Annie is having one of those days: two hours late to work, hung over, and grouchy. As a video game designer, she is used to creating perfect worlds, but lately she's noticed a darkness creeping in to hers.
She feels her life spinning wildly out of balance. Just as she is beginning to wonder how much more she can handle, an emergency broadcast alert tells her that America is under nuclear attack. As she frantically plans her escape, she wakes up in Tahldia, the strangely familiar world from her video game.
When a scarred and grizzled knight, Hakayatas, saves her from a zombie attack, Annie has no choice but to team up with him to discover her destiny. She learns that this new world is plagued by a darkness of its own. A sinister force is stealing magic and killing those who use it.
Can tough-talking and hard-living Annie accept her fate and embark on a mission to fight the evil? Or will she succumb under the weight of her fears? Can she adapt to a world of knights and elves - a world without whiskey? Chased by charming but deadly assassins and murderous demons, Annie must decide if she has what it takes to go on a quest to restore part of the magic Tahldia has lost.
My novel touches on the concepts of forging unlikely friendships, denying fate, and finding redemption. The story has a smattering of beloved fantasy tropes: knights, elves, and kingdoms built with the will of magic, but with a contemporary twist, and from the viewpoint of a modern woman. It's a bit like A Yankee in King Arthur's Court mashed up with Rat Queens.
This book is full of violence and vulgar language.
Please be aware that this is not a book for children.
Reviews
“Crispin Young’s first book, Heart of the Current: Tales from Tahldia, is sure to excite readers of speculative fiction because they’ll have a new favorite author to follow. Her attention to detail in description and world building provide a vivid graphic in the mind as the story unfolds. Using real human emotion that everyone can relate to and layering it with magic and otherworldliness, Young’s story takes on a life that will pull readers from the humdrum of everyday living.”
“If you like your fantasy up and with a twist, you’ll love Crispin Young’s Heart of the Current, complete with a stubborn, grouchy female protagonist. Here There Be Good Stuff.”
“A very solid first entry by a talented author, Crispin Young has taken the high fantasy tropes of elves, dwarves, dragons and magic and added a modern geek tech spin to it. Heart of the Current is an entertaining and easy read filled with memorable characters and smart, snappy dialogue. It’s a fun read from start to finish, and Crispin Young is an author to watch out for.”
“It’s refreshing to have a brash, foul-mouthed, and smart female protagonist, a rarity for books in general, let alone one of this genre. Annie’s strong, but clearly has faults, and you want her to overcome adversity and thoroughly kick ass. I’m looking forward to the adventures continuing.”
“This is a solid first effort by a very talented author, and has a refreshingly new take on the central conceit of the story.”
“I really appreciate the way Young has managed to bring old fantasy tropes into play in new ways, and has managed to bridge the various elements of her story with a delightfully modern sensibility. Her story maintains a steady flow from the beginning to the end and leaves you hungry for more.”