The Escape from Humanity will no longer be available for purchase in the Amazon store. Escape was the first novel I ever wrote at the tender age of sixteen and has kept many of the flaws that you have when first starting out in your literary career. While publishing The Sundering of the Two Moons, I realised how far I have come as a writer, with my own style. That style is lacking from the Escape from Humanity, so much so that I cannot even read it myself for reference without cringing. Therefore I have taken the hard decision to un-publish it while I work on a full re-write and re-publish. I hope to bring the same level of quality that I believe I showed in the Sundering of the Two Moons and kick off the Knights of Earth Saga the way it deserves before the publication of the third book in the series late next year. The new edition of the Escape from Humanity should be available early next year with a brand new title- KNOWLEDGE LOST.
I hope I can bring you the start of Thomas Lita’s journey in a fun and action packed way, written to the standard that I expect from myself. In the mean time you can still check out The Sundering of the Two Moons, a collection of short stories tied in with the Thomas Lita universe. This is now available as Hardback, truly showcasing Emily Mortimer’s amazing art work.
At times I wonder, how did I create a saga? Whenever I ask myself this question I always stop, unsure whether I could plot the path from idea to realised story, to a vast interconnecting web of narratives. I have asked myself the question countless times during the last couple of months. How did this story come into being and how did it then become one of the largest universes I had ever created, full of many planets with a millennia of unknown history?
The Thomas Lita series had it origins in one of the humblest of settings, childhood. Growing up as a fan of Tolkien, Doctor who and Marvel, I played a lot as characters in these universes. Eventually, creating my own characters, with their own stories. In those games, the first seeds of the Thomas Lita universe were formed. As I grew older and more “Mature” the games stopped but the stories did not. In my head these characters lingered, their stories growing every time my mind wandered to them and yet I had no outlet for their use. I had toyed with the idea of writing but had never gone further than hasty and outlandish plans. In sixth form that all changed. One day, when I should have been studying, I started writing and have never looked back. Re-reading the original, handwritten, copy of The Escape from Humanity, is always a thrill. Not only was the story not particularly good, but it was also vastly different from the story I would eventually publish six years later. Then, there was no wider universe. Ilmgral was a faraway place with no real connection to the story, the Ilma had no Origin and the Graul did not exist. Thomas Lita was then a strange mix between the X-men and the doctor, with plans to match. I had finally done it though; I had started my career as a writer. The next books in the Knights of Earth Saga formed quickly and I knew how the story would end as one series, with no prequels or sequels. Oh, how naïve I was. The Second draft changed everything, and it was one side character that brought the change. I soon realised a major plot hole in the first draft. Why would Cirtroug/Urgarak call someone to the volcano, who had the power to defeat them. I began to imagine another character, one who lingered in the shadows, pulling the strings of Tom’s life. The Tempter was born within the second draft. Instantly, the character fit into my already made plans and I began asking questions of his origins. Answering these questions took me down the rabbit hole of lore I would need for these stories to work. Within weeks of introducing the Tempter, I had created the God’s and the Vassal’s, realised their origin stories and how they connected to the Knights of Earth saga. I had created the Graul and separated them from the Ilma. Stories grew from their separation, like the Enlightenment of the Graul and the curse of the Ilma. This led me to the realisation that The Knights of Earth Saga, could not stand alone. I could not answer all the questions that needed answering while still telling a compelling story. I had to tell these stories separately. Even now, after publishing two novels in the Knights of Earth Saga, I am still learning about this world and this universe, creating more stories that my heart says I must tell.
Jacob Bower.
The first hand-written copy.Editing The Escape from Humanity.My first print copy.Cover art.Glad I finally got an artist for this.Really glad I had an artist for this.
OUT NOW AS KINDLE E-BOOK OR PAPERBACK THROUGH THE AMAZON STORE.
The Ilma are mentioned in the Escape from Humanity but who are they? An Alien race, some good, some evil? Immortals who have great knowledge of the universe? What is their curse and why do they consider themselves the chosen people of the Universe? Who are the Graul? The servant race, now some of the most powerful beings in Besan Gretan? Briefly is the history and beliefs of the Ilma hinted at in the Knights of Earth saga, yet it is a rich history, full of tragedy, deceit, and the corruption of power. A story of the long defeat, how those chosen to be the wardens of the Gods, become vengeful Gods in their own right. The Sundering of the Two moons is the first part of the History of Ilmgral. In this book series I will bring you the long tapestry that saw the Ilma rise to absolute power and be cursed by it. This history is told in short stories of various styles, giving an in-depth outlook into the history of Ilmgral, like the Silmarillion never could for Middle earth.
The Sundering of the Two moons, focuses on the earliest years of Ilmgral and consists of four stories:
The Beginnings of the Universe are told in the book: The Holy Quadrant. Here the three plains of existence are explained, along with the coming of the Vassals and the immense powers given to the Ilma, with their place as custodians explained.
Notes as both squire and Lord- Follows Bruska Crud, one of the Ilma as he navigates becoming a squire to one of the greatest warriors of the time, Selosa Aquitex. He witnessed some of the Key events of the middle years of the Age of Vassals, including the battle of the crossroads and the burning of Fasurasuta.
The War of the Dividing Mountains- Newly come into his Lordship, Suda Drage, relation of the Vassal Drage Livella, must defend his home from the Kingdom of Scaraden. This story, though thousands of years before the events of the Knights of Earth Saga, ties in the most of all these tales, for it is the Pledge of Suda Drage that lingered as a dark shadow over the Ilma in all their many wars and would eventually bring war to Earth, until one from the Dragor would realm would do war upon Scaraden again.
The Sundering of the Two moons- This tells the story of Morelin, a high lord of the Ilma and Lucarnia, daughter of the wood king, an evergreen of the Krun-ilma, as their love and betrayal of their duties, eventually tears the celestial bodies of Ilmgral apart.
Not much is known about the worlds beyond our solar system, the worlds that until recently we did not know existed. Chance has allowed me to study in the great libraries of Ilmgral, to see its vast history that Earth has now become a part of. For that reason, I have created this story, to show you the long tapestry of events that would one day bring universal war to Earth. In this volume I cover the early years of the Ilma, from the creation of the universe to the most tragic event of those ancient years. From the libraries of Dragor, I have translated these tales, so that we may better understand the role that has come to us.
Read four unique short stories, detailing the early years of Ilmgral. Each written in its own style, with compelling characters.
With the release of the Sundering of the Two moons. The Escape from Humanity and Vengeance of the Gods have received a make-over. Check out the new covers below.
In the universe before, at a time of great strife, the vassals, servants of the Gods, did war upon their creators and the people of the universe were used as pawns in that war. Long was the strife and in the last day, the powers met in final battle and the universe was torn apart. In his last breath, the God of doom decreed to the dying universe, “Never again shall the Gods dictate all that happens. In the land that follows our folly, new Gods will be born, and new vassals will nurture their worlds, but mortal life will have its own protectors. These Ilma will have the power of the Gods and they will rule the mortal peoples and allow the universe to reach its full potential.” Then in fire and storm the old universe was consumed, the Gods and the vassals with it and what remained was a timeless void. Power cannot be destroyed however and in that void the power of the old universe was unleashed in a great explosion. That explosion created the three plains of existence. Livinden, the realm of light, was formed first. Its power is eternal, like light itself and it sustains the powers of the realm that is. Here light formed a figure that was both beautiful and majestic, a woman of the stars. Livella Remain, the light maiden. In her, the power of Livinden was held and in that realm of light she fashioned for herself a home and created many things composed of light, but she felt a loneliness for this world that only she could endure. Livella began to wander in her youth and in a time she came to Besan Gretan, the realm that is and she was amazed for suddenly she took a physical form. Like a woman of the Ilma she was, with golden hair. Her skin was flawless and pale, and she was garbed in a simple robe of pure light. She was amazed with her physical form and understanding came into her mind of the realm that is, where matter is whole, and all things exist for only a short time.
The Final story of the History of Ilmgral Volume one, gives the story its title.
Written like an old love story, it tells of the tragic lives of Morelin and Lucarnia, whose love created the biggest loss to face Ilmgral.
Morelin, descent of the vassal Mina, is charged with a terrible mission. To spy on the Krun-ilma, the people of the great wood, to see if their is truth to the long rumours of their treachery. On the edge of that magical forest, under the light of the two moons, he stumbles upon Lucarnia the evergreen, the wood kings daughter and the fairest of that race to ever walk upon the world. Slowly their love grows, but the treachery of the wood king, sees the pair separated and as the tapestry of time tries to weave them back together, Agral, god of death, sets in motion events that will tear the celestial bodies of Ilmgral apart.
With the Sundering of the Two Moons, well on its way to publication, take your first look at the two north eastern continents of Ilmgral: Aragal and Tukagral. The locations highlighted, play key roles in the stories presented in Volume one of the History of Ilmgral.
Ilmgral during the war of the dividing mountains. Age of Vassals year 461.
The third short story of the sundering of the two moons follows the story of Suda Drage, Lord of the Dragor realm and descendant of the vassal Drage Livella. A once great leader of a company of Ilma, Suda must reform his band of heroes after the Kingdom of Scaraden threaten the dividing mountains and he pass of Sikaorna, gifted to the line of Drage hundreds of years ago. A dark pledge leads Suda and his company into the realm that Agral cursed long ago, almost to the utter ruin of the Dragor Realm.
The next story of the Sundering of the Two Moons shows the Ilma now bestowed the powers promised to them. Notes as both squire and lord comes from the journals of a young man of the Ilma, born I the town of Cradlin as he enters the service of Selosa Aquitex, one of the greatest generals of her time.
This story takes place during the darkening of the lands of Cradlin. In this story you follow Bruska as he experiences the battle of the crossroads, the sack of Cradlin and the terrible burning of Fasurasuta. Its first-person style gives an in-depth and personal look at the world during one of Cradlin’s hardest periods, that helps surround the reader in this truly unique world.
Knights of Earth Publications 