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[Image description: On a rich black background, a longsword stands on its point in front of a cluster of wheat. Title text at the top reads The Redemption of Jarek. Author name at the bottom reads Dylan Madeley.]

THE REDEMPTION OF JAREK, the seventh and standalone book in its extended series, debuted on December 14, 2022. The book will be available for Kobo, Nook, and Kindle, with paperback editions on Barnes and Noble and Amazon online distribution.

As different vendor links become live, they will be added to the following universal link:

https://books2read.com/the-redemption-of-jarek

The story is told in a three part structure, beginning and ending with the personal journey of the titular character.

Much of Jarek’s youth revolved around making him fit for the throne, but one terrible day in adulthood finds him defeated, humiliated, and banned from the capital. He may only return upon complete surrender. Once home, he faces a trial by his commanders, though they are also fugitives by decree. Their land is a former province cut off from royal support, only kept free by the number of soldiers loyal to Jarek; but he swore to uphold the terms of his defeat, never to attack the capital.

As every illusion Jarek lived under is falling apart, he receives a visitor who tells him how the people of his land have suffered under his oblivious and unsustainable decision making. He faces a choice: drink himself to death while everything falls apart or change his land for the better. The latter might be impossible.

Just as he makes his choice, strangers arrive from a part of the world unknown to him, seeking a free and peaceful life, warning of a tyrant who pursues them. The story of their homeland is told in the second part. One man’s insecurity combined with his greed sees him betray people who believed they were his allies. He desires a great empire that he wishes his father had pursued, but this drives his transformation into something else–or, the persistent appearance of something he can never truly be.

But his former allies have no time to consider why he did this to them, not that they are to blame. Those who survive will each lead their people in a form of resistance suitable to their ways. Some will take to the battlefield, seeking justice, or vengeance. Some will search for a new home, challenged to leave no one behind, but they may flee into the waiting arms of a different danger. And some will do another thing altogether.

And the third part brings everything together. What is Jarek willing to do? Will anything ever be enough?

(The book functions standalone, or as a tangential sequel to The Fate of Lenn.)

I am happy to have been able to release this before the end of the year. If you have the ability to buy a book and have considered supporting what I do, but have put it off until now, this series-ending book is where I could really use your support, especially as I am still struggling to be hired and I have exhausted my savings from having sold a new laptop to pay the cover artist and the formatter properly. Any sharing also helps; not every form of support comes out of a wallet.