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Thread Witch #1
Threads of Memory
Some threads should never be pulled.
Amara has spent her life hiding in plain sight hemming tunics, mending tears, and never letting anyone know that cloth speaks to her.
When a soldier brings her a bloodstained cloak, Amara’s needle awakens a dead captain’s voice, revealing her ability. Now a Guild enforcer from the Hemlock Circle hunts her, determined to prove she’s a rogue weaver.
But the Guild isn’t the only danger. Grieving nobles covet her power. Desperate mourners beg for miracles. And in the shadows, a cult known as the Wraithstitchers waits, eager to claim her gift and twist it into horrors beyond imagining.
Cornered by enemies, Amara must decide whether to keep hiding… or to wield the very power she fears. Because cloth remembers—and those who command its whispers can change the fate of kingdoms.
Perfect for fans of unique magic systems, slow-burn tension, and heroines who defy the pattern fate has sewn for them.
Amara has spent her life hiding in plain sight hemming tunics, mending tears, and never letting anyone know that cloth speaks to her.
When a soldier brings her a bloodstained cloak, Amara’s needle awakens a dead captain’s voice, revealing her ability. Now a Guild enforcer from the Hemlock Circle hunts her, determined to prove she’s a rogue weaver.
But the Guild isn’t the only danger. Grieving nobles covet her power. Desperate mourners beg for miracles. And in the shadows, a cult known as the Wraithstitchers waits, eager to claim her gift and twist it into horrors beyond imagining.
Cornered by enemies, Amara must decide whether to keep hiding… or to wield the very power she fears. Because cloth remembers—and those who command its whispers can change the fate of kingdoms.
Perfect for fans of unique magic systems, slow-burn tension, and heroines who defy the pattern fate has sewn for them.
266 pages, Paperback
Published January 5, 2026
About the author
Richard Fierce
202 books128 followersRichard Fierce is a fantasy author with a passion for storytelling that dates back to his childhood. He first ventured into publishing in 2007 and hasn’t looked back since. His books are filled with dragons, adventure, and the kind of epic journeys that transport readers to new worlds.
In 2000, Richard was named Poet of the Year for his poem The Darkness, and his love for literature extends beyond just writing—he co-founded the Acworth Book Festival in Georgia to help bring authors and readers together. Though he originally worked in retail, he eventually transitioned to the tech industry, balancing his career with his writing.
Richard lives in Northwest Georgia with his family and a lively mix of pets, including four dogs (huskies!). He often jokes that his house feels like a zoo, but he wouldn’t have it any other way.
His love for fantasy started in high school when he was gifted a copy of Dragons of Spring Dawning by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman—a book that sparked a lifelong love for dragons and epic quests.
Whether he’s writing about dragon riders, lost civilizations, or ancient prophecies, Richard Fierce continues to craft stories that pull readers into unforgettable adventures.
In 2000, Richard was named Poet of the Year for his poem The Darkness, and his love for literature extends beyond just writing—he co-founded the Acworth Book Festival in Georgia to help bring authors and readers together. Though he originally worked in retail, he eventually transitioned to the tech industry, balancing his career with his writing.
Richard lives in Northwest Georgia with his family and a lively mix of pets, including four dogs (huskies!). He often jokes that his house feels like a zoo, but he wouldn’t have it any other way.
His love for fantasy started in high school when he was gifted a copy of Dragons of Spring Dawning by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman—a book that sparked a lifelong love for dragons and epic quests.
Whether he’s writing about dragon riders, lost civilizations, or ancient prophecies, Richard Fierce continues to craft stories that pull readers into unforgettable adventures.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
June 24, 2026
I liked that it had a unique magic system that I’ve never read before. If the author could slow down and explain things more I would have given it a higher rating. It was very fast paced and felt rushed. I will read the second book.
April 23, 2026
This is a crisply written book. It’s short and pacy, and I loved how it got straight to the action. (It's also another entrant in the SPFBO XI contest.)
Amara is a seamstress, and a threadwitch, with the ability to awaken memories in cloth. This means that someone could use a cloak or jacket to listen to memories or impressions of the past wearer, something that could be of interest in a world without modern technology. You could listen to the worlds of a holy leader by touching the cloth, or relive time with a beloved reparative.
However, magic in this world is controlled by the Guild, and Amara is an illegal practitioner. One day in the market place, she’s asked to repair a cloak belonging to a military captain and accidentally awakens its memories, which she quickly silences. However, not before the outburst was noticed by everyone around her! This puts Amara in the path of Caedric, an Unraveler (or inquisitor) whose job is to work for the Guild and round up all of these rogue, magical seamstresses.
Amara denies being a thread-witch in her interrogations with Caedric, but he’s still suspicious. And she’s hounded by the public who want her to use their powers for them, so that they can awaken memories belong to the departed relatives As Caedric investigates Amara, he becomes more sympathetic to her, and is torn between fulfilling his duty to the Guild, and helping Amara.
But the Guild isn’t the only one after Amara; there’s an evil cult, the Wraithstitchers. Unlike a threadwitch who awakens memories in a cloth, a wraithstitcher can tear a soul apart and use it to ‘craft garments of terrible power’. (Although , disappointingly, they mostly write intimidating messages). And there’s a third pressure on Amara; the Lady Selanna, who wants Amara to use her power to awaken the memories of her dead son.
How Amara navigates all these threads with Cedric’s help is the heart of the story. It’s probably not a spoiler to say that Caedric and Amara are attracted to each other, but don’t quite trust each other. The romance gels in the last part of the book, although it’s more of an emotional connection between the pair. There’s not much time for anything else! An unlike some romances I’ve read, where Partner A has to sit out of the last boss fight watching and cheering on while Partner B does everything, there’s a decent balance of action at the end.
I suppose the main issue with this one was the world building. Why is this magic actually illegal? What monopoly is the Guild protecting? For example, the noble who kidnaps Amara wants her to awaken her son’s memories in a shirt. But if the Guild has licensed threadwitches who use rune-thread (rather than Amara’s natural talent) why not pay the Guild? How does the Guild make their money to pay for their inquisitor program if everyone hates threadwitches? No one in the public who hounds Amara talks about negotiating with the Guild or complains about their steep prices. (Although I’m not sure if the target audience will worry about this too much.)
Probably the other issue is all of the sewing-related jargon around the magic system: Threatwitches, Wraithstitchers. Caedric’s sword is a threadcutter. When Amara uses too much magic she gets threadburned (which means she stab herself with her needle).
But the sharp pace makes this a real page-turner, and the relationship between the pair develops nicely. Recommended. (Although note that the ending is set up for a sequel.)
Amara is a seamstress, and a threadwitch, with the ability to awaken memories in cloth. This means that someone could use a cloak or jacket to listen to memories or impressions of the past wearer, something that could be of interest in a world without modern technology. You could listen to the worlds of a holy leader by touching the cloth, or relive time with a beloved reparative.
However, magic in this world is controlled by the Guild, and Amara is an illegal practitioner. One day in the market place, she’s asked to repair a cloak belonging to a military captain and accidentally awakens its memories, which she quickly silences. However, not before the outburst was noticed by everyone around her! This puts Amara in the path of Caedric, an Unraveler (or inquisitor) whose job is to work for the Guild and round up all of these rogue, magical seamstresses.
Amara denies being a thread-witch in her interrogations with Caedric, but he’s still suspicious. And she’s hounded by the public who want her to use their powers for them, so that they can awaken memories belong to the departed relatives As Caedric investigates Amara, he becomes more sympathetic to her, and is torn between fulfilling his duty to the Guild, and helping Amara.
But the Guild isn’t the only one after Amara; there’s an evil cult, the Wraithstitchers. Unlike a threadwitch who awakens memories in a cloth, a wraithstitcher can tear a soul apart and use it to ‘craft garments of terrible power’. (Although , disappointingly, they mostly write intimidating messages). And there’s a third pressure on Amara; the Lady Selanna, who wants Amara to use her power to awaken the memories of her dead son.
How Amara navigates all these threads with Cedric’s help is the heart of the story. It’s probably not a spoiler to say that Caedric and Amara are attracted to each other, but don’t quite trust each other. The romance gels in the last part of the book, although it’s more of an emotional connection between the pair. There’s not much time for anything else! An unlike some romances I’ve read, where Partner A has to sit out of the last boss fight watching and cheering on while Partner B does everything, there’s a decent balance of action at the end.
I suppose the main issue with this one was the world building. Why is this magic actually illegal? What monopoly is the Guild protecting? For example, the noble who kidnaps Amara wants her to awaken her son’s memories in a shirt. But if the Guild has licensed threadwitches who use rune-thread (rather than Amara’s natural talent) why not pay the Guild? How does the Guild make their money to pay for their inquisitor program if everyone hates threadwitches? No one in the public who hounds Amara talks about negotiating with the Guild or complains about their steep prices. (Although I’m not sure if the target audience will worry about this too much.)
Probably the other issue is all of the sewing-related jargon around the magic system: Threatwitches, Wraithstitchers. Caedric’s sword is a threadcutter. When Amara uses too much magic she gets threadburned (which means she stab herself with her needle).
But the sharp pace makes this a real page-turner, and the relationship between the pair develops nicely. Recommended. (Although note that the ending is set up for a sequel.)
June 12, 2026
This was the fourth of the Fantasy Hive's six semifinalists in the SPFBO 11 competition (Self-Published Fantasy Blog Off), and it got a full Hive review from me and my fellow judges Cat and Vinay which you can read here
Here is an extract to give you a flavour of the book and what we thought of it.
For me the magic system is the standout feature of this book. The idea is that not just memories but also the souls of the dead linger around and are interwoven in the clothes that they wore, and that a skilled magical weaver like Amara can draw out those memories ‘making the cloth speak’ for good or ill. And – as is always the way with strange powers and gifts – there is a quasi-religious institution that seeks to corral, curtail and control unlicensed users of this magic. So the Guild that Caedric works for was another nice feature – a kind of cross between the Spanish Inquisition and the KGB within whose constraint Caedric seeks to navigate an ever narrowing moral path
I really did love the prose in this book, I think my favourite of the semifinalists so far – judging by the number of ‘nice line’ notes I made for myself in my Kindle copy. There are so many lines I could mention but the prose’s great strength lies in its concrete sensory descriptions that help to capture a sense of a place or a moment.
Evening had painted the streets of Deymar in shades of amber and shadow.
Or
The morning sun slanted across the market, but Amara’s stall remained untouched by its warmth.
Or
A bloodstained kerchief that whispered of a duel gone wrong. A child’s mitten that held the echo of snowball fights and winter laughter. A solider’s sash that reeked of smoke and rang with the clash of steel.
Though this one has a nice resonance with our own troubled times.
The sound of her grandmother’s voice drifted up from memory. “Power is never a gift. It’s always a burden. The only choice is whether you carry it or let it carry you.”
Here is an extract to give you a flavour of the book and what we thought of it.
For me the magic system is the standout feature of this book. The idea is that not just memories but also the souls of the dead linger around and are interwoven in the clothes that they wore, and that a skilled magical weaver like Amara can draw out those memories ‘making the cloth speak’ for good or ill. And – as is always the way with strange powers and gifts – there is a quasi-religious institution that seeks to corral, curtail and control unlicensed users of this magic. So the Guild that Caedric works for was another nice feature – a kind of cross between the Spanish Inquisition and the KGB within whose constraint Caedric seeks to navigate an ever narrowing moral path
I really did love the prose in this book, I think my favourite of the semifinalists so far – judging by the number of ‘nice line’ notes I made for myself in my Kindle copy. There are so many lines I could mention but the prose’s great strength lies in its concrete sensory descriptions that help to capture a sense of a place or a moment.
Evening had painted the streets of Deymar in shades of amber and shadow.
Or
The morning sun slanted across the market, but Amara’s stall remained untouched by its warmth.
Or
A bloodstained kerchief that whispered of a duel gone wrong. A child’s mitten that held the echo of snowball fights and winter laughter. A solider’s sash that reeked of smoke and rang with the clash of steel.
Though this one has a nice resonance with our own troubled times.
The sound of her grandmother’s voice drifted up from memory. “Power is never a gift. It’s always a burden. The only choice is whether you carry it or let it carry you.”
May 17, 2026
I didn't know what to expect out of this story, especially because it's shorter than my normal reads, but I enjoyed it. Overall, the story was fast-paced and had two compelling characters as leads. I loved how the magic system is based on sewing. Amara can awaken the dead when she works on a piece of clothing owned by that person. Sometimes, it's an echo of a memory, but sometimes, it's more. I liked Amara. She had good intentions and wanted to avoid trouble. When she used her powers, she was always respectful for the dead. I wasn't expecting to get Caedric's POV from the blurb, but I'm glad it was there. It added depth to the story and to the world because to me, he is more affected and changed by the events than Amara was. We learned a lot more about the Guild and Wraithstitchers. We saw the institutional problems with is POV. I would like to know more about the Guild and how magic became illegal.
Review of advance copy received from Author
The book introduces Amara, a quiet seamstress who has spent her life hiding a dangerous secret: cloth speaks to her. Every stitch carries whispers, emotions, and if she isn’t careful, memories of the dead. When a soldier brings her a blood‑soaked cloak, her needle awakens the voice of a fallen captain, exposing her forbidden gift. That single moment shatters her anonymity.
A relentless Guild enforcer from the Hemlock Circle begins hunting her, determined to brand her a rogue weaver. Meanwhile, nobles crave her power, mourners beg her for miracles, and a shadowy cult, the Wraithstitchers, waits to twist her abilities into something monstrous. Cornered on all sides, Amara must choose between hiding forever or embracing the terrifying truth of her magic. Because in this world, cloth remembers, and those who command its memories can alter the fate of kingdoms.
A relentless Guild enforcer from the Hemlock Circle begins hunting her, determined to brand her a rogue weaver. Meanwhile, nobles crave her power, mourners beg her for miracles, and a shadowy cult, the Wraithstitchers, waits to twist her abilities into something monstrous. Cornered on all sides, Amara must choose between hiding forever or embracing the terrifying truth of her magic. Because in this world, cloth remembers, and those who command its memories can alter the fate of kingdoms.
May 24, 2026
Great premise.
Starts off with a lot of promise, but at times the writing feels almost AI driven with phrases being repeated and metaphors running on too long. This gives the narrative a "preachy" feel instead of the reader being led to certain convictions. The backstory of the main characters should be discovered rather than told to the reader. There could be more shock value given to the reveal of good guys vs bad guys - again robbing the reader from the impact of disillusionment. I will read the whole series and hope the author slows down and allows the words to echo rather than repeat themselves. Good writers love writing, great writers love language.
Starts off with a lot of promise, but at times the writing feels almost AI driven with phrases being repeated and metaphors running on too long. This gives the narrative a "preachy" feel instead of the reader being led to certain convictions. The backstory of the main characters should be discovered rather than told to the reader. There could be more shock value given to the reveal of good guys vs bad guys - again robbing the reader from the impact of disillusionment. I will read the whole series and hope the author slows down and allows the words to echo rather than repeat themselves. Good writers love writing, great writers love language.
May 23, 2026
I wavered a bit between two and three stars. In the end I went with three because the premise was one I hadn't come across before, so an extra point for originality.
I felt like it needed a bit more explanation around why being a rouge thread witch is bad. Also just what power was gained by both the "good guys" and "bad guys" by using their talents, it was a bit vague.
Caedric is ready to give up everything for someone he barely knows, it seems to be all about her "gold flecked eyes".
I did like the concept though and I'll probably read the follow up books.
I felt like it needed a bit more explanation around why being a rouge thread witch is bad. Also just what power was gained by both the "good guys" and "bad guys" by using their talents, it was a bit vague.
Caedric is ready to give up everything for someone he barely knows, it seems to be all about her "gold flecked eyes".
I did like the concept though and I'll probably read the follow up books.
May 15, 2026
Threads of Memory is a creative fantasy built around an intriguing and original magic system where cloth itself holds memory and power.
Richard Fierce delivers a tense, atmospheric story with a strong heroine in Amara, balancing quiet emotional stakes with rising danger from multiple factions. A compelling read for fans of unique magic and character driven fantasy.
Richard Fierce delivers a tense, atmospheric story with a strong heroine in Amara, balancing quiet emotional stakes with rising danger from multiple factions. A compelling read for fans of unique magic and character driven fantasy.
May 4, 2026
This was a rather nifty book that has an interesting magic system, 2 compelling leads and a crisp story to boot packaged in a rather terse page count. Full RTC
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May 11, 2026
A bit repeative and a holes but all in all a cool world and solid read
May 21, 2026
Skemmtileg hugmynd og ágætlega úr henni unnið. Því miður er bókin skrifuð eða mikið unnin af gervigreind, svo textinn er leiðinlegur aflestrar. 2,5 stjörnur.
June 8, 2026
Very cool! Such a different book and concept! I truly enjoyed the characters and the world building. So awesome!
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews