The fabled city of Volanus has fallen, pillaged by the Dervan Empire. Those of its people who were spared the sword have been scattered throughout Derva as slaves. Now, Volanus’s greatest general walks hidden through the Dervan Empire, searching for his lost people, that he might rescue them, one by one, so that Volanus may once more live again.

His name is Hanuvar.

And he will save them all.

Howard Andrew Jones’s Lord of a Shattered Land collects the first fourteen of Hanuvar’s adventures, presenting them as vignettes in the Hanuvid, a cycle of once historical records turned into plays by Hanuvar’s traveling companion, Antires Sosilos. The keen of mind and ear may already have detected the first resonances between Hanuvar and the famed Hannibal Barca, Volanus and Carthage, Derva and Rome. However, the resonances do not stop there. Lord of a Shattered Land is a hauntingly familiar book, holding up a mirror to the past and the present of the twin genres of heroic fantasy and sword and sorcery.

One can catch glimpses of Conan, Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser, Gotrek and Felix, and even the depravities of Hoptor the Vintner throughout the Dervan countryside. And Hanuvar grapples with the same inspirations and themes that have led to his indie contemporaries, such as Mortu and Kyrus, the Mongoose and Meerkat, the Rogues of Merth, and Jacob Pepper’s Known Lands.

Many literary critics would be tempted to reach for the deconstruction label.

Perhaps “love letter to the genre” is more appropriate. Read More

Every week, the Castalia House Blog spotlights some of the many new releases in independent, pulp, and web novel-influenced science fiction and fantasy.

City of Steel and Shadow (The Last Eternal #5) – Jacob Peppers

Death has a voice.

The wanderer knew that, for he had heard that voice often enough.

And as he walked through the village of Alhs, past the corpses of those who had chosen to stay, he heard it again.

He heard it in the rasp of the wind along the eaves of the abandoned homes he passed, heard it in the slow, methodical banging of window shutters with no one to secure them.

Death has eyes.

Eyes that looked out from the corpses of those the wanderer had not been able to talk into coming with him and the others, that watched him walk down the empty street, searching in vain for any he might help, any he might save.

And with each body passed, each tragedy witnessed, the wanderer made himself a promise.

There would be a reckoning. He would see to it.

Galaxy Unknown (Forgotten Galaxy #1) – M. R. Forbes

Two hundred years ago, the generation starship Pathfinder fled a war-torn Earth, never to be heard from again.

Now, Captain Caleb Card and his crew are on a mission to investigate a transmission believed to be from the lost ship. Ambushed upon arrival, they immediately fear the worst. But the beacon isn’t only still active, it’s on the move, and where it leads will change everything they thought they knew about the universe. Thrust into a galaxy of danger, treachery, intrigue, and mystery, they’ll need to adapt quickly if they want to survive.

Caleb knows war. He’s been fighting most of his life.

He’s never seen anything like this.

Gemini Drifter (Gemini Man #2) – J. D. Cowan and Thomas Plutarch

On the Road to Nowhere

Matthew and Jason are on the run. With bounty hunters, magical monsters, and an entire alien world after them, the pair have their work cut out for them. At the same time, a mysterious cult has infiltrated the town of Albion and the only one that can stop them is the Gemini Man.

Can the two fugitives work together to stop the invasion of another world? Or are they doomed to wander the back roads forever?

Perry Rhodan NEO #14 – Michelle Stern and Christian Humberg

Aescunnar follows Hetcher out into the untamed Martian landscape, desperate to save him and find some answers. Meanwhile, the Tosoma has docked at a Mehandor Web for repair, but intrigue and secrets threaten to derail the mission. Rhodan and his crew face off with an alien race while facing uncomfortable truths among their own ranks.

On Topsid, the chase is on for Eric Manoli and Khatleen-Tarr, who have been forced to go on the run now that dissidents have turned the streets into a war zone. With a hunter on their trail who will stop at nothing, they are forced to take refuge in the sewers. But these are no ordinary sewers, and Manoli is about to learn why the Topsidans fear descending into them…

Back on Earth, Bai Jun is determined to find out what Adams is hiding and sends Lhundup into the depths of the Stardust Tower, where its foundations are being built. Poor Lhundup doesn’t make a very good miner…but who is this mysterious woman he meets there, and what secrets does she hold? Read More

Every week, the Castalia House Blog spotlights some of the many new releases in independent, pulp, and web novel-influenced science fiction and fantasy.

By This Axe – presented by Autarch

By This Axe: The Cyclopedia of Dwarven Civilization reveals the secrets of the great and proud race of dwarves, compiled, codified, and curated for use in your favorite old-school fantasy role-playing game. With the Cyclopedia, you get:

•  270 pages of lore and rules bounded in a stitch-bound hardcover and PDF edition
• A full-color painted cover by Michael Syrigos
• A full-color interior layout with full- and half-page art
• Compatibility with Old School Renaissance RPGs such as ACKS, OSE, LL, and LOTFP

Constant Sorrow (Backyard Starship #15) – J. N. Chaney and Terry Maggert

Humans have been in the stars far longer than Van originally thought, and they’ve been busy.

But not every visitor to or from Earth has good intentions, and the Peacemakers are faced with an uncomfortable reality. The Earth is about to meet aliens. Some of the aliens are bringing goods to trade. And among those items—are weapons.

When a secret cabal of humans who want to exploit the Earth is revealed, Van has to decide how and where to fight this threat. Along the way, he reveals a secret history that began in the Great War—and ends with mass chaos on his home planet.

Van won’t let that happen—at least not without a fight, and to hold back the gears of war, he’s going to need a lot of help. With Torina at his side, the crew faces a decision that will change the future of the stars themselves, and challenge the Guild, the Earth, and the Equal Grasp as the universe gets smaller with each contact between humans and aliens.

How can Van manage the clash, save earth, and deliver peace?

If he can, what will it cost him?

Privateers & Pandemonium (Salvage Treasure #3) – Nick Steverson and Melissa Olthoff

Have you ever wanted to hunt down the galaxy’s worst pirates? To stand up for what’s right and honorable?

Reggie and his small clan didn’t set out to be privateers. They set out to find the lost pirate ship of Captain Pordobel. When they hit a dead-end in their hunt, though, they contacted their old pirate buddies for help. After all, Pordobel was not only the galaxy’s most fearsome pirate, he was also the galaxy’s richest pirate. If the group can find his lost flagship, there will be more than enough treasure to go around.

But not everything goes according to plan.

If any pirate ever matched Pordobel’s bloodthirsty atrocities, it would be Captain Parson and his Predators. And they’re expanding their reach.

Armed with a writ from Emperor Dahkal, the clan sets out to put a stop Parson once and for all. But Parson is no ordinary pirate. He’s the head of the pirate council and commands an entire armada.

Will they stop Parson and end his rampage? Will they ever find the lost pirate ship of Captain Pordobel? Will Maddy ever get her umbrellas?

One thing is certain—there will be pandemonium.

The World According to Dragons #3 – Harmon Cooper

Armed with Arcane Cards and a fresh comprehension of dragon essence, Twillo is better equipped than ever to challenge Jecha, the formidable God of Carnage. However, the challenge doesn’t end there: a race against time and foe alike to unlock the last of the ziggurats, which hold the key to resurrecting dragons in the Four Kingdoms of the Sagaland.

Venturing towards the sun-drenched southern desert, Twillo is joined by an old friend thought lost to time. This newly forged alliance, however, will face challenges at every turn. From monstrous adversaries to former mentors twisted by spite, danger abounds on their path to Twillo’s ultimate goal.

Will Twillo free the imprisoned dragons before Jecha can seize control? Can he reclaim his name and fulfill his legacy? An epic adventure full of peril, camaraderie, and earth-shattering revelations awaits.

Read More

Every week, the Castalia House Blog spotlights some of the many new releases in independent, pulp, and web novel-influenced science fiction and fantasy.

Below Us – Nathan Hystaad

Forget the stars, the real threat is below us.

After a rough break up, Wyatt moves to New York City, eager to prove himself while working on Wall Street. When he’s asked to visit his ex-girlfriend’s father, a billionaire tycoon, his fate is sealed.

The revolutionary company, Nu-En, launches a radical innovation, an energy that will allow every person on the planet access to power. Only it doesn’t perform as anticipated.

Harnessing the ocean has consequences, and highly dangerous creatures emerge from the depths. Soon, the Earth is fracturing, and the world will never be the same.

Wyatt teams with Luna, a clever journalist, to escape the treacherous city with the ultimate prize: a robot capable of saving the world.

Their journey won’t be easy, but they meet others along the way that share the same determination.

Time is running out, and nothing can prepare them for what’s coming…

The Bizarchives #5 – edited by Dave Martel

On the abysmal fringes of sanity itself lies a repository of tales from realms untold. The Bizarchives: Weird Tales of Monsters, Magic and Machines holds secrets of far flung galaxies, haunted dimensions, and fantastical heroes.

Inspired by the works of HP Lovecraft and Robert E Howard, this compilation of short stories takes the listener through all things strange and exhilarating. With 15 stories written by lifelong enthusiasts of the sci-fi, fantasy, and horror genres, The Bizarchives is an unapologetic homage to the golden era of pulp fiction. If you love Conan, Cthulhu, and everything in-between, you won’t want to miss this.

The Bizarchives RETURNS!

With another odd array of weird tales from Jim Bonner, A. Cuthbertson, C.P. Webster and many more! A dozen yarns of fantasy, science fiction and supernatural horror as well as comic strips, weird poetry and MUCH MORE. A fresh collection of pulp strangeness for you reading pleasure.

Blood Shaper – WillPowah

What his enemies don’t know will bleed them dry…

Kay’s life takes an unexpected turn when he is transported to a mysterious world brimming with unfamiliar Skills, Classes, and a System. As he struggles to comprehend his new reality, he discovers a unique Class that’s never been seen before—a powerful new form of blood magic that allows him to shape and manipulate the life force coursing through his veins.

But the powers that be view Kay as a threat to their authority and dominance and are more than happy to eliminate him to maintain the status quo. Outnumbered and underpowered, if Kay has any hope of survival, he’ll need to level up his Skills, harness the power of his unique Class, and decipher the ever-shifting schemes of his enemies—all while keeping his true potential under wraps.

With a host of deadly new abilities at his disposal, Kay’s going to show them that they should have left him bloody well alone!

A Fistful of Mechs – Jake Bible

Just a man, the Wasteland, and his Battle Mech.

The Bloody Conflict is long over.The lands are now controlled by despots, crooked cattle barons, energy hoarders, and anyone with enough might to keep the local folks under control.

For Clay MacAulay, none of that matters. He roams the land in a war machine from a time gone by. He wants nothing to do with small desert towns or brutal dictators. He only has his sights set on a new life.

Unfortunately for Clay, too many ruthless people want the war machine he pilots. The battle mech that shouldn’t exist anymore.

But they will have to pry Clay’s cold, dead body out of that pilot’s seat to get it. Read More