Volume 2 of Chronicles of Innisfail moves to production.
Book 2 in that series the Chronicles of Innisfail The Coming of Shadows, has passed final review and is scheduled for
publication in the next 7-10 days. Here’s a preview of the new front cover:
The first cover candidate was an image entitled "Lord Soth's Charge" by Kieth Parkinson. In seeking rights to use it for the cover we learned that TSR has already acquired rights to that image, so we moved to Cover candidate #2 above, an image of the Mysterious Dharman Legion being led out by Luth.
Get ready to Rumble, cause here come the Dreadlords! After
the dramatic battle against Sonderin’s Vile Host in Hallowfield, Llanishen, and
the fields of Arnir, Duke Morgin Grenfell finds himself in a predicament after
the is arrested by a thankless Emperor and accused of High Treason. Volume II
in the series opens with Morgin trying to find a way out of that dilemma so
that he can get back west to defend the Western Outlands against a new looming
threat. The mysterious Dharman Legion is being led out by Sonderin's brother Luth, (the new cover art) and marching to
the Valley of Soregor where he plans to join his shadow host with that of the
Witch Queen of the Underworld, with legions of skeletals and Bone Riders.
So all the dark forces rise in this volume to make a new
attack, when all three Dreadlords lead their hosts against the Empire of
Innisfail. This volume also presents a venture into the Underworld by a small
company of 9 intrepid characters, Wilem, Sachi, Duke Morgin, and Sencha
Windweaver among them. Their incursion is only possible because the Queen has
taken her Army of the Dead aloft, leaving the Underworld largely empty… but not
quite empty enough to suit those who dare to enter it in this volume.
A good Dungeon crawl ensues, and those who survive it return
to learn the situation in the east is darker then ever, as the three Dreadlords
now lay siege to Rammath-Innis, capital of the empire. The second great battle in
the east is beginning, and it will need all the strength of free men, including
the Dwarrowkin clans, to prevent the fall of the empire. This one is action
packed, and introduces a new High Mage, Vortigern, after Wilem’s discovery in
the Ice Hollows has some unforeseen consequences. Wilem has also taken a shine to Sachi, Kaspar's Chief Scout.
If you haven’t made the jump to this new series, now’s the time
to do so. Come explore a new world that is as richly detailed as those
offered by other masters in this genre, and here we get Volume II just 30 days
after the series premier. This is going to make for some great summer reading!
For those who who are Patrons of the arts, John has also set up a Paetreon Page here:
Hey there, help us keep this guy fed!
Other announcements include some price changes and new
paperback and ebook editions:
Volume I of Innisfail now back at $4.99 until May 5.
Volume I Of Kirov series reduced to $3.99 to welcome new readers.
Volume I of Dharman Sci-Fi Series reduced to $3.99 to welcome new readers. (John's first "Dharmans" were not shadow warriors, but a menagerie of life forms on the planet Dharma VI.) The books are being reformatted to get three volumes of equal length. So some material from Wild Zone will move into Book II, and some material from Mother Heart will move into Book III. All three books will be about 325 pages each. The trilogy is being reissued soon in three reformatted paperbacks and one massive Kindle file covering all three books. Wild Zone, Mother Heart, and finally the 3rd Volume, Nightwatch. This trio will probably be released as a big 970 page 3-book bundle on kindle this year for $9.99 but John is still tinkering with book 3 in the series. Anyone who has already bought the first two books in that series can also order book III at $3.99. We'll announce availability later.
Volume I of Silk Road Series, Taklamakan reduced to $3.99 - This often overlooked book introduces the Series, which John considers his best writing among all his many books. In fact, the main character, Tando will seem like a close cousin of Kaspar Jakhad in the Innisfail series, because Taklamakan began as an Epic Fantasy, and John then decided to make it a historical fiction instead. It's s great read!
“1944” in Kirov Series now available in Trade
Paperback. (We missed that format earlier).
The thick 569 Page Battle book Vendetta now also
available in Trade Paperback with all the zeppelin action and battles for
Ilanskiy. This book had been in kindle format for some time.
Below is a Bone Rider Scythe Leader, the skies above him clouded with Mereliki Dragon Bats, and ghostly spirits of the Herelinka rising bottom right. This is a rights free image approved for commercial use. This was cover candidate #3 for The Coming of Shadows, but John thought featuring the Dharmans jived with the title better, as they are Luth's dread shadow warriors.
A Bone Rider Scythe Leader from the Underworld
Here come the bad guys! If Sonderin’s Vile Host
wasn’t enough, Morwenna is sending out scores of her Bone Riders and Skeletals,
the animated remains of all those who have died and were carried into the
Underworld over the long centuries. It gets downright nasty on the fields of Innis, with a Mage War on top of all the other fighting as Sencha, Vortigern, Maelgrinn and Tal stand to oppose Sonderin, Luth and Morwenna. If you like this genre, come and see!
