First installment in the Fall of the Phoenix series delivers political intrigue, sweeping action, moral conflict, and a fight for freedom
TEAGUE, Texas — Author Drake Lawson introduces readers to a vast world of crumbling empires, ancient rivalries, and unlikely alliances in The Wolf and Hound: An Epic Fantasy Adventure, the first installment in his new Fall of the Phoenix series.
For nearly five centuries, the Eternal Empire of Ignance the Phoenix has maintained a fragile order across a shifting world. Now, the Empire is beginning to decay. Long-suppressed nations are stirring, political tensions are rising, and the balance of power threatens to collapse.
At the center of the conflict are two people stripped of everything they once knew. Baldric Eber’al, formerly a rising member of a prestigious order, has been cast into exile and reduced to life as a wandering mercenary. Varya Sulvyg, heir to an ancient house, has lost her freedom and homeland after being sold into slavery by the Empire her people resisted.
When their paths converge, the two discover a dangerous possibility: redemption, rebellion, and an opportunity to alter the course of history. As they journey through a heavily developed world shaped by competing cultures and political intrigue, they must determine whether two wounded souls can find the strength to challenge an empire in decline.
Filled with action, adventure, and a notable romantic subplot, The Wolf and Hound was written for adult readers who enjoy complex epic fantasy but prefer stories that do not rely on explicit content or shock value. The novel explores the importance of moral conviction, the willingness to defend deeply held beliefs, and the difficult tests those beliefs may face under extreme circumstances.
Lawson drew inspiration from history, military strategy, geopolitics, Western philosophy, English common law, and biblical morality. His fictional cultures reflect the mindsets and social structures of the real-world periods that inspired them, giving the novel’s expansive setting added depth and authenticity.
A North Texas native and eighth-generation Texan, Lawson was born in Plano, raised in Arlington, and currently resides in Teague. Despite dyslexia, he developed a lifelong love of reading and began writing during his teenage years. The Wolf and Hound marks his published debut and opens a sprawling fantasy setting known as By Blade and Fire.
Published by Gatekeeper Press, the 468-page paperback is available for $17.99 under ISBN 978-1-6629-7364-2. The eBook is available for $2.99 under ISBN 978-1-6629-7365-9. The book may be purchased through Amazon and other online booksellers.