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  • A New Home for The Halls of the Shadow King

    A New Home for The Halls of the Shadow King

    Third century Rome. Emperor Valerian is hunting down church leaders. In the middle of it, a Damascus street thief named Amal discovers he can reshape reality itself โ€” and the discovery makes him a target.

    That’s where The Halls of the Shadow King: The Apprentice begins. It’s the first book in a series I’ve spent over ten years researching and writing: historical fiction grounded in the third-century Roman Empire, with a supernatural, magical realism thread running through itโ€”the notion that there’s an undercurrent to reality we’d call magic if we could sense it, and that the old myths might have been pointing at something real all along. I think I picked this up in my early years from C.S. Lewis, J.R.R Tolkien, and even Stephen Lawhead.

    Amal’s story is about gifts of power and what it costs. About what it means to prepare yourself and to serve something greater than yourself when the world is asking you to be small, careful, and safe instead. I feel this is a message we need to hear now more than ever.

    I write these books hoping they land in the hands of the right readerโ€”someone who needs a story about courage, risk, and cost. That’s a harder thing to aim for on a platform built for volume rather than connection. So Desdichado Books is making a change.

    Starting now, The Apprentice is no longer available through Amazon. Over time, the rest of the series โ€” Into Deeper Waters, The Hidden Order, Britannia Calls, and possibly even the connected novelettesโ€”will move the same direction. Going forward, you’ll find these books in two places online: todnewman.com/shop and desdichadobooks.com/bookstore. And also in any bookstores willing to take the plunge.

    Why leave a platform with that much reach? Because reach isn’t the same as connection. On Amazon, a sale is a saleโ€”I never know who bought the book, whether it found them at the right moment, or whether it did what I hoped it would do. A direct shop is smaller, but it’s mine. I can know who’s reading. I can put the book directly in the hands of someone who’s looking for it, rather than hoping an algorithm decides to show it to them. And a purchase made there supports the work in a more direct, more personal way than it ever could buried in a marketplace of millions of other titles.

    This isn’t a stunt, and it isn’t about volume. As I write in all of my books, my measure of success has never been sales numbersโ€”it’s the right book reaching the right person, and that person passing it on. If Amal’s story is one you’ve already read, or one you’ve been meaning to start, I’d be grateful if you found it through the new shop. It’s a small thing, but it’s one more way to know this work is reaching someone who wanted it.

    The voyage is just beginning. Thank you for coming along.

    Cover montage of the Novels and Novelettes in the Halls of the Shadow King Series
  • The Historical Fiction Dragon Book Readers Have Been Waiting For

    The Historical Fiction Dragon Book Readers Have Been Waiting For

    Looking for a historical fiction dragon book that breaks all the fantasy tropes? You’ve found it.

    After three books of supernatural intrigue spanning from Damascus to Rome, The Halls of the Shadow King series is taking an unexpected turnโ€”straight into the mist-shrouded mountains of ancient Britannia.

    And this time, Amal faces something he can’t simply outsmart or outmaneuver: a dragon.

    From Street Thief to Dragon-Binder

    When we first met Amal in The Apprentice, he was a desperate thirteen-year-old stealing maps to save his sister. Now, as the Shadow King leading a vast underground network across the Roman Empire, he’s being called to confront an ancient evil that has terrorized British villages for generations.

    But here’s the twist: he might not be able to kill it.

    This isn’t your typical historical fiction dragon book where the hero simply slays the beast and rides off into the sunset. In fact, Amal’s mission is far more complexโ€”and far more dangerous.

    What Readers Are Saying About This Historical Fiction Dragon Book

    “I thought this was historical fiction with a supernatural edge. Book Four turned it into something entirely differentโ€”and I couldn’t put it down.”

    The fourth installment, Brittania Calls, takes everything that made the first three books compellingโ€”the intricate plotting, the richly researched historical detail, the exploration of power and humilityโ€”and adds something readers will love: a dragon.

    But not the dragon you expect.

    The Mission: Binding an Ancient Evil

    When three young Britons arrive at Amal’s safehouse in Malta with desperate pleas for help, he learns that the persecution-free awakening spreading across Britannia is threatened by something older than Rome itself. A dragon, dormant for decades, is stirring in the western mountains. Moreover, if The Morriganโ€”the ancient entity Amal barely survived in Romeโ€”is behind its awakening, the consequences could reshape the entire empire.

    Amal’s solution? Assemble a team unlike any other:

    • Finn, the Irish warrior-prince with knowledge of Celtic magic
    • Andreas, the scholarly priest with expertise in ancient texts
    • Four Carthaginian practitioners experienced in binding rituals
    • Three desperate British youths carrying fragments of forgotten druid wisdom

    Their goal isn’t to slay the dragon in some heroic confrontation. Instead, it’s to bind itโ€”seal it away using ancient rituals that combine Carthaginian, Hebrew, and Celtic traditions into something entirely new.

    Why This Historical Fiction Dragon Book Hits Different

    Historical readers will love the meticulous research into 3rd-century trade routes from Carthage to Britain, the authentic portrayal of early Christian communities, and the seamless blend of Roman, Celtic, and North African cultures.

    Fantasy readers will devour the dragon lore, the exploration of binding rituals versus destruction, and the way ancient spiritual entities interact with the physical world.

    Literary fiction fans will appreciate the deeper questions: What does victory look like when you can’t simply destroy your enemy? How do you wield supernatural power with humility? What happens when your faith requires you to walk into situations where success isn’t guaranteed?

    Historical Accuracy Meets Celtic Magic

    What sets this early Christian fiction apart is the exhaustive research behind every detail. The trade goods carried from Carthage to Britannia? Historically accurateโ€”wine, olive oil, grain, and garum (fermented fish sauce) were staples of Roman-era commerce. The Atlantic crossing through the Pillars of Hercules? Based on actual Carthaginian trade routes that predated Roman dominance.

    However, the magic system isn’t borrowed from modern fantasy. The binding rituals draw from genuine ancient traditionsโ€”Carthaginian texts on containing spiritual entities, Hebrew practices of spiritual warfare, and Celtic druid wisdom that survived Rome’s suppression of their culture.

    A Three-Week Voyage Into Darkness

    The Atlantic crossing alone is worth the price of admission. As Amal’s team sails from Carthage through the Pillars of Hercules into the wild Atlantic, they’re not just traveling to Britainโ€”they’re preparing for spiritual warfare unlike anything they’ve faced before.

    They study ancient texts on binding rituals. They train in coordinated combat tactics. They listen as the young British woman Branwen sings songs her grandmother taught herโ€”songs that contain fragments of the original ritual that once sealed the dragon away.

    And slowly, they transform from a group of individuals into something more powerful: a unified force capable of confronting ancient evil.

    Behind the Scenes: Researching the Dragon

    Creating a believable historical fiction dragon book required diving deep into multiple mythological traditions. Celtic dragon lore differs significantly from Greek or Norse traditions. The ancient Britons viewed dragons not as mindless beasts but as intelligent, potentially corruptible beingsโ€”guardians who could be twisted into monsters.

    This research led to one of the book’s central questions: What if the dragon wasn’t always evil? What if ancient kings made pacts with it, offering worship in exchange for protection? And what happens when such a creature, corrupted over centuries, can no longer be reasoned with?

    The Questions Readers Are Asking

    Q: Do I need to read Books 1, 2, and 3 first?

    While Brittania Calls can stand alone, the full impact of Amal’s journeyโ€”from street thief to apprentice to Shadow Kingโ€”is best experienced from the beginning. Plus, his confrontation with The Morrigan in Rome sets up crucial context for the Britannia mission.

    Q: Is this Christian fiction?

    It’s historical fiction set in the 3rd-century church during Roman persecution. The characters are believers navigating how to use supernatural gifts faithfully. But it’s written for a broad audienceโ€”anyone who loves well-researched historical fiction with supernatural elements.

    Q: Does the dragon get killed?

    No spoilers! But I will say this: the resolution challenges typical fantasy tropes in ways readers are finding surprisingly satisfying. This spiritual warfare fiction takes a different approach to victory.

    Q: How accurate is the Roman Britain setting?

    Extremely. From the garrison locations to the trade networks to the tension between Romanized Britons and unconquered tribes beyond the Wallโ€”every detail is grounded in historical research. Even the dragon’s lair placement is based on actual Celtic sacred sites in western Britain.

    Q: When does the book release?

    Brittania Calls is coming soon! Meanwhile, check out the full series (Kindle or Paperback) on Amazon HERE. At Desdichado Books, we attempt to keep the prices as low as possible to prevent any barrier to potential readers.

    What Makes This Series Unique

    The Halls of the Shadow King isn’t your typical “hero with a sword saves the day” fantasy. It’s about:

    • Power wielded with humility rather than domination
    • Communities working together rather than lone heroes
    • Spiritual warfare that acknowledges some battles are about containment, not conquest
    • Historical accuracy that brings the 3rd-century Mediterranean world to vivid life
    • Deep questions about faith, calling, and what it means to serve something greater than yourself
    • Multi-cultural perspectives blending Roman, Celtic, Carthaginian, and Hebrew traditions

    A Map of Amal’s Journey to Britannia

    The team’s route takes them through some of the most strategic locations in the ancient Mediterranean:

    • Antioch โ€“ Network headquarters where the mission begins
    • Cyprus โ€“ First gathering point for intelligence
    • Rhodes โ€“ Strategic maritime crossroads
    • Crete โ€“ Where they survive a devastating storm
    • Carthage โ€“ Where they recruit the binding specialists
    • Through the Pillars of Hercules โ€“ Entering the wild Atlantic
    • Western Britannia โ€“ The dragon’s domain

    Each stop adds crucial pieces to the puzzleโ€”knowledge, resources, and team members who will prove essential in confronting the dragon.

    The Author’s Vision

    W. Tod Newman set out to write a different kind of early Christian fictionโ€”one that didn’t shy away from supernatural elements but grounded them in historical reality. The result is a series that appeals to fans of Bernard Cornwell’s historical accuracy, Stephen Lawhead’s Celtic spirituality, and Frank Peretti’s spiritual warfareโ€”but with its own unique voice.

    “I wanted to explore what would happen if someone with genuine supernatural gifting lived during the Roman persecution. Not a sanitized, safe versionโ€”but the real questions: How do you use such power faithfully? What does it cost? And what happens when simply ‘winning’ isn’t the point?” โ€“ W. Tod Newman

    Ready to Join the Voyage?

    If you’re tired of the same old fantasy tropes… if you love historical fiction that doesn’t sacrifice accuracy for drama… if you want characters who wrestle with real questions about power, faith, and purpose… then this is your series.

    Start with The Apprentice and watch a street thief become something extraordinary.
    Continue with Into Deeper Waters as the stakes expand from one city to an empire.
    Proceed to The Hidden Order which is the conclusion of the first three novels and explores conflict with ancient evil powers and saving the soul of Rome.

    Then Finish with Brittania Calls as Amal faces his greatest challenge yet in the misty mountains of Britannia.

    Because sometimes the most powerful victories don’t come from destroying your enemies.

    Sometimes they come from learning to bind themโ€”and trust that the Great King’s purposes will ultimately prevail.

    Available Now at All Major Retailers

    The Halls of the Shadow King series by W. Tod Newman
    Published by Desdichado Books

    Order your copy today:

    Connect with the author:
    Website: todnewman.com

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    “Newman has crafted something rareโ€”a historical fiction dragon book that respects both history and faith while delivering edge-of-your-seat supernatural thriller pacing. The Britannia storyline is his best work yet.”

    Tags: historical fiction dragon book, early Christian fiction, Roman Britain fantasy, spiritual warfare fiction, Celtic magic historical novel, 3rd century Rome, Carthage to Britain, dragon binding ritual, The Halls of the Shadow King