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Dawn of the Lightbearer: Counsel of Steel- An Epic Dark Fantasy (Absolution of the Morning Star Book 1) Kindle Edition

4.4 out of 5 stars 13 ratings

An ancient blade buried in shadow. A forgotten legacy awakening in blood. Destiny is no gift—it's a curse.

Erikson Gray is no hero. He's a blacksmith's apprentice, a nameless boy toiling in the embers of a dying empire. But his quiet life is undone when he unearths Lightbearer, a sword of whispered malice. The blade carries a history of ruin—of kings and conquerors, of blood spilled in the name of power. And now, it has chosen him.

Thrust into a realm where trust is as fleeting as a flickering torch, Erik must navigate a web of ambition and betrayal. Aided by a ragtag band of knights, spies, and outcasts, he struggles to survive in a world that sees him as either a pawn or a threat. But the greatest danger may not be the enemies closing in—it may be the whispered counsel of Lightbearer itself, seeping into his mind, eroding the line between his will and the will of the blade.

Dawn of the Lightbearer begins a dark epic of cursed legacies, broken oaths, and the steep cost of power. In a land where fire tempers heroes and shadow unmakes them, Erik must decide what he will sacrifice—and which burdens he'll carry to the end.

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From the Publisher

The Characters

Erikson Gray

Erikson

Erikson Gray was just a blacksmith's apprentice working in his uncle's shop in the fringe of the Lucardian Empire until one day a bit of mischief and a mysterious stranger changes his life forever.

Brant of Norn

Brant

The emperor himself tasked Brant of Norn with an impossible mission, one that will ignite a journey that will take him and the young Erikson Gray through countless dangers and across the vast empire of Lucardia.

Jezelle

Jezelle

Jezelle is an excellent thief. Raised by the mean streets of Grafton Notch, she's smart, nimble, and knows how to take care of herself. In Erik, she sees something different than what she's used to, a gentle soul who can be a true friend and confidant.

Wendell the One Eye

Wendell

Wendell the One Eye is a smuggler, thief, and a man of opportunity. When he stumbles upon Brant and Erik, he knows that this is his chance to elevate himself to greatness.

The Characters

Agar

Agar

Agar may be rough around the edges, but he's a loyal soldier and would do anything for his friend Brant. Weak to a bit of drink, good food, and the roll off dice, he's still a man Brant can depend on.

Tristen

Tristen

Tristen of Houndshold comes from a family with a dark past, yet he managed to raise his station to sheriff off Grafton Notch. That will all change setting him on a journey of discovery.

Ishton

Ishton

Ishton of Bleakwharf was born of the sea and dreams of something more than following his father to a fishing boat. When an opportunity for adventure knocks on his gate one foggy morning, he jumps at the chance.

Nephilim

Nephilim

Once, an immortal race of giants ruled Lucardia and made humanity their slaves. To win their freedom, humanity took a great chance and captured one of God's chosen to harness its unlimited power. The human mages were successful and wiped the Nephilim from the land, but these demigods will not be forgotten.

The Land of Lucardia

Lucardia, Highwater

The land of Lucardia teeters on the verge of a scientific revolution, but ancient creatures, dark mysteries, and magic are not yet ready to release their hold. It is a land molded by war. Hemmed in by the cold wastes to the north, deserts to the east, the great Elderian Ocean to the West, and the stormy Sea of Styx to the south, the confined space breeds conflict. First, there was the war of freedom from the Nephilim, an ancient race of giants that acted like gods and treated humanity as their slaves. This was followed by the war of the five kingdoms after Sathanas the Wrathful, the first uniter, fell into insanity. The second war of the five saw a brief unification but soon fractured into the age of the Twelve Kingdoms. When Vesper the Uniter rose amongst the twelve to once again unite Lucarda under a single banner, the land was full of hope that an age of peace was at hand. That hope was squelched by the rebellion of Vesper's own sons. Vesper surmounted this great test but is now old and weak and in his inevitable passing, there is a great unknown before Lucardia. During this time of weakness, something wakes in the dark periphery looking to take back what humanity stole and will stop at nothing to see its former slaves wiped from the land.

The sword that unites them all

The sword Lightbearer

Whispering Long

The wise people of the forest say that all swords whisper, but some are louder than others. There is wisdom in this counsel of steel, but the blade, too, has its desires, making it a partisan advisor and therefore dangerous. Be wary. The sword shines in the sun but is only a mirror reflecting the greatness or folly of its wielder and nothing more.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Scott Austin Tirrell is a lover of the arcane who would choose a good crypt over a coffee shop. He finds solace in history and tales of yore sprinkled with a smidgen of nature's fury, long travel, and the thrill of the paranormal. His stories place ordinary and often flawed individuals in extraordinary situations that stretch beyond this physical plane. The human spirit's strength to reach greatness against incredible odds fascinates him, and thus, he is often a bit cruel with his protagonist. Certificates of study in psychology, history, and international relations gather dust on his wall, but he has found life to be the best stimuli for a good yarn.

Scott has published five works currently available- the
Island of Stone, a paranormal thriller, the Slaying of the Bull, a historical fantasy set in 1241, and his epic dark fantasy series, Absolution of the Morning Star. He lives with his wife in the Boston area, a place dripping with inspiration for someone who loves tales from the past and a good ghost story.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B095M5QRQD
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ July 2, 2021
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 2.6 MB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 478 pages
  • Page numbers source ISBN ‏ : ‎ B0988RFZ36
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 out of 5 stars 13 ratings

About the author

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Scott Tirrell
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Scott Austin Tirrell is known for his epic dark fantasy series Absolution of the Morning Star. He has always been fascinated by the spaces in between—the twilight hours when the world feels a little less certain, the moments when light and darkness blend into something neither, and the quiet truths whisper.

When Scott writes, it’s not just to tell a story but to explore the questions that haunt him. What if the afterlife wasn’t a release but a prison? What if the gods we revere are not saviors but jailers? What does redemption look like when you blur the lines between good and evil beyond recognition?

The messy, uncomfortable truths—the ones that gnaw at you when you’re alone, are what stimulate Scott. He plays with notions that power often comes at a price, that love can be as dangerous as hate, and that the path to salvation is rarely clear. He writes to understand why we sacrifice so much for the promise of light, even when the shadows feel more honest.

For Scott, storytelling is not about answers—it’s about opening doors. It’s about walking into the dark and daring to ask, What if? It’s about characters who wrestle with their demons and worlds where every truth has a cost.

If you’ve ever felt that pull—the sense that there’s more beneath the surface, that the world isn’t as black and white as it seems—then you and Scott just might be kindred spirits.

His upcoming book, Koen: Quills from the Raven’s Nest, a prequel to the Absolution of the Morning Star (AMS) series, is scheduled for publication by Grendel Press in 2025. The AMS series includes Dawn of the Lightbearer, The Mourning Son, Noonday in the North, Destiny of the Daystar, and the forthcoming Dusk of the Demon and Queen of the Knight. The Novice of Thanatos is also available, a first-person memoir set in the same world as Absolution of the Morning Star. This book follows eleven-year-old Mishal, a novice psychopomp in the Order of Thanatos, and is the first in a planned trilogy chronicling his spiritual growth, struggles with moral ambiguity, and the uncovering of dark secrets within the Order.

Scott lives with his wife in the Boston area.

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
13 global ratings

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Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on July 29, 2021
    I really enjoyed the dialog between characters. You really got to know the characters and wanted to follow them throughout the book. Although I am not a fantasy reader usually, I did enjoy the added descriptive parts that lets your imaginations run a little wild.
    3 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on March 17, 2023
    This was a wonderful mashup of history's hold on the current generation in this fantasy mash up of clans, wild landscapes, GOD's of old. Scacry wild woods, Nephilim wanting to get revenge by burning everything down. A famous Sword, that was thought gone forever, which impacts the forward tracjectory of the main charachter Erik Gresyon. The first book of this hero's journey that he doens't really want to be a part of.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on August 10, 2021
    Fun, irreverent, strong characters. Can't wait for book two.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on August 10, 2021
    Well written and gets your attention and sucks you in by the end of the first chapter. I am not an avid reader but I found it hard to put the book down. The story was very fast paced and just when you think you could figure out what is about to happen next bam the story twists. I can not wait for the next book
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on August 25, 2021
    An engrossing tale with complex and well thought-out characters.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on November 27, 2024
    My friend lent me the series, and I had the pleasure of reading them while on vacation. The storyline is very intriguing, and I highly recommend the series to others

Top reviews from other countries

  • FreyaPReviews
    5.0 out of 5 stars An epic tale!
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 31, 2023
    Dawn of the Lightbearer by Scott A Tirrell 4/5
    An epic tale! This book is populated by a cast of characters who are entertaining and flawed. From the sewers of Grafton Notch to the final shipwreck at the end, this story is unpredictable. Focusing more on stories within the world of Lucardia, rather than the usual sword action (though there is some of that too!), this is a different take on the fantasy epic. Well worth a read for all fantasy lovers. I’m looking forward to reading the next in the series!

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