We’re thrilled to reveal the striking cover for Fury of a Demon, the conclusion to Brian Naslund’s Dragons of Terra trilogy. Fury of a Demon is due to be released on 2nd September, by Tor UK.

 Before we show you all the cover, here’s the official blurb:

“The war against Osyrus Ward goes poorly for Bershad and Ashlyn. They are pinned in the Dainwood by monstrous alchemical creations and a relentless army of mercenaries, they are running out of options and allies. The Witch Queen struggles with her new powers, knowing that the secret of unlocking her dragon cord is key to stopping Ward’s army, she pushes forward with her experiments. Meanwhile, with every wound Bershad suffers, he gets closer to losing his humanity forever, and as the war rages, the exile turned assassin turned hero isn’t even sure if being human is something he wants.“

How awesome does that sound?! Now take a look at the cover and read our interview with Brian below. 

Cover design by http://blacksheep-uk.com/ 

Wow Brian, what a stunning cover to end the trilogy on! What was your reaction when you saw the final image?

I loved it immediately! The jaguar iconography has been a through line for the entire trilogy—and plays a large part in Fury of a Demon in particular—so I was thrilled to see it appear in all its primal glory.

What can readers expect to find in this conclusion to the Dragons of Terra?

One thing that I really enjoyed about writing Fury of a Demon is that all the characters—both major and minor—are pressed together into a pretty spicy crucible. Old friends who didn’t see one another in Sorcery of a Queen meet again (as do old enemies), and characters who had no knowledge of each other are suddenly thrust together.

 We also get to spend quite a bit more time in the Dainwood jungle, which is teeming with dragons, warriors, and monstrous abominations created by Osyrus Ward.

Ooh I’ve been looking forward to seeing more of the Dainwood jungle!

 And, lastly, it wouldn’t be a Dragons of Terra book without plenty of swordfights in the woods and vulgar campfire banter.  

Absolutely!

Over the course of the trilogy which aspects did you enjoy writing the most? Did you come across any stumbling blocks such as a difficult chapter, or a character arc?

My favorite part has always been writing dialogue and honing character dynamics. This was especially fun in Fury of a Demon because I’d been writing the same characters for such a long time that writing those scenes felt more like hanging out with old friends than struggling to “create” or whatever you want to call it. I’ve started working on something new recently, and I’ve found that I quite miss that familiarity, which can only be built up over years of work.

As for stumbling blocks, yikes. There were more than a few! I tended to have a chapter midway-ish through Part I of each book that gave me trouble. It was those “set up” situations where a lot of options get opened or closed within the space of a few pages, so it took a lot of careful planning there.

And I always rewrite my endings a bunch. That’s less a struggle and more just wanting to get them exactly right. 

How did you feel when you finished writing the last chapter of Fury of Demon? Is it hard saying goodbye to these characters and this world?

Since I rewrite my endings so many times, I will walk you through the first and last time that I “finished” Fury of a Demon.

First Time: I began crying uncontrollably in a crowded bar. I think the waiter thought I’d been dumped or a relative had died.

Last Time: This was almost exactly a year later, and I’d been working on the ending for nearly a month. As soon as I finished, I ordered an extra-large pizza, cracked open a beer, and watched like five hours of ER re-runs (I find hospital drama extremely comforting).

…oh, and then I cried again.

Well now you have me preparing to cry too!

And lastly, what do you hope readers will take away from your books?

In terms of a broader theme, my books definitely have an environmental slant that is particularly focused on the interconnectedness of all living creatures, which sounds a little “hippy-dippy” when phrased like that, but I do believe there’s value in seeing and appreciating that aspect of our world.  

On a simpler level, I just hope that people enjoy reading the characters as much as I enjoyed writing them. Even though I consistently put my characters into pretty horrific situations, there’s also a huge amount of loyalty, warmth, and affection between them. I feel like whether you’re slaying dragons in Terra or just trying to make your way through our own crazy world, having those friendships is what makes life truly magical.

That’s exactly what I love about your books, the heartfelt friendships!

Oh no, now I’m crying again!!

Thank you, Brian. 

Brian is an American fantasy author. Blood of an Exile is his debut novel, and the first in The Dragons of Terra series. The sequel, Sorcery of a Queen, will be published in August, 2020.

Brian grew up in Maryland but hates crab-cakes. He now lives in Colorado.

When he’s not writing, he’s usually griping about video games on Twitter, hiking with his dog, Lola, or whitewater kayaking in the mountains. The last activity makes his mother very nervous.