Hey there, this is R.G. Barnett! This novel takes place around 33 B.C., in ancient Romania, called Dacia at the time. It's primary takes place in the "City of Shadows," nicknamed such on the street because of all the evil there. But more than that, I introduce a new concept of monsters. It's a darkness that lives in and is transferred by blood. Every time someone is infected, they react differently to it. Some become mindless zombies, some vampires or werewolves, sometimes something else entirely different. This novel has many themes; family, love, the cruelty of the natural (or supernatural) world, love vs evil. And, of course, loads of amazing hard-core fight scenes involving martial arts, written in such a way to be easily understood while also incredibly entertaining to witness! I plan for this to be the first of a series that will take the main character throughout history to present day. You'll also notice the novel is mostly written from the perspective of characters around the main character. That was a creative decision on my part, like the main character hasn't developed enough to stand on his own until then. I hope the darkness in this series inspires the creativity of your imagination, that the human's journey captures your heart, and the fights get your adrenaline pumping!