by Jim Murphy
First published 2010
Sam has never left his small rural township. As the village blacksmith, he finds satisfaction in his predictable life of forge work and familiar faces. That changes when an adult red dragon settles in a nearby cave and murders Ralf along with his entire family. The village elders choose Sam to join a group that will venture beyond their borders to seek assistance against the beast. The moment he steps outside his hometown boundaries, Sam discovers a world that bears no resemblance to his sheltered existence. Other races populate the land, locked in massive conflicts that have scarred the countryside for generations. These ongoing wars connect directly to why the dragon appeared in the first place. Sam and his fellow travelers must navigate this dangerous landscape while searching for someone powerful enough to drive the creature away. The journey will test whether Sam can adapt to threats he never imagined and return home alive. More than his survival hangs in the balance. The expedition will reshape Sam completely, transforming him from a sheltered craftsman into someone his neighbors might not recognize.
Genres: fiction, adventure, fantasy, high-fantasy
Vibes: emotional, fast-paced, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, found-family
Setting: Cave, Township
Period: April
206 pages · Paperback · CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform