Devil's Crown: A World Divided:

by Zach Guard

Overview

In a world shattered by the devastating War of Light and Dark, vulnerability looms, and the devil seeks to exploit the divisions among the nations of Adamah. When the leader of Penumbran is brutally murdered before his family's eyes, an insidious evil is unleashed. Harnessing the power of a person's darkest thoughts, the devil sows seeds of hatred, depression, and narcissism.

To combat this rising darkness, messengers bearing a sacred cross embark on a perilous journey, warning the people of the impending doom. Kings, soldiers, scholars, and farmers must unite to defy the devil's temptations. Yet, the Priestess of Penumbra ominously warns that not all will withstand the test.

Set against the backdrop of diverse lands, each with its own unique geography, culture, and beliefs, this epic tale weaves together the stories of Snowfall's ambitious King, Penumbra's vengeful daughter, Socho's innovative city, Champaign's rival tribes, Ophir's lush jungles, Cape Guard's formidable leader, and Morass' tyrannical king. Will these nations set aside their differences and confront their common enemy, or will they fall prey to the devil's schemes, tearing themselves apart?

In Devil's Crown: A World Divided, Z.W. Guard crafts a riveting narrative where heroes rise, faith is tested, and unity is the key to survival. Prepare to be captivated by this enthralling tale of courage, sacrifice, and the indomitable power of togetherness.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9798988519409
Publisher:	Whiskey Words
Publication date:	06/07/2023
Series:	Devil's Crown , #1
Pages:	532
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 1.31(d)

About the Author

I originally came up with the idea for the Devil's Crown book series in 2016. My family always went to Norris Lake for summer vacation, and for some odd reason, that was the initial inspiration. I wanted to create a fantasy world where nations of different geological climates were challenged to overcome their cultural differences to defeat the devil.

First, I started building the nations: Snowfall, Penumbra, Ophir, Cape Guard, Betharaba, Morass, Champaign, and Socho. Then, I dove into their leadership structure, main characters, etc. Back then, the idea was to have the devil force the nations into a Hunger Games-type situation. I started writing in Mobile, AL, while interning with the Reese's Senior Bowl, but eventually, other passions prevailed. I needed to see my dream of becoming an NFL scout through. At the end of the internship, I decided to prioritize family over career and moved back to the Cincinnati, OH, area.

Two years later, in 2019, I met my wife. I hadn't written one word in that time span, but I brought it up frequently enough for her to encourage me to pick it up again. We'd only been dating for a month! (Pretty clear she was the one early on.) I could not find the first one hundred pages I had written anywhere, nor the notebook with all of my thoughts, so I restarted. This time I did a lot of research on various religious cultures and beliefs. I wanted to challenge myself in this process. The start of that first draft was now going to be the end of the first book—this time, I chose to have a more natural approach to good vs. evil. Each character will have a personal fight with the devil in their head. The overall goal is: together, we can defeat evil. Isolating one's self due to ego, hate, or bigotry will leave one vulnerable to the devil's plan despite one's best intentions, making the world a worse place.

It took me three years (and a thousand whiskeys) to write, and the premise of the book is now more relevant than ever. It's been such an amazing journey, and I am thrilled to share this novel with you! So much has changed in my life since the beginning of this process. I can only imagine where I'll be when the second one is complete!