The Sword and the Dragon
Deemed one of the top 10 indie Fantasy releases of 2010 by Fantasy Book Critic, and listed in the first ever Publishers Weekly Indie Select issue, this 235k word epic title was originally written in longhand in a Texas prison cell by M. R. Mathias.

The Sword and the Dragon

When the Royal Wizard of Westland poisons the king so that his puppet prince can take the throne and start a continental war, a young squire is forced to run for his life carrying the powerful sword that his dying monarch burdened him with from the death bed.

Two brothers find a magic ring and start on paths to becoming the most powerful sort of enemies, while an evil young sorceress unwillingly falls in love with one of them when he agrees to help her steal a dragon's egg for her father. Her father just happens to be the Royal Wizard, and despite his daughter's feelings, he would love nothing more than to sacrifice the boy!

All of these characters, along with the Wolf King of Wildermont, the Lion Lord of Westland, and a magical hawk named Talon, are on a collision course toward Willa the Witch Queen's palace in the distant kingdom of Highwander. There the very bedrock is formed of the powerful magical substance called Wardstone.

Who are the heroes? And will they get there before the Royal Wizard and his evil hordes do?

Whatever happens, the journey will be spectacular, and the confrontation will be cataclysmic.



Editorial Reviews

Overall The Sword and the Dragon (A+) is an impressive debut - a traditional fantasy that manages to be fresh. It succeeds in offering a complete reading experience. See the full review here: fantasybookcritic.blogspot.com

--Fantasy Book Critic

Fans of Tolkien and CS Lewis will find much to enjoy to enjoy in M.R. Mathias' debut fantasy novel. This is a big book, with a steady flow throughout. Read this book. Take up your sword and get ready for a hugely enjoyable adventure.

--Book Smart UK

I bought and read this wonderful story. It has so much action and interaction in it, and it never lost my interest. This story will go far and I am really looking forward to the next book in the trilogy. Sep. 04, 2010

--T. Ellis Smashwords Review

I was captivated with this book from the first page. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to support a new author and who likes fantasy novels with lots of graphic action. Full review at: books-treasureortrash.com/

--Books-Treasure or Trash

The Butcher's Boy

A Paranormal/Chiller by Michael Robb

Thirty-one years ago, Buxly the Butcher went to trial for killing his entire family. He was found guilty, and sentenced to die for those crimes. Now, Janet Hale, a recently divorced nurse, has purchased the house unaware of the brutal murders that took place there so long ago.

From the moment she, her eleven-year-old son, and his overprotective Rottweiler move in, bad things start to happen. A strange man is caught lurking in the back yard, and the only neighbor turns out to be a crazy old widow. But not everything is going wrong. During the move, Janet meets a handsome charmer. She likes him enough to start dating again, leaving a sitter to watch over her son.

When Michael, and his dog, Lucy-Fur, learn firsthand that their home is haunted by one of the victims of the Butcher's grizzly act, Michael scours the internet and the local library to find out what happened back then. Maggie, the sitter, brings over a Ouija board and they soon find out that there is more than one dark spirit on the haunt.

Can Lucy-Fur protect her boy from the angry ghost that wants to possess him? Can Michael fight through the madness and terror to find out what really happened? If he does, maybe the tormented souls can be put to rest and his mom can keep the house that she seems to love. If he fails, he just might become one of them. With the help of Maggie, and a burned out house painter, Michael is going to try. The problem is, not everyone is who they seem... even the dead.

This isn't your average haunted house novel.

The Butcher's Boy by Michael Robb... Take a slow ride into terror!

Editorial Reviews

The Butcher's Boy is not a book of immediate horror and gore, but a slow building up of the terror. However, it isn't your classic scary home ghost novel. Twists in the story pleasantly surprised. Overall, its excellent. --Michelle Goodreads Review

Keeps you on the edge of your seat. Possession, murder, kidnapping, and redemption...well thought out plot that builds to a crescendo. I highly recommend this. Full Review: books-treasureortrash.com --Books-Treasure or Trash