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Original Sin
Alice in Wonderland meets Dante’s Inferno in this tale of swords, sorcery, and sin.
College student Morgan Amell didn't set out to be a witch, but when an ancient grimoire found in a local second-hand shop snags her attention and refuses to let go, she reluctantly dives into its secrets in the hopes of settling this strange obsession and maybe making her life a little easier.
What happens instead is a botched spell way above her novice skill level that sends her hurtling into Hell itself, specifically, the sprawling but unexpectedly orderly city-state of Dis, where the seven races of sin live colorful lives under the rule of the only other human before Morgan that their world has ever seen—the rogue Arthurian knight-squire Vambrace, forgotten by history but somehow ruling in the devil's place as Archfiend of all demonkind.
Now Morgan must navigate sinful society, demonic royalty, treasonous plots, mythical conspiracies, one extremely sexy succubus, and the capricious whims of a man out of time obsessed with learning everything about her and her world, all while trying to keep her amateur magical talents secret on pain of death. Can she find a way to master her extremely limited sorcerous skillset and make her way back home again, or will she be eternally damned for failing her first ever magical pop quiz?
This modern portal fantasy with a side of sapphic romance is a standalone novel (not part of a series).
College student Morgan Amell didn't set out to be a witch, but when an ancient grimoire found in a local second-hand shop snags her attention and refuses to let go, she reluctantly dives into its secrets in the hopes of settling this strange obsession and maybe making her life a little easier.
What happens instead is a botched spell way above her novice skill level that sends her hurtling into Hell itself, specifically, the sprawling but unexpectedly orderly city-state of Dis, where the seven races of sin live colorful lives under the rule of the only other human before Morgan that their world has ever seen—the rogue Arthurian knight-squire Vambrace, forgotten by history but somehow ruling in the devil's place as Archfiend of all demonkind.
Now Morgan must navigate sinful society, demonic royalty, treasonous plots, mythical conspiracies, one extremely sexy succubus, and the capricious whims of a man out of time obsessed with learning everything about her and her world, all while trying to keep her amateur magical talents secret on pain of death. Can she find a way to master her extremely limited sorcerous skillset and make her way back home again, or will she be eternally damned for failing her first ever magical pop quiz?
This modern portal fantasy with a side of sapphic romance is a standalone novel (not part of a series).
761 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 1, 2025
About the author
G.D. Burkhead
5 books5 followersG.D. Burkhead (who goes by either Gary or Dan, take your pick) published his first novel, The Black Lily, in August 2017, co-authored with his wife Mandy Burkhead. He's currently working on the sequel, The Fugitive Prince, as well as a solo fantasy novel, Original Sin.
He lives in Chattanooga, TN with his wife, their dog, and their three cats. When not working or writing, G.D. enjoys reading, playing video games, cosplaying, attending conventions, and generally nerding out.
You can find him on Facebook, Bluesky, and Instagram @Burkshelf.
He lives in Chattanooga, TN with his wife, their dog, and their three cats. When not working or writing, G.D. enjoys reading, playing video games, cosplaying, attending conventions, and generally nerding out.
You can find him on Facebook, Bluesky, and Instagram @Burkshelf.
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January 25, 2026Original Sin SPFBO Review
Original sin is a standalone set in the first person narrative in a portal fantasy world.
G D Burkhead has crafted a story which meets Alice in Wonderland and Dante's Inferno in this tale of swords, sorcery, and sin.
Burkhead did a fantastic job on the writing of the first narrative and the world of hell. If you are a person who loves a lot of inner monologues, this might be right up your alley. I personally don't like that the story mostly gets dominated around the inner monologue, so I found myself getting a bit lonely inside my head when mostly reading what Morgan is thinking and planning.
Original sin is a standalone set in the first person narrative in a portal fantasy world.
G D Burkhead has crafted a story which meets Alice in Wonderland and Dante's Inferno in this tale of swords, sorcery, and sin.
Burkhead did a fantastic job on the writing of the first narrative and the world of hell. If you are a person who loves a lot of inner monologues, this might be right up your alley. I personally don't like that the story mostly gets dominated around the inner monologue, so I found myself getting a bit lonely inside my head when mostly reading what Morgan is thinking and planning.
Displaying 1 of 1 review