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Crownfall
Not yet published
Expected 28 Apr 26"An excellent debut novel.
Crownfall
brims with a captivating cast of complex characters and a mesmerizing world of hope and darkness."
— Adrian M Gibson, award winning author of Mushroom Blues
" Crownfall is a compelling debut perfect for fans of the complex blend of magic and technology found in stories like Robert Jackson Bennett’s Foundryside or Netflix’s Arcane. The story features a cast of complex characters doing their best to fight back against a rising power before it’s too late. If you enjoy stories rife with political machinations, tragedy, hope, and a dash of longing romance, Crownfall needs to be on your TBR."
— M.J. Kuhn, internationally bestselling author of Among Thieves
" Crownfall had me on the edge of my seat from the first page to the last. This is a masterclass in political fantasy that I couldn't put down!"
— Greta Kelly, author of The Queen of Day's and The Frozen Crown
The gritty underworld and razor-edged found family of Six of Crows collide with the mysterious magic and sweeping intrigue of The City of Brass, all against the vivid industrial backdrop of Arcane in Michael Vadney’s nobledark fantasy debut.
Nearly a decade under the empire’s grip has left Burunt a troubled land.
Kyndel Heim knows the truth behind the Viceroy’s rise to power. After years of torture, his only goal is vengeance, but to master his powers he needs a mentor, one that won’t kill him first.
Major Jelert Egarro came to Burunt to build something better. Instead, his talents have become weapons in the wrong hands—and those hands are everywhere. He must choose between his ideals or survival.
Lady Amara Khar must renew her family’s legacy. Sharp and ruthless, she’s kept her house alive through smuggling and shadow deals, but reclaiming power means making allies as dangerous as her enemies.
In the struggle for power, justice, and survival, each of them must decide who they’re willing to become.
— Adrian M Gibson, award winning author of Mushroom Blues
" Crownfall is a compelling debut perfect for fans of the complex blend of magic and technology found in stories like Robert Jackson Bennett’s Foundryside or Netflix’s Arcane. The story features a cast of complex characters doing their best to fight back against a rising power before it’s too late. If you enjoy stories rife with political machinations, tragedy, hope, and a dash of longing romance, Crownfall needs to be on your TBR."
— M.J. Kuhn, internationally bestselling author of Among Thieves
" Crownfall had me on the edge of my seat from the first page to the last. This is a masterclass in political fantasy that I couldn't put down!"
— Greta Kelly, author of The Queen of Day's and The Frozen Crown
The gritty underworld and razor-edged found family of Six of Crows collide with the mysterious magic and sweeping intrigue of The City of Brass, all against the vivid industrial backdrop of Arcane in Michael Vadney’s nobledark fantasy debut.
Nearly a decade under the empire’s grip has left Burunt a troubled land.
Kyndel Heim knows the truth behind the Viceroy’s rise to power. After years of torture, his only goal is vengeance, but to master his powers he needs a mentor, one that won’t kill him first.
Major Jelert Egarro came to Burunt to build something better. Instead, his talents have become weapons in the wrong hands—and those hands are everywhere. He must choose between his ideals or survival.
Lady Amara Khar must renew her family’s legacy. Sharp and ruthless, she’s kept her house alive through smuggling and shadow deals, but reclaiming power means making allies as dangerous as her enemies.
In the struggle for power, justice, and survival, each of them must decide who they’re willing to become.
483 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication April 28, 2026
3 people are currently reading
30 people want to read
About the author
Michael Vadney
1 book5 followersMichael Vadney is an American fantasy author and podcaster. Born in the Florida Keys and raised in the woods of Pennsylvania, Michael's love for storytelling began at an early age. His passion for fantasy literature was ignited by classics like "The Hobbit" and "Redwall," inspiring him to create his own worlds filled with complex characters and fantastic magic.
In his early-thirties, he rekindled his childhood dream of becoming an author. Balancing a full-time career in software, he dedicated nights, weekends, and many dawns to writing, learning the craft through trial and error, online videos, and the writing community.
Through his debut novel Crownfall and the Author Adjacent podcast, Michael explores themes of power, justice, and survival while sharing the challenges and victories of the writing life. His approach to storytelling emphasizes complex characters facing impossible choices, intricate world-building that serves the narrative, and themes that resonate with real human experiences, even in fantastical settings.
In his early-thirties, he rekindled his childhood dream of becoming an author. Balancing a full-time career in software, he dedicated nights, weekends, and many dawns to writing, learning the craft through trial and error, online videos, and the writing community.
Through his debut novel Crownfall and the Author Adjacent podcast, Michael explores themes of power, justice, and survival while sharing the challenges and victories of the writing life. His approach to storytelling emphasizes complex characters facing impossible choices, intricate world-building that serves the narrative, and themes that resonate with real human experiences, even in fantastical settings.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
March 14, 2026
An excellent debut novel. Crownfall brims with a captivating cast of complex characters and a mesmerizing world of hope and darkness. This is a perfect read for fans of Arcane, Robert Jackson Bennett’s Foundryside, or Leigh Bardugo’s Six of Crows.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This review is spoiler-free. Thank you to Michael for the ARC!
Crownfall is Michael Vadney’s debut. First impressions are really strong. Excellently packaged from cover to blurb, social presence, and a detailed launch schedule. It codes heavily as Skyward or Grisha. Familiar territory that sets clear expectations for the readers.
The core trio stands as a solid cornerstone. The shifting POV structure is a highlight, offering changing perspectives, while the low-barrier world-building unfolds easily without overwhelming. Short chapters keep the offering accessible and attention-span-friendly, with prose that's straightforward and YA-skewed. That said, character voices bleed together somewhat, and the story lags in places—not always gripping, with a tad predictable plot leaning on familiar tropes. It's the kind of book where the less exposure you have to reading, the more its novelty pops, much like Whispers of the Storm, for instance. The grand finish ties things up well, delivering a rewarding and mostly satisfying experience overall. A few more stories in this world could flesh out the esoteric aspects and tie up lingering strands, adding depth.
I'm outside the target audience, which colors my take, but the execution shows real acumen. What impresses most is the polish: an insane amount of diligence and intent make this one of the most refined self-pubs I've seen in the past year. That doesn't guarantee universal love, but it's impossible to overlook as competent craft shines through.
I’d recommend this book to almost anyone who enjoyed Arcane or the first era of Mistborn and could not get their fix anywhere else.
Question for the author: Self-pub's strength lies in going out of bounds with ludicrous, editor-stricken elements that beta readers might flag. When the story reads textbook-safe, designed for broad appeal, what's the point of being indie?
Young Adult Adventure for all Nobledark Devotees. — 4.25/5.00
Crownfall is Michael Vadney’s debut. First impressions are really strong. Excellently packaged from cover to blurb, social presence, and a detailed launch schedule. It codes heavily as Skyward or Grisha. Familiar territory that sets clear expectations for the readers.
The core trio stands as a solid cornerstone. The shifting POV structure is a highlight, offering changing perspectives, while the low-barrier world-building unfolds easily without overwhelming. Short chapters keep the offering accessible and attention-span-friendly, with prose that's straightforward and YA-skewed. That said, character voices bleed together somewhat, and the story lags in places—not always gripping, with a tad predictable plot leaning on familiar tropes. It's the kind of book where the less exposure you have to reading, the more its novelty pops, much like Whispers of the Storm, for instance. The grand finish ties things up well, delivering a rewarding and mostly satisfying experience overall. A few more stories in this world could flesh out the esoteric aspects and tie up lingering strands, adding depth.
I'm outside the target audience, which colors my take, but the execution shows real acumen. What impresses most is the polish: an insane amount of diligence and intent make this one of the most refined self-pubs I've seen in the past year. That doesn't guarantee universal love, but it's impossible to overlook as competent craft shines through.
I’d recommend this book to almost anyone who enjoyed Arcane or the first era of Mistborn and could not get their fix anywhere else.
Question for the author: Self-pub's strength lies in going out of bounds with ludicrous, editor-stricken elements that beta readers might flag. When the story reads textbook-safe, designed for broad appeal, what's the point of being indie?
Young Adult Adventure for all Nobledark Devotees. — 4.25/5.00
Review of advance copy received from Author
ARC Review for Crownfall
Crownfall is unlike anything I have read in recent memory. In Michael’s debut novel, a nobledark fantasy, I was forced to set aside all that I knew to be fantasy and allow myself to be tossed into a remarkable world that took me by surprise.
Crownfall, at its core, is fantasy. It is also so much more. The magic system is a unique blend of traditional fantasy infused with a techie punch that caught me off guard for all the right reasons. The magic in Crownfall was unique, exciting, and enjoyable to understand as Michael masterfully unraveled throughout the story the complex systems of the world.
Speaking of the story, Crownfall provides a tale that made it very difficult to take a break from reading. From political sparring and economical consequences to espionage and brutal combat, Crownfall’s story provides a variety of thrills. From the opening pages to the final words, Crownfall does not let up in its continuous progression of the main story and layered character arcs. Michael’s writing is tight, and the prose is engaging and easily digestible.
What good is a story without characters to care about? Fortunately, I never had to ponder this question while reading Crownfall, as I quickly became invested in each of the three main characters — Kyndel, Jelert, and Amara — with each character sharing near-equal point of view time. Each of the main characters has a unique involvement with the story and other side characters, and their story arcs were exciting to experience and satisfying to see concluded.
Crownfall provided me with a fun, unique fantasy experience that I did not know I needed. I’m thrilled to have explored Crownfall’s unique world and happy to have joined the main characters in their perilous adventures.
Crownfall is unlike anything I have read in recent memory. In Michael’s debut novel, a nobledark fantasy, I was forced to set aside all that I knew to be fantasy and allow myself to be tossed into a remarkable world that took me by surprise.
Crownfall, at its core, is fantasy. It is also so much more. The magic system is a unique blend of traditional fantasy infused with a techie punch that caught me off guard for all the right reasons. The magic in Crownfall was unique, exciting, and enjoyable to understand as Michael masterfully unraveled throughout the story the complex systems of the world.
Speaking of the story, Crownfall provides a tale that made it very difficult to take a break from reading. From political sparring and economical consequences to espionage and brutal combat, Crownfall’s story provides a variety of thrills. From the opening pages to the final words, Crownfall does not let up in its continuous progression of the main story and layered character arcs. Michael’s writing is tight, and the prose is engaging and easily digestible.
What good is a story without characters to care about? Fortunately, I never had to ponder this question while reading Crownfall, as I quickly became invested in each of the three main characters — Kyndel, Jelert, and Amara — with each character sharing near-equal point of view time. Each of the main characters has a unique involvement with the story and other side characters, and their story arcs were exciting to experience and satisfying to see concluded.
Crownfall provided me with a fun, unique fantasy experience that I did not know I needed. I’m thrilled to have explored Crownfall’s unique world and happy to have joined the main characters in their perilous adventures.
Review of advance copy
Writing Crownfall has been one of the greatest joys of my life. What started as an idea turned into something that genuinely changed me—how I think about stories, creativity, and what it means to see a project through to the end. In a lot of ways, this book marks the beginning of a whole new chapter for me.
So thank you for even taking a moment to check it out. That alone means more than you probably realize.
And yes… I’m obviously biased, but I really do love this book. Honestly, if I didn’t, I probably wouldn’t have spent so many pre-dawn mornings arguing with imaginary people in my head about it.
So thank you for even taking a moment to check it out. That alone means more than you probably realize.
And yes… I’m obviously biased, but I really do love this book. Honestly, if I didn’t, I probably wouldn’t have spent so many pre-dawn mornings arguing with imaginary people in my head about it.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Crownfall by Michael Vadney is a compelling debut perfect for fans of the complex blend of magic and technology found in stories like Foundryside or Netflix's Arcane. The story features a cast of complex characters doing their best to fight back against a rising power before it's too late. If you enjoy stories rife with political machinations, tragedy, hope, and a dash of longing romance, Crownfall needs to be on your TBR.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews