The Magnificent Maron Maloney

An Elina Hogsbreath Story

By: Russell Mickler

Narrated by: Virtual Voice

From the author of Aevalorn Tales comes a dark fantasy story about holding on to the power of imagination.

When a flamboyant magical showman arrives in the quaint halfling hamlet of Pondaroak to perform at the local inn, the whole town is excited to see his show. Perhaps none more so than Elina Hogsbreath, a hedge witch and the gracious proprietor of the Swindle & Swine, anxiously busy to ensure everything goes off without a hitch.

Elina uses everyday kitchen magic during the show's height to quell wide-eyes and hungry appetites, but she’s too busy to notice the obvious. Something dark is afoot, and when her assistant, Benzie, discovers a terrifying secret that can’t be ignored, she doesn’t take him seriously. Can Benzie convince Elina of the danger before it’s too late?

Fans of Brandon Sanderson, Travis Baldtree, and S. L. Rowland will find this light-hearted dark fantasy touches on the need for imagination and the power of community yet offers deep—sometimes grim—themes of identity, freedom, and exploitation. It invites readers into a fantastical world of magic and possibility yet reminds us that nothing is truly what it seems.