_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Who is Chris Adams?

Chris Adams is an epic fantasy author and lifelong reader who has been immersed in fantasy and science fiction since childhood. He is the author of Sword of Vengeance, a classic-inspired epic fantasy novel written over the past ten years and published in June 2025. It features magic, knights, dark forces, and a world shaped by ancient events, adventure stories told to his two children and a childhood love of roleplaying games and great fantasy and sci fi book and movies.

He is also a business leader with a career spanning store operations, merchandising, analytics, organizational design and finance in large retail organizations and is currently writing a business book focused on analytics and leadership, sharing lessons learned from decades of experience in retail.

Chris also co-authored two children’s picture books: Alice the Barn Kitten and Oscar’s Guide to Getting a Horse Ready to Ride, with his daughter Molly inspired by her love of animals including barn cats and horses. The second book includes commentary from their dog, Oscar, who was born on a horse farm.

·         Fiction including fantasy and epic fantasy, with a strong influence from classic sword-and-sorcery adventures. His work focuses on immersive worldbuilding, heroic journeys, moral choices, and the timeless struggle between good and evil. His two children’s books co-written with his daughter were a lot of fun to create stories together.

·         Next up is Business & Analytics Nonfiction, focusing on data-driven decision making, leadership, and real-world lessons from retail operations, merchandising, analytics, and finance roles. He has written several LinkedIn articles on these topics and spoken about developing people and the use of data & analytics at industry conferences. He hopes to release his first business book focusing on analytic thinking in 2026.

This blend of creative storytelling and a mindset of problem-solving shapes both his fiction and nonfiction work.

Where can I buy Sword of Vengeance or the author’s other books?

Sword of Vengeance, Alice the Barn Kitten & Oscar’s Guide to Getting a Horse Ready to Ride are all available on Amazon in paperback, Kindle, and Kindle Unlimited formats. Links can be found directly on Talvoti.com, the official author website.

What inspired Chris Adams to start writing fantasy?

Chris has been an avid reader since childhood… so much so that he was often caught reading during class. Growing up reading classic fantasy novels and sci-fi stories and watching Star Wars and other great movies n these genres sparked a lifelong dream to create worlds of his own and share epic adventures with readers.

How did Chris Adams begin his journey as an author?

Before writing epic fantasy, Chris co-wrote two children’s books with his daughter. Fantasy, however, has always been his favorite genre because of its creativity, emotional depth, and ability to explore real-world themes through imaginative storytelling. He had always wanted to tell his own stories and started writing Sword of Vengeance almost ten years ago as a “Saturday side project” then slowly iterated through draft after draft until it was ready to be released in June 2025. Readers and reviewers have enjoyed his debut fiction novel, and he hopes to share more stories both set in the world of Figuria and beyond.  

Which authors influenced Sword of Vengeance?

Chris draws inspiration from many classic and modern fantasy and sci-fi authors, including Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman, Mercedes Lackey, R.A. Salvatore, David Eddings, George Lucas, Brandon Sanderson, Brent Weeks, and many others. These influences are reflected in the novel’s epic scope, party-based adventure, and taking the time to create deep background lore.

What is Chris Adams’ writing process?

Chris typically writes early on Saturday mornings, using the quiet time before his family wakes up. This consistent routine helped him balance writing an epic fantasy novel alongside a full-time career although it does mean that the next book always takes longer than he might prefer!

Does Chris Adams outline his fantasy novels?

Initially, Sword of Vengeance began with a very loose plan, almost like he was the dungeon master to his characters if they were in a classic Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) type adventure letting the characters “choices” inspire the direction of where to go next. This went rather slow but once a detailed outline and full synopsis were created, the writing process became much faster and more focused, especially important for managing a complex epic fantasy narrative. He has written out a full outline for a sequel which he hopes to start progressing on once his business book is completed.

How does Chris overcome writer’s block?

Stepping away, spending time with family, taking walks, and returning with fresh perspective are key strategies. Writing from the character’s point of view, rather than the author’s, also helps keep the story authentic. He honed this approach making up adventures together with his son sitting on the floor acting them out with action figures and trying to make it interesting by thinking about how each character would react in a situation rather than how the author might.

What is Sword of Vengeance about?

Sword of Vengeance is an epic fantasy novel following Guardian Knight Gerald Caelen on his first true mission. Gerald grew up within the remote northern castle of the Guardian Knights after his family was slain by evil forces when he was a child. He has been training relentlessly since that day with the goal of protecting others from such pain and loss.

What begins as a rescue to save a captured prince quickly becomes a desperate race against time to stop immortal warrior-mage Adrian Zartun, whose fall from grace unleashed devastating consequences on the world. The fate of the remaining free lands rests on whether a small group of knights, wizards, and a mysterious female assassin can stand against overwhelming darkness and defeat long odds on a mission deep behind enemy lines.

Not every hero will survive as they face relentless foes, cunning traps and must discover long forgotten secrets. It is inspired by the classic fantasy adventures the author grew up loving but with a few unexpected twists and even a trip beyond the world of Figuria into the realm of Death, the Underworld and the afterlife for some of the heroes.  

Is Sword of Vengeance an epic fantasy or high fantasy novel?

Yes. Sword of Vengeance is firmly rooted in epic fantasy with some high fantasy elements, featuring a fully realized world, ancient magic, undead monsters, legendary figures, large-scale consequences, and a battle between good and evil that affects the fate of the world. It reads as standalone novel and adventure but sets the stage for potential future follow up excursions into a richly detailed world. At its heart it is about a party of adventurers on a desperate quest against time but some surprises await the reader later in the book that put a few twists on that classic type of story.

What fantasy tropes are featured in Sword of Vengeance?

Sword of Vengeance intentionally embraces beloved classic fantasy tropes, making it a great fit for readers who love traditional epic adventures:

• Hero’s Journey: Gerald Caelen grows from an inexperienced knight into a tested hero with trials and challenges along the way. A Goodreads reviewer called it a “classic coming of age fantasy story”.

• Ancient, Forgotten Magic: Long-buried power resurfaces with dangerous consequences. The title of the book has a meaning that ties it into this.

• Dark Lord / Ultimate Evil: A corrupted immortal warrior-mage threatens the world. Yes, you have likely seen that concept before quite a few times, but readers have found Adrian Zartun’s arc unexpected and quite satisfying. A NetGalley Reviewer said it best: “As a prolific lover of villains, I can say this one was an absolute joy to read about. I despised him, adored him, and couldn’t look away.”

• Quest Against Time: The heroes must act before irreversible destruction occurs. There are real stakes here, as the dark festival of Garaknee when Zartun intends to sacrifice the captive prince in exchange for ultimate power gets closer and closer the tension continues to ramp up.

• Party of Heroes: Knights, wizards, and allies with differing motivations unite. They may not all trust each other, but they all need to work together to succeed.  

• Good vs. Evil: A clear moral struggle with difficult personal choices. This isn’t all gray areas like some more modern tales. Not everyone is tinged with darkness like in a Games of Thrones type modern fantasy tale, although fans of that type of story greatly enjoyed the worldbuilding here. There are some bad people in this story as well as people trying to do good.

• Sacrifice and Redemption: Characters face the cost of their decisions and past failures. We see the burden of the past but also the agency of the individual to take action and make a difference.

These tropes are woven together in a way that honors the classic fantasy adventures Chris grew up reading while adding modern twists and emotional depth.

What themes are explored in the novel?

Major themes include honor, vengeance, loyalty, redemption, sacrifice, and the ripple effects of past decisions. Both large world-shaping events and small personal choices play critical roles in the story. Using your wits and what you have learned to solve problems that strength alone cannot defeat is also a major recurring theme.

There is medieval and magical violence, but it isn't graphic or spicy as the author wanted to feel good about letting his teenage son & daughter read what he wrote. Some supporting characters do die during the quest. The suggested audience as 12+ based on that with many older readers saying it reminded them of the classic fantasy they grew up reading.

Is Sword of Vengeance part of a series?

Short answer: No Not Yet but hopefully at some point. While Sword of Vengeance can be enjoyed as a standalone epic fantasy novel, it is set in a richly developed world with extensive history, leaving room for future stories and adventures.

Reader Engagement & Extras

How can readers follow Chris Adams or stay updated?

Readers can subscribe to the newsletter on Talvoti.com and follow Chris Adams on social media (including TikTok and Facebook under Talvoti) for updates on future books, events, and behind-the-scenes worldbuilding insights.

Is Chris Adams a full-time author?

Chris works full-time, and writing books is currently a passion project pursued during weekends. Like many authors, his love for storytelling drives him to create worlds readers can escape into.

Who would enjoy Sword of Vengeance?

This book is ideal for readers who enjoy:

• Classic epic fantasy adventures

• Sword-and-sorcery storytelling

• Party-based quests

• Deep Lore and worldbuilding

• Heroes facing impossible odds

If you grew up reading traditional fantasy and want a modern epic that feels familiar yet fresh, Sword of Vengeance is for you. If you have never read a fantasy novel or want to give someone one as a gift this is an easily accessible standalone book that you and other readers can enjoy.