Noblebright novels on hope in dark times

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The Motley Crew (The Thousand Nations). When a young man named Dolan flees from the north, he faces danger on all sides. The Northern Army wants him back. The Empire of Emor wants him dead. His native homeland of Koretia may not want him at all. And his only protection is a man with motives that are mysterious and possibly deadly.

New installment:

• Side story | Twisted. No matter how you twist away, you cannot escape fate. But you can determine how you meet it.

BLOG FICTION

Anahita Most Strong (holiday gift story). "Anahita leapt from a hundred times the height of a man and ran powerfully. Strong and bright, tall and beautiful of form, she sent down by day and by night a flow of motherly waters." An ancient Persian tale retold by me from a translation of the Avesta by James Darmesteter.

Tempestuous Tours (Crossing Worlds: A Visitor's Guide to the Three Lands #2). A whirlwind tour of the sites in the Three Lands that are most steeped in history, culture, and the occasional pickpocket.

New installments:

• From Daxis to Emor.
• Emorian borderland.
• Southern Emor's countryside.

ROUND-UP OF FICTION RELEASED IN 2025

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Law Links: Novel and Side Stories (The Three Lands).

Few events are more thrilling in a young man's life than a blood feud between two villages. Or so Adrian thought.

Torn between affection toward his traditional-minded father and worship of his peace-loving, heretical priest, Adrian finds himself caught between two incompatible visions of his duty to the gods. Then the Jackal God sends Adrian a message that will disrupt his world and send him fleeing to a new and perilous life.

Reissue, with typos corrected.

Death Mask: Novel and Side Stories (The Three Lands).

For eighteen years, he has survived in an army unit where few soldiers live more than two or three years. Now he finds himself in circumstances where his life is a living hell. Will the soldier who defied death find that life is too great a challenge?

Soldiers, spies, slaves, rebels, assassins, gods, and men who set out to break him . . . The Lieutenant of the Border Mountain Patrol will learn that his greatest test is himself.

New omnibus, with typos corrected and a new installment:

• Side story | Light and Love. In a world where two people who love each other must enter into the role of antagonists, what will preserve their love?

Empty Dagger Hand (The Three Lands).

Dolan is a quiet young man who spends his days working as a scribe. So why does he carry a hidden dagger?

When Dolan's hidden life turns to disaster, he must make his way through a warring world of many enemies and few allies. Figuring out which men are his allies will take time, and not much time is left.

As an empire crumbles and civilization is threatened, Dolan must use all his wits to survive, for only he can bring to safety the greatest treasure in the Three Lands.

New installment and a reissued story, with typos corrected:

• Side story | Loyal Revenge. His loyalty and his wickedness have come into conflict with each other.
• Side story | Bard of Pain. In the battle-weary lands of the Great Peninsula, only one fate is worse than being taken prisoner by the Lieutenant: being taken prisoner if you are the Lieutenant.

A Visitor's Guide to the Three Lands: Novel and Side Stories (Crossing Worlds).

Are you considering visiting the Great Peninsula? Are you in need of a guide? This guidebook by the internationally famous Ambassador of the God's Land will introduce you to the charming quirks (and deadly dangers) of the Three Lands of the Great Peninsula.

New installments:

• 1 | Deadly Introductions [expanded edition]. How to introduce yourself to inhabitants of the Great Peninsula, without being killed.
• Side story | Fragments of a Friendship. Excerpts from Ancient Inscriptions of the Great Peninsula.
• Index to the Guidebook. A detailed table of contents, serving as a chronological index to topics in the guidebook.

The Motley Crew (The Thousand Nations).

When a young man named Dolan flees from the north, he faces danger on all sides. The Northern Army wants him back. The Empire of Emor wants him dead. His native homeland of Koretia may not want him at all. And his only protection is a man with motives that are mysterious and possibly deadly.

To remain alive, Dolan must forge alliances, cement friendships, break and heal a killer, and seek a lost god. Most of all, he must decide what his goal is and how high a price he is willing to pay to achieve that goal.

New installments:

• 1 | Escape to the Borderland. A road diverged. He took it.
• 2 | Flight Through the Forest. When you're fleeing from high danger, you have little choice in your companions.
• Side story | Twisted. No matter how you twist away, you cannot escape fate. But you can determine how you meet it.

BLOG FICTION

Normal Day Planners (near-future science fiction, with gallows humor). "Okay, I'm nearly done with the design for the 2026 planner. Any last-minute corrections?"

Finks (The Adventures of Homer Fink fanfic). When Richard visits his old school ten years after a famous student campaign, he finds that his past won't let him go . . . and neither will the people who care about him.

Anahita Most Strong (holiday gift story). "Anahita leapt from a hundred times the height of a man and ran powerfully. Strong and bright, tall and beautiful of form, she sent down by day and by night a flow of motherly waters." An ancient Persian tale retold by me from a translation of the Avesta by James Darmesteter.

Tempestuous Tours (Crossing Worlds: A Visitor's Guide to the Three Lands #2). A whirlwind tour of the sites in the Three Lands that are most steeped in history, culture, and the occasional pickpocket.

New installments:

• Introduction.
• Tour of Lower Straits Port and the Capital of Daxis.
• Capital Mountain.
• The priests' house.
• The Sea of Koretia.
• The Last Battlefield.
• The City Walls of Koretia.
• The Koretian City Marketplace and a Tavern.
• Reminders of the Past in Koretia's Capital.
• Council Hill.
• The Golden Courtyard.
• The upper floor of the royal residence.
• The lower floor of the royal residence.
• The Royal Sanctuary: Historical background.
• The Royal Sanctuary: Jackalfire Grove.
• The Royal Sanctuary: The corridor.
• The Royal Sanctuary: The altar.
• The Royal Sanctuary: The inscriptions.
• The Royal Sanctuary: The sling.
• The Royal Sanctuary: The statue.
• The Royal Sanctuary: Offering box.
• The High Court.
• Historian's room.
• Reception chamber.
• Royal chapel.
• Ambassador's Balcony.
• Introduction to the borderland.
• Border Port.
• From Daxis to Emor.
• Emorian borderland.
• Southern Emor's countryside.

NEWS & UPCOMING FICTION

In reference to my concussion in early November: My head is close to normal again, so I'm able to do late-stage editing once more.

As I already explained to my subscribers, I've decided to drop early access fiction in favor of releasing my stories to all my readers at the same time. Next up on my release schedule is Suspicion of the Guards (The Thousand Nations: The Motley Crew #3).

I've put together my release schedule for 2026, though these days I often have to be nimble on my feet and juggle my schedule to fit what's happening in my life. I can summarize my 2026 schedule by saying that this year I plan to release fiction from Chronicles of the Great Peninsula and Turn-of-the-Century Toughs. Those of you who are readers of the Toughs cycle have been extremely patient with my delay in posting more fic; I appreciate it. I hope to reward your patience.