About the Book
Book: Chaos Woods, Chronicles of the Ever-Guise, Book I
Author: Scott T. Barnes
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Release Date: November 14, 2025
After a thieves’ auction goes wrong, young barmaid Telyn Brower winds up with a shard from a magical mask.
Only one problem: In this world, humans are forbidden to use magic. In fact, they’re the only sentient beings without any innate magical powers.
That doesn’t stop Telyn and her friends from using the mask to improve life in their isolated mountain town of Harlech.
At first, the changes seem small. Helpful. Necessary.
But good intentions only carry them so far.
Soon, lies begin to surface. Trust erodes. With every spell they cast, the mask tightens its grip. The power is seductive, addictive. The consequences are dangerous.
As the subjugation of humans intensifies and enemies draw near, the only way out seems to lie deep in the Chaos Woods—an ancient forest where magic itself bends and frays.
To survive, the friends must face the cost of their choices and decide whether they can truly trust one another.
Discover the young adult fantasy Chaos Woods, rated 4.8 out of 5 stars by IndieReader, and described as “an ambitious, character-driven fantasy.”
Excerpt from the Book:
The two were in a kitchen made of so much wood—wood table, wood stools, wood shelves, ceiling and walls—it seemed to have been hewn from a single tree…excepting the stone fireplace, of course. Wicked orange light warmed them; a bubble popped in the stew-pot on the hearth.
Slowly, Tums placed her paw in Telyn’s waiting hand.
“There you go, no cheating now.”
The sucker paw felt rubbery until Tums activated it. Then it felt like the back of Telyn’s hand was being sucked through the bones. Even though she’d been expecting it, she couldn’t help grunting.
Telyn’s sister swung into the kitchen, her lips parted in a wide grin, her floor-length, blue skirt swooshing. A clamor of voices followed her in, then quieted as the door closed. “Uh, Telyn,” she said, putting her armload of dishes into the stone basin at the back of the room, “how long do you plan to go without actually working?”
Telyn made a point of not looking up. They were twins, but they were entirely different. Cressida followed rules—when she wasn’t making them. Besides standing at an appropriate, shoulder-height to most men, she was blond and curvy, with a button nose and round, happy cheeks. Telyn was none of those things.
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About the Author
An afficionado of small towns, forests, and mountains, you can find Scott T. Barnes writing in coffee shops all over Southern California. Scott won the Writers of the Future Award for his story “Insect Sculptor.” His contemporary fantasy, Memories of Lucinda Eco, set in Baja California, received a coveted “Editor’s Pick” from BookLife, while his epic fantasy Chaos Woods earned 4.8 out of 5 stars from IndieReader. Kirkus Reviews called it, “An absorbing, character-driven YA tale of camaraderie and redemption.”