He used these to forcibly unite the peoples of Angall, before His ascension to heaven. Over eight hundred years later, in a medieval world which is threatened by war and religious persecution, four young men and women begin to develop supernatural abilities. These forbidden and secret powers will shatter the lives that they have known, and will force each of them to confront the mystery of the ethereal Gate which haunts their dreams. What does the dream mean, and how is it connected to their burgeoning abilities? As they experience conflict, love, lust and betrayal, in lands which are being overtaken by war, they must try to stay ahead of and to survive the sinister forces which are now pursuing them. For they are being hunted…ILLBORN is Daniel T. Jackson's powerful and gritty debut novel, and is the thrilling opening chapter in the epic fantasy story of The Illborn Saga.

    His debt has driven him to lie in wait by the old forest road, planning to rob the next traveler that crosses his path.But today, Kinch Na Shannack has picked the wrong mark.Galva is a knight, a survivor of the brutal goblin wars, and handmaiden of the goddess of death. She is searching for her queen, missing since a distant northern city fell to giants.Unsuccessful in his robbery and lucky to escape with his life, Kinch now finds his fate entangled with Galva's. Common enemies and uncommon dangers force thief and knight on an epic journey where goblins hunger for human flesh, krakens hunt in dark waters, and honor is a luxury few can afford.

    Murderer. Monster. Task has been called many names in his time.“Echoes of Brandon Sanderson and Scott Lynch.”– SFF World“Grimdark with heart and soul.”– Anna Smith Spark, author of The Empires of Dust Trilogy“A very, very good read."– Fantasy Faction“A brutal delight with thrilling action and heart, rowdy and wise, bloody and tender at the same time."– Dyrk Ashton, author of The Paternus TrilogyBest Self-Published Fantasy Novel– 2017 Booknest Fantasy Awards———Golems are built for war and little else. In centuries past, they were a terrifying staple of the battlefield. Empires were conquered on the backs of golems. Now, time and fear have whittled their kind down to a precious few, kept only by kings and warlords.Task of Wind-Cut is one such machine of war.Task was built to kill. Built to win. Thousands have died at his stone hands. He cared once, perhaps, but far too many years have passed and too much blood has been spilled. Task has become numb to the chaos he wreaks for his masters. A slave to the spells that bind him.Now, Task has a new master to serve and a new war to endure. In the far reaches of the Realm, Hartlund is in the grip of civil war, tearing itself in two over coin and crown. This time, Task will fight for a boy king and a general bent on victory.Beneath his formidable stone, Task longs for change. For an end to this cycle of warfare. For proof of light and good amongst the foul darkness of humanity and war. It will take the mind of an unusual stable-girl to change his.———ABOUT THE HEART OF STONEPacked with action and yet emotionally charged, The Heart of Stone is an epic military fantasy novel that explores the facets of human nature and the roots of warfare and conflict. Told through the eyes of Task, a five hundred year-old golem, this standalone fantasy is perfect for fans of Brandon Sanderson, Mark Lawrence, Scott Lynch and Joe Abercrombie.———MORE PRAISE FOR THE HEART OF STONE“From the fascinating world-building to the intriguing, colorful and memorable characters, The Heart of Stone is a pleasure to read.”– BookNest“Dark, brutal and violent, and packed with heart and emotional depth, The Heart of Stone is an intriguing novel.”– Alan Baxter, author of The Alex Caine Series“This is Ben’s best book yet. Plain and simple.”– Michael R. Miller, author of The Dragon’s Blade Trilogy"A solidly written and fascinating dark fantasy."– BiblioSanctum

    Scornful. Full of pride. Darnuir, Prince of Dragons, cares nothing for the damage he's doing to the faltering alliance against the demonic forces of the Shadow. He thinks himself invincible - right up till a mortal wound forces him to undergo a dangerous rebirthing spell, leaving him a helpless babe in human hands.Twenty years pass and demonic forces are once again poised to sweep across the land. With the alliance between humanity, dragons, and fairies fracturing, Darnuir will have to uncover the secrets of his past, seek redemption for his sins, and rally the disparate races if they are to survive.Only Darnuir can do this. For he’s the last member of the royal bloodline and only he can wield the Dragon’s Blade...

    An immersive adventure armed with dark politics, sharp objects, and bickering characters, this treacherous saga packs a legendary punch for adult and NA readers alike. Fans of Brandon Sanderson, George R.R. Martin, and Robin Hobb won't be able to resist!BEHIND THE MASK OF DUTY AND POWER, NO ONE IS WHO THEY SEEM...After the Forgotten Wars ravaged the world and turned it to ash, the realm of Orynthia has thrived. To bring peace to their territories, the Houses of Pilar, Darakai, and Boreal forged an accord with Bastiion, founding a Quadren of advisory to the throne. Each generation, a single haidren is appointed to this coveted chair. But in a land of war and deceit, peace should never be trusted.When Luscia Tiergan, al’haidren to the House of Boreal, reaches the age of ascension and takes her seat in court, she is driven into a maze of political traps and dark secrets. Her reputation soiled by seclusion and alleged sorcery, Luscia soon uncovers a pattern of forgotten children, slain in the streets of Bastiion.Ascending from an upbringing rooted in cruelty and suspicion, Zaethan Kasim, al’haidren to the House of Darakai, quickly clashes with Luscia, the newcomer in his midst. His position in Darakai threatened by an old rival, Zaethan is forced into an uneasy alliance to gain the upper hand. As death spills across his second home, Zaethan must set aside his hatred to secure his claim and protect the blameless.Following a disturbing stream of innocent blood, Luscia and Zaethan learn they are not alone as they race through the heart of Orynthia, the House of Bastiion.Content Advisory detailed on the THL website. Direct link provided under "Questions" below.

    Follow Klein as he finds himself entangled with the Churches of the world—both orthodox and unorthodox—while he slowly develops newfound powers thanks to the Beyonder potions.

    Born the night that the Archmagus Valeria died, Endrance was gifted with the talent and mind for magic. He'd proven that he was more than capable of mastering the forces of magic and intellectual study at the hands of a master as mad as he was crafty. He was one of the Scribed, mages who had undergone a painful yet powerful ritual that granted them the ability to tattoo spells upon their very skin.He had finally proven himself to his master, and was free to practice magic at his own pace. If that were all fate had in store for him, he would have been happy. However fate wanted more of this man's potential than a lifetime of quiet study.Instead, he was appointed the Spengur of Balator, a country radically different from his own. He would face an entire city of people that prized physical might and shunned the mystic. There he would meet staunch allies, and dangerous foes. There, he could change the world, if he could only survive.It is through the fires of strife that a person is melted down into the core of who they really are, and fate has stoked the flames white hot. Can he survive the blaze? And even more importantly, who will he be if he emerges from the other side?

    Driven by rage and an oath to avenge her mother's memory, Tempest throws herself into training.But becoming the first ever female assassin isn't enough. Now, she must obtain the heart of her kingdom's most feared enemy - the jester - a deadly shapeshifter hidden in a land twisted by myth and darkness.Revenge is never easy or cheap. Tempest is willing to sacrifice everything to see justice served. Even her own soul and freedom.Enter the world of the Twisted Kingdoms at your own risk where monsters wear pretty masks, good and evil are at war, and fairy tales don't exist. If you love fiery heroines, sexy villains, enemies-to-lovers romance, pulse-pounding action, mafia undertones, and dark fairy tales, you need to discover the new series readers are comparing to Holly Blacks's Cruel Prince and Leigh Bardugo's Six of Crows.

    Over the course of eight years, he shared these worlds with his friends through twice-weekly sessions of tabletop gaming. Now at the age of seventeen, he finds himself in Aerb, a world that appears to be an amalgam of those many notebooks, stuck trying to find the answers to why he's there and what this world is trying to say. The most terrifying answer might be that this world is an expression of the person he was back on Earth.Words:1654265 complete

    Enemy nations circle the once-bountiful isle, sensing its growing vulnerability, hungry to control the ideal port for all trade routes.The king's three daughters—battle-hungry Gaela, master manipulator Reagan, and restrained, starblessed Elia—know the realm's only chance of resurrection is to crown a new sovereign, proving a strong hand can resurrect magic and defend itself. But their father will not choose an heir until the longest night of the year, when prophecies align and a poison ritual can be enacted.Refusing to leave their future in the hands of blind faith, the daughters of Innis Lear prepare for war—but regardless of who wins the crown, the shores of Innis will weep the blood of a house divided.

    . . or destroy it?Among the Academy's warrior-thieves, Annev de Breth is an outlier. Unlike his classmates who were stolen as infants from the capital city, Annev was born in the small village of Chaenbalu, was believed to be executed, and then unknowingly raised by his parents' killers.Seventeen years later, Annev struggles with the burdens of a forbidden magic, a forgotten heritage, and a secret deformity. When he is subsequently caught between the warring ideologies of his priestly mentor and the Academy's masters, he must choose between forfeiting his promising future at the Academy or betraying his closest friends. Each decision leads to a deeper dilemma, until Annev finds himself pressed into a quest he does not wish to fulfil.Will he finally embrace the doctrine of his tutors, murder a stranger, and abandon his mentor? Or will he accept the more difficult truth of who he is . . . and the darker truth of what he may become . . .

    War will tear it down.Seventeen years after rebels stormed the streets, factions divide Kisia. Only the firm hand of the god-emperor holds the empire together. But when a shocking betrayal destroys a tense alliance with neighboring Chiltae, all that has been won comes crashing down.In Kisia, Princess Miko Ts'ai is a prisoner in her own castle. She dreams of claiming her empire, but the path to power could rip it, and her family, asunder.In Chiltae, assassin Cassandra Marius is plagued by the voices of the dead. Desperate, she accepts a contract that promises to reward her with a cure if she helps an empire fall.And on the border between nations, Captain Rah e'Torin and his warriors are exiles forced to fight in a foreign war or die.As an empire dies, three warriors will rise. They will have to ride the storm or drown in its blood.The Reborn EmpireWe Ride the StormFor more from Devin Madson, check out:The Vengeance TrilogyThe Blood of WhisperersThe Gods of ViceThe Grave at Storm's End

    The dictatorial Augurs—once thought of almost as gods—were overthrown and wiped out during the conflict, their much-feared powers mysteriously failing them. Those who had ruled under them, men and women with a lesser ability known as the Gift, avoided the Augurs' fate only by submitting themselves to the rebellion's Four Tenets. A representation of these laws is now written into the flesh of any who use the Gift, forcing those so marked into absolute obedience.As a student of the Gifted, Davian suffers the consequences of a war fought—and lost—before he was born. Despised by most beyond the school walls, he and those around him are all but prisoners as they attempt to learn control of the Gift. Worse, as Davian struggles with his lessons, he knows that there is further to fall if he cannot pass his final tests. But when Davian discovers he has the ability to wield the forbidden power of the Augurs, he sets into motion a chain of events that will change everything. To the north, an ancient enemy long thought defeated begins to stir. And to the west, a young man whose fate is intertwined with Davian’s wakes up in the forest, covered in blood and with no memory of who he is…

     When I was little I used to climb up to the highest branches of the housetree at night, and watch the starships docking at the orbital stations high above. Forty meters off the ground, watching ships thirty thousand kilometers overhead, with senses that could pick out radar pings and comm chatter as easily as the ships themselves. It all seemed perfectly natural at the time. There were other kids with mods at the orphanage, but nothing like that. I learned fast to downplay my abilities, keep my mouth shut and try to blend in. Even as a kid I knew not to trust the Matrons. What would they do, if they realized the Adjustments that were supposed to make me a meek little herd animal didn’t do anything? Then I messed up, and gave myself away. Now I’m on the run, hoping against hope that the Matrons won’t try too hard to find me. Hoping to survive all the awful things that can happen to a girl on her own in space. Kidnappers, slavers, pirates and yakuza - no matter where I go, trouble always seems to find me. Good thing I’m not as helpless as I look.

    There is already a more accurate version of this entry.