The Demon of the Well

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Pub Date 21 Dec 2019 | Archive Date 15 May 2021

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Description

An ancient chalice with great, mystical powers is buried in the heart of a fearsome, haunted desert. At night, a trader secretly overhears two passing army deserters and learns that it has been found. And that the soldiers may be on a journey to re-claim it, but have lost their way. Hoping to obtain this chalice in order to bring peace to his war-torn world, he appears to them and offers his services as guide. In their dangerous company, he searches with them for the legendary Cup of Knowledge - the soldiers unaware that he knows of this mystic treasure that they themselves are seeking. The plans of all three begin to go awry as they enter the realm of the destructive yellow demon, where the chalice has been cached. A lethal conflict leaves the trader alone with the demon, with whom he strikes a deal that will have grave consequences for the entire world. Many years later, with the help of a young friend, he seeks a way to set matters right again.
Decades in the making, this story was inspired by a legend in Persian literature. Presented as an ancient, recovered manuscript, this fantasy evokes the oral, storytelling traditions of the bards of old. Events, visions, desert landscapes - all are revealed and swiftly carried along in the enchanting, deftly phrased lines of the tale's rhyming, evenly metered river of verses. A story for the times we find ourselves living in that will appeal to fantasy lovers, young and old alike.

An ancient chalice with great, mystical powers is buried in the heart of a fearsome, haunted desert. At night, a trader secretly overhears two passing army deserters and learns that it has been...


A Note From the Publisher

Results from a recent pair of market surveys done for "The Demon of the Well" by Online Book Club seem to indicate that this book could have broader appeal in the general book market, beyond the genres of fantasy and poetry.

Results from a recent pair of market surveys done for "The Demon of the Well" by Online Book Club seem to indicate that this book could have broader appeal in the general book market, beyond the...


Advance Praise

"....effortlessly fluid, razor focused, and thematically powerful, with a timeless quality." BlueInk Reviews

"....effortlessly fluid, razor focused, and thematically powerful, with a timeless quality." BlueInk Reviews


Marketing Plan

Now available through all major outlets.

Now available through all major outlets.


Available Editions

EDITION Paperback
ISBN 9781543993349
PRICE US$14.00 (USD)
PAGES 74

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Average rating from 9 members


Featured Reviews

Long ago, a trader along the Silk Road overheard two former soldiers divulge of their quest to recover a powerful chalice.  The trader develops a scheme to get the treasure for himself.  However, in retrieving his prize, the trader unleashes a powerful being that wreaks havoc upon the Earth.  Years later, when the town has been experiencing a prolonged drought, the trader tells his story.  He fears his actions long ago have resulted in disaster.  Together, the trader and a younger man set off to right his wrong from long ago.  

The Demon in the Well is an epic tale told in rhyming verse.  It's been awhile since I have read anything in this format and I enjoyed the deep immersion into the story and how quickly I was pulled in.  The verse made the story move very quickly and kept me wanting to know what happened next. I was surprised by how smoothly the rhymes carried the story.  While the characters may not have been as well formed, I still feel like I knew who the characters were.  Most of all, I enjoyed the author's inspiration for The Demon of the Well and what his imagination was able to create.  Overall, The Demon of the Well is an exciting journey told in a unique way. 
This book was received for free in return for an honest review.

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Actual rating 4.5/5 stars.

A terrible drought has the inhabitants of an oasis town, alongside the Old Silk Road, fearing for their lives. One member among them believes he is responsible for the present suffering, along with two long-dead adventurers and the demon the trio met upon their journey together.

This is a book told in two parts - one long before and one during the drought. I found much to appreciate in both sections and enjoyed learning of the protagonist's history, as well as adventuring with him as he attempted to rectify his past mistakes. This felt very much like a classic tale of lore, with its wry concluding twist and the morals delivered on the journey towards it. This feel was also aided by the rhyming stanzas the story was told in.

I also loved how this story was prefaced by a note from the author detailing his creative process. The stanzas of this story came to him whole and intermittently over the course of eighteen years. I'm glad Hendricks chose to share this with the reader, as this knowledge ensured both the contents, and the construction, felt infused by magic and whimsy.

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A terrible drought has the inhabitants of an oasis town, alongside the Old Silk Road, fearing for their lives. One member among them believes he is responsible for the present suffering, along with two long-dead adventurers and the demon the trio met upon their journey together.
I was absorbed in the story from the first verse, the intriguing style in which the author told this story was mesmerizing. It was divided into two parts; ‘The Traders Story’, and ‘The Second Journey’. The rhymes carried the story smoothly and at a surprisingly fast pace.

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I enjoyed this book quite a bit as a short adventure novel. It is all set in rhyme, which I expected to be off putting, but came to enjoy as it flowed well and sounded natural. Unconventional, which was nice. Recommended.

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The Demon of the Well was a charming and unique tale which is told entirely in rhyming verse. I think the form really helped this tale stand out, I haven't read many stories told in verse except for in poetry anthologies and the like so this was a refreshing little detour from all the prose I usually read. I liked the whimsical nature of the story; we follow two story threads, which are interlinked, The Traders Story and The Second Journey. I liked the fantasy elements, such as the chalice and the demon - the chalice especially being significant. The story had a very classic fantasy / lore kind of tone, with lessons being learnt during the characters quests and it's delivered in a way which doesn't feel heavy handed at all due to the rhyming verse. I also liked the inspiration behind the story and how the verses came into the authors mind over the course of many years, makes for an interesting origin story for sure!

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