The Seraphinium Series by Daniel McHugh

The Seraphim. Beings of power, created to guide the world in times of trouble. They live their lives of near immortality in servitude to a lesser creature, man. One rebelled. Amird, the Hand of the Creator, bridled at the sovereignty of his lord. In defiance he murdered a brother and was cast into the Mists of Chaos. Millennia passed as the Deceiver plotted his return... moreThe Seraphim. Beings of power, created to guide the world in times of trouble. They live their lives of near immortality in servitude to a lesser creature, man. One rebelled. Amird, the Hand of the Creator, bridled at the sovereignty of his lord. In defiance he murdered a brother and was cast into the Mists of Chaos. Millennia passed as the Deceiver plotted his return. Backed by the might of a seemingly unstoppable army of Ulrog Stone Men and their fire-eyed Malveel Lords, Amird plans to wrest control of the world from the Creator and rain violence on the humans he once served. All that stands between Amird and his triumphant return are the remnants of battered human armies and the hope that Seraphim, loyal to the Creator, still roam this world. Kael knows little of this struggle. His quiet village lies deep in the Southlands, unchanged and unchallenged by the wars raging in the frozen North. In fact, the boy longs for a bit of adventure and freedom from the boring routine at his father’s inn. Freedom comes at a cost. Kael’s first journey outside his secluded village results in a tragedy so deep it destroys the boy’s sheltered world and immerses him in the struggle. Revelations surface. Kael uncovers a past linking him to legends, grapples with a present that resembles nothing he knows, and confronts a future that demands he tap long dormant power and stake a claim in the defense of the human races. Kael’s first step toward that future lies through the darkness of the Nagur Wood, and rumor has it something prowls the Nagur! less

Kael Brelgson stands in the capital of the Nearing World confused and disturbed by the past few weeks. His brother Aemmon is dead and Kael has been ripped from his comfortable, anonymous life. In an attempt to reunite with his father, he is thrust into the heart of strife. Zodra, the last citadel standing against the servants of Amird the Fallen Seraph, prepares for war. Those within her walls must decide where and when they will fight. Kael must choose as well. He senses the calling within... moreKael Brelgson stands in the capital of the Nearing World confused and disturbed by the past few weeks. His brother Aemmon is dead and Kael has been ripped from his comfortable, anonymous life. In an attempt to reunite with his father, he is thrust into the heart of strife. Zodra, the last citadel standing against the servants of Amird the Fallen Seraph, prepares for war. Those within her walls must decide where and when they will fight. Kael must choose as well. He senses the calling within. Should he run from it, or embrace the Creator’s design and face life as a New Seraph and all of the dangers that life entails?In Book II of The Seraphinium new threats arise, old friendships are renewed, powerful allies are unveiled and ancient evils arise in the North. less

BOOK III of The Seraphinium SeriesWARNING: SPOILERS FOR BOOKS I & II of THE SERAPHINIUM follow:*************************************************************Kael and his companions are determined to rescue Lilywynn from the Ulrog Horde. The company splits. One group struggles through the rugged Scythtar Mountains, home of the Ulrog, in a dangerous race to overtake the girl’s captors... moreBOOK III of The Seraphinium SeriesWARNING: SPOILERS FOR BOOKS I & II of THE SERAPHINIUM follow:*************************************************************Kael and his companions are determined to rescue Lilywynn from the Ulrog Horde. The company splits. One group struggles through the rugged Scythtar Mountains, home of the Ulrog, in a dangerous race to overtake the girl’s captors. The other, led by Ader the Seraph, rushes across the Eru plains, hoping to outstrip the stone men and halt them at the Mnim Valley.Neither task is without peril for both groups not only pursue, but are pursued.A desperate Ulrog priest, Hnarg, gambles all and faces death if he does not deliver the head of Ader to his masters. At the foot of the Scythtar, the Malveel Lord Woil discovers the tracks of humans entering his realm. He leaves the death of Ader to his lesser minions and drives his Ulrog up the mountain range in frenzied pursuit of those who dare set foot upon the conquered lands of the Malveel. Book III of The Seraphinium leaves the comfort of the protected lands south of the battlefields and squarely places Kael and his company within the bloody clash for control of the Nearing World. less

SPOILER ALERT: BOOKS I, II & III OF THE SERAPHINIUM; THE MERCHANT AND THE MENACE, THE POOL AND THE PEDESTAL & THE TREES AND THE NIGHT are available on Amazon. The following description contains elements of those works. The Nearing World staggers on the brink of utter Chaos. Izgra the Half-Dead and his Malveel hunters begin their bloody push into the heart of the human world. Keltar has already fallen in the West. Her people rush to escape the Ulrog stone men... moreSPOILER ALERT: BOOKS I, II & III OF THE SERAPHINIUM; THE MERCHANT AND THE MENACE, THE POOL AND THE PEDESTAL & THE TREES AND THE NIGHT are available on Amazon. The following description contains elements of those works. The Nearing World staggers on the brink of utter Chaos. Izgra the Half-Dead and his Malveel hunters begin their bloody push into the heart of the human world. Keltar has already fallen in the West. Her people rush to escape the Ulrog stone men. In the East, Malveel lead their armies over the Mirozert Mountains and scour the Derol Forest. The human forces struggle to decide where and when to make their last stand against the might of Amird the Deceiver. Should they flee to the safety of the Zodrian capital, or will its walls entomb them and hasten their destruction? Will they receive assistance from the Greys or have they been abandoned through the deceit of the Counselor? Will the new Seraph return in time to play a role in the final conflict?Kael's role remains clouded in mystery. Astel draws him closer like a moth to a flame. What questions will finally be answered there? More importantly, who or what will he encounter on his road to those answers?"The Mirror and the Maelstrom" is the fourth and final installment in The Seraphinium Series. The series follows Kael as he ventures from his small town into the wider world in hopes of a bit of adventure. This seemingly inconsequential act by a nondescript lad sets in motion a chain of events that pushes the forces of good and evil toward a cataclysmic confrontation. Kael's life has been a carefully orchestrated play intended to portray the boy and his town as nothing, with significance to no one. Ranchers and farmers are soldiers, commissioned to play their parts in the fiction of Kael's life. Even the boy's own parents are actors assigned to guide and watch over the new Seraph. However, the boy senses something. He dallies with a force that plays on the edge of his consciousness. This force allows him to control things others cannot. His senses gain extraordinary perception when he feels the "touch."His power grows to such an extent that during the first journey from his hometown, he shines like a beacon to those always on the prowl for the new Seraph. However, his powers also remain untried and untested. The Seraphinium follows Kael's journey as he discovers not only how to use those powers, but also what part they must play in the salvation of the Nearing World.Review for Book I: The Merchant and the Menace:5.0 out of 5 stars The Old and the New in the Next Great Fantasy SeriesIf you like David Eddings and Terry Brooks, then this is the book for you. Like Eddings, McHugh loves to play around with old philosophical and religious ideas, dressing them up in new clothes for a night on the town in the 21st century. Like Brooks, McHugh is enchanted by the same tropes all fantasy lovers are enchanted by: elves, a young hero shepherded by a mysterious but wizard-like guide, and big battles with swords and magic. But McHugh is no Tolkien-lite. He has provided his readers with some fresh creations that fill the imagination with vivid pictures and scenes, reminding the reader why fantasy is such a beloved genre. Well worth the $3.Review for Book II; The Pool and the Pedestal5.0 out of 5 stars I'm now a confirmed fanBooks 1 through 3 of the Seraphinium series ended much too soon. The characters are interesting and consistent. The plot twists are legion. A writing style reminiscent of Chronicles of Narnia or Lord of the Rings.Review for Book III: The Trees and the Night5.0 out of 5 stars Exciting.The action is well orchestrated and the plot engaging. This is old style epic fantasy with a twist. The best parts are the interactions between the characters and the struggle for power amongst the evil Malveel. less