The Warden - by Daniel M Ford

About the Book

"There was a plan. She had the money, the connections, even the brains. It was simple: become one of the only female necromancers, pass as many certifications as she could, get a post near the capital, then profit. The funny thing about plans is that they are seldom under your control. Now Aelis, a daughter of a noble house and a trained Magister of the Lyceum, finds herself in the far-removed village of Lone Pine. Mending fences and delivering baby goats, serving people who want nothing to do with her. But, not all is well in Lone Pine, and as the villagers Aelis is reluctantly getting to know start to behave strangely, Aelis begins to suspect that there is far greater need for a warden of her talents than she previously thought. Old magics are restless, and an insignificant village on the furthest border of the kingdom might hold secrets far beyond what anyone expected. Aelis might be the only person standing between one of the greatest evils ever known and the rest of the free world."--

Book Synopsis

A Recommended Reading List Pick for Locus and a Best Science Fiction & Fantasy Editors' Pick for Amazon
A Reactor Magazine Best of the Year Pick

"Omigosh! I've just found an author to put on my list of I've got to read everything they ever wrote! The Warden is a gem of the first order. Aelis is my hero."--Glen Cook, author of The Black Company

For fans who have always wanted their Twin Peaks to have some wizards, The Warden is a non-stop action adventure story from author Daniel M. Ford.

There was a plan.

She had the money, the connections, even the brains. It was simple: become one of the only female necromancers, earn as many degrees as possible, get a post in one of the grand cities, then prove she's capable of greatness. The funny thing about plans is that they are seldom under your control.

Now Aelis de Lenti, a daughter of a noble house and recent graduate of the esteemed Magisters' Lyceum, finds herself in the far-removed village of Lone Pine. Mending fences, matching wits with goats, and serving people who want nothing to do with her. But, not all is well in Lone Pine, and as the villagers Aelis is reluctantly getting to know start to behave strangely, Aelis begins to suspect that there is far greater need for a Warden of her talents than she previously thought.

Old magics are restless, and an insignificant village on the farthest border of the kingdom might hold secrets far beyond what anyone expected. Aelis might be the only person standing between one of the greatest evils ever known and the rest of the world.

The Warden Series
The Warden
Necrobane
Advocate

Review Quotes

A Reactor Magazine Best of the Year Pick

"Omigosh! I've just found an author to put on my list of I've got to read everything they ever wrote! The Warden is a gem of the first order. Aelis is my hero."--Glen Cook, author of The Black Company

"Old-school fun with new-school sensibilities."--Marie Brennan, author of A Natural History of Dragons: a Memoir By Lady Trent

"A dark and delightful coming-of-age story, a reading experience that captures the best essence of a single-player tabletop RPG romp with a sly and witty gamemaster."--Elizabeth Bear, multiple Hugo-award winner

"An appealing new fantasy series filled with adventure, action, and old magic."--Library Journal

"Captures an endearing fish out of water vibe in this pleasantly romantic fantasy about the importance of supporting one's local necromancer. . . . The charming misfit cast is the highlight here. Readers who enjoy the maturing mages and heroes of Robin McKinley and Melissa Caruso will find another youngster on the rise to cheer for in these pages."--Publishers Weekly

"If such a category as a 'cozy mystery' exists, then The Warden should be placed on the ''cozy fantasy'' shelf that must be nearby. . . . When the second book is released, I plan to save it for a week when real life is hectic and I'm craving a fresh-yet-familiar world to sink into."--Locus

"A great first entry in a series, setting up an interesting sword-and-sorcery world whose secondary cast clearly has stories to tell, from retired soldiers turned innkeeping couple Rus and Martin to a pair of dwarves who are bankers turned adventurers. Fans of Brandon Sanderson will enjoy details about the complex magical system. It will be fascinating to see where Aelis, and her world, goes from here."--Booklist

"I was hooked. . . . It's refreshing to read a fantasy adventure with a female main character who feels realistic. . . . I had a lot of fun with The Warden."--Geekly Inc

"I would definitely recommend this book if you are looking for a quick fantasy read that features a strong female protagonist, really cool magic, and some fascinating worldbuilding that transports the reader into a wondrous setting "--Out of This World SFF

Praise for Daniel M. Ford
"With a brisk plot, believable characters who balance wit with grit, and a complex world rife with intrigue and moral quandaries, Ford completely banishes all thoughts of middle-book sag. This is heroic fantasy far above the usual hack-and-slash, raising compelling questions about morality and belief in a tale full of excitement and high-stakes action." --Publishers Weekly Starred Review, on Stillbright

"In Body Broker, we meet Jack Dixon, the literary world's newest wise-cracking, swashbuckling, bad decision-making P.I. All his follies and scrapes and bruises and bizarre enemies are bad news for him, but make for exciting reading for us. Don't miss this one." --Rion Amilcar Scott, author of The World Doesn't Require You

About the Author

Daniel M. Ford is a native of Baltimore. He has an M.A. in Irish Literature from Boston College, and an M.F.A. in Creative Writing from George Mason University. He lives in Delaware and teaches at a college prep high school in rural Maryland. When he isn't writing, he's reading, playing RPGs, lifting weights, or mixing cocktails. His previous work includes The Paladin Trilogy and the Jack Dixon novels.