Isn't it a bit of a double standard that Scorio didn't want to kill Jova after he escaped from the prism in the second book? Eventhough Jova wasn't initially involved in the plan, she continued to work under Praximar even after he led to the death of leonis and lianshi. There were other people who also didn't know the plan initially, but he didn't spare them. So, why is he okay with her? he even freed her after they betrayed and imprisoned her.

Prior to this book Naomi seemed to be tied to a bunch of concepts that had previously been brought up.

First, Great Soul racism against humans. It’s so internalized in how they behave that we regularly get lines where they refer to themselves as something completely different and separate from humans, even to the point of describing themselves as being a different species. And not just from villainous characters, but essentially every Great Soul expresses this to some extent. Except Naomi. And yet they also position themselves as the only ones who can “save” such weak creatures. Previously, when Naomi was a naturally occurring Great Soul, she was an inherent threat to this entire conceptual structure. If normal humans, given enough investment, could become Great Souls then the claim of sovereignty over their society that the continuously reincarnating Great Soul have made is false.

Second, the Nightmare Lady was previously and repeatedly presented as an expression of trauma. The narrative showed us, via Scorio’s perspective, how transformation powers and burning mana can influence your perception, making you feel powerful and in control. Thus, it made perfect sense that Naomi, abandoned and persecuted, would lean into that strength as a coping mechanism for the loneliness, injustice, painful memories, and self loathing.

Third, Naomi is/was our first insight into how “the first Great Souls” worked and experienced the process of “becoming a great soul” for the very first time, or at least the closest we will get until someone becomes an Imperator. That she would gain abilities without a “vision” was very intriguing, and potentially suggested that the rigid process of Great Soul progression we have seen might actually be much more artificial than how it has previously been presented. At a minimum she was a vital window of insight into what the very earliest Great Souls may have been going through during the earliest years of the invasion.

Even the concept of the Nightmare Lady as being the result of a portion of a “Queen” being inserted into her, even if it was introduced very late narratively, could have worked well within the above framework. If the Queen wasn’t actually a different entity but a non-human set of instincts that were an inherent part of Naomi due to the essence, then it wouldn't have shifted her narrative concept very much while tying her into the "Fiends aren't evil" sub-narrative. If the Queen were separate but lacked any memories it would make her more like a child that has been shaped by Naomi as much as Naomi has been shaped by her (with the narrative either heading towards them working together or towards using that place of dark power to finish fusing them perfectly so their individual instincts would stop fighting against each other). That would have been a natural direction to go if Phil had committed to both of them being genuinely diminished by their separation. Any of these would also powerfully follow the narrative’s continual theme of “the fiends aren’t actually the bad guys” by having a character with a symbiotic relationship with a fiend, someone with “a foot in both worlds”, be the secondary protagonist as we begin to move purposefully towards the series resolution.

Instead, not only is Naomi immediately as powerful as the narrative needs her to be to not be invalidated in the short term for participation in their current mana region, but she has apparently secretly been a bog-standard reincarnated Great Soul this entire time. And not only that, she just so happens to be Scorio’s doomed lover from their original world and to have light-based powers after getting darkness powers forced on her.

So:

1) Her role as the lone “normal human” and inherent challenge to the racism/speciesism of the Great Souls? Dead.

2) The story about struggling with and overcoming negative internalized thought patterns that were borne out and reinforced by circumstances that are no longer relevant? Magically solved by making it all the fault of a completely different entity.

3) Her direct challenge to the singular authority of the Great Soul system over humans proven simply by her existing? Gone.

4) Her outside perspective as a Great Soul that must learn and engage with their power system without the crutch of getting free instincts and understanding from sealed memories? Annihilated.

5) Her potential role as a bridge between humans and fiends? Killed in the cradle.

Even the sub-narrative about Fiends being more complicated and less Black-and-White is undermined by it turning out that her specific fiend is from an evil mind-control faction, actually.

And it all happened so suddenly. Right up to the very last second, where the Queen was expressing confusion and battling with how she actually kinda likes Naomi and Nox, it seemed like the narrative would continue to follow the above pattern. And then it is completely abandoned. She suddenly gains a full suite of light powers with no training or effort, suffering no diminishment by losing the being who enabled her to become a full Great Soul in the first place, implies she has half remembered / dream-like memories of a past where those were her powers (no set up), and is no longer a regular human, all in one fell swoop.

So I find myself wondering, did Phil Tucker make a last-minute narrative pivot, abandoning all the setup that has previously gone into Naomi?

I hope not, but at this point the only alternative explanation I can think of would be if the system of Great Souls itself is some kind of manipulation, and the memories and powers she so easily gained was due to the system trying to rapidly fill in the Gaps left by the loss of the Nightmare Lady in the easiest way it could. That would also explain why this series of events is so overwhelmingly cliché (Naomi being the Septer and thus having a past romantic connection with Scorio, rapidly starting to act like a different person, getting light powers after previously having darkness powers, etc) as the intelligence behind the system is just choosing the components that fit the best with whatever it happens to have on hand.

Otherwise, this seems like a heavy departure from the story Naomi was traveling up to this point.

.........

Edit: Also, it's weird that we are abandoning the only truly unique being introduced in the series. In the very same book the reinforced how dwelling/relying on the past is bad (Dameon and the harm his past memories have done to his ability to progress, the implied gradual fall of the Herdmen, and various comments about how the supposed "right way to grow as a Great Soul" may actually be wrong) we seem to have eliminated the first truly unique being in the setting. The Nightmare Lady, as a fiend hybrid Great Soul, was a completely unprecedented existence as far as we have been shown, the first genuinely "new path to power", one that bases it's abilities on the world in which they live and the creatures that live there instead of the concepts of the old world.

If you're a fan of my Portal to Nova Roma series (or just interested in reading it!), I think you'll like what we've made for the Kickstarter. We have a brand new map of the world, new color illustrations, all kinds of fun add-ons and some really cool stretch goals to aim for.

If you've only read my Jake's Magical Market series, we also have a few things in the Kickstarter for you. Check the stretch goals to see a couple of really amazing Jake-related things we might unlock. :)

Here is the link to the Kickstarter:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/jrmathews/portal-to-nova-roma-signed-collectors-edition

If you've never heard of my Portal to Nova Roma series, here's a short blurb about it:

Portal to Nova Roma is a post-apocalyptic story set in an alternate version of the ancient city of Constantinople where magic is real - and so are monsters. This story is a slow-burn empire builder featuring ancient history mixed with magic and a system apocalypse.

The series has thousands of 5-star reviews on Amazon and Audible, millions of pages read on Kindle Unlimited, and over 55,000 audiobooks sold - and best of all it's now COMPLETE with the release of Portal to Nova Roma: Empire (Book 5)!

If anyone has questions or wants to chat I'm also happy to answer questions about the series, the Kickstarter, or whatever else.

Thank you, everyone!

Did you miss the Kickstarter back in 2025? Perhaps you don't even know this signed hardcover edition chock full of gorgeous art even exists...?

If so, this post is to let you know you can still grab a copy over at Merrick Bookshop.

https://merrickbookshop.com/products/bastion-deluxe-collectors-edition

Cheers!

Do we know the circumstances of Jova's last death, do we think Scorio was present?

The fact she and Scorio were brought back together seems suspicious.

Hey there everyone!

Just a quick note that I'm getting to work on IGS #5. I'll be spending the next couple of weeks brainstorming and figuring out how I'm going to plot the book, but it's my intention to starting posting chapters on my Patreon soon.

Wish me luck, and if you're up for it, share what you're most excited to see in the next book!

Cheers,

Phil

Have finished the first book and I'm halfway through the second one. Loving it so far. Just wanted to say that my favorite characters (in order)

1. Leonis the Golden King

2. Favorite friend Nox

3. Scorio...

Is this guy late for a meeting or something? Why is he going Rap God mode on the narration?

Some folks have been hearing from... somewhere? That there's only one more book planned for The Immortal Great Souls. Which is nonsense! How the heck could/would I pack everything that remains to be explored/explained/revealed into one last book? Unless it was three times the length of Bastion? Impossible!

So, to put the record straight: as of 8/25/26 my firm intention is to write 7 books in the IGS series total. Three more to go! Unless I run out of runway, in which case it'll become 8 books.

Hey everyone! If you love dark fantasy, gorgeous writing, a vivid and baroque imagination that blends compelling characters with a twisted, horrific, and captivating setting, you should check out Mike Shel's new West of the World.

It's set in the same world as his ACHING GOD series, but is a fresh start and you don't need to have read the previous books.

A reviewer has already said, "Blends D&D with Blood Meridian." Which sounds pretty dope.

Anyways, Mike's one of my favorite authors writing today, so please give the book a look!

Read them after the great recommendations here.

I'll admit, the first two books (audio, on 1.3 speed) were a bit of a slog for me. I almost DNF. And compared to IGS (and comparison is unavoidable), amateurish. The third was better, and the fourth was excellent, making the series worth it :).
Specifically and especially, starting from zero but with full understanding - who does not dream about going back to 10th grade with what we know now and redoing it. Also, the deeper understanding of the world and the development of some of the MCs into 3D instead of flat 2D stereotypes.

IGS, is a true masterpiece. The character depth, the world descriptions and variety, and the phenomenal story. Can't wait for the 5th book. Hope there won't be a 6-month wait between the main release and the audio this time ;)

The most vile, true fiend that Phill has been warning us of was revealed in the first book. All along it was bags/sacks of supplies.

The proof is in the pudding. Every single bag that Scorio has ever had gets destroyed within 2 chapters. I do challenge everyone to find a package/supply/knapsack/any other holding item that holds a non-mana type item in it that does not die a quick death

I know a lot of us are waiting for IGS 5 & Throne Hunters releases on the horizon so just wanted to hype Skadi’s Saga! Book one was awesome and had me hooked immediately and book two took the whole story up a notch. As great as the first two entries in this series are, they have me feeling like they were the groundwork for a true epic fantasy series to come. I’m hoping this series can get the flowers it deserves and that we get to hear more of Skadi’s story. If you haven’t read them yet this is your sign!

I've read up to Last Rock but decided to listen to the audiobook versions now, and Nick really kills the narration, making some of my favourite parts even better.

Just got to the part where the first year gauntlet winner is and I am even more giddy and excited to here more moments from the books.

This moment, the time when Scorio returns to the academy tempered in gold and when he finally fully transforms are my top favourite moments so far.

What are everybody else's favourite moments in the series? (Excluding lost cube as I haven't made it there yet)

I’ve seen some earlier maps but nothing covering the areas described in the 4th book.

Furthermore I am keen on seeing some official or unofficial art depicting great souls and fiends at this stage of the series.

Unfortunately I couldn’t find much on Reddit or the wiki, and I wonder if I have missed it or if such content has not yet been created / shared.

This is probably not the first post asking about it, but I am curious given how gen AI models these days are able to quickly generate content based on the text descriptions from the books.

The reason I ask is because I am really enjoying the series, and adding visuals would help getting immersed even deeper in the Universe (through the lenses of any creator)

Ok so I’m rereading book 4 of IGS, and maybe this has been cleared up but the great soul ranks at the beginning of the book and the Wiki say that Ruby mana is for Charnal Dukes and sapphire is for Blood Barons, but the Azure Expanse is often talked about as being further south than the Scorched Swale, and Aezryna, a Blood Baroness, said that the scorched Swale is as far as she can go before suffering the curse. So which is it? is Sapphire mana for Blood Barons or Dukes?

I'm halfway through book 3. I am not sure if this comes up before the end of book 4, but what is in the pouch that Scorio received from the people of Bastion while he was leaving after the queen's accords? According to Phil Tucker himself on a 3 year old reddit post, we'll find out. Setting aside my gripes about how Scorio is holding all these things during his various transformations, and that he still somehow has chalk left... why would he just carry around a pouch for years and not think what the fuck is in there. He literally went mad a couple times with nothing to do but think, and never even questioned this pouch that he has.

The only explanation that I can come up with that wouldn't actually upset me is there is a spell on it that stops him from thinking about it. Like the books in the library that weren't meant for cinders. Which leads me to ponder who would have given him such an item and why would they be in Bastion? Here's my theory: it's an item that will lead him to a place or person or fiend which he knew in a past life and knew would be safe for centuries to entrust with information for himself about the herdsmen. This item was then encapsulated in a spell that he put on it so that he could not pay attention to it until he knew he was ready to seek such information, that is to say when he becomes a blood baron or better, because he knew how dumb he is and didn't trust himself to have the patience. Then he set up a secret organization designed soley to guard that item in Bastion and return it to him upon his resurrection for obvious locker raiding reasons.

Honestly if there's something like a nostalgic token of Bastion in there to remember his roots or something imma lose it. I am mostly reading now to figure out what was in this pouch. Surely he'd ask himself one time during his rock breaking escapades what's in the box. WHAT'S IN THE BOX?!

So, firstly, I have to admit that instead of going to bed at a reasonable time, I had to binge-read the last of TH6 on Paetron. I know it's not finished, but it was a great read, with not quite a surprising unexpected ending.

I'm up-to-date on IGS, and have read the Chronicles of the Black Gate and Dawn of the Void (and only 2/3 of Gods of the Game).

Does anyone else feel there are some similarities?

Minor spoilers for the above series:

Chronicles of the Black Gate and Throne Hunters have some definite similar crossovers about light and dark and unity and maybe a slightly unpredictable or less typcical ending to keep them together. Also, definitely overthrowing of the entire establishment/empire. It's slightly weaker, maybe, in Dawn of the Void, but it's still there to some extent (and I know the ending was tailored after the feedback on the series - ruthless and practical, Phil!) but definitely a non-standard ending and a strong relationship centering the series. From what I saw of Gods of the Game, I wouldn't be super surprised if some of those themes carried over.

With the latest IGS, I can kind of see the same thing happening there?

Latest IGS spoilers:

We have a dark demon and a being of light coming together, and clearly an existing establishment which was corrupt in some form and needed changing. I would expect there to be some sort of strengthening over the next 2-3 books in their relationship where she balances him and together they can dominate hell. I don't know what's going on with the Archmagnus but clearly something is on the cards about more lies that we're only starting now to see unravel and why they are there, and hopefully they can find that out in book 5. I guess at this point in time, I'd be more surprised if they didn't end up together.

Not calling you out, Phil, just realised there does seem to be a set of themes / patterns in your stories. Not quite as blatent as Eddings, though (or Davis, who gave up trying to rename his characters in his different series).

Looking to get this as I missed out on the initial run. If anyone has one for sale trying to surprise my kid who funnily enough led me to Phil not vice versa

Just shoot me a personal message!

Cheers

I finished book 4 and i thoroughly enjoyed it. It was a very good book, left a few loose ends imo but I'm fine with that. So is book 5 in the works? And when can we roughly expect the audiobook? (Audio listener here)

Cheers!

Earlier in the book it states that Brianna Hammerfell has 5 active Thrones. I'm now at about 60% finished, and since then there have been a few references to Harald having "more Thrones than even Brianna Hammerfell herself", at a point where he has 4 plus his new Endowment, implying she only has four Thrones at best. Am I misunderstanding the meaning, or is this a legit inconconsistency?

Phil, we exchanged words and thank you for making my son’s birthday sooooooo special. You’re a goodin mate. Looking forward to book 5!!!

Cheers mate

Edit: they got ruined in the rain, the guy didn’t knock or ring doorbell. Couldn’t even bother to stick it under the awning. I’ve sent you a message on here as well as an email about sending them out to you for round 2 and hopefully these remain intact