Hunter's Apprentice - Path of Pathos Trilogy (Books 1 - 3)

by Simon Shugar

In a war-torn kingdom, a young boy's path to manhood is forged in violence, loss, and a mysterious power that may be his only hope.

Tomi is a boy when his father, a hunter, leaves their village, entrusting him with their home’s protection. In a land ravaged by war, Tomi bears responsibilities far beyond his years. As the Three Prince War looms, he’s thrust into a world of brutal choices and deadly encounters, where his innocence is lost to bloodshed and treachery. From defending his family to surviving in the wild, Tomi learns life’s harshest realities. Amid the darkness, he discovers Pathos—a mysterious gift from his father that sharpens his connection to the world around him and may be his key to enduring the trials ahead.

As the kingdom’s fate hangs in the balance, Tomi’s journey will shape him into the man he’s destined to become—if he can survive long enough.

Read the complete Path of Pathos box set today.

1161 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 14, 2025

About the author

Hey, I’m Simon Shugar—fantasy author hooked on telling bold, emotional, action-heavy stories through raw, first-person journeys. If you like coming-of-age arcs, epic stakes, and human struggles in unreal worlds, you're in the right place!

I’m originally from Oxfordshire, England, now living in North Carolina with my wild little toddler and our very chill (and very spoiled) dog, Jasper. I’ve loved fantasy for as long as I can remember—drawn in by the magic, the grit, and the heart at the center of it all.

I studied game design for a bit, then pivoted into software engineering to pay the bills. But somewhere in between code and chaos, I started writing stories—and once I did, I couldn’t stop. Fast forward to now, I’ve written 13 novels across three trilogies and a standalone, with plenty more on the way.