Skullvines Press is pleased to announce they’ve acquired the dark fantasy series, The Abyss Walker by Shane Moore. The Abyss Walker is foretold to open a portal to the Abyss, allowing hordes of demonic creatures to overtake the world. The six books of the series follow a cast of deep, compelling, and very believable characters ranging from elves, dragons, and dwarves to necromancers, gods, and the undead, as they struggle to either prevent or assist the prophecy, in addition to dealing with their own everyday challenges. The reader is exposed to love, war, humor, and torture, and is sure to be addicted from the very beginning.

The titles are currently available through Wandering Sage Press, who will still be producing hardcover collector’s editions in the near future. Skullvines Press, however, will be releasing trade paperback and digital editions in the following order and approximate times:

Book Five – Birth of a Nation in November ’09 (the most current release, so this will be first)

Book One – The Plea of Apollisian in December ‘09
Book Two – The Trial of Innocence in January ‘10
Book Three – Darrion-Quieness in February ‘10
Book Four – Death of Kings in March ‘10
Book Six – Return of the Father in August ’10 (Book launch at Gen Con, Indianapolis, IN)

In addition to the above series, Skullvines Press will release the first book of a new novella trilogy in April of 2010, A Wererat’s Tale, which goes back before the Abyss Walker events, to tell the story of the gorgeous wererat assassin, Kellacun.

The new Abyss Walker books will still sport the same artwork, created by the extremely talented Billy Tackett, while A Wererat’s Tale will have cover art by Terry Naughton (former Disney animator, involved with such films as The Lion King, Tarzan, The Little Mermaid, and more).

Furthermore, Birth of a Nation introduces characters patterned after Shane’s good friend, Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca on Star Wars) and family.

The launch of A Wererat’s Tale will take place at Quatre Con in Vallejo, CA, which holds the average attendance of 10-12,000 people. There will be media-covered events of Shane, including an appearance at the USS Hornet and swimming with dolphins. Abyss Walker artist Terry Naughton will be there in support of the book, as well as Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca). The event will also be advertised with the major media in the Oakland area, on the jumbo tron at Six Flags and Six Flags Discovery Kingdom, in front of 1.6 million viewers.

The Abyss Walker series has a huge following. There is a fan club based out of St. Clair, MO, there are four graphic novel spinoffs and role-playing games in the works, an upcoming fan site that will feature webisodes, and three franchise writers are working on more books to expand Shane’s world. And since the Abyss Walker team consists of people involved with such franchises as Star Trek, Star Wars, and Disney films, the series is already a force to be reckoned with.

Here’s what Shane Moore had to say: 

“I am elated that Skullvines acquired the Abyss Walker series. Combined with their fine attention to detail, willingness to grow, and standing track record, I would say this is a match made in heaven. I look forward to working with them and continuing to produce powerful and moving stories that have propelled me on my journey to success.”