The King's Pride is on Sale Now!
Volume One, 'Hope', of The King's Pride is now on sale at Amazon.
The novel is also available from Amazon in other countries - in English only.
In the Kingdom of Valamire, Princess Isolde is caught with her lover Sir Verna, but this is only the start of a terrifying saga.
When Princess Isolde and the knight Sir Verna are discovered in her bed chamber together, a dark and troubling plot is uncovered.
The King’s Sheriff Gerhard Keller is tasked with investigating, even though the King and the Queen will have nothing bad said about their beloved daughter.
Starting in the royal palace, these events expand to reveal sinister forces at work beyond the borders of the land of Valamire. What fate awaits the princess, and what form will the coming storm take?
The Beginning of the End
The King's Pride is the gripping first novel in The Fiendish Veil trilogy. Set on the continent of Scionos in the World of Ordinem, this epic begins with sinister events in the feudal Kingdom of Valamire, before tragedy overruns neighbouring lands and regions.
The 'Old Empire' of Simia once spanned the southern half of the continent of Scionos, until a thousand years ago it collapsed. Alongside ambition, deceit and corruption, it was sinister magic that was behind that ruin.
Civilisation in Scionos was almost thrown aside by warring hordes of monsters, which broke the Empire of Simia apart as it fought amongst itself. However, following the Time of Pretenders and the Time of Fiefdoms, the south of this continent finally settled into a number of lands and other regions which came to exist uneasily alongside each other. Valamire is one land that emerged from that chaos, yet its history in the following centuries was still mired in conflict and war.
All magic is looked upon with fear and suspicion in the Kingdom of Valamire; a land that has paid a terrible price at the hands of witchery. Yet The Dark Art - as malevolent magic is known - lurks at the heart of the horrors that are to unfold. As if that is not bad enough, brooding hordes of monsters gather to the north, and if rallied will crash down on the lands of mankind - destroying them once and for all.
Beginning with The King's Pride, The Fiendish Veil chronicles the impending fall, as northern hordes are united by a terrible leader who is intent on dominion over the land of Valamire, while using The Dark Art to breed treachery from within. Yet, will that dark power be too much even for them to control, as a grim fate is prophesied for the lands of the south?
Where can I get The King's Pride?
You can buy this novel on Amazon. Follow the links below:
As an independent author, I am self-publishing this novel. It is currently available in print on Amazon, and I am working with independent bookshops to make the novel available on the high street. See the events listed further down this page for more about this.
If you run a bookshop and want to obtain copies to put on your shelves, then please use the comments form below to let me know, or find out about how to obtain copies using the Nielsen BookData database.
The King's Pride on Patreon
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SPOILER: Key Characters
Princess Isolde
This young and naive princess of Valamire is the focus of the story. Her affair with the knight Sir Verna leads her to great danger, as her role in the fate of Valamire becomes terrifyingly real.
Sir Verna
The knight Sir Verna's troubles start when he has an affair with the Princess Isolde of Valamire. To be with a princess is unthinkable for a mere knight, and so he is forced into ever-greater dangers because of his desire to be with her.
Sheriff Gerhard Keller
The King's Sheriff of the city of Mambravin finds himself investigating an incident between Princess Isolde and Sir Verna, only to uncover disturbing and dangerous truths that he would rather have no involvement in.
Priestess Liesl
Liesl believed she was just another priestess in the holy order of the Urrasons. That is, until she was called upon to address the needs of Princess Isolde. Around the same time, Liesl starts to have strange and disturbing dreams. She struggles to understand them, while her superiors are dismissive of them. Is she going mad, or are they messages from the gods?
King Hans of Valamire
The King of Valamire, Hans Reinhardt, dotes over his only daughter, Isolde, like no one else - she is his love and his pride. However, there is one thing he covets more. He has dedicated his kingship to restoring the past glory of his kingdom on the battlefield. To this end, he aims to claim control of the gold and silver mines of southern Scionos. Yet, no matter his military prowess, this ambition leaves him blind to events around him, and closer to home.
Sibylle
Princess Isolde relies on a companion, known as Sibylle. Wise, she is able to keep the princess calm despite the troubles that beset her. However, this companion is not entirely what at first she seems.
Events
The King's Pride Listed with Nielsen
The King's Pride is now listed on the Nielsen BookData database, from where you can find out about the publisher and how to obtain trade copies.
When
16th September 2026
On the Shelves, at The Bookshop by the Sea
The King's Pride, on the shelves at The Bookshop by the Sea in Aberystwyth, Wales.
When
15th September 2026
Links
On the Shelves, at David's Bookshop
The King's Pride, on the shelves at David's Bookshop in Letchworth, England.
When
August 2026
Links
Chapter One on Writer Tavern
For those that are interested in what this novel has to tell, the first chapter is, for a limited period, available at the Writer Tavern, where you can leave your comments and feedback.
When
7th September 2026
Links
The King's Pride, Volume I, Hope: Released!
Volume one, 'Hope', of The King's Pride is now on sale at Amazon.
When
18th August 2026
The King's Pride, Volume I, Hope: Release Date Announced
The release date for volume one, 'Hope', of The King's Pride has now been set. The book is scheduled to be available for sale on Amazon from the 18th of August 2026.
Orders will be fulfilled using Print on Demand.
When
18th August 2026
Links
The link to the Amazon webpage will be added when it goes live.
Update: Volume I Editing Nearing Completion
The King's Pride is the first full-length novel set in the World of Ordinem. Because it is an epic tale, it has been split into two volumes. The first volume, called Hope, is nearing completion.
When
9th July 2026
Links
Random Worlds Q&A Session
With the help of Dan (Hardboiled GMshoe), this session went well. I had the opportunity to answer people's questions about The King's Pride, including how it is unique.
See the link for the transcript. Warning: there are some spoilers.
When
22nd February 2026
SPOILER: Excerpts from the Book
The princess falls under the influence of a sinister crone.
What could make a hardened soldier shy away from a simple leather bag?
No one is safe in a world full of treachery.
SPOILER: 'The Fiendish Veil' Trilogy
The King’s Pride is the first novel in The Fiendish Veil trilogy. This saga consists of three novels that describe the horrors that are to befall the Kingdom of Valamire and surrounding lands.
Because of the epic scale of the story, the first book, The King's Pride, is split into two volumes, called 'Hope' and 'Hate'.
Currently, volume one of The King's Pride, 'Hope', is complete and available to buy. The others are to follow.
The King's Pride, volume I, 'Hope'
Princess Isolde is attacked in her chamber, by the knight Sir Verna. After his deadly escape, they hide the truth that they were having an affair, and have Hope that they will be together again.
Meanwhile, as Sheriff Gerhard Keller investigates, it becomes apparent that there is something more disturbing about their relationship.
Dark magic, which is feared and distrusted as dangerous witchery, appears to be behind hidden plots; while the King and Queen will have nothing bad said about their beloved daughter.
The King's Pride, volume II, 'Hate'
Dark forces, that threaten to overrun the land of Valamire, start to become apparent as prophecy foretells a grim fate.
Sheriff Gerhard Kellar scrambles to understand these threats, even as his investigations put him in ever greater danger.
At the same time, the people and events that have surrounded Isolde and Verna nurture Hate. What will that anger cause them to do, and who is driving them towards their dire fates?
The Dark Lady
The Dark Lady is on the move – and all will perish if she is not stopped.
Sheriff Gerhard Keller is forced to ever greater extremes as he pursues the powers that threaten the Kingdom of Valamire, only to uncover the true horror that looms over the fate of all civilisation.
More people have vested interests in these turns of events, as they compete for their own personal aims.
The Fiend Awaits
What terror really underlies The Dark Lady's powers, and what does this mean for civilisation?
This sinister person has terrible plans for the royal house of Reinhardt and the kingdom of Valamire. But, as the veil is pulled aside, will this shadowy figure be able to control what she has set loose, or will it also be her own undoing?
About the Author
Hi. After more than 25 years in the tech industry, I finally decided that it was time to do something that I was truly passionate about.
I have always wanted to create a fantasy world that characters can explore and adventures can happen in. Ordinem is the result of years of imagination and that desire. It is a rich setting for role-playing games, which is immersed in stories and legends that bring it to life.
I have now written RPG adventures and short stories set in the world of Ordinem, and have self-published the first of a series of novels set in that world.
- John Thompson
Why Self-Publish The King's Pride
Publishers don't have the time to consider all manuscripts that they receive. They also have their own ideas about what novels they want to publish, which may not be compatible with the stories that I have to tell.
For these reasons, I have decided to publish this novel independently. This enables me to keep my work sincere to my creative ideas - and the stories that I want to share with you.
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