The Golden Cord: Book One of the Iron Dragon Series - Couverture souple

The Golden Cord: Book One of the Iron Dragon Series: Some bonds can never be broken. A hunter must leave behind the woman he loves, give up all hope of survival, as he is forced to guide his most hated enemies on a suicidal journey to the lair of the dragon king. “This is a story that’s worth your time. It’s almost like going back to that first fantasy novel that totally captivated you and you read it over and over again. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.” —Russell Davis, author, editor, and President of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America; “A good mix of action, angst, and romance. The Golden Cord has fine action sequences, like many a fantasy novel, but Paul Genesse takes the time to make the protagonist and his companions much more than hack and slashers. They have hopes, fears, doubts, secret motivations, and backstories that give the action gravitas. Plenty of swordplay and slaying for the action junkies, but also plenty of self-doubt and romance for those looking for a deeper story.” —Donald J. Bingle, author of Forced Conversion; “Paul Genesse’s tale is elegantly written and filled with rich, believable heroes and villains. He transports you to a vibrant fantasy world that feels so real and complex you won’t want to leave. It is irresistible.” —Jean Rabe, author of the Finest Trilogy from Tor Books; About the Book: Death comes from above in the plateau world of Ae’leron, where griffins and dragons prowl the sky. Those who escape becoming prey—or enslavement in the Drobin Empire—hide in the secret villages. Surviving in the depths of the Thornclaw Forest, the people of Cliffton live on the edge of the Void—an abyss of clouds that surrounds the plateaus and blocks the view in the Underworld. Guardians work tirelessly to protect each village, and Drake, along with his pair of guard dogs, is Cliffton’s most dedicated and vigilant. When Drobin warriors appear outside the gates, he is forced to confront his most hated enemies. But the secretive Drobin hide the true nature of their journey and why wyverns hunt them. Drake’s world becomes a whirlwind of change as he leaves his true love and guides the Drobin on a suicidal journey to the lair of the Dragon King. He must do this, for if he doesn’t, war will consume the world and destroy everything he loves.

A toy castle is what sent fantasy author and editor Paul Genesse over the edge and into madness. Dragons and castles gave him reason to live from elementary school through college where he loved his English classes, but pursued his other passion by earning a bachelor’s degree in nursing science in 1996. He was a registered nurse on a cardiac unit in Salt Lake City, Utah, where he worked the night shift for 17 years keeping the forces of darkness away from his patients. Now he is a clinical analyst for the same healthcare company and is enjoying working during the day. His new schedule will hopefully allow him to get more writing done. Paul lives with his incredibly supportive wife, Tammy, and their collection of well-behaved frogs and moderately scary dragons. When he’s not hanging out with Tammy, or at the hospital working, Paul enjoys speaking at schools and conventions about writing. His new interest is interviewing celebrities at large media conventions such as Salt Lake Comic Con and Paul would love to become the nerd version of Jimmy Fallon. Writing short fiction is one of his passions and he is the author of several short stories and novelettes featured in Fellowship Fantastic, The Dimension Next Door, Furry Fantastic, Imaginary Friends, Catopolis, Terribly Twisted Tales, Pirates of the Blue Kingdoms featuring The Pirate Witch, Steampunk’d, Kaiju Rising: Age of Monsters, and more. He is also the editor of the five volumes comprising the demon-themed Crimson Pact anthology series. His first book, The Golden Cord, Book One of the Iron Dragon Series has become the bestselling fantasy novel Five Star Books has ever had. Book two, The Dragon Hunters and book three, The Secret Empire are out now. Book four, The Crystal Eye; and the finale, The Iron Brotherhood are scheduled to arrive in 2015. For updates, please friend Paul on Facebook, and “Like” the Official Iron Dragon Series Page or follow him on Twitter. Learn more about the Iron Dragon Series, listen to podcasts, see original art, and watch videos including the amazing cinematic book trailer for The Golden Cord at paulgenesse.com.