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IronScythe Sagas #1-3
The Cowl
“Dark, epic fantasy at its very best”
And from the dark unknown came a hooded avenger...
When the Scowl is brought before the court of King-Emperor Jhaz'Elrad, accused of murdering a young noble, he is unexpectedly saved from execution by the ambitious Dracus Krall.
In return for his life, the Scowl is sent on weregild to kill the evil golem that has lurked in the Krall family home for generations. A terrible, haunted creature, created by dark majiks in the time of Delving.
Accompanying the task is Dracus' teenage niece, Vareena, a strong-willed tom-boy who grew up in the shadow of her uncle's ambition and who has resisted his many attempts to marry her off.
But Vareena is not as she seems. She harbours a secret power that her uncle would gladly kill for.
Together, Vareena and the Scowl begin an uneasy alliance. An alliance that will change both of their lives forever...
And from the dark unknown came a hooded avenger...
When the Scowl is brought before the court of King-Emperor Jhaz'Elrad, accused of murdering a young noble, he is unexpectedly saved from execution by the ambitious Dracus Krall.
In return for his life, the Scowl is sent on weregild to kill the evil golem that has lurked in the Krall family home for generations. A terrible, haunted creature, created by dark majiks in the time of Delving.
Accompanying the task is Dracus' teenage niece, Vareena, a strong-willed tom-boy who grew up in the shadow of her uncle's ambition and who has resisted his many attempts to marry her off.
But Vareena is not as she seems. She harbours a secret power that her uncle would gladly kill for.
Together, Vareena and the Scowl begin an uneasy alliance. An alliance that will change both of their lives forever...
250 pages, ebook
First published March 28, 2014
1 person is currently reading
225 people want to read
About the author
Kev Heritage
13 books319 followersLibrarian Note: Now writing under the name K.J. Heritage.
When Kev isn’t penning difficult, third person descriptions of himself for on and off-line publications, he mulls away the hours writing science fiction mysteries and epic fantasy with a strong emphasis on action and adventure—and occasionally a little humour.
He certainly doesn’t spend his time watching dubious sci-fi films and second rate box-sets on the telly, nor go down the pub, or do anything else other than concentrating on the written word.
“A writer writes,” he is often heard to say. And that’s what Kev does. Write that is, not talk about writing! There can be no doubt about it.
Kev has recently been diagnosed as being on the Autism Spectrum (ASD), which means he has absolutely no sense of humour and finds it terrifically hard to get on with people… This is only half true.
His rather long list of previous employment includes: driver’s mate, factory gate-man, barman, labourer, telesales operative, sales assistant, warehouse-man, Student Union President, university IT help-desk guy, British Rail signal software designer, premiership football website designer, mobile banking content team lead, gigging musician, graphic designer, stand-up comedian, sound engineer, improv artist, magazine editor and web journo. Although he doesn’t like to talk about it.
For a hobby, Kev likes to work for a living, where he performs various metaphorical somersaults and back-flips for companies the width and breath of a small area around Victoria Tube Station, London.
Kev was born in the UK in one of the more interesting previous centuries. Originally from Derbyshire, he now lives in the seaside town of Brighton.
He is a tea drinker, Twitter aficionado and part-time stand-up comedian.
http://kevheritage.com
Join now for news & free stuff: http://kevheritage.com/join/
When Kev isn’t penning difficult, third person descriptions of himself for on and off-line publications, he mulls away the hours writing science fiction mysteries and epic fantasy with a strong emphasis on action and adventure—and occasionally a little humour.
He certainly doesn’t spend his time watching dubious sci-fi films and second rate box-sets on the telly, nor go down the pub, or do anything else other than concentrating on the written word.
“A writer writes,” he is often heard to say. And that’s what Kev does. Write that is, not talk about writing! There can be no doubt about it.
Kev has recently been diagnosed as being on the Autism Spectrum (ASD), which means he has absolutely no sense of humour and finds it terrifically hard to get on with people… This is only half true.
His rather long list of previous employment includes: driver’s mate, factory gate-man, barman, labourer, telesales operative, sales assistant, warehouse-man, Student Union President, university IT help-desk guy, British Rail signal software designer, premiership football website designer, mobile banking content team lead, gigging musician, graphic designer, stand-up comedian, sound engineer, improv artist, magazine editor and web journo. Although he doesn’t like to talk about it.
For a hobby, Kev likes to work for a living, where he performs various metaphorical somersaults and back-flips for companies the width and breath of a small area around Victoria Tube Station, London.
Kev was born in the UK in one of the more interesting previous centuries. Originally from Derbyshire, he now lives in the seaside town of Brighton.
He is a tea drinker, Twitter aficionado and part-time stand-up comedian.
http://kevheritage.com
Join now for news & free stuff: http://kevheritage.com/join/
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
March 26, 2023
We all know the average hero type: handsome, square jaw, wearing a cool looking outfit, perfect hair and whenever they smile, there is a flash of light and you hear *ting*. The Scowl is the direct opposite of that hero. He is a hideous, deformed being that repels all. His personality matches his looks. He is quite possibly the inspiration for the phrase, "kill it with fire!"
In addition to looks that could stop a speeding Mack truck, The Scowl wields an evil magical blade of iron and gold. Those 2 classic metal mainstays of fantasy literature are evil and to be avoided at all costs in this world. Those that still delve into the earth to mine those metals are the main target of The Scowl and he uses his evil blade to good effect to remove such evil in the world.
The Scowl finds himself in the company of the beautiful noblewoman Vareena. In one of the 3 stories that make up this book The Scowl is forced to perform a service for Vareena's family. In the other 2 stories they travel together on various adventures and anti-delving missions. 3 shorter books make up "The Scowl".
This was a very good fantasy book that has some definite twists. Gold and iron being evil are definitely a twist from the average fantasy book. A hero that has a face that not even his own mother could love who repels all who see or encounter him is another twist that makes this a great book to read. This book comes highly recommended.
In addition to looks that could stop a speeding Mack truck, The Scowl wields an evil magical blade of iron and gold. Those 2 classic metal mainstays of fantasy literature are evil and to be avoided at all costs in this world. Those that still delve into the earth to mine those metals are the main target of The Scowl and he uses his evil blade to good effect to remove such evil in the world.
The Scowl finds himself in the company of the beautiful noblewoman Vareena. In one of the 3 stories that make up this book The Scowl is forced to perform a service for Vareena's family. In the other 2 stories they travel together on various adventures and anti-delving missions. 3 shorter books make up "The Scowl".
This was a very good fantasy book that has some definite twists. Gold and iron being evil are definitely a twist from the average fantasy book. A hero that has a face that not even his own mother could love who repels all who see or encounter him is another twist that makes this a great book to read. This book comes highly recommended.
August 1, 2019
Captivating
A captivating plot, complex characters, and a creative world made it so I did not want to put this novel down. I was hooked right away and look forward to their next adventures!
A captivating plot, complex characters, and a creative world made it so I did not want to put this novel down. I was hooked right away and look forward to their next adventures!
April 2, 2024
Brilliant and innovative
December 24, 2015
Summary:
In the world of Arn, two suns fill the sky, and people are forbidden from having anything to do with metals. A hooded avenger known as the Cowl travels the land, seeking to destroy these evil objects, as well as those who covet them. He keeps his distorted features hidden beneath a robe and seems to draw his strength from a powerful and menacing sword called IronScythe. Everyone steers clear of him except Vareena Krall, a noblewoman who has been betrayed and is left to fend for herself. She knows with certainty that the Cowl can be trusted, but can he say the same about her?
My Thoughts:
Kev Heritage’s “The Cowl” is a fast-paced fantasy adventure that will thrill and delight readers from start to finish. Heritage thrives on plopping the reader right into the thick of things instead of slowly embarking on a new journey. This is how he immediately captures your attention in order to bring to life an incredible world reminiscent of a medieval tale. Admittedly, there’s a lot to digest in the first few pages as you become familiar with the quirky language and customs, but it’s definitely not overwhelming. An appendix of some sort probably would help explain the different terms, however, it’s not really that hard to figure things out through context.
Once that hurdle is cleared, I guarantee you will hungrily speed through the rest of the book. I love that it is broken down into novellas which keeps the “central” plot from dragging on and losing momentum. This technique keeps the reader guessing what’s to come as a variety of colorful creatures and beings weave their way in and out of the main characters’ lives. They practically leap off the page, adding layers of complexity to an intriguing story that’s far from resolved after the final page is turned.
Thankfully, this means we will be hearing more from the Cowl and Vareena who are quite the dynamic pair. Their chemistry is undeniable and heightens the action tenfold. More importantly, they’re genuine and relatable. Heritage makes it so that you experience everything exactly as they react to it. In other words, you get in their mindset, meaning their situations become your own.
All in all, “The Cowl” is a very exciting read for those who are into fantasy stories and a nice introduction to the genre for non-fans, too. And thanks to that abrupt cliffhanger, I can’t wait for future installments to see what becomes of our beloved warriors!
In the world of Arn, two suns fill the sky, and people are forbidden from having anything to do with metals. A hooded avenger known as the Cowl travels the land, seeking to destroy these evil objects, as well as those who covet them. He keeps his distorted features hidden beneath a robe and seems to draw his strength from a powerful and menacing sword called IronScythe. Everyone steers clear of him except Vareena Krall, a noblewoman who has been betrayed and is left to fend for herself. She knows with certainty that the Cowl can be trusted, but can he say the same about her?
My Thoughts:
Kev Heritage’s “The Cowl” is a fast-paced fantasy adventure that will thrill and delight readers from start to finish. Heritage thrives on plopping the reader right into the thick of things instead of slowly embarking on a new journey. This is how he immediately captures your attention in order to bring to life an incredible world reminiscent of a medieval tale. Admittedly, there’s a lot to digest in the first few pages as you become familiar with the quirky language and customs, but it’s definitely not overwhelming. An appendix of some sort probably would help explain the different terms, however, it’s not really that hard to figure things out through context.
Once that hurdle is cleared, I guarantee you will hungrily speed through the rest of the book. I love that it is broken down into novellas which keeps the “central” plot from dragging on and losing momentum. This technique keeps the reader guessing what’s to come as a variety of colorful creatures and beings weave their way in and out of the main characters’ lives. They practically leap off the page, adding layers of complexity to an intriguing story that’s far from resolved after the final page is turned.
Thankfully, this means we will be hearing more from the Cowl and Vareena who are quite the dynamic pair. Their chemistry is undeniable and heightens the action tenfold. More importantly, they’re genuine and relatable. Heritage makes it so that you experience everything exactly as they react to it. In other words, you get in their mindset, meaning their situations become your own.
All in all, “The Cowl” is a very exciting read for those who are into fantasy stories and a nice introduction to the genre for non-fans, too. And thanks to that abrupt cliffhanger, I can’t wait for future installments to see what becomes of our beloved warriors!
June 20, 2014
If you love the genre of Adult Fantasy then you must give Kev Heritage’s books a go. Heritage really does bring dark fantasy to life with descriptive prose which draws you in and keeps you there until the book is done and he tells the story well with no inclusion of excessive goriness.
The description of The Cowl was enough for me to envisage a beast I wouldn’t want to meet in a dark alley but he was also strangely appealing in his emotional vulnerability and the depth of the man beneath was clear. Vareena, Mistress of Krall Keep, brought to mind a Freya character; strong and vital but at the beginning of her magical path, a child-woman of promise. Together they fight for their separate but crossover causes against those whose love of power and money far outweigh their intellect. Metal is deemed to be evil in this world and those who seek it will eventually go mad with lust for it. The Cowl is sworn to prevent this delving from happening and he is drawn by the power of his sword to seek out those who would take metal from the ground and to destroy them by its blade.
The description of The Cowl was enough for me to envisage a beast I wouldn’t want to meet in a dark alley but he was also strangely appealing in his emotional vulnerability and the depth of the man beneath was clear. Vareena, Mistress of Krall Keep, brought to mind a Freya character; strong and vital but at the beginning of her magical path, a child-woman of promise. Together they fight for their separate but crossover causes against those whose love of power and money far outweigh their intellect. Metal is deemed to be evil in this world and those who seek it will eventually go mad with lust for it. The Cowl is sworn to prevent this delving from happening and he is drawn by the power of his sword to seek out those who would take metal from the ground and to destroy them by its blade.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews