The punishment for vampirism is to be burned at the stake. Necromancers, should they be captured, are hung.

I am both.

My master bestowed upon my shoulders a monumental task, one that has become my life's ambition. Should I fail, at least I will burn with a smile on my face, knowing I did not live by my father's rules, the life he would have forced upon me as his heir.

I have brought a legion of slaughter to the foot of the altar where I will soon carve my destiny, and I know more bloodshed will follow. I welcome every drop.

Stuart Thaman is the international best-selling author of the highly acclaimed Goblin Wars series, as well as the Umbral Blade series and several horror titles. His latest release, Shadowlith, launched at number-one on the epic-fantasy charts in both Australia and Canada and peaked at number-two in the US. You can catch up with Stuart on Twitter, Goodreads, and his website, and be sure to sign up for his mailing list to get all the latest offers, promotions, and discounts.

Currently a resident of Kentucky, Stuart holds degrees in politics and German, and he is currently studying law, though writing epic fantasy and grim horror is certainly his primary passion.

The Chronicles of Estria series is a new line of novels based on Ral Partha's Chaos Wars miniature game produced by Iron Wind Metals. Blood and Ash is the first novel in the planned line, with more to come. Listeners do not need to be familiar with the Chaos Wars universe to enjoy the novel series. Any fan of Dungeons and Dragons, Joe Abercrombie, David Dalglish, or epic fantasy in general is sure to have the time of his or her life!