DylanMadeley writer

Their Village, Their Fortress by Dylan Madeley

"A heroic death is not the goal. Survival is. Our survival, that of this community, and that of everything which matters most to us." When a calamitous new weapon fells a fortress once considered invincible, one soldier rides home to deliver the terrible news. This journey is against orders, but he insists no village is too small to be warned of what's coming, even if he's not sure what they can do. He delivers an impassioned call to action, daring them to try. Reconnecting with his community involves reconsidering why he left it, and what he might regret having left behind; but he soon faces scrutiny when they realize something about his appeal doesn't add up. Join the struggle of eclectic villagers as each decides their answer. Each confronts what's happening however they must, journeying through their emotions and sometimes delving into their personal histories to reconcile themselves. Each resister's specialties enrich their efforts to scrape together a victory from what's on hand. The events to follow reveal not just how they will fight, but why. Their truth, their skills, and their efforts enable them to resist—but even if they believe, can a hastily-prepared volunteer militia of farmers defeat a battalion of trained soldiers?

The Redemption of Jarek by Dylan Madeley

But this day… Jarek knows of none in his life yet worse than this one. Much of Jarek’s youth revolved around making him fit for the throne, but one terrible day in adulthood finds him defeated, humiliated, and banned from the capital. He may only return upon complete surrender. Once home, he faces a trial by his commanders, though they are also fugitives by decree. Their land is a former province cut off from royal support, only kept free by the number of soldiers loyal to Jarek; but he swore to uphold the terms of his defeat, never to attack the capital. As every illusion Jarek lived under is falling apart, he receives a visitor who tells him how people have suffered under his oblivious leadership. He faces a choice: drink himself to death while everything falls apart or change his land for the better. The latter might be impossible. Just as he makes his choice, strangers arrive from a part of the world unknown to him, seeking a free and peaceful life, warning of a tyrant who pursues them. The story of their homeland is also told. What is Jarek willing to do? And will anything ever be enough?

The Fate of Lenn by Dylan Madeley

"Like a book already written, turn a page forward or back, read a line or a page, yet all the words in that book exist at once, unchanging; is this how you see it? Like fate? Do we fall no matter what I do?" Future generations will mythologize Duke Lenn Wancyek, but he is a person like any other. He feels hope, worry, loss, pain, and the weight of a kingdom on his shoulders. When his responsibilities place him in a catastrophic situation from which he may not escape, his values will resonate through his actions more thoroughly than any speech he could ever make. You will meet everyone who looks to him and you will see their struggles which run concurrent with his: a friend and adviser who wishes to steer him right; three musicians who think they have landed the greatest job in the kingdom; a gardener who does so much yet asks so little; a woman who works to free her people. The list goes on, but time grows short. You will meet the man who becomes the legend. You will know the fate of Lenn. Cover by Jenn St-Onge

Prince Ewald the Brave by Dylan Madeley

"No, father. You have gotten your way for too long. This ends here." Meet the Kenderleys, the wealthiest and most powerful family in the world. The youngest, Prince Bonifaz, takes his lessons and trusts no one. The middle child, Princess Isabel, sneaks away to a secret regency of her own making. Their mother, Queen Dulcibella, watches out for her children just as readily as she watches over them. Their father, King Jonnecht, is a capricious tyrant who hopes to control his family as strictly as he does the largest empire, and his violent rage threatens all under his rule. Then there’s Prince Ewald, eldest and heir to the throne. No one is more aware of the threat his father poses to everyone. No one has better legal standing to do anything about it. How can he save everyone he loves while upholding his mother’s kind values? He must learn the lessons required to be the best regent, choose allies wisely and earn their trust, and enact a thoughtful and detailed plan. And even if he succeeds in all that, can one who draws the line and conducts a plan with honour defeat one whose rage, selfishness, and deceit know no bounds? Can Prince Ewald stop his father? A standalone prequel to the Gift-Knight Trilogy. Cover by Jenn St-Onge.