I realized a few days ago that I hadn't really said what the book was really about. I full intended to, but some formatting problems have been taking up a lot of my concentration/time. However, the book is fully formatted now, and should be available in the next day or so. It's a relief, and I hope at least a few people find it, read it, and like it.
That said, I wanted to go ahead and put the blurb on here, followed by some character descriptions.
Blurb:
Heartkeeper is the simple story of how a boy becomes a man, and that man begins his journey toward becoming something far more than that. In doing so, that person must learn about power, sacrifice, pain, and, most of all, love.
Volume One of this epic tale begins, fittingly enough, with a young thief's first encounter with the Heartkeeper itself. The object appears to be a simple, golden box, but only moments after Flikk, our protagonist, steals it, the object reveals itself to be far, far more than it seems.
It is a sentient object of unfathomable power, and it merges its fate with Flikk's, sending him on a journey from the dungeons, catacombs, and lost dwarven cities beneath Linston across the world to the fabled gnomish city of Mibaris. It sets him between two long-battling wizards, and forces him to rely on a dwarven monk and an unwitting elven necromancer.
But it is not the catalyst for young Flikk. No object can truly claim that. For him, the true impetus for his journey is an unlikely friendship with a young sorceress named Aime.
Along the way, Flikk encounters all manner of dangerous enemies, including a faithless former ranger, a goblin horde, dragons, and demons, among others. Around every corner is a new danger, but it is nothing compared to the danger lurking inside, spurred along by the Heartkeeper with which he has merged.
I know that that is a little vague, but I find that, in many cases book blurbs tend to give away too much of the actual plot. For me, as long as I get across that the protagonist is on a journey through a fantastic world while whetting the readers' appetite with a hint of a mysterious power, I think the blurb's job is done.
Character Descriptions:
Flikk: Flikk is a young thief, and isn't anything extraordinary. At least, he's not at the beginning of the story. Throughout the story, he changes, prompted by his contact with the Heartkeeper, a term of imprisonment, the harsh realities of the world, and a few other more supernatural means. His changes (both mental and physical) comprise the main arc of the story.
Aime: Aime is a young sorceress who has been imprisoned for some undetermined reason by persons unknown. She, however, is more than she seems. I know that's a little vague and quite cliche, but I don't want to give away a major plot point.
Grith: Grith is a 200 + year old wizard, and, though he tries to do good, has an agenda all his own.
Brun: Brun is probably my favorite character in the story. He is a dwarven monk (yes, you read that right), and as such, he has many of the traditional personality quirks of dwarves. He is, however, loyal and a formidable friend.
Jonah: Jonah is an elven healer who has sacrificed everything to save his wife, Amber.
Vincent: Vincent is the King of the Tyrani Kingdom, and a powerful wizard in his own right. He and Grith have been at odds for centuries.
Milo: Milo is right up there with Grith in terms of my favorite characters. He's an amoral former ranger who earns his living as an assassin.
Well, those are my major characters. Sure, there are quite a few other characters who play significant roles, but these form the backbone of the story.
