Welcome!
I am so glad you are here, and you’ve decided to check out my website and possibly my first book. The Road of Vultures is my debut novel, following Luka Vernik, Prince of Estravia as he takes a long and epic journey of revenge. It is the first installment of The Vengeful Warrior Trilogy.
What inspired you to write this book?
About seven years ago, I remember being really enthralled by the movie John Wick and the Marvel show The Punisher (which was on Netflix at the time). There was something cathartic about those very skilled and deadly heroes (or antiheroes?) on a warpath of vengeance and cutting down anyone who got in their way.
In June of 2018, I took my second trip to Croatia and felt inspired by my surroundings. Some people may know, but they shot a great deal of scenes from HBO’s Game of Thrones and even part of Star Wars in this country. Being there really feels like a fantasy.
I came away from the trip daydreaming about an action-fueled revenge story in a fantasy setting. Many of the places and names in the Kingdom of Estravia are inspired by Croatia, especially the Capital City of Vernikport.
Who are the main characters?
The protagonist of the book is Luka Vernik. He is young and has a lot to learn, but his skill in swordsmanship is second-to-none. Luka is one of the deadliest warriors in the land but still feels a level of disrespect compared to others in the kingdom or in his family. He is not the person anyone wants to cross, but as you will see, someone dares to.
The antagonists are the Zlikrej Brothers—Privus, Drugi, and Omarius. They begin the book on their own campaign of war against the Vernik regime. Each brother is equipped with a unique, distinguishable weapon. Omarius has a massive war hammer, capable of crushing enemies left and right. Drugi is a skilled marksman with the use of his bow and arrow. But deadliest of all is Privus, who has a staff infused with elemental magic, giving him the ability to summon the forces of fire, wind, water, and earth at will.
Luka’s parents, King Var and Queen Vanessa, also play key roles, as does his elder brother Prince Xander, the heir to the throne of Estravia.
General Warwick is Luka’s mentor and a close friend of King Var’s. He teaches Luka much of what he knows about war and combat.
Serena Tomkins is a close friend of Luka’s (or perhaps more than just a friend?) who gets caught up in the violence and bloodshed of the conflict. She is a deadly warrior in her own right, but will that be enough to protect her and those she loves?
The mysterious Priestess Teya, the caring Princess Amelia, and the logical Minister Pametan are also key allies to Luka in his journey.
But most colorful of all is Reishi. To combat the magical abilities of the Zlikrej brothers and Privus’s staff, Luka takes on the difficult task of trying to recruit this eccentric wizard who is as irreverent as he is drunk. Not to mention he carries secret after secret with him, not even revealing many of them to Luka.
There are many heroes who get the benefit of a wise, gray-bearded wizard mentor on their journeys. Harry gets Dumbledore. Frodo gets Gandalf. Arthur gets Merlin, and so on. Luka doesn’t get quite the same experience. Instead, he gets Reishi.
What will the sequels look like?
There will be two sequels to round out the trilogy. Book II is already in the works, but it’s too early to commit to a release date as of now. That said, I do know what the title will be, and that will be announced in the near future.
What are some of the other writers who have inspired you?
I used to read a lot and write creatively growing up. I remember really enjoying Christopher Paolini’s Inheritance Cycle as a pre-teen and I read once that he was only fifteen when he had started writing it. That stuck with me, so he’s always been an inspiration to me.
My favorite writer of all time is Cormac McCarthy. He is not someone I would recommend anyone try to imitate, let alone myself, but you don’t have to imitate him to be inspired by him.
I would be remiss if I didn’t consider J.K. Rowling and her story a success and inspiration for me as well. Nor can I dismiss the enduring influence of Tolkien not only on myself but also on almost all fantasy since.
Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire, Abercrombie’s First Law Trilogy, and Brandon Sanderson’s Stormlight Archive are also influential on me, but I know that is not a ground-breaking statement for any avid fantasy fans to hear.
What else can you tell us about you or the book?
That’s it for now! Follow me on social media and stay tuned for updates about sequels, other works, and promotional content. And in the meantime, enjoy walking The Road of Vultures with me!