A New Age of Man

A Realms Novel, Book 1

By: D.A. Putman

Narrated by: Judith Bareham

The last soul on the planet of Galleant let out his last breath, and another age of man had passed. While the Patrons of the Realm mourned the loss, little did they know that their next decision—an experiment born of desperation—would reverberate across the heavens. For the first time in their history, A New Age of Man will be given access to the magical powers of the Source.

Arran turned and froze. The sourcestone was no longer the weathered grey of his youth. It was glowing vibrantly with the sigil of Talon, the Patron of Intelligence, a single dagger crossing a book.

“What the…?”

Arran had not expected much on his Source Day. No one in his family had ever been gifted. He would say his prayers, ceremonially pass into adulthood, and embark down the path of taking over his father’s smithy.

That is, until the sigil of Talon appeared on the sourcestone.

Thrust into the midst of Patron Talon’s intelligence training at the vaunted School of Meitellen, he will come to discover a new passion, friends that will become as family, and a mystery of deceit and corruption crossing the entire continent.

Throw away all your notions of a distinct category and enjoy a Fantasy story that has a bit of it all; coming of age, cozy elements, deceit, corruption, adventure, mystery, and some surprising reveals to keep you guessing.

©2024 DA Putman (P)2024 DA Putman

Critic reviews

Silver Medalist Award at TheBookFest 2024 Fall Awards in the Fantasy-Epic Category

2024 Silver Medalist at the Global Book Awards in the Fantasy-Epic Category

"I would highly recommend this book to fans of speculative fiction, anyone interested in the potential paths our world might take, and readers who enjoy stories with deep, engaging characters and rich world-building. This novel is well worth your time." - Diamond Harrell - Reedsy Discovery

Excellent Story!

I really enjoyed the characters and action packed storyline. The narrator did an excellent job as well. I can’t wait for the next one!

What great beginning to an epic story!

Thank you for a story of engaging and involving characters that I hope to “see” again.

Blown Away!

I have over 543 books currently in my audible collection. Out of all of those I can say with absolute certainty that book is within my top 5 most enjoyable listening experiences to date.

This story at its very roots is coming of age novel that has a progression fantasy frame, cozy slice of life roofing, and a great adventurous backyard.

This novel does so many things well but I truly want to highlight just how well the author navigates the motivations and ambitions of the characters in his story.

The narrator does a great job at giving each character a distinct voice if not entirely unique and was able to perform exceptionally.

I highly recommend you give this author and audiobook a chance. I can’t wait to listen to the next book.

It felt like you were there!!!

I loved how the author described the world and the characters. The person who read the story was terrific as well. Look for the next chapter.

Amazing world building & Characters you want to be friends with!

D.A. Putman has managed to create a story with the incredible depth and complexity of high fantasy and has also created characters you will want to be friends with! The character development is incredible with plenty of meat, but they are still light hearted. I love fantasy but struggle with how dark and depressing the tone can often be. Putman delivers on a riveting story with amazing world building that isn’t dark. You will love listening to the story unfold. He’s got plenty of surprises in store for you with this book! Judith B does an incredible job with the narration. The pacing is perfect. I love how Putman manages to build the tension, complexity, and pace as the book progresses. I would love to go to this school for those with gifts, and I would love to be a part of this group of friends! I can’t wait to see what happens next!

Outstanding!

The concept of introducing magic for the first time into a world is a very interesting one and A New Age of Man takes you on a journey that navigates this unique scenario in a very compelling way. The character development is very thought through and the world is nicely brought to life in a very descriptive way (you’ may find yourself wanting to hang out on some of those places). The group of friends and their evolving relationships give it a light touch to the story. Some developments will take you by surprise.
Loking forward to the sequel!

Tedious, unimaginative story

A tedious, unimaginative story. The narrator doesn't help. It's rarely a good choice to have a female narrator for a male character, but a good narrator can compensate. This one can't, and compounds the problem with a flat monotone delivery. And slow.