LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- Malefic, the evil spawn of the demon Biskara, is destroying everything in his quest to rule the planet Azimuth, but Shelby Pardow, summoned from Earth to save the planet, is not going to let him succeed easily in Michael Dadich’s triumphant new young adult fantasy novel “The Silver Sphere” (ISBN 9781622536016, Evolved Publishing, 2012).
Shelby Pardow never imagined leading an army, much less killing someone. But then she receives a flashing instant message on her computer: YOU ARE NEEDED. Soon she finds a portal that teleports her to the planet Azimuth, where soldiers await her leadership. Transformed from child to warrior, Shelby discovers she is Kin to one of the six Aulic Assembly members imprisoned by Malefic Cacoethes, the daunting leader of the Nightlanders.
For a long time, the Assembly has been able to use its mystical weapon, the Silver Sphere, against the demon Biskara and his evil spawn Malefic, but when the Assembly mysteriously disappears and the Silver Sphere is unobtainable, Shelby is needed to aid the Kin, others like her from Earth and linked to the Assembly members, in leading an army into battle if she wants to save Azimuth and Earth.
Author Michael Dadich has created a fully realized fantastical world in Azimuth, both with a back story, a mapped-out geography, and several new creatures, including the Fugues, the protectors of the Sphere; the Battleswine, a violent humanoid warrior race with a boar’s head; and other creatures adapted from mythical beasts like the manticore and the leshy, blending them into a new, complex, and wondrous world.
Readers and reviewers are raving about the results. The Midwest Book Review calls “The Silver Sphere” a “captivating and highly recommended saga of life and death on the battlefield,” and The Hollywood Book Review compares it to modern fantasy classics by saying it “will particularly appeal to fans of ‘The Hunger Games’ trilogy, ‘Game of Thrones,’ and author C.S. Lewis.” Recently, “The Silver Sphere” won the Mom’s Choice Gold award, as well as the Wise Bear Books Gold award, and it is a finalist in the Readers Favorite awards and has been nominated for the Young Adult Library Service Association’s 2014 Best Fiction for Young Adults.
About the Author
Michael Dadich has been writing since age eight. A year later, he began developing the world of his current series-in-progress, and even created its title, “The Silver Sphere.” Now, with years of writing experience, those early maps and back stories have progressed into what he hopes is a fresh and entertaining take on the classic young adult fantasy adventure. Despite Michael’s frequent escapes into parallel worlds, he roots himself firmly in his very real family, his son and wife. He also coaches several local youth sports teams in Beverly Hills, and he alternates between yelling at his two crazy Corgis and hiking with his trained German shepherd.
“The Silver Sphere” (ISBN 9781622536016, Evolved Publishing, 2012) can be purchased through local and online bookstores. For more information, visit www.TheSilverSphere.org. Publicity contact: www.ReaderViews.com. Review copies available upon request.
