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The Onyx Throne: Book One
The clock is ticking, and the battle for survival has begun.
It was only supposed to be a night out with friends watching an old movie. Instead, after their abrupt cancellation, Mitchell is met by a stunning woman with mesmerizing purple eyes and a peculiar accent outside the theater. She was more than she appeared, however. In an instant, Mitchell was whisked away to another world.
Thrown into a perilous realm with his life hanging by a thread and this enigmatic woman by his side, Mitchell must rapidly master magic, wield a blade, and learn the local language. An entire kingdom's survival depends on him, but the path to heroism is treacherous, as his enemies are as formidable and numerous as his allies are beautiful and scarce.
In a strange land shrouded in darkness, nightmares lurk far beyond the tales Mitchell grew up on. He must summon all the strength and skill he and his companions can muster.
Will he rise to the challenge and become the hero this new land so desperately needs?
The Onyx Book One is an epic high-fantasy isekai haremlit adventure. Sword and sorcery, dragons, monsters, fey, ancient gods, magical kingdoms, and beautiful women are all found within its pages.
But, you don't have to take my word for it, dear reader.
"Imaginitave, thrilling, emotional, evocative, expansive, compelling, humorous, engaging!"
"This has been a wonderfully written tale, so full of life and adventure that it has almost felt real at times."
"Thank God there will be more; I'm not ready for this to end."
"Your world is immersive, your writing visionary. You have done well and have kept me wanting more with each chapter I’ve read. You’re a fantastic writer, on par with the world of Pern."
Average rating of 4.8/5 on LE
4.55/5 on Royal Road and appeared in two top 50 lists!
It was only supposed to be a night out with friends watching an old movie. Instead, after their abrupt cancellation, Mitchell is met by a stunning woman with mesmerizing purple eyes and a peculiar accent outside the theater. She was more than she appeared, however. In an instant, Mitchell was whisked away to another world.
Thrown into a perilous realm with his life hanging by a thread and this enigmatic woman by his side, Mitchell must rapidly master magic, wield a blade, and learn the local language. An entire kingdom's survival depends on him, but the path to heroism is treacherous, as his enemies are as formidable and numerous as his allies are beautiful and scarce.
In a strange land shrouded in darkness, nightmares lurk far beyond the tales Mitchell grew up on. He must summon all the strength and skill he and his companions can muster.
Will he rise to the challenge and become the hero this new land so desperately needs?
The Onyx Book One is an epic high-fantasy isekai haremlit adventure. Sword and sorcery, dragons, monsters, fey, ancient gods, magical kingdoms, and beautiful women are all found within its pages.
But, you don't have to take my word for it, dear reader.
"Imaginitave, thrilling, emotional, evocative, expansive, compelling, humorous, engaging!"
"This has been a wonderfully written tale, so full of life and adventure that it has almost felt real at times."
"Thank God there will be more; I'm not ready for this to end."
"Your world is immersive, your writing visionary. You have done well and have kept me wanting more with each chapter I’ve read. You’re a fantastic writer, on par with the world of Pern."
Average rating of 4.8/5 on LE
4.55/5 on Royal Road and appeared in two top 50 lists!
1139 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 2, 2025
About the author
Devon Hexx
2 books7 followersI write relationship-driven haremlit novels. If that's your thing, maybe check mine out.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
November 7, 2025
Great start to an epic trilogy
First, it is an epic first book. The world building is done extremely well, with an interesting magic system and a completely new type of swearing for the locals. Mitchell, the main character gets stronger over the multi month journey in a way that is believable instead of being some kind of silly isekai cheat powers, and likewise the relationships develop in a way that feels natural as well. It feels strongly like there are crumbs everywhere by the end of little threads that will be explained more in later stories, and as I think of all this stuff I am reminded of the world building and care that Robyn Bee put in their first book as well, and while this is a different sort of flavor, the attention to detail that brings the world alive is the same. Definitely give it a look and sign up to Devon's Patreon to read the chapters for book 2 as they are being written.
First, it is an epic first book. The world building is done extremely well, with an interesting magic system and a completely new type of swearing for the locals. Mitchell, the main character gets stronger over the multi month journey in a way that is believable instead of being some kind of silly isekai cheat powers, and likewise the relationships develop in a way that feels natural as well. It feels strongly like there are crumbs everywhere by the end of little threads that will be explained more in later stories, and as I think of all this stuff I am reminded of the world building and care that Robyn Bee put in their first book as well, and while this is a different sort of flavor, the attention to detail that brings the world alive is the same. Definitely give it a look and sign up to Devon's Patreon to read the chapters for book 2 as they are being written.
August 5, 2026
Great epic fantasy let down a little by the writing quality
This is a great "chosen one" epic fantasy story. It has some spicy content late in the book, but that's not the focus. The characters are diverse and interesting, and the lore and magic system are consistent and well thought out. It's also very long, but doesn't feel like it; I think the author made the right decision to keep it as a single volume.
Writing quality is so-so, with plenty of issues. Many long run-on sentences are crying out for commas. There are frequent extra or incorrect words, missing words, incorrect punctuation, mismatching tense, singular-plural mismatches, incorrect use of transitive lay, unbalanced and/or elements, dangling participles and modifiers, frequent ambiguous and incorrectly anchored pronouns, ambiguous and incorrectly anchored use of "that", incorrect use of compound words, formatting issues, and many other assorted errors. Though I didn't keep exact count, I typically spotted an error or two per Kindle app screen, so at least a couple of thousand overall. There's also a repeated spelling error that should have been picked up by an automated tool: "slivery".
There's a certain imprecision in the prose, too, with words or clauses that don't quite fit. "A moment later, the girl emerged from the shadows who had won the five coins earlier." How did the shadows win five coins? To fix this, "emerged from the shadows" needs to be at the end of the sentence. This particular pattern is repeated over and over.
The writing also frequently uses "almost" to hedge, as if the author isn't quite confident enough to commit to a description. Here's an example: "His red skin almost glistened..." How did it almost glisten? What does that look like? I _think_ the author probably means that the skin was slightly damp or had a faint sheen, but that's glistening, not almost glistening. There's a lot of "almost seemed" as well, which is even looser. Just commit to it; all of this hedging with "almost" is unnecessary and weakens the narrative.
The author also has a habit of saying that a character doesn't do something, then immediately describing the character doing it. Here's an example:
"... she didn’t notice the blinking of his sevith. Startled, she looked down at where his left hand lay ..."
Why is she startled if she didn't notice? If she's supposed to have originally not noticed it and then later noticed it, then that needs to be described in the prose. As it is now, the author keeps saying "not x" and then immediately describing "x". It breaks the narrative contract.
There are countless other little inconsistencies, too. Many small details are not tracked, leading to inconsistencies and poor continuity. And the author falls into the all-too-common trap of introducing a money system and then having prices that are wildly inconsistent with it. Dialogue is believable and consistent, but the silly swearing is overdone, as are the "nods" to other fantasy series.
Overall I enjoyed this a lot, but it would be even better with a thorough professional proofreading and basic editing pass to fix the errors and the continuity issues, and to tighten up the prose. It's an exceptional first novel, with excellent world building, but the author's inexperience is evident in the writing itself. I will definitely be following this author to see how he develops in the future.
This is a great "chosen one" epic fantasy story. It has some spicy content late in the book, but that's not the focus. The characters are diverse and interesting, and the lore and magic system are consistent and well thought out. It's also very long, but doesn't feel like it; I think the author made the right decision to keep it as a single volume.
Writing quality is so-so, with plenty of issues. Many long run-on sentences are crying out for commas. There are frequent extra or incorrect words, missing words, incorrect punctuation, mismatching tense, singular-plural mismatches, incorrect use of transitive lay, unbalanced and/or elements, dangling participles and modifiers, frequent ambiguous and incorrectly anchored pronouns, ambiguous and incorrectly anchored use of "that", incorrect use of compound words, formatting issues, and many other assorted errors. Though I didn't keep exact count, I typically spotted an error or two per Kindle app screen, so at least a couple of thousand overall. There's also a repeated spelling error that should have been picked up by an automated tool: "slivery".
There's a certain imprecision in the prose, too, with words or clauses that don't quite fit. "A moment later, the girl emerged from the shadows who had won the five coins earlier." How did the shadows win five coins? To fix this, "emerged from the shadows" needs to be at the end of the sentence. This particular pattern is repeated over and over.
The writing also frequently uses "almost" to hedge, as if the author isn't quite confident enough to commit to a description. Here's an example: "His red skin almost glistened..." How did it almost glisten? What does that look like? I _think_ the author probably means that the skin was slightly damp or had a faint sheen, but that's glistening, not almost glistening. There's a lot of "almost seemed" as well, which is even looser. Just commit to it; all of this hedging with "almost" is unnecessary and weakens the narrative.
The author also has a habit of saying that a character doesn't do something, then immediately describing the character doing it. Here's an example:
"... she didn’t notice the blinking of his sevith. Startled, she looked down at where his left hand lay ..."
Why is she startled if she didn't notice? If she's supposed to have originally not noticed it and then later noticed it, then that needs to be described in the prose. As it is now, the author keeps saying "not x" and then immediately describing "x". It breaks the narrative contract.
There are countless other little inconsistencies, too. Many small details are not tracked, leading to inconsistencies and poor continuity. And the author falls into the all-too-common trap of introducing a money system and then having prices that are wildly inconsistent with it. Dialogue is believable and consistent, but the silly swearing is overdone, as are the "nods" to other fantasy series.
Overall I enjoyed this a lot, but it would be even better with a thorough professional proofreading and basic editing pass to fix the errors and the continuity issues, and to tighten up the prose. It's an exceptional first novel, with excellent world building, but the author's inexperience is evident in the writing itself. I will definitely be following this author to see how he develops in the future.
August 2, 2026
Solid writing that does not impress in any way.
If you are bored and feel like picking up any mid book, you might as well pick this one.
The writing is solid and thats all it is. Characters are well fleshed out and feel alive but utterly boring.
Plot is constructed well but utterly generic. Worldbuilding... is clearly well thought out but introduced to the reader by endless blocks of direct text instead of subtle or contextual mentions.
I could go deeper, but there nothing here to go into.
The rating should probably be 3 stars but the 4.5 rating this book has here is an insult to better writers.
If you are bored and feel like picking up any mid book, you might as well pick this one.
The writing is solid and thats all it is. Characters are well fleshed out and feel alive but utterly boring.
Plot is constructed well but utterly generic. Worldbuilding... is clearly well thought out but introduced to the reader by endless blocks of direct text instead of subtle or contextual mentions.
I could go deeper, but there nothing here to go into.
The rating should probably be 3 stars but the 4.5 rating this book has here is an insult to better writers.
January 23, 2026
Story was better than sex!
Genuinely loved the story here it kept me enthralled and reading the entire time. The characters feel like actual "human/people" and the main character isn't an unbelievable bro dude who's every move is macho macho. He has depth. A reason for what hes doing and a reason for the girls to want to be with him. I highly recommend the book and am eagerly awaiting book 2
Genuinely loved the story here it kept me enthralled and reading the entire time. The characters feel like actual "human/people" and the main character isn't an unbelievable bro dude who's every move is macho macho. He has depth. A reason for what hes doing and a reason for the girls to want to be with him. I highly recommend the book and am eagerly awaiting book 2
January 17, 2026
Fantastic
This was a long book but a lot happened, all of the characters are fantastic, spice was perfect. Action well balanced and the the pacing was great. The world is interesting and I did enjoy the multiple POVs and felt they added a lot to the story. I'm am looking forward to the next one.
This was a long book but a lot happened, all of the characters are fantastic, spice was perfect. Action well balanced and the the pacing was great. The world is interesting and I did enjoy the multiple POVs and felt they added a lot to the story. I'm am looking forward to the next one.
May 31, 2026
Worth every hour it took to read!
I am a fast reader, so when I saw the estimated reading time I would need to finish this book, I was amazed at its potential length. I was hooked from the first chapter. I finished it and want more! Devon Hexx is now one author I will be searching for when new books are released.
I am a fast reader, so when I saw the estimated reading time I would need to finish this book, I was amazed at its potential length. I was hooked from the first chapter. I finished it and want more! Devon Hexx is now one author I will be searching for when new books are released.
August 17, 2026
A very good quest story
This is a good book that is a bit of a throwback to traditional fantasy. It is nominally Isekai but not LitRPG at all. The story is expertly told. The characters are interesting and multifaceted. The pacing is well done. I loved the musical references and the occasional Easter eggs to the Belgariad. More, please.
This is a good book that is a bit of a throwback to traditional fantasy. It is nominally Isekai but not LitRPG at all. The story is expertly told. The characters are interesting and multifaceted. The pacing is well done. I loved the musical references and the occasional Easter eggs to the Belgariad. More, please.
January 8, 2026
Expat writers in Asia; hope for fantasy
I read this in pieces on RR. Assembled and polished, its even better. I recommend it, and you should too. Its deserves audience.
Thanks for writing it and please keep at it.
I read this in pieces on RR. Assembled and polished, its even better. I recommend it, and you should too. Its deserves audience.
Thanks for writing it and please keep at it.
November 4, 2025
I couldn't stop reading once I started. I'm looking forward for the next book.
March 2, 2026
A fun read
A hero you can identify with and a story to enjoy. Not you typical male lead who thinks only with his dick.
A hero you can identify with and a story to enjoy. Not you typical male lead who thinks only with his dick.
May 9, 2026
genuinely good
One hell of a novel, it’s both well written and well edited. I can’t wait for more of this universe!
One hell of a novel, it’s both well written and well edited. I can’t wait for more of this universe!
June 7, 2026
Awesome!
This is a great read for anyone who enjoys fantasy sprinkled with some romance. Traditional story beats took on some great twists.
This is a great read for anyone who enjoys fantasy sprinkled with some romance. Traditional story beats took on some great twists.
June 24, 2026
Very good book
This is a fine fantasy harem adventure novel. It is well written and edited. I especially like the arch fey lady. I anxiously await the author's next novel.
This is a fine fantasy harem adventure novel. It is well written and edited. I especially like the arch fey lady. I anxiously await the author's next novel.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews