Kramer’s exciting debut, the first in the high seas fantasy Heroes of Time series, introduces the Warvonia Guild’s best captain, Zale “the Gale” Murdoch, and the crew of the Queenie as they search for their most elusive bounty yet. With little time left to meet the guild’s (newly increased) “mastery bar” for the year and earn “grandmaster” status, Murdoch and his first mate, Dippy, search for fast, easy jobs to meet their quota. They’re approached by a strange man offering a payout bigger than they can imagine—but they’d be committing to a long and dangerous journey to hunt something out of myth. The new physicker for the ship tells Murdoch that only his bloodline can acquire their quarry, known as the Grimstone, and in the wrong hands it could plunge their world into permanent darkness. Kramer takes readers on a heart-pounding adventure across the sea featuring fearsome enemies and treacherous lands. While Murdoch and his crew prepare to contend with his biggest rival and archenemy, Seadread, Kramer adds another layer of intrigue with Seadread’s hiring of creepy, non-human, feathered mercenaries. Kramer shows great attention to detail, particularly in the intense battles throughout the story, and readers will be on the edge of their seats as they’re immersed into the furious fight scenes with powerful foes and unpredictable outcomes. The crew of the Queenie will be immediately endearing to readers of heroic maritime fantasy. Each exhibits a healthy respect for —and a dash of fear of—their captain. It’s clear the crew has also become family while spending most of their lives on the ship, and even new arrivals are instantly welcomed and initiated with a nickname. Kramer’s character development is strong enough that readers will distinguish the main players easily, just from the way they speak or think, and Murdoch’s clear love for family and crew will have readers pulling for them throughout their memorable journey, especially in the emotional ending. - BookLife

"An adventurous fantasy series starter that follows a captain and his crew as they search for the fabled Grimstone. ... An enjoyable questing tale." -Kirkus Reviews

"An adventurous fantasy series starter that follows a captain and his crew as they search for the fabled Grimstone. ... An enjoyable questing tale." -Kirkus Reviews

Wayne D. Kramer lives in the Southern Indiana countryside. He loves the open spaces and fresh air. His family keeps a small greenhouse, usually a little garden, chickens, and an overweight cat. He has been married to his wife and best friend, Kaly, since 2004. They have five daughters with the nature-themed names of Dawn, Brooke, Holly, Ivy, and Jade. Wayne wanted to be a published author for nearly 25 years before finally publishing Heroes of Time Legends: Murdoch’s Choice. Life finally afforded enough flexibility that he is able to focus a lot more time developing the “Heroes of Time” series that he is very passionate about. Another major novel in the series has already been written. From early on writing was one of Wayne’s favorite pastimes. He wrote short stories throughout middle school and high school for Young Authors contests and group projects. Before “Heroes of Time” dominated his mind, he worked extensively on creating an epic-fantasy novelization of a popular role-playing video game. Over the years Wayne received frequent feedback on many revisions of this novelization, making it one of the primary vessels through which he fine-tuned his writing. Wayne currently owns and runs his own business, W7 Global, which sells parts for medical imaging equipment all around the world. Throughout his professional and personal endeavors, Wayne has visited nearly 40 countries and about 25 states in the US. He especially loved visiting Hobbiton in New Zealand. Wayne feels truly blessed by God to pursue his dream of writing and publishing stories. The world of Eliorin was inspired by Wayne’s love of stories of classic fantasy and time travel, and he is incredibly excited to share this rich world with you.

Publisher: Heroes of Time Productions, LLC
Author: Wayne D. Kramer
Illustrator:
ISBN: 9781955997300
Size (H x W): 5.5x8
Weight: 1.28 pounds
Cover Type: Hardcover
Number of Pages: 259
Language: English
Date Published: 2021-08-21