“Arch Enemies” reissued

Posted on February 13, 2021 by Michael A. Ventrella

My first novel was ARCH ENEMIES. It was released by Double Dragon 13 years ago and got some pretty good reviews.

But I have to admit — I didn’t really know what I was doing. ARCH ENEMIES was a young adult fantasy novel featuring a teenage bard. It was over 130,000 words, when YA novels are supposed to be no more than 70,000.

Oops.

So, as the rights reverted to me, I decided to do what all authors want to do: Make it better! I added some scenes that had been deleted (yeah, it was originally even longer), moved scenes around, made it so that there wasn’t so much exposition early on, changed a few words here and there, and split it in two at the perfect point. Viola! Two young adult novels, each under 70,000 words.

I had the idea for the book when I got tired of the old cliche of the “Chosen One” in fantasy, where some kid finds out they’re special and by the end of the book, is the world’s greatest wizard or swordfighter and saves the day. “What if they got the wrong guy?” I wondered.

So this series involves Terin Ostler, who matches the description of the Chosen One in a prophecy and is told that only he can prevent the evil gryphons from escaping from the magical Arch, dooming everyone.

Here’s how my new publisher (Fantastic Books) explains it in their press release:

He is the chosen one.
Chosen for what?
No one will tell him.
Chosen by whom?
No one knows.
Chosen for a good reason?
Even that is open to debate.

When you’re a young bard on the road, and an 847-year-old prophecy hurls these slings and arrows of outrageous fortune at you, life is going to get very uncomfortable very quickly.

Terin Ostler was living a happily anonymous life when two squires grabbed him out of a tavern and brought him before the Duke of Ashbury. Told that he was the object of a prophecy—but that no one would tell him what the prophecy says—he is forced onto a quest in which his life will be threatened by the enemies of the Duke, and by the Duke’s allies. His quest is to save the world from an apocalyptic war, which started nine centuries ago, and seems to be on pause. Terin Ostler is a man on the run… if only he could figure out where he’s going.

Reviewers comment often on the surprises and twists in the plot, and I hope you will want to check it out for yourself. The books are available as paperbacks and through kindle and nook. More details and reviews can be found on their specific pages here:

Terin Ostler and the Arch Enemies

Terin Ostler and the War of the Words

Coming soon is the reissue of the third book in the series, Terin Ostler and the Axes of Evil.