Survival I

Slaughter At Ghastar is the first in an all-new spin-off series of novellas set in the apocalyptic Era Of Darkness. Hordes of demonic warriors swarm from beyond the great Wall of Light. They crush opposing armies. They eradicate towns and villages. They have already slaughtered the Unseen Gods... This is an invasion like no other. Their purpose is not to expand their territory, to instil their doctrines on other people or to plunder the riches of their prey, but simply to destroy every living thing. At dawn, the demon forces reach the peaceful Human village of Ghastar - and an atrocious massacre ensues... Amid the fleeing villagers are four friends. Nidel is a strong but fearful nineteen-year-old man, who is desperate to protect his younger sister Dansel. Tanner and Lul are brothers and traders; Tanner is fifty and a stout boastful liar; Lul is half his age, very intelligent but quiet-natured. A fourteen-year-old girl named Vina joins the group and they reach the outskirts of Ghastar... Here the refugees meet Tygis, an old hermit believed to be an addled fool. They retreat into his small cabin - and discover there is more to the hermit that anyone could have ever believed. Yet soon the cabin is surrounded and under siege by demons. Makeshift barricades won't last long under the mammoth onslaught. The six villagers will have to fight for their lives against the overwhelming invaders... Can anyone survive? Whereas Era Of Darkness tells the story of the demonic invasion on a huge scale, Survival depicts it from the perspective of a small group of refugees - not great warriors or leaders of nations, but ordinary people caught up in a catastrophe. Homeless and terrified, they are already victims of war. To make it through to the end of one terrible day, each character will need to summon up more courage than they ever knew they possessed. Reviews for the Era Of Darkness saga:
"Wow! The world Ian Thompson created for Era of Darkness is immense, and his cast of characters is huge. Luckily, Mr. Thompson is a fantastic guide. He drops you in the middle of the action and leads you through a world bracing itself against its inevitable demise. The action is intense, the battles are brutal, and the characters are complex and very real. What a great story! ...I did thoroughly enjoy this story, and I will be picking up Era of Darkness Volume II: Extinction. If you love heart-pumping action and vicious battles, you have to read this book. However, I must warn. The action is brutal and gruesome. If you're squeamish about blood (or organs exploding or bones shattering), you may want to avoid this one."
"...vividly descriptive with an almost metered artistry..."
"...Fast and furious paced action fantasy. Great characters that you really care for. Battles are huge and bloodthirsty. Cool races and well-designed monsters. A cracking-good read... "
"I was impressed by the quality of the storytelling... an enthralling mix... a solid read"
"...intense battles, incredible dark magic... so many twists and turns... I loved it"
"I was completely sucked in and captivated from the first page"
"...mixture of fantasy, mystery, loyalty that make it a one of a kind story"
"Wonderful characters and an even better story"
"This was my first peek at this series and author. I'll definitely be reading more from him. This is an interesting short read. Lots of action and sometimes gory descriptive details. It's a nice introduction to a couple of the characters and really sets the stage for what's to come. This appears to be a vast new world that I'm ready to learn more about."