So, What Exactly Is The Ascension Legacy?

Six books. One enormous adventure. And a whole lot of trouble for a handful of people who probably should have stayed home.

I’ve been writing this blog for several years now, talking about everything from my experiences in the publishing industry to my thoughts on writing, video games, movies, and whatever else happens to be rattling around in my head at the time.

But there’s something I’ve realized I haven’t done particularly well.

I’ve spent plenty of time talking about what it’s like to be an author, but surprisingly little time explaining why someone might actually want to read the books I’ve written.

I suppose that’s because I’ve always been better at telling stories than selling them.

So, let’s see if I can do something about that.

For those who aren’t familiar with my work, I’ve published a six-book fantasy series called The Ascension Legacy. The first book, The Shamed Ranger, was released in 2020, and the sixth and final installment, The King Revealed, followed in 2024.

That’s right. Six books, all published, with a beginning, middle, and an actual ending.

No waiting years to find out what happens next. No wondering if the author will ever finish the story.

The entire adventure is already out there, waiting for anyone willing to give it a chance.

Of course, asking someone to commit to six novels from an author they’ve never heard of is a pretty tall order. After all, there are thousands upon thousands of books competing for our attention, and our free time is a limited resource.

So, what makes The Ascension Legacy worth considering?

Well, let me tell you a little about it.

Welcome to Corsallis

The Ascension Legacy takes place in the fictional world of Corsallis, a land populated by elves, humans, dwarves, gnomes, and a variety of other creatures that fantasy enthusiasts should find familiar.

There’s magic, sword fighting, ancient legends, dangerous monsters, mysterious artifacts, and plenty of people who would rather solve their disagreements by sticking something sharp into someone else.

You know, the usual fantasy stuff.

But Corsallis isn’t exactly a happy little paradise where everybody gets along.

Long ago, the different races lived and worked together, setting aside their differences to confront common enemies. But that cooperation eventually gave way to distrust, resentment, and isolation.

Now, the various races largely keep to themselves, each maintaining their own communities and traditions while remaining suspicious of outsiders.

And as you might imagine, when people spend generations distrusting one another, it doesn’t take much to make things unpleasant when their paths cross.

This is the world in which our story begins.

Meet Riorik, Our Not-So-Famous Hero

At the center of the story is a young elf named Riorik Leafwalker.

Riorik grew up in the elven village of Rishdel, where his family has something of a reputation.

Unfortunately, it’s not a particularly good one.

His father, Cyrel Leafwalker, was once a highly respected ranger and military leader. But after a disastrous patrol that left several soldiers dead, Cyrel returned a changed man.

Whatever happened in those woods eventually destroyed his reputation, and his subsequent disappearance left his family to endure the shame.

To the people of Rishdel, Cyrel is remembered as a coward and a traitor.

To Riorik, he’s a father he never had the opportunity to know.

And therein lies the problem.

Riorik doesn’t know what happened to his father, why he disappeared, or whether the accusations against him are even true.

What he does know is that he’s tired of living under the shadow of someone else’s alleged failures.

So, despite the reputation his father left behind, Riorik decides to follow in his footsteps and become a ranger himself.

A decision that doesn’t exactly win him any popularity contests.

But Riorik isn’t interested in being popular. He wants answers, and he’s determined to find them.

Of course, as is often the case with ambitious young adventurers, things don’t go quite according to plan.

Every Adventurer Needs a Few Friends

Fortunately, Riorik isn’t alone.

There’s Nordahs Bladeleaf, his longtime friend and fellow elf, who shares Riorik’s ambitions of becoming a ranger.

Nordahs is a skilled archer and a loyal friend who has stood by Riorik despite the ridicule and resentment directed toward his family.

Then there’s Hugh.

Hugh is a human who decides that joining a guild of elves might be a good way to learn about the world beyond his hometown.

Now, considering the widespread distrust between humans and elves, this isn’t necessarily the smartest career decision anyone has ever made.

But Hugh has never been particularly concerned with fitting into other people’s expectations.

And while his arrival doesn’t exactly inspire a warm welcome from everyone, he discovers something in Riorik and Nordahs that he hasn’t found among many of his own people.

Friendship.

The three come from different backgrounds, have different personalities, and don’t always see eye to eye. But they share something important: a willingness to look beyond the prejudices and expectations of the world around them.

That friendship becomes one of the foundations of the series.

And believe me, they’re going to need it.

A Simple Quest That Becomes Anything But Simple

At its heart, the story begins with Riorik’s desire to discover the truth about his father.

But as he and his companions venture farther from home, they find themselves drawn into something much larger.

There are ancient legends surrounding powerful artifacts known as the Ascension Armor, stories of legendary warriors, and secrets that have shaped the relationships between the races of Corsallis for generations.

There are also forces actively seeking those artifacts for reasons that aren’t particularly friendly.

What begins as a relatively personal journey gradually expands into an adventure involving new allies, dangerous enemies, unexpected discoveries, and conflicts that threaten far more than the lives of our three young adventurers.

And while the heroes might occasionally find themselves in the right place at the right time, they’ll discover that being a hero doesn’t necessarily mean things will go their way.

Sometimes the right decision comes with terrible consequences.

Sometimes the people you’re supposed to trust aren’t particularly trustworthy.

And sometimes the difference between victory and defeat comes down to the people willing to stand beside you when everything goes wrong.

I won’t go into much more detail than that because I’d rather let readers discover the story for themselves.

Besides, giving away all the interesting parts would make writing six books seem like an awful lot of unnecessary work!

So, What Kind of Fantasy Is This?

If you’re a fan of traditional fantasy adventures involving elves, dwarves, magic, mythical creatures, ancient artifacts, and groups of adventurers facing increasingly dangerous challenges, you’ll probably find plenty that’s familiar in The Ascension Legacy.

And that’s intentional.

I’ve been a fan of fantasy novels, role-playing games, and fantasy-based movies for most of my life.

In fact, the earliest concepts that eventually became The Ascension Legacy started taking shape during my time working in the video game industry back in the late 1990s.

Originally, I envisioned the concept as a role-playing video game. I had notes, characters, locations, and story ideas that I hoped might eventually become something playable.

That never happened.

Years later, while revisiting those old notes, I started thinking about turning the concept into a novel.

But the story I wanted to tell was much too large for a single book.

Apparently, I wasn’t very good at keeping things simple.

So, one book became the first installment of what would eventually grow into a six-book series.

My goal wasn’t to reinvent fantasy or create something so radically different that nobody would recognize the genre.

I wanted to tell the kind of adventure story I enjoyed reading and experiencing myself.

A story where friendships matter, actions have consequences, characters have flaws, and the world is much bigger than the people trying to navigate it.

And yes, I wanted plenty of action along the way.

Is the Series Finished?

Absolutely!

All six books have been published:

1. The Shamed Ranger
2. A Legend Confirmed
3. A Hidden King Found
4. A Fallen Hero
5. Conquest & Conflict
6. The King Revealed

The series follows a continuous storyline, so I strongly recommend reading the books in order.

You certainly wouldn’t want to start with Book 6 unless you’re the type of person who enjoys watching the last fifteen minutes of a movie before deciding whether to watch the beginning.

And if you are, well, I’m not sure I can help you!

But for everyone else, The Shamed Ranger is where the journey begins.

I’m also working toward bringing the series to audiobook format, with Book 1 currently targeted for release in late 2026 or early 2027. So, for those who prefer listening to their adventures, that option is finally getting closer to becoming a reality.

Is The Ascension Legacy for You?

Honestly? I don’t know.

And I think that’s an important thing for any author to acknowledge.

Not every book is going to appeal to every reader.

If you’re looking for a quiet contemporary romance, a murder mystery set in modern-day London, or a heartwarming story about a family overcoming everyday challenges, The Ascension Legacy probably isn’t what you’re looking for.

But if you enjoy fantasy adventures with familiar creatures and races, ancient mysteries, sword fights, magic, unlikely friendships, and heroes who occasionally find themselves in situations well beyond their abilities, then perhaps we have something in common.

And perhaps The Ascension Legacy is worth a look.

I spent years developing these characters, building their world, and figuring out exactly where their adventures would take them.

Then I spent several more years getting those adventures published so other people could experience them.

It’s been a long and sometimes frustrating journey, but seeing the entire series completed and available to readers has been incredibly rewarding.

Now comes the part I’ve never been particularly good at.

Convincing people to give it a chance.

So, if anything I’ve described sounds interesting, I’d invite you to start with The Ascension Legacy – Book 1: The Shamed Ranger.

Who knows? You might find yourself enjoying the journey as much as I enjoyed creating it.

And if you do, the good news is that you have five more books waiting for you.

Happy reading!

— Gary Richardson

Ready to begin the adventure?

Explore The Ascension Legacy and my published books.