By the Blade

Elwin Escari Chronicles #2

by David Ekrut

Jax finds himself abandoned far from home in the
desert nation of Kalicodon. When any infraction to
tribal honor will land him in chains as a slave, he
must learn quickly to adapt in a foreign land in hopes
of maintaining his freedom. In his struggles to liberate
Daren from slavery, he meets Jesnia, a woman from
his homeland, who has hunted fugitives from justice
to the eastern edge of the desert. Without his own
cunning and her talents, Jax may very well meet his
end, fighting for his life in the arena.

424 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 17, 2017

About the author

I grew up in a small town in Arkansas, roaming through rural fields and trudging through forests, living out Tolkien-like adventures with my closest friends. In college, I studied theatre, playing a multitude of roles, but won an Irene Ryan nomination for my role in MacBeth as the lead. As I finished this first degree, I became engrossed with physics and mathematics, then placed my writings and thespian endeavors on hold while I learned the language behind the workings of our universe.

While earning a B.S. in applied mathematics at University of Central Arkansas, I received a SURF grant for mathematical research and for the first time was paid for my skills as a mathematician and researcher. To continue studying symmetry analysis of partial differential equations, I remained at UCA for a master’s degree, earning awards for teaching undergraduates and for my exemplary scholastic record.

After this, I received a fellowship to pursue my doctoral degree at Florida State University, where I studied biomedical mathematics, learning how to model the interstitial workings of the biological processes of the human body. While earning my PhD at Florida State University, I wrote my first fantasy novel, which sold over 2,000 copies in the first month and tens of thousands of copies since.
Graduating from FSU was bitter-sweet. It was satisfying to solve pieces of some of the world’s oldest mathematical problems and to earn my doctorate, but it was also the climax of my career as a mathematician and teacher.

Although I continue to write novels and engage in journalism, I have moved back into the classroom full-time, teaching college-level mathematics. Engaging with inquisitive minds has always been a passion of mine and I get to do so now on the collegiate level.

A note to my fans: As long as I breathe, I promise to create and lose myself in the worlds of my imagination, crafting stories and helping others develop theirs. More books are coming soon, in Elwin’s world and others. Thank you for your patience!

Reviews

[Nikki · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I first saw this available on Audible, I was excited to continue with the story of Elwin and Feffer, and was a bit taken aback that there were very few overlaps between this volume and the first. But it quickly won me over. I liked Jax, and the society in Kalicodon was fascinating. Ekrut did a better job in this one with his female characters, so that they seemed more than 2-dimensional, which was nice. My only gripe would be that Jax was portrayed at first as kind of a spoiled and hapless rich boy thrown into a wild land, but really he is a genius and a master swordsman with a strong moral compass. You're not going to mistake one for the other, so that tested my ability to ignore my incredulity. Still, though, I very much look forward to more stories with Jax. I hope there is a shorter wait between volumes next time.

[Beth Piotrowski · Rating 5 out of 5]

Local author that does not disappoint!

[Tyler Hamilton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. I contemplated skipping it to continue Elwin’s story, but I am beyond glad that I chose to read this first. I love Dr. Ekrut’s books and cannot wait to read the rest of Elwin’s Chronicles.

[David Ekrut · Rating 5 out of 5]

I might be a bit biased, but this book is by far his best to date. ;)