The Thirsting Forest

by Zachary Michael Stivers

Draw your sword and ride to the stars.


Something has fallen out of the sky and a golden beam of light has carved a crater into the mountains near Castle Killovew.

The sun, already rising and setting only once every few years, is slowing down even further. Alien creatures dig below the surface and soar unseen through the foggy skies. The crops are failing, the rivers are drying up, and refugees are pouring into Lord Killovew’s land.

The Realm of the Thirsting Forest may not make it to another sunrise.

With sword and shield, Lord James Killovew and his two children must lead the defense of their medieval kingdom. From the Acolyte rulers of the west, who claim the apocalypse is coming. From the cannibal tribes of the north, who might tell you the apocalypse already has come and gone. And from a mysterious magical visitor who may be from the stars and would have you believe he might be the key to saving their world...



“The Thirsting Forest delivers a collision of Epic fantasy and Space Opera science fiction unlike anything we’ve ever read. Heartwarming, haunting and hold-on-to-your-pants fun all the way through. 5 out of 5 stars… or should we say, 5 out of 5 satellites!” Virginia-North Carolina-Texas-Florida Book Club Alliance

Genres: Fantasy

354 pages, Paperback

Published January 11, 2022

Reviews

[Kyle Frey · Rating 5 out of 5]

As someone who has a hard time getting into science fiction and fantasy books, Zachary Michael did a fantastic job of keeping me entertained throughout. He had solid character building and humorous dialog and it was a very easy read. Cant wait for #2!

[Smiley Smilerson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A commendable first novel, the buzz surrounding this promising new author is undoubtedly merited. ZMS perfectly balances large scale world building with character driven adventure in this genre bending tale. I can unabashedly say that The Thirsting Forest has me thirsting for it's sequel.

[Bookjamin Stivers · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun book with a mystery to solve on what is happening on this planet. I personally loved the half crazy wizard the most. With an explained magic system and fun interesting characters, alien creatures, and political structure. The book moved along quickly throughout and I was amused, heartbroken, and on the edge of my seat the whole time! 5 out of 5 stars. Give this book a chance!

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Star Towers is a brilliant work of fantasy fiction that would surely grab the reader from the first few pages. The plot revolves around Lord James Killovew, a medieval ruler, and his mission to save his kingdom, with the help of a hilarious magical visitor.

Stivers has an excellent writing style, with simple and plain language and in a detailed manner that will create mental imageries in the reader’s mind, giving a cinematic experience. Once you passed the first few pages, you’ll be hooked

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a genre I don’t usually read and the author is my nephew so I was determined to finish it. He has created a whole different world with lots of characters and twists you don’t see. I think if I was smarter I could have kept up better. I would have an easier time with a movie version. So impressed with his imagination and his writing. So talented. Can’t wait for his next book.

[Hailey Lester · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excited for book 2!

[Zack · Rating 5 out of 5]

9/10. Stivers has crafted an engaging, fantastical world with the right mix of humor, danger, and human drama to draw in any reader.

What I liked:
1) Well-rounded cast of characters
2) High-stakes fantasy kingdom politics with
3) New spin on old archetypes and tropes

Looking forward to the next entry in the Star Tower series!

[Ina V · Rating 5 out of 5]

I will admit that it took me a bit to get into the story, but once I did I couldn’t put it down. The characters are well written and it has a little of everything. There are the people that live there, aliens, monsters, and magic. I think my favourite character is the Mud Wizard. The things he says make some sense to the reader but to the characters in the story he is using made up words. I look forward to the next book to see how the story continues.

[Lee Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m not a big reader, but my bartender at my favorite brewery wrote this book. And I wasn’t sure what to expect. But I absolutely loved this book. It made me feel nostalgic for the fun fantasy and sci fi books I used to read in middle school and high school. This book made me laugh and kept me interested from cover to cover.

[T.R. Simmons · Rating 5 out of 5]

Star Tower put me into a vividly dark world of Sci-fi/Fantasy. Careful who you pin your hopes as politics and intrigue blur morality. There are a lot of surprises that will keep you reading this original story.

[Jennifer Escudero · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome😀😀😋

[Charne Du Plessis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. It was such a great combination of multiple genres. I can’t believe my favorite bartender wrote this book!