If you’ve read Norse Mythology, then you already know that Ragnarok is a cycle. According to legend, it has happened many times over the centuries, changing with each new cycle. This is not only true of the Ragnarok of  Norse legend, but also true of my Ragnarok Rising Saga. Welcome to the new cycle.

For those of you that have been fans of the series since the beginning, then you know that by returning to a publishing company, the series has indeed come full cycle. The original release of books one and two were with a small publishing company from California. We had our differences and went out separate ways. That’s how the series came to be released as an Indie.

My time as an Indie taught me many lessons and I will always value the creativity that it inspired. However, when J. Ellington Ashton approached me about signing the series with them, although I was initially hesitant, I knew it was the right path to take. I’m excited about the opportunities that this presents.

I’m sure that some of you are wondering why the original release of the series was five large books and the current release is ten. Let me explain that. For one, the series has evolved. This is inevitable with any series, particularly one patterned off of Norse Ragnarok. Change is the one constant in the universe.

When I signed with J. Ellington Ashton Press, it was a big move for me. It meant changing everything about how I published and promoted my work. JEA has their own publishing model and it works for them. The Ragnarok books weighed in at close to 500 pages each. JEA’s publication model is based on a much smaller manuscript. 250 to 300 pages is the norm. Therefore, the series had to adapt.

What was originally 5 larger books evolved into 10 shorter novels. Thus, the new titles in the series. To accomplish this, I had to split the original manuscripts roughly in half. Once I established a break-point, I had to smooth out the transitions to make them stand on their own. That didn’t require as much effort as I thought it would. I tried to keep the original flow of the series as intact as possible.

What JEA brings to the table.

In addition to the bright new covers, the series has undergone a complete new round of edits. This time, I was able to fix a few errors that I missed as well as polish the manuscript, tightening the essence of the story. The editor, Andrew Bell, did a fantastic job. I’m very happy with the way things turned out and the improvements that were made throughout the process.

If you already have the series in its original release format, you don’t have to rush out to buy these when they hit the shelves. It’s the story you already know and hopefully loved. If you are a collector and just have to have the new covers, then I thank you and am thrilled that you enjoyed this series enough to want the new releases.

If you’re new to the series, then join us on the journey. Pick up book one and give me the chance to show you my vision of Ragnarok. Meet Wylie, Spec-4, Southard and Sanders. Go with them into the zombie-infested streets of Springfield, Missouri. Laugh with them, cry with them, join them in the heat of battle versus the hordes of undead. Take that journey with us. Share in this vision of the zombie apocalypse as it merges with Norse mythology, ending in Ragnarok itself.

This series has been called “a roller-coaster ride through the apocalypse” and “The Walking Dead meets Game of Thrones.” I’d love to hear how you describe the series. From the Awakening through Desolation, follow the characters through Ragnarok. Share their triumphs and tragedies, through fire and flames. Ragnarok awaits.

With triumphant return of the Ragnarok Rising Saga, now more than ever the word SAGA truly comes to fruition. While you can read each of the books on their own, you never really see the entire picture until you read them all.

I was inspired by the Tolkien model of “The Lord of the Rings.” If you read them all, you see that it was really just one big book. It tells an epic tale involving a story that is much larger than any of the characters. That is exactly what I tried to accomplish with my Ragnarok Rising Saga.

I hope you will take this journey with me. For those of you who were already fans of the series, I hope you will find yourselves being drawn to the pages again and again. As an author, that’s the greatest measure of success. To create something that your readers want to experience more than once, finding joy in those pages time after time.

Ride with Wiley from his days as a corrections officer to the final battle of Ragnarok. Experience this series again or for the first time. Join us on the journey. To Victory or Valhalla.

DA Roberts

The End is Only the Beginning