Lavender & Ginger: A Callus Kordec Tale

by Ethan Jakob

The Towering Tactician, The Ruiner, The Hobgoblin Reaver. These are the names Callus Kordec has collected in the arena throughout his gladiatorial career. He's done it now, achieved his ultimate goal and become the first ever Scarred Lands Champion. He has everything men dream of, wealth, women and respect, but that is just on the surface. Years of mounting injuries, betrayal and self loathing haunt him. Events unfold that will find him bereft of all of his accolades except for the fear that goes along with his name, turning him into someone he never wanted to be.
Arialyn Foghand, a young gnomish woman, developed a knack for the new magic school of arcanomancy at a young age. When her hidden talent comes to light the fallout sees her shunned by her family and their druidic fold. All she needs is for someone to recognize her her talents for the beautiful art that it is. Callus and Arialyn's paths converge when he must make a choice that finds them both hunted by a sadistic mercenary band who wants nothing more than to see them both buried. Lavender & Ginger is equal parts action and drama with a healthy bit of comedy and romance mixed in to weave a tale many will enjoy.

Genres: Fantasy

408 pages, ebook

Published August 2, 2024

About the author

Ethan Jakob is an author of fantasy, romance, and the occasional story that looks at emotional stability from across the room and decides, "No, I think we can make this more traumatic." He writes about battered heroes, dangerous women, found families, questionable decisions, brutal worlds, and the stubborn human tendency to fall in love when there are clearly much more pressing problems to deal with. His fantasy work includes The Voidscar Chronicles, where romance shares the page with monsters, magic, violence, and characters who desperately need therapy but unfortunately live in worlds where therapy has not yet been invented.

When he isn’t throwing fictional people into emotionally compromising situations, he works as a NICU nurse and is also a husband, father, lifelong fantasy and sci-fi nerd, tabletop gamer, RPG addict, and unapologetic gym rat. Years spent around D&D tables taught him that the best stories rarely belong to the flawless hero standing dramatically in the sunlight. They belong to the scarred bastard in the corner with a complicated past, three bad coping mechanisms, and exactly one person they would burn the world down to protect. Unsurprisingly, those people keep finding their way into his books.

But apparently swords, monsters, and existential trauma weren’t enough, so he also writes contemporary romance. The Love We Brew: Hope and Healing Blend trades battlefields for coffee shops and arcane catastrophes for grief, healing, awkward conversations, gaming, found family, and the terrifying realization that you might actually deserve to be happy again. Whether he’s writing fantasy or romance, that’s the thread running through everything he does: imperfect people finding connection, choosing each other, and discovering that surviving something isn’t necessarily the same thing as living.

When he’s away from the keyboard, there’s a good chance he’s lifting something unnecessarily heavy, rolling dice, disappearing into an RPG, drinking coffee with far too many calories in it, working on some new creative project, or convincing himself that buying another book absolutely counts as a responsible financial decision. He likes his fantasy rough around the edges, his romance heartfelt without becoming saccharine, his characters deeply human even when they aren’t technically human, and his stories with enough humor to remind readers that even when the world is ending, somebody is probably going to make an inappropriate joke.

Reviews

[Tony · Rating 4 out of 5]

Won this as a Goodreads Giveaway. What a wonderful book, the main characters were nicely fleshed out and there were just enough flashbacks to add to the overall narrative. The book moved at a very good pace and appendices showed just how much thought has been put into the backstory. Can't wait for the next book.

[Ashton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't know the first thing about D&D. If you as a reader don't either, don't let it stop you from reading this. This is a book full of wit, humor, and likeable characters. (I especially need more of Carl Just Carl.) Entertaining and fast paced action scenes throughout. Overall an enjoyable fantasy novel all around.

[Shelby J · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m a huge fantasy reader but this was my first introduction to D&D. It was refreshing to try something new that was so fun to read. There was a great balance of world building, action, humor, and romance. There were also so many great characters, it’s hard to pick a favorite. Definitely give this one a read!

[Michael Youngquist · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was absolutely incredible. It was honestly difficult to put it down. There is a perfect balance of tension and comedic relief. Sequel needed.

[JMerlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

GREAT platonic friendship that grows into a kind story of loss and finding oneself.

Lavender & Ginger: A Callus Kordec Tale is a dark fantasy adventure centered on Callus Kordec, a legendary gladiator known as the “Champion of the Scarred Lands.” Despite his fame and brutal success in the arena, Callus is emotionally broken, physically scarred, and trapped working for a ruthless mercenary group called the Talons of Misery.

The story shifts when Callus is ordered to kill Arialyn Foghand, a young gnomish inventor and arcanomancer whose magical talents caused her to be rejected by her druidic family. Instead of murdering her, Callus defies his employers and helps her escape, making both of them targets of the Talons.

[Kristen Palmer · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a non-fantasy reader the majority of the time, this book has encouraged me to try the genre more often. The storyline of Lavender and Ginger was easy to follow, but still kept me intrigued with curveballs and character additions. I loved the depth of the characters and seeing how they interacted with each other. I feel as any avid reader, despite genre preferences, would deeply enjoy this book. It has a great mix of fantasy, action, and even a softer side to the characters. It’s a quick read because it’s hard to put down. I can’t wait for the next installment of the story!

[Vanessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heartwarming.
Cute.
Sweet.
Humorous.
Right amount of pervynesse.
Perfect amount of swearing.
Fantastic battle scenes. 

Of course you'd manage to sneak in a :P into a book.

Can't wait to be able to order the next one and dive in! 🙂

[Mim_Who _Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lavender & Ginger is a solid mix of Dungeons & Dragons storytelling and sword-and-sorcery narrative. The world is pretty immersive without being overwhelming.

The main character, Callus, I think sort of embodies the “Bad Boy Is Actually a Big Softie” trope. He’s a “retired” warrior struggling to find purpose after his time in the arena. His journey isn’t just about himself, though. The supporting characters also reflect similar themes of identity and change. I think this added depth to the overall narrative. His love interest, Arialyn, is an outcast with a rare magical talent, and their chemistry builds naturally, leading to some well-earned and well-executed scenes.

The story is told through an omniscient POV, if you are ok with this, you might still like it. Overall, the story brings a pretty good balance in tone—it’s dark when it needs to be but never overly grim, with enough humor and warmth to keep the characters grounded. The romance feels natural, avoiding tired clichés, and the pacing keeps the adventure engaging from start to finish.