Jon Cronshaw – The King of Nobledark
Author of epic fantasy with heart, grit, and moral weight. Where hope bleeds, but never dies.
This week, I reached 75% of my Watcher draft in the Ravenglass Guardians series and began outlining the next standalone novel, which will follow the Guardiansā Sentinel faction.
This week, Iāve made solid progress on my Watcher story in the Ravenglass Guardians series, hitting the 75% mark in my draft.
If everything continues smoothly, I should have a complete draft by the end of next week.
Iāve also been outlining the next standalone novel, which will follow a character from the Guardiansā Sentinel faction. Each book in this series will explore a different path of the Guardians, with all seven forming a powerful nobledark saga.
This week, I reached the midpoint of my first Ravenglass Guardians novel, a nobledark fantasy with political thriller vibes. Iām planning seven 60k-word standalones, written before Patreon release.
This week, I hit the mid-point in drafting my first Ravenglass Guardians novel, focusing on the Watchers faction. Itās a nobledark fantasy with strong political thriller elements.
Since each of the seven planned books will be standalone, this may not be the first releasedābut my goal is to write the full series before launching it on Patreon.
Iām aiming for 60k-word novels (like my Guild of Assassins books), which allows me to draft a solid book in about four weeks, writing 3,000 words per weekdayāa pace Iāve kept up for years. Itās a challenge, but one Iām excited to push through!
This week, I began work on my new seven-book nobledark fantasy series about the Guardians in the Ravenglass Universe, reaching 25% of Book 1. Plus, I share why Iām focusing on shorter, 60k-word novels.
This week, Iāve dived into my new series set in the Ravenglass Universe, focusing on the Guardiansāa seven-novel, nobledark fantasy exploring the different paths within the order. Iāve written the first six chapters of Book 1, putting me at 25% of the draft already.
I also reflect on my shift toward writing more 60,000-word novels, similar in length to the Guild of Assassins books. This feels like the sweet spot for the kinds of focused, intense stories I want to tell going forward. Exciting times ahead!
Discover 10 dark magic school stories filled with ambition, treachery, and moral dilemmas. From Guild of Assassins by Jon Cronshaw to other twisted academies, explore the shadows of magical education and the cost of power in these must-read tales.
If you’re a fan of magical academies where the lessons are as dangerous as the students, these dark magic school stories will enthral you.
Filled with treachery, ambition, and moral complexity, these tales delve into the shadows of magical education.
In Guild of Assassins, Soren, a former sculptor’s apprentice, joins a brutal assassins’ guild to avenge his father’s murder.
The guildās training programme is as deadly as it is rigorous, with lessons in stealth, combat, and deception.
Soren must grapple with questions of loyalty and morality as he uncovers the guild’s sinister secrets.
This dark tale is perfect for readers who enjoy intense, character-driven stories set in a deadly academic environment.
Quentin Coldwater enrols at Brakebills College for Magical Pedagogy, where the darker side of magic reveals itself in unexpected and often terrifying ways.
The students confront personal demons and the dangerous consequences of power in this gritty, subversive take on magical education.
El is a student at the Scholomance, a school where survival is the ultimate test.
This deadly academy features lessons designed to weed out the weak, while monsters and dark forces stalk the halls.
The story is as much about alliances and strategy as it is about magic.
Sonea, a young girl from the slums, is thrust into the Magiciansā Guild when her untapped powers threaten to spiral out of control.
As she navigates the social and political tensions of the guild, she uncovers dark secrets and learns that power always comes at a cost.
Mia Corvere attends the Red Church, a school for assassins where only the strongest and deadliest graduate.
Her training includes mastering poisons, combat, and shadow magic.
Miaās relentless quest for revenge drives this tale of blood-soaked lessons and deadly rivalries.
Sasha Samokhina is forced to attend a mysterious institute where reality bends and knowledge exacts a heavy toll.
The lessons are gruelling, the consequences terrifying, and the price of success is nothing less than the essence of her humanity.
At Sinegard Academy, Rin faces brutal training in martial arts and shamanism while grappling with classism and prejudice.
Though not a traditional magic school tale, the academyās dark lessons set the stage for a story of war, sacrifice, and the horrifying price of power.
Six magicians compete for a coveted place in the Alexandrian Society, an institution steeped in secrecy and power.
The line between ally and adversary blurs as they confront dangerous truths and the consequences of ambition.
This first book in the Summoner series introduces Fletcher, a blacksmithās apprentice who discovers his ability to summon demons.
He enters an academy where competition is fierce, and his survival depends on mastering dangerous powers while navigating rivalries.
Elloren Gardner attends Verpax University, where prejudice and conflict simmer beneath the surface.
As she struggles to find her place in a divided magical society, she learns that knowledge and power are never free from consequences.
Dark magic school stories resonate because they explore the moral compromises and sacrifices required to wield great power.
In these tales, students aren’t just learning spells ā theyāre reshaping their identities, often at a terrible cost.
If youāre ready for a dark academy tale with high stakes and unforgettable characters, start with Guild of Assassins.
Sorenās journey through a deadly training programme will captivate fans of morally complex narratives.
Whatās your favourite dark magic school story?
Share your thoughts in the comments below!
Want more dark fantasy and exclusive stories? Join my Patreon for early access to chapters, behind-the-scenes content, and much more.
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Explore the enthralling world of assassin’s guilds in fantasy fiction. Discover why these dark collectives captivate readers with their mix of secrecy, intrigue, and complex characters in Guild of Assassins.
In the darker corners of fantasy literature, where the moral compass spins like a weather vane in a storm, the Assassin’s Guild stands as a beacon of structured chaos.
This trope, beloved by authors and readers alike, serves up an irresistible concoction of secrecy, skills, and, more often than not, a side of sedition.
Imagine a place where every cloak hides a dagger, and the air is thick with the scent of intrigue and whispered secrets.
An Assassin’s Guild is essentially a structured organization, often shrouded in mystery, where professionals of the lethal arts gather, train, and ply their trade.
These guilds are not just about managing contracts for killing (though, admittedly, that is a significant part of their business model); they are also about political power plays, maintaining a balance of fear and respect, and the occasional internal betrayal because, well, habits die hard.
The allure of the Assassin’s Guild in fantasy fiction is manifold.
Firstly, there’s the thrill of the forbiddenādelving into the lives of those who operate from the shadows appeals to our baser instincts.
These narratives allow us to explore the darker sides of human nature from the safety of our favourite reading nooks.
Moreover, Assassin’s Guilds often come with their own richly detailed lore and codes of conduct, which can be as intricate as any magic system in fantasy literature.
The concept of honour among thieves (or killers, in this case) provides a fascinating backdrop against which complex characters are developed, and moral lines are blurred until they resemble the scribbles of a toddler with a crayon.
Assassin’s Guilds are fertile ground for storytelling for several reasons:
This setting invites readers into a world where every shadow could hold a secret or a knife (sometimes both).
Guilds offer more than just contracts and covert operations; they are a microcosm of society, a dark mirror that reflects the complexities of power, loyalty, and ambition.
For those enchanted by these dark bastions of intrigue, the trope provides a playground of narrative possibilities where characters face not just external enemies but also internal conflicts.
If this shadowy world captivates your imagination, you wonāt want to miss Guild of Assassins.
The story draws you into the life of Soren, a sculptorās apprentice who plunges into the depths of an assassin’s guild following his father’s murder.
His journey from artisan to adept assassin is fraught with danger, moral dilemmas, and the quintessential quest for vengeance.
As Soren navigates this cutthroat world, he must decide if the price of his quest is worth the slice of his soul.
For a tale that cuts to the heart of what assassin’s guilds are truly about, Guild of Assassins promises to be a thrilling addition to your fantasy collection, delivering all the intrigue and peril that make the Assassin’s Guild trope a beloved pillar of fantasy fiction.
