The First Book of the Chain Saga
by Mike Medeiros
Darkness does not arrive all at once. It gathers quietly in forgotten promises, broken bonds, and the silence left behind after loss.
In The Darkness Rises, the first book of The Saga of the Chain, an ancient balance begins to fail. Long-held safeguards weaken, old evils stir, and a fractured world stands on the brink of collapse. From remote mountain strongholds to storm-scarred shores, ordinary lives are drawn into an extraordinary reckoning.
Bound by fate rather than choice, a reluctant fellowship must confront not only a growing shadow, but the wounds they carry within themselves. Each decision demands sacrifice. Each act of courage comes at a cost. And every link forged in trust may be the difference between survival and oblivion.
Blending epic fantasy with deeply human emotion, The Darkness Rises is a story of resilience, legacy, and the unbreakable power of hope. It is a tale for readers who believe that even in the deepest night, light can still be chosen and that the strongest chains are forged not in steel, but in love, faith, and perseverance.
The war for light begins where hope refuses to die.
Discover the epic fantasy readers are calling haunting, heartfelt, and unforgettable.
When the ancient balance that once bound the world together begins to fray, darkness does not arrive with fanfare. It remembers.
In The Darkness Rises, Book I of The Saga of the Chain, a land scarred by forgotten wars and buried truths stands at the brink of collapse. Long-dormant powers stir beneath the surface, old promises begin to crack, and the fragile bonds holding shadow at bay start to fail. As ominous signs spread and hope thins, a reluctant fellowship is drawn together warriors, healers, and souls shaped by loss each carrying wounds that may yet damn them… or redeem them.
What begins as a fight to survive slowly unfolds into something far more profound: a struggle for meaning, memory, and the last fragile light in a broken world. Every choice leaves a mark. Every act of courage carries a cost. And the Chain, an ancient force forged from mercy and resolve remembers every vow ever sworn.
Enhancing the journey, each chapter is accompanied by a hand-crafted illustration, offering readers a visual doorway into the world, its characters, and its most pivotal moments. These illustrations are not mere adornments, but part of the storytelling itself deepening immersion and bringing the saga’s myth, emotion, and atmosphere vividly to life.
Blending sweeping world-building with deeply human emotion, The Darkness Rises is an epic fantasy for readers who crave rich mythology, powerful characters, and stories where hope is hard-won, but never extinguished.
If you believe the strongest light is born in the darkest moments, this is the journey you’ve been waiting for.
The war for light begins where hope refuses to die.
Mike Medeiros is a storyteller who blends epic fantasy, human resilience, and mythic imagination into The Chain Saga.
Mike Medeiros is the author of The Saga of the Chain, an epic fantasy series shaped by myth, memory, and the quiet power of human choice. His work explores where loss and hope intersect, asking what remains when certainty falls away and how meaning is forged through resilience, mercy, and the bonds that endure beyond darkness. Rather than offering escape, his stories invite readers back toward what matters most: connection, courage, and the weight of the choices we carry. Born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and raised in Brockton and later on Cape Cod, Mike’s sense of place was further shaped by many years spent in Colorado before he returned to New England. He now lives in the Great North Woods of New Hampshire, where long winters, quiet forests, and close-knit communities influence both the atmosphere and emotional cadence of his writing. The landscape itself often becomes a silent presence in his work, echoing themes of endurance, waiting, and slow transformation. A lifelong lover of epic fantasy, tabletop role-playing, and myth-driven storytelling, Mike draws inspiration from the traditions of classic fantasy while grounding his stories in deeply personal questions of legacy and remembrance. Each chapter of The Saga of the Chain is paired with original illustrations, created to deepen immersion and honor his belief that stories are meant to be experienced as living worlds, not simply consumed as text. When he is not writing, Mike is an educator, a student of systems and storytelling alike, and a devoted listener of classic and eighties rock. An avid vinyl record collector, he often world-builds while albums spin in the background, finding rhythm and reflection in music that has shaped generations. He writes for readers who believe that even in the darkest moments, meaning can still be forged and that the strongest chains are not made of iron, but of memory, mercy, and choice. Through his writing and his bookstore, he invites readers into immersive, character-driven stories while fostering a space that celebrates imagination, community, and the enduring power of storytelling.