2009 Moonbeam Young Adult Fantasy Award Winner for Excellence in Literature

Named Dragonroots Magazine's Best New Fantasy Saga of 2009

The Saga Begins

This first novel takes the reader into the depths of the societies of Talic'Nauth. You will loose yourself in the lives of slaves, commoners, soldiers for hire, and fledgling Shapers as you enter a world rich with culture and history. Life is an ever-changing, ever-evolving chain of events. Yet for a select few, history will wrap itself around them and their world will never again be the same.

In a sleepy farming stead, a young man, Alant Cor, is found to be one of the few Humans who can manipulate the Essence. And, not simply manipulate it. Alant has more power over this magical force than any Human in known history. Does his younger brother, Arderi Cor, possess the same ability, or something more sinister?

Clytus Rillion, the commander of a mercenary troop, embarks on a quest to cure his dying son, Sindian. Though he doubts he will survive the journey, he will pay any price to save his son’s life.

The beast, known only as Klain, born a slave and now used to entertain the masses in a bloodthirsty sport known as the Games, finds out his true value to those who own him lies with his death.

All are resigned to walk the paths fate has put them upon. Yet, is this of their own accord? Or, is an ancient and powerful race, the Elmorr’Antiens, manipulating the other inhabitants of Talic’Nauth? Change is falling upon the Plane. Some Elmorr’Antiens are making preparations to weather the storms ahead - others intend to use the coming chaos to seize power over all the races.

Follow these seemingly unrelated lives as their paths are set on a course that none can hope to survive. Readers of the Genesis of Oblivion Saga will immerse themselves in the depth of a unique world culture, the grandeur of its civilizations, and the sheer awe of thousands of years of history!

See what the critics are saying about
Farmers & Mercenaries - Book One of the Genesis of Oblivion Saga

The characters in “Farmers & Mercenaries” are well-developed. Their stories are told in alternating chapters, and readers easily become invested in the fate of each. The pace of the book is quick and the story lines solid. Readers will turn pages late into the night just to find out what will happen next.
With “Farmers & Mercenaries,” fans of the fantasy genre have another group of characters to get to know and love. I can't wait for the next in the series.
– Las Vegas Review Journal (read the full review here)

Drake is a master storyteller, crafting an amazingly organic tale. I put the book down and wanted to dive right into the sequel. Why should you read this book? Why shouldn’t you is the better question. This novel is a compelling start to an epic series that I will be following devoutly until its completion; a story rich with originality and wonder, whose characters have vast untapped potential. The plot flows with natural, well-crafted rhythm and the vibrant world yearns to be further explored. Farmers and Mercenaries is a completely mesmerizing tale.
– RantingDragon.com (read the full review here)

The deeper you read, the more drawn into the story and characters you will become. Farmers & Mercenaries is great.  I am looking forward to more books by Maxwell Alexander Drake and Imagined Interprises, Inc.
– examiner.com (read the full review here)

I have just finished reading book one of the Genesis of Oblivion Saga and i have to say that i am very much impressed by the writing of Maxwell Alexander Drake. At first I thought it was going to be a little difficult getting into the book but after a few pages i started feeling more and more involved with the book. Drake breathes new life into the fantasy genre with this first book. – thatbookplace.com (read the full review here)

…by the end I was mesmerized so that I could not put it down till I had finished it. Drake does a good job of developing the characters and melding their paths throughout the book. The ending was a good set up for book two so I can hardly wait to see how the story continues.
- Paperdragoninc.com (From their September 2009 Online Magazine)