Ian's Realm Saga a YA Fantasy by D.L. Gardner ➱ Promotional Tour with Giveaway

Ian's Realm Saga

Trilogy Books 1-3

by D.L. Gardner

Genre: YA Fantasy

Winner of Book Excellence Award 2019

Three books in one, this saga follows the adventures of Ian Wilson through the portal and into a magical land called the Realm. From slave boy to warrior, Ian encounters the dragon worshiping village, Menek, their enemies the Kaemperns, and the all powerful fire-breathing dragon Old Stenhjaert.

Part 1. Deception Peak

Ian's Realm Saga, is a young adult adventure fantasy about a teenager, Ian Wilson, who follows his father, Alex, through a portal that magically appears on their computer screen while they are creating a game engine. They travel into a deceptively beautiful Realm, where horses run wild, the wind sings prophetic melodies, and their computer avatar (Xylon) comes to life. But when the two are separated, Ian is abducted by a tribe of dragon worshipers. In his struggle to be released, he causes chaos in the village and is banished into the wilderness with two other residents. They come upon a group of people who live for the sole purpose to destroy the dragon. They agree to help Ian find his father deep in the caves of the dragon's lair.

Alex is found, but not without sacrifice, causing a deepened relationship between Ian and the Kaempern leader, Amleth.

Alex and Ian ride for the portal home with the dragon at their heels. Alex, his father stops in his tracks and goes back with the intent to slay the dragon, sending his son to the portal to wait for him with the instructions that if he doesn't return by morning, go home without him. Alex never returns.

Part 2 Dragon Shield

Integrity isn't something you do, it's who you are," Aren tells the confused Ian in The Dragon Shield.

Now a young man, Ian returns to the magical Realm to fight against the tyranny that has befallen his friends. But the Realm is a different place, the forest is dying, the Kaemperns have lost the shield that protected them from the dragon, and Ian has a hard time proving his allegiance when trouble follows him through the portal. His struggle to do right buries him in confusion when he's confronted with a young boy who wields a powerful magical dagger which summons the dragon.

Part 3 Rubies and Robbers

"I will not let fear weaken us, not now" -says Ian as he dives into the cold waters of Moor Cove to find the escapees.

Ian has proven his abilities as a warrior and now the most dangerous battle begins, the battle against the power of evil. Ian must unravel the secrets of the mountain and discern whom his real enemy is, the enemy both without and within. He tackles with the twelve-year-old boy who seems to hold the fate of the entire Realm in his hands, and yet the pressing Songs of Wisdom call for compassion in his dealings. Ian leads his men in the fight against the powers of darkness. But he must also be willing to sacrifice everything he ever hoped to have in order to save those he loves.

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Layla: Born at Night

Ian's Realm Saga Book 3.1

When Ian returns to the Realm in search of Abbi and Elisa he not only encounters the fiery dragon, but falls prey to a lovely temptress and a wicked queen.

When Elisa's friend becomes a victim of a drive-by shooting, Abbi and Elisa seek a magical cure in Ian's shield, but are accidentally transported into the Realm with no way back. Ian suspects their whereabouts and opens the portal to find them. His entry compromises the integrity of the seal which prevents the dragon from returning to the Realm. In his search for the girls, he stumbles upon a beautiful enchantress who offers to help him.

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Fallen Morning

Ian's Realm Saga Book 3.2

After the death of her precious soldier, Queen Hacatine, in a fit of rage, commands her ambassadors to kill the Magic Thief and capture Layla's murderer.

Ian is a wanted man.

A Taikan slave boy, Rolando, voyages with the assassins. The ship encounters a squall and is soon battered to pieces. The Taikans escape leaving Rolando on the sinking ship. He saves the Sage's chest of incantations and barely survives himself. His intent is to find Hacatine's ambassadors and return the clandestine strongbox—but meets Silvio the Wizard instead.

Rolando's world is turned upside down.

Brad and Elisa Huntington return to Seattle from the Realm only to be crudely interrogated by Drew, Abbi's father. After Brad passes a polygraph test, his dad and Drew have no recourse but to believe his story. Soon scientists are forging through the portal in search of the Realm.

Drew wants his daughter back.

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Diary of a Conjurer

Ian's Realm Saga Book 4

When the old wizard Silvio eyes a woman dragging an unconscious young man ashore on his beach, he suspects the worst. A sorceress warrior from the island of Taikus could mean nothing but ill will. But who is the boy? With a burst of magic, he freezes the warrior into a bronze statue, and nurtures the boy back to health. The teenager, Ivar, explains that he is on a quest to discover his past, but a violent storm cast him into the sea.

Silvio's suspicions grow, and he wonders why a Taikan would rescue an archer from Kaempern since they are known enemies.

When Silvio joins Ivar on his journey, his answers come all too quickly. He, too, becomes the evil queen's prey, and there's a reason she's keeping him alive.

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Cassandra's Castle

Ian's Realm Book 5

Finalist Book Excellence Award 2017

A unique YA Fantasy page-turner that spans the void between vastly different worlds, Gardner captures the most endearing qualities of the genre in a story that's both refreshing and original. -Book Viral Review

Readers who love excitement, peril and sweet romance will enjoy this time-travel adventure.

Eighteen years after her father visited the Realm, Cassie discovers a portal to the same world when she takes a selfie with her cell phone. Against the wishes of her friends, she goes in and finds herself captured by a grumpy old wizard. Its through him she learns of the unrest happening in the kingdom called Alisubbo. When a handsome cavalry officer, Valerio, appears with his troops in all his pompous attire, Cassie is taken breathless.

The cunning Valerio immediately recognizes the opportunity of befriending this lovely, young and naive stranger and sweet-talks her into helping his cause. Her mission, deliver an Appeal for Peace to the king. Cassie willingly takes the job, thrilled that she finally has the adventure she's wanted all her young life.

Tragically for her, the letter is not what Valerio says it is. Cassie discovers she's been a pawn in a coup to overthrow the king. She discovers the lies and false accusations too late. Before she can stop the violence, her hands are stained in blood. She must somehow turn the tide, save the life of the heir, and persuade him to return and rescue Alisubbo from Valerio's tyranny.

Other books in this series include Ian's Realm Saga and Diary of a Conjurer and the Tale of the Four Wizards which are published on my website.

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Lost on Taikus

Ian's Realm Saga Book 6

When the young wizard Abbott is abducted as a little boy, he is taken to the castle of the wicked queen Hacatine and condemned to wait his young life as a prisoner until he comes of age and his sentence is executed.

But even as a child, Abbott has other plans. When he meets the beautiful albino slave girl who spins silk from a butterfly's spittle he is more determined to not only escape, but bring the entire queen's court with him.

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Excerpt from Ian’s Realm Saga, Part I

As Ian drew closer to the vessel and waited in line, he examined the craftsmanship of the boat. It was a work of art. Its fine embellishment reminded him of his father’s artistry. A low boat with a tall mast, the sails had been tied and tucked; the tiller attached to the rudder was carved into a dragonhead. The oak planks of the keel were fastened together with wooden pegs. It was clean, waxed smooth, and smelled like the ocean.

“Step up here, boy,” one of the crew called to him. Ian moved his cart forward.

“You’re new,” the man said.

He was a weathered fellow. Ian couldn’t tell if he was old, or if it was just his rough skin that made him look that way. He had a gray beard and wore a black cap that shaded his face, so all Ian could see of his eyes were two sparkly blue dots. Several men that were with him threw fish into Ian’s cart.

“I was taken prisoner last night,” Ian told him.

“Prisoner?” the man grunted. “Well, I’ve never heard that one before. Prisoner are you?” He laughed. “And where do you come from?”

“My father and I traveled from the south west, but we aren’t from this country. We aren’t from here at all. We’re from...” Ian hesitated, not sure whether he should give his story or not. After a moment’s pause he gave in. What worse thing could happen to him that hasn’t already? “We’re from another world.”

The man chuckled. “Are you now? And is your father a prisoner too?”

Ian studied the man’s eyes and wondered if there was the slightest chance that these sailors could help him. “I don’t know what happened to my father. All I know is someone hit me on the head and brought me here.” At least Ian could prove that story what with the big white bandage wrapped around his head.

The man nodded. “Well, they must have hit you pretty hard if you’re believing you’re from another world. Go on now, your cart’s full.”

Ian’s Realm Excerpt Part II

Abbi knew the Realm existed; she had been there. She met the little man, and she knew about the dragon. Most importantly, though, she had kept his secret about the disappearance of his father. And that wasn’t easy—for me or for her. I hate lying. But I’m not ready to talk about a relationship. I’m just not ready.

He sighed. “It’s not like it used to be.”

“What’s different?”

“The woods. It’s overgrown, and some kind of weird plague has taken over. Giant conks are growing on the trees and when it rains, an acid forms that burns the undergrowth and destroys the evergreens.”

Abbi shook her head. “What does that have to do with me making a computer character?”

Ian shrugged. “I don’t know. The little man thinks he’s supposed to cut down all the conks and he thinks having a partner is the solution.” Abbi laughed.

Ian wiped his plate clean with his last bit of toast and popped it in his mouth, chewing and talking at the same time. “But, last night I made some tree climbing men with ropes and spikes and axes, a lot of them, and that should help him get it under control a lot better than a...” he glanced up at her and swallowed, not sure if it was the last bite he gulped, or the words he held back.

“...A girl?” She asked.

“I didn’t say that.”

No, you didn’t have to. I saw it in your face.” Fortunately for Ian she still smiled. “So, how do you think the little man is taking to the tree climbers?”

Ian stretched and scooted his chair away from the table. “I don’t know. He’s much more cantankerous than he used to be.”

Abbi made a face like she’d seen the little man make and Ian laughed.

They both knew how grumpy the little character was.

“Maybe he does need a wife.” Abbi remarked with a grin.

Ian’s face flushed when she said that. He cleared his throat. “Do you want to go in with me and see how he’s doing? I mean, just in case he still wants to talk to you?”

“I’m glad you asked. All the while you were having your adventures I was a little envious. As scary as the Realm is, it’s also enchanting. It grows on you.” She gave him a flirtatious smile.

Oh? Why the change of heart?

“Dangerous.” Ian’s countenance grew sober. “The Realm is not a fairytale wonderland: A magical place, yes, but black magic, full of terror and oppression.”

“But those people you met, the Kaemperns, they’re good people. I understand why you’d stand with them in their fight against tyranny. In fact, I’d like the chance to stand with you.” Ian raised a brow.

Abbi? Fight? Abbi, stand with me against the dragon? Not a good idea.

Excerpt Ian’s Realm Saga (the trilogy) Part III

Whether Ian’s feelings were a creepy premonition or if boredom bothered him, he couldn’t decipher. Maybe just the monotonous drone of horseflies flustered him. He swatted at the insect and shifted his weight on the bench–resting his eyes on the village through the open door. “What if Dad’s in trouble?”

“Your father has many men with him, some of which were sent to be messengers. They have horses. If trouble crosses their way, word will come of it.”

Ian stopped arguing and halfheartedly listened to Amleth and Aren discuss their plans. He tried hard to settle his spirit by thinking of favorable thoughts, the warm weather, good food, and quiet days. But the more he attempted to suppress the uneasiness, the stronger the feeling agitated his insides.

“Something’s wrong,” he finally said as he gazed out the window.

Stillness hovered over the little yurt. Amleth straightened his back and studied Ian. Aren stepped outside, his gaze searching the cloudless sky. Ian watched the chief ‘s assistant, wondering if Aren, too, could sense something unusual. The camp had never been this hushed before. The day baked hot, the breeze no longer swayed the leather flaps on the yurt. The air stood stagnant. The ominous atmosphere could not be overlooked.

“I smell something!” Aren turned sharply.

“Ready your archers.” Amleth replied reaching for his bow and pulling his quiver from its rack. Aren took off at a run before Amleth finished his sentence. “Ian, arm yourself.”

Ian jumped up and raced to his yurt not nearly as fast as he wanted. Stumbling inside, barely taking time to catch his breath, he tied his sheath to his belt, and grabbed his bow.

And then it came; a screech so shrill Ian had to cover his ears. Thunder shook the ground. Lightning brazed the trees, igniting their tops with a roaring fire. First a shadow blackened the earth and then Stenhjaert appeared in the turquoise sky. A trail of flame coiled out of the treetops around him. Another shriek, the wind from his wings bent the tips of the pines, and then the dragon disappeared, turning into a dark silhouette against the sun, flying south. South toward Alcove Forest. A hundred flaming arrows soared after him, but the efforts of the Kaemperns were in vain.

“Ride, Ian!” Amleth’s voice echoed across the mountainside. “Warn your father!”

Ian flew to Sparkles and jumped on her bareback. Either adrenaline prodded the horse, or the equine’s fear of the flying reptile prompted her into a gallop. With ears turned toward Ian for a command, she raced out of the village.

Amleth’s’ instructions resonated on the wind as horse and rider charged toward the foothills. “Tell him we’re on our way!”

Sparkles had never galloped so fast. No sooner did her hooves hit the ground then they were in the air again. Well behind the rocketing dragon, Ian bent low over her mane giving her sounds of encouragement as the wind beat tears across his face.

Stenhjaert wove patterns through the sky, soaring into the heavens and then diving like a jet bomber to the prairie below. At one point, when the serpent circled overhead, Ian rode in the dragon’s shadow thinking he may gain on the monster and reach the Kaempern travelers before Stenhjaert did. But the horse was no match for the fast-moving dragon, and they soon trailed behind again, galloping into the vast expanse of golden grass.

The dragon disappeared into the clouds and that was when Ian saw the travelers. A small group of horsemen led a band of women and children. Separated into groups, the first of the vagabonds walked leisurely, their heads bobbing in an out of prairie, unaware of impending danger.

Excerpt Layla Born at Night Ian’s Realm book 3.1

Ian pulled out his phone and checked the connection. “There’s been some signal in here, but it’s been spotty. If I could get enough reception to access my files, time wouldn’t be an issue at all.” After another failed attempt, Ian put the phone back into his pants pocket and focused on the flames.

“Is he going to meet us in Alcove Forest?”

“The portal isn’t there anymore. The portal is nearer the prairie. A longer walk for us, but an easier route for Brad and the Kaemperns.”

“All right. I’m ready to go home. Maybe you should get some sleep,” Abbi suggested, patting his knee. Her touch surprised him.

He thought of Layla and her warm gentle hands on his neck. He took Abbi’s hand and held it for a moment, and then placed it at her side. She looked hurt and folded her hands in her lap after that. “I will stay up and watch over the both of you,” he said.

“Ian…” she started, but when he looked into her eyes, her voice trailed. “Never mind.”

“Get some rest, Abbi.”

Abbi bedded down in what bit of soft dirt there was and closed her eyes. Ian continued to watch the fire, adding small pieces of timber and brush. When it died down, he stood and warmed his back, looking out into the dark of the night. Only the stars were visible beyond the campfire.

The stars, and a figure moving toward him came into view. He squinted, not sure if he were hallucinating from fatigue. “Layla?” he asked.

“Yes, Ian,” she said. She didn’t stop approaching him, but kept coming, and behind her were five other women dressed the same as she, fully armed, their hair playing colors with the firelight. She stepped up to him and before he could decipher the danger, she drew his sword from his sheath and handed it to a woman behind her. He struck out to stop her, but she blocked his thrust, taking hold of his wrist and bending his elbow behind his back.

“What do you want from me?” He squinted from the pain.

“The key to the portal, Ian. That’s all. There’s something locked up in there that we care dearly about.” She frisked his pockets until she found the phone, tossing the pocketknife to another woman. “This!”

“You have no idea how to use that. It’s useless to you.”

He eyed Abbi stirring. Elisa still slept.

“No. You’re right. That’s why you’re coming with us.”

“What’s happening?” Abbi sat up, wiped the hair from her eyes and jumped to her feet.

“Nothing to be too concerned about,” Layla said. “We’re taking your boyfriend to our ship until he answers some questions.”

“We could take them all,” one of the women suggested.

“No!” Layla answered quickly. “I want this one for my own.” She smiled at Abbi. “Your loss!”

Abbi made a move to fight but was immediately restrained by two of the women.

“Don’t, Abbi,” Ian said, fearful she’d be hurt. “Let me handle this. Take care of Elisa.” He could see the rage and terror in Abbi’s eyes when they locked onto his. He nodded, hoping she’d understand that he’d do everything he could to escape.

That was the last connection he had with her before he was escorted out of the camp, and through the rock-strewn landscape that led to the sea.

Excerpt Fallen Morning Ian’s Realm Saga book 3.2

Soon a search party spread out into the woods. Abbi stepped back into the yurt, hoping for clues. Where would Simi had gone? The room was dimly lit and there was a strange odor in the air. The candle flickered from the breeze sweeping in through the open door. If she hadn’t paused to think, she may have missed the vial that lay empty on the table—a thin, glass tube. The cork stopper had been removed and lay next to it. The pewter rim was endowed with tiny etchings of entangled sea serpents. She took a whiff of its contents and nearly choked. A faint haze—not steam or smoke—but a gas of some sort seeped out of the vial.

“Taikus?” she thought. She spun around the room until she saw a pile of clothing—the clothing Simi had been wearing that day. Inspecting them closer, she found the silk garment Simi had arrived in. “That witch!”

Jeppe burst in the door and stormed to Ian’s trunk. “If we find him, he’ll need a wrap, bandages.” Frantically he grabbed a blanket.

“Jeppe. Stop! Look.” Abbi held the vial up but Jeppe was too much in a panic to focus. She took his arm. “You aren’t going to find him out there in the woods He’s been abducted. The Taikans have him.”

The look on his face mirrored the terror in her heart.

“What?”

“That Simi woman, she’s not a Menek. She’s a Taikan. She drugged Ian. There had to have been others here who helped her steal him away.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Look at this room. It’s been ransacked. Simi changed her clothes before they left and not into what she had on when she got here!” She held up the silk. “If we find him it will be in Moor Cove boarding a Taikan sea vessel. Unconscious most likely.” She tossed the vial on the cabinet where she had found it. “You men do what you think is best. I’m going after him. No one is going to hurt my husband and not pay for it. And that includes the tyrant who beat him up in the first place.” She spun around to storm out the door and collided with Aren.

“The tyrant was me, Abbi.”

If he was sorry for it, she didn’t hear it in his voice. “Then I hope you’re happy! Because that Taikan witch queen will kill him if she gets to him before I do!” Tears were not in the agenda. Rage was. Aren took her arm gently, but firmly.

“You’ll not go alone. We have men for this. Already Amleth and Alex have been alerted. We’ll go as a team—”

“If it’s all the same with you, I’d rather go alone.” She pulled her arm out of his grasp and pushed past him. “You’ve done enough damage.”

She heard Jeppe’s boot heels catching up, but it didn’t matter. No one was going to stop her. She came to the Realm with Ian, he asked her to marry him, and by heaven’s grace she’ll keep him alive and marry him if it kills her.

Excerpt Diary of a Conjurer Book 4 Ian’s Realm Saga

“He made a mockery of wizardry? The nerve! Weren’t for that song I’d leave him to his devilry! Bah!”

It was an old song, a melody that had echoed through Alcove forest many years ago, this time with new lyrics that boiled Silvio’s blood. Not only did it convict Silvio against deserting the youth, but also it confirmed who Ivar was.

Oh woe to the loss of the young man fair

Whose dreams float away on the midnight air?

Who found his hope in the dragon’s lair?

Though the dagger is gone

Its spirit lives on

The Beloved lays prey, to the ancient of days.

Give strength to the youth so far from home.

“Give him what? Bah! A tiny bit of magic is all I have, and I’ll not pass it on to the likes of him!” Silvio shook his fist in the air, angry with the Northern Wind and its song. “He made a mockery of magic. I’ll not give it to him! I won’t!” He turned his back to the sea, cutting short any further conversation with the wind. He mumbled to himself as he walked through the moonlit sand dunes, kicking up shells and granules with his toes.

“I’ll not be listening to your voice. Fool idea, making Ivar my apprentice. Not right at all. Sing to some other fool. The boy’s a rascal. A scallywag I tell you. The powers of a conjurer would be peril in his hands. “The old man shivered more from his hot temper than the cold. “Not wind to listen to, even if the Kaemperns did declare you wise. No accounting for that little miscreant. You could be wrong you know!”

Silvio had retreated to the beach earlier that evening seeking solitude after Ivar had fallen asleep. Now, after hearing the songs and rejecting their meaning, he began his lonely walk back to the campsite. The moon was full. The sands glowed blue in its light, the air warm and breezy. The only sound was the constant rumble of the sea, until branches snapped behind him. Bent and unable to move quickly, he turned around, unprepared for the surprise that waited.

Excerpt Cassandra’s Castle book 5

In the late afternoon she awoke to a faint sound that whispered on the breeze. “Odd. Am I dreaming?” Blinking at the sunlight that peeked through the treetops, she listened carefully. It can’t be. Music?

Not the song of a bird, though it was just as sweet, nor the whisper of the wind, though it was just as light. It was the sound of a violin.

Oh my gosh. That has to be him! Cassie collected her things and stuffed them into her pack which she heaved onto her back. When she stood, she took note of the direction of the music. Now certain of her destination, she hurried into the grasslands.

An old fortress stood nestled in the weeds; a stone ruin that had been a grand castle in its time. Built by the queen of Taikus in Silvio’s tale, this stronghold was partially destroyed and yet some parts of it seemed to be fully functional. What was once a tower had collapsed, leaving huge bricks, rubble of cut rock, and half standing pillars scattered across the meadow, with spikes rising high above the grass. Crumbled walls protruded from the earth, hinting at legends of grandeur from another age.

Cassie followed the melody to one of the chambers. Reluctant to interrupt, she slowed as she neared the alcove, and stopped next to a gap in the stone wall, which must have been a window years ago. Despite the curious remains of the structure, the music had Cassie’s undivided attention.

A single stringed melody resonated from the violin, first a painful, sorrowful refrain; then as gentle as a tender kiss.

She leaned over the stones and gazed into a room vacant of any furnishings. A single ray of light shone into a corner, and rested on the back of a young man. His uniform torn, his arm that held the violin wrapped heavily in bindings. He had been critically wounded yet he displayed no sign of physical pain. Engrossed in his song, his body moved to the rhythm of the music. Chin nestled on the instrument that had become a part of him, hands too large for the slender bow, fingers trembled across the strings in complex chords. The instrument was his vocal, singing a ballad too pure for the human voice.

Cassie watched, transported in time and space by the sound of his melancholy.

Every note he played, every move he made, told his story. It sang of his patriotism, it cried in agony of the death of his father and his brother; it mourned the loneliness of exile.

His long dark hair danced with the swaying of his body. Tender for a moment.

Then violent.

He could have been wielding a sword, fighting a battle that raged within his own soul. The violin resonated with a barrage of harmonious discord throughout the empty halls. Through the wrenching pulse of the music, his grief was evident.

Finally, the quiet, euphonious cry of a single string ended the chorus; a complete circle to where it began.

Cassie closed her eyes. The agony that had been in him rushed through her own veins. He had spoken in a voice with no words. She turned to face the sun, leaned against the cool stone, and slid to the ground, overwhelmed by his song.

Here was the young king, so close and yet so unapproachable. When the music stopped, she waited, wondering what she should do next, not wanting to startle him, or enrage him.

He thinks I’m an assassin. How will I ever convince him otherwise?

What inspired you to write this book?

There are several things. One and most importantly is I watched my grandsons grow up without a dad and realized how important fathers are in their sons’ lives. My main character Ian spends much of the story without his father, who for many of his own reasons, ends up not being the dad that Ian needed. The story’s message to young men is that even if your father has failed you, you can still grow up to be the man you wish your father had been.

Another inspiration is I always wanted to paint a dragon and could never think of a good excuse (as if one needs an excuse to paint a dragon). So, when I started writing Ian’s Realm, I started painting Stenhjaert the dragon (you can see him on my website). The dragon expanded to 3 panels 4 ft X 3 ft eventually so I could get his wingspan in. Then each panel became a book cover for the first three books (out of print now and rewritten and combined into the trilogy).

Another inspiration was my many walks in the forest. The trees talked to me. Seriously!

What can we expect from you in the future?