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ASTRAEON: BOOK ONE – THE SHATTERED VEIL
THE ASTRAEON TRILOGY
The sky trembles. The Veil screams. And an ancient power awakens…
When a catastrophic fracture tears across the heavens, forgotten magic surges back into Astraeon—a world built on Sparks of living energy and guarded by the mysterious Veil. As ancient sigils break and long-dormant forces stir, three lives are pulled into a destiny older than the world itself:
A reluctant hero marked by a forbidden Spark.
Haunted by a power he never asked for—and a prophecy he doesn’t understand.
A Veilwalker who hears the light whisper secrets.
Her gift is rare… and feared. But only she can sense what’s coming.
A rogue bound to the Dominion’s shadow.
His past hides the key to a power that could save the world—
or end it.
Across a world of fractured magic, awakening gods, ancient labyrinths, sentient shadows, and a Gate that should never be opened, their paths collide as Astraeon teeters on the brink of ruin.
And what trembles now… will shatter later.
Perfect for fans of Brandon Sanderson, Patrick Rothfuss, Robert Jordan, and Shadow of the Erdtree–style cosmic fantasy, The Astraeon Trilogy delivers breathtaking world-building, powerful character arcs, cinematic battles, and a mystery woven through light, shadow, and everything in between.
Inside this epic fantasy trilogy, you’ll find:
Ancient prophecies & cosmic magic
A deep, immersive world rich with lore
A powerful chosen-one arc with a dark twist
Veil-walking, rune-crafting, and Dominion magic
High-stakes adventure across realms
Mystery, destiny, and world-shattering revelations
A rising darkness unlike anything Astraeon has faced
A cast of unforgettable heroes and villains
A story driven by fate, sacrifice, and awakening power
If you love immersive epic fantasy with deep lore, dark cosmic forces, and a world on the edge of collapse, this trilogy will pull you in and never let go.
Begin the journey. Step into the fracture. The Gate is waking…
The sky trembles. The Veil screams. And an ancient power awakens…
When a catastrophic fracture tears across the heavens, forgotten magic surges back into Astraeon—a world built on Sparks of living energy and guarded by the mysterious Veil. As ancient sigils break and long-dormant forces stir, three lives are pulled into a destiny older than the world itself:
A reluctant hero marked by a forbidden Spark.
Haunted by a power he never asked for—and a prophecy he doesn’t understand.
A Veilwalker who hears the light whisper secrets.
Her gift is rare… and feared. But only she can sense what’s coming.
A rogue bound to the Dominion’s shadow.
His past hides the key to a power that could save the world—
or end it.
Across a world of fractured magic, awakening gods, ancient labyrinths, sentient shadows, and a Gate that should never be opened, their paths collide as Astraeon teeters on the brink of ruin.
And what trembles now… will shatter later.
Perfect for fans of Brandon Sanderson, Patrick Rothfuss, Robert Jordan, and Shadow of the Erdtree–style cosmic fantasy, The Astraeon Trilogy delivers breathtaking world-building, powerful character arcs, cinematic battles, and a mystery woven through light, shadow, and everything in between.
Inside this epic fantasy trilogy, you’ll find:
Ancient prophecies & cosmic magic
A deep, immersive world rich with lore
A powerful chosen-one arc with a dark twist
Veil-walking, rune-crafting, and Dominion magic
High-stakes adventure across realms
Mystery, destiny, and world-shattering revelations
A rising darkness unlike anything Astraeon has faced
A cast of unforgettable heroes and villains
A story driven by fate, sacrifice, and awakening power
If you love immersive epic fantasy with deep lore, dark cosmic forces, and a world on the edge of collapse, this trilogy will pull you in and never let go.
Begin the journey. Step into the fracture. The Gate is waking…
527 pages, Hardcover
Published December 7, 2025
About the author
John Hamilton
21 books3 followersJohn Hamilton is a UK-based fantasy author who writes epic, consequence-driven stories set in worlds that do not heal cleanly.
His debut novel, The Shattered Veil, opens the Astraeon saga — a long-form epic fantasy series built around fractured realities, unstable magic, and characters forced to survive systems larger than themselves. His work focuses on the cost of power, the erosion of identity, and the quiet damage left behind when the world chooses stability over humanity.
John’s approach to fantasy favours lived experience over spectacle: labour, endurance, moral compromise, and survival under pressure. Magic in his worlds is not a solution, but a residue of things that went wrong — and every use leaves a mark.
Astraeon is planned as a multi-book saga with companion stories and spin-offs, designed to grow without erasing its past. There are no clean victories, no total resets, and no heroes untouched by consequence.
When not writing, John is usually expanding the world of Astraeon, refining long-term story arcs, or quietly breaking his characters in ways that feel earned.
His debut novel, The Shattered Veil, opens the Astraeon saga — a long-form epic fantasy series built around fractured realities, unstable magic, and characters forced to survive systems larger than themselves. His work focuses on the cost of power, the erosion of identity, and the quiet damage left behind when the world chooses stability over humanity.
John’s approach to fantasy favours lived experience over spectacle: labour, endurance, moral compromise, and survival under pressure. Magic in his worlds is not a solution, but a residue of things that went wrong — and every use leaves a mark.
Astraeon is planned as a multi-book saga with companion stories and spin-offs, designed to grow without erasing its past. There are no clean victories, no total resets, and no heroes untouched by consequence.
When not writing, John is usually expanding the world of Astraeon, refining long-term story arcs, or quietly breaking his characters in ways that feel earned.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
January 22, 2026
The Shattered Veil feels like stepping into a world that was already ancient before page one and then watching it crack open in your hands. From the moment the Veil begins to scream, the book establishes a sense of cosmic unease that never really lets up. Astraeon is richly imagined, with its Sparks, sigils, and layered magical systems feeling both mysterious and internally consistent. You can tell Hamilton put real thought into how this world functions, especially in the way magic has consequences. Power here is never free, and that tension drives much of the story.
What really kept me turning pages, though, were the characters. The Spark-marked protagonist is refreshingly reluctant without being passive, and watching him struggle against both prophecy and his own fear made his arc feel earned. The Veilwalker was a standout for me, her connection to the light, the whispers, and the quiet cost of her gift added an emotional weight that balanced the larger cosmic stakes. The rogue tied to the Dominion’s shadow brings a darker edge to the story, and as his past slowly unfolds, it becomes clear he’s more than just the “morally gray” archetype. Their intersecting paths feel deliberate, not coincidental, and the payoff near the end is genuinely gripping.
Tonally, The Shattered Veil sits comfortably alongside authors like Sanderson and Jordan, but it still has its own identity, especially in its cosmic elements and sense of looming, ancient dread. The lore is deep without being overwhelming, and while there are moments where the mystery is intentionally opaque, it always feels purposeful rather than confusing. By the final chapters, the scale widens dramatically, and the title suddenly makes perfect sense. This is very much a “slow awakening into something enormous” kind of book and as the opening to a trilogy, it does exactly what it should: leaves you unsettled, intrigued, and eager to see what shatters next.
What really kept me turning pages, though, were the characters. The Spark-marked protagonist is refreshingly reluctant without being passive, and watching him struggle against both prophecy and his own fear made his arc feel earned. The Veilwalker was a standout for me, her connection to the light, the whispers, and the quiet cost of her gift added an emotional weight that balanced the larger cosmic stakes. The rogue tied to the Dominion’s shadow brings a darker edge to the story, and as his past slowly unfolds, it becomes clear he’s more than just the “morally gray” archetype. Their intersecting paths feel deliberate, not coincidental, and the payoff near the end is genuinely gripping.
Tonally, The Shattered Veil sits comfortably alongside authors like Sanderson and Jordan, but it still has its own identity, especially in its cosmic elements and sense of looming, ancient dread. The lore is deep without being overwhelming, and while there are moments where the mystery is intentionally opaque, it always feels purposeful rather than confusing. By the final chapters, the scale widens dramatically, and the title suddenly makes perfect sense. This is very much a “slow awakening into something enormous” kind of book and as the opening to a trilogy, it does exactly what it should: leaves you unsettled, intrigued, and eager to see what shatters next.
December 27, 2025
Three youths from different backgrounds are chosen…
…to be the mystical defenders of Astraeon, a realm threatened by demons and protected by the ‘Veil.’ Kaelen is a student magus of exceptional ability. Sylira is a female warrior in the borderlands. Ravik is a scavenger prowling the caverns beneath the city. They come together and are forged into an arcane trio, battling menaces deep below the city.
The characters are distinct and detailed, though not complex. Kaelen struggles with his sorcery and is influenced by the monsters. Sylira is obsessed with protecting Kaelen. Ravik is the most intriguing of the three, a cowardly font of knowledge that seems disconnected from the setting.
The tale is fast-paced, told in short, action-packed sentences. It is also repetitive in places: the entire first descent into the undercity could have been cut.
I recommend ‘The Shattered Veil’ for younger readers fond of fast-paced sword and sorcery stories.
…to be the mystical defenders of Astraeon, a realm threatened by demons and protected by the ‘Veil.’ Kaelen is a student magus of exceptional ability. Sylira is a female warrior in the borderlands. Ravik is a scavenger prowling the caverns beneath the city. They come together and are forged into an arcane trio, battling menaces deep below the city.
The characters are distinct and detailed, though not complex. Kaelen struggles with his sorcery and is influenced by the monsters. Sylira is obsessed with protecting Kaelen. Ravik is the most intriguing of the three, a cowardly font of knowledge that seems disconnected from the setting.
The tale is fast-paced, told in short, action-packed sentences. It is also repetitive in places: the entire first descent into the undercity could have been cut.
I recommend ‘The Shattered Veil’ for younger readers fond of fast-paced sword and sorcery stories.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews