A dazzling foray into a luminous magical realm.
Wilder is an intelligent and well-reasoned young man who has never let his disease define him. Though living with the emotional agony caused by an absent father and the physical burden of multiple sclerosis, his scholarly mind and loyal spirit stand him in good stead. When his high school graduation trip ends in a deadly helicopter crash, Wilder wakes up in a realm not his own. Though it sounds like something torn from the pages of a fantasy novel, Wilder discovers his wild new reality as he gets a crash course in Hiraeth’s history. A powerful conqueror named Abaddon once threatened the people of the kingdoms, but was defeated and driven away for millennia. Now, he is back with a vengeance and the timing is not coincidental. Wilder is the key to a 200-year-old prophecy that refers to Abaddon’s return. Overwhelmed by the recent loss of his mother and the implications of his arrival in Hiraeth, Wilder’s heartbreak is softened when he learns that his father did not callously abandon his family so many years ago. Motivated by hope and spurred on by new friends, Wilder sets out to find his father and save a world he was always destined to be a part of. But Abaddon’s fearsome reputation was forged in blood long ago, and he will do whatever is necessary to stop Wilder, Hiraeth’s last bastion of defense.
A dazzling foray into a luminous magical realm, The Return of Abaddon is the ultimate adventure story! Audiences are ushered into a world where phoenixes rise from the ashes and fiendlings do the bidding of their masters. Magic is introduced in many ways, including interdimensional travel via magical portals, a range of unique gifts, and even the ability to manipulate time. Clever wordplay with names and places will guide the emotions of readers, adding depth and an inherent sense of familiarity to a story that spans multiple realms. True, the early parts of the story are thick with exposition as the author dedicates much space to orienting audiences to the intricacies of a distinctive new world. However, the complex backstory is only a tiny piece of the action, adventure, tension, and suspense in this first installment in the series, The Scars of Hiraeth. Relationship dynamics and character development are paramount, particularly with such a shrewdly crafted antagonist. Abaddon poses a menace to friend and foe alike, an element that gives rise to many opportunities for tenuous alliances and plotted double-crosses. Earnest and engaging, The Return of Abaddon is a terrific start in what promises to be an epic fantasy saga.
