Early Reviewers

Her eyes were drawn to a narrow, single-column, stone lectern and the book it held.

She looked at the dark lines on the pages. Blood. She studied the lines. The fabric of this realm was parted. Something was bound into the book but has now been released.

It has been over a thousand years since the seals between this reality and the dark realm of Kur were broken and the wraith-like gallus invaded the continent of Dannum.

When the former priest of An, Adaru, escapes from the tower where the restored seals lay that prevent the gallus from crossing realms, war consumes the land with Adaru's machinations. A kingdom falls, ancient powers awaken and the power of Kur is unleashed again.

The guardian Nanaya and her companions barely stopped the gallus last time, but the Darisam civilisation was annihilated those 1000 years ago, and the land reduced to a poisoned desert, but for one ancient tower. Nanaya is forced to confront the terrors of her past, terrors that took everyone she ever cared for. Nanaya, now advisor to the present king of Southcastle. fears the past will repeat itself.

Elsewhere, Baraka, a desperate treasure hunter from the arid Fringe States that border the vast desert of The Territory, discovers secrets that irrevocably change him; and Samuel, a young man working on his family's farm in the western kingdom of Royaume d'Occident, realises his dreams of adventure, but in doing so loses his innocence.

Kur corrupts the land as Adaru moves closer to realising his terrible ambition of breaking the seals again and Nanaya, now the last guardian in Dannum, knows she is not strong enough to stand against him alone.

Chosen Of The Dark Realm is a new epic flintlock fantasy set in an alternate Europe mid-1800s - magic, muskets, ships of the line and dragons. If you enjoy the works of Peter V Brett, Brandon Sanderson, Raymond E Feist, Ryan Cahill or Joe Abercrombie, this is for you.

David Cornford has been writing ever since David Gemmell invited him into his home, made him a cup of tea and tried to explain that Rocky was the best movie ever made.