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The Tortured Kingdom
After a comet strikes the continent of Yohme, it's left in shambles. Nations lay in rubble, magic has been corrupted, and a plague has turned most of the inhabitants into flesh-eating, undead, ghouls.
Traveling this apocalyptic landscape is Evan, a bounty hunter taking missions to survive. However, his latest quest to capture a thief leads to more than he bargained for. After uncovering an ancient map, he forms a party to hunt the sacred treasure inside the most formidable dungeon.
Once inside, they'll have to overcome the trials of a god to reach it, and they're not the only ones searching.
Traveling this apocalyptic landscape is Evan, a bounty hunter taking missions to survive. However, his latest quest to capture a thief leads to more than he bargained for. After uncovering an ancient map, he forms a party to hunt the sacred treasure inside the most formidable dungeon.
Once inside, they'll have to overcome the trials of a god to reach it, and they're not the only ones searching.
276 pages, Paperback
Published January 31, 2025
About the author
Bryan Asher
4 books42 followersBryan Asher is a native Washingtonian and lifelong fan of fiction in all its forms. He started out like many kids from the '90s, being enthralled by all the superhero comics and cartoons crossing his vision. His love of literary fiction came when he was handed a copy of John Bellairs, “The Chessmen of Doom” by his local librarian. Bryan still credits John Bellairs as his greatest literary influence, with his books featuring multiple illustrations and stand-alone adventures, just like Bellairs.
After years of dedication and planning, he debuted his first novel in 2020, “The Assassin of Malcoze.” The following year he released his second novel, “The Treasure of Lor-Rev,” which went on to win multiple awards.
Bryan still lives in Renton Washington with his loving wife and two awesome children. He also still has the first comic book he ever purchased (which cost a quarter in 1990).
After years of dedication and planning, he debuted his first novel in 2020, “The Assassin of Malcoze.” The following year he released his second novel, “The Treasure of Lor-Rev,” which went on to win multiple awards.
Bryan still lives in Renton Washington with his loving wife and two awesome children. He also still has the first comic book he ever purchased (which cost a quarter in 1990).
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
September 7, 2025
Bryan Asher’s The Tortured Kingdom dives headfirst into dark fantasy with an apocalyptic edge. The setup is immediately striking: a comet devastates the land of Yohme, leaving behind ruined nations, twisted magic, and hordes of plague-ridden undead. Against this backdrop, we follow Evan, a hardened bounty hunter whose pursuit of a thief snowballs into a much larger quest involving an ancient map, a deadly dungeon, and trials set by a god.
What Worked Well
The world-building is vivid and grim, balancing classic fantasy adventure with a post-apocalyptic twist. Asher captures the desperation of a continent on the edge of collapse, and the blend of ghouls, corrupted magic, and treasure-hunting keeps the stakes high.
The pacing is brisk, moving from survival missions to dungeon-crawling without lingering too long in one place. At 276 pages, the story doesn’t overstay its welcome and delivers an accessible, action-driven read.
Fans of old-school fantasy RPGs will likely appreciate the party dynamic and dungeon-trial structure, which feel like a love letter to quest-driven adventures.
Where It Fell Short for Me
While the concept is strong, the characters sometimes feel underdeveloped. Evan and his companions serve the story, but I occasionally wanted more emotional depth or distinct voices to make them leap off the page.
The quick pacing, while exciting, sometimes comes at the expense of atmosphere and tension-building. Certain scenes that could have been expanded for more impact—whether to explore the horror of the ghouls or the gravity of the godly trials—felt a little rushed.
The story leans on some familiar tropes (reluctant hero, ragtag party, ancient treasure quest). Readers who love comfort in well-worn fantasy beats will enjoy it, but those seeking a completely fresh take may find it predictable in places.
Overall Impression
The Tortured Kingdom is an engaging indie fantasy that plays like a dungeon-crawler come to life. It’s fast, dark, and accessible, with enough action to keep the pages turning. While I wished for deeper character work and more breathing room in key scenes, Asher has crafted a solid adventure that will appeal to readers who enjoy post-apocalyptic twists on traditional fantasy quests.
What Worked Well
The world-building is vivid and grim, balancing classic fantasy adventure with a post-apocalyptic twist. Asher captures the desperation of a continent on the edge of collapse, and the blend of ghouls, corrupted magic, and treasure-hunting keeps the stakes high.
The pacing is brisk, moving from survival missions to dungeon-crawling without lingering too long in one place. At 276 pages, the story doesn’t overstay its welcome and delivers an accessible, action-driven read.
Fans of old-school fantasy RPGs will likely appreciate the party dynamic and dungeon-trial structure, which feel like a love letter to quest-driven adventures.
Where It Fell Short for Me
While the concept is strong, the characters sometimes feel underdeveloped. Evan and his companions serve the story, but I occasionally wanted more emotional depth or distinct voices to make them leap off the page.
The quick pacing, while exciting, sometimes comes at the expense of atmosphere and tension-building. Certain scenes that could have been expanded for more impact—whether to explore the horror of the ghouls or the gravity of the godly trials—felt a little rushed.
The story leans on some familiar tropes (reluctant hero, ragtag party, ancient treasure quest). Readers who love comfort in well-worn fantasy beats will enjoy it, but those seeking a completely fresh take may find it predictable in places.
Overall Impression
The Tortured Kingdom is an engaging indie fantasy that plays like a dungeon-crawler come to life. It’s fast, dark, and accessible, with enough action to keep the pages turning. While I wished for deeper character work and more breathing room in key scenes, Asher has crafted a solid adventure that will appeal to readers who enjoy post-apocalyptic twists on traditional fantasy quests.
September 15, 2025
The Tortured Kingdom is a thrilling and delightfully dark fantasy book that plunges readers into a wildly imagined world of floating land masses and a lot of zombie fighting action. Set in the Bryan Asher’s Intercontinents universe, the story follows a band of heroes who must unite to navigate a dungeon with monsters and ancient secrets. Asher does a good job blending world building with high stakes action in this LitRPG story with level by level challenges leading to a thrilling end!
What stands out is the emotional depth of the characters. Each member of the group has personal struggles which serve to connect the reader to each of them in a unique way. The pacing is so fast that it keeps you turning the pages, though the shorter length of the book kind of left me wishing for more story. Overall, The Tortured Kingdom is a fun read for fans of epic fantasy and LitRPG. Asher’s story telling delivers in a big way in this book. Highly recommended for a quick and fun fantasy escape!
What stands out is the emotional depth of the characters. Each member of the group has personal struggles which serve to connect the reader to each of them in a unique way. The pacing is so fast that it keeps you turning the pages, though the shorter length of the book kind of left me wishing for more story. Overall, The Tortured Kingdom is a fun read for fans of epic fantasy and LitRPG. Asher’s story telling delivers in a big way in this book. Highly recommended for a quick and fun fantasy escape!
September 8, 2025
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This review is cross-posted. Check out the original post [HERE]
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Disclaimer: A copy of this book was provided to me in exchange for a fair and honest review. This does not impact the review and all opinions are my own.
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This was such a fun read! I know it’s meant to be a DnD-esque book, but I’ve never played DND. I’ve only played fantasy games on consoles and desktops, and even then it was still relatable. I was so amused to find so many different parts of the game world that I love in MMORPG/RPGs (potions, skill cooldowns, literal DUNGEONS, trials and quests, etc.)!
The Tortured Kingdom follows Evan and his friends as they navigate through a dungeon, seeking a blessed fruit, a gift from one of the Gods that could change the world…the world that had remained after the comet strike leaving nothing but ruin and zombies. The book starts with a trio of strange men requesting Evan’s aid to capture a thief, an ex-employee that had taken advantage of all of the chaos and state of the world, making off with valued treasure. Evan agrees, thinking the goods are actual treasures, gems and such, only to discover just a map…
But the map is more important than he thinks. Far far more important.
I enjoyed this read! It entertained me quite well and the writing was perfect. It wasn’t overly complicated, especially given that I tend to have trouble with fantasy books. I had no issues focusing and finding myself immersed even after a long day of work, a good book to just curl up with every evening. The dialogue was fun and the writing was simple and easy to read/digest without taking away the magic. Descriptions were well done and gave me great fuel to picture the world and the illustrations themselves also really helped. I found myself flying through the book.
I enjoyed the characters, everyone had such colorful and distinct personalities. I also appreciated how, despite it being clear that Evan is the main character, everyone had solid screentime (pagetime?) and backgrounds fleshed out. There were chapters where you don’t even hear from Evan for a while, it’s just Grymjer, Kellen or another character . It wasn’t all fighting either. A whole dungeon adventure awaited Evan and his team (and the readers!) with all sorts of trials and puzzles testing to see if the team was worthy of Duraté’s gift such as illusions to test their generosity or even a whole boardgame trial where the weakest of the group was picked on to lead.
A fun, fast-paced, adventurous read that I really enjoyed and made me want to pick up Fire Emblem or look for my old mobile 8-bit RPG games. Good characters, solid diversity, detailed scenes and description, great writing, and a very entertaining dungeon (although, with the danger level, I’m sure the band found it anything but entertaining). The final battle between Evan and his nemesis was 10 out of 10! If you’re looking for a good fantasy with a big focus on dungeons and trials, The Tortured Kingdom by Bryan Asher may be right up your alley!
This review is cross-posted. Check out the original post [HERE]
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Disclaimer: A copy of this book was provided to me in exchange for a fair and honest review. This does not impact the review and all opinions are my own.
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This was such a fun read! I know it’s meant to be a DnD-esque book, but I’ve never played DND. I’ve only played fantasy games on consoles and desktops, and even then it was still relatable. I was so amused to find so many different parts of the game world that I love in MMORPG/RPGs (potions, skill cooldowns, literal DUNGEONS, trials and quests, etc.)!
The Tortured Kingdom follows Evan and his friends as they navigate through a dungeon, seeking a blessed fruit, a gift from one of the Gods that could change the world…the world that had remained after the comet strike leaving nothing but ruin and zombies. The book starts with a trio of strange men requesting Evan’s aid to capture a thief, an ex-employee that had taken advantage of all of the chaos and state of the world, making off with valued treasure. Evan agrees, thinking the goods are actual treasures, gems and such, only to discover just a map…
But the map is more important than he thinks. Far far more important.
I enjoyed this read! It entertained me quite well and the writing was perfect. It wasn’t overly complicated, especially given that I tend to have trouble with fantasy books. I had no issues focusing and finding myself immersed even after a long day of work, a good book to just curl up with every evening. The dialogue was fun and the writing was simple and easy to read/digest without taking away the magic. Descriptions were well done and gave me great fuel to picture the world and the illustrations themselves also really helped. I found myself flying through the book.
I enjoyed the characters, everyone had such colorful and distinct personalities. I also appreciated how, despite it being clear that Evan is the main character, everyone had solid screentime (pagetime?) and backgrounds fleshed out. There were chapters where you don’t even hear from Evan for a while, it’s just Grymjer, Kellen or another character . It wasn’t all fighting either. A whole dungeon adventure awaited Evan and his team (and the readers!) with all sorts of trials and puzzles testing to see if the team was worthy of Duraté’s gift such as illusions to test their generosity or even a whole boardgame trial where the weakest of the group was picked on to lead.
A fun, fast-paced, adventurous read that I really enjoyed and made me want to pick up Fire Emblem or look for my old mobile 8-bit RPG games. Good characters, solid diversity, detailed scenes and description, great writing, and a very entertaining dungeon (although, with the danger level, I’m sure the band found it anything but entertaining). The final battle between Evan and his nemesis was 10 out of 10! If you’re looking for a good fantasy with a big focus on dungeons and trials, The Tortured Kingdom by Bryan Asher may be right up your alley!
August 20, 2025
For someone who grew up on reading Dragonlance series (with a large set of books), I appreciated that I could dive into this campaign for a short period without all the baggage and commitment. Escape reality and follow along with this dynamic party...
August 26, 2025
Tortured Kingdom was such a blast! Fast-paced, adventurous, and absolutely addictive. I had so much fun with this story.
A fantasy with zombies? Yes, please. Add in a dungeon crawl, epic trials, and battles that felt like they leapt right out of a Dungeons & Dragons campaign, and I was hooked. (As a D&D player myself, this was extra special!)
The party members were unforgettable, the world-building rich and apocalyptic, and the character development made me care about every twist of the journey. This book delivered action, heart, and atmosphere in all the best ways.
If you’re a D&D fan or just love getting lost in a damn good fantasy adventure, you need this on your TBR. Huge thanks to Hidden Hollow book tours for the gifted copy
A fantasy with zombies? Yes, please. Add in a dungeon crawl, epic trials, and battles that felt like they leapt right out of a Dungeons & Dragons campaign, and I was hooked. (As a D&D player myself, this was extra special!)
The party members were unforgettable, the world-building rich and apocalyptic, and the character development made me care about every twist of the journey. This book delivered action, heart, and atmosphere in all the best ways.
If you’re a D&D fan or just love getting lost in a damn good fantasy adventure, you need this on your TBR. Huge thanks to Hidden Hollow book tours for the gifted copy
September 15, 2025
A dark and edgy dystopian fantasy which keeps a fast pace delving us into battle scenes with a magical twist. Set in the aftermath of a comet, the continent of Yohme is left in desolate ruin. Evan, a bounty Hunter, undertakes missions in order to survive. His latest quest to capture a thief leads him into a perilous adventure where he faces a formidable dungeon and some chilling adversaries. It is an arduous trial, with an ominous setting, and dangerous opponents all coming at you with speed. The Tortured Kingdom is ideal for those who love a dystopian , magical fantasy that is short in length and pacy. I recommend for fans of Dungeons and Dragons, or books such as Throne of the Crescent Moon and Gideon the Ninth. #thetorturedkingdom #bryanasher #thewritereads #thewritereadsontour
September 12, 2025
4 stars. review to come
August 31, 2025
Tropes:
✨ Dungeon Crawling Adventure
✨ New Gear and Loot
✨ Magic Progression
After the continent of Yohme is left in shambles, Evan takes missions as a bounty hunter. His latest mission of catching a thief turns into finding a map that will help find treasure in a dungeon. What him and his party don’t know is that there is more than meets the eye with the dungeon. Evan and his party have to work together to beat the challenges the dungeon throws at them.
This is very different from what I’m used to reading but I enjoyed this so much! This book is action packed and will keep you on your toes the whole time. You will keep turning page after page to find out what happens next. This gave me D&D vibes. If you love dystopian adventures, you will absolutely love this book.
✨ Dungeon Crawling Adventure
✨ New Gear and Loot
✨ Magic Progression
After the continent of Yohme is left in shambles, Evan takes missions as a bounty hunter. His latest mission of catching a thief turns into finding a map that will help find treasure in a dungeon. What him and his party don’t know is that there is more than meets the eye with the dungeon. Evan and his party have to work together to beat the challenges the dungeon throws at them.
This is very different from what I’m used to reading but I enjoyed this so much! This book is action packed and will keep you on your toes the whole time. You will keep turning page after page to find out what happens next. This gave me D&D vibes. If you love dystopian adventures, you will absolutely love this book.
September 2, 2025
This really made me miss playing DND 😭
Tortured Kingdom reads like a dungeon crawl where there is another party trying to reach the same end. At first everyone is at odds but they get along by the end and form a very good party. There are also multiple povs that are a little hard to determine who is talking at first but is quickly established and very enjoyable. I really liked getting to see how everyone interacted and that there was a part of one characters back story that would lead to some tension that did get resolved.
The items each character has were also very cool and something I wanna use in a campaign now lol. Especially the items Myrkor gets in the end.
I would enjoy another book set in this world since there are now other places to explore and still more items to gain in more dungeons. Overall I really enjoyed this book and the characters in it.
Tortured Kingdom reads like a dungeon crawl where there is another party trying to reach the same end. At first everyone is at odds but they get along by the end and form a very good party. There are also multiple povs that are a little hard to determine who is talking at first but is quickly established and very enjoyable. I really liked getting to see how everyone interacted and that there was a part of one characters back story that would lead to some tension that did get resolved.
The items each character has were also very cool and something I wanna use in a campaign now lol. Especially the items Myrkor gets in the end.
I would enjoy another book set in this world since there are now other places to explore and still more items to gain in more dungeons. Overall I really enjoyed this book and the characters in it.
August 31, 2025
The Tortured Kingdom reads very much like a D&D campaign. The story starts shortly after the continent of Yohme was struck by a comet. The story is a short and fast paced read that keeps you engaged from start to end.
I was so excited to see zombies as its not very often I find them in a fantasy read. As someone who grew up loving Zelda, I loved that the weapons and armor could be upgraded. The dungeon also had a mind of its own and was filled with twists and turns that our heros had to overcome.
thank you to the Author and Hidden Hollow for sending me a gifted copy.
I was so excited to see zombies as its not very often I find them in a fantasy read. As someone who grew up loving Zelda, I loved that the weapons and armor could be upgraded. The dungeon also had a mind of its own and was filled with twists and turns that our heros had to overcome.
thank you to the Author and Hidden Hollow for sending me a gifted copy.
September 2, 2025
Not my usual read but I definitely enjoyed it! As someone that’s read non-romance fantasy in the past, this was really good. I’m oddly reminded of when I first started reading Eisenhorn (Warhammer 40k series). That feeling of just adventure, intrigue, and the fact that nothing is what it seems in the beginning. I love the concept of The Cataclysm, an event where a comet struck down and infected many with a plague that turned them into zombies. And being infected, if you’re bitten by one, you’re doomed to become one. It’s fantasy meets apocalypse and I just loved everything about it.
Thank you to @Asher_novels and @hiddenhollowsbooktours for the gifted copy.
Thank you to @Asher_novels and @hiddenhollowsbooktours for the gifted copy.
September 4, 2025
Between the hauntingly beautiful backdrop, the apocalyptic chaos, and the heart-pounding trials, this book pulled me in and didn’t let go. Evan’s journey through a shattered world full of corrupted magic and ghouls was nothing short of epic. If you’re craving a dark, adventurous escape with treasure hunts, ancient maps, and godly trials, this one’s a must-read. 📖✨
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September 1, 2025
This was a fun little adventure! Not my typical read, but I’m glad I signed up for it because I enjoyed the action, the magic, the world building and the twists along the way! Definitely D&D vibes, so if that’s your jam, you want to check this one out!
𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬
🗡️ Fantasy
🗡️ Dungeon crawling adventure
🗡️New gear and loot
🗡️Magic progression
𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬
🗡️ Fantasy
🗡️ Dungeon crawling adventure
🗡️New gear and loot
🗡️Magic progression
September 4, 2025
This was a fun read. A proper Dungeons and Dragons campaign style book.
I enjoyed the interactions between the characters, the dungeons crawling, as well as the spells and items used and found.
100% recommend to any D&D fans.
I enjoyed the interactions between the characters, the dungeons crawling, as well as the spells and items used and found.
100% recommend to any D&D fans.
August 28, 2025
I really enjoyed this. Especially after all of the romance heavy books I've been reading lately, a classic epic fantasy quest was just what the doctor ordered. It was super fun, with diverse characters and lots of armor and weapons upgrades, just like in a video game or D&D campaign. This does a great job of standing on its own, but I do hope that there are more books written within this world, because these characters seem to have a lot of adventures still in them.
September 10, 2025
This feels like a one shot DnD campaign and I loved that I could dive in with these characters on a short adventure. I loved the concept of a maze with trials that change frequently and seeing the group have to think about what to do and puzzle out the trials was interesting. Sometimes I felt there was a lot of place names or people names that I struggled to keep track of. But this is a fun fast paced fantasy adventure, that everyone will enjoy. I had a great time readding this story and look forward to more by the author.
August 4, 2025
4.5⭐️
This in my opinion reads similar to a DND campaign and I love it!
Bryan Asher gave us an interesting fantasy in a way that had me binge reading and left me wanting more.
The way this book is set up I didn’t find myself being lost in the world building, it hooked me from the beginning and I found myself following along like I was part of the party.
It was a fairly quick read for me and it’s definitely a read for anyone wanting a fantasy world and story to lose yourself in for a bit (especially if you’re a DND lover like me!)
✨Dungeon crawling adventure
🗡️New gear and loot
✨Magic progression
Huge thanks to HiddenHollowBookTours for the review copy.
This in my opinion reads similar to a DND campaign and I love it!
Bryan Asher gave us an interesting fantasy in a way that had me binge reading and left me wanting more.
The way this book is set up I didn’t find myself being lost in the world building, it hooked me from the beginning and I found myself following along like I was part of the party.
It was a fairly quick read for me and it’s definitely a read for anyone wanting a fantasy world and story to lose yourself in for a bit (especially if you’re a DND lover like me!)
✨Dungeon crawling adventure
🗡️New gear and loot
✨Magic progression
Huge thanks to HiddenHollowBookTours for the review copy.
July 21, 2025
I read this book in one afternoon, it took me roughly 2-3 hours I think if I didn’t have to stop to do things I could have finished it in 2 hours. I was just that dragged into this book!
The Tortured Kingdom gives off the vibes of the Hobbit or a Brain Jaques novel so if you are a fan of fantasy books similar you’re definitely going to enjoy this book!
A band of unlikely characters have to come together to play games and trials while on a quest to help save their kingdom from zombies that have started roaming the world and taking over things after a comet strikes the continent. There are also tricky Gods involved in these trials which is a fun element!
I had such a great time reading this book and there are also pictures strewn throughout the novel which was a nice addition and helped me with picturing the characters! Thank you to Hidden Hollows for sending me a copy of this book, I had never received an email letting me know I was getting this book so I was a little confused and pleasantly surprised when it showed up at my door!
The Tortured Kingdom gives off the vibes of the Hobbit or a Brain Jaques novel so if you are a fan of fantasy books similar you’re definitely going to enjoy this book!
A band of unlikely characters have to come together to play games and trials while on a quest to help save their kingdom from zombies that have started roaming the world and taking over things after a comet strikes the continent. There are also tricky Gods involved in these trials which is a fun element!
I had such a great time reading this book and there are also pictures strewn throughout the novel which was a nice addition and helped me with picturing the characters! Thank you to Hidden Hollows for sending me a copy of this book, I had never received an email letting me know I was getting this book so I was a little confused and pleasantly surprised when it showed up at my door!
November 12, 2025
Imagine a post-apocalyptic bounty hunter turned treasure seeker, kind of Indiana Jones colliding with Dungeons & Dragons. That’s the energy The Tortured Kingdom channels from page one, and it holds steady through every trap, twist, and discovery.
The story follows Evan, a bounty hunter making his way through the fractured world of Yohme, where kingdoms lie in ruin and old gods whisper through the dust. When he captures a thief carrying an ancient map, Evan sets out in search of a legendary treasure buried deep within a land still reeling from the world’s collapse. What he finds is more than gold - it’s a test of loyalty, courage, and the meaning of survival.
Asher’s writing is witty and sharp, filled with humor that lands without undercutting the emotional moments. The pacing never drags, and the characters come to life fast - flawed, charming, and impossible not to root for. I love when a story can make me laugh one moment and hold my breath the next, and The Tortured Kingdom does exactly that.
The world of Yohme is immersive and strange - ancient technology tangled with divine magic, danger lurking beneath beauty. It’s the kind of place you don’t just read about; you feel it. I do wish we got a little more of the backstory and a little more immersion in the world, but I know there are three other novels set in this universe and I just need to be patient (clearly not my strong suit).
The Tortured Kingdom was such a fun introduction to Asher’s writing and world. I absolutely loved everything about it and can’t wait to keep exploring Yohme.
The story follows Evan, a bounty hunter making his way through the fractured world of Yohme, where kingdoms lie in ruin and old gods whisper through the dust. When he captures a thief carrying an ancient map, Evan sets out in search of a legendary treasure buried deep within a land still reeling from the world’s collapse. What he finds is more than gold - it’s a test of loyalty, courage, and the meaning of survival.
Asher’s writing is witty and sharp, filled with humor that lands without undercutting the emotional moments. The pacing never drags, and the characters come to life fast - flawed, charming, and impossible not to root for. I love when a story can make me laugh one moment and hold my breath the next, and The Tortured Kingdom does exactly that.
The world of Yohme is immersive and strange - ancient technology tangled with divine magic, danger lurking beneath beauty. It’s the kind of place you don’t just read about; you feel it. I do wish we got a little more of the backstory and a little more immersion in the world, but I know there are three other novels set in this universe and I just need to be patient (clearly not my strong suit).
The Tortured Kingdom was such a fun introduction to Asher’s writing and world. I absolutely loved everything about it and can’t wait to keep exploring Yohme.
May 2, 2026
Bryan Asher's Intercontinents have been a breath of fresh air for this sci-fi fantasy fan! The characters are rich, the stories full of wonderful twists and turns, and the narratives are easy to follow and enjoy.
Set up as a dungeon quest, similar to a Dungeons and Dragons campaign, the band of rag tag heroes manages to achieve more than originally endeavored. Dealing with magical zombies, puzzles, infuriating missteps, and character growth, these strangers turn into a mean, lean, cooperating, fighting machine.
I greatly appreciated this new addition to the series and can't wait for the next adventure!
Enjoy!
PS. I met the author at ECCC a few years ago and race to his booth every year. The artwork is fantastic, and the collaboration between the local talents on these books keeps me coming back for more.
Set up as a dungeon quest, similar to a Dungeons and Dragons campaign, the band of rag tag heroes manages to achieve more than originally endeavored. Dealing with magical zombies, puzzles, infuriating missteps, and character growth, these strangers turn into a mean, lean, cooperating, fighting machine.
I greatly appreciated this new addition to the series and can't wait for the next adventure!
Enjoy!
PS. I met the author at ECCC a few years ago and race to his booth every year. The artwork is fantastic, and the collaboration between the local talents on these books keeps me coming back for more.
Read
June 16, 2025Had no idea this was released! Just snagged a copy and can’t wait to get started.
October 17, 2025
the ending leaves the world in an interesting position a world that is theoretically free from scarcity and free from the shackles of old leaders(the ones with innate aura), with dungeoneers becoming the source of abundance and magic it makes me curious about the future of this world, will the non-fallen continents invade the fallen continent, how will society be shaped by this next dramatic change
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 14, 2025
A comet brings zombies to a fantasy land. If that isn’t a fantastic hook, I don’t know what is.
Evan is a bounty hunter trying to survive in a world ravaged by the undead. After a chance encounter with a Gremling - a small, but fierce, green skinned creature - they team up to form a raiding party to secure a magical fruit.
Evan is a good character. He is knowledgeable about his world. He’s a good fighter that I’d want by my side in a dungeon crawl.
My favourite characters were Grymjer the Gremling and Elleya the Rehnarian cleric. I loved Elleya’s magic.
This book perfectly captures the adventure of a good Dungeons and Dragons campaign or an epic fantasy RPG session. The writing is smooth. The descriptions strong. The pace fast. It is easy to get lost in the adventure and be swept along by the action.
A large part of the book concerns Evan and his crew solving the different puzzles and tests they encounter on their quest. The tests were so fun to read about. They were well described, so I can see them clearly in my mind’s eye. I enjoyed reading how the characters solved the dangerous and thrilling puzzles set before them.
The story is fast paced. The characters have enough backstory to make you care about them.
Reading this book brought me back to the weekends I used to spend playing fantasy RPGs with my sister. This nostalgia gave me a warm feeling. I had a great time reading this book.
This is a well written fantasy adventure for fans of D&D and fantasy RPGs. It has a lot of the comfortable, familiar elements of a dungeon crawl while being set within a new fantasy world. I particularly liked the fox liked Rehnarians. I loved that the author put so much work into the different kinds of creatures that lived in Yohme. It was interesting to see the different beliefs held by the creatures, as well as the conflicts between the different species.
This is an imaginative, well thought out and nicely written fantasy book. It stays very firmly within the tracks of a dungeon crawl, which will be a strength to some readers and a weakness to others.
I love books that successfully capture the excitement and comradery of D&D. Especially when they are well written and draw you into the world rather than reading like a blow-by-blow account of a game. If you like this too, I recommend “The Silken Key” by Oliver Lea, or for a slightly darker more video game centred adventure, “Save Game” by Joseph Sale.
This book has a beautiful cover and interior illustrations by Batsky Starman. There are also very nice chapter heading illustrations by Arief Rachmad. I love when books have illustrations. It was great to see pictures of the different characters.
An absorbing and entertaining book that I recommend to fantasy fans, especially to those who love fantasy role playing games.
Thank you to the author and The Write Reads for providing me with a copy of the book. I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
Evan is a bounty hunter trying to survive in a world ravaged by the undead. After a chance encounter with a Gremling - a small, but fierce, green skinned creature - they team up to form a raiding party to secure a magical fruit.
Evan is a good character. He is knowledgeable about his world. He’s a good fighter that I’d want by my side in a dungeon crawl.
My favourite characters were Grymjer the Gremling and Elleya the Rehnarian cleric. I loved Elleya’s magic.
This book perfectly captures the adventure of a good Dungeons and Dragons campaign or an epic fantasy RPG session. The writing is smooth. The descriptions strong. The pace fast. It is easy to get lost in the adventure and be swept along by the action.
A large part of the book concerns Evan and his crew solving the different puzzles and tests they encounter on their quest. The tests were so fun to read about. They were well described, so I can see them clearly in my mind’s eye. I enjoyed reading how the characters solved the dangerous and thrilling puzzles set before them.
The story is fast paced. The characters have enough backstory to make you care about them.
Reading this book brought me back to the weekends I used to spend playing fantasy RPGs with my sister. This nostalgia gave me a warm feeling. I had a great time reading this book.
This is a well written fantasy adventure for fans of D&D and fantasy RPGs. It has a lot of the comfortable, familiar elements of a dungeon crawl while being set within a new fantasy world. I particularly liked the fox liked Rehnarians. I loved that the author put so much work into the different kinds of creatures that lived in Yohme. It was interesting to see the different beliefs held by the creatures, as well as the conflicts between the different species.
This is an imaginative, well thought out and nicely written fantasy book. It stays very firmly within the tracks of a dungeon crawl, which will be a strength to some readers and a weakness to others.
I love books that successfully capture the excitement and comradery of D&D. Especially when they are well written and draw you into the world rather than reading like a blow-by-blow account of a game. If you like this too, I recommend “The Silken Key” by Oliver Lea, or for a slightly darker more video game centred adventure, “Save Game” by Joseph Sale.
This book has a beautiful cover and interior illustrations by Batsky Starman. There are also very nice chapter heading illustrations by Arief Rachmad. I love when books have illustrations. It was great to see pictures of the different characters.
An absorbing and entertaining book that I recommend to fantasy fans, especially to those who love fantasy role playing games.
Thank you to the author and The Write Reads for providing me with a copy of the book. I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
September 12, 2025
***Thank you to TheWriteReads for providing a copy of the book. My review contains my honest thoughts about my reading experience.***
The Tortured Kingdom was a relatively short, fast-paced adventure that was a lot of fun to read. The world was interesting, and the characters were engaging and entertaining as they learned to work together. I was surprised by how easy it was to sink into the story. I also appreciated that the plot worked great as a standalone, which can be difficult to pull off in the fantasy genre.
The plot of The Tortured Kingdom reminded me a lot of playing a video game. The first part of the story was spent on corralling the band of characters. Then the rest of it followed them as they beat level after level in the dungeon to get to the treasure at the center. This structure kept things fairly simple and easy to follow while still being fun. Each trial was unique, and I found myself surprisingly quite interested in the time spent to gear up the characters. I’m sure some people will find the plot a bit repetitive in its structure before the end, but I had a great time with it.
I do wish there had been a bit more to the world-building in The Tortured Kingdom. I wanted to know more about the cataclysm, and the history of the world. The zombies mixed with the sword and sorcery aspects was a fun combination. It all just felt very surface level. For example, the rivalry between two groups was at the center of the race to the treasure, but very little background was given on why the two races didn’t like each other. It seemed like there was a lot of history there to be explored, and instead it was just used as a backdrop.
Thematically, there wasn’t much to chew on in The Tortured Kingdom other than the group dynamic of the characters learning to work together. Each of the characters had distinct personalities, and I enjoyed their interactions with one another. They made such an interesting group, and I was surprised at times to see certain characters grow closer. However, I do wish a little more time had been spent on adding more depth to the characters. Most of them didn’t have much of an arc other than ‘find the thing,’ which was fun but not nearly as satisfying as something with emotional impact would have been.
Overall, The Tortured Kingdom was a really fun adventure that is perfect for readers who enjoy quest stories but don’t want to be burdened with a ton of backstory and world-building. It was an easy, quick read, and I’d definitely check out other stories set in this world. Therefore, I rate it 3.75 out of 5 stars.
The Tortured Kingdom was a relatively short, fast-paced adventure that was a lot of fun to read. The world was interesting, and the characters were engaging and entertaining as they learned to work together. I was surprised by how easy it was to sink into the story. I also appreciated that the plot worked great as a standalone, which can be difficult to pull off in the fantasy genre.
The plot of The Tortured Kingdom reminded me a lot of playing a video game. The first part of the story was spent on corralling the band of characters. Then the rest of it followed them as they beat level after level in the dungeon to get to the treasure at the center. This structure kept things fairly simple and easy to follow while still being fun. Each trial was unique, and I found myself surprisingly quite interested in the time spent to gear up the characters. I’m sure some people will find the plot a bit repetitive in its structure before the end, but I had a great time with it.
I do wish there had been a bit more to the world-building in The Tortured Kingdom. I wanted to know more about the cataclysm, and the history of the world. The zombies mixed with the sword and sorcery aspects was a fun combination. It all just felt very surface level. For example, the rivalry between two groups was at the center of the race to the treasure, but very little background was given on why the two races didn’t like each other. It seemed like there was a lot of history there to be explored, and instead it was just used as a backdrop.
Thematically, there wasn’t much to chew on in The Tortured Kingdom other than the group dynamic of the characters learning to work together. Each of the characters had distinct personalities, and I enjoyed their interactions with one another. They made such an interesting group, and I was surprised at times to see certain characters grow closer. However, I do wish a little more time had been spent on adding more depth to the characters. Most of them didn’t have much of an arc other than ‘find the thing,’ which was fun but not nearly as satisfying as something with emotional impact would have been.
Overall, The Tortured Kingdom was a really fun adventure that is perfect for readers who enjoy quest stories but don’t want to be burdened with a ton of backstory and world-building. It was an easy, quick read, and I’d definitely check out other stories set in this world. Therefore, I rate it 3.75 out of 5 stars.
August 26, 2025
The continent of Yohme has been left forever changed by the strike of a comet – the undead are refusing to stay down and magic has been corrupted. When bounty hunter Evan finds himself in possession of a map with bountiful treasure at the end of it, he recruits some party members and goes after it. However, the trials that guard the treasure may be more difficult to beat than first expected…
The worldbuilding that Bryan Asher has put into this book is quite extraordinary – the amount of different species, with their own cultures and religions is commendable, and Yohme felt fleshed out and realistic throughout. I really liked the idea of the comet corrupting magic and raising the dead and would love to read more books in this setting in the future. I also appreciated the illustrations in the book which helped me to picture certain characters, as well as the lovely chapter heading drawings as well. I wish there was a drawing of the whole party together, which would have helped me to picture all of them as intended by the author.
The first chapter really throws the reader into the story headfirst, as we follow Evan in a dungeon, trying to slay a Champion. Initially the world building here did feel a little clunky, as there was only one character with no-one for him to talk to. A lot of exposition came in the form of Evan’s thoughts which seemed a little disingenuous, but this quickly faded when we met more of the characters and had more people to bounce dialogue off.
I really enjoy books that include trial-like elements and I was not disappointed here. There are lots of challenges that our heroes face to get to their prize and they all felt distinct, varied and interesting. The book really reminded me of running a raid on World of Warcraft back in the day and the combat was easy to picture with this in mind - I could see some of the same dynamics and tactics being employed. The dungeon with its tricks and traps kept my interest throughout and the challenges got more difficult as the stakes rose towards to final action-packed conclusion.
Overall, The Tortured Kingdom is the perfect book for lovers of D&D, video games and fantasy – an action-packed plot, detailed world-building and fun characters. Thank you to The Write Reads for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
For more of my reviews check out Kindig Blog
The worldbuilding that Bryan Asher has put into this book is quite extraordinary – the amount of different species, with their own cultures and religions is commendable, and Yohme felt fleshed out and realistic throughout. I really liked the idea of the comet corrupting magic and raising the dead and would love to read more books in this setting in the future. I also appreciated the illustrations in the book which helped me to picture certain characters, as well as the lovely chapter heading drawings as well. I wish there was a drawing of the whole party together, which would have helped me to picture all of them as intended by the author.
The first chapter really throws the reader into the story headfirst, as we follow Evan in a dungeon, trying to slay a Champion. Initially the world building here did feel a little clunky, as there was only one character with no-one for him to talk to. A lot of exposition came in the form of Evan’s thoughts which seemed a little disingenuous, but this quickly faded when we met more of the characters and had more people to bounce dialogue off.
I really enjoy books that include trial-like elements and I was not disappointed here. There are lots of challenges that our heroes face to get to their prize and they all felt distinct, varied and interesting. The book really reminded me of running a raid on World of Warcraft back in the day and the combat was easy to picture with this in mind - I could see some of the same dynamics and tactics being employed. The dungeon with its tricks and traps kept my interest throughout and the challenges got more difficult as the stakes rose towards to final action-packed conclusion.
Overall, The Tortured Kingdom is the perfect book for lovers of D&D, video games and fantasy – an action-packed plot, detailed world-building and fun characters. Thank you to The Write Reads for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
For more of my reviews check out Kindig Blog
April 24, 2026
A fun quest in a world where magic has been corrupted and plague has swept the nation, turning most of the inhabitants into flesh eating ghouls, The Tortured Kingdom by Bryan Asher is a book that takes the reader on an adventure in the company of a bounty hunter named Evan and his crew of unlikely followers. Evan and crew embark on a quest involving the use of a magical map to find their way through a deadly maze while facing a series of trials set by the Gods, while also fending off rival groups who are searching for the same reward.
The book is pretty fast paced with plenty of action to keep the reader turning the pages and despites the author's attempts to create variety in the challenges the group faced, I did feel that it got a little repetitive at times, especially for such a short book - meet the monster, beat the monster, move on, rinse and repeat until you reach the final boss. There are definitely plenty of fantasy RPG vibes to be found.
I appreciated the author's ability to set a scene. the sense of a world on the brink of collapse came through very clearly, especially in the opening of the book and the political intrigue and infighting for power and control added to the sense of a post apocalyptic world. There was a certain familiarity to the characters and tropes that made the book enjoyable, but may mean that it does not stand out as much as it could have.
In terms of characters, while Evan may be the central focus it was actually some of the secondary characters that I found most interesting, particularly Elleya, a cleric who joins the group on their quest. The various interluded in the book explaining her past and how it connected to another character we encounter along the way were some of my favourite chapters. It is clear that the author has put a lot of time and thought into creating not only the world but also the various races that inhabit it, each with their own cultures and customs. The illustrations throughout were a nice added touch in helping to imagine the characters and bring them to life in the mind's eye.
For readers who want to try out the fantasy genre but are intimidated by the idea of too much lore or world building this book would be a fun and easy place to start as a solidly entertaining and fun adventure.
3.5 stars rounded up.
The book is pretty fast paced with plenty of action to keep the reader turning the pages and despites the author's attempts to create variety in the challenges the group faced, I did feel that it got a little repetitive at times, especially for such a short book - meet the monster, beat the monster, move on, rinse and repeat until you reach the final boss. There are definitely plenty of fantasy RPG vibes to be found.
I appreciated the author's ability to set a scene. the sense of a world on the brink of collapse came through very clearly, especially in the opening of the book and the political intrigue and infighting for power and control added to the sense of a post apocalyptic world. There was a certain familiarity to the characters and tropes that made the book enjoyable, but may mean that it does not stand out as much as it could have.
In terms of characters, while Evan may be the central focus it was actually some of the secondary characters that I found most interesting, particularly Elleya, a cleric who joins the group on their quest. The various interluded in the book explaining her past and how it connected to another character we encounter along the way were some of my favourite chapters. It is clear that the author has put a lot of time and thought into creating not only the world but also the various races that inhabit it, each with their own cultures and customs. The illustrations throughout were a nice added touch in helping to imagine the characters and bring them to life in the mind's eye.
For readers who want to try out the fantasy genre but are intimidated by the idea of too much lore or world building this book would be a fun and easy place to start as a solidly entertaining and fun adventure.
3.5 stars rounded up.
September 11, 2025
Firstly a big thank you to thewritereads for finding me yet another awesome book!
This one is a must read! Bryan Asher has crafted a world that's not just immersive but alive with peril and wonder. After a comet strikes the continent of Yohme, leaving nations in rubble, magic corrupted, and a plague turning inhabitants into flesh-eating ghouls, we follow Evan, a rugged bounty hunter navigating this apocalyptic nightmare just to survive.
The writing was good and the world building was particularly well done and if there was a weakness I felt that it was that the supporting characters could have been fleshed out a bit more. But overall it really was an entertaining read, with something happening in pretty much every chapter. It actually reminds me a bit of the 'build your own adventure' books I read when I was a kid.
I also have to give a nod to the wonderful illustrations throughout (not just the cover but at the start of each chapter.) OMG authors you need to do this it makes the book smooch cooler and more enjoyable to read.So I want to give a big thumbs up the the artist too.
great read. Strongly recommended
This one is a must read! Bryan Asher has crafted a world that's not just immersive but alive with peril and wonder. After a comet strikes the continent of Yohme, leaving nations in rubble, magic corrupted, and a plague turning inhabitants into flesh-eating ghouls, we follow Evan, a rugged bounty hunter navigating this apocalyptic nightmare just to survive.
The writing was good and the world building was particularly well done and if there was a weakness I felt that it was that the supporting characters could have been fleshed out a bit more. But overall it really was an entertaining read, with something happening in pretty much every chapter. It actually reminds me a bit of the 'build your own adventure' books I read when I was a kid.
I also have to give a nod to the wonderful illustrations throughout (not just the cover but at the start of each chapter.) OMG authors you need to do this it makes the book smooch cooler and more enjoyable to read.So I want to give a big thumbs up the the artist too.
great read. Strongly recommended
August 22, 2025
This reminded me a lot of an epic D&D campaign, but in novel form, and I loved every moment of it. You get drawn in right from the start, with a tired hero and an epic struggle against waves of undead. There are layers to the story that are unveiled quickly as you dive deeper into the story, but only make you more invested in the story. Asher does an amazing job with the imagery, really bringing everything, from the setting, to the characters, to the magic items, to the action scenes to life before your eyes. The illustrations were a nice addition to the overall story, and add a little extra depth to everything. The story itself has excellent pacing, and doesn’t really slow down. I must admit, reading this gave me a little sense of nostalgia, it felt like reading an elevated version of one of the D&D games I used to hang out and listen in on during college when my husband (then boyfriend) and his friends would play.
September 2, 2025
But wow, wow, wow... The continent of Yohme is in chaos and ruin, and Evan accepts missions as a bounty hunter. His latest mission turns into a search for a map that will help him find treasure in a dungeon. I was already hooked, literally hooked... Then what happens? The dungeon hides much more than it seems and reveals. Evan and his new group must work together and help each other to overcome the challenges the dungeon poses. I don't usually read books like this, epic adventures, but wow, I had so much fun with all the action the book is packed with, and at times I had my hand over my mouth in amazement and surprise. Believe me, you won't get tired of reading, nor will you get bored; in fact, you'll have to find out what happens in this dystopian adventure. As for the author, I want to read a lot more. Rating 4.5
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