The Dark Road Ahead - Paperback
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A gnome bard. A war he never meant to fight. A road getting darker with every step.
Ferrin Alsahar came ashore in Vyspan looking for a hot meal and a ship home. What he found was a frozen kingdom slowly dying - refugees freezing in the squares, bread thieves losing their heads in the market, and a tavern-keeper who deals in bloodstained letters and very dangerous favors.
He should have kept walking. He never could.
Now Ferrin is bound for a queen no one can find, with an orc warrior on his left and a high elf scholar on his right. Behind them, prison camps the size of cities. Ahead, necromancers, soldiers in black cloaks, and a nameless shadow called The Darkness eating its way through the kingdoms of the north. And somewhere far to the south, someone wants to see his family destroyed.
The illusions Ferrin trained for as a boy won't keep anyone alive out here. The deeper magic he keeps reaching for might - if he can survive what it costs him.
Heroes get songs sung about them. Ferrin used to write the songs. This isn't that kind of story.
The Dark Road Ahead is Book Two of The Drakkan Chronicles - character-driven epic fantasy with the wit of The Lies of Locke Lamora and the heart of Kings of the Wyld.
Rye has been captivated by the fantasy and science fiction genres for as long as he can remember. Whether through books, films, or video games, he has always been drawn to imaginative worlds filled with adventure, mystery, and wonder. His love for storytelling began early-while other children listened to nursery rhymes, Rye's mother introduced him to the works of J.R.R. Tolkien (seriously!), sparking a lifelong fascination with epic tales and intricate world-building.
Before stepping into the world of fiction writing, Rye spent over a decade as a multi-award-winning broadcast and online journalist. His career took him to the heart of breaking news, covering everything from high-profile crimes to local politics-sometimes both in the same story. These years sharpened his storytelling skills, honed his ability to capture compelling narratives, and exposed him to the complexities of the human experience-elements that now enrich his fiction.
Today, Rye channels his passion for speculative storytelling into crafting science fiction and fantasy novels that transport readers to vibrant, otherworldly landscapes. His stories explore universal themes of resilience, identity, and the boundless potential of imagination.
Rye lives in Mississippi with his wife and their spirited dog, where he writes full-time. When he's not immersed in his latest project, you'll often find him enjoying the outdoors, experimenting in the kitchen, or indulging in his lifelong enthusiasm for geek culture-whether it's diving into a new RPG or revisiting his favorite sci-fi films.
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