Stick

by Gary Bregar

“A harrowing account of survival, loss, and cultural erasure.” —The BookLife Prize

For one hundred and fifty years he has kept silent.

Now, as two aging friends near the end of their lives and the last remnants of an ancient world begin to fade, Stick finally tells the story he has spent a lifetime trying to forget.

It begins in Dorveth, one of the legendary Pillar Cities, where a young Terralin grows up surrounded by family, loyal friends, and traditions that have endured for centuries. But beyond the safety of his home, unsettling rumors begin to spread. A distant city has fallen. Travelers vanish without explanation. Ancient certainties begin to crumble.

What follows is the story of a people on the brink of extinction, friendships tested by impossible choices, and one Terralin whose life is forever changed by the day his world fell apart.

Rich with mystery and wonder, Stick is a standalone epic fantasy about loss, courage, friendship, and the stories that survive when everything else is gone.

290 pages, Paperback

Published October 2, 2026

About the author

Born and raised in Pueblo, Colorado, Gary Bregar has spent much of his life searching for adventure and, more often than not, finding it. He has climbed glaciers in Iceland, jumped from perfectly good airplanes in New Zealand, and lived from a tent on the beaches of Portugal.

A lifelong traveler with a restless imagination, he is forever in search of the next adventure and the next story, wherever they might be hiding. When not writing or wandering the world, he can usually be found at home in Arvada, Colorado, with his dog, Hondo—named after a certain Star Wars pirate.

Gary writes fantasy novels, giving all those stories he’s spent a lifetime making up somewhere to call home.

Reviews

[Stefanie Verhelst]

A very touching story about family, loss, pain, believing in a world that is home, sadness and the will to survive.

It’s a grimdark fantasy with a thoughtful touch. The imaginative word is fascinating and so are its characters.

Stick is a book that will linger long after you’ve finished it.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Pat Giordano]

There is so much to love about this book. The author seamlessly wrote a dual-timeline story in both first-person and third-person. If I could give the author 5 stars for writing style, I would. The story is imaginative and full of excellent detail. It revolves around Stick and Eddigan; well-rounded and rich characters that bring the story to life. I would describe this as a dark fantasy because there is violence and situations that are heart wrenching. At the same time, the story never loses the thread of loyalty, sacrifice and friendship. The world this author has created is rich with magical characters and I hope he writes future books that explore the depth of each one.