Rantings of a Wandering Mind
Book Two of the Utgarda Series
by Joab Stieglitz
City of Shadows: Betrayal, Mystery, and the Quest for Truth
Dive into a treacherous journey through the underbelly of New York City as Russian anthropologist Anna Rykov and Doctor Harold Lamb find themselves entangled in a web of mobsters, madness, and malevolent creatures. While Father Sean O’Malley is summoned to Rome to confront the haunting “Longborough Affair,” Anna and Harold embark on a perilous quest to locate the elusive spirit medium who once advised their mentor, setting in motion a chain of events that would shape their entire adventure.
In the gritty streets of New York City, danger lurks around every corner as Anna and Harold navigate through a labyrinth of deceit. Mobsters with their own hidden agendas, deranged minds haunted by their own demons, and monstrous beings lurking in the shadows all conspire to hinder their search for the truth.
Prepare to be captivated by a tale of suspense and intrigue, where the boundaries of sanity and the supernatural collide. Can Anna and Harold survive the twisted machinations of New York City’s darkest underbelly? Will they uncover the secrets that lie at the heart of the “The Missing Medium”? The answers lie within the shadows, where deception takes hold and danger lurks at every turn.
In “Missing Medium,” Anna and Harold must unravel the enigmatic connections between their mentor’s advice, the criminal underworld, and the supernatural forces at play. Each step draws them deeper into a world where alliances shift like shadows and the line between reality and nightmare blurs.
Publishers of Science Fiction and Fantasy
Joab Stieglitz is an accomplished author best known for his evocative Utgarda and Thule Trilogies. Delving into the depths of the supernatural, mythology, and the arcane, Stieglitz crafts tales that are as captivating as they are eerie. A keen enthusiast of history, he masterfully blends elements of the past with fantastical horror, transporting readers to worlds both familiar and mysterious. His Utgarda Trilogy, comprising of “The Old Man’s Request”, “The Missing Medium”, and “The Other Realm”, established him as a force to be reckoned with in the realm of supernatural fiction. Not one to rest on his laurels, Stieglitz further expanded his literary universe with the Thule Trilogy, featuring titles such as “The Hunter in the Shadows”, “The Worlds I Know”, and “Reversing the Cataclysm”. But Joab’s creative prowess doesn’t end with epic trilogies. His “Larry Nodens Mysteries” series adds a detective twist to his repertoire, demonstrating his versatility and depth as a writer. “Designed for Slaughter”, the first book in that series, delves deeper into the realms of horror and suspense, keeping readers on the edge of their seats. Drawn to the world of myth and legends from a young age, Stieglitz’s works reflect his passion and deep understanding of ancient lore, while also touching upon universal themes of human nature, destiny, and the ever-present battle between light and darkness. Through his stories, Joab Stieglitz not only entertains but also encourages readers to explore the shadowy corridors of history, myth, and the human psyche. His contributions to the genre have earned him a devoted readership, eagerly awaiting each new journey into the realms he so vividly portrays.
Book One of the Utgarda Series
Fifty years ago, a group of college friends dabbled in the occult and released a malign presence on the world. Now, on his deathbed, the last of the students, now a trustee of Reister University enlists the aid of three newcomers to banish the thing they summoned.
Russian anthropologist Anna Rykov, doctor Harry Lamb, and Father Sean O’Malley are all indebted the ailing trustee for their positions. Together, they pursue the knowledge and resources needed to perform the ritual.
Hampered by the old man’s greedy son, the wizened director of the university library, and a private investigator with a troubled past, can they perform the ritual and banish the entity?
An Old Man’s Request is a pulp adventure set in the 1920s, and the first part of the Utgarda Trilogy.
Book Four of the Utgarda Series
In the Shadows of Betrayal: A Race Against Extinction
Book Five of the Utgarda Series
Worlds Collide: Betrayal, Redemption, and the Battle for Dual Realities
Book Six of the Utgarda Series
Interwoven Destinies: Time, Redemption, and the Battle for Two Realms
Agent of the Overlords Book 1
Unveiling the Shadows: Justice, Secrets, and the Overlord’s Will
Agent of the Overlords Book 2
When a dead body with aquatic features is discovered on the docks, Inspector Lazarus Balthazar Nodens’s investigation takes a sinister turn. He soon unravels a web of secrets surrounding a nightclub, which happens to be a premier Selection site for the Overlords. The body of a woman initially found in a dumpster leads Larry to a grim discovery—body parts from numerous other victims. It becomes evident that the club is involved in a process of drug-induced brainwashing, shaping its Selection candidates for compatibility with the Overlords.
As Larry delves deeper into his investigation, he becomes the target of a suspected dissident group. Threats escalate, and Larry finds himself caught in a final conflict that will forever alter his world. Drastic changes, both personal and societal, are set in motion, leaving Larry to grapple with the aftermath and navigate the new reality that unfolds before him.
Agent of the Overlords Book 3
Larry Nodens has seen the shadows of Dylath-Leen like no other—an inspector hardened by the city’s endless mysteries, its lurking horrors, and the cruel whims of the Overlords. But after a harrowing battle with the Cult of the Yellow Sign, Larry finds himself at his lowest: his body battered, his daughter Dani taken by the enigmatic rulers, and his soul weighed down by unanswered questions.
When a summons from the Overlords forces Larry into a series of grueling trials, both psychological and physical, he discovers the fragile boundaries between reality and illusion. As each challenge peels back the layers of his psyche, Larry faces horrifying creatures, unthinkable dilemmas, and truths about himself he’d rather keep buried. Yet, in the heart of this torment lies the key to an unimaginable revelation—and an even greater test of loyalty.
Promoted to Commissar, Larry now holds power he never sought, offering him both a pathway to truth and a dangerous tightrope above the abyss. Beneath the Overlords’ shadow and amidst whispers of rebellion, he must tread carefully, balancing duty, resistance, and the aching drive to reunite his fractured family.
High in the Fallen Scale Peaks, the last brood of dragons claws its way into a world already turning against them. Srezzig, the blue—bold, reckless, and hungry for the sky—struggles to lead his clutchmates: Ukshagg, the calculating gold; Drozkax, the black with more rage than wisdom; Hashaezkend, the fragile pearl; and Shrarzeth, the small bronze.
Under the brutal tutelage of Shyvnir the Elder, they face trials that would break gods—razor-winds, stormfire, and the cunning predators that stalk the mountains. Each challenge shapes them: from their first, shattering flight to the blood-hunt of the blink rams, to the storms that test the meaning of kinship itself.
But when the skies darken and the Undragons rise from beneath the peaks, courage and cruelty will no longer be enough. The wyrmlings must decide whether to fight for their matron’s legacy… or forge their own.
Sweeping, visceral, and told through the eyes of dragons themselves, A Quest for Dragons is a coming-of-age saga of survival, loyalty, and the price of freedom at the edge of extinction—perfect for readers of John Gwynne, Anne McCaffrey, and Naomi Novik.
Kai is certain he is meant for better things. When Destiny does tap him, he finds that being a Hero isn't at all like he dreamed it would be and he has to find the Hero within.
Elese, a no-nonsense wizard, doesn't care for all this soul-searching, touchy feeling nonsense. She just wants to get on with saving the world already.
The unlikely pair have to find a way to work together before time runs out.
Kelley was a Fleet career soldier who never thought about the future and didn’t care to remember his past. It was that simple and he liked it that way. Nothing got in the way of living life to its fullest.One explosion changed everything. Through a series of events, Kelley is forced to leave Fleet’s service. Directionless, antsy, he is certain he still has all the answers. When an old connection gets him set up with a fairly good job, Kelley thinks he can get back to the life he had.That is until a routine background check brings to light family secrets that force him to question everything he thought he knew. Kelley must face his estranged family and find a way to reconcile the past to be able to deal with his present situation. Simple? Kelley would prefer to navigate an asteroid belt under fire with one thruster down to what he has to handle now.
The Ground Upon Which I Stand is a collection of three light Lovecraftian horror stories.Mythos 101Ramona thinks college is just an institution of higher education. She isn’t ready for a crash course into the mythos. HomecomingAfter surviving her first ritual, Ramona goes home with Dexter to meet his father. Neither of them are prepared for what they find. ReckoningGood things happen to bad people. Bad things happen to good people. Its just the way life goes. But Dexter and Ramona aren’t willing to wait for karma to catch up and play out on its own.
Inali has spent her life being underestimated. Seen as charming, polished, and politically harmless, she has survived in a world ruled by ambition, secrecy, and fragile alliances. But when a journey with fellow heirs and nobles erupts into betrayal, ritual magic, and murder, Inali is left alone to face a threat far greater than political unrest.
An ancient force called Hunger has entered her world, wearing the body of someone she once knew. As rebellion spreads and the ruling Council begins to crack, Inali must track the surviving conspirators, uncover truths her realm was never meant to remember, and decide whether saving her people means preserving the old order—or helping to destroy it.
In a land where magic has been buried and power is slipping loose, the woman no one expected may be the only one who can stand against the darkness.