Thousands of years ago, magic ruled their land. When the mightiest among them rise up, will they bring peace… or rain down destruction? Axamar Sulvastra discovered his powers on the day his brother died. Instead of saving a life, his accidental outburst robbed him of something truly precious. And now he fears the Red Rage pumping through his veins could either free the world or send it to its doom. Working hard to control his abilities at the Academy of Arcane Studies, Axamar quickly bonds with two other gifted and potent mages. But as jealousies erupt and unchecked power festers, their irreparable discord could cost them everything when a devastating plague threatens to ravage the planet. Can Axamar unite The Three to repair the realm before all life is obliterated? Set three millennia before the events of book one, Dawn of the Sphere is the second book in the immersive The Sphere Saga epic fantasy series. If you like complex interpersonal intrigue, powerful backstories, and blockbuster battles, you’ll love Jay S. Willis’s mind-blowing origin story. Buy Dawn of the Sphere to see how it began today!
“My goal as an author is to create an engaging and fun body of work to sustain a generation through their life as readers of Fantasy: from intelligent chapter books to sprawling epics.”
From an early age, Jay was fascinated by story-telling and wrote his first books in grade school by hand using typing paper packets stapled together for him by his mother. An avid Dungeons & Dragons role-player, growing up in the 80’s obsessed with Star Wars and Raiders of the Lost Ark, Jay’s reading and writing interests have always skewed toward the fantasy and science-fiction genres.
Jay S. Willis is a graduate of Capital University, having earned a Bachelor of Arts in History and Political Science there. He also graduated Capital University Law School, where he earned his Juris Doctor. Jay S. Willis, is a former judge of a family court in southern Ohio, has been a licensed attorney for 20 years, and currently serves as an assistant prosecuting attorney with a focus on juvenile court and appellate work.
When not writing, Jay loves playing tabletop board games and watching movies with his family.
Dawn of the Sphere by Jay S. Willis is an awesome story to read. This is book number two in this awesome series that is written by a brand new author for me to read. I highly recommend this story to everyone who loves reading fantasy stories.
I received a free copy of this book via StoryOrigin and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Dawn of the Sphere us the second novel in The Sphere Saga Fantasy Series. Thousands of years ago magic ruled this land. This novel is set three millennia before the events that take place in the first novel of the series. There are three young men who are in school together who each are gifted and potent mages who form a strong friendship. But jealousy takes over and tempers flare and the men fall apart. Then their world is devastated by a plague. Can the men unite to save their world? The author has developed some complex interpersonal intrigue, powerful backstories and tremendous battles. To see if their world can be saved you will need to read the novel. I received a complimentary copy of this novel from StoryOrigin , no positive review was required, and all opinions in this review are my own.
The history between Axamar, Vrom and Lornai brings to light the history of the Sphere. Thier journey from childhood to adulthood. This is an amazing magical story. There is love and war that will keep you wanting more. Fast paced page turner. I highly recommend this book for teen to adult.
Dawn of the Sphere by Jay S. Willis is an enthralling prelude to an already expansive world a masterful origin tale that blends raw emotion, sweeping magic, and the timeless struggle between power and purpose.
At its core is Axamar Sulvastra, a young mage marked by loss and haunted by the Red Rage that courses through his veins. His story isn’t just about learning to wield magic it’s about confronting the fire within, about understanding how grief and guilt can shape a destiny as surely as any spell. Willis writes with a deep sense of humanity, turning Axamar’s internal battle into a universal reflection on control, redemption, and consequence.
The bond between The Three Axamar and his two fellow prodigies anchors the narrative in friendship, rivalry, and tragic complexity. Their relationships burn with tension and authenticity, driving the emotional heartbeat of the story even as the world around them teeters on the edge of ruin.
Worldbuilding is another of Willis’s great triumphs. The Academy of Arcane Studies, the ancient magic, and the looming plague that threatens all life are rendered with cinematic precision and mythic scope. Every page feels like a piece of a vast history being unearthed one that will echo through the centuries that follow in the saga.
Richly written and emotionally potent, Dawn of the Sphere invites readers into a realm where magic and morality intertwine, where the birth of power may also herald the dawn of destruction. It’s both an unforgettable fantasy and a meditation on what it truly means to be human.
Fans of Patrick Rothfuss, Brandon Sanderson, and R.F. Kuang will find themselves right at home within this immersive and beautifully tragic tale.
Book two in this extraordinary fantasy series and I couldn’t wait to dive on in and it did not let me down! This is Set three millennia before the events of book one and introduces us to The Three who become the best of friends and are the most powerful mages, but jealousy is a powerful mistress and they argue and divide. Their world then is destroyed by a plague and they are needed to reunite and put their differences behind them to battle on and save the day. Drama, action, intrigue, all with incredible world building and fantastic characters and a storyline that will grab you hook, line and sinker!
Awesome. This gives the history of how The Conflagration from book 1 came to be. I enjoyed reading the story of The Three. I am excited to see how the next book unfolds.
I received an ARC copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.