When the Earth Cracks and the Rivers Run Dry: Announcing Book 5, The Day of the Dragon
The time has come. The epic fifth installment of The Stanhām Chronicles, The Day of the Dragon, is available now.
First, I want to thank every one of you who has followed Theodric and his brothers on their journey. This next chapter is the one everything has been building towards. The story opens in a village holding its breath. Weeks have passed since the news of a great victory, but the warriors—and the boys’ father—have not returned. A long, punishing drought has left the land thirsty and the harvest thin, stirring a deep anxiety about the coming winter.
The Prophecy of Return
In the heart of this uncertainty, Hringwulf tells a new story around the fire. He speaks not of ghosts or spirits, but of the very founding of Stanhām—a battle fought against an ancient "wyrm" that once claimed the valley as its own . He ends the tale with a chilling prophecy of the beast’s return, words that seem to mirror Stanhām’s present troubles:
When the earth cracks and the rivers run dry,
When the wind howls a mournful cry,
When iron clashes and courage wanes,
Then shall the Wyrm break forth its chains.
The Smoke on the Horizon
As the conditions of the prophecy align, a threat emerges not from a legendary lair, but from the south. Smoke is spotted on the horizon—a sign that an Essex war band is on the march, heading directly for the vulnerable village. With their best warriors still gone, the outnumbered defenders of Stanhām must make a desperate last stand at the old Roman bridge to protect their homes.
The Dragon's Fire
This is the moment where the world of legend and the world of men collide in blood and fire. The shield wall cannot hold forever. When the gate is breached and fire rains down upon the village, Theodric must find the strength to protect his family amidst the chaos of a brutal raid. In the heart of the battle, he will discover that the prophecy of the dragon's return is "both more real and more unexpected than he ever imagined".
The Day of the Dragon is the story of Stanhām’s darkest hour—a fight for survival against impossible odds, and a young boy’s ultimate test of courage when his world is put to the torch.
