ANDrEW NEWNOrTH
I’m Chris, writing under the pen name Andrew Newnorth, creator of the Magnacodex world of novels, half-tales, and online interactives, all set on an Earth that evolved differently. This world features new continents and seas, dozens of distinct cultures, and materials with alternative properties. Some technologies have developed sooner and begin to converge in unexpected ways. Settings span from the mythical origins toward the steam age, with storylines connected by common threads throughout time.
Initially, I described my work as “epic adventure” because Magnacodex combines elements of epic fantasy, adventure, historical fiction, science fantasy, and steampunk. Realistic alchemy plays a key role, magic and monsters exist only in characters’ imaginations and superstitions. I switched to the “epic fantasy” label for clarity, since bookstores have no easy way to categorize epic adventure, but eventually settled on “epic science fantasy” because it is more true to my work.
My stories continue to blend adventure with political intrigue, realistic alchemy with fictional materials, and reimagined medieval and early modern technology. My writing style draws inspiration from several masters of the craft:
- Tolkien’s depth and detail, but with morally complex characters
- Alexander Dumas’s swashbuckling adventure and old-world prose
- Guy Gavriel Kay’s historical realism
- George R.R. Martin’s political intrigue and complexity, though with less graphic bloodletting
- Square Enix’s Final Fantasy series
Kirkus Reviews and another reviewer have compared my writing to Game of Thrones, while another found parallels with Terry Pratchett’s Discworld. I’m humbled by these comparisons and hope readers continue to enjoy my work and share it with others. Word-of-mouth is critical for indie authors.
My interests span medieval and early modern history, the evolution of technology, philosophy, astronomy, geology, and aesthetics, as my Goodreads bookshelf will attest. My interdisciplinary approach to storytelling also draws from extensive travel, degrees in history and political science, and a smidge of engineering experience.
I created Loremark Publishing to work with freelance editors, proofreaders, and illustrators to bring my novels to life. I chose this middle path between traditional and self-publishing to ensure high-quality books while maintaining creative control. I do my own writing and cartography, and I use AI tools to assist with editing, brainstorming, and most artwork (which I manually refine in Procreate and GIMP).
Explore the free content available here and immerse yourself in the Magnacodex world. Over the next few years, I plan a significant expansion: two new novels are already drafted and I will continue to develop Magnacodex Online.
I recently rebranded Magnacodex from an earlier iteration called Earthpillar, so you’ll continue to see that name here and there and on book covers, until everything is converted over to Magnacodex.
You can also…
- Rate or review Magnacodex books at Amazon, Goodreads, or your favorite retailer.
- Buy books directly from my shop, at online retailers, or place an order at your local bookshop.
- Send me a message, or connect using the social links above.
- Explore Magnacodex elsewhere.
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