The God War is over. An empire built on suffering, slavery, and betrayal remains.
In the fractured lands of the Salvian Empire, the Great Houses rule through blood and fear. For years, Alandra Phoenyka has hunted powerful Sonomancers in the empire's name, paid in empty promises that her stolen daughter would be returned. Each step forward demands another compromise. Another betrayal. Another piece of herself lost.
When those promises turn to treachery, she is forced to take matters into her own hands and risk everything to reclaim her child.
In the empire's mining camps, Bez Windstrider has endured years of torture and brutal experimentation. Broken but unyielding, he clings to one purpose: vengeance. The men who murdered his parents will pay, and their deaths will complete the ritual needed to free his parents' souls from damnation.
But the deeper his grief cuts, the more he becomes something far more dangerous, for himself, and for the empire.
As their paths draw closer, the buried truths of the God War begin to surface. What begins as two personal vendettas threatens to unravel something far greater than either of them can control.
Because empires do not fall quietly.
And the gods that shaped them are not as dead as they seem.
Makerborn is the first book in the Maladies of Empire series, a brutal epic dark fantasy of vengeance, sacrifice, and the cost of love.
For readers of dark, character-driven epic fantasy in the vein of Joe Abercrombie, Mark Lawrence, R.F. Kuang, Evan Winter, and Steven Erikson.
Industry Reviews
"Daymon Ashcord's Makerborn is a spectacular first novel in the Maladies of Empire series. The world-building treats Salvia as a living civilization shaped through the aftermath of the God War, the Rift, and the ruling Houses governing Sonomancy through fear and inherited power."
- Readers' Favorite
"I would consider this book to be the definition of grimdark. The pacing and entertainment value made it seem shorter than its page count. I would go as far as to say this may be my book of the year."
- Travis Butler, Goodreads Review
"I never lost interest. There are some good twists, some betrayals, and absolute heartbreak. I'm interested in continuing the series for sure."
- Melissa Mancuso, Goodreads Review
"Readers who enjoy gritty, character-driven epic fantasy with real consequences will find Makerborn deeply satisfying. Ashcord has built a world worth returning to."
- Celeste S.Z., Netgalley ARC Reader
"The author makes the fantasy feel inhabited through history and belief, moving through every corner of Salvia, and that conviction gives Makerborn its identity. Very highly recommended."
- Readers' Favorite
"Readers looking for a dark fantasy that explores themes of oppression, racism, and vengeance will enjoy exploring the new world presented by Daymon Ashcord."
- IndieReader