Mythborn: Rise of the Adepts
Read Mythborn: Rise of the Adepts Online
Authors: V. Lakshman
MYTHBORN
Rise of the Adepts
Copyright © 2012, Vijay Lakshman
All Rights Reserved
All characters in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to any persons, actual or fictional, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
This book is protected under the copyright laws of the United States of America. Any reproduction or unauthorized use of the material or artwork contained herein is prohibited without the express written permission of the author, Vijay Lakshman.
Cover art by Raymond Lei Jin and Na Sun
Map by Ralf Schemmann
Certificate of Copyright Registration: TXu 1-796-339
ISBN-13: 978-14936039-8-5
For more information please go to:
Dedication
This book is dedicated to Wendy, Aidan, & Noble.
They are my first champions, the joy in my life,
and I am grateful for their love, faith, guidance,
and unending support.
I love them with all my heart.
T
ABLE OF
C
ONTENTS
E
DITOR’S
P
REFACE
I have been working in the publishing business as an editor and author for more than twenty-five years, and spent fifteen years as an editor of fantasy novels for Wizards of the Coast, which is one of the biggest fantasy publishers in America and a subsidiary of transmedia giant Hasbro. I have worked with some of the most significant authors in the genre, and brought to publication more than a dozen New York Times best sellers. I am myself a best-selling author, with fifteen published books to my credit, including The Guide to Writing Fantasy and Science Fiction (Adams Media, 2010), which is currently the number one book on the subject.
The strength of Mythborn rests on three essential foundations: characters, worldbuilding, and the writing itself.
The author’s characters are richly-realized and strongly motivated. Each of them possess a unique personal attachment to the world, the other characters, and the story at hand.
The creation of a compelling fantasy world, what we refer to as “worldbuilding,” is the single element that differentiates fantasy from the other genres. It is absolutely at the heart of it. Mythborn presents a world with exceptional depth and imagination that draws from the archetypes of the fantasy tradition, which are vital touchstones for the fantasy audience, with a subtle and thoughtful hand, thoroughly avoiding cliché.
The author’s writing exhibits an entertaining balance of action and adventure with emotional clarity. The story has a fascinating ethical dilemma at its heart. There is never a dull moment in the pacing, language, and truly surprising twists and turns.
It’s been a delight working with Vijay and Mythborn, and I am this book’s, and this author’s, biggest fan.
Philip Athans
Editor
A
UTHOR’S
P
REFACE
As a first time author, I want to thank everyone for their help and support with the
Mythborn
series. It’s been an amazing road, and you, my fans, are my biggest motivation to write.
This story is about an assassin-in-training, a boy named Arek, being led to his death. Armed with this knowledge, what will Arek do over the next seven days? What would
you
do?
It’s the exploration of the villain’s arch that most interests me, and I hope entertains you. The story may seem to start off like every other fantasy novel, but don’t be fooled. I’m using things that look familiar to open you up something truly different and unique!
If you stick with it, you’ll see a world unfold unlike anything you’ve read before, with dwarven assassins, ultra-lethal combat, and no simple clichés; a place where death is only the beginning, and gods of our making walk amongst us.
I've enclosed a sneak peek of the next book,
Bane of the Warforged,
at the end of this book for your enjoyment.
I hope you enjoy reading
Mythborn
as much as I did writing it.
Thank you all!
V. Lakshman
24 November 2013
“Any sufficiently advanced technology is
indistinguishable from magic.”
—Arthur C. Clarke
