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Fera: The Amberium Conspiracy
Not yet published
Expected 30 Nov 26448 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication November 30, 2026
About the author
J.A. Strating
1 bookJ.A. Strating writes adult epic fantasy, with a particular love for darker worlds, large-scale conflicts, dangerous creatures, and characters forced to survive within systems stacked against them.
His love of fantasy began early with authors such as J.R.R. Tolkien, David Eddings, and Terry Brooks. More recent influences include Peter V. Brett, Brandon Sanderson, and Pierce Brown, whose worlds, characters, and approach to large-scale storytelling helped shape the kind of stories he enjoys writing himself.
As a father of three with a full-time job, he writes in the quiet hours left between family, work, and everyday life. His stories explore survival, loyalty, war, found family, power, and the choices people make when there are no easy options.
His current novel, Fera: The Amberium Conspiracy, is an adult epic fantasy set in a world where creatures known as Fera are bound to humans through Control and used for labor, status, and war.
His love of fantasy began early with authors such as J.R.R. Tolkien, David Eddings, and Terry Brooks. More recent influences include Peter V. Brett, Brandon Sanderson, and Pierce Brown, whose worlds, characters, and approach to large-scale storytelling helped shape the kind of stories he enjoys writing himself.
As a father of three with a full-time job, he writes in the quiet hours left between family, work, and everyday life. His stories explore survival, loyalty, war, found family, power, and the choices people make when there are no easy options.
His current novel, Fera: The Amberium Conspiracy, is an adult epic fantasy set in a world where creatures known as Fera are bound to humans through Control and used for labor, status, and war.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
October 9, 2026
Thank you to the author for providing me with an advance reader copy of Fera: The Amberium Conspiracy. This is my honest review and all opinions are my own.
This book was a really fun surprise for me. This was my first ever ARC, so I wasn't quite sure what to expect, but I ended up really enjoying this story and I cannot wait to return to the world of Orgwell!
There are several POV characters in this book, that were all very enjoyable to me. It was nice to view the story from a villainous character occassionally but usually the POVs are from our main characters, Brum and Isabella. In the beginning I thought that the main characters spoke similarly and their values seemed very alike, but after being with them for a while it became clear that they do have some distinct differences. Brum is a lot more brash and impulsive, but also very kind-hearted and a little naive. And Isabella is a little more careful and a lot more intelligent. You can tell that she has been burnt quite a few times. Both of them gave some very interesting, but different perspectives to this world.
Another thing that I really appreciated, especially since this is a story with different POV characters, is that there aren't too many of them. There is a core group of characters and they eventually end up in the same place which makes for a nice conclusion to this story.
I loved discovering the world of Orgwell and learning more about the Fera alongside the characters. There is clearly a lot more to this world than what we see in this first story, which left me curious about what might come next.
Oh, and I almost forgot to mention the best character in the story: Scales! <3 I loved him so much and I got really worried about him a few times in the story. I cannot wait to learn more about him when we return to this world again.
This book was a really fun surprise for me. This was my first ever ARC, so I wasn't quite sure what to expect, but I ended up really enjoying this story and I cannot wait to return to the world of Orgwell!
There are several POV characters in this book, that were all very enjoyable to me. It was nice to view the story from a villainous character occassionally but usually the POVs are from our main characters, Brum and Isabella. In the beginning I thought that the main characters spoke similarly and their values seemed very alike, but after being with them for a while it became clear that they do have some distinct differences. Brum is a lot more brash and impulsive, but also very kind-hearted and a little naive. And Isabella is a little more careful and a lot more intelligent. You can tell that she has been burnt quite a few times. Both of them gave some very interesting, but different perspectives to this world.
Another thing that I really appreciated, especially since this is a story with different POV characters, is that there aren't too many of them. There is a core group of characters and they eventually end up in the same place which makes for a nice conclusion to this story.
I loved discovering the world of Orgwell and learning more about the Fera alongside the characters. There is clearly a lot more to this world than what we see in this first story, which left me curious about what might come next.
Oh, and I almost forgot to mention the best character in the story: Scales! <3 I loved him so much and I got really worried about him a few times in the story. I cannot wait to learn more about him when we return to this world again.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Fera: The Amberium Conspiracy pulled me in more than I expected. I really liked Brum, especially the way his character changes after meeting Scales and being forced into a completely different situation.
The worldbuilding is probably what stood out to me most. There are a lot of creatures, abilities, guilds, and rules to learn, but it gives the story its own identity. I also enjoyed the relationship between Brum and Scales because it adds some lighter moments to what can be a pretty dark story.
There are some brutal scenes and plenty of action, but there’s also a bigger story underneath it involving power, class, control, and the way the kingdom treats people without status.
It’s definitely a fantasy with a lot going on, but I enjoyed seeing Brum slowly become more than the person he thought he was.
The worldbuilding is probably what stood out to me most. There are a lot of creatures, abilities, guilds, and rules to learn, but it gives the story its own identity. I also enjoyed the relationship between Brum and Scales because it adds some lighter moments to what can be a pretty dark story.
There are some brutal scenes and plenty of action, but there’s also a bigger story underneath it involving power, class, control, and the way the kingdom treats people without status.
It’s definitely a fantasy with a lot going on, but I enjoyed seeing Brum slowly become more than the person he thought he was.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I absolutely loved this. When it was billed as a Pokémon style book, I wasn't sure what to expect, but it was so much more than that. .
The world building is excellent. There is a rich world of politics, intrigue, and a wide variety of Fera (animal beasts) that can be controlled through Amberium crystals.
The characters are interesting and keep you engaged, although some of the dialogue could use some work. Too many exclamation points for my liking. Plus, it does come across as stilted, at times. However, that didn't take away from the overall story.
I genuinely couldn't put it down and stayed up far too late reading. I can't wait for the next one.
The world building is excellent. There is a rich world of politics, intrigue, and a wide variety of Fera (animal beasts) that can be controlled through Amberium crystals.
The characters are interesting and keep you engaged, although some of the dialogue could use some work. Too many exclamation points for my liking. Plus, it does come across as stilted, at times. However, that didn't take away from the overall story.
I genuinely couldn't put it down and stayed up far too late reading. I can't wait for the next one.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews