Devourer of Crowns
A Chain Story - Direk & Grave Collaboration
Lord Direk struggles to contain the shadow cursing his body when the meddling of unknown entities brings him into contact with the suspicious Doktor Grave. Their shared fascination with the jewels of Tarru-syn may offer Direk deliverance—or be his damnation. Can these strangers from different worlds dare to rely on each other long enough to defeat their common enemy? Will alchemy and will-power be enough to save them from being devoured by the treasures they seek?
Direk, Lord of Vengeance, and Doktor Grave, Physician of Dyscrasia, Face a . . . New? Old? Foe . . . Together!
Gung Ho Geeks reviews Devourer of Crowns
"...fighting a shadow-swirled dragon-demon that jumps through dimensions in search of gemstones from the shattered crown of Tarru-Syn, and which Grave immediately labels Tarrusynasaurus Rex, is crazy fun enough, but having its shadow react differently to both Direk’s inner makeup and Grave’s own Golem blood and having it all work out in such a way that the resolution of the issue makes perfect sense is quite the fucking achievement. And I’m a bit dense at times, so you know something’s spelled out well enough that even I can get it…...Waltz I’ve waxed on about already, but I believe his dark, violent yarn involving Direk shines all the brighter (darker?) when set against a more patient, calculated protagonist. Doktor Grave fits that role perfectly, injecting a bit of wry humor even, and complementing Direk’s mad whirlwind of hate with some tempered science and cerebral work. Before also jumping in with a giant, anime blade of his own. We can’t have an all-thinky sword & sorcery protagonist, after all.Devourer of Crowns is a surprising collaboration from two authors that know their niche inside and out and play to each other’s strengths. Equal parts dark, action-packed, weird, and exciting, it sets up a daring premise right from the start and doesn’t stumble once on its way to fulfilling its grand finale. Furthermore, it leaves growth room for both characters – whether together or apart, that remains to be seen.
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Jason M. Waltz's Substack has these too.
Michael Stackpole's Chain Story post for "Devourer of Crowns"
Triple Pack of Madness
“Devourer of Crowns” can be read stand-alone, but the
experience will be richer if you check out the Direk and Grave’s preceding
tales (also Chain Stories):
Get all three PDFs in a Triple Pack!
Writing Team
Jason
M. Waltz is a writer, editor, publisher and podcaster who has twice
won Valusian Awards from the Robert E. Howard Foundation. His work has appeared
in Savage Realms Monthly, Swords & Sorceries: Tales of Heroic Fantasy,
Crimson Quill Quarterly, Swords and Sorcery Magazine, and Battleborn Magazine.
He hosts an author-interview videocast at 24 in 42, writes on the Substack Word
Dancing with The Rogue, and offers writers the opportunity to receive the
second best response possible to a story submission via Whet Work by Waltz.
S.E.
Lindberg is a Managing Editor at Black Gate. He has taken lead roles
organizing the Gen Con Writers' Symposium (chairing it in 2023) and has
had assistant editor roles with Tales from the Magician’s Skull and
Battleborn magazines. He has contributed eight entries across Perseid Press’
Heroes in Hell and Heroika series, and publishes short stories and novels under
the banner Dyscrasia Fiction®.
Cover art: Original concept art by Matt
Hilton
