A succession crisis in the medieval city of Valonost spurs a contest of morality and retribution amongst the diverse members of the court, where, amidst political scheming, intrigue and war, each man must struggle to attain their shifting, perceived notions of justice. The shifting sands of justice holds all in the city in thrall, and it takes only one mistake to be swept up in the vortex of revenge so desperately sought after.

It's amazing how significantly our lives can change in such a short amount of time. Whether it's a fateful meeting with an old friend, a chance event, or an epiphany that seems to materialize from thin air, the lifelong chain of events that follow forever set us on a different path. My life changed in a matter of minutes. The choices I made led me to a life of crime and caused me to become the worst sort of criminal; I became a traitor to the Country of New York. For better or worse, the path my life has taken is irreversible. I've killed, I've died, and I've risked my life in attempt to destroy a society built on over one hundred years of lies and corruption. Though I have regrets, I'm proud of the way I handled things. My name is Jacob Ashton, and this is my story. -------- Absolute Knowledge is the first of a trilogy which takes place in a dark, futuristic New York City set in 2146. The Country of New York is divided into three physical tiers and the faceless Government is working to establish Absolute Knowledge. Working As Thinkers, the citizens of the Slums are paid for their thoughts and given vouchers needed to sustain their cost of living. Since the Government controls almost everything, most citizens are forced to either work as Thinkers or turn to a life of disconnect from society under the harshest of conditions. In Absolute Knowledge, every thought has a price. Coming to print and retail in 2017! http://drewcordell.com

After bursting onto the fantasy scene with his acclaimed debut novel, Elantris, and following up with his blockbuster Mistborn trilogy, Brandon Sanderson proves again that he is today’s leading master of what Tolkien called “secondary creation,” the invention of whole worlds, complete with magics and myths all their own. Warbreaker is the story of two sisters, who happen to be princesses, the God King one of them has to marry, the lesser god who doesn’t like his job, and the immortal who’s still trying to undo the mistakes he made hundreds of years ago. Their world is one in which those who die in glory return as gods to live confined to a pantheon in Hallandren’s capital city and where a power known as BioChromatic magic is based on an essence known as breath that can only be collected one unit at a time from individual people. By using breath and drawing upon the color in everyday objects, all manner of miracles and mischief can be accomplished. It will take considerable quantities of each to resolve all the challenges facing Vivenna and Siri, princesses of Idris; Susebron the God King; Lightsong, reluctant god of bravery, and mysterious Vasher, the Warbreaker.

THE WIND ON FIRE meets STUDIO GHIBLI's LAPUTA. Tia, a wind magic trainee, desires to leave her life of monotony in a cosy seaside town. When summons arrived for the wind masters, she travels with her mentor to the capital and realises the extent of the great power and responsibilities destined for her in the corrupt country where magic equates to status and power. A rebellion brews and a war is on the horizon. Times are about to change... Winner of the 1st Wattpad4 Reading Contest. Young Writer's Prize finalist. Featured fantasy book by Wattpad. Front cover by Wendythestoryteller

Updating Fridays and Sundays, Kingdom's Fall is a fantasy adventure set in a world where heroes find themselves pitted against an ancient and powerful magic. Kara has lived her whole life trapped under the roof of her father's inn. She longs for adventure, but there is little to be found in a backwater village: at least until Aiden Baird arrives. Noble, rogue, and spy - Aiden Baird is the most notorious man in the Kingdom. Or he would be, if he could remember who he is... Cuan has lived his entire life as the garrison brat, surrounded by soldiers. Unwanted and ignored, he travels north in the service of the one man he looks up to: Gray, the garrison captain. But Captain Gray has concerns of his own. It has been fifteen years since he last saw the King, and they did not part on good terms. Something dark is growing in the Kingdom. Trade from the south has choked to a standstill, and the air over the marshes hangs heavy with the threat of war. In the north the sea-wall, the ancient defence that protects the coastline, is crumbling. The people look to their lords for guidance, and the lords look to their King. King Varion has little time for their concerns. His daughter has been kidnapped by a priest-cult who intend to sacrifice her and summon an ancient power into the world. Faced with an enemy beyond human understanding, there is only one conclusion. In order to save their people, the Kingdom must fall.

A story written for Dark Fiction Magazine's Fantasy issue. Audio version available at external link. This was inspired by the tale of Twrch Trwyth, an enchanted boar in Arthurian legend.

************************************************************************************** An outcast rogue must break a curse put on his fate, or die on his nineteenth birthday. To survive, he'll need the sword of a maiden, the aid of an immortal, and the power of forbidden magic that could cost him the only girl he ever loved. ************************************************************************************ *** THE JACK OF SOULS won a Silver IPPY this year! *** THE JACK OF SOULS won 1st place in the PNWA Competition in Fantasy! * *** THE JACK OF SOULS won 1st place in the Southwest Writers competition! * *** A "Featured Book" on Wattpad! * *** Now a "Staff Pick" on Kickstarter! * *** Available on Amazon in paper, hardback, and ebook ! * *** My contract with Kindle Select won't allow me to post more than 3 chapters here, but... *** Sign up for my newsletter on stephenmerlino.com for alerts when it's free on Amazon! * MY INSPIRATION I wrote this out of pure love of trickster rogues; I love the wit over brawn motif -- Odysseus over Achilles, Raven over Eagle -- so I like to play with it in my stories. In JOS I set the rogue and con-artist Harric against a foil of warriors in a land threatened by magic and civil war. Whenever possible I turn familiar tropes on their heads: instead of a handsome young Lancelot, I cast a broken-down ex-champion addicted to pain-killing herbs; instead of a dashing Squire Brian, the old knight reluctantly takes an ambitious young woman as squire. Similarly, I re-imagine the standard medieval milieu by infusing aspects of two of my favorite historical periods, Elizabethan England, and The American Frontier. Both eras boast a kind of nationalistic arrogance that borders on hubris, and a magnificent spirit of resourcefulness and re-invention that is fun to play with. SERIES The Jack of Souls is first in a series. I am posting parts of the sequel here now (The Knave of Souls), to help me refine the story.

Divided star kingdoms, ruled by nobles claiming descent from the gods of antiquity, are busy feuding and warring with one another, oblivious to the rising darkness. Marcus Aurelian, an agent serving the mysterious Dragon Order, is on an interstellar mission to locate a secret weapon codenamed 'the Maiden' that could turn the tide and save humankind. Join Marcus as he explores the mysteries of the past while trying to stay one step ahead of his enemies in the present. Will he manage to unlock the secrets of the Maiden in time to save humanity? Felix M. Bloom