Lost Tales from Esowon

Series · 5 books · 2019-2022

By Antoine Bandele, Callan Brown, Matthew Chatman, and more

Books in series

Last of My Kind

2019

When the war with the humans started, there were hundreds of us, then it was just me and Father. Now it’s just me. Uzoma, known throughout the land as the Human’s Savior, the Great and Mighty, the Kishi Killer, has been devastating the demons called the kishi. After Yemi’s father’s becomes his latest casualty, Yemi realizes that he is all that is left of his kind. Set on avenging his father, he must begin a dark journey down a path he’s not ready for. Because taking Uzoma down will not be easy. He has the village of Bajok under his thumb and possesses a weapon not even the humans know about. But Yemi knows something. A secret known only to him and Uzoma. Will Yemi be able to use that secret to take down such a renowned and mighty warrior? Delve into this companion novelette to The Kishi, an African fantasy based on Angola folklore.

A Servant's Work

2019

Amana has a special gift to see into the future. But one day something goes horribly wrong … something he never foresaw. Following the loss of his family, he is determined to master the mystic arts and have his revenge. The only place he can learn to hone these abilities is with a group of pacifist mountain monks who rebuke the act of vengeance. If Amana is to achieve a power great enough to avenge his loved ones, he’ll have to embrace the philosophy of the Junga monks and keep his true intentions locked away. But will Amana gain the sorcerous power he seeks? Or will his dark quest send him on a journey he can’t come back from? Delve into this prequel novella to The Kishi, and embark on a cautionary tale of shortcuts to enlightenment.

Hearts in the Dark

2019

She’s a princess. He’s a demon. Both are fighting for control. Princess Shanaki, second heir to the throne of Ya-Set, has journeyed to a foreign land to serve as a pawn in her father’s game. Ikenna, demonkin, has been betrayed by his own. When the demons make a target of the princess to claim what is rightfully theirs, Ikenna moves against her first. Caught between beast and man, how will Shanaki save herself from the dark? Delve into this companion novella to The Kishi, an African fantasy based on Angola folklore.

Stoneskin

2020

Long ago, before the end of the gods, cursed crystal fragments lay hidden about the world. These objects were imbued with immeasurable power, yet to use one plagued the bearer with a heinous blight. Facing an empire's fleet of warships against his village's fishing boats, Jelani had no choice but to tap into the powerful and vicious Gods’ Glass. The reward for his heroism was stoneskin, which slowly consumes the body with stiff welts of rock. To all who know it—brewmasters and scholars alike—it’s a death sentence. Jelani knows it's only a matter of time before the stone devours him, and with it, his mind and sanity, leaving him nothing more than a raging beast. But there is rumor of a cure, a potion that can keep the plague at bay, though it comes with a price heavier than gold… Delve into this prequel novella to By Sea & Sky, a pirate fantasy inspired by East African and Arabian myth and folklore. An Esowon Story

Grace Under Fire

2022

The rise of an empire threatens an ancient stronghold. For countless centuries, the Junga monks have lived detached from the rest of the world, but now a storm is brewing at the peak of their mountain home. Their temple shelters more than pacifists and clerics. It is a well of deep magic—old power bequeathed by the Gods, themselves. A great general’s ambition stokes the fires of war. She will make use of what the monks have forsaken. Ideals of peace waver under the threat of hard steel. When the flames of war finally erupt, the monks must contend with the most feared conqueror of this age. Can a young girl caught in the center of the blaze, traverse the inferno without getting burned? Delve into this supplemental short novel to The Sky Chronicles, a pirate fantasy inspired by East African and Arabian myth and folklore. An Esowon Story

Authors

Antoine Bandele

Author · 13 books

HOW I RATE ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Very Profound and/or Entertaining. ⭐⭐⭐⭐ I enjoyed it. ⭐⭐⭐ It was okay. ⭐⭐ I didn't enjoy it. ⭐ I hated it. ABOUT ME ANTOINE BANDELE IS AN AMAZON BESTSELLING AUTHOR IN AFRICAN LITERATURE. He lives in Los Angeles, CA with his girlfriend, where he produces work on YouTube for his own channel and others, such as JustKiddingFilms, Fanalysis, and more. During the summer he is a camp counselor. Whenever he has the time he’s writing his debut series: Tales from Esowon. SINCE 1990 ... I've been a creative kid, whether writing stories, drawing comics, or directing home movies. I remember the first time I thought I was a "published" author. My father took my brother and I to an office supply store, where we got our books (which were made out of wide-ruled notebook paper) laminated and copied. It felt so legit. In elementary school, I kept filling out more notebooks with my stories. I was even brave enough to share those stories with friends during recess. The underside of the playground slide became my own library, but the only inventory was my books. They were stories about kung fu fighting teenagers who were stuck in their own dreams (still might develop that one day), or fan fiction covering my favorite franchises. Growing up in Los Angeles, only a few miles from Hollywood, I started flirting with the film industry. This became my focus throughout my young adult years. I majored in Multimedia at California State University Northridge (though my diploma is still incomplete). That eventually got me on YouTube which (for most filmmakers in those early days) was the best place to archive and share your work. YouTube has turned into a different beast today, but I still seek out that sense of community it had among like-minded individuals. If there is one thing that encompasses my life so far, one theme, it would be the pursuit of art. Whether I'm writing, drawing, editing or otherwise (though I really wish I had a talent for music), I've always been drawn to crafting art. That's all I'm really about when it comes right down to the bare bones, everything stripped away. I'm fueled by creating make-believe, letting my imagination take me to wonderful worlds filled with characters who speak to my inner muse. So join me here on my small corner of the internet (a bit of an upgrade to the underside of a playground). I want to share my creativity with you.