Forged for Destiny
A Heroic Fantasy with a Chosen-One Twist
Published on 8. May 2025
Book
Paperback/Softback
432 pages
978-0-316-58787-7 (ISBN)
Description
Raul has a destiny: claim his birthright as the last surviving heir of King Balbainus and lead his conquered people to freedom.
The signs are all there-his birthmark, in the shape of Balbainus' halfmoon and dagger sigil, the gemstone-hilted sword he found in his parents' inn, and the sudden influx of illegal books featuring the late king's lineage. Nevermind that his ma is a hidden scribe writing a play about Balbainus' return, or that his da, a hardened warrior, has been training him to fight since he could stand. Or the fact that his sword doesn't seem very old at all, he feels much more comfortable reading than fighting, and his birthmark is looking more and more like a burn scar...
As Raul leaves his simple village life to start a rebellion against the tyrannical Dunholmi government, he begins to wonder if his destiny is more someone else's plan for a future he doesn't want to be a part of. He'll go along with things, for now, if only to prove that change can come from kindness instead of outright destruction.
After all, destiny is what you make of it.
The signs are all there-his birthmark, in the shape of Balbainus' halfmoon and dagger sigil, the gemstone-hilted sword he found in his parents' inn, and the sudden influx of illegal books featuring the late king's lineage. Nevermind that his ma is a hidden scribe writing a play about Balbainus' return, or that his da, a hardened warrior, has been training him to fight since he could stand. Or the fact that his sword doesn't seem very old at all, he feels much more comfortable reading than fighting, and his birthmark is looking more and more like a burn scar...
As Raul leaves his simple village life to start a rebellion against the tyrannical Dunholmi government, he begins to wonder if his destiny is more someone else's plan for a future he doesn't want to be a part of. He'll go along with things, for now, if only to prove that change can come from kindness instead of outright destruction.
After all, destiny is what you make of it.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
New York
United States
Publishing group
Little, Brown & Company
Product notice
Paperback (UK-trade)
Dimensions
Height: 209 mm
Width: 139 mm
Thickness: 31 mm
Weight
392 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-316-58787-7 (9780316587877)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Andrew Knighton is a full-time freelance writer and has published short stories, novellas, and comics in a range of venues. His recently published fantasy novella, Ashes of the Ancestors, has received positive reviews and was described by Adrian Tchaikovsky as a "genuinely excellent, thoughtful and very different fantasy piece." You can learn more about Andrew by visiting andrewknighton.com.