I’m thrilled to reveal the title and cover for the third installment of the Sovereign Soul series – Ruinbound!
The Origins of the World Are Stirring…
With the truth of Chris Olestine’s identity unveiled, Ryoku Dragontalen unravels deeper horrors—secrets that will shake not only the world’s fate but his very existence. Haunted by memories that feel more like shadows, Ryoku must confront three worlds tied to Ricker’s elusive trail. Torn between two halves of himself, he faces a critical choice: which path will he follow?
Meanwhile, chaos erupts in Syaoto, where Will struggles to hold his crumbling world together, and Katiel faces a reborn force—an ancient Shadowheart capable of reshaping the past. In a world of betrayal and divided hearts, Ryoku and his allies must confront Gaia’s oldest enemies before the world is lost to shadow. But with time running out, the path forward grows darker by the second.
This book’s title carries a lot more weight than I can summarize in one line. It reflects Ryoku’s relationship with Ronyx – a pale reflection of his old self, caught between past and present. The moon and its distorted reflection on the cover mirror the two paths Ryoku faces throughout the book – two halves pulling in different directions, each with heavy consequences. The duality runs deep: betrayal vs trust, truth vs illusion, and Ryoku’s journey vs the chaos in Syaoto.
There’s a reason why this book feels larger than life, and also came much sooner than I anticipated – it was originally one story, but halfway through the process, I decided to split it into two. The second half will now become Book Four, giving me space to flesh out the characters and conflicts without rushing. I’m having a lot of trouble with Embers of Orden‘s massive size, so this one gets the extra breathing room, and splitting it was the best way to do it justice (and keep it friendly with KDP).
Writing this book has been another journey, and it hasn’t been without it’s challenges. With the 5-year gap between Akin Minds and Embers of Orden, I’m glad to sever that pattern and start anew with another annual release, due to be ready at, or before, the same release window as Embers of Orden.
This one practically wrote itself. I’ve got rough drafts of the old version that I completed once around 2017 or 2018 – I was actually looking for a publisher for it when I decided to relaunch the series under a new name, improved and much better. It’s now going through the final stages of editing and is a much, much better product than it looked like in it’s early days. Reviewing Akin Minds and Embers of Orden for the notetaking process, I’ve come a long way even from this year’s release.
I’m handling the entire self-publishing process this time around, learning as I go. Working with Tellwell last time was… an experience, to say the least. Let’s just say I won’t be doing that again.
As you dive into Ruinbound, you’ll encounter many familiar faces and a few characters from the blog entries I’m making, including Sariah Leusasie and Sabrina Gallagher, who each weave new life into Ryoku’s journey. Sariah’s mischief and wild energy will collide with Ryoku’s guilt, while Sabrina’s intellect and emotional awkwardness add an unexpected but essential dynamic – especially when it comes to her new relationship with everyone’s favorite womanizer, Kai Stele.
These characters are just a glimpse into what the new story holds – you’ll see more blogs about new characters coming soon.
The release of Ruinbound marks a turning point in the Sovereign Soul series, not just for Ryoku’s journey but for the series as a whole. After the stunning conclusion of Embers of Orden, this book is packed with themes of identity, betrayal, and choice, setting the stage for Book Four, where these storylines will climb and culminate into something unforetold.
If you’re as excited as I am about Ruinbound, stay tuned – I’ll be sharing sneak peeks, excerpts, and more updates leading up to when it’s finally ready for release! In the meantime, please share this post, leave a comment below, and tell me what you think of the new title and cover!
Thank you for sticking with me on this journey – I can’t wait to share what’s next.
Sovereign Soul 