I love dungeon crawls. I find the idea of a party of adventurers delving into deep, dark places and searching for lost treasures and knowledge both exhilarating and inspiring. So when I recently went searching for a new fantasy novel to read, I decided that I wanted to find one that captured the essence of the dungeon crawl. To my great delight, I succeeded well beyond my expectations.
During my search, I came upon this Reddit post asking for suggestions about books with dungeon crawling elements. There were some great suggestions (I added quite a few of the books to my reading list), but the one that has captured my attention most is a fantasy novel called Aching God by Mike Shel, the first book of a trilogy-in-progress. Here is my (spoiler-free) synopsis:
Three years after a tragic expedition into an ancient ruin that cost him the lives of his party and very nearly his own sanity, Auric Manteo is called back to the Syraeic League when a supernatural plague caused by a cursed artifact threatens to take the lives of everyone in the Citadel and beyond. But the stakes are even more personal for Auric – his daughter, also a member of the League, is among those who have fallen ill. Now Auric must lead an expedition back into the corrupted Barrowlands to return the artifact to the ancient temple from which it had been removed in hopes of stopping the disease. Joining him are several League novices – a sorcerer, an alchemist, and a swordsman – as well as a courageous war veteran. Will Auric be able to overcome his traumatic past and save both his daughter and the empire? What foul evils might lurk in the ruinous temple of a long-dead civilization? These and many more questions will be answered as the team strives to fulfill their mission.
You may be thinking to yourself that the above sounds like it could make a fantastic RPG setting and adventure. It wasn’t until shortly after I finished the novel and did some searching for more of the author’s books that I discovered that the author is an RPG designer who has published adventure modules for Pathfinder. Sadly, none of those modules are set in the author’s world. Still, this novel practically screams to be converted into an RPG! It’s a fast-paced adventure, filled with immersive worldbuilding and incredibly well-developed characters. Even Auric’s diverse assortment of companions have all the makings of a great adventuring party.
It’s worth mentioning that this book isn’t for the faint of heart. A grim tone pervades much of the book. We get a deep look into Auric’s psyche as well as flashbacks to the failed expedition that almost drove him mad. There is a decent amount of horrific and gory imagery, including vivid descriptions of wounds and deaths, as well as terrifying depictions of chthonic monsters of an almost Lovecraftian nature. However, if you’re the sort of person who enjoys some darker elements in their fantasy, this book definitely won’t disappoint!
Two out of the three books of the Iconclasts trilogy are already available for purchase. I’m already about halfway through the sequel novel, Sin Eater. The third book, Idols Fall, is well underway, with a projected release of this year unless the pandemic delays its publication. You can find links to buy the novels here. Hope you enjoy!
Do you have thoughts or questions about the article or suggestions for future content? Leave a comment below or drop me a line at jtdimino@d20radio.com.
J.T. Dimino
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