Author Alexander Paul Burton brings a new voice to fantasy literature with his debut novel, The Hollow Vale. Born in Somerset and now living in Canada, Burton infuses the novel with themes of exile, female strength, and the lingering magic of a world in decline.
Released on Tuesday, May 27, 2025, The Hollow Vale is a poetic, myth-rich novel that draws from the fading echoes of Roman and post-Arthurian Britain. The story is set in a land once great, now fractured, and is written with readers of Tolkien, Arthurian legend, and British folk tradition in mind.
Mist-laced hills, crumbling citadels, and haunted vales form the backdrop of a narrative led by women and outsiders trying to preserve what remains of their culture. The story is not a tale of conquest or chosen heroes, but one of resilience after the fall. It speaks to anyone who has felt like an outsider in their own land.
“I’ve always felt that the legends of Britain didn’t end with Camelot,” Burton says. “They simply drifted west, into the mists, where ordinary people kept the fire burning. That’s what this book is about—what happens after the great stories end, and how people rebuild their lives when the old world slips away.”
Growing up near Glastonbury and the Quantocks, Burton infuses the novel with a sense of ancient magic and earth-rooted spirituality. Readers familiar with the folklore of the West Country will feel the presence of standing stones, forgotten gods, sacred springs, and whispered legends throughout the text.
“It’s not about flashy magic,” Burton explains. “It’s about a quieter kind of power—ancestral memory, intuition, and the strength we carry from the land and from each other.”
As a queer migrant navigating personal and cultural estrangement, Burton uses fantasy as a way to explore identity, grief, and renewal. “I lost a sense of home for a while,” he says. “Writing The Hollow Vale was my way of making peace with that.”
The novel forms the first part of The Tharion Cycle, a wider project that includes hand-drawn maps, original music, and companion lore essays. A special hardcover edition with gold detailing and additional artwork is expected to be released later in 2025. The music from the world of The Hollow Vale is also available on major streaming platforms.
While the book has already gained interest in Canada and France, Burton is especially hopeful that readers in the South West will feel a kinship with the world he has created. “This story is for those who love the old paths, who still believe in the power of place, and who know that the veil between worlds is thin,” he says.
The Hollow Vale is available in paperback, hardcover, and digital editions, and can be ordered from local bookshops, Waterstones, Amazon, and global distributors like IngramSpark. Burton encourages independent orders where possible.
Derick is an experienced reporter having held multiple senior roles for large publishers across Europe. Specialist subjects include small business and financial emerging markets.