Today on the blog author Helen Garraway shares with us for the love of fantasy world maps. She's also just published another installment in her epic fantasy series.
Don’t you just love maps?
I love books that have maps in them, especially fantasy books where the author is building out a new world. It is an essential part of the story and helps readers orientate themselves as the story progresses. It also helps the author keep track of where every town is located and helps make sure it is always in the same location, unless of course there are magically moving cities. Now there is an idea for a new story! If I ever write a book with cities that move, you’ll know I came up with the idea whilst writing this blog.
All my books have maps. The Sentinals series grew into the world of Remargaren, with four countries: Vespiri, Terolia, Elothia and Birtoli. The first four books are each focussed on one of the countries and its people. Some cross between countries, and then you get two maps, like in Sentinals Recovery, my latest release. Although I am calling it a novella, it is actually a book, coming in at 55k words, but it is much shorter than the main novels.
Sentinals Recovery is a side novel, focussing on one tiny piece of the story I couldn’t physically fit in the third book, Sentinals Justice. There are two maps, Vespiri and Terolia, as the story travels though both countries, and of course the story didn’t remain tiny! One action I couldn’t fit in, because Birlerion never returned to Greenswatch turned onto this wonderful novella.
One of my Arc reviewers actually said in her review that she was glad I couldn’t fit it in! Read her review to see why!
Giveaway
$20 Amazon
Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!
Sentinals Recovery
Sentinals Series Book 3.5
by Helen Garraway
Genre: Epic Fantasy Adventure
Sentinals Recovery is a novella set in the world of Remargaren. It occurs immediately after the battle at Oprimere. Although this is a complete story, the reader would benefit from reading the first three books in the series. Birlerion is recovering from the near fatal injuries he received in his second, epic battle with the Ascendants. He returns home to Greenswatch, the Watch that adopted him, to recuperate and finally meet his Darian stallion, Kin’arol, who has been waiting, somewhat impatiently, to bond with him. Only Kin’arol is not there. Someone has stolen him. For such a distinctive horse, he has vanished into thin air. Though not fully recovered, and still hampered by his injuries, Birlerion sets off, accompanied by his brother Versillion, to recover his horse. Not even Assassins, belligerent Terolians or the harsh Terolian desert will stop him from bonding with Kin’arol, though his failing body might. Click the read now button and start reading Sentinals Recovery now.
Sentinals Justice
Sentinals Series Book 3
Sentinals Justice is the third book in the saga of Remargaren, a vibrant, ancient world of high fantasy suffused with magic and adventure. The third installment of the Sentinal series takes us to the frozen north, to the Grand Duchy of Elothia. Border tensions with Elothia force King Benedict to send a diplomatic envoy to sue for peace. Benedict has his hands full with Vespiri and Terolia, he can't afford a war on his northern border as well. Commander Jerrol Haven is sent to broker peace. Having met Grand Duke Randolf the thirteenth before, Jerrol hopes their previously successful negotiations will assist in a speedy resolution and allow him time to discover how to rescue Birlerion from the Ascendants. Meanwhile, the Chapterhouse has received a request for a scholar to assist in searching for signs of the Sentinals in Elothia. Taelia is assigned the task, because Scholar Torsion is also missing after the attack at the Watch Towers. Amidst escalating tensions and conflicting needs, Jerrol journeys to Elothia, hoping to meet with Randolf before the Ascendants can influence him. Escorting Taelia is an unexpected bonus. Can Jerrol stop Elothia and Vespiri from going to war? Will they find more Sentinals? And can they find out where the Ascendants took Birlerion and Torsion before it is too late. Sentinals Justice concludes the opening trilogy...though the adventure will continue!
Sentinals Rising
Sentinals Series Book 2
Sentinals Rising is the second book in the saga of Remargaren, a vibrant, ancient world of high fantasy suffused with magic and adventure.Jerrol Haven, having rescued the king from the clutches of the malevolent Ascendants, knows they haven’t stopped their scheming. While trying to learn more about the mysterious Sentinals he woke from a three-thousand-year sleep, he has to defend his king and country from further magical attacks.Should he trust the Sentinals in such vital positions? Can he trust them to protect the king and Vespiri? As Jerrol learns more of their capabilities, he realises there are more secrets yet to be revealed. Maybe those questioning their sudden rise in power have a point.Before he can delve further, a call for help comes from the neighbouring country of Terolia. The nomadic Families are disintegrating into chaotic infighting. The king sends Jerrol to investigate, instructing him to do whatever is needed to protect the Families from the Ascendants.
Sentinals Awaken
Sentinals Series Book 1
Sentinals Awaken is the first book in the saga of Remargaren, a vibrant, ancient world of high fantasy suffused with magic and adventure. As a three thousand-year-old threat reemerges, only one man has the power to awaken the world’s greatest protectors and restore order to the realm. He just doesn’t know it yet. When Jerrol Haven, a captain in the King’s Rangers, discovers treason at the highest level, he knows immediately that the knowledge puts his life at risk. And indeed, though he expected the ailing King to shield him, the ambitious Crown Prince sentences Jerrol to death. What hold does the Prince have over his weakened father, and who or what is he protecting? Now, with signs that her veil is weakening and the Ascendants are creeping back into power, she has returned and is in dire need of Jerrol’s help. For though he doesn’t know it, Jerrol possesses a rare gift: By chance, he touches a revered Sentinal tree and awakens Birlerion, one of the Lady’s personal guard who have been sleeping in the strange, tall trees since they were last called to battle. Aided by Birlerion, Jerrol flees and begins his journey to help Lady Leyandrii save Remargaren once more. But time is running out: As it was with the King, the old guard Lords are everywhere being usurped, attacked, and assassinated. Jerrol must unravel the mystery of the Ascendants’ return, stop the sinister force that is dividing good families through bloodshed and betrayal, and rescue the King—and his troubles are only just beginning. Ideal for lovers of The Witcher, Tad William's Shadowmarch or the Belgarion series.
About the Author
Helen Garraway lives in the leafy royal borough of Berkshire in the UK and has been
writing about the world of Remargaren, a fantasy world of her creation, since 2016. An avid reader of many different fiction genres, a love she inherited from her mother, Helen writes high fantasy stories where she creates her own worlds and populates it with amazing characters and adventures. When she has time, she also enjoys paper crafting and scrapbooking as an escape from the pressure of working as a Product Manager. Having graduated from the University of Southampton with a Degree in Politics and International Relations, she remains an active member of their alumni.
Having ventured into the world of self-publishing, Helen has now published three books with a fourth scheduled to release in December 2021. Sentinals Awaken, released October 2020, was Helen's debut novel, which was followed by Sentinals Rising in March 2021 and Sentinals Justice in released September 2021.
Sign up to Helen’s Author newsletter and download a free novella set in the World of Remargaren, Sentinals Stirring, set about seven years prior to Sentinals Awakens. Sign up via www.helengarraway.com