Through the Wildwood (The Legend of Vanx Malic)

A half-zythian bard named Vanx is in slave chains for bedding the Duchess of Highlake. The Duke wants him dead. This is bad news, for bad things can happen to an ill guarded slave caravan in the mountains. When the duke's men attack to kill the adulterous prisoner, all hell breaks loose, leaving Vanx only one way to go... Through the Wildwood.

The author keeps on surprising me with creative plot twists, compelling new characters and strong dialogue. It's filled with vivid imagery and action/drama rich writing that really sets a thrilling tone throughout the novel. From beginning to end I had a fun time reading and really couldn't have put this book down even if I wanted to. --  PipLou TOP 1000 AMAZON REVIEWER

"The author's style is individual, but it has the flavor of a Tolkien novel, or possibly Robert Jordan. I detected a great amount of affection in his deliverance of the characters, and their progress throughout the story was handled well. I must say that Vanx is quite a likeable rogue, and the way that the story begins certainly grabs the reader, pulling them into the story whether they like it, or not." 
-- Kindle Review (*Review of Through the Wildwood, Book One)
Look for book five, "The Legend of Vanx Malic - Trigon Daze" in the spring of 2015. 

"You've (Mathias) already achieved much, much more than so many people who like to think of themselves as writers." -- @Gollancz The Deputy Publishing Director of SF, Fantasy & Horror list of the Orion Publishing Group.

The magic Mathias weaves is evident here and re-reading book one, after completing the series only demonstrates how meticulously he sets his stage, outlines in his characters, the manner in which the entire series will play out... keeps us eager to continue. He is a very skilled fantasy writer - be sure to follow the entire series. Some readers may have difficulty with the names at first, but remember this is fantasy and no easy common name would be suitable. Mathias knows exactly how to weave a spell that entraps us from book to book. -- Grady Harp, Hall of Fame, Vine Voice, Reviewer.

In the usual signature of the author, A Gossamer Lens features beautiful writing, infused with eye-catching descriptions that capture intense action, explore the thoughts and emotions of the characters, and paint the setting in the minutest detail. The words leap off the pages like magic, and they create a vision in the reader's mind of the world they evoke. This is a work of great entertainment. --  Christian Sia for the 2017 Readers' Favorite Book Awards