Haven of Scars (Book 1 of the Shadowforged Trilogy): A Dark Fantasy Academia Book

by Mark Stanley

🏆 From the bestselling, award-winning author of The Vellhor Saga
🩸 Enter the Haven of Scars. Speak nothing. Survive everything.A monster tore through the earth and killed his mother.
Now Fellron walks into the Haven of Scars—the last place where strength is earned, not given.

There are no mentors.
No gods.
No chosen ones.

Just rules carved into flesh, silence that listens,
and a system that doesn’t train you—
it disassembles you.

Here, memory is currency.
Emotion is weakness.
And survival demands more than skill—
it demands surrender.

But some boys don’t break clean.

Inside this brutal crucible, Fellron will sacrifice name, voice, and memory—
just to live long enough to kill the thing that made him.
And when the Codex starts hunting from the inside out,
he’ll have one chance to

Not by passing the trials.
But by rewriting them.


⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
“The blend of forbidden romance, ancient rivalries and the looming shadow of a malevolent force created a gripping story I couldn’t put down.”
— Plot Sponge, ★ Dark Fantasy Reader

For readers who loved the trials of The Hunger Games,
wish Harry Potter was darker,
and thrived on the rebellion of Red Rising—
this is fantasy sharpened into survival.

👉 Start reading now with Kindle Unlimited.
👉 Tap “Buy Now” to enter the Codex.

500 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 17, 2025

Reviews

[Maissy Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Haven of Scars completely consumed me from the first page. Mark Stanley has created a dark, brutal world that feels alive and merciless. The Haven itself is almost a character bleak, intelligent, and terrifying. Fellron’s journey broke me in the best way possible; his fight to survive without losing his humanity is raw and unforgettable. The writing is poetic yet savage, filled with lines that linger long after reading. I loved how the story twisted familiar “academy” tropes into something truly haunting and original. Every trial felt like a psychological war. If you enjoy dark fantasy that challenges and chills you, this book is an absolute masterpiece.

[Cody · Rating 5 out of 5]

Haven of Scars starts off fast and unforgiving, and hooked me immediately. The mystery and intrigue, and unique, layered characters, drive this story forward. What is the Codex and what is its goal?

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed the book, Great characters and it will draw you in from page 1. Lots of twist and turns and a few intense moments. Worth the read.

[Catriona Skye · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dark, poetic, and unflinchingly brutal, Haven of Scars is a gripping descent into survival and sacrifice. No heroes, no gods—just willpower, pain, and the fight to endure