Discover the interconnected Kingdoms of Aethirra. Following the heroics of Corwin, Kael, Marek and Gareth. Grounded fantasy adventures without magic, driven by courage and heart.
Explore the BooksBegin your journey with The Lion & the Raven, then explore three interwoven tales of loyalty, redemption, and legacy.
The foundational tale that sets the stage in Elberra.
Marek’s cold path to redemption in the North.
Kael’s tragic, heroic voyage across the seas.
Gareth’s southern odyssey through the desert of Arydia.
A tale of betrayal, honor, and the cost of power in Elberra.
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Marek’s fight for redemption in the frozen wilds of Varell Teth.
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Kael’s seaborne legacy lives on in this tragic, comedic, and high‑stakes nautical epic.
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M. R. Ball is an author of grounded fantasy and seafaring adventures. He crafts stories rich with historical realism, moral complexity, and memorable characters. His interconnected series span the continents of Aethirra, from the palace halls of Elberra to the treacherous Iron Horizon.
M.R. Ball was born in Las Vegas, Nevada in 1980, on the same unforgettable night the United States defeated the Soviet Union in the legendary “Miracle on Ice.” Raised in the heart of the desert, he enjoyed a childhood filled with love, curiosity, and adventure. Though his family didn’t have much, they had all they needed, and those early years left a vivid imprint on his memory. He recalls watching news of the Mt. St. Helens eruption as a toddler and seeing water spill over Hoover Dam in the record-breaking year of 1983.
A lifelong Las Vegas resident, M.R. built a wide foundation of experience both in the city and the wilds beyond. His family spent countless weekends exploring the great outdoors, camping in Yosemite, climbing the dunes of Dumont, and completing the awe-inspiring Rae Lakes Loop in Kings Canyon, a backpacking trip he still describes as life-changing.
During high school, M.R.'s love for reading flourished, and he picked up a guitar for the first time. Music became a creative outlet that led him to write poems and songs, and eventually sparked his storytelling journey. The earliest seeds of The Boy with the Eagle’s Gaze began as a poetic two-page tale, and his first draft of The Lion and the Raven was born in an English classroom, centered around a dying knight named Corwin.
After graduating, M.R. pursued a career in HVAC, an essential trade in the sweltering heat of Las Vegas, and married his best friend at the age of 22. He later transitioned to facilities maintenance at the Wynn Las Vegas when it opened, continuing to broaden his skills across multiple fields.
Now, at 45, M.R. has embraced a lifelong dream that never let go: writing. Drawing from decades of life, love, loss, and learning, he has returned to his early stories with fresh eyes and renewed purpose. His work blends heartfelt adventure, vivid world-building, and grounded characters shaped by honor, hardship, and humanity.
Thank you for joining him on this journey. Your support helps bring a lifelong dream to life.
Still, hard at work on the next book now, entitled ‘The Sands of Valor’. My goal is November 1 for release date. But stay tuned for more information. Also, working on getting the audio book for "The Lion and The Raven" on audible asap. A lot going on right now...
Subscribers get an early look at some of Gareth’s journey through the sand.
Check out Kael's dream of taking to the sea. And follow along as he maneuvers through a gauntlet of political cabals, legendary unsinkable enemies, and creatures beyond imagination.
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