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The Crystal of Glath has been rediscovered . . . by a direct descendent of Afner Thimlock, the great dwarven
general! Daelin may not be a warrior himself, but when troll-slayer, Ancor Grelin, joins him on his quest for knowledge regarding
the ancient stone, the simple crafter finds his prospects brightening. They are even brighter when the famous Feligrim brothers,
Telitar and Hendol, join the cause. Finally, Alufin Antaneum, his best friend in the world, decides to go along for the jaunt.
The world of Lartoria is large and dangerous, as soon becomes apparent to the quintet of dwarven adventurers. As they
travel from military outpost to neighboring realm, they begin to piece together a growing concern. In the south, on the old,
scorched battlefields of Eridach, the first rumblings of movement can be glimpsed. The ancient home of Ryaarth, the Shadow
Mage of Zoe Meace, has become a hotbed of activity recently. Is this a direct result of the reemergence of the Crystal of
Glath?
Book One of the Shadow Ruins series follows the exploits of the dwarves and their human companion, Drestus,
as they attempt to reach the ruins of the city of Glath, birthplace of the Crystal. They discover that its history is shrouded
in death and mayhem, as each and every city that has hosted its presence has been eventually reduced to dust and ruin.
Should
the Shadow Mage wrest control of the ancient talisman from the hands of the dwarf, Daelin, Lartoria’s people may be
utterly doomed. The race to the Ruins of Glath is on . . . but will they reach them in time?
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| Barry and his newest muse, Bethany Autumn |
Barry A. A. Dillinger is the author of several
novels, screenplays, teleplays and magazine articles. He was born and raised in New York, but now calls Connecticut his home.
He is an avid ghosthunter, as well, and founder of team GHOST (Grim Hauntings Or Skeptic’s Truth) which works for Creepy
Connecticut online. He lives with his wife, Donna Lee, daughter, Bethany Autumn, and his many dogs and cats, and enjoys reading,
roleplaying games and (most especially) nightmares.
Shadow Ruins Fantasy Series
Book Three: The Rise of Ryaarth
Book Four: The Paradox Doom
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5-Star Reviews from amazon.com
"The premise of the novel series, while not original (how original can we be when
speaking about epic fantasy) is well written and envisioned. What Dillinger gives us is not so much a rote version of the
"ancient-talisman-carried-by-the-hero" tale, but a polished, dialogue-strewn fantasy story, complete with a rich history and
tapestry of terrain descriptions. For those who love fantasy, but dread long, drawn-out descriptive passages, SRTCoG delivers.
The story is original in that it treats the dwarven race with a great deal more respect than many in the fantasy genre.
The heros, while wearing dwarven shells and spouting dwarven sayings, are thoughtful and very human. They are lovable and
you will be pulling for them at every turn. Unlike his predecessors, Dillinger ensures that the usually two-dimensional, cookie-cutout,
fantasy dwarf is as deep as the mithril mines they delve.
Beginning in the capitol city of Acleron, the main character,
Thein, discovers an ancient artifact in a fallen heros shrine that links him directly to an even more ancient dwarven throne.
The artifact, a plum-sized crystal, has been present in many cities throughout the centuries, each and every one of them reduced
to "ruins and dust". These, the ruins of shadow, are what prompts the dwarven elders and king to strongly suggest that Thein
take the stone away from Acleron. They enlist the help of three famous dwarves, including Ancor Grelin, one of the legendary
troll-slayers of Acleron's past.
With his companions, Thein sets out on a journey to a distant realm, in search of
a place called the Lords' Table, a fortress supposedly filled with retired kings, advisors, queens and seers. There, he is
told, he will discover what should be done with this item.
Along the way, the group is joined by a human warrior whose
entire history has been cut away from him by brigands. As they race from one realm to the next in search of their answers,
they are ultimately faced with an important choice: should they travel to the Lords' Table which may or may not even exist
anymore? Or should they travel through the dangerous Rill Forest to the ruins of Glath, birthplace of the artifact?
The
final four chapters are thrilling and will keep you riveted. Oh, and be prepared for a killer cliffhanger. Can't wait for
the next one!"
J.L.Vespers (Ringwood, NJ)
"Shadow ruins is an excellently written work by an excellent
author. The book takes you through a time of mystery and magic and does so with ease. It is a book that you won't want to
put down until you are done."
Scott Quayle (Denver, CO)
For a special sneak preview at
Book Two, click here
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