Celebrating the Written Word: Graynelore by Stephen Moore

There is nothing quite so glorious as holding a real book in your hands. The feel of the cover. The smell of the paper. The nostalgia of years past when a book hot off the printing press was the greatest treasure a man could own.

Though I have learned to appreciate this digital age of ours, where tomes can be downloaded as minute packets of data, and entire libraries can exist in my very own tablet, my heart still yearns for the simplicity and beauty of an old fashioned book. I still collect them, and when a new author strikes my fancy and sparks my inner imagination through a digital copy of their work, I buy a hardcopy when and where I am able.

Today marks a special day because the fantasy novel Graynelore by Stephen Moore is being released in printed form. I bought a copy of it in digital format, and I have been waiting months for this day to arrive. This dark fantasy is a story readers who love history and enjoy a well-woven tale won't want to miss.

Told from the perspective of the main character Rodrig, it is his musings over a life that was hard and mysterious and steeped in magic. The prose of the story have a classical bend, reminding me of many a ballad. At times I thought of Beowulf and the Icelandic sagas that I have read more times than I can count.

This novel is not for the faint of heart. The history of the border reivers is woven throughout, and their past is anything but delicate. The scenes are gritty and real. If you do not taste the muck and feel the chill in the air and see the carnage of battle, you have missed the depth of the prose.

It is a story worth the undertaking, and I for one look forward to holding the pages within my hand to revel in the words time and time again. For my fellow adventurers who long to follow the paths of old, you too can find comfort in your own copy. It goes on sale today in paperback at Amazon and other retailers, released by HarperCollins. If you want to know more about the book, you can check it out at Goodreads or learn about the author himself by visiting Stephen's author page. There is even a video of him reading an excerpt, and you don't want to miss that. The ebook version has been available for months, so if you are staunchly digital, the ebook version is available wherever you like to shop (i.e. Amazon, Google Play, etc.)

Don't just take my word for it. Read some of the great reviews. Yes, there are some snarkers out there but what book doesn't have it's critics? Download a sample and give it a whirl. I am certainly glad I did. And if you like it, tell a friend.

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If you enjoyed this post, don't forget to connect with H.L. Stephens on Google+, Facebook, Goodreads, and Twitter. Also check out H.L. Stephen's mystery series The Chronicles of Mister Marmee. Book 1 - The Case of Jack the Nipper and book 2 - The Case of the Wayward Fae are available in print and eBook format at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and other online retailers. Coming Soon! Book 3 - The Case of the Monkey's Misfortune.