Marek of the Mists: The Sword of the Moon Maiden by Corey E. King
Corey E. King‘s novel, Marek of the Mists: The Sword of the Moon Maiden, is a fantasy novel featuring a hooded swordsman, a fog-bound coastal kingdom, a tyrant in a lightning-crowned tower and a hero who doesn’t yet know how much of the story is about him.
A Hero’s Journey Begins in the Fog
The novel opens with the Wolfe Gypsies rolling their painted wagons into the port town of Water’s Edge, and from the first page King’s affection for the caravan life is obvious. Marek, the twin-blade-wielding foundling raised by the clan, is a working man with a job to do, a horse he loves more than most people and a best friend, the sea captain Jeran, he can’t stop needling about unpaid debts. Before any prophecy or magic sword enters the picture, King spends time on how the caravan sets up camp, how trade moves through a mist-shrouded harbor and how found family functions day to day. It pays off, because when the stakes do escalate, you already care about the people in the blast radius.
King doesn’t waste time getting to the monsters — a nightmarish, self-healing “skullspider” ambush early on is unsettling, staged with clear choreography that keeps fight scenes easy to follow without losing their danger. From there the book widens its scope, pulling in a tyrannical Storm Lord, a shadow-army led by a void-touched general and a full mythology involving a Moon Maiden goddess and a sentient blade forged from a broken moon. Marek’s story turns out to be tied to a cosmic duality of light and shadow, complete with a “twin” antagonist who represents everything he could have become. The villain isn’t just an obstacle, he’s a mirror.
King’s prose is brisk and dialogue-forward, which keeps the pace moving even through the worldbuilding. The banter between Marek and Jeran has humor to it. Fans of sword-and-sorcery staples will also appreciate that King, a self-taught illustrator, designed the cover and hand-drew the world map himself, and that craftsman’s eye shows in how vividly the geography of Storm’s End, its coastline and its cursed mists come through on the page.
There’s a personal authenticity underneath all of it, too. King spent years spent as a private investigator, including a case that immersed him in Romani culture. This informs the respect with which the Wolfe Gypsies are drawn.
By the time Marek is dueling a void-spawned brute on a moonlit beach with a goddess-forged sword in hand, Marek of the Mists has earned its mythic gestures. It’s a confident, big-hearted opening chapter to what’s clearly meant to be a longer saga, and readers who enjoy character-first fantasy with real teeth in its action scenes will find plenty to love here.
About Corey E. King:
Corey E. King is an American fantasy author and illustrator whose work blends epic adventure, mythic world-building, and striking visual storytelling. He is the creator of the Marek of the Mists saga, a sweeping fantasy series set in the mist-shrouded world of Storm’s End, where ancient powers stir, dragons return, and the fate of the realm rests on unlikely heroes.
Raised in Tennessee and inspired by a lifelong love of classic fantasy literature, Corey grew up fascinated by legendary heroes, ancient myths, and the timeless struggle between light and darkness. Those early inspirations eventually grew into the world of Marek of the Mists, a richly imagined setting filled with celestial magic, wandering caravans, hidden lore, and powerful dragons.
Unlike many authors, Corey not only writes his stories but also illustrates them, bringing the characters and landscapes of his world to life through his own artwork. His dual role as writer and artist allows him to shape every aspect of the visual and narrative identity of the series, from the design of the legendary sword Moonrend to the celestial majesty of Aphelion, the Moon Dragon.
Before becoming a published author, Corey built a career as a private investigator in Middle Tennessee. Long nights on surveillance and quiet hours on the road became the perfect time to listen to fantasy audiobooks and imagine stories of his own. Those ideas eventually evolved into the Marek of the Mists series—a story of courage, destiny, and the power of hope against the darkness of the Void.
Corey lives in Tennessee with his family and continues to write, illustrate, and expand the world of Storm’s End. When he is not working on the next installment of the Marek of the Mists saga, he enjoys drawing, developing new lore for the world he has created, and sharing the journey with readers and fellow fantasy fans.
The Marek of the Mists series is currently available in print, ebook, audiobook, and illustrated editions, along with companion artwork and coloring books inspired by the world of Storm’s End.
