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

Ahlund's eyes opened wide at the touch. They locked on Justin-the same eyes that had glared at Justin the night his house burned down on the Gravelands, that narrowed on him with disapproval when he acted cowardly or foolish, and that softened with stern compassion in the rare moments when Justin deserved it. A dark glow appeared beneath the cythraul's hand. There was a hissing sound, and locks of Ahlund's hair fell off trailing smoke.


"Ahlund!" Justin screamed. He threw himself forward, but the ice around his legs kept him locked in place. "Wake up, Ahlund!"


Ahlund's mouth opened, but he made no sound. His cloudy eyes watched Justin. His lips moved, mouthing a single word:


Ahlund weakly lifted his sword up, turning it toward himself. He rested the tip below his own collarbone, drew a tight grip on the hilt, and pulled. In one swift motion, Ahlund ran the sword through his own body, all the way to the hilt.


Chapter 171: Last Stand (Part 4)