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The Land of Nowhere #1
The Rift and the Reckoning: The Land of Nowhere Book 1
The gods are dead. The land is dying. And it will not go quietly.
In a world unraveling under the weight of ancient lies, two reluctant heroes hold the key to its salvation—or its destruction.
Theron, a former warrior turned outcast, carries the weight of a shattered faith and a son he couldn’t save. But when whispers of rebellion and a forgotten god reach his ears, he must take up his blade once more—or let the world fall to ruin.
Jerrick, a reclusive farmer more at home among apple trees than battlefields, never wanted the power he was born with. But the land has begun to turn against those who wield its essence, and Jerrick must harness his forbidden magic to save his people—or be consumed by the very world he seeks to protect.
Bound to the souls of ancient gods, they walk a path of power, madness, and betrayal. But the land's fury cannot be tamed—and its reckoning has only just begun.
The land is rising. And it wants revenge.
Perfect for fans of James Islington and John Gwynne, The Land of Nowhere is a sweeping tale of reluctant heroes, ancient gods, and the fragile line between destiny and choice.
In a world unraveling under the weight of ancient lies, two reluctant heroes hold the key to its salvation—or its destruction.
Theron, a former warrior turned outcast, carries the weight of a shattered faith and a son he couldn’t save. But when whispers of rebellion and a forgotten god reach his ears, he must take up his blade once more—or let the world fall to ruin.
Jerrick, a reclusive farmer more at home among apple trees than battlefields, never wanted the power he was born with. But the land has begun to turn against those who wield its essence, and Jerrick must harness his forbidden magic to save his people—or be consumed by the very world he seeks to protect.
Bound to the souls of ancient gods, they walk a path of power, madness, and betrayal. But the land's fury cannot be tamed—and its reckoning has only just begun.
The land is rising. And it wants revenge.
Perfect for fans of James Islington and John Gwynne, The Land of Nowhere is a sweeping tale of reluctant heroes, ancient gods, and the fragile line between destiny and choice.
436 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 10, 2025
32 people are currently reading
45 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
April 10, 2025
Incredible debut, wow. I don't think I can eloquently summarize how mindblown I am right now, especially without giving spoilers. The writing was great, and the plot was insane in the best way. I was hooked until the very end, and I now have to impatiently wait for the second book to be published.
January 1, 2026
Jerrick grabbed me from the start. There was something raw and honest about his personality, and the “friendly giant” vibes he brought were both endearing, and made me wonder how he would change over the course of the story.
The book went mad around the 30% mark, in an amazing way. The reveals of plot were just epic. Discovering his past, his powers, and what he needed to do with all of it … Loved how it all came together.
There’s a middle scene in particular that I know I’ll never forget. I don’t want to spoil it, but a haunting discovery that just left my mouth open. And what jerrick did in that moment was so raw and boss-man vibes.
I’m super curious where the story will go from here.
The book went mad around the 30% mark, in an amazing way. The reveals of plot were just epic. Discovering his past, his powers, and what he needed to do with all of it … Loved how it all came together.
There’s a middle scene in particular that I know I’ll never forget. I don’t want to spoil it, but a haunting discovery that just left my mouth open. And what jerrick did in that moment was so raw and boss-man vibes.
I’m super curious where the story will go from here.
November 6, 2025
4.5/5
I dock this book by half a point for formatting issues, but I will get to that later.
Wow! Just Wow. I went in to this with a small degree of expectation. The entire trilogy is out, and I saw a minor spoiler that this is a blend of Sci-Fi, and fantasy. That means I read this with a mindset that not everything is as it seems. That did not in any way decrease my enjoyment of this book though.
Blade has constructed a fast paced, gripping book that I couldn't stop myself from devouring. I attribute this to the story itself, but also the formatting his writing takes. I'll get to that in a minute. The story itself is a mix of "a hero's journey" and "the quest" archetypes. Our main character Jerrik is the main focus as he awakens to a new power in the form of Bonding with a God. The Quest aspect being a task that Jerrik himself is uniquely suited for in the form of saving the world from an encroaching fog that kills humanity as it twists them into monsters. A fog that has been slowly creeping, and decreasing the amount of livable space in the world. The first half of this book has that encroaching weight, and anxiety, as Jerrik knows; he just KNOWS that the world is changing, and his life as he knows it will irrevocably be very different very soon. That slow build in the beginning can drag a little bit, but eventually pays off with... well...
I won't go to far into it, because honestly I feel you need to read this book yourself.
The topic of the formatting of this book. Blade writes this in what I can only describe as a "suspense/thriller" format. A series of short, quick sentences, or phrases that stack upon each other to rocket you through the pages. Let me explain.
Short statements.
That drive you forward.
Page after page.
Irrevocably towards the end.
Of the chapter.
To the end of book.
At a breakneck speed.
Without you knowing.
You have consumed 50 pages.
In the blink of an eye.
That's what I mean. It's great, and I flew through this book at a rapid pace.
There are some other issues with formatting through. The first being more of a pet peeve than a real "flaw". This book is 420+ pages with 18 chapters. That means you have some chunky chapters [20+ pages]. Personally I like to finish a chapter before I set a book down. Specifically because I read during work/lunch breaks, or before bed. Big chapters means I either risk having to put it down without finishing a chapter, or hold off. Not a big gripe, as I said more of a pet peeve. With the structure of Blade's writing though it doesn't feel like a big read now that I think about it.
Lastly; there is some issues with phrasing, and sentence structures. There is a handful of times where there is another entity, like a god that has been bonded with, or internal dialog happening. In other books such entity, or dialog would be Italicized, or in bold to denote that it is not a spoken phrase. Not here. Such statements either are the same lettering as the rest of the dialog, and/or the lettering of the rest of the book. It can throw you for a loop wherein you have to re-read to put it into context. Also there is a small handful of instances where a character's sentence is broken up across lines. Meaning:
"Their dialog starts here
only to continue down here to put emphasis on something,
and finish down here."
Again it only happens maybe 3-4 times. Something that can be easily remedied.
Overall this a great book, and with the way book 1 ends I am excited to continue with book 2 to see what else Blade has in store for me!
I dock this book by half a point for formatting issues, but I will get to that later.
Wow! Just Wow. I went in to this with a small degree of expectation. The entire trilogy is out, and I saw a minor spoiler that this is a blend of Sci-Fi, and fantasy. That means I read this with a mindset that not everything is as it seems. That did not in any way decrease my enjoyment of this book though.
Blade has constructed a fast paced, gripping book that I couldn't stop myself from devouring. I attribute this to the story itself, but also the formatting his writing takes. I'll get to that in a minute. The story itself is a mix of "a hero's journey" and "the quest" archetypes. Our main character Jerrik is the main focus as he awakens to a new power in the form of Bonding with a God. The Quest aspect being a task that Jerrik himself is uniquely suited for in the form of saving the world from an encroaching fog that kills humanity as it twists them into monsters. A fog that has been slowly creeping, and decreasing the amount of livable space in the world. The first half of this book has that encroaching weight, and anxiety, as Jerrik knows; he just KNOWS that the world is changing, and his life as he knows it will irrevocably be very different very soon. That slow build in the beginning can drag a little bit, but eventually pays off with... well...
I won't go to far into it, because honestly I feel you need to read this book yourself.
The topic of the formatting of this book. Blade writes this in what I can only describe as a "suspense/thriller" format. A series of short, quick sentences, or phrases that stack upon each other to rocket you through the pages. Let me explain.
Short statements.
That drive you forward.
Page after page.
Irrevocably towards the end.
Of the chapter.
To the end of book.
At a breakneck speed.
Without you knowing.
You have consumed 50 pages.
In the blink of an eye.
That's what I mean. It's great, and I flew through this book at a rapid pace.
There are some other issues with formatting through. The first being more of a pet peeve than a real "flaw". This book is 420+ pages with 18 chapters. That means you have some chunky chapters [20+ pages]. Personally I like to finish a chapter before I set a book down. Specifically because I read during work/lunch breaks, or before bed. Big chapters means I either risk having to put it down without finishing a chapter, or hold off. Not a big gripe, as I said more of a pet peeve. With the structure of Blade's writing though it doesn't feel like a big read now that I think about it.
Lastly; there is some issues with phrasing, and sentence structures. There is a handful of times where there is another entity, like a god that has been bonded with, or internal dialog happening. In other books such entity, or dialog would be Italicized, or in bold to denote that it is not a spoken phrase. Not here. Such statements either are the same lettering as the rest of the dialog, and/or the lettering of the rest of the book. It can throw you for a loop wherein you have to re-read to put it into context. Also there is a small handful of instances where a character's sentence is broken up across lines. Meaning:
"Their dialog starts here
only to continue down here to put emphasis on something,
and finish down here."
Again it only happens maybe 3-4 times. Something that can be easily remedied.
Overall this a great book, and with the way book 1 ends I am excited to continue with book 2 to see what else Blade has in store for me!
April 19, 2025
The Rift and the Reckoning is a Return to Magic and Heroism We Didn't Know We Needed.
There’s a rare kind of story that makes you feel like a kid again—wide-eyed, thrilled, swept away by awe. The Rift and the Reckoning is that story. A triumphant collision of sci-fi and fantasy, it blends magic, monsters, and cosmic heroism in a way that feels both familiar and entirely new.
Nick Blade has crafted a world brimming with ancient power and futuristic danger, where unlikely heroes rise to face impossible odds. It brought back the thrill I felt watching A New Hope for the first time—the quiet beginnings of a hero who doesn't know they’re destined to shape the fate of worlds.
But what truly struck me was the emotional heartbeat of it all. In the aftermath of recent years, when so much fiction felt hollow, this book offered depth, courage, and hope. It reminded me that stories still matter—that they can stir the soul.
I finished it feeling breathless, inspired, and honestly jealous I couldn't leap into the world myself. If you’re looking for a book that captures the soul of classic epics and reignites the fire of imagination, don’t miss this one.
There’s a rare kind of story that makes you feel like a kid again—wide-eyed, thrilled, swept away by awe. The Rift and the Reckoning is that story. A triumphant collision of sci-fi and fantasy, it blends magic, monsters, and cosmic heroism in a way that feels both familiar and entirely new.
Nick Blade has crafted a world brimming with ancient power and futuristic danger, where unlikely heroes rise to face impossible odds. It brought back the thrill I felt watching A New Hope for the first time—the quiet beginnings of a hero who doesn't know they’re destined to shape the fate of worlds.
But what truly struck me was the emotional heartbeat of it all. In the aftermath of recent years, when so much fiction felt hollow, this book offered depth, courage, and hope. It reminded me that stories still matter—that they can stir the soul.
I finished it feeling breathless, inspired, and honestly jealous I couldn't leap into the world myself. If you’re looking for a book that captures the soul of classic epics and reignites the fire of imagination, don’t miss this one.
August 24, 2025
DNF at 2%
The plot seems great but I found it a bad choice that the author wrote the book in first person present tense view which kept irritating me to the point if stopping to read.
In third person view the feelings and statements would feel less melodramatic and less like bragging.. now as i think about it, first person view psychologically demands of the reader to identify with the protagonist which means that the MC has to be highly relatable which is hard to achieve in a phantasy world..
The MC sees a lot despite having no eyes. Even if he had echolocation that would seem utterly unfeasible..
The last straw for me was the introduction of another first person view after which i gave up.
The plot seems great but I found it a bad choice that the author wrote the book in first person present tense view which kept irritating me to the point if stopping to read.
In third person view the feelings and statements would feel less melodramatic and less like bragging.. now as i think about it, first person view psychologically demands of the reader to identify with the protagonist which means that the MC has to be highly relatable which is hard to achieve in a phantasy world..
The MC sees a lot despite having no eyes. Even if he had echolocation that would seem utterly unfeasible..
The last straw for me was the introduction of another first person view after which i gave up.
May 13, 2025
The Rift and the Reckoning had my attention from the very first page. The action scenes, in particular, were exceptional. And the choice of first person POV allowed me to see things, feel emotions, and explore a crumbling world with such clarity. I thoroughly enjoyed this fresh story-telling method. Look forward to reading the next book.
January 14, 2026
DNF. If you’re going to write a book in first person it should be just one POV telling the story. Once I realized that there were multiple povs in first person I was done. Sometimes I struggle with first person much less multiple first person perspectives. The blurb had promise and looked interesting enough but was not executed well at all.
July 19, 2025
This was a fun story that progressed very rapidly and featured some fantastic action sequences alongside a very likeable protagonist.
You’d think that by now, the trope of a farm boy rising up to save the world has been done to death. But every now and then, someone surprises you with an interesting spin on the age-old narrative. And this book was indeed quite a pleasant surprise in that regard.
Full review on SFF Insiders
You’d think that by now, the trope of a farm boy rising up to save the world has been done to death. But every now and then, someone surprises you with an interesting spin on the age-old narrative. And this book was indeed quite a pleasant surprise in that regard.
Full review on SFF Insiders
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews