Showing results by author "Joshua C Cook" in All Categories

Welcome to Alos–a world torn between the thriving, magic-free lands of the North and the untamed, mystical realms of the South. Under the vigilant guidance of Sartum, the Unsundered, the North flourishes, protected from the dark corruption of magic by the Anchors–an ancient order with the power to absorb and eradicate malevolent forces.

Be pulled into the world of the Forgemaster Cycle, as William Reis finds his life changed beyond recognition as he discovers ancient truths that will shatter not only the land of Palnor, but all of Alos. William Reis just wants to be a Guild Smith, a dream shared by generations of Reachers. When he breaks a law older than any other, he unleashes a torrent of danger that just might destroy not only him, but the only family he has left. To save Duncan Reis, his cousin, Will must accept a fate he doesn’t want, and do the impossible....

Stealing a shard of a dead god’s blood should have been enough adventure for a lifetime. For William Reis, it was just the beginning. William has a single goal in his life, to succeed where generations of others have failed, and gain admittance to the Smithing Guild of Palnor. Men and women from the Reach have tried for years, but all have failed. They have failed for a single reason, a commandment from the Church of Amder. No one from the Reach can ever gain entrance to the Guild. A decree that remains unknown all but the Masters of the Guild, and even they don't know why.

Generations have passed since the Unsundered god, Sartum, destroyed the City in Blue, the center of mortal use of magic. The betrayal of Sartum by William Reis and Myriam VolFar in the waning hours of that conflict has shaped the world of Alos and continues to do so. In the south, magic runs free. Though mostly bound to magical creatures and places, mortals are able to use the power that flows through the very land and its people. In the north, the lands are clean from the infection of magic.

Victory! Hard-fought, and a close thing, but victory all the same. But why did William feel so horrible about it all? He had Amder back to the world. He, William Reis, was made the new forgemaster of Amder by the God himself. Valnijz’s return ended, and even the near-immortal High Priest Zalkiniv is gone. The Valni were almost totally decimated, assuring safe passage for years to come.

Danger, action, and magic come together to bring an epic conclusion to the Forgemaster Cycle. The unthinkable has happened. Everything that William Reis had worked so hard for, undone by one of his closest friends. Amder was gone, Duncan was gone, and even Regin was gone. Thrust into a strange City where magic and machinery come together in wonders undreamed of, Will soon finds himself once again doing the one thing he hates, being important. Myriam is torn.

What comes after you’ve written your story, but before you hit publish? Writing a book is hard work. I know, I've been writing and self-publishing since 2014. I've made mistakes, learned a lot, and had success. But it wasn't easy. There is a lot to learn before you actually publish your book. What's does 'going wide' mean? Do I really need an editor? If so, what kind? See, I was just like you. I wrote the thing, and then was lost. There are a lot of books about writing, there's even more about advertising. But there's a big hole in the middle, when you want to go from written word to ...

The Bridgefinders have won a battle they never expected to walk away from. The Slyph has been pushed back, and now faces open rebellion from Grellnot. War is brewing on the Echo World, a war that has large implications for us. Within the Bridgefinders something rotten has taken hold, as one of their own starts down a dark path of jealousy, anger, and hate.

James Blackwoad loves order, systems, and figuring problems out. His only real problem is dealing with office politics and a Director at his work that seems to have it in for him. But when computer systems start to become infected with a new virus, he is quickly thrown into a world of cybercrime, government agencies, and far more danger than he realizes. What is CANTIUS? Who created it? And who is willing to destroy him to protect it?

We are losing a war we don't even know is being fought. A war over magic. On one side the Slyph, an immensely powerful magical being who rules the Echo World. On the other, the Bridgefinders, an ancient order of men and women. A war that the humans are losing. When Cendan Key, a new Bridgefinder is discovered, he wants nothing to do with it. But he alone can change the course of a war that has the highest stakes ever, the planet itself.

Layten and his friends Hopwell and Wix are somehow still alive, though not anywhere they want to be. After the battle of the Guardians in the House of Knowledge everything Layten thought was upended, as the Priest Vilom, the "Voice of Sartum" has started a crusade. A crusade to end the threat of magic, once and for all.

Shunned for their connection to the evil that is magic, Anchors are not welcome anywhere in north for long. The ability to absorb magic, to destroy magical creatures, and even "see" magic will eventually drive them mad, and lead to their entering the descent, a place where they all eventually must go.

Generations ago, a fateful decision was made that set events in motion that could destroy everything. Now, the unsundered god Sartum is determined to undo that choice, and it's up to an unlikely group of heroes to stop him.

In a world where the gods hold all the power, Layten and his friends thought they understood the rules. But after being captured by the most powerful caster in Alos, Calmar, they find themselves trapped in a land where magic reigns supreme. With Vilom still plotting to carry out Sartum's task, Layten and his friends must navigate a world they never knew existed.