Start With the Series Built for Serious Epic Fantasy Readers
If you've read the authors that define modern epic fantasy — Sanderson, Abercrombie, Rothfuss, Weeks — and you're looking for something that meets you at that level, start here. Sword of Sacrifice is Book 1 of the Blade of Hylon series, and it is the book that best demonstrates what Clayton's writing is actually capable of.
The premise: the kingdoms of Man have enslaved the gods, using their divine flesh to forge weapons and armor of extraordinary power. Into this world comes Damian — a seventeen-year-old with a paralyzed arm, a murdered father, and no idea that he is a reborn god. The Keepers have begun the Hunt.
It is PG-13 in tone and appropriate for readers 14 and up. The prologue alone — an infected woman carrying a plague-wrapped infant through cursed mines to give him a chance at life — is worth the price of admission. The magic system has genuine internal logic. The combat has technical precision. The villains are not cartoonishly evil. They believe completely in what they're doing. That is what makes them terrifying.
New to epic fantasy entirely, or want something lighter to start? The Runic Series (Runic Awakening, Book 1) is an excellent entry point — same quality, more accessible pacing. Both series stand completely alone.
Sword of Sacrifice
The Blade of Hylon Series · Book One
