"For every man who claims he’s the best, another stands eager to prove him wrong. It comes down to this: you will retrieve what I seek, or someone else will. And be assured that your kingdom will remember those who answered the call to service…and those who did not."
—Vidimir Tefu in Heroes of Time Legends: Murdoch's Choice

Heroes of Time Legends: The Healer

AVAILABLE NOW!

The exciting "Heroes of Time" prequel volume starring Fulgar Geth, the fan-favorite healer and spiritual guide from Murdoch's Choice, is now available!

Heroes of Time Legends: Murdoch's Shadow

The epic, thrilling sequel to Murdoch's Choice!

AVAILABLE NOW in paperback, hardcover, and ebook!

"Your ancestor, Captain, played a large role in ending the Shadow Age. You, all these thousands of years later, may have brought it back upon us."

-Wulfe

Captain Zale "the Gale" Murdoch made his choice.  Now he must face the consequences. 

Following their quest for the mythical Grimstone, Zale, his daughter Starlina, and the entire crew find their home town of Warvonia in a dire state. Once a major sea hub, the harbor is in ruin, covered in life-threatening darkfrost. High Count Vidimir Tefu, Zale's former client, will stop at nothing to restore the full might of Void, what he views as the kingdom's salvation. Ancient forces and sorcery from the Shadow Age itself are rallied against Zale, his crew, and his home.

Meanwhile, as Starlina Murdoch witnesses both her father and her fiance, Jensen fall to the Shadow's devices, she must find strength within herself she never knew existed to take up her father's quest for the Eye of Shi'kha, all the while wondering if she will ever see Jensen or her father again.

Can Zale, Starlina, and the motley crew of Murdoch's Mates recover the darkest, once-concealed powers of Void and Shadow and hope to control them before it's too late?

Murdoch's Shadow is approximately twice the length of Murdoch's Choice, and takes the adventure—and the stakes—to a whole new level!

Meet the Characters

Captain Zale "the Gale" Murdoch

Seafaring merchant extraordinaire...swashbuckling scallawag...loving Pop-Pop.

Captain Murdoch is one of the most successful seafaring merchants in the prestigious mercantile guild of Warvonia.  He and his crew specialize in the retrieval of high-value cargoes for top-paying clients, often including officials of the kingdom.

When not sailing the seas, Zale enjoys spending time with his wife, Lola, and Lola's granddaughters, who all know him as a playful, fun-loving Pop-Pop.  Often the children will gather round as Zale tells tales of his many great adventures, stories of the seas, and rhymes from his childhood.

Zale has had a rocky relationship with his own daughter, Starlina, who grew up resenting her father's love for an occupation that frequently kept him away from home.

Zale Murdoch—the man, the scourge, the legend!

Rakakeetacha (aka Boomer)

Rakakeetacha is a red-panda anthropod who gets tangled up with Zale during one of his adventures.  Zale gave him the nickname "Boomer," because it was much easier to say.

Boomer's speech is very broken and difficult for most to comprehend.  Zale is one of the few who is able to understand.

He's an aggressive fighter and a sure shot with his miniature crossbow.

Despite being a little hellion, Boomer is extremely loyal and capable of affection.  He's also capable of ripping off your face.

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See also the Murdoch's Shadow project page.

About Book One: Murdoch's Choice

The Inspiration Behind Captain Murdoch

Zale is a character very near and dear to my heart.  His larger-than-life personality, mannerisms, and overall way of speaking are based on a bygone friend, colleague, and member of the family named Daniel "Skip" Person.  Skip and I had a ton of fun traveling the world together and sharing life with the family.  He was a goofy and loving "Pop-Pop" to my kids.  He passed of a rare lung disease in December 2018 at the far-too-young age of 61.

I actually intended to create a character in the "Heroes of Time" world based on Skip a while before he passed.  Starting a little over a year before the disease took him, we actively brainstormed this character together.  It was Skip who came up with the idea that he should be captain of his own crew.  Skip came up with the name Zale "the Gale" Murdoch, offering Augustus Macpherson as an alternative.  Somewhere in the course of that, we conjured up a fiesty red-panda sidekick.  I so dearly wish he could be here today to see the results.  I'm sure that now, from the Ethereal Realm, he looks down upon it with a riotous grin.

Zale, of course, develops as his own character, but this real-life inspiration is very much present within, from the loving Pop-Pop to the rascally scallawag.  So, raise your ale in tribute to the man, the scourge, the legend!  Skip, living on vicariously as Zale Murdoch.

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