Book 4 of The Death Wizard Chronicles, a six-book epic fantasy
Everyone they love may be doomed. Everything they cherish may be destroyed. There is no turning back.
Torg and Laylah’s world is in chaos; their life together, in jeopardy. Even a powerful Death Wizard such as Torg may not triumph as three terrible wars are unleashed upon the land. The evil druids of the forest Dhutanga—giant, insect-like monsters—swarm to attack the white horsemen of Jivita. The druids are superior both in strength and numbers, but the forces of good are not without hope. Torg and his Tugars stand by the horsemen’s sides.
Several hundred leagues to the east, an army of zombies invades Tējo, the great desert. Most of the Tugars have left to aid their allies, and only a few warriors remain to defend the Tugars’ homeland against this horrendous assault.
The most devastating force of all is led by Mala, the ruined snow giant, who has marched with his massive army of cretins and golden soldiers to assail the black fortress of Nissaya.
Triken is on fire.
Excerpt
The passageway that led to his lair filled with a glowing light. Invictus had no need for stealth; he was overconfident to the point of absurdity. He might as well have been coming to catch a chameleon the length of his hand, not a dragon more than three hundred times his size. But Bhayatupa was no chameleon. Except for his one encounter with the sorcerer, he had never lost a battle against a single foe in more than eighty millennia. Invictus had surprised him the first time, but he wouldn’t now. Bhayatupa was ready.
Professional Reviews
‘The Death Wizard Chronicles’ offers brave new fantasy world
By Ann Allen
The Charlotte Observer
We have a masterful new fantasy writer on the scene: Jim Melvin’s series, “The Death Wizard Chronicles,” creates the world of Triken, where the evil, demon-spawned Invictus reigns over a tainted city and plots to take over the world.
Two of six novels have come out so far. “Forged in Death” introduces the desert king Torg, who collects power by venturing through the portals of death with the aid of deep meditation – thus becoming a Death Wizard.
Melvin draws imaginative visions of this place beyond death, but his description of how Torg gets there has at least as much appeal. As our culture becomes increasingly enamored of mindfulness meditation, finding a character who has mastered these techniques feels very timely. And Melvin shows his literary mastery as he weaves elements of potential and transformation; his tale dances among literal shape shifters and more subtle powers of mind. Things are not what they seem on Triken.
Torg faces plenty of challenges, starting with how to escape an enchanted pit – imbued with evil magic – where Invictus has trapped him. He gets support from his desert followers, whose fighting skills make them nearly invincible. And a mighty dragon, in the employ of Invictus but seeking wisdom from Torg, attempts to aid him, too. But his foes have powers of their own, especially the corrupted snow giant Mala, who leads Invictus’ armies.
Torg’s post-pit adventures introduce delightful characters who join his quest to defeat Invictus, carrying us into the second novel, “Chained by Fear.” Here we meet Laylah, Invictus’ beautiful sister, held captive for decades by lustful Invictus. Long chapters show the depths of Invictus’ depravity – no, these aren’t books for children – and it’s a relief when Laylah finally escapes and the action picks up. She encounters Torg and joins his lively band. Mala, dispatched to catch her, encounters the dragon and falls into difficulties. But the fate of Triken remains at risk.
Fantasy for adults
“Adult Harry Potter and Eragon fans can get their next fix with Jim Melvin's six-book epic The Death Wizard Chronicles . . . Melvin's imagination and writing equal that of J.K. Rowling, author of the fantastically popular Harry Potter series, and Christopher Paolini, author of Eragon and Eldest. Some of his descriptions—and creatures—even surpass theirs.”
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