The Specter of Empire campaign has officially reached its initial goal, and it’s all thanks to readers like you! Your support makes it possible for me to keep creating stories that challenge the status quo while entertaining, and hopefully inspiring, readers. On behalf of everyone involved in the project, thank you for making The Specter of Empire a reality!
Now that we’ve attained initial funding and our first Stretch Goal, the following rewards are officially unlocked and will move into production:
The Specter of Empire Special Hardcover
The Burned Book Special Hardcover
The Specter of Empire Paperback
The Digital Art Pack
All current Perks and Add-Ons
Warlord concept art for The Specter of Empire hardcover and the Digital Art Pack
Sword Demon concept art for The Specter of Empire hardcover and the Digital Art Pack
All of these will be fulfilled once the campaign concludes. And US domestic backers with cleared payments who complete their surveys within 48 hours of receiving them will receive their items for Christmas!
The Plan
The War of Fates Reaches its Boiling Point!
The Specter of Empire campaign, the latest of author Brian Niemeier’s 10 epic crowdfunders, introduces the hightly anticiapted third entry in his record-breaking Arkwright Cycle; the bridge between his acclaimed Soul Cycle and the forgotten age that birthed it.
This campaign gives readers premiere access to the debut hardcover edition of The Specter of Empire, crafted for collectors, built to last, and offered only to backers! Like the warriors seeking mythic prophecies within this special hardcover's pages, you won’t find a book like it anywhere else. And this campaign lets you get the new book before anyone else!
Already have the previous books of the Kairos Saga in paperback and want the full matching set? You're in luck, because by popular demand we are now offering you The Specter of Empire early paperback edition through this campaign!
So don't wait for the Amazon release. Get The Specter of Empire in a convenient paperback + digital bundle: before launch and before Christmas!
Why Crowdfund?
Because true fantasy defies gatekeeping. When you back this campaign, you help Kairos Publications bring peerless craftsmanship and fearless imagination straight to your shelf; free from corporate meddling and unfettered by shallow checklisting.
We have run and fulfilled 9 successful crowdfunding campaigns to date. So you can be assured of receiving your well-deserved rewards!
How does it work? Our initial $3K goal funds the production and distribution of The Specter of Empire hardcover, paperback, and ebook. Our initial $5K, $7K, and $10K Stretch Goals unlock a haunting series of interior concept illustrations by legendary cover artist Marcelo Orsi Blanco.
Christmas Delivery
And as our special holiday pledge to you, US backers who do not choose Pay Over time, who complete their surveys within 48 hours of receiving them, and whose payments clear, will receive their domestic-shipped physical rewards in time for Christmas!
This is the next big step in an epic saga years in the making: a captivating cosmos that unites Tolkien’s majesty with Berserk’s savagery.
The hour of reckoning draws near ...
Will you stand with the victors, or bow to the specter of empire?
Warlords battling to subdue a continent ... An emperor seduced by world conquest ... A primal evil that lusts for total power …
Their war for the ultimate prize will shake the heavens and raise the specter of empire!
Bearing a divine mandate, Zebrin vows to rescue his disciple’s enslaved mother. But when dark omens draw him into a palace coup, the novice priest becomes prey to vengeful monks, bewitched soldiers, and princes of perdition.
Forced to choose between his god, his oath, and his friends, Zebrin’s soul hangs by a thread. Only The Burned Book offers a glimmer of hope. But when salvation comes from a sinister foe ... can he keep cataclysmic secrets out of tyrants’ hands? Or will he hasten his people’s doom?
The Arkwright Cycle reaches its turning point. And the long dark road to the Soul Cycle unfolds! Readers who've followed this epic story from The Burned Book and Lord of Fate will see prophecies fulfilled, ancient precepts betrayed, and the decisive battle for a world's fate; featured in an exclusive hardcover edition made just for backers!
New to Brian Niemeier's haunting cosmos? We've thrown open the gates to new readers by making every title in his two flagship series, the Soul Cycle and its prelue Arkwright Cycle, available through this campaign!
Witness the climactic struggle, claim your place among the victors, and experience the closest you'll get to a Berserk novel written by Glen Cook from Miura's notes and edited by Christopher Tolkien! Our initial $3K goal covers production and marketing costs. After that, our Stretch Goals fund extra tantalizing perks for you. So don't wait, pledge today!
Every epic has its beginning. For the Arkwright Cycle, that beginning is The Burned Book: a tale of dark fate, blood magic, and the first sparks of a war that will set the cosmos ablaze.
An outcast boy with a terrible secret …
A disillusioned priest seeking release from fate …
The restless son of a fading race seeking his destiny …
Thrown together by chance, their historic quest will span a continent. And change all worlds forever.
Zebrin wanders the human-dominated mainland, having fled his people’s rigid island refuge.
Alone in barbaric lands, he yearns to find himself in those his race shuns.
But when an ambitious emperor drafts him for a harrowing mission to the farthest ends of the world, will he discover and embrace his divine calling? Or will the kingdom he was ordained to save fall?
The answer lies in The Burned Book.
For the first time, The Burned Book is offered in a crowdfunder-only hardcover edition. Now you can own the Arkwright Cycle's origin in a form worthy of the saga’s epic scope. Claim your exclusive copy!
And not only are the Arkwright Cycle's groundbreaking foundation and captivating climax both offered here in hardcover, this campaign marks the return of the fan-favorite hardback edition of Arkwright Cycle Book II: Lord of Fate!
Get the entire Arkwright Cycle to date in exclusive special hardcover editions. Pledge now!
... [T]his book ... also shows Niemeier's growth as an author for clearer, more tightly woven plots, and a good pacing of action throughout. -NEOPATRON D.J. SCHREFFLER
With every installment, the Arkwright Cycle has enthralled readers who crave dark, but not nihilistic, fantasy adventure. Dive into the saga with The Burned Book, Lord of Fate, and the now-fudning Specter of Empire!
The Arkwright Cycle is only the beginning of the end. Delve further into the haunting world of suspense, action and adventure in best seller author Brian Niemeier's Dragon Award-winning Soul Cycle!
Nethereal (Campbell Finalist): Space pirates flying to freedom from an oppressive guild take a detour through hell. Can Captain Jaren Peregrine solve the sinister puzzle of his people's tragic fate? Or will his misfit crew pay the price with their souls?
Souldancer (Dragon Winner): The first Dragon Award winner for Best Horror Novel. Twenty years after a fiery Cataclysm, Xander Sykes travels the deserts of a world forever changed. Hunted by otherworldly forces, the young outcast discovers a survivor as tormented as she is deadly. Will she give purpose to his nameless longing? Or will they both fall prey to the terror that stalks them?
The Secret Kings (Dragon Finalist): The god of the Void is free. Fanatical Lawbringers spread his Will through the Middle Stratum and beyond. Teg Cross, whose mercenary career took him to hell and back, leads a crusade against Shaiel’s rule. But can worldly kings and queens stand against divine wrath?
The Ophian Rising: The Zadokim healed the ravaged cosmos. The survivors made them kings. Their new faith spreads the hope of true freedom in another universe. But when Astlin seeks forbidden knowledge to resurrect her family, sinister forces exact a terrible price from her loved ones. It falls to a shiftless gambler, the outlaw squire of a fallen knight, and an odd pair of smugglers to save all souls from eternal death. But can mortals succeed where gods have failed?
Praise for the Soul Cycle
"The most unique sci-fi story I have experienced in years"
-BESTSELLING AUTHOR ADAM LANE SMITH
"An utterly new universe, in the spirit of Lovecraft and Dune"
-AUTHOR AND EDITOR JEFF DUNTEMANN
"This is a heck of a read. The story is crazy - and I mean that in the best possible way."
-AUTHOR RUSSELL NEWQUIST
"Such an exceptional series with some of the most unique world building I have come across."
-JEFFREY MILLER, VINE VOICE
Witness The Specter of Empire's cosmic aftershocks. Get the Soul Cycle, all 4 books of which are available as Add-Ons, when you pledge this campaign!
Meeting our first goal just marks the start of the battle! Every Stretch Goal you help us unlock adds new enhancements to the novel and celebrates the epic scale of The Specter of Empire.
Initial Funding and Stretch Goals 1 and 2 Met! The Warlord and Sword Demon concept artwork will grace the Specter of Empire Special Hardcover and the Digital Art Pack! The Hellhound interior art will be added when we reach $10,000!
These interior illustrations are backer exclusives and will not be included in the public launch paperback editions. Every stretch goal you help us achieve makes another part of the Arkwright cosmos real and testifies to your role in shaping this epic saga.
Behold the first three concept artworks you'll unlock by backing this campaign; a foretaste of the treasures that await!
Interior Art 1: The Warlord [Funded!]
Artwork by Marcelo Orsi Blanco
Interior Art 2: The Sword Demon [Funded!]
Artwork by Marcelo Orsi Blanco
Interior Art 3: The Hellhound [Now Funding!]
Artwork by Marcelo Orsi Blanco
Back the campaign early, help secure these spoils, and see the world of the Arkwright Cycle unfold before your eyes!
Join the conquest and claim your spoils! The Specter of Emire campaign offers rewards to satisfy any ambition.
Whether you are a veteran of the Arkwright Cycle or new to this haunting universe, you’ll find the perfect reward for you. Because every Pledge Level is designed to be modular, so you can choose your favorite main item and plug in Add-Ons to build your own custom bundles!
Here is selection of Pledge Levels available through this campaign:
Digital Art Pack (Included in all tiers)
All backers who claim any Pledge Level automatically receive desktop and phone wallpapers featuring The Specter of Empire cover art, as well as all unlocked Stretch Goal art!
The Specter of Empire Deluxe Bookmark ($5)
The perfect entry-level reward! Get a striking Specter of Empire bookmark, the Digital Art Pack, and access to all Add-Ons!
The Specter of Empire eBook ($10)
Pledge at this level to get your digital copy of The Specter of Empire!
The Burned Book Special Hardcover ($25)
Back the campaign at the $25 level to get the first book of the Arkwright Cycle, now in backer-exclusive hardcover! Or pledge $45 to get a signed copy!
The Specter of Empire Special Hardcover ($39)
The brand-new novel at the heart of our campaign! Pledge $39 to get The Specter of Empire Special Hardcover. Or pledge $59 to get a signed copy!
The Specter of Empire Paperback Bundle ($39)
Get The Specter of Empire in handy paperback and convenient digital editions, plus the Digital Art Pack, in one easy bundle!
All 3 Special Hardcovers ($79)
Celebrate The Burned Book's reintroduction, Lord of Fate's return, and The Specter of Empire's advent in exclusive hardcover editions! Or pledge $99 to get the whole set signed by the author!
Be in a Book! ($200)
Leave your mark on the Arkwright Cycle by having a character named after you in The Specter of Empire!
Be Killed in a Book ($250)
Pledge at this elite level to have a a Specter of Empire character bear your name and meet a memorable demise!
Whether you're an early adopter eager to get the new book before anyone else, or a bibliophile looking to adorn your bookshelf with limited editions, we've got a tier for you. Back early, back boldly, and claim your rewards before they vanish into legend!
The spoils of victory don't stop with your Pledge Level. Whether you’re a new recruit or a seasoned campaigner, Add-Ons let you personalize your pledge and refine your library!
Available Add-Ons
Lord of Fate Paperback: Get Arkwright Cycle Book II in paperback. $10
Nethereal Paperback (Campbell Finalist): Get Soul Cycle Book I in paperback. $19
Souldancer Paperback (Dragon Award Winner): Get Soul Cycle Book II in paperback. $19
The Secret Kings Paperback (Dragon Award Finalist): Get Soul Cycle Book III in paperback. $19
The Ophian Rising Paperback: Get the gripping conclusion of the Soul Cycle in paperback. $15
The Burned Book Special Hardcover: Get Arkwright Cycle Book I, now in hardcover for the first time! $25
Lord of Fate Special Hardcover: Get the exclusive hardcover edition of Arkwright Cycle Book II. $25
The Specter of Empire Special Hardcover: Get the new third book in the Arkwright Cycle in hardback. $39
The Specter of Empire Paperback: Complete your softcover Kairos collection!($29)
The Burned Book eBook: Get Arkwright Cycle Book I in digital. $9
Lord of Fate eBook: Get Arkwright Cycle Book II in digital. $9
The Specter of Empire eBook: Get the new third book in the Arkwright Cycle in digital. $10
Nethereal eBook (Campbell Finalist): Get Soul Cycle Book I in digital. $9
Souldancer eBook (Dragon Award Winner): Get Soul Cycle Book II in digital. $9
The Secret Kings eBook (Dragon Award Finalist): Get Soul Cycle Book III in digital. $9
The Ophian Rising eBook: Get the gripping conclusion of the Soul Cycle in digital. $9
The Burned Book Audiobook: Get Arkwright Cycle Book I in audio. $29
How Add-Ons Work
Add any combination of these extras after selecting your base Pledge Level. It’s your story; equip yourself as you see fit.
The Specter of Empire campaign rides from Thursday, November 6 to Sunday, November 30.
Every milestone has been planned to precision. And each step brings these choice rewards closer to their rightful place in your hands. Here is an estimated timeline to give you an idea of what to expect:
November 6: Campaign Launch. The gates open. Followers receive their Chapter 1 PDFs, and those who back early will unlock the Chapter 2 & 3 bonus PDFs.
November 30: Campaign Ends. The funding window closes at 2:00 PM US Pacific time. Fulfillment begins.
1st week of December: Surveys Sent. Complete your Backer Survey within 48 hours to ensure Christmas delivery for U.S. domestic rewards with cleared, non-pay-over-time payments.
Mid-December: Rewards ship. Physical rewards ship via USPS, US Mail, etc. Digital rewards will be delivered directly to your inbox.
Christmas Delivery Window: Backers whose surveys are completed within 48 hours, who did not choose Pay Over Time, and whose payments clear will receive their rewards by December 25.
The campaign may conclude, but the war for all souls continues. The Specter of Empire is only the beginning of the end!
Pay Over Time allows backers to split pledges of $150 or more (before shipping and tax) into four interest-free, automated monthly installments, no additional charges. If available, these installments will begin as soon as the campaign ends. Note: If the payment date falls on a weekend or holiday, the payment will process the next business day.
All shipping estimates listed in pledge level descriptions are best projections based on current carrier rates and fulfillment schedules.
Final shipping costs will be charged after the campaign ends, when backer surveys are completed. This process ensures you pay only what’s necessary: no more, no less.
Domestic U.S. backers who do not choose Pay Over Time, complete their surveys within 48 hours of receiving them and whose payments clear will have their rewards shipped in time for Christmas delivery.
International backers are welcome, but please note:
Additional import duties, VAT, or customs fees may be charged by your local authorities
These charged are the responsibility of the recipient and are not included in campaign pledge totals or shipping estimates.
Your support makes this epic saga possible. We, in turn, pledge to deliver your rewards into your hands as speedily as possible.
Brian is a #1 best selling author and a John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer finalist. He won the first Dragon Award for Best Horror Novel and received a Dragon Award nomination for Best Science Fiction Novel. As the executive editor at Kairos Publications, Brian helps his top-selling clients realize the best version of each book.
With the help of awesome backers like you, Brian has gotten 9 prior crowdfunders 2x, 5x; even 10x funded.
At Kairos Publications, we cut through the mainstream wasteland to bring you unapologetic entertainment. By crossing genre lines, studying the pulp masters, and drawing inspiration from manga and anime, our trailblazing tales combine the best of sci fi and fantasy, old and new, East and West.
The result? Captivating new worlds unlike any you’ve read—spiced with the subtle horror that distinguishes series like Star Trek and The Dark Tower. If you’re searching the sci fi-fantasy landscape for singular thrills and chills, you have arrived!
Backers grant to author all rights worldwide in perpetuity to all fictional and fictionalized characters, objects, settings, and concepts created in cooperation with Author for the purposes of all Works produced for this crowdfunding campaign and future related Works. These characters, objects, settings, etc. will be considered Author's sole intellectual property. Author does not claim rights to or ownership of names of real persons living or dead for any other purpose beyond Works of fiction produced for and/or related to to this crowdfunding campaign.
By pledging, backers affirm that they have read and understood these terms, and that their support constitutes a voluntary contribution toward the realization of the creative project described herein.
