Nicholas Kotar

An evil omen clouds the sky. A song of lore returns. Can one man's quest save the world? If you like the hero's journey, creative twists on mythology, and classic fantasy, then you'll love Nicholas Kotar's sweeping tale.

The Song of the Sirin

Readers have called the Raven Son series "The Lord of the Rings meets 1984." If you enjoy traditional fantasy, cinematic world-building, and creative twists on mythology, you'll love Nicholas Kotar's sweeping tale. For the first time, enjoy the story as a paperback omnibus of books 1-3 with exclusive cover artwork by Andrei Shishkin.

Raven Son

Ivan Ilyich Sergiev

E. E. Goulaeff

The Spiritual Journals of St John of Kronstadt, Part 1

My Life in Christ

Archbishop Averky (Taushev)

Four Gospels

Averky Taushev

Vitaly Permiakov

Acts of the Apostles

Deathless villains that can't help dying, idiots who are wiser than kings, and everyone's favorite pestle-riding hag ... These are not your tame happily-ever-after fairy tales! The traditional fairy tales of Russia transport the reader to a fantastical world filled with danger, wonder, and ultimately, consolation. They may be strange, they may be frightening, but Russian fairy tales take you to a place you never want to leave. A magical land of prophecy and adventure that helps you see your own life in vivid colors. This collection features nine stories, translated and retold by award-winning fantasy novelist Nicholas Kotar. These aren't stuffy academic translations. They are retellings by a storyteller, easy to read and filled with wit and whimsy. Discover delightfully entertaining tales filled with princes, warrior-queens, talking wolves, and everyone's favorite villain: Baba Yaga herself! Don't miss In a Certain Kingdom, the first volume in an exciting new series of translations of classic Russian fairy tales and myths.

Fairy Tales of Old Russia

In a Certain Kingdom

A land destroyed by war. An army of giants on the rampage. Can a broken girl heal the world before it dies? All 16-year-old Khaidu ever wanted was her own hunting eagle. Her ten brothers laugh at her. After all, the rule-bound world of the Gumiren nomads has no place for a girl hunter, much less a crippled one. But Khaidu has a secret. Mastering the ancient magic of eagle-binding, she captures the largest eagle her tribe has ever seen. Except her eagle isn’t an eagle at all. She’s a dying queen under an enchantment. Khaidu’s binding unlocks an ancient curse of blood and loss. As the curse turns Khaidu’s people against each other, the bond between eagle and hunter shatters. Desperate to find her lost eagle, Khaidu will brave monstrous beasts, face an army of shape-shifting giants, and cross the known world…only to be faced with a terrible truth. If Khaidu cannot save the queen in time, the world itself may die with her. Inspired by the Russian fairy tale “Finist the Bright Falcon,” The Heart of the World features complex characters, gorgeous magical landscapes, and unexpected plot twists. If you like creative twists on myths and legends and classic fantasy, then you’ll love Nicholas Kotar’s sweeping tale. Buy The Heart of the World to continue the journey today!

The Heart of the World

The sea swallowed her city. An enchantment stole her family. Now a dark god offers her salvation... for a terrible price. Lebía lives in paradise. Her husband and four children are her pride and joy. Years of war and plague have finally given way to peace and prosperity. Except her paradise is nothing but a lie, created by a dark Power who makes false worlds for his own insidious purposes. The World-maker gives Lebía one chance to save her family and her people. Thrust into a parallel world outside time, Lebía must find an ancient magic and unlock its power. But things are not as they seem in this strange world filled with walking nightmares and heroes from deepest legend. Whom can she trust? Who is her ally and who her hidden enemy? Finally she is faced with an impossible choice. To unlock the god's magic, she'll have to choose between herself and the life of her family. The Forge of the Covenant is the fourth book in the Raven Son epic fantasy series, a retelling of the dark Russian version of Sleeping Beauty and the ancient legend of Atlantis. If you like complex characters, gorgeous world-building, and creative twists on mythology, you'll love The Forge of the Covenant. Buy The Forge of the Covenant to continue the journey today!

The Forge of the Covenant

A city ruled with an iron fist. A swordsmith trying to survive. A choice that could heal the world...or plunge it into ruin. Llun the smith is an artist at heart, content to make the most beautiful swords, nails, and horseshoes in his city. But when his smithy is visited by the grand inquisitor of the secret police, his peaceful life is at an end. He is offered a perfect job-to be the exclusive smith of the new order. Endless luxury, good food, and the freedom to create-it's everything he ever wanted. But it comes with a price. He has to make a seemingly insignificant object-a metal flask-as a gift to the new ruler of his city. Seized by a strange inspiration, he instead creates an object of great power that can heal thousands... or lead to a war that would never end. The Curse of the Raven is a epic fantasy novella sequel to The Song of the Sirin. If you enjoy creative twists on mythology and classic fantasy, you'll love this edge-of-your seat adventure. Buy The Curse of the Raven to continue the journey today.

The Curse of the Raven

Aging warrior Otchigen safeguards Vasyllia, Mother of Cities, Jewel of the World, with his sword and his heart. Nobleman and beggar alike adore him. But after a routine training exercise goes horribly wrong, Otchigen fears he is going mad. To make matters worse, his city crumbles in fear and corruption around him. For the first time in his life, he feels powerless to stop any of it. But is it madness… or are there darker forces intent on destroying the city? The Forge of the Covenant is a prequel novella to the Raven Son epic fantasy series inspired by Russian fairy tales. Dostoyevsky meets Tolkien in an intense, poignant tale of a rich and complex character who is neither hero, nor villain, but who finds the weight of the world on his all-too-human shoulders. Begin an unforgettable journey in The Forge of the Covenanttoday!

The Rusted Blade

"Blending European folklore and epic fantasy, Kotar is a brilliant new voice in speculative fiction!" - Miles Cameron, bestselling author of the Traitor Son Cycle In The Song of the Sirin, Voran, a young warrior of Vasyllia, seeks a miraculous cure for his dying city. As his quest falters, he is faced with an impossible question: what if the only way to save his world… is to let it be destroyed? In The Curse of the Raven, Llun, a swordmith with an artist's heart, forges an object of great power that can heal thousands… or lead to a war that will never end. In The Heart of the World, Khaidu, a crippled girl in a society with no place for the weak, plunges into the great struggle for the heart of the world. But can she find the strength to heal the world before it dies? Readers have called the Raven Son series "The Lord of the Rings meets 1984." If you enjoy traditional fantasy, cinematic world-building, and creative twists on mythology, you'll love Nicholas Kotar's sweeping tale. Buy the ebook bundle of book 1-3 of the series today!

Raven Son: Books 1-3

From the author who bravely faced down a seven-headed, fire-breathing, riddle-speaking dragon... and got eaten for his pains. The realm of Russian fairy tales is perilous. You might think you know who’s friend, who’s foe. But you’d be wrong. Wolves might be friends. Old grandmothers might be cannibals. And the idiot might be the wisest man in the room. So say you find yourself at the waystone, a boundary between the real world and the world of story. Every road you take from the waystone leads to danger and the potential of great rewards. But you could end up being eaten, chopped into little pieces, or even turned into a goat. This book is a short guide for your survival. At the end, you’ll find the fountain of youth, riches unimaginable, the man or woman of your dreams…and maybe something even more lasting. But getting there is the real pleasure. Buy this book today to enter the weird and wonderful world of Russian fairy tales.

Or... how to avoid getting eaten, chopping into little pieces, or turned into a goat

How to Survive a Russian Fairy Tale

In the darkest of times... they shone brighter than the stars. Many are the stories of that mysterious land of Russia. Stories of heroes who gave their lives for God, Tsar, and country, and who left legacies that many a young child aspired to. Of course, so many of those stories are legends, a lifeline for people who had lost everything, and who preferred to remember a semi-fictional history that left out some of the more disturbing details. But in spite of history's dark reality, you still have bright lights appearing in unexpected places—heroes and heroines whose lives read like adventure tales, whose fates are sometimes stranger than fiction. This little book is a glimpse into the world of that Russia— a world filled with complex characters living out difficult lives in sometimes impossible circumstances. But more often than not, these heroes and heroines rose above all difficulties to become truly inspiring. In our own chaotic time, their stories are worthy of being retold again and again. If you want to be inspired by stories of true heroism in dark times, buy Heroes for All Time today!

Stories of inspiring heroism from Russian history

Heroes for All Time

He thought he was the chosen one, a warrior of the gods. He had no idea that his god was a demon. After twenty years, Voran has faced his deadly enemy. But instead of victory, Voran loses his home, his hope, and his love... With nothing left, he storms the country of the gods, demanding answers. But the only one who knows the way... is his greatest enemy, the Raven himself. Sabíana returns to her beleaguered city, but finds nothing there but cowardice and vice. She can save her city, but is it even worth saving anymore? Adelaida received the gift of life. But she is in the middle of a hell of war, and now all the beauty and goodness she has ever known is being destroyed. To make matters worse, warriors all around her are dying. And suspicion is falling on her... Khaidu found her speech, but lost her purpose. Now, she will invade the land of the dead itself to find the last hope for the Three Lands. But at the end of all time, who will command the strength of the Powers? Who will sit in the Throne of the Gods? The Throne of the Gods is the fifth and final volume in the Raven Son series of epic fantasy books inspired by Russian fairy tales. If you love creative retellings of ancient myths, gorgeous worldbuilding, and complex characters who never do what you expect, you'll love this series, described by readers as "The Lord of the Rings meets 1984". Embark on a journey into the magical and perilous world of The Throne of the Gods today!

The Throne of the Gods

In a world ruled by a demon, one man's choice can break the world... or save it. Llun the smith is an artist at heart, content to make the most beautiful swords, nails, and horseshoes in his city. But when his smithy is visited by the grand inquisitor of the secret police, his peaceful life is at an end. He is offered a perfect job–to be the exclusive smith of the new order. Endless luxury, good food, and the freedom to create–it’s everything he ever wanted. But it comes with a price. He has to make a metal flask as a gift to the new ruler of his city. Seized by a strange inspiration, he instead creates an object of great power that can heal thousands… or lead to a war that would never end. The Curse of the Raven is a epic fantasy novella sequel to The Song of the Sirin. Early readers have called it "The Lord of the Rings meets 1984." If you enjoy creative twists on mythology and classic fantasy, you'll love this edge-of-your seat adventure. Buy The Curse of the Raven to continue the journey today.

Nicholas Kotar

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