her worries. Because with every step she takes, someone else is watching. Something unnatural is after her...maybe even lurking beneath her skin. And the deeper Sinopa investigates, the higher the stakes rise. More sorcerers disappear. Tensions escalate, and with every day, her humanity crumbles. As an ancient evil resurfaces, how much will she risk saving those she loves? |
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Code of the Communer (Shadows in the Wildwood #1) by Kai Greenwood Tolkien-esque world-building, thrilling action and compelling characters. Code of the Communer is an immersive journey into a lost Wildwood. THE WILDWOOD IS CHANGING… An invasion sweeps across the continent. Desperate to escape, Caida’s tribe seek Maerida, the lost homeland of legend. But legends can be deceiving. After hundreds of years the people of the Wildwood have forgotten a deadly truth: Maerida was abandoned for a reason. THE CODE OF THE COMMUNER WILL BE CHALLENGED... Now Caida must choose. Will she honour her mother’s legacy or seek a new path by abandoning the Code she followed since birth? A SHADOW STIRS BENEATH THE ROOTS… On Maerida, amongst the ruins, a time of hibernation comes to an end. After the long sleep, comes the feeding. |
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The Copper Assassin (Tales of Wyverna, #1) by Madolyn Rogers HOW CAN HE STOP THE ULTIMATE ASSASSIN? In the sixteenth year of its founding, the city-state of Wyverna teems with vitality, rife with crime, secrets, and sorcery. Like its namesake, the wyverns that hunt from the mountains above, Wyverna is a city of predators. Its pirates sail out to plunder the wealth of nations, while at home the capital seethes, an uneasy amalgam of the old ways of its anarchic peoples and the newly imposed rule of law. The young noble Gorgo navigates these complexities with ease, until one night he learns of a plot to assassinate Wyverna’s legendary founder, the Warlord. The rebels have obtained a mighty relic: an ancient copper golem created to be the ultimate assassin. Invulnerable and relentless, the golem destroyed the civilization that birthed it. If it kills the Warlord, Gorgo realizes his city too will fall, ripped apart by civil war. Armed with nothing but his wits and his courage, Gorgo sets out to find a way to save Wyverna. His mission will take him from the elegant casinos of downtown to the chaotic docks where smugglers prowl, from the hot sands of the arena to the cold midnight of magic-shadowed streets. But even he cannot foresee where his path will ultimately lead, and to what consequences. |
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Finding Fairy Tales by Kate Ramsey Imagination is outlawed. Fairy Tale herself is imprisoned. Molly has never heard a bedtime story… or any kind of story. But her daydreams are full of impossible wonders nonetheless. She's kept her unruly imagination hidden for years, but she knows her luck won't last. The emperor has eyes everywhere. Even in her own house. Hatch knows it's risky even to dream of adventures beyond his home, but he can't help himself. Worse, the end of 7th grade is approaching. That means enrollment in the dreaded Institute, where there's no chance of keeping his illegal imagination under the radar, and not everyone makes it out alive. When a government agent appears on Molly's doorstep, the two children must flee together or risk arrest, but an impassable wasteland lies between them and freedom. Then they learn astonishing secrets about their pasts, and realize there is more at stake than their safety. To fulfill an ancient prophecy, the two embark on a dangerous quest to rescue Fairy Tale. But will they outwit the emperor's henchmen and reach her before it's too late? |
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Whalemoon (Wyrmwind Tales Book #1) by Dustin Porta Phehl never wanted to be pike keeper, but at least the job would be easy. Or so she thought. For as long as anyone can remember the islanders of Brodthrop Atoll have lived in peace. The dragon winds keep pirates away and the dance of the whalepike calms the seas. When the ceremony goes wrong a strange girl washes up on Whalegrave Beach. Phehl is duty bound to help those in need. But there's a problem: the girl is a sharkling, tricksters of legend with smiles of dagger-sharp teeth. And she's not the only visitor. The winds blow and the seas churn. Ships appear on the horizon. Some want to trade, others, to plunder. All have eyes for the Whalepike. When the sharkling is captured, Phehl has to make a terrible choice: trust superstition and let the monster be taken, or risk everything to bring her back. Save her new friend, or save her people? Either way she will have to be honest. About the secrets she's keeping, the lies that she has told, and lies of keepers who came before her. Whalemoon is the first book in the Wyrmwind Tales This whimsical high fantasy is set on a world of islands, with a fable-based magic system that weaves tales of sea-gnome knights, genies in seashells, and a crown fit for an octopus king. These folk tales, and sailing chantees aren't just for the reader, they can shift the winds of fate. But can they teach Phehl what it means to be a brave and compassionate hero? A nautical tale for noblebright readers and fans of Earthsea and Narnia, Whalemoon puts a new twist on old-fashioned high fantasy. This novel is a treasure trove of lore and limerick to put on your shelf to read again and again. Welcome to the world of Tableau Mer! |
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Queens of the Wyrd by Timandra Whitecastle Raise your shield. Defend your sisters. Prepare for battle Half-giant Lovis and her Shieldmaiden warband were once among the fiercest warriors in Midgard. But those days are long past and now Lovis just wants to provide a safe home for herself and her daughter - that is, until her former shield-sister Solveig shows up on her doorstep with shattering news. Solveig's warrior daughter is trapped on the Plains of Vigrid in a siege gone ugly. Desperate to rescue her, Sol is trying to get the old warband back together again. But their glory days are a distant memory. The Shieldmaidens are Shieldmothers now, entangled in domestic obligations and ancient rivalries. But family is everything, and Lovis was never more at home than at her shield-sisters' side. Their road won't be easy: old debts must be paid, wrongs must be righted, and the Nornir are always pulling on loose threads, leaving the Shieldmaidens facing the end of all Nine Realms. Ragnarok is coming, and if the Shieldmaidens can't stop it, Lovis will lose everyone she loves... Fate is inexorable. Wyrd bith ful araed. Queens of the Wyrd is the brand-new epic Norse fantasy adventure by Timandra Whitecastle. If you love mothers as heroes, epic dragon battles as well as stand-out characters you can root for, BUY QUEENS OF THE WYRD TODAY! |
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Hedge Witch (The Cloven Land Trilogy #1) by Simon Kewin Two Worlds, one nightmare... Cait Weerd has no idea she's being sought by the undain: sorcerous creatures that feed off the spirit of the living. She doesn't know they need her blood to survive. She doesn't even know she's a witch, descended from a long line of witches. Cait Weerd doesn't know a lot, really, but all that's about to change. At Manchester Central Library she's caught up in sudden violence. In the chaos she's given an old book that's been hidden there. Given it and told to run. Hide the book or destroy it. The book contains all the secrets of the undains' existence. They and their human servants want to find it as much as they want to find her. Cait learns the fates of two worlds are at stake. Just what she needs. Along with definitely-not-a-boyfriend Danny, she has to decide what the hell to do. Run, fight or hope it all goes away. It's only then she learns who she really is, along with the terrible truth of what the undain have been doing in our world all this time... |
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The Headlock of Destiny (Titan Wars #1) by Samuel Gately Some say titans are descended from giants. Others say they are risen from men. But there’s never any debate about where to find them. They will be in the center of a roaring crowd, beating the hell out of each other. From contenders like the Savage and Scott Flawless to pretenders like Richard the Living Portrait and Troll-Blooded Thom, a titan’s lot in life is the same: To wrestle for dominion and glory in the squared circle. Van, a quiet titan from the brewery town of Headwaters, wants no part in this. He’d prefer to be left alone with a beer. But destiny has him in a headlock, and it is prepared to drag him into battles that will shake the land and change his world forever. Step into the ring with this one-of-a-kind novel, brewed special for fans of epic fantasy, fans of professional wrestling from the Golden Era and beyond, or simply fans of a good tale. |
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The Pygmy Dragon (Shapeshifter Dragon Legends #1) by Marc Secchia Yesterday, a Dragon kidnapped me from my cage in a zoo. Stolen from her jungle home and sold to a zookeeper, Pip knows only a world behind bars, a world in which a Pygmy warrior and her giant ape friends are a zoo attraction. She dreams of being Human. She dreams of escaping to the world outside her cage. Then, the Dragon Zardon kidnaps her into a new life. Pip rides Dragonback across the Island-World to her new school - a school inside a volcano. A school where Humans learn to be Dragon Riders. But this is only a foretaste of her magical destiny, for the Dragon Assassins are coming. They have floated an Island across the Rift and their aim is nothing less than the massacre of all Dragons. Now, the courage of the smallest will be tested to the utmost. For Pip is the Pygmy Dragon, and this is her tale. |
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In the castle of city of Lubena, Mary and Martina found a portal to another dimension called Hyperearth. This will be the beginning of various adventures of this two teenager girls, fighting the evil Sathon but also make new friendship and curious discovers. |
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Pawn (Night of the Dark Fae #1) by Angela J. Ford A day will come, when curses will be broken, the lost shall be found, the found shall be lost, and the rift between mortal and celestial will cease to exist. - Prophecy of Erinyes Maeve of Carn is a warrior of warriors, but she’s no hero. Born with superhuman strength she sells her abilities to mercenaries and warlords in exchange for wealth. Until the night of the full moon. . . In the midst of a raid, led by the warlord she just might be falling in love with, Maeve is taken by the Dark Fae. After leaving her to rot in the dungeon of the damned they offer her a deal. Freedom. If she finds a divine relic rumored to have the power to break all curses. Left with no other choice, Maeve sets off on a perilous quest, guided by the Scholar. Set in an expansive fantasy world with monsters, magic and mysteries, the Night of the Dark Fae series is an epic fantasy trilogy birthed from the mind of International Best Selling Author, Angela J. Ford. Readers who love action, adventure, romance, sword and sorcery will be held captive by this series. |
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A Prince's Errand (Tales of the Amulet #1) by Dan Zangari, Robert Zangari #1 New Release in Classic Fantasy A Prince's Errand, Book One of Tales of the Amulet begins an exciting new epic fantasy saga. Several millennia ago a war raged between the factions of dragonkind. With their world ravaged, the Kaldean Alliance forged the Amulet of Draconic Control and the Tethering Stone, and banished their foes to other realms, saving Kalda from utter destruction. Fearing the power of the Amulet, the survivors secreted it away. But now knowledge of the Amulet has resurfaced--and in the wrong hands, war could erupt anew. A PRINCE'S ERRAND Long ago, men harnessed the Channels of Power, creating tevisrals-devices capable of manifesting magic. But men weren't the only ones to accomplish such feats. Dragons crafted the most sophisticated tevisrals. These shaped the world, defining civilization of man and elf alike. Over the centuries, the people of Kalda have fallen into a dark age, where elves are estranged from men and dragons have retreated into legend. Tevisrals are scarce and men are willing to trade everything for them. But there are some who wish to bury the past, and in their lands, possessing tevisrals is tantamount to treason. Still, daring men scour the world in search of Kalda's past. One such man, the scholar Krindal, seeks an ancient order known as the Keepers of Truth and Might. He yearns for their knowledge, long feared lost. Prince Kaescis Midivar also searches for these Keepers. The assassination of his uncle, the emperor of Mindolarn, killed his hopes of peace with his empire's enemies. His empire's survival hinges upon unearthing the Keepers' secrets. An aging warrior, Cornar Dol'shir, longs to be home with his wife. But his retirement must wait, as his band of adventurers is recruited to help find the Keepers' hidden temple on the Isle of Klindala. Haunted by his tragic past, Iltar, the Son of Adrin, does not join in the search for the Keepers. Instead, he seeks to unravel the mysteries held within a volume of prophecy foretelling the advent of the Unspoken One and the return of the Crimson Eye. His search takes him to the Empire of Mindolarn, where all is not as it seems. An ancient war was won by a simple amulet. It brought peace, but in the wrong hands it could spell a doom the likes of which no world has ever seen. May the Crimson Eye remain hidden for all time. |
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A Wind from the Wilderness (Watchers of Outremer #1) by Suzannah Rowntree Hunted by demons. Lost in time. Welcome to the First Crusade. Syria, 636: As heretic invaders circle Jerusalem, young Lukas Bessarion vows to defend his people. Instead, disaster strikes. His family is ripped apart. His allies are slaughtered. And Lukas is hurled across the centuries to a future where his worst nightmares have come true... Constantinople, 1097: Ayla may be a heretic beggar, but she knows one thing for sure: nine months from now, she will die. Before then, she must avenge her father's murder--or risk losing her soul. Desperate to find their way home, Lukas and Ayla join the seven armies marching east to liberate Jerusalem. If Lukas succeeds in his quest, he'll undo the invasion and change the course of history. But only if he survives the war. Only if his enemies from the past don't catch him. And only as long as Ayla never finds out who he really is. A Wind from the Wilderness is Book 1 in the new Watchers of Outremer series. If you love stories full of dark magic, bloody warfare, and star-crossed love, then you'll be spellbound by this sweeping historical fantasy! |
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Burden of Power (The Wallkeeper Trilogy #1) by Caren Hahn Ria’s secret fear is that she’s not ready to rule. But when the king goes mad, she may not have a choice. As the first female heir to the throne of Rahm, Ria is surrounded by skeptics. Her dazzling wit and easy confidence hide the truth: She really doesn’t know what she’s doing. But she’d better learn fast because her father’s volatile behavior is getting worse. When the king gets embroiled in a power struggle with Merek, captain of the Wall Guard, Ria sees an opportunity. She proposes a tour of the damaged wall, giving her an excuse to prove herself by acting in her father’s stead. But Merek doesn’t have time for Ria’s schemes. A criminal network has infiltrated a critical border city, and he resents being pulled from his post. Abandoning his investigation could lead to disaster. Stubborn wills collide as Ria and Merek wrestle in a shifting balance of power. Only by learning to trust each other can they merge their strong personalities into a dynamic partnership. Will it be enough to save Ria when the threat to Rahm turns dangerously personal? Burden of Power is the first in the gripping Wallkeeper trilogy by debut author, Caren Hahn. With rich layers of action, combat, political intrigue, and romantic suspense, you’ll be drawn into a medieval fantasy where characters come alive and keep you wondering about them long after you’ve read the last page. Immerse yourself in the world of Wallkeeper today! |
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Unbinding the Stone (The Flame in the Bowl #1) by Marc Vun Kannon All Tarkas wanted was to live the life he'd made for himself, get married, have children, as generations of his fathers had done before him since the beginning of time. The Gods had other plans, and Tarkas couldn't say no, even had they bothered to ask him. Between one footstep and the next they alter his life irrevocably, and he finds himself plunged headlong into a new world and life, full of magic, mayhem, monsters, and mystery. For a new prophecy has pitted the forces of Nature against themselves, and the Gods are helpless. But when even the Gods' gifts have thorns, their need exacts a price that only a Hero would ever dare to pay. Only a Hero can act, and Tarkas has been chosen to do the things that must be done, with the fate of two Realms in the balance. |