“Love is that condition in which the happiness of another person is essential to your own.”
― Robert A. Heinlein, Stranger in a Strange LandHello everyone,
This is Josh. I’m thrilled to announce that I’ve officially resumed work on my book series, Neverseek. This is a project I first conceptualized back in 2009, and after setting it aside in 2011, I’m diving back into this world that has become so extensive it demands to be explored through a series of novels.
This world is incredibly personal to me. Many of you from my old Minecraft server, Hammarecraft, will even recognize the map—a time I hold very close to my heart. Those nearest to me, including my younger brother Zach, know how much this story means to us. It feels amazing to finally bring Neverseek and its inner workings to life.
A World of Steam, Steel, and Song
The world of Neverseek is a unique blend of medieval society, burgeoning steampunk technology, and a complex, dangerous magic system. The nations exist in a state of technological stasis, caught between eras. On one hand, you have the great powers like the Romatelan Empire, which fields disciplined legions and heavy infantry much like a medieval army. On the other, the rival Empire of Petra is on the verge of a true steampunk era, with clockwork automatons, steam-powered armor suits, and ornate blimps held aloft by “Lattice Resonators”.
This advancement is held in check by a “Great Filter”; the only source of rare metals needed for advanced tech comes from “sky-metal” falling from the heavens, and the world’s broken terraforming grid makes delicate electronics impossible.
Magic itself is not mystical, but a fusion of two powerful sources: the Lattice, a damaged network of planetary terraforming technology, and the Song, the native psychic energy of the world. This fusion allows magic-users, known as Artisans, to specialize in specific disciplines. The Dwarves practice the ‘Way of the Stone’ (Geomancy), while Petran Technomancers build machines powered by raw magical energy.
Our Story Begins in Gideon
The first book transports you to the isolated Kingdom of Gideon. Shielded by a near-impassable ring of treacherous mountains known as the Abyssal Circle, the people of Gideon live in a pocket of civilization blessed with immense plains and a massive freshwater lake. Their cities are a fusion of practicality and art, with murals adorning public walls and rooftop gardens dotting the skyline. Unknown to the outside world, they rely on a stagnant level of steam technology—a legacy of a forgotten golden age—used to power everything from railways to the city’s complex aqueducts. Their culture is a unique blend of Latino and Polish norms, reflected in everything from their fiery gulasz to their potent brandy, “Serce”.
Meet the Protagonists
In this seemingly idyllic kingdom, we will meet our two protagonists:
- Zofia Nowak, a 17-year-old woman on the verge of an arranged marriage. She carries a terrifying secret: she has begun hearing whispers and voices in her head, a phenomenon she doesn’t know is called “Song Bleed”. This is an uncontrolled influx of magical energy, which in Gideon, where formal magic training is non-existent, is misunderstood as insanity. Haunted by the fates of her grandmothers—one who suffered the “Whispering Sickness” (Song Bleed) and another the “Stone-Curse” (Lattice Strain)—Zofia fears she is destined for the same fate.
- Marek Nowak, Zofia’s 15-year-old brother, who is currently enduring Gideon’s mandatory military training. Unlike his peers, Marek is not filled with dreams of glory; instead, he is plagued by anxiety about the grim reality of patrolling the monster-infested plains of the Great Lush. He is deeply protective of his sister and feels the absence of their late father, a man whose death is more mysterious than his children realize.
The Forgotten Horror
For centuries, Gideon has been safe. The horrifying Hiv’erik—fast, venomous, six-legged predators that hunt in swarms—have been subdued, becoming mere figures of legend. But they never truly vanished. Now, as the people of Gideon have grown complacent, the Hiv’erik are re-emerging to haunt a kingdom that has forgotten what it means to be afraid.
I can’t wait to share the first novel in this series with all of you!
See you on the flip side,
Josh