New Installment in the Children of Inauron Quadrilogy Explores Guilt, Hereditary Mental Illness, and the Unravelling Mind.
WALES, UK – Date: November 4, 2025 – Dan Hanly is thrilled to announce the highly anticipated launch of STONE COLD BLOOD this Friday, November 7th, the second book in the critically praised Dark Fantasy series, The Children of Inauron quadrilogy.
Stone Cold Blood takes a sharp narrative turn from its predecessor, The Great Leap, introducing a parallel storyline that dramatically elevates the psychological stakes of the Wildlands. While the first novel focused on Fleta’s journey of identity and trauma recovery, this installment plunges readers into the deep-seated guilt and impending mental crisis faced by a different outcast.
A New Face of Terror
The new protagonist is Lawson, a nineteen-year-old exile battling not just the brutal environment of the Wildlands, but the far more terrifying war within his own mind. Lawson is consumed by crushing guilt for a fatal mistake that occurred before their banishment for burning the Sanctuary of Inauron.
As his shame escalates, Lawson’s grip on reality breaks. He becomes plagued by chilling visions of a grotesque character with too many teeth, a predator that follows his every step, yet is seemingly visible only to him. The central conflict forces Lawson and his companions—including the psychologically burdened Wendy, Piper, and Stokely—to confront whether this shadow is a real threat, or if Lawson is succumbing to the hereditary mental illness that haunts his family.
The official tagline encapsulates the novel’s core battle: “Survival demands a clear mind. But how do you escape the cage built from your guilt?”
Stone Cold Blood is a gripping dark fantasy tale of psychological torment and the desperate fight to maintain sanity in a world where the unimaginable becomes terrifyingly real. It releases everywhere as an ebook this Friday, November 7th, 2025, with the Paperback releasing on November 10th, 2025.
About The Children of Inauron
The Children of Inauron is a Dark Fantasy quadrilogy exploring themes of childhood trauma, mental health, identity, and resilience through the lens of ten teenagers banished into a dark, primeval forest. The series is marketed towards mature readers who appreciate complex, character-driven fantasy. Book One, The Great Leap, is available now.
About Dan Hanly
Dan Hanly is a Welsh author of dark fantasy and mystery. He has a passion for telling stories in the Fantasy, Mystery and Psychological Thriller genres, and any opportunity to combine those genres is the prime place to find his works. Hailing from the South Wales Valleys, Dan Hanly focuses on fantastical tales that are in-part, inspired by his upbringing in the Rhondda Valleys, including the beauty of the surroundings, and the heart of the people within it.
His debut novel, The Great Leap, was released in May 2025 and it’s a dark fantasy that addresses themes of trauma, identity and survival, set in a dark oppressive forest. The sequel, Stone Cold Blood releases in November 2025.
Contact:
Dan Hanly
dan@danhanly.com
danhanly.com
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