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The Awakened Realm #4
The Waking Deep
The city is unraveling. And a power older than the Sovereign is waking.
Ellie returns to Busal expecting respite. Instead, she finds a city coming apart at the seams—people vanishing without a trace, eerie zones where sound and light fail, and a creeping wrongness no one can explain. Even the energy woven into the city’s foundation—the very fabric of its protections—is shifting.
The Servants are no longer hiding. Their agents burn knowledge from the archives and hunt those who remember. As the strange “Empty Places” grow, Ellie races to understand a pattern that dates back centuries—one that marks where the world itself begins to thin.
To protect her home, Ellie must wield both the calculated discipline of her Blade ability and the volatile fire of the Kindling. But the deeper she digs, the more she begins to Busal was never as secure as it seemed. The seals are breaking. The past is bleeding through.
And in the silence beneath the stones… something is stirring.
Ancient protections are failing. The Servants are advancing. And Ellie may be the only one who can hold the deep at bay.
Ellie returns to Busal expecting respite. Instead, she finds a city coming apart at the seams—people vanishing without a trace, eerie zones where sound and light fail, and a creeping wrongness no one can explain. Even the energy woven into the city’s foundation—the very fabric of its protections—is shifting.
The Servants are no longer hiding. Their agents burn knowledge from the archives and hunt those who remember. As the strange “Empty Places” grow, Ellie races to understand a pattern that dates back centuries—one that marks where the world itself begins to thin.
To protect her home, Ellie must wield both the calculated discipline of her Blade ability and the volatile fire of the Kindling. But the deeper she digs, the more she begins to Busal was never as secure as it seemed. The seals are breaking. The past is bleeding through.
And in the silence beneath the stones… something is stirring.
Ancient protections are failing. The Servants are advancing. And Ellie may be the only one who can hold the deep at bay.
350 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 14, 2025
113 people are currently reading
8 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
February 27, 2026
A good story by an unfortunately poor writer
I hate to say it, but after reading many DK books, he just doesn't have it, and he's not improving. The story is solid, the characters are good, but damn the guy can't even keep continuity in a page, much less an epic. It's jarring every time a character contradicts what they said just a few paragraphs ago. That happens so often in his books I can't imagine their ever being read by a competent editor. There's a reason these books are free with a Kindle subscription. I keep hoping he'll improve, but he doesn't, which I guess is in part my fault because I'll keep reading in spite of the issues. The story is worth it, but man it's a struggle sometimes. I guess that's why he can produce content at the pace he does. You can tell that beta readers and basic editing are bypassed in favor of speed for these books.
I hate to say it, but after reading many DK books, he just doesn't have it, and he's not improving. The story is solid, the characters are good, but damn the guy can't even keep continuity in a page, much less an epic. It's jarring every time a character contradicts what they said just a few paragraphs ago. That happens so often in his books I can't imagine their ever being read by a competent editor. There's a reason these books are free with a Kindle subscription. I keep hoping he'll improve, but he doesn't, which I guess is in part my fault because I'll keep reading in spite of the issues. The story is worth it, but man it's a struggle sometimes. I guess that's why he can produce content at the pace he does. You can tell that beta readers and basic editing are bypassed in favor of speed for these books.
October 26, 2025
Totally enjoyed it! This is a well written and has well developed characters. The story is catching and with the strong characters makes for a very enjoyable read. Great Reading Everyone!
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews