Slayer: A Grimdark Sword & Sorcery Fantasy Novel

by Aaron Hodges

Some lines cannot be uncrossed.

He was once the Witch Queen’s deadliest weapon. Men called him the Slayer and spoke his name in whispers. Unmatched with a blade, he killed without mercy, loyal to the core.

Until the day he walked away.

On the farthest edge of the empire, Valdar builds a new life for himself. A home. A family. Working the land, creating life rather than taking it, he finds something he never had peace.

But he knows a secret the Witch Queen will kill for.

When her forces track Valdar to his new home and burn it to the ground, he faces an impossible run and save his own skin, or unleash the Slayer within to protect those he loves.

Can a man drenched in blood find redemption, or will the weight of his past devour them all?

If you love hard-bitten heroes with strict codes of honour, visceral combat, and deeply human grimdark fantasy, you won't want to miss Valdar's final stand. The Blade Itself meets David Gemmell in a gritty, grimdark epic fantasy of redemption and regret.

318 pages, Paperback

Published October 7, 2026

About the author

Aaron Hodges was born in 1989 in the small town of Whakatane, New Zealand. He studied for five years at the University of Auckland, completing a Bachelor's of Science in Biology and Geography, and a Masters of Environmental Engineering. After working as an environmental consultant for two years, he now spends his time traveling the world in search of his next adventure.

Reviews

[Lana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I do believe I have found my latest favourite assassin character in Slayer. Colm Valdar had a very rough upbringing and had to learn the hard way how to survive. Till he met Amber and took the blame for a crime which she committed. He really fell for her charms, wit and daring and they traveled together to escape justice. Then his life changed, he got caught by the soldiers of the Witch Queen whilst yet again trying to protect Amber, and from thereon he became a different man. He was promised immortality if he became the slayer, a trained man, who obeyed his orders to the fullest, committing atrocities unheard of before in her name. He was feared by everyone. Until after one atrocious day when he decided enough was enough, he escaped her clutches and retired to life out his life anonymously and in peace. But her power was far reaching and she would not stop till she got him back, he had betrayed her trust and there was no peace to be had by the wicked. Colm Valdar is an amazing character and though brutal in battle he is kind to those in need of his protection as we see later on in the story when he meets Eleanor and Liam her son. I must admit I am in love with this character and cannot wait to read the next book in this new series full of great battle scenes and adventures with a bit or romance thrown in to sweeten the pot, and a few surprises.