My name is Lucas. I wrote a Dutch dark fantasy novel called De Kleine Veroveraar (The Little Conqueror) and recently published the English version. I wrote the book because I wanted to explore the themes of rejection and exclusion within a fantasy world. These themes resonated with me personally. I'm autistic and have often felt like an outsider because of it. I'm also a huge fantasy fan (my favourite book is The Hobbit) and wanted to put my own spin on it: a fairy tale with a very dark edge.
I'm really proud of the result and have poured all my passion into it. The book follows a small sorcerer named Felhim. He performs daily for his queen and her court, but is bullied because of his unusual appearance. One day he is even replaced by a "more handsome" sorcerer and banished to the Dark Forest, a realm full of magical and strange creatures. Rejected and humiliated, he sets out to reclaim his former position and take revenge on his former mistress, gathering an army.
If you enjoy fantasy, especially dark fantasy with a morally grey protagonist and magical creatures, I think this book might be for you.