Welcome to Thivia & Valkora's Epic Adventures
The Free Prequel - First Strike
Begin Valkora’s journey with a free prequel story. Download your copy and step into the world of Thivia today
The Novel
The Full Length Dark Fantasy Novel.
Published by Nobledark Press on 23 September 2026.Fury ForgedEvery town wants a smith, but none want a berserker.Her rage can shape steel – or shatter kingdoms.Valkora Lostwolf is a skilled blacksmith plagued by a lethal rage she cannot control. Half-orc and half-human, she is desperate to belong, yet forever the outsider.Magic is fuelled by the soul’s Essence – yours or another’s, willing or not. When an ambush goes awry, Valkora seizes the sentient Essence of Atramenta Vox: a dead tyrant whose wrathful cult hunts for her still.Rejecting Atramenta’s honeyed whispers, Valkora builds a new life as a mercenary. For the first time, she earns what she has always craved: real friends, true purpose, and a fragile love she never believed possible.Yet Atramenta’s influence runs deeper than anyone realises. When tragedy shatters Valkora’s peace, she must unleash the very fury that has haunted her for years – to avenge her loss and protect those who remain.Will she remain the blacksmith who builds – or become the forge-flame that burns the world to ash?If you crave character-driven fantasy, brutal magic, and heroines who fight their own darkness, Fury Forged is your next read.Available on Amazon in paperback, Kindle Unlimited and ebook editions. The ebook is available at the launch price of $0.99/£0.99 (or local equivalent) until 7 October.
Meet the Author: Jim P. Ballard
Jim P. Ballard has been crafting characters and stories as a role-player and games master for over forty years. He loves experiencing new worlds through the eyes of personalities wildly different from his own.Valkora began as one of those lived characters: one whose adventures demanded to be written. Four decades provides a rich vein for Valkora's ongoing adventures in Thivia and a plethora of other lived characters from across the Euripian Coast to share with Jim's readers.Once asked when he planned to grow up, he replied, "Why would I want to?"
Get Started on Your Journey
Join the Inner Circle and get access to free short stories set across Thivia plus exclusive updates on how I am progressing with the sequel to Fury Forged.
© 2026 Jim P. Ballard, Studio 161235, PO Box 7169, Poole, BH15 9EL, United Kingdom. All rights reserved.
Privacy Policy
Privacy Policy
Last Updated: June 21, 2026Thank you for visiting the official website of Jim P. Ballard (accessible at jimpballard.com)[cite: 1]. I take your privacy seriously. This Privacy Policy outlines what data is collected from you, how it is processed, and your legal rights under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the UK Data Protection Act.---## 1. Who We Are (The Data Controller)The data controller for this website and mailing list is:* Author Name: Jim P. Ballard
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Book Two of the Valkora Chronicles
(Working Title: Gilded Anvil)
Aurelianova is destroyed. The old Avernian ruling class is dead, but its army and its people remain. How will they react to this cataclysmic news? Some see opportunity; others see danger. Will Avernia smoothly transition into a peaceful neighbour, or will opposing interests pull it apart? And who will they blame when things don’t go their way?
Valkora found the weight of the Avernian crown jewels she stole from Fissure’s Crown heavier than she expected. It’s about to grow heavier still. The half‑orc is looking forward to a homecoming, reuniting with her family, and returning to a simple life. But the consequences of her actions in Aurelianova follow her to Thessalades and threaten to destroy everything she holds dear there as well.
Just because this part of the story has finished does not mean Valkora’s adventures are over… far from it.
Book Two of the Valkora Chronicles (Working Title: Gilded Anvil) is coming in 2027.
Valkora's journey is far from over. I'm back at the anvil and already forging Book 2 (Gilded Anvil). Sign up for the newsletter to get exclusive updates and sneak peeks as the story takes shape.
Enjoyed Fury Forged?
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Download the Free Prequel - First Strike
Before Valkora joined Kortash’s camp, she wandered far along the Euripian Coast. Sometimes it went well. She met many men, drank much ale, and even smithed a little. This tale is not one of those times…
A half-orc with a temper, a chance to belong, a moment of true connection, and a misunderstanding all explosively combine in a remote village to shatter the peace in a way no one could expect.