Three warlocks, three intertwining paths, one epic fantasy world.
"AND I SHAN’T LEAVE HERE WITHOUT A SACRIFICE—I AM A GOD, NOT A PAWN TO BE USED IN YOUR PETTY MACHINATIONS. USE THE GRAND WARLOCK FOR YOUR INSIGNIFICANT GAMES, BUT YOU WILL NOT USE ME.”
The world lies on the brink of change. The Gods and Goddesses grow restless, tired of stagnation and stillness on the world of Sirus. The cycles of warfare, slavery, and disrespect do not just bore the deities: they offend them. And so three people will be chosen to herald a new Age of the world, to bring such radical change to the very fabric of societies everywhere that the deities will have their entertainment once again.
In three separate but connected acts, Ruxel, Elise, and Aethelius will follow their overlapping paths of growth to greatness. The deities pay close attention to those who weather tragedy and grief with the decision to grow stronger.
Act I
"DON’T SEARCH FOR SOME GREAT THING TO DO OR A WAR TO TAKE PART IN. ENOUGH FOOLISH YOUNG ELVES DIE SEARCHING FOR THEIR DYNED ON THE EDGE OF A BLADE.”
Innocence and family are fleeting things, often lost before appreciated fully. Ruxel, a young half-elf on the precipice of adulthood, had lived a simple life for twenty-two years, sheltered from the grim realities of the world. His village remains one of the only places in the world where elves and humans coexist as equals, not as master and slave. Plagued by listlessness and a desire to mark a name for himself, Ruxel discovers how fragile peace truly is: human raiders in the night--once noble in purpose but now evil in deed--come with fire and chains, leaving death and flame in their wake. His brother and father missing after the raid, and alongside a mysterious elf who had come to his village in the dead of night, Ruxel chases both the raiders and his destiny, eager to reach a destination he will always regret visiting.
Act II
"SHE LOOKED HOW SHE FELT: HER BIGGEST FEAR COME TRUE. A DECAYING, BROKEN WOMAN."
Powerlessness is a common taste to Elise. Centuries later, even though slavery had long since been abolished by the elves, humans were still treated as servants without rights by much of elven society. Elise, an aging human mercenary, has her life saved by an unlikely duo: it's unheard of for two noble elves to save the life of a human they do not know. Together with the only survivors of her company, a pair of elven twins, she must face a grim reality—life without her arm and leg, life without the only family she'd ever known. As she recovers both physically and emotionally, she reflects on the journey that had stolen the lives of those she had loved, and comes to find a new purpose for life in an unlikely place.
Act III
"HE’D DIE A RIGHTEOUS DEATH, AN HONORABLE DEATH. HE WAS FINE WITH DYING FOR THE CAUSE."
Death is a lover's embrace to an elf. Aethelius, an elven commando, is caught in the midst of a civil war that's tearing his country apart: racial tensions between humans and elves had been brewing in his country for centuries, and it was only a matter of time before all-out warfare occurred. Disowned from his family alongside his sister and nephew for fighting for the equality of humans everywhere, Aethelius finds himself stranded behind enemy lines with no allies except those under his command. His is a tale of survival and reconciliation in a war that had never been seen before, and through it all, Aethelius cannot help but to wonder: is he ready to die?
Reviews
KC Finn
Reviewed By K.C. Finn for Readers’ Favorite
The Three Warlocks: A Tragedy of Dust is a collection of fantasy fiction tales set in a faraway world, and was penned by author J. Flowers-Olnowich. Written for adults due to its mature violent content, this trilogy of separate but connected stories takes us across the magical realm of Rhydallia for some very different types of fantasy tale. We meet half-elf Ruxel as his hometown is shrouded by doom and gloom, then the aged Elise whose story is one of overcoming physical hardships and its mental repercussions. Then the elven warrior Aethelius narrates us through a devastating civil war that ends with a startling crescendo.
Tragic they may be, but boring they are never, as these superb tales from the mind of author J. Flowers-Olnowich attest. The fantasy landscaping of the magical continent, its politics and people is brilliantly done, with atmospheric language choices at every turn and fantastic dialogue which keeps the plot moving but also has its own unique style and parlance to Rhydallia itself. All of the tales have something very different to offer fantasy fans, but for me, the grim tale of Elise, who turns her life around, was by far the most meaningful and emotionally accomplished. Flowers-Olnowich has an innate sense of emotion and distress, bringing his characters to the brink of hopelessness before the plot twists off in a new direction. Overall, The Three Warlocks: A Tragedy of Dust is a highly recommended fantasy work for fans of the genre and those beyond.
Ruffina Oserio
Reviewed By Ruffina Oserio for Readers’ Favorite
The Three Warlocks: A Tragedy of Dust by J. Flowers-Olnowich is a compendium of three stories that are related, with a beautiful setting in the fantasy world of Rhydallia. The stories feature very powerful characters and creatures of magic, especially the elves, and these characters are thrust into challenging situations and must understand who they are and find their path amidst the chaos. Ruxel is a half-elf nearing manhood whose plans to seek his purpose in life are interrupted by a tragedy that strikes his town, and he finds himself defending his people — can his destiny be linked to fighting to keep his own people safe? Elise is saved from grave danger but ends up disfigured. Can her elven friends help her reconnect with a stronger purpose? Aethelius finds himself in a difficult situation, caught up in a civil war and surrounded by enemies. Can the elven commando and his unit find success against the mounting odds?
This is an interesting novel with great potential for entertainment and fans of fantasy will enjoy the ride. The characters are extraordinary — those seemingly ordinary people who are transformed by challenging and difficult situations. I loved the author’s exploration of the theme of purpose, of finding one’s destiny. There is a restlessness in the key characters that pushes them to look past their mundane experiences to seek something higher than themselves. The setting is an imaginary world that is well-defined and the author does an incredible job in filling it with strong imagery. J. Flowers-Olnowich writes with clarity and the crisp prose makes for an enjoyable reading experience. The Three Warlocks: A Tragedy of Dust features tales with deeper meanings and characters that will inspire readers to see the light hidden in their darkest moments.
Lit Amri
Reviewed By Lit Amri for Readers’ Favorite
Set in the magical continent of Rhydallia, The Three Warlocks (A Tragedy of Dust) by J. Flowers-Olnowich is divided into three Acts. Act I: The Renstone is about a young half-elf Ruxel Vyrlann, who lives a peaceful life in the town of Tegalel. Everything changes when a group of murderous humans strikes his hometown. Under the guidance and help from an exiled elven princess, Ruxel’s quest to save his loved ones leads him to his destiny. This first act lays down the foundation that the story doesn’t unequivocally constitute heroes and villains, as both elves and humans are at fault in causing and worsening the conflict between them.
The character-driven Act II: The Hylstone takes place 1,000 years after Act I. Several other races are introduced; the dragon-like lakrale, dwarf, orc, the tree-like alderian, and the crystalline-skinned Vytral. Forty-nine-year-old human Elise is an aging mercenary who lost half her arm and leg. She and the surviving members of The Third Fang, elven twins Vaethyl and Aethen, were saved by elven nobles. Recuperating in peace, Elise is the centerpiece of the story, where adventure and action are provided through her memories of when The Third Fang was forced to join the expedition to the Isle of Letell by their captors. The protagonists’ anger, guilt, and sadness are affecting, and Elise’s ultimate fate made this second act my favorite.
Act III: The Vaelstone is 160 years after Elise’s tale. More beings are revealed to readers, mythical creatures such as the griffins. The story focuses on Aethelius Valentus Florentian, who’s part of the rebellion against the elven loyalists, a war that divides his country. When he's certain that his death is near, a deity intervenes and changes his fate. Overall, The Three Warlocks has an imaginative premise and a well-thought-out structure. The plot has a steady pace with well-described and suspenseful action scenes. The narrative and dialogue have more contemporary tone and expressions than I expected but, nonetheless, this is a solid, enjoyable read for fantasy fans.
Casey
Amazon Customer
Imaginative, fun fantasy
This is not the genre that I typically read, but I thoroughly enjoyed the 3 intertwining stories. The stories get more imaginative as they go on. The second may have been my favorite with the look back into time that built up to where the story tellers ended up. I loved the colorful characters, such as Vaethyl, and the interaction with "beasts" such as the griffin. I appreciated having the glossary in the back for unfamiliar words.
The Style of TTW
The Three Warlocks is a high fantasy novel, in a renaissance-style setting. Magic takes the role of technology, allowing the inhabitants of this world many luxuries afforded to us. This is not a world of simple-minded people: they understand biology, chemistry, engineering, mathematics, etc.
Each Act of The Three Warlocks is written in a different style.
Act I reads like a hero's journey as well as a coming-of-age story, inspired by classic fantasy tales.
LGBTQ characters take the forefront of Act II, the most character-driven one. In it, we see the characters struggle with overcoming loss and finding love.
Act III is the story of a civil war near its climax, about survival in a hostile environment and racial relations.
Each Act of TTW is its own story, with its own beginning and ending. You do not have to read the first Act to enjoy the second, and you do not have to read them in order.
TTW contains graphic language and violence.
The Setting
Rhydallia is the continent in the southwestern hemisphere of Sirus. The story takes place in Central Rhydallia, home to various countries and nationalities: the Kingdom of Elvaenia, the Colony of Lareaux, the Jarlship of Svobold, the Sultanate of Hazzyn, the Queendom of Dwarffyn, and the Tribes of The Wildlands.
The events of The Three Warlocks are mostly focused in Elvaenia and Lareaux. Notable locations can be found on the map to the right