My name is Dorian Hart, and I am extremely grateful  to The Fantasy Hive for allowing me to unveil the cover for my upcoming book, The Adversary’s Hand.

The Adversary’s Hand is the 5th and final book in my Heroes of Spira series, a classic fantasy saga about a hodgepodge team of would-be heroes constantly out of their depth.

I can’t share the entire blurb without massive spoilers for the previous book(s), but I think it’s safe to share this bit: 

“…With the world of Spira in dire peril once more, the heroes must make an impossible journey beneath the Iron Barrier, pursuing agents of the Black Circle who seek to unleash the greatest evil power ever to plague the cosmos. In this final volume of The Heroes of Spira, Horn’s Company will face monstrous creatures, explore ancient temples and mysterious ruins, confront gods both living and dead, and show valiant resolve in the darkest depths.”

(Please excuse the bombastic and over-the-top nature of the book’s contents—it is the final volume of an epic fantasy series, after all!)

The Heroes of Spira is hopeful quest fantasy, featuring flawed but likeable heroes you can cheer for, lots of magic, some bizarre and wondrous locations, a villain with an excellent moustache, talking gemstones, a dragon, an unflappable butler, dream-walking, gods, monsters, a dash of romance, an unexpectedly large turtle, an intelligent telepathic cat, mysterious enchanted objects, baffling prophecies that end up making sense, and evil mathematicians —among other things and not necessarily in that order.


Here’s the cover for The Adversary’s Hand, painted and designed by the inimitable Gareth Hinds.

I have always been a big fan of Gareth, a fellow best known for his graphic novel adaptations of Greek epics and the works of Shakespeare. I’ve been delighted with his work on the covers for the Heroes of Spira; his lovely paintings evoke a feeling of “old school” classic fantasy, which is exactly what I’m writing! Each one depicts a scene from the story inside, and I think they do a great job of instilling a feeling of “Cool, I can’t wait to get to that scene and find out what’s happening.” Like some of the previous covers, this one signals that you’re getting an ensemble cast. 

The first four books—The Ventifact Colossus, The Crosser’s Maze, The Greatwood Portal, and The Infinite Tower—are available on Amazon. The Adversary’s Hand should be published in late February or March. (Fingers crossed!)

What readers are saying about The Heroes of Spira:

“One of the most original epic fantasy journeys I have ever read…It’s adventure on a grand scale with an unforgettable group of characters. It’s everything we love about Wheel of Time but packed into five books.”  – Dyrk Ashton, author of the Paternus trilogy.

“…reminds me why fantasy is my favorite genre. Read this series for an escape into a fantastic new world, peopled with some of the best characters you’ll ever meet.” – Witty and Sarcastic Book Club

 “Wonderful characters, immersive setting, and a compelling narrative.” – Rusty’s Reads

“Holy sh*t! This epic fantasy is completely captivating!” –A Voracious Reader