melkorka

Featured Fantasy Book Series: Thrice Nine Legends

Looking for fantasy book recommendations? Get comfy—Thrice Nine Legends fantasy book series will entertain you for a while! Fantasy authors Joshua Robertson and J.C. Boyd have created worlds of adventure with dragons, unique creatures, and complex relationships that blur line between heroes and villains.

Thrice Nine Legends is shown below in chronological order. Note that anthologies include short stories that are part of the timeline.

Anaerfell ebook coverWarden of the Ash Tree ebook coverThe Highborn Longwalker ebook coverMelkorka ebook coverOf Life and Death ebook coverStrong Armed ebook coverWhen Blood Falls ebook coverDyndaer ebook coverThe Name of Death ebook coverMaharia ebook coverHeshayol ebook coverRagged Heroes ebook cover

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BOOK LAUNCH: Dyndaer by Joshua Robertson

Fans of the Kaelandur series, behold! Joshua Robertson is back with the second book and it promises to be a fast-paced sword and sorcery fantasy that picks up right where book one left off. Here are three excerpts to whet your appetite.

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Excerpt 1

A woman, unlike any Branimir had ever seen, emerged from the crowd and occupied the remaining chair. The bow slung over her shoulder, and the quiver on her back were the last things Branimir noticed. She was shorter than most Anshedar with an oversized head, a scrawny neck, and a sickly, thin frame. Yet her skin, smooth and colored a reddish brown, darker than Branimir, caused him to lean toward her. A sash, red as blood, hung DyndaerCoveracross her shoulder, angled over her small chest.

She sat with her back stiffened and chin jutted forward. Pushing long black strands behind her ears, she introduced herself, “Hanna Bretka, daughter of Briv, from Danduher in Haemus Mons.” She sloshed her mug onto the table after taking a gulp.

“Branimir and Dorofej,” Bran said, “And, excuse my asking, but what are you?”

Her eyes swelled like an owl, a circular black center and the rest filled with a cerulean orb. The colored ring twinkled like the Ojenek in his pocket. “What do you mean what am I?”

Adamus and Dorofej merged in laughter.

“Kras,” she said, “I am a Lilitu. How would you not know my kind? The Kras frequent trade with the Lilitu in Halderon.”

Branimir rubbed the back of his neck with a crooked smile, and meekly shrugged. He could not take his eyes off of her.

What are you?” Adamus repeated, wiping a tear from the corner of his eye. “Best thing I have heard in two months. Having you travel with me never tires, Hanna.”

“Glad to please you, Adamus,” Hanna muttered, rolling his name off her tongue. “Is this why we detoured to Cavell? I thought we were aiming for debauchery, not expanding on our alleged friendship.”

Excerpt 2

“You told me that I would never find joy,” Branimir went on. “I can’t help but think the rune staves might be right, mainly when I think of these past several weeks.”

“Oh.” Dorofej shuffled out from the shadows, rejoining them near the fire. He appeared disgruntled, despite his words. “We have shared pleasant times together, yes? I say, do not sum up all arduous times to be grievous.”

“I was only telling you what I was seeing,” Drak explained. “I did not mean anything by it.”

“All the same, your words have stayed with me,” said Branimir, scooting over to make room for Dorofej.

“I say, Hanna did warn us that we may create our own future by thinking that we know what to expect, yes? Emotions can create your reality if you are not careful,” Dorofej softened his gaze.

Drak sniffed through his nose. “The rune staves tell what will happen. Branimir cannot change it, no matter how he feels about it.”

Dorofej furrowed his brow. “Know that for certain, we do not. Regardless, whether our paths are fixed or not, we choose how we walk them. Dangerous, it is, to find comfort in sadness. Leads only to more sadness, it does.”

“I like that thought,” Drak granted, and then grinned wide. “Feelings are unseen and untouched by anyone or anything. Fate cannot tell you how to feel.”

Branimir held his face, pondering the wisdom of the two. “Telling yourself how to feel seems easier to think about than to do.”

“Such is the task of the living, yes? I say, our minds are riddled with grand ideas and limited enthusiasm to see it done. Driven towards the things we wish to avoid, men are. Drink, does the drunkard; fight, does the warrior; and on and on, it goes.”

“Is it not what they want?” Branimir asked.

Dorofej lifted his eyebrows, “What do you want, Branimir?”

“I want…” Branimir may have never thought about the question before. He had always been entertained with trying to survive, the question of what to live for was beyond his knowing. Yet, upon taking a moment to think, the answer was not hard to come by. “I want happiness, Dorofej.”

Excerpt 3

The demons of the Netherworld chased him. Four-legged, wolf-like creatures, known as Dreka, rammed their goat horns at Branimir. The gray, wrinkled skin clung to their gaunt frames. Thin lips were stretched back giving sight to the rows of teeth on the tops and bottoms of their bloodied gums.

Branimir tumbled, swinging his weapon and feeling it tear through flesh as easily as a hot blade through frost. For a moment, he may have heard Dorofej’s riddlesome voice—no, his cry—but Branimir had not the time to listen. Bran had to scramble, and sneak, and stab.

And stab. And stab. And stab.

The urgency of the battle and the demons thumped inside of his head.

“Stop!” A familiar voice, again, cried in desperation.

Crimson splattered his vision as his dagger cut through skin once more. His blade loved the taste of blood; he felt the need to drench it again.

Pain stung his leg, but it was quickly forgotten as demon after demon lunged for him. The Dreka were ever persistent in their attack. He spun, and twisted, and disappeared to avoid every demonic beast soaring through the air, vicious teeth aimed for his throat. They would not reach him. For a moment, he thought he saw a flash of Hanna’s wide eyes, but they looked unfamiliar. Treacherous. Evil. Besides, his dagger was already cocked behind his ear and he felt incapable of restraining himself.

BLURB

Branimir emerges from the Netherworld as a living legend and learns the Ash Tree is still in danger from the cursed dagger, kaelandur. An old friend compels Branimir to finish what they started at Melkorka. Once again, the former slave must keep kaelandur out of uncertain hands, while struggling to separate heroes from villains and friends from foes. Some evils never lessen.

BIO

RobertsonPicJoshua currently lives in Alaska with his wife and children. In 1999, he began crafting the world for Thrice Nine Legends, including Melkorka and Anaerfell. He is also the author of the A Midwinter Sellsword and Gladiators and Thieves in the Hawkhurst Saga. His short story, Grimsdalr, is inspired by the tale of Beowulf.

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Brain to Books Blog Tour: Joshua Robertson

Just the Facts

Name: Joshua Robertson
Genre: Dark Fantasy
Book:  Melkorka of the Thrice Nine Legends series
Official Site 

Bio

Joshua-Robertson-2-200x300Joshua began crafting the world for his dark fantasy series, Thrice Nine Legends, in 1999. Melkorka, the first book of the series, was published in 2015. The sequel, Dyndaer, will be released in January 2016. He is also the author of the A Midwinter Sellsword and Gladiators and Thieves in the Hawkhurst Saga. His story, Grimsdalr, is inspired by the tale of Beowulf. Joshua currently lives in Alaska with his wife and children.

Melkorka Blurb

Kaelandur was forged by the Highborn to slay one of their own, Nedezhda Mager. As their slave, Branimir Baran never thought to question his cruel masters until he is forced to take part in the execution. His actions begin a chain of events that will lead him to confront demons, cannibals, and himself as he is forced to question his own morality and the true meaning of good and evil.

Book Synopsis

Melkorka

Branimir is a slave to the mighty Highborn. Unwittingly, his masters forge a copper dagger capable of destroying the Ash Tree. Drawn along on the quest to remedy the mistake of his masters, Branimir becomes the most unlikely of heroes in an inimical world of magic and mayhem.

A Midwinter Sellsword

A sellsword is lured into the daunting political games within Hawkhurst. How many people will he have to kill to keep his own secrets hidden and to escape the city?

Gladiators and Thieves

The second installment in the Hawkhurst Saga. A bastard child of a noble family escaped the subterranean city after being enslaved to the gladiator pits. After being lured into the daunting political games, will he ever find his freedom again?

Grimsdalr

In the spirit of the epic poem, Beowulf, a renowned hero travels across the whale-road to defeat a monster that plagues the land of Croune.

Interview

Tell us a little about yourself.

I am originally from Kansas and I currently live in Alaska with my wife and children. I started writing snippets of fantasy and horror around the age of nine, had a collection of poetry and short stories by fifteen, and had completed my first fantasy novel at seventeen. Recently, I have published a couple of books and started my own small press, Crimson Edge Publishing Company.

How many books have you written? 

I have recently published Melkorka in January 2015, the first book in the The Kaelandur Series, within the universe of Thrice Nine Legends. I am extremely excited about this novel and have received some great reviews. I also published A Midwinter SellswordGrimsdalr, and Gladiators and Thieves. I have several WIPs, including the sequel to Melkorka, titled Dyndaer. I am also co-writing another novel within Thrice Nine Legends called Anaerfell, to be released October 2015.
What genre do you enjoy writing the most? 

I enjoy writing fantasy or dark fantasy more than anything. I have some snippets laying around that are science fiction and dystopian, but I am most comfortable in the fantasy realm.

Tell us a bit more about your book?

For the sake of brevity, I will tell you about Melkorka. It is about a slave, named Branimir,melkorka-200x300 who serves the mighty Highborn. Unwittingly, his masters forge a copper dagger capable of destroying the Ash Tree. Drawn along on the quest to remedy the mistake of his masters, Branimir becomes the most unlikely of heroes in an inimical world of magic and mayhem.

What inspired you to write this book?

The sequel to Melkorka, Dyndaer, has been written and rewritten repeatedly over the past decade. In ten years, I have scrapped Dyndaer many times in frustration that I could get the story exactly how I wanted it. Then, I woke up one morning in December 2013 from an inspirational dream that presented the core to the story. Lo and behold, Melkorka was created, giving birth to the rest of the story.

How did you come up with the title of your book?

Melkorka is the name of the castle that serves as the start of this tale. The word itself has some meaning, found in the thirteenth century Icelandic tale, Laxdaela saga. Laxdaela saga makes mention of Melkorka an Irish princess that was taken as a slave and pretended to be mute, hiding her identity, only to reveal later that there was more to her than what was on the surface. In many ways, Melkorka is a story that echoes the complexity in legend, suggesting to the reader that there is more than what appears on the surface. It seemed fitting for the first book in The Kaelandur Series.

Tell us a little bit about your cover art. Who designed it? Why did you go with that particular image/artwork?

Winter Bayne is the talented graphic designer that completed the cover for Melkorka (and my other novels). The emblem on the front of the cover for Melkorka is the mirror image of the symbol of the Sun God in Melkorka. This is the most revered god during the events of the novel. I wanted a simple image for the theme. I could not be more pleased with the final outcome.

Do you have any strange writing habits?

I will always drink one cup of coffee before starting to write, and I have a fresh pot brewed and at the ready for once I start.

You’re not alone in that. *laughing*

I generally write in the late evening to early morning (between 2000 and 0200). There are several songs that I like to play depending on what scene is unfolding: romantic, suspense, or suspicious. And, I have a rule that I don’t get rewarded with chips and salsa until I have completed a minimum of 1000 words.

Are you a plotter or do you write by the seat of your pants?

I will usually write the first two or three chapters and then I plot the rest of the story. I am a believer in plotting a story to assure that it has the elements of a complete story. I have read too many novels with plot holes or that are rushed at the end to wrap up loose ends.

What book do you wish you could have written?

The entire series of the Game of Thrones, actually. I have never read them (yet) but I do watch the television series. I have found that the themes in the story are similar to the ones in my own books…and I started my stories over ten years ago.

How important are names to you in your books? Do you choose the names based on liking the way it sounds or the meaning?

When I first start writing, I do not pay much attention to the names. However, once finished, I focus heavily on the names to build on the culture and flavor of the story. I like to have my names have similar sounds and a sense of culture behind them. It would be bizarre to have a Bilbo Baggins, a Jon Snow, and a Candace Everdeen in the same story. Names have to fit the time, place, and culture of the story – and when they break the rules, there should be a logical reason behind it (e.g. a vampire named Vladimir is living in the modern century).

Have you always enjoyed writing?

Absolutely. In high school, I was considered the most likely to become a published writer. I regret it has taken me almost ten years to seriously start pursuing the career. Regardless, it is something I will continue to do until the day I die. I will never retire from writing.

What is your favorite snack food?

I have several, especially when I write: coffee, chips and salsa, and sour patch kids.

If you had a supernatural power, what would it be?

My general answer to this question is super healing powers. I always thought that was by far the best superpower that anybody could come across. Then, I had another author suggest the manipulation of time. Thus, I have to recant the prior and choose the latter.

Where is one place you want to visit that you haven’t been before?

Czechoslovakia. I want to simply roam through the hills and drink wine.

Links: Connect with Joshua


Links: Check out Joshua’s books

Anaerfell: Coming October 2015
Dyndaer: Coming January 2016

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