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Maladies of Empire #1
Makerborn
The God War is over. An empire built on suffering, slavery, and betrayal remains.
In the fractured lands of the Salvian Empire, the Great Houses rule through blood and fear. For years, Alandra Phoenyka has hunted powerful Sonomancers in the empire’s name, paid in empty promises that her stolen daughter would be returned.
Each step forward demands another compromise. Another betrayal. Another piece of herself lost.
When those promises turn to treachery, she is forced to take matters into her own hands and risk everything to reclaim her child.
In the empire’s mining camps, Bez Windstrider has endured years of torture and brutal experimentation. Broken but unyielding, he clings to one purpose: vengeance. The men who murdered his parents will pay, and their deaths will complete the ritual needed to free his parents’ souls from damnation.
But the deeper his grief cuts, the more he becomes something far more dangerous, for himself, and for the empire.
As their paths draw closer, the buried truths of the God War begin to surface. What begins as two personal vendettas threatens to unravel something far greater than either of them can control.
Because empires do not fall quietly.
And the gods that shaped them are not as dead as they seem.
Makerborn is the first book in the Maladies of Empire series, a brutal epic dark fantasy of vengeance, sacrifice, and the cost of love.
For readers of dark, character-driven epic fantasy in the vein of Joe Abercrombie, Mark Lawrence, R.F. Kuang, Evan Winter, and Steven Erikson.
In the fractured lands of the Salvian Empire, the Great Houses rule through blood and fear. For years, Alandra Phoenyka has hunted powerful Sonomancers in the empire’s name, paid in empty promises that her stolen daughter would be returned.
Each step forward demands another compromise. Another betrayal. Another piece of herself lost.
When those promises turn to treachery, she is forced to take matters into her own hands and risk everything to reclaim her child.
In the empire’s mining camps, Bez Windstrider has endured years of torture and brutal experimentation. Broken but unyielding, he clings to one purpose: vengeance. The men who murdered his parents will pay, and their deaths will complete the ritual needed to free his parents’ souls from damnation.
But the deeper his grief cuts, the more he becomes something far more dangerous, for himself, and for the empire.
As their paths draw closer, the buried truths of the God War begin to surface. What begins as two personal vendettas threatens to unravel something far greater than either of them can control.
Because empires do not fall quietly.
And the gods that shaped them are not as dead as they seem.
Makerborn is the first book in the Maladies of Empire series, a brutal epic dark fantasy of vengeance, sacrifice, and the cost of love.
For readers of dark, character-driven epic fantasy in the vein of Joe Abercrombie, Mark Lawrence, R.F. Kuang, Evan Winter, and Steven Erikson.
- GenresFantasyDarkDark Fantasy
862 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 15, 2026
About the author
Daymon Ashcord
1 book11 followersDaymon Ashcord writes dark fantasy shaped by suffering, resilience, and the brutal edges of love pushed too far.
Born in Gdańsk, Poland, and raised in New York, he grew up on science fiction, fantasy, and the stories that linger long after the final page. After studying accounting and public policy, he left a conventional path to travel the world and create a documentary, turning storytelling into something essential.
His debut novel, Makerborn (2026), reflects years of persistence, personal setbacks, and a fascination with the darker truths people endure to survive.
He lives in North Carolina, hiking mountains by day and writing by night. He is considering adopting a dog, a cat, or both, and suspects they would judge him harshly.
You can follow Daymon on all the socials and sign up for his newsletter at www.daymonashcord.com
Born in Gdańsk, Poland, and raised in New York, he grew up on science fiction, fantasy, and the stories that linger long after the final page. After studying accounting and public policy, he left a conventional path to travel the world and create a documentary, turning storytelling into something essential.
His debut novel, Makerborn (2026), reflects years of persistence, personal setbacks, and a fascination with the darker truths people endure to survive.
He lives in North Carolina, hiking mountains by day and writing by night. He is considering adopting a dog, a cat, or both, and suspects they would judge him harshly.
You can follow Daymon on all the socials and sign up for his newsletter at www.daymonashcord.com
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
June 20, 2026
This was an intense and emotionally heavy read. I was struck by how raw and unflinching the story is from the very beginning. Alandra’s desperate search for her daughter immediately gave the narrative a deep emotional core, and I found myself fully invested in her struggle, even when her choices became morally complicated.
The plot is very engaging. I felt like I was constantly being pulled deeper into a world where nothing comes without consequences. This is a powerful fantasy read. This read is meaningful and unforgettable.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The plot is very engaging. I felt like I was constantly being pulled deeper into a world where nothing comes without consequences. This is a powerful fantasy read. This read is meaningful and unforgettable.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
June 1, 2026
ARC Review
Ooof! Where to start?!
Makerborn is a dark (very dark) low fantasy novel. We follow a couple characters that are dealing with about the most horrific circumstances a person can have thrust upon them.
Our female protagonist is attempting to rescue her daughter, who was kidnapped and now resides in a brothel.
Our other main charter was kidnapped as a child, watched his parents brutal murder, and now works as a slave in a mine.
Both characters really go through it and the world itself is presented as incredibly bleak. Some of the issues I had with the book that kept it from 5 star status is the pacing fairly early on was a little rough for me. It’s a really long book (800+ pages) and at about the 25% mark I had to take a break and read something that had a bit more hope. Other than sympathizing with the characters struggles, I had a hard time connecting with them until later in the book. I also didn’t get a sense of scope as far as the world building went, everything just felt small and there weren’t a lot of descriptions of the landscape or buildings, so I wasn’t able to visualize the environments our characters are in.
What I enjoyed the most about Makerborn is the magic system. I found Sonomancy to be an incredibly unique magical ability with characters being able to utilize it in a variety of interesting ways. (i.e.: using sound waves to amputate limbs during surgery) The author recognizes that Sonomancy could easily become OP and tempers it with a kryptonite like plot device. Every time the magic is used, I found it exciting and compelling.
I also thought the combat was very well done. The battles scenes are savage and brutal. The author, Daymon Ashcord, is a talented writer, and I enjoyed his prose. I tend to enjoy character dialogue and typically find that it helps move stories along, and that was the case with Makerborn as well. I really enjoyed the characters interactions with each other. A lot of the world building is done through the characters’ dialogue instead of from a narrator’s perspective.
All in all I enjoyed Makerborn and am definitely interested in seeing what happens next and where Ashcord is taking this story. Fantastic debut novel.
Ooof! Where to start?!
Makerborn is a dark (very dark) low fantasy novel. We follow a couple characters that are dealing with about the most horrific circumstances a person can have thrust upon them.
Our female protagonist is attempting to rescue her daughter, who was kidnapped and now resides in a brothel.
Our other main charter was kidnapped as a child, watched his parents brutal murder, and now works as a slave in a mine.
Both characters really go through it and the world itself is presented as incredibly bleak. Some of the issues I had with the book that kept it from 5 star status is the pacing fairly early on was a little rough for me. It’s a really long book (800+ pages) and at about the 25% mark I had to take a break and read something that had a bit more hope. Other than sympathizing with the characters struggles, I had a hard time connecting with them until later in the book. I also didn’t get a sense of scope as far as the world building went, everything just felt small and there weren’t a lot of descriptions of the landscape or buildings, so I wasn’t able to visualize the environments our characters are in.
What I enjoyed the most about Makerborn is the magic system. I found Sonomancy to be an incredibly unique magical ability with characters being able to utilize it in a variety of interesting ways. (i.e.: using sound waves to amputate limbs during surgery) The author recognizes that Sonomancy could easily become OP and tempers it with a kryptonite like plot device. Every time the magic is used, I found it exciting and compelling.
I also thought the combat was very well done. The battles scenes are savage and brutal. The author, Daymon Ashcord, is a talented writer, and I enjoyed his prose. I tend to enjoy character dialogue and typically find that it helps move stories along, and that was the case with Makerborn as well. I really enjoyed the characters interactions with each other. A lot of the world building is done through the characters’ dialogue instead of from a narrator’s perspective.
All in all I enjoyed Makerborn and am definitely interested in seeing what happens next and where Ashcord is taking this story. Fantastic debut novel.
May 14, 2026
3.5/5
I received an ARC from the author in exchange for a review thank you Daymon Ashcord!
Overall I enjoyed this book. I thought the world building was interesting and I did enjoy the main characters and their moral grayness. The second half of the book was more interesting to me and I felt was better paced. The beginning seemed to drag a bit and I felt could use some brevity.
It is a very dark story as the synopsis states and the characters really go through it over the course of the novel. Fair warning there is a lot of violence with brief respites of some joy.
I am curious to see how the rest of the story plays out so will be picking up book #2 when it is out! Like I said its a good world with a lot of interesting pieces at play.
I received an ARC from the author in exchange for a review thank you Daymon Ashcord!
Overall I enjoyed this book. I thought the world building was interesting and I did enjoy the main characters and their moral grayness. The second half of the book was more interesting to me and I felt was better paced. The beginning seemed to drag a bit and I felt could use some brevity.
It is a very dark story as the synopsis states and the characters really go through it over the course of the novel. Fair warning there is a lot of violence with brief respites of some joy.
I am curious to see how the rest of the story plays out so will be picking up book #2 when it is out! Like I said its a good world with a lot of interesting pieces at play.
August 26, 2026
Makerborn
by Daymon Ashcord
Maladies of Empire #1
Fantasy
Booktrovert/NetGalley
Pub Date: June 15, 2026
Self Published
Ages: 18+
Bez is a slave, taken from his parents as a young child, subjected to torture and experimentation. But he vows revenge and will make the men who killed his parents pay.
Alandra hunts Sonomancers for the empire, and in search of her daughter who was taken from their farm years ago, she is in service to a man who keeps swearing he will find her, but he needs Alandra to do 'one more' job.
Chance brings them together...
But it takes way too long!
This was a slow read. The plot was interesting, but the walking around just felt as if they were going nowhere. I think the 'actor guild' that Bez joined didn't work. I didn't care for the group, though it might have helped if those characters had been more developed instead of feeling as if they were trees or rocks. A hint of a description there, and then forgotten. Only a couple of them had any personality, but those also blurred. The thing that really got me was his bladder problem. This young man who was abused can't control his bladder and was dribbling/peeing himself when things got even a little dicey. I get characters need a weakness to come across as real, but I feel as if this made him a worthless character because he accepted it as normal when he was scared and didn't want to overcome this weakness. It didn't work for me.
Alandra's quest was better; she was better developed, and her weakness(es) made more sense, and she was trying to fix it. But the group she started with also felt like part of a scene and were just the baggage. One of the characters was a little important, but they weren't developed to show how important they were, and ended up feeling as important as a pack mule. And the group's parting was hurried, and it didn't fully get explained.
The magic needed to be better explained and demonstrated. I can say that once things were brought together, things got better, but it took way too long to get there, and I was skimming a lot and almost DNF. I get there were quests, but it was way too drawn out, especially with the guild, and the overall action was limited. At least there could have been a random bear or dog attack to keep things interesting. Also, I honestly think a couple of hundred pages of the repetitiveness need to be removed.
There is violence, so this is not suitable for readers under eighteen.
As for continuing with the series... Even though I loved the twists, I doubt it.
2 Stars
by Daymon Ashcord
Maladies of Empire #1
Fantasy
Booktrovert/NetGalley
Pub Date: June 15, 2026
Self Published
Ages: 18+
Bez is a slave, taken from his parents as a young child, subjected to torture and experimentation. But he vows revenge and will make the men who killed his parents pay.
Alandra hunts Sonomancers for the empire, and in search of her daughter who was taken from their farm years ago, she is in service to a man who keeps swearing he will find her, but he needs Alandra to do 'one more' job.
Chance brings them together...
But it takes way too long!
This was a slow read. The plot was interesting, but the walking around just felt as if they were going nowhere. I think the 'actor guild' that Bez joined didn't work. I didn't care for the group, though it might have helped if those characters had been more developed instead of feeling as if they were trees or rocks. A hint of a description there, and then forgotten. Only a couple of them had any personality, but those also blurred. The thing that really got me was his bladder problem. This young man who was abused can't control his bladder and was dribbling/peeing himself when things got even a little dicey. I get characters need a weakness to come across as real, but I feel as if this made him a worthless character because he accepted it as normal when he was scared and didn't want to overcome this weakness. It didn't work for me.
Alandra's quest was better; she was better developed, and her weakness(es) made more sense, and she was trying to fix it. But the group she started with also felt like part of a scene and were just the baggage. One of the characters was a little important, but they weren't developed to show how important they were, and ended up feeling as important as a pack mule. And the group's parting was hurried, and it didn't fully get explained.
The magic needed to be better explained and demonstrated. I can say that once things were brought together, things got better, but it took way too long to get there, and I was skimming a lot and almost DNF. I get there were quests, but it was way too drawn out, especially with the guild, and the overall action was limited. At least there could have been a random bear or dog attack to keep things interesting. Also, I honestly think a couple of hundred pages of the repetitiveness need to be removed.
There is violence, so this is not suitable for readers under eighteen.
As for continuing with the series... Even though I loved the twists, I doubt it.
2 Stars
July 18, 2026
Makerborn is a grimdark fantasy set just after the "god war" , it revolves around 2 PoVs, Alandra who hunts rogue Somomancers(mages) for the empire hoping that by doing so she can reclaim her enslaved daughter, and enslaved miner Bez. Determined to escape and avenge the deaths of his family, the fate of these 2 characters is linked as the god war may not be over yet...
Now as I said, Makerborn is grimdark, a vague at best marketing term invented by Games Workshop to sell plastic crack(figures, i mean plastic FIGURES) there is. No clear definition of grimdark but the most common is dark fantasy tsken to the extreme where everything and everyone is to be blunt, shit....
A problem though is that sometimes authors overdo this to a ridiculous level creating instead grimderp 🙈, but thankfully this is something Makerborn manages to avoid..
I particularly liked following Alandra , shes a older character who has been through it and is haunted by the tendency of people around her to die, but keeps at it in the hope she can be reunited with her daughter.
The magic system was really interesting as well, making use of sound waves and vibrations, they can cause earth quakes, slashs strong enough to cut through anything... but each use of solomancy cuts away at the users mind, rather than a gift it is a death sentence that will eventually consume the users mind. Its a nice cost system that prevents it from becoming a solve anything deus ex machina
Now as I said, Makerborn is grimdark, a vague at best marketing term invented by Games Workshop to sell plastic crack(figures, i mean plastic FIGURES) there is. No clear definition of grimdark but the most common is dark fantasy tsken to the extreme where everything and everyone is to be blunt, shit....
A problem though is that sometimes authors overdo this to a ridiculous level creating instead grimderp 🙈, but thankfully this is something Makerborn manages to avoid..
I particularly liked following Alandra , shes a older character who has been through it and is haunted by the tendency of people around her to die, but keeps at it in the hope she can be reunited with her daughter.
The magic system was really interesting as well, making use of sound waves and vibrations, they can cause earth quakes, slashs strong enough to cut through anything... but each use of solomancy cuts away at the users mind, rather than a gift it is a death sentence that will eventually consume the users mind. Its a nice cost system that prevents it from becoming a solve anything deus ex machina
July 29, 2026
Read this review and more on GrimDark Magazine
This ARC review aims to be as Spoiler-free as possible.
There has been a recent uptick in the indie epic dark fantasy space, and Makerborn, by debut author Daymon Ashcord will surely scratch that itch. The first entry in his debut series, Maladies of Empire, author Ashcord weaves a lengthy tale of vengeance, betrayal, godlike powers, and of course, bloody violence!
At the very core, Makerborn is a testament to the lengths that people will go to achieve their ends, even if it means paying a heavy price. The story follows two major character arcs, Bez Windstrider is sold into slavery in the mines when his parents are brutally tortured and murdered in front of his young eyes. Every action thereafter is a concentrated effort to escape his torturous circumstances and exact vengeance on his parents murderers. The other major thread follows Seal Warden Alandra, a decade after her daughter was taken away from her. She renders off-book, off-color services to a wealthy (and obviously power-hungry) noble, and will sacrifice everything and everyone to see her daughter free. Bez’s vengeance and Alandra’s vehemence will set them on a collision course that will shake the very foundation of Salvia.
Novel to Makerborn is Ashcord’s inclusion of “sonomancy”, a sound/wind based magic system. In particular, the fact that sonomancy is considered a negative trait, its triggers related to trauma, and its users reviled by the commonfolk. The magic system serves as reminders of the world’s state as an effect of the devastating God Wars, which forms the central motif of Salivia’s mythos. Alandra, as Seal Warden uses her trauma of losing her daughter as the trigger of her sonomantic abilities. While the grim and dark aura around sonomancy will be appreciated by frequent consumers of dark fantasy, its execution felt vague. The expressions of sonomancy ranges everywhere from enhancing strength, using sonic waves as blades, creating explosions, to creating bouts of explosive vomiting!
It is clear that Makerborn is more dialed to be a zoomed-in character work with plenty of action, and in that regard, author Ashcord mostly succeeds. There is plenty of action, vicious, bloody, and deeply visceral, everything a fan of grimdark and dark fantasy works will enjoy. However, much of the emotional heft and investment in the characters themselves will be found wanting, especially for readers like me, who’re deeply steeped in the blood and gore of these niche genres and require more to keep us hooked. Both Bez and Alandra, while pushed through the meatgrinder of defeats, failures, betrayals and all the grimdark goodies, rarely feel worth investing in. Their motivations are trite, and their arcs show very little progress even as they go from one action setpiece to the next.
Makerborn is a doorstopper novel. Unfortunately, that does more to take away from its overall enjoyment. In that regard, this debut feels simultaneously overwritten and underbaked. Each scene and character is described with stereotypical markers, every dialog stretched, every emotion overwrought. In other ways, as mentioned with the magic system, the world felt superficial with only a skeleton of the expansive worldbuilding that an “epic dark fantasy” would warrant. The pacing, especially in the first few acts is formulaic and repetitive.
At the end of my read I truly believed that several sections of the book could have safely been removed, or at least severely condensed to quicken the pace of the book. On surface level, Makerborn is a “fast” paced book, it felt “episodic” with abrupt and often inexplicable leaps between chapters. However, the pacing dragged on as each of the individual episodes felt both anticlimactic and superfluous to the larger plot, which was threadbare at best. This novel would have greatly benefited from a more savage editor’s blade to cut it down to a leaner, meaner, grimmer, darker machine. As a minor but annoying quibble, many of Ashcord’s “modernisms” in his turn of phrase and prose broke immersion and took yet another bite out of my enjoyment of this debut.
Still, the latter half, and the high points and big reveals in Makerborn make it a fun read in its moment-to-moment violent action and abject misery. The final chapters, while ironically rushed felt like a better representation of Ashcord’s writing than the first few acts. After sitting with Makerborn for a while, I feel like Ashcord was determined to focus on the “epic” and “dark fantasy” labels, yet stumbled in understanding and hitting the right notes to substantiate those labels.
Overall, I appreciate what the author attempted with this debut offering and series starter. It is no mean feat to give readers such a tremendous slab of dark fantasy on your first try and that deserves plenty of praise. Makerborn has the bones of a great entry to the Maladies of Empire series. But subsequent sequels will need a defter hand, with tighter pacing, more fleshed out characters, a denser and more expansive world, and more focused writing to be a slamdunk grimdark hit!
Advanced Review Copy provided in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to author Daymon Ashcord
This ARC review aims to be as Spoiler-free as possible.
There has been a recent uptick in the indie epic dark fantasy space, and Makerborn, by debut author Daymon Ashcord will surely scratch that itch. The first entry in his debut series, Maladies of Empire, author Ashcord weaves a lengthy tale of vengeance, betrayal, godlike powers, and of course, bloody violence!
At the very core, Makerborn is a testament to the lengths that people will go to achieve their ends, even if it means paying a heavy price. The story follows two major character arcs, Bez Windstrider is sold into slavery in the mines when his parents are brutally tortured and murdered in front of his young eyes. Every action thereafter is a concentrated effort to escape his torturous circumstances and exact vengeance on his parents murderers. The other major thread follows Seal Warden Alandra, a decade after her daughter was taken away from her. She renders off-book, off-color services to a wealthy (and obviously power-hungry) noble, and will sacrifice everything and everyone to see her daughter free. Bez’s vengeance and Alandra’s vehemence will set them on a collision course that will shake the very foundation of Salvia.
Novel to Makerborn is Ashcord’s inclusion of “sonomancy”, a sound/wind based magic system. In particular, the fact that sonomancy is considered a negative trait, its triggers related to trauma, and its users reviled by the commonfolk. The magic system serves as reminders of the world’s state as an effect of the devastating God Wars, which forms the central motif of Salivia’s mythos. Alandra, as Seal Warden uses her trauma of losing her daughter as the trigger of her sonomantic abilities. While the grim and dark aura around sonomancy will be appreciated by frequent consumers of dark fantasy, its execution felt vague. The expressions of sonomancy ranges everywhere from enhancing strength, using sonic waves as blades, creating explosions, to creating bouts of explosive vomiting!
It is clear that Makerborn is more dialed to be a zoomed-in character work with plenty of action, and in that regard, author Ashcord mostly succeeds. There is plenty of action, vicious, bloody, and deeply visceral, everything a fan of grimdark and dark fantasy works will enjoy. However, much of the emotional heft and investment in the characters themselves will be found wanting, especially for readers like me, who’re deeply steeped in the blood and gore of these niche genres and require more to keep us hooked. Both Bez and Alandra, while pushed through the meatgrinder of defeats, failures, betrayals and all the grimdark goodies, rarely feel worth investing in. Their motivations are trite, and their arcs show very little progress even as they go from one action setpiece to the next.
Makerborn is a doorstopper novel. Unfortunately, that does more to take away from its overall enjoyment. In that regard, this debut feels simultaneously overwritten and underbaked. Each scene and character is described with stereotypical markers, every dialog stretched, every emotion overwrought. In other ways, as mentioned with the magic system, the world felt superficial with only a skeleton of the expansive worldbuilding that an “epic dark fantasy” would warrant. The pacing, especially in the first few acts is formulaic and repetitive.
At the end of my read I truly believed that several sections of the book could have safely been removed, or at least severely condensed to quicken the pace of the book. On surface level, Makerborn is a “fast” paced book, it felt “episodic” with abrupt and often inexplicable leaps between chapters. However, the pacing dragged on as each of the individual episodes felt both anticlimactic and superfluous to the larger plot, which was threadbare at best. This novel would have greatly benefited from a more savage editor’s blade to cut it down to a leaner, meaner, grimmer, darker machine. As a minor but annoying quibble, many of Ashcord’s “modernisms” in his turn of phrase and prose broke immersion and took yet another bite out of my enjoyment of this debut.
Still, the latter half, and the high points and big reveals in Makerborn make it a fun read in its moment-to-moment violent action and abject misery. The final chapters, while ironically rushed felt like a better representation of Ashcord’s writing than the first few acts. After sitting with Makerborn for a while, I feel like Ashcord was determined to focus on the “epic” and “dark fantasy” labels, yet stumbled in understanding and hitting the right notes to substantiate those labels.
Overall, I appreciate what the author attempted with this debut offering and series starter. It is no mean feat to give readers such a tremendous slab of dark fantasy on your first try and that deserves plenty of praise. Makerborn has the bones of a great entry to the Maladies of Empire series. But subsequent sequels will need a defter hand, with tighter pacing, more fleshed out characters, a denser and more expansive world, and more focused writing to be a slamdunk grimdark hit!
Advanced Review Copy provided in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to author Daymon Ashcord
June 27, 2026
64 chapters full of an amazing story that will capture your time and make you feel in an amazing fantasy. This fantasy combines family, betrayal, hurt, and hard moments but also great moments of perseverance. Each character is developed with great detail, the story is built around the stolen daughter, the empires, and how they fall. Love will be crucial during the narrative and how each character will bring more spice to each chapter. I really enjoy that each chapter is short and, as a reader, I had the opportunity to go through it in an easy way. The author's way of writing captivates you and this dark fantasy drags your time and emotions. It is great to let go of your day-to-day stressors and allow yourself to immerse in a great book.
July 6, 2026
Makerborn is a brutal dark fantasy, but the violence in the story has a reason behind it. I liked how the book treats vengeance as something tied to grief, not just anger. While reading, I did not see the characters as people simply looking for blood. I saw people trying to keep going after losing something they could not really replace, and that made their choices harder to judge from the outside. I also liked that love in this story does not always lead to noble decisions. Sometimes it becomes the reason someone sacrifices too much or crosses a line they might not have crossed before. That is what made the story feel darker to me, because the worst decisions came from people who were still holding on, even when holding on was destroying them.
June 18, 2026
If Grim Dark Fantasy is your thing, then this book gives you everything. Spoiler alert.. It gets intense! Couldn't put it down. Can't wait to see this series through to its conclusion.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
June 15, 2026
This book gets this series off to an intriguing start. A full cast of characters is at work bringing several stories to life. I am definitely wondering how things will work out.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I needed to give myself a day to really think about Makerborn before I wrote my review. I was surprised at how much I liked this story given how dark it is. I felt like I could picture every scene and character. I could feel what they were feeling. Character interactions and personal conflicts were very engaging.
The character work is well done. We slowly get to know who they are and what they've done. Love and vengeance really carry them through. The world and magic system are very interesting. It took some time to understand it (sorta) and there still seems like so much more to know.
Makerborn follows two main characters, Bez and Alandra. Bez lost his parents when he was young and wants to free their souls, while also ridding the world of the people responsible for their murder. First, he needs to get away from the people who enslaved and torture him. Alandra is trying to find her daughter and free her from a life of slavery. However, death seems to follow her wherever she goes. Both of them lose friends who are close to them. Neither of them catch a break.
In the beginning of the book, I was not sure what I thought about Bez and Alandra. It's really difficult to root for characters who just have one bad thing after another happen to them. I found redeeming qualities about them later in the book and realized that I did care.
I give Makerborn 4.5 stars rounded up.
I admit that the length of Makerborn was a bit intimidating for such a dark book, but I was fully invested. I never lost interest. There are some good twists, some betrayals and absolute heartbreak. I'm interested in continuing the series for sure.
I received an advanced review copy of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts. This is another reason why the length scared me a bit - I would have wanted to finish it no matter what so that I could give my full review. I'm glad that I ended up really liking it!!
The character work is well done. We slowly get to know who they are and what they've done. Love and vengeance really carry them through. The world and magic system are very interesting. It took some time to understand it (sorta) and there still seems like so much more to know.
Makerborn follows two main characters, Bez and Alandra. Bez lost his parents when he was young and wants to free their souls, while also ridding the world of the people responsible for their murder. First, he needs to get away from the people who enslaved and torture him. Alandra is trying to find her daughter and free her from a life of slavery. However, death seems to follow her wherever she goes. Both of them lose friends who are close to them. Neither of them catch a break.
In the beginning of the book, I was not sure what I thought about Bez and Alandra. It's really difficult to root for characters who just have one bad thing after another happen to them. I found redeeming qualities about them later in the book and realized that I did care.
I give Makerborn 4.5 stars rounded up.
I admit that the length of Makerborn was a bit intimidating for such a dark book, but I was fully invested. I never lost interest. There are some good twists, some betrayals and absolute heartbreak. I'm interested in continuing the series for sure.
I received an advanced review copy of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts. This is another reason why the length scared me a bit - I would have wanted to finish it no matter what so that I could give my full review. I'm glad that I ended up really liking it!!
June 21, 2026
I've been reading fantasy for a long time, and after a while you develop a feel for books that are trying too hard to impress you versus books that simply trust their story to do the work.
Makerborn felt very much like the latter.
What stood out to me wasn't just the scale of the world or the promise of gods stirring beneath the surface. It was the sense that this world already existed long before I opened the first page. The history feels lived in. The wounds feel old. The people carry burdens that have been passed down through generations, and that gives the story a weight I appreciated.
The book takes its time introducing its characters and setting, but I never felt rushed or lost. There's a quiet confidence in the writing. The author doesn't stop every few pages to explain everything, and I found myself enjoying the gradual discovery of the world rather than feeling overwhelmed by it.
As I've gotten older, I've become less interested in stories about power itself and more interested in stories about what power costs. That's one of the things I enjoyed most here. Choices matter. Actions leave scars. The consequences of violence, loss, and ambition seem to echo through every corner of the story.
Yes, this is a dark fantasy. There is suffering, brutality, and plenty of hard edges. But beneath all of that I found something surprisingly human. At its heart, this feels like a story about endurance—about people carrying impossible burdens and continuing forward anyway.
I'm curious to see where the series goes next, and I'll gladly pick up the next book when it arrives.
Thanks to the author for providing an ARC copy. I’m glad I had the chance to spend some time in this world, and I appreciate the work that clearly went into building it. Wishing the book every success when it releases.
Makerborn felt very much like the latter.
What stood out to me wasn't just the scale of the world or the promise of gods stirring beneath the surface. It was the sense that this world already existed long before I opened the first page. The history feels lived in. The wounds feel old. The people carry burdens that have been passed down through generations, and that gives the story a weight I appreciated.
The book takes its time introducing its characters and setting, but I never felt rushed or lost. There's a quiet confidence in the writing. The author doesn't stop every few pages to explain everything, and I found myself enjoying the gradual discovery of the world rather than feeling overwhelmed by it.
As I've gotten older, I've become less interested in stories about power itself and more interested in stories about what power costs. That's one of the things I enjoyed most here. Choices matter. Actions leave scars. The consequences of violence, loss, and ambition seem to echo through every corner of the story.
Yes, this is a dark fantasy. There is suffering, brutality, and plenty of hard edges. But beneath all of that I found something surprisingly human. At its heart, this feels like a story about endurance—about people carrying impossible burdens and continuing forward anyway.
I'm curious to see where the series goes next, and I'll gladly pick up the next book when it arrives.
Thanks to the author for providing an ARC copy. I’m glad I had the chance to spend some time in this world, and I appreciate the work that clearly went into building it. Wishing the book every success when it releases.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Makerborn by Daymon Ashcord is a brutal, grimdark fantasy that leans hard into violence, moral ambiguity, and the cost of survival—and that’s both its biggest strength and its biggest challenge. Set in the fractured Salvian Empire after a devastating God War, the story follows multiple characters, including a mother hunting for her stolen daughter and others caught in a system built on suffering and power. The world-building stands out: magic (Sonomancy) is tied to pain and madness, and the empire itself feels harsh, layered, and politically unstable, with a constant sense that something worse is coming.
Where the book struggles a bit is in pacing and intensity. The story is heavy and unrelenting —there’s a lot of violence, trauma, and bleakness, and it doesn’t really let up. It can feel both overwhelming and slow, especially given the length and multiple storylines. The characters are compelling in a grim, morally gray way, but they’re not always easy to connect with emotionally, and the story focuses far more on survival and revenge than romance.
Overall, I’d give it 3 stars. It’s a dark, ambitious fantasy with strong world-building and high stakes, but the relentless tone and uneven pacing may not work for everyone. If you like gritty, uncompromising fantasy in the vein of grimdark epics, it’s worth checking out—but it’s definitely not a light read.
Where the book struggles a bit is in pacing and intensity. The story is heavy and unrelenting —there’s a lot of violence, trauma, and bleakness, and it doesn’t really let up. It can feel both overwhelming and slow, especially given the length and multiple storylines. The characters are compelling in a grim, morally gray way, but they’re not always easy to connect with emotionally, and the story focuses far more on survival and revenge than romance.
Overall, I’d give it 3 stars. It’s a dark, ambitious fantasy with strong world-building and high stakes, but the relentless tone and uneven pacing may not work for everyone. If you like gritty, uncompromising fantasy in the vein of grimdark epics, it’s worth checking out—but it’s definitely not a light read.
August 5, 2026
I really liked the book, I would lean toward calling the story grimdark than dark fantasy with how gritty the world is and the betrayals from left to right without any hope in sight. Characters fit that scenery neatly, and while I didn't root for any of our main guys due to their selfishness(looking at you Bez) they were where they belonged so that was very nice.
The main two things I have to say that didn't quite land with me is the repetition of motivation throughout the story and especially in the first parts of the story. That being said, I never felt bored or irritated that much just to skip so it didn't bother me as much as it might seem.
The other thing is the whole Makeborn plot. To avoid spoilers it felt a little threadbare to me and whatever twists happened regarding that part didn't hit as hard as could. That plotline had no chance against the whole focus of our main character that is present throughout the book.
Hence I didn't really like the ending and the title of the book didn't really pull its weight to me.
That being said I still enjoed the world and will gladly return to it if second book ever comes out. I recommend it to every reader who likes dark fantasy/grimdark.
The main two things I have to say that didn't quite land with me is the repetition of motivation throughout the story and especially in the first parts of the story. That being said, I never felt bored or irritated that much just to skip so it didn't bother me as much as it might seem.
The other thing is the whole Makeborn plot. To avoid spoilers it felt a little threadbare to me and whatever twists happened regarding that part didn't hit as hard as could. That plotline had no chance against the whole focus of our main character that is present throughout the book.
Hence I didn't really like the ending and the title of the book didn't really pull its weight to me.
That being said I still enjoed the world and will gladly return to it if second book ever comes out. I recommend it to every reader who likes dark fantasy/grimdark.
June 24, 2026
This book focuses on the Salvian Empire after a series of events referred to as the God War. The protagonist, Alandra Phoenyka, has been tasked with hunting down Sonomancers for the empire. She does it in the hope that she will be reunited with her daughter, but that goal seems to remain just out of reach. Meanwhile, Bez Windrider has endured unimaginable hardships for years, being tortured and experimented on by cruel taskmasters. Like Alandra, he lives for only one purpose, but in his case, that’s revenge and the chance to free the souls of his parents from their purgatory.
These two are destined to encounter each other, and as that event gets closer, the reader learns more about the hidden truths behind the God War. This dark fantasy epic features unforgettable characters, a vivid backdrop, and many extraordinary, well-written sequences.
These two are destined to encounter each other, and as that event gets closer, the reader learns more about the hidden truths behind the God War. This dark fantasy epic features unforgettable characters, a vivid backdrop, and many extraordinary, well-written sequences.
August 6, 2026
Wow I loved this book. It is a dark fantasy book that follows the stories of Bez and Alandra, whose separate destructive paths to revenge, redemption and freedom are inextricably linked.
Damon Ashcord has crafted a gripping story, with interestingly flawed hero’s, in a broken and desperately inequitable world. It really left me rooting for the underdogs in this story. I enjoyed the pacing, it had the right balance of grit with some moments of levity. The finale was a real page turner and I felt I held my breath for the last few chapters.
I really hope there is a second book as I can’t wait to hear what happens to the characters!!
Damon Ashcord has crafted a gripping story, with interestingly flawed hero’s, in a broken and desperately inequitable world. It really left me rooting for the underdogs in this story. I enjoyed the pacing, it had the right balance of grit with some moments of levity. The finale was a real page turner and I felt I held my breath for the last few chapters.
I really hope there is a second book as I can’t wait to hear what happens to the characters!!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Makerborn
Daymon Ashcord
Pub Date: Jun 15 2026
Grimdark gets thrown around in the fantasy genre a lot these days to th point it has lost all meaning. I would consider this book to be the definition of grimdark. I picked this book knowing nothing about it. It is a bit longer of a read for my liking but the pacing and entertainment value i got out of it made it seem shorter than its page count.
I would go as far as to dare say that this may be my book of the year.
Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the opportunity to read this book early in return for my honest review.
Daymon Ashcord
Pub Date: Jun 15 2026
Grimdark gets thrown around in the fantasy genre a lot these days to th point it has lost all meaning. I would consider this book to be the definition of grimdark. I picked this book knowing nothing about it. It is a bit longer of a read for my liking but the pacing and entertainment value i got out of it made it seem shorter than its page count.
I would go as far as to dare say that this may be my book of the year.
Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the opportunity to read this book early in return for my honest review.
Review of advance copy
While I personally wasn’t able to connect to this story I am choosing to rate and review based on things I think other readers would like. The novel checks all the high/epic fantasy boxes. Magic, bloody battles, multiple characters, world building. If you are a fan of David Estes or Phillip C Quaintrell I think this one is worth a try. I can’t put my finger on why I didn’t connect to this story I just didn’t.
June 15, 2026
A woman has been promised to get her daughter back but li is not going to happen. Aman wants revenge on those who have put him there. Follow their battles to get the justice they believe they are not getting. You will be quickly invested in their survival, their revenge and consequences may just not be as you had hoped they would be
I received an advance copy from hidden gems and will take you on a journey of discovery
I received an advance copy from hidden gems and will take you on a journey of discovery
Review of advance copy
I got this from hiddengems i enjoy the detail combat and dark story was long read it 4 1/2 stars
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