When I say "M&M novels", you probably think of "The Sea of Mist" by Mel Odom. What you may not know is there were two other books published by DelRey Books in 1995 and 1996 and written by Geary Gravel : "The Dreamwright" and "The Shadowsmith". They were supposed to be followed by a third, "the Worldcrafter", that never got released for some reason.
Geary Gravel has a charming writing style and the books are definitely worth the read, if you can find them. Here is the summary for "The Dreamwright" :
Also interesting is those few word from the editor, according to this site :Diligence was the only daughter of one of the eight kings of the land known as the Wheel -- and of an immortal mother before whose power armies quailed. When earthquakes and raging firestorms threatened to destroy the Wheel, Diligence was dispatched to the side of the mother she had never known -- in exchange for an audience with the all-knowing Dreamwright, who might have the solution to her people's plight.
Mountain boy Hitch had left his native peaks in search of adventure, but he was not prepared to face an unknown world of monsters and magic alone. So he was happy to join the princess's caravan, glad only of a job and the companionship.
But, as Hitch would soon find, this was no ordinary journey. For the way to the palace of the Dreamwright led through lands filled with Wander Men and ramble houses, messengers made of glass, nighthoots and choir-wolves, lands where long-dead warriors refought ancient battles, where foul sorcery and twisted science awaited the unwary . . . and where Hitch and Diligence were the only ones who could make the difference between deliverance and oblivion!
At the time, Heroes of Might and Magic had just been released, introducing the lands of Enroth, a world that lasted for some games. So the "next" M&M world would have been based on Geary Gravel's books. That would be Axeoth... And when you read the books, there are actually some familiar places and names : a land called The Wheel (as in HoMM4), a lost kingdom called Auldemar (there is an "Aldamar" in The Gathering Storm), a race of demon-imps called the yeofolk (Eofol, anyone... ?)... There are also Ancients and Guardians, monsters and marvels (the author put much effort in not copying D&D bestiary, and it pays), heroes and villains, and, well, might and magic. Even if the book features original world and story, Geary Gravel managed to capture the very essence of Might and Magic. It is really a true chapter of the saga on its own.(...)Even more odd is this: the new installment of the game got delayed, so Geary had to write the book from whole cloth. In fact, the game company promised to tie their game into our book! So what we've got here is a novel that works both as a fantasy adventure and a tie-in.
Too bad the last book was never released, because its title ("the Worldcrafter") obviously makes reference to the Ancients. I'll try to get in touch with the author to learn more about it.
