So, before we get to why you came here…
Turns out, Mr. Aryan has been busy and decided to get a new cover for Book 1, New York Minute, as well.
Check it out!
Order: https://amzn.to/3MlFXgL
That was fun.
Now.
The moment you have been waiting for.
Without further ado.
And another do.
BEHOLD
Release Date: May 2026
Blurb
After being forced to leave New York City, the only home he’s ever known, Cole Blackstone and his childhood friend, Bracken Hart, head to the town of Byron to solve a mystery. Three young people have gone missing and the local authorities are struggling to explain the disappearances.
After a harrowing journey through the Wild, a savage forest full of nightmares, they arrive in Byron. The lakeside town appears to be an idyllic place to live, where no one carries a weapon and the community spirit is still strong. But tensions are running high and everyone is looking for a scapegoat to blame for what has happened.
Cole discovers the town is harbouring a dark secret that refuses to stay buried. Unable to rely on Bracken, due to his failing health, and surrounded by strangers he can’t trust, Cole must solve the mystery before violence erupts on the streets.
About the Author
Stephen Aryan was born in 1977 and raised in Whitley Bay, on the north east coast of the UK. He has been reading fantasy since he was a small boy. It started with books by David Eddings, Tolkien, C.S Lewis, Terry Brooks, Ursula le Guin, Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman and later David Gemmell, who had a huge influence on his work.
After graduating university in 1999 he started working in marketing. Around this time he also started submitting his first fantasy novel to literary agents.
In 2013, he submitted his latest novel, Battlemage, to Juliet Mushens. It took Stephen a long time and many struggles to get this far. You can read the full story on a two part blog he wrote called How I Found an Agent Part 1, and How I Found an Agent Part 2.
In 2014, Battlemage, was snatched up by Orbit books and subsequently published in 2015. It went on to be published in France, Germany and Russia and was a finalist for the David Gemmell Morningstar Award for best debut fantasy novel. Battlemage went on to win the inaugural Hellfest Inferno Award in France after a public vote. The sequels, Bloodmage, and Chaosmage were both published in 2016, completing the Age of Darkness trilogy.
In 2017 he published Mageborn, the first in a new trilogy, the Age of Dread, with Orbit books. This followed on from his first trilogy, with the return of fan-favourite characters and many new faces. The sequels, Magefall and Magebane were published in 2018 and 2019 respectively, wrapping up his second trilogy.
In 2018 he also published Of Gods and Men with Orbit, a digital and audio novella which served as a prequel to Battlemage.
In 2020 Stephen was picked up for a new duology by Angry Robot Books. The story is set in a brand new world. The first novel, The Coward, was published in June 2021 and it received a Starred Review from Publishers Weekly. The sequel, The Warrior, was published in August 2022.
In 2022, Angry Robot signed The Judas Blossom from Stephen, the first instalment in a Persian inspired historic fantasy trilogy called The Nightingale and the Falcon. The Judas Blossom has been described as an “imaginative and sprawling reimagining of the Mongol Empire’s invasion of Persia” following the lives of four characters at the centre of the war. It is an examination of Persian culture, family and war in a stunning, immersive world. It was published on 11th July 2023. The second book in the trilogy, The Blood Dimmed Tide, was published in July 2024. The third book in the trilogy, The Sorrow of the Sea was published in May 2025.
Stephen lives in the West Midlands with his partner and two cats. When he’s not writing novels or podcasting, he can be found drinking real ale, reading books and watching TV.
Stephen is represented by Juliet Mushens of the Mushens Entertainment agency.
You can find him on Instagram.
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