Author:
Corey McCullough is an independent copy editor, proofreader, ghostwriter, and author. He lives in western Pennsylvania with his amazing wife Vanessa and their two beautiful daughters. His favorite pastimes are reading, writing, playing video games, spending time with his best friend (Vanessa), and, most of all, being a dad.

A teenager’s wish to escape his stressful life just came true — with otherworldly consequences.

Nothing is going right for Justin Holmes. Like many seventeen-year-olds, he sometimes wishes he could just run away and leave everything behind. But he gets more than he bargained for when he storms out of the house after an argument with his father and accidentally steps into a parallel universe of swords, shields, magic, and monsters.

Suddenly, Justin is desperate to find a way back to his ordinary life in small-town America. His search for answers takes an unexpected turn when a strange old man and a powerful mercenary recruit him to rescue a kidnapped princess. But their rescue mission quickly takes a disastrous turn and becomes a life-or-death flight deep into the unknown wilds. Justin and his unlikely allies are on the run from dark forces wielding deadly, arcane power — demonic beings that seem to have suddenly arrived from somewhere beyond this world . . . just like Justin.

Justin may not be a fighter, but he is intelligent and strong-willed. He soon realizes that nothing in this world is what it seems. Even his allies’ mission may have all been a ruse . . . to get to him.

Ancient secrets are revealed that could shake the foundations of this alternate world . . . and might unlock Justin’s portal home.

The Fallen Odyssey is a contemporary portal fantasy novel for college and “new adult” audiences. It is the first of a trilogy but can be enjoyed as a stand-alone novel. If you like epic, serious fantasy about dangerous quests in magical worlds, check out The Fallen Odyssey.

The Fallen Odyssey

Justin jumped backward, lost his footing, and hit the ground. Olorus and Hook stood and drew their weapons.


"I don't think he will be giving us any trouble," said the old man, standing over the dull, brown bones.


Justin's eyes locked on a lop-sided skull. It was a whole human skeleton. Tattered clothes hung from the body. Hardened cartilage and withered connecting tissues still held most of the bones together, but half of the fingers holding the pack were lying on the floor. Beside it lay a large, sheathed sword.


"This fellow has been here for some time," Zechariah said.


"Probably the last soul foolish enough to take this path," mumbled Olorus.


"I don't see any injuries," said Zechariah, "but something must have gone wrong. That's what you get for traveling alone."


"What makes you think he was alone?" Justin asked.


"Because no one took his sword or satchel," said Zechariah.


Chapter 47: Descent (Part 2)