Knightmare Arcanist
Magic. Sailing. A murderer among heroes.
Gravedigger Volke Savan wants nothing more than to be like his hero, the legendary magical swashbuckler, Gregory Ruma. First he needs to become an arcanist, someone capable of wielding magic, which requires bonding with a mythical creature. And he'll take anything--a pegasus, a griffin, a ravenous hydra--maybe even a leviathan, like Ruma.
So when Volke stumbles across a knightmare, a creature made of shadow and terror, he has no reservations. But the knightmare knows a terrible secret: Ruma is a murderer out to spread corrupted magic throughout their island nation. He's already killed a population of phoenixes and he intends to kill even more.
In order to protect his home, his adopted sister, and the girl he admires from afar, Volke will need to confront his hero, the Master Arcanist Gregory Ruma.
A fast-paced fantasy with magical creatures for those who enjoy the Furies of Calderon (Codex Alera series) by Jim Butcher, Unsouled (Cradle Series) by Will Wight, and Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Rick Riordan.
Readers also enjoyed
Shami Stovall
In a world where magic and myth meet sharp intellect and historical nuance, Shami Stovall stands out as a voice that knows how to twist the familiar into something entirely unexpected. Whether she’s breathing new life into war-torn battlefields or crafting magical academies from scratch, her stories pulse with a vibrant energy—equal parts heart, grit, and wonder.
Raised in Salt Lake City and grounded in a deep love of history and law, Stovall brings a thoughtful, richly layered approach to fantasy and science fiction. Her background—teaching history and criminal law after earning a BA in History and a Juris Doctorate—adds a distinctive texture to her worlds. The politics, conflicts, and character choices in her books often echo real-world dilemmas, but they’re refracted through the lens of griffins, arcanists, and ancient powers long buried.
Frith Chronicles
Frith Chronicles consists of eight primary books, and includes one additional book that complement the series but is not considered mandatory reads — considered a complete series. The current recommended reading order for the series is provided below.
