First Descent: A Holiday Thriller of Myth, Magic, and Hidden Legends

by Mike Pace

#1 New Release in Mythology and Folklore Fiction!

Legends aren’t made—they’re unlocked.

Eighteen years ago, eccentric geologist Virgil Landowski vanished during an ill-fated Arctic expedition searching for a mythical cave said to hold red diamonds. All he left behind was a strange geode and a son who grew up believing his father’s quest was madness.

Now, Nick Landowski is content to live his life as a blue-collar mine foreman—until an accident cracks open his father’s geode and reveals a hidden key. That discovery pulls him into a harrowing journey spanning both modern and ancient worlds, where enemies close in at every turn.

Along the way, Nick uncovers a link connecting the secret Coke formula to powers older than winter itself— and a revelation that could threaten the survival of Christmas.

Perfect for fans of James Rollins, Lincoln Child, and R.A. Salvatore, The First Descent is a high-stakes contemporary fantasy adventure where heists, hidden legends, and holiday myths collide.

“An origin story that eschews ‘singing elves–dancing candy cane’ territory for something grittier and more ambitious.” - Kirkus Reviews

“Following in the steps of modern hybrid masters like Doug Preston and James Rollins, Mike Pace’s The First Descent is a blistering blend of the traditional thriller with just the right measure of fantasy. A wildly imaginative tale distinguished by a masterful plot, pitch-perfect pacing, and unforgettable characters we can't wait to meet again, The First Descent is not to be missed!" - Jon Land, New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author

"Thriller readers will find First Descent hard to put down. It’s packed with satisfying twists, characters whose interactions are sometimes mercurial and intriguing, and situations that depart from the usual predictable outcomes. A creative winner!" - D. Donovan, Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book Review

443 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 9, 2025

About the author

No matter what path thriller author Mike Pace has walked, it’s always been with a story to tell.One of Mike’s earliest memories is helping to write the fourth grade Christmas play at his Pittsburgh elementary school.

Born in Pittsburgh, Mike attended the University of Illinois on an art scholarship, and graduated with a BFA degree.

Mike has written for the stage and screen. The Washington Post called one of his plays “engaging … entertaining and … witty.” He wrote and directed a short film that was accepted into film festivals in Kansas City and Portland.

He’s a member of the International Thriller Writers and the Maryland Writers Association. He’s a strong believer in community responsibility, having served as president of his local school board.

Reviews

[Country Mama · Rating 5 out of 5]

First Descent by Mike Pace is book one in the Cravasse Trilogy by the author. We get introduced to our MC named Nick in this book. Nick is the son of a famous geologist named Virgil Landowski and has grown up without a father for basically all of his life since his father disappeared while looking for the cave of the Red Diamonds. Nick finds a key inside the geode that his father left him that leads him to a bank safety vault in NYC. There is a woman named Anna who is related to Lucas Faber, who is a ultimately bad guy we find out. Every time Nick scratches a birthmark on his skin there are some weird things that continue to happen around him. Nick starts to find out that things were not as it seemed and his father may have been right. The book contains a lot of action and adventure. We travel across the frozen tundra with Nick facing norse mythology and more in this one! There are so many twists and turns that you never quite know where the story is heading. The time travel aspect in this world also makes the book that much more interesting as you continue to read the book. I really was engrossed in this one from beginning to the end. I can not wait to read the next book in the series and find out what happens with Nick, Bodie, and Anna. That ending was surprising and loved it! This is a perfect holiday read!

[Tales with Atticus · Rating 5 out of 5]

The First Descent starts off feeling like a grounded mystery about a son trying to understand the legacy his missing father left behind… and then suddenly you’re in time-traveling, diamond-cave, Norse-myth territory, and honestly I wasn’t mad about it.

Nick is such an easy protagonist to follow.. he's an "every man" character. He's capable and kind of haunted, but not in an annoying way. When that geode cracks open and reveals something impossible, the story really takes off. I loved the modern mining setting, and I really loved how quickly everything escalates into ancient, magical amulets, and a threat tied to winter itself.

Overall the ride is genuinely fun. The action is fast, the mythology is huge, and the Santa-origin thread was way more gritty and interesting than I expected.

The main characters have great chemistry, the friendship moments add heart, and the worldbuilding (while chaotic) has this “go big or go home” energy that I respect.

If you like adventurous, genre-blending stories that feel like thrillers smashed into fantasy, this one is a great time!

[Krystal · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is book 1 of the Crevasse Trilogy. Based on the Contents page this book is broken up into 3 distinct sections. One is titled Discovery and has 26 chapters and the other is titled Revelation and has 24 chapters. At the end there is also an Epilogue.

Oh my gosh. I don’t even know where to begin with this review. This book was AMAZING. I mean really AMAZING. I don’t even want to write anything for fear of spoiling the book! What I will say is Discovery is the before and Revelation is the after so to speak. I never in a million years would have guessed what the after part of the book entailed!

I CANNOT WAIT FOR BOOKS 2 AND 3!

If I could give this book 10 stars I would but since I can’t, it gets the full 5! There’s mystery, danger, time travel, sorcery, magic, and a revelation that changes the world. I’m here for all of it!

[Kathryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh. My. Goodness. What a book! I can’t recommend this enough. I got about halfway through the book and wondered what could possibly constitute the last 50% after what seemed to be the major climax/revelation, but boy, was I wrong! This book left me audibly saying, “WHAT is going on??” (positively). I had so much fun reading this—a well-done mix of thriller and fantasy. And while not reserved for it, it’s still perfect for the holiday season 😉! Can’t wait for the next book in the trilogy!

[Rhonda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interestingly character to follow along as he uncovers of some secrets that need to be answered. There's just enough fantasy and Imagination in this story that keep you wondering what's going to happen next. I like the setting and the background of the story. And sometimes the holidays can add an unexpected twist that you are not expecting. Good read.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Kris · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a roller coaster. Absolute madness. thoroughly enjoyable though. I didnt appreciate the silly cliche comments for humour and it took a while for me to get my head around the huge twist.

4.5 stars - would recommend

[Annette · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was full of adventure and surprises. It started off with them looking for a red diamond mine and suddenly they’re in a time tunnel and in the past.
I wasn’t really expecting this to be a holiday book or even a magical one.