Fantasy author

J. R. Snyder

Werewolves, haunted forests, restless spirits, and ancient vampires — the Sin Eater Tales.

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Cover of The Vampires of Thalkirch by J. R. Snyder

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Asher and Aethon arrive at the chilly coastal town of Thalkirch intending to fulfill a contract to capture a vampire plaguing the town. When the vampire escapes custody, Asher is thrown into a race against time to bring the killer to justice.

Sin eater tales series

  1. Cover of A Season of Ravens

    A Season of Ravens

    Sin Eater Tales · Book 1

    Confronting werewolves, exploring haunted forests, calming angry spirits, and befriending ancient vampires.

    These are just a few of the tasks that Asher Norwood and his raven partner Aethon find themselves doing on any given day.

    Asher is a sin eater, a guild of mages that exists to combat dark magic wherever it rears its ugly head. Invoking the forces of nature to protect a society that looks down on him, Asher will stop at nothing to defeat the monsters that plague his world.

    Purchase on Amazon
  2. Cover of Songs of Bone

    Songs of Bone

    Sin Eater Tales · Book 2

    In a world steeped in shadows and mystery, Asher Norwood, a sin eater tasked with combating dark magic, finds himself entangled in a perilous quest.

    When a mysterious client presents him with a contract, Asher, accompanied by his cunning raven partner Aethon, and the former pirate Rane Moxley, sets sail to confront a malevolent ghost ship that plagues the seas, bringing doom to all in its wake.

    Their path is fraught with danger as they navigate the fragile peace between humans and the saltmer—an enigmatic race of creatures who possess their own frightful power over the sea.

    To complete their contract, they unite with unlikely allies, each harboring their own motives for joining the mission. As they traverse the murky barrier between the realms of the living and the dead, the boundaries between friend and foe begin to blur.

    Purchase on Amazon
  3. Cover of Tomb of Merellien

    Tomb of Merellien

    Sin Eater Tales · Book 3

    When a routine monster contract spirals into a deadly conspiracy, sin eater Asher Norwood finds himself facing the hangman’s noose alongside his loyal friend and former pirate, Rane Moxley.

    But salvation comes in an unexpected form when a renowned historian offers them a chance at freedom in exchange for unraveling a sinister murder mystery.

    Joined by a motley crew consisting of a bookish potions master, a timid monk, and a woodsman with a dark past, Asher and Rane delve deeper into the web of intrigue, unearthing ancient secrets that could alter the very fabric of their world.

    Amidst their pursuit, the riddle of the Season of Ravens—a mystery that has haunted Asher’s mind for a year—beckons, promising answers that could change everything.

    Purchase on Amazon

The world of Eyora

The world of Eyora spans several large continents, each with their own history, cultures, and mysteries. Beneath the surface of everything is the source of magic — Trace, it is the power of life itself and channeled by experts who train in the ancient arts.

Map of Eyora, the world of the Sin Eater Tales

Lyren Mor

A vast city centered on a deep, protected bay, Lyren Mor is a seat of ancient culture. Their powerful navy has shielded the Continents from piracy for several hundred years.

Gottin

Gottin is a city of commerce; located on the coast and featuring a vast canal system, they move wool and fabric products from inland to the rest of the Continents. Seat of the Umbra Guild where sin eaters live and train.

Vasveria

Vasveria sits at the edge of the vast Karadere Desert Plains, a dry steppe desert covering a large swath of the western continent. Home of the Order of Insight, the predominant religious organization of the Continents.

Corcia

A small, wealthy kingdom in the southern region, Corcia has long history of exploration and trading by sea.

Arendell

Sitting beside an enormous lake and nestled between two mountain ranges, is Arendell, the home of the elves.

The Tomb of Merellien

A mysterious island in the North Sea known as the final resting place of the god Merellien. Said to be inaccessible due to dangerous currents and storms.

Aldergeist Forest

A dense, dark forest near the Cinder Mountains. Locals know it to be haunted by several entities, but the most fearsome is the Aldergeist Witch.

What readers are saying

  • “I love this series... it’s got that Witcher vibe. What is the line between monster and what is not a monster?”

    — Books and Chocaholic

  • “J. R. Snyder has truly created a fun series of adventures that any fantasy lover would enjoy, especially warm and cozy by a winter fire.”

    — Under the Radar SFF Books

  • “The world is alive, the mysteries are thick, and the prose is breezy and easy to digest.”

    — Christopher Warman, author of the Eighth Chant series
J. R. Snyder

Meet the author

J. R. Snyder is a fantasy author living in the Puget Sound area of Washington with his family, two cats, and a handful of chickens. When he’s not writing, he enjoys gardening, beekeeping, hiking, and exploring the rocky beaches near his home.

The Sin Eater Tales series is currently comprised of three novels with more on the way.

A note on human-made art: Creating things myself is incredibly important to me and I’d like to say that everything I work on is human-made. The writing and music is done entirely by myself and the artwork for all of my covers, chapter artwork, and albums are done by my wife, who operates Wyrmroot Studio.

Goodreads

Music from the world

Aconite

Aconite is a spin-off musical and art project where I write, record, and share fantasy music that I make. It takes place in the same “world” as the sin eater series and I like to hide little easter eggs in the album descriptions and song titles for those in the know. If you are looking for something to listen to while you read, please consider checking my music out!

More from Aconite

Album art for Rootbound by Aconite
Rootbound Full album · dungeon synth

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