Gedlund: A Tale of the Verin Empire

"This bracing, complex tale pits a fantasy-world version of the Victorian British Empire against a sorcerer-dictator out of The Lord of the Rings." - Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

Thanks to rifle and iron rail, humanity now flourishes after centuries of submission. With the oppressive power of the Elves ended at last, human nations have grown mighty, and the Verin Empire's colonies spread civilization to the farthest corners of the world. But civilization has not taken root everywhere...

To the north sits Thyesten, the ancient Lich King of Gedlund. He banished death, and for countless centuries he has ruled a land where ghosts, vampires, and other wicked undead keep mortal men in feudal servitude. Now, without the Elves to keep that monstrous realm in check, the Verin Empire must pit men and cannons against Gedlund's legions of the dead, its ruthless Everlords, and terrifying ancient magics.

Tammen Gilmot, a young soldier defending the Empire's colonial frontier, finds himself swept into this reckless new campaign. Disowned by his family, yet ill-fitted among his new comrades, to survive the coming war, he must learn to lead.

Named to Kirkus Reviews' Best Books of 2016, Gedlund is the story of a young man's rise to responsibility amid battles between humanity and mythic terrors. Drawing inspiration from Lord of the Rings, Catch-22 and our own late 19th century, William Ray's debut novel features a complex new world of memorable characters and unique perspectives in this bold reinvention of classic fantasy.