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Stoneblood
Not yet published
Expected 5 Oct 26Peace. At long last. If genocide was the price to save Gargon, the world of gargoyles, from utter annihilation, then so be it.
Murgath was called a hero. Even whispers of the Sky Viper were enough to strike fear into the very bones of the fiercest warrior. Clans burned. Chieftains bowed. Blood filled the skies. And with the end of the Immortal Wars, the hero faded quietly into legend.
But peace forged in battle can never last. Dodekas of prosperity made the people forget that era of violence, brutality, suffering, death. They no longer believed the legends of the Sky Viper.
Now the aged hero is thrust back into the shifting tides of power. His only daughter is arrested for an assassination she did not commit. Murgath has no choice but to abandon his life of solitude to protect his only child before she is sentenced to the Void. Doing so will dismantle the tenuous peace he spent a lifetime to secure.
Let the world burn.
Murgath was called a hero. Even whispers of the Sky Viper were enough to strike fear into the very bones of the fiercest warrior. Clans burned. Chieftains bowed. Blood filled the skies. And with the end of the Immortal Wars, the hero faded quietly into legend.
But peace forged in battle can never last. Dodekas of prosperity made the people forget that era of violence, brutality, suffering, death. They no longer believed the legends of the Sky Viper.
Now the aged hero is thrust back into the shifting tides of power. His only daughter is arrested for an assassination she did not commit. Murgath has no choice but to abandon his life of solitude to protect his only child before she is sentenced to the Void. Doing so will dismantle the tenuous peace he spent a lifetime to secure.
Let the world burn.
674 pages, Paperback
Expected publication October 5, 2026
About the author
Vesneratch
1 book7 followersVesneratch is an epic fantasy author based in Salt Lake City, Utah and the creator of the Sky Viper Saga. He began writing in 2020 and has since completed multiple books (not yet published) within a growing universe. There is a much greater focus on worlds where mythical creatures take center stage, instead of humans as the main species.
In addition to writing, Vesneratch hosts the Indie Fantasy Club on YouTube, where he spotlights overlooked fantasy books and helps readers discover new voices in the indie space. His passion for the genre extends beyond his own work, with a focus on supporting independent authors and uncovering hidden gems.
When he’s not writing or reading, Vesneratch spends his summers backpacking throughout the western United States with his wife, family, and friends. Though naturally introverted, he enjoys connecting with others through storytelling and shared enthusiasm for fantasy.
In addition to writing, Vesneratch hosts the Indie Fantasy Club on YouTube, where he spotlights overlooked fantasy books and helps readers discover new voices in the indie space. His passion for the genre extends beyond his own work, with a focus on supporting independent authors and uncovering hidden gems.
When he’s not writing or reading, Vesneratch spends his summers backpacking throughout the western United States with his wife, family, and friends. Though naturally introverted, he enjoys connecting with others through storytelling and shared enthusiasm for fantasy.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Author
Note: this book was given to me as an ARC, in exchange for an honest review.
Stone Blood is Book One of the Sky Viper Saga, and dives right into the world of Gargon: a world shaped by the scars of war and the gargoyles who live with it. And yes, this is a gargoyle-centric book: lovers of unique mythological creatures rejoice. While there are many more characters than I will list, these are the major players who get POV chapters.
There is Murgath, the Sky Viper, a genocidal warrior who ended the Immortal Wars before struggling to balance peace with his past; his adopted daughter, Fae, suspicious of her father’s insistence on vigilance and distance as she desires to seek the truth; her friend, Arkli, with a mysterious past that comes to light after one trial too many; Cault, a power hungry chieftain willing to backstab family, friends, and allies if it means unifying Gargon’s clans; and Sedra, a disabled “Unclaimed” gargoyle who finds herself the center of a prophecy that will change Gargon forever.
Murgath, of the Kroll clan, starts this story, as we see him end the Immortal Wars with brutality and death at Zikada, a mountain city he conquers from his enemy, the cultish Doraign clan. We then see the peaceful but fragile life of Zikada through himself, Fae, and their friends, setting up what there is to lose. Soon after we find that Fae is falsely accused of murdering an important figure head of the Kroll clan, and Murgath and their friends work hard to prove her innocence. If she is found guilty, she would be sentenced to the Void: a sentence given to the worst criminals, and seen as worse than death. But when the plot then reaches this place, they find that there is more to the Void - and to the remnants of the Immortal Wars - than they originally gave it credit for. All of this causes Fae to question everything Murgath taught her, and finds herself changing, whether for better or worse.
Meanwhile, as Murgath uncovers a political plot and engages against Cault’s treachery, Arkli questions his identity and worth in the clan. He grows despondent when he loses his friends to Cault’s machinations, only to discover that he holds the secrets to a past once thought destroyed. He struggles past his lack of self-worth through a variety of new friends and mentors, unsure of who to trust, but willing to learn more and try harder to be the gargoyle he wishes he could become.
We also find Sedra getting caught in the crossfire of a raid gone wrong. She faces the line between life and death at the hands of the village she helped to attack. In exchange for a chance to see her children again, she agrees to be exposed to the mysterious Soulgate. Looking upon it directly drives any gargoyle to insanity - but not for Sedra, who is forced to face it again. Her son, who tried to save her, is forced into it with her, and finds that not only is magic real, but she is part of a larger, metaphysical reality that has been suppressed for centuries. They obtain knowledge and artifacts that begin to lead her to a future she never thought possible.
Overall the book was a great read. The worldbuilding, lore, and more help the reader escape into this new place and leave them wanting to know what happens next and with satisfying stages to the plot. My only complaints are simple, and I know will help this book become even better than it already is:
1. There are times when there is a flashback or time skip to the past, but no “date” or reference is given. Even a simple “dodekas ago” would be helpful so that readers are not confused as they start out the new scene.
2. There are some scenes where a character’s thoughts and feelings about what they are doing or seeing are not written out until 3-5 paragraphs later. While the retrospective insight from their POV is helpful and explains why they did that, I feel it would be less confusing if the reader is “in” the character’s emotions and thoughts straight out the gate.
3. This was a bigger problem in the first half of the book. But there seemed to be a lot of descriptions or character insights in between dialogue of what is supposed to be a conversation between two or more people. Sometimes that same info would be repeated in a future chapter as well and it would be mildly distracting. Making the descriptions more succinct and also perhaps adding some of the character thoughts into the conversation dialogue itself could rectify this.
Overall though, I always looked forward to sitting down after a busy day to continue Stoneblood’s story. Right away the reader is shown the brutality of gargoyle culture and is shown for the entirety of the book. Vesneratch succeeds at an unflinching showcase of evil in a complicated world but without exploiting it to a harmful degree. This allows the reader to explore such themes without having to deal with the unseemly effects of overindulging in them. It also better supports the setting that takes our characters on their journey of impending war and magical destinies. Each choice they make has weight and the resulting consequences are unflinching, for better or worse, and some even tugged at my heart strings.
For anyone wanting a new epic fantasy experience that scratches that itch for dire magic, raw character arcs, and exploring a world not like our own, Stoneblood provides that and more.
Stone Blood is Book One of the Sky Viper Saga, and dives right into the world of Gargon: a world shaped by the scars of war and the gargoyles who live with it. And yes, this is a gargoyle-centric book: lovers of unique mythological creatures rejoice. While there are many more characters than I will list, these are the major players who get POV chapters.
There is Murgath, the Sky Viper, a genocidal warrior who ended the Immortal Wars before struggling to balance peace with his past; his adopted daughter, Fae, suspicious of her father’s insistence on vigilance and distance as she desires to seek the truth; her friend, Arkli, with a mysterious past that comes to light after one trial too many; Cault, a power hungry chieftain willing to backstab family, friends, and allies if it means unifying Gargon’s clans; and Sedra, a disabled “Unclaimed” gargoyle who finds herself the center of a prophecy that will change Gargon forever.
Murgath, of the Kroll clan, starts this story, as we see him end the Immortal Wars with brutality and death at Zikada, a mountain city he conquers from his enemy, the cultish Doraign clan. We then see the peaceful but fragile life of Zikada through himself, Fae, and their friends, setting up what there is to lose. Soon after we find that Fae is falsely accused of murdering an important figure head of the Kroll clan, and Murgath and their friends work hard to prove her innocence. If she is found guilty, she would be sentenced to the Void: a sentence given to the worst criminals, and seen as worse than death. But when the plot then reaches this place, they find that there is more to the Void - and to the remnants of the Immortal Wars - than they originally gave it credit for. All of this causes Fae to question everything Murgath taught her, and finds herself changing, whether for better or worse.
Meanwhile, as Murgath uncovers a political plot and engages against Cault’s treachery, Arkli questions his identity and worth in the clan. He grows despondent when he loses his friends to Cault’s machinations, only to discover that he holds the secrets to a past once thought destroyed. He struggles past his lack of self-worth through a variety of new friends and mentors, unsure of who to trust, but willing to learn more and try harder to be the gargoyle he wishes he could become.
We also find Sedra getting caught in the crossfire of a raid gone wrong. She faces the line between life and death at the hands of the village she helped to attack. In exchange for a chance to see her children again, she agrees to be exposed to the mysterious Soulgate. Looking upon it directly drives any gargoyle to insanity - but not for Sedra, who is forced to face it again. Her son, who tried to save her, is forced into it with her, and finds that not only is magic real, but she is part of a larger, metaphysical reality that has been suppressed for centuries. They obtain knowledge and artifacts that begin to lead her to a future she never thought possible.
Overall the book was a great read. The worldbuilding, lore, and more help the reader escape into this new place and leave them wanting to know what happens next and with satisfying stages to the plot. My only complaints are simple, and I know will help this book become even better than it already is:
1. There are times when there is a flashback or time skip to the past, but no “date” or reference is given. Even a simple “dodekas ago” would be helpful so that readers are not confused as they start out the new scene.
2. There are some scenes where a character’s thoughts and feelings about what they are doing or seeing are not written out until 3-5 paragraphs later. While the retrospective insight from their POV is helpful and explains why they did that, I feel it would be less confusing if the reader is “in” the character’s emotions and thoughts straight out the gate.
3. This was a bigger problem in the first half of the book. But there seemed to be a lot of descriptions or character insights in between dialogue of what is supposed to be a conversation between two or more people. Sometimes that same info would be repeated in a future chapter as well and it would be mildly distracting. Making the descriptions more succinct and also perhaps adding some of the character thoughts into the conversation dialogue itself could rectify this.
Overall though, I always looked forward to sitting down after a busy day to continue Stoneblood’s story. Right away the reader is shown the brutality of gargoyle culture and is shown for the entirety of the book. Vesneratch succeeds at an unflinching showcase of evil in a complicated world but without exploiting it to a harmful degree. This allows the reader to explore such themes without having to deal with the unseemly effects of overindulging in them. It also better supports the setting that takes our characters on their journey of impending war and magical destinies. Each choice they make has weight and the resulting consequences are unflinching, for better or worse, and some even tugged at my heart strings.
For anyone wanting a new epic fantasy experience that scratches that itch for dire magic, raw character arcs, and exploring a world not like our own, Stoneblood provides that and more.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I was provided an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review. Here it goes:
4.5 stars!
TLDR: Stoneblood is a fast-paced, action-packed novel that doesn't pull any punches. Was cheering for the characters as they attempt to overcome brutal challenges in a harsh world.
I really enjoyed my time with this book. Reading from the prospective of gargoyles has been a really refreshing change from the typical fantasy story.
The overall prose is simple and easy to follow. I was able to fly through the book with little to no confusion as to where we were, or what the characters were doing.
Every main POV character had their own distinct voice to which dictated the prose. This made some chapters read more with a humorous and charming flare, while others more melancholic or pessimistic. These kinds of changes kept each chapter feeling fresh.
Nitpicks:
I wish we could have spent a little more time with some of the main characters before the chaos.
A couple of the POV character chapters threw the pacing off. I can't dive much deeper into that opinion without spoiling major plot points, so we'll leave it at that.
Overall thoughts:
The overall story was a rollercoaster of a ride! There is an incident that took me by surprise, shattering my expectations and gripped my attention.
In another instance, found myself really invested in a certain character from the first chapter. The moments in their story had me heartbroken, cheering, heartbroken again, and at some times even feeling cathartic.
Breadcrumbs of mystery are sprinkled throughout that really piqued my interest. Some accounted for by the end of this book, others left suspended in time.
It is moments like these that compel me to recommend this book to those who want a fast-paced, action-packed novel that doesn't pull any punches. I'm impressed with this indie debut novel and can't wait to see what other things are in store for this series!
4.5 stars!
TLDR: Stoneblood is a fast-paced, action-packed novel that doesn't pull any punches. Was cheering for the characters as they attempt to overcome brutal challenges in a harsh world.
I really enjoyed my time with this book. Reading from the prospective of gargoyles has been a really refreshing change from the typical fantasy story.
The overall prose is simple and easy to follow. I was able to fly through the book with little to no confusion as to where we were, or what the characters were doing.
Every main POV character had their own distinct voice to which dictated the prose. This made some chapters read more with a humorous and charming flare, while others more melancholic or pessimistic. These kinds of changes kept each chapter feeling fresh.
Nitpicks:
I wish we could have spent a little more time with some of the main characters before the chaos.
A couple of the POV character chapters threw the pacing off. I can't dive much deeper into that opinion without spoiling major plot points, so we'll leave it at that.
Overall thoughts:
The overall story was a rollercoaster of a ride! There is an incident that took me by surprise, shattering my expectations and gripped my attention.
In another instance, found myself really invested in a certain character from the first chapter. The moments in their story had me heartbroken, cheering, heartbroken again, and at some times even feeling cathartic.
Breadcrumbs of mystery are sprinkled throughout that really piqued my interest. Some accounted for by the end of this book, others left suspended in time.
It is moments like these that compel me to recommend this book to those who want a fast-paced, action-packed novel that doesn't pull any punches. I'm impressed with this indie debut novel and can't wait to see what other things are in store for this series!
Review of advance copy received from Author
This was such a unique and refreshing read. I don’t think I’ve come across another fantasy that centers around gargoyle-like humans in this way, and it felt genuinely original rather than just different for the sake of it.
The worldbuilding and magic system were really well done—detailed enough to feel immersive, but not so heavy that it slows the story down. The writing itself also stood out to me; the vocabulary and overall prose felt polished and intentional without being overcomplicated, which made it really easy to stay engaged.
And honestly, the pacing was great, especially for a multi-POV book. There are four main characters, and while I definitely had my favorites, I never found myself wanting to skip anyone’s chapters. Each perspective added something worthwhile, and every character felt fully their own—not just slight variations of the same voice, which can sometimes happen in books like this. By the end, I was fully invested in what happened to all of the main characters.
My only small critique is that the environmental descriptions can feel a little light at times, so you have to fill in some of the visuals yourself. But it didn’t take away from the story in a big way.
Overall, easy five stars for me. If you’re into indie fantasy and want something that feels different from the usual tropes, I’d definitely recommend giving this one a try.
I received an ARC copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.
The worldbuilding and magic system were really well done—detailed enough to feel immersive, but not so heavy that it slows the story down. The writing itself also stood out to me; the vocabulary and overall prose felt polished and intentional without being overcomplicated, which made it really easy to stay engaged.
And honestly, the pacing was great, especially for a multi-POV book. There are four main characters, and while I definitely had my favorites, I never found myself wanting to skip anyone’s chapters. Each perspective added something worthwhile, and every character felt fully their own—not just slight variations of the same voice, which can sometimes happen in books like this. By the end, I was fully invested in what happened to all of the main characters.
My only small critique is that the environmental descriptions can feel a little light at times, so you have to fill in some of the visuals yourself. But it didn’t take away from the story in a big way.
Overall, easy five stars for me. If you’re into indie fantasy and want something that feels different from the usual tropes, I’d definitely recommend giving this one a try.
I received an ARC copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I received an advanced copy of this book. I really couldn’t imagine what a gargoyle book would be about, so it peaked my interest enough and I read the book! I was greatly surprised at how well the author outlined the characters (enough that I could actually picture a gargoyle) and the story was so good - it just pulled me in and I could hardly put the book down - my emotions were everywhere as well - the author has twists and turns that I couldn’t even imagine - this is one of those rare times I can say that someday I will definitely read this book again - well done and this one comes with a two thumbs up. I highly recommend it
Review of advance copy received from Author
I received an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I generally love the fantasy genre, although I haven’t read as much as I would’ve liked to this year. That said, I really enjoyed this one and felt it was well worth my time.
The writing features a strong range of vocabulary and vivid environmental descriptions, which helped bring the story to life. I especially appreciated the individual character development—each character felt distinct and engaging in their own way.
Overall, I would definitely recommend this book to others, especially anyone who enjoys fantasy.
The writing features a strong range of vocabulary and vivid environmental descriptions, which helped bring the story to life. I especially appreciated the individual character development—each character felt distinct and engaging in their own way.
Overall, I would definitely recommend this book to others, especially anyone who enjoys fantasy.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Loved the characters and the concept of gargoyles. It’s refreshing to see such a unique idea in the fantasy space. My one issue was that it felt like it ended on a bit of a cliffhanger, and I wanted a little more of a resolution. Already looking forward to the next one!
Review of advance copy received from Author
I received an advanced copy of this book and here’s my thoughts. I love the fantasy genre and found this book to be so refreshingly original. The characters were deep and meaningful and it was fun to read. It kept me interested all along. I definitely recommend this book.
Review of advance copy received from Author
ARC Review
This book has a very interesting plot with excellent world-building and lore built in to every scene. Interesting concept. Well written. Just be aware this book is a committment as it is a long one!
This book has a very interesting plot with excellent world-building and lore built in to every scene. Interesting concept. Well written. Just be aware this book is a committment as it is a long one!
Review of advance copy
I loved this book. It has a great story with intriguing characters that keep you hooked and wanting more!
Review of advance copy received from Author
April 25, 2026Love me a good fantasy to take me away from reality. This one was quite fascinating with its unique take on gargoyles. I haven’t come across anything like it. Great character development! Wow you really fall in love with them or in some cases really dislike them. The intensity and intrigue kept me wanting to read until the end. The world this author has created is well described and easily imagined.
I’d highly recommend this book and give it a solid 5 stars hands down.
I was given a free advanced copy of this book and am leaving this review voluntarily.
I’d highly recommend this book and give it a solid 5 stars hands down.
I was given a free advanced copy of this book and am leaving this review voluntarily.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews