Dark Creation

A 2023 Audie Award winner! A 2023 Odyssey Honors title! “This is no ordinary audiobook, but rather a graphic novel for the ears. Readers will be delighted by the auditory magic of this book.” —Booklist "A full cast of talented narrators taps into the darkly magical atmosphere of Bardugo's...

For Clive, death isn't the end. But with almost a year until his body is reborn, it is a dangerous setback. With Armies to lead, alliances to maintain, and enemies ranging from the gods to the imminent return of the psychopath Natom Hilgresh, he needs a workaround. He needs an Avatar. Achieving this lofty aim will require sacrifice and hard work—for his followers, at least. So while Clive practices with his ethereal powers, they attempt to push their budding god up through the Ethereal Stages and bring him back to the world of the living.

High in the Craster Mountains sits a small town protected from the outside world by a godly barrier. But that barrier is the work of no god, it was created by Clive, a warrior, a leader and a very angry chef who just wants a peaceful life. Hordes of vengeful enemies amassing along the borders of the Forsaken Land are going to make sure that doesn’t happen. For while Far Reach is safe, Clive’s allies are in imminent danger of being swept away by the coming storm.

It took everything to defeat the feared Natom Hilgresh. Turns out, that was the easy part. Now the clock is ticking for Clive to return to Far Reach and prepare for the second coming. Of course, it isn’t exactly a Sunday stroll. Navigating unforgiving terrain across the war-torn country of Kalabri, the vast armies of Destruction and Justice swarm the land, killing everyone in their path.

The last thing I expected was to gain the spells of the woman in my bed. Hell, I didn't even know magic existed until I'd cast a spell that morning. Then a beautiful teacher from a magical academy told me I could become the universe's most powerful mage. To get there, I need to become stronger. I need to ace all my examinations. And, most of all, I need to master the most potent spells. But I have to start somewhere.

I've collected the souls required to speak with my dead father, and he's got a lot to tell me. Hopefully, what he has to say will help me succeed in the coming Mage Game Qualifiers. Because if I get through, then I'll finally find my mother's white staff.