THE CURE FOR LIVING is now available for preorder!
Walk blessed – or, as they say in Khîra, yâsh thûya,
It’s time. Five years after Dreams of the Dying, the next two books in the Twelfth World series are now available for preorder, at a special discount. The books are currently being printed, and will ship around the final week of March 2026.
Visit my website for more information, or head straight to the store. If you haven’t read the first novel yet, you can purchase it here – a new, premium reprint is in the works. Knowledge of Dreams isn’t strictly necessary, but recommended.
The Cure for Living is a single story told in two volumes. It concludes Jespar’s saga.
“I’ll tell you a story,” the Visionary said to the young woman. “When I’m done, I promise you I’ll undo these chains and let you go.” He met her gaze, his eyes as dark as the void between worlds. “You will stay." In the oasis city of Qurrâb, wealth, power, and fame all bow to a single ideal: yâsh, the virtue of one's heart. There, a thirteen-year-old girl with a mind like no other resolves to become the brightest soul history has ever seen, inspiring others to follow her example. Her goal? To unite humanity and vanquish the Darkness, the destructive force within all of us that makes the world the wretched place that it is. When veteran Jespar tre Moreste reaches the fabled City of Sages forty years later, his only concern is finding Loanne, the sister he once abandoned. Little does he know that his journey will soon lead him into the dark underbelly of the supposed paradise, where ruthless crime syndicates mingle with death cults and forbidden schools of philosophy. As old wounds resurface and reality fractures, Jespar realizes that even after the tumultuous events of Kilay, he still has demons of his own to conquer — and that often, the most charming masks hide the vilest of minds.
At over 1,200 pages, this is one of the most ambitious and complex stories I’ve ever written. Even though it took much longer to complete than I expected, every second of it was worth it. It’s a story about identity, obsession, and how quickly we can become the very thing we’re fighting. It’s also a tale of grief and letting go.
Like Dreams of the Dying, these books come in three editions: eBook, paperback, and premium hardcover.
This time, I chose not to use a print-on-demand provider and instead oversaw the printing process myself. That decision allowed for significantly higher quality across both physical editions, especially the hardcover. This is why quantities are limited for now - for this first edition, I simply couldn’t afford to print more. It’s an indie novel in every sense of the word.
Both hardcovers feature full-color sprayed edges, gold foil lettering on a matte-laminated dust jacket, and a colored bookmark. Part One of The Cure for Living also includes a full-color, 140-page appendix illustrated by Dominik Derow. See the store description for more details.
All editions also include a stunning watercolor map of the oasis city of Qûrrab by Francesca Baerald, cartographer for franchises such as Warhammer, Game of Thrones, and World of Warcraft.
I’m blessed and honored to have collaborated with several gifted artists on this novel—from my amazing friends Dominik Derow (illustration), Johanna Krünes (layout), and David Müller (linguistics), to my editor, my typesetter, to the various scientific advisers who helped make the world feel so much more textured. All are listed in the acknowledgments. 💜
The third book - and Jespar’s saga as a whole - is dedicated to my dear friend Katharina Lippenberger, a gifted author, poet, and beautiful mind who didn’t live to see it finished.
Thank you to everyone who supported me on this journey. Exciting things lie ahead. I wouldn’t have made it here without you.
Sincerely,
Nico
