Part of Series
Grae Barragns is no hero. He knows there isn’t a man alive who can fulfill the promise of such a word. But when a caravan transporting a noble family is savaged in the haunted forest of Maug Maurai, Grae is ordered to be a hero. And a villain. It's quite a handful for an officer whose last assignment was capturing runaway orchard pigs. Such is the fate of a commoner among the high-born officer corps of the King's army. Until now. Grae is ordered to lead a small squad into the forest to kill the legendary Beast of Maug Maurai. It's a suicide mission, but if he succeeds he will reap glory, a noble title, lands, and, most importantly, respect. All he has to do is slay the most dangerous creature in the kingdom with the squad of misfits and criminals that he’s been assigned. A female archer that Grae presses into service makes things even more difficult. Her kindness and odd philosophies begin to chip away at his deepest conviction. Before he sets out Grae receives one last ugly detail. A secret secondary assignment that makes it clear to him why he was chosen to lead the squad. It’s the first order Grae has ever considered disobeying, an order that will force him to choose between his loyalty and his morality. And he’s certain that the wrong choice will plunge the kingdom into civil war. The Culling is the first of a three-part novel.
Author
Hello there. Thanks very much for your interest. I am an author of fantasy and historical fantasy, and because there is some confusion, my last name is pronounced kah-LASS (emphasis on the Lass). And before I get too far, you can find my blog at http://robertocalas.com. I'm a voracious reader and have been since I was a wee one. The landscapes of fantasy and science fiction were my usual haunts, but as I grew I developed a keen interest in history as well, particularly medieval history. When I was fairly young, maybe nine or ten, I accidentally set fire to my best friend's living room while adding burned edges to a fantasy map we had made. Somehow my love of fantasy survived that calamity and I continued to write stories about fire giants and knights. I graduated from the University of Connecticut with a degree in Journalism and Creative Writing, and went on to work as a reporter and magazine editor. The skills I learned as a professional writer, writing day after day (after day), gave me a great base with which to pursue my real love—Twizzlers and Coke. Um. And, yes, writing novels that combine bits of history and fantasy in a potpourri of humor, drama and action. I hope you enjoy my works. Please don't be shy. Drop by my blog and let me know what you think. I'm always happy to discuss my works, fantasy, history, and Twizzlers and Coke. Or anything else you want to talk about.
