Witchy Eye

A STUNNING BAEN BOOKS DEBUT. A brilliant Americana flintlock fantasy novel set in a world of Appalachian magic that works.

Sarah Calhoun is the fifteen-year-old daughter of the Elector Andrew Calhoun, one of Appalachee’s military heroes and one of the electors who gets to decide who will next ascend as the Emperor of the New World. None of that matters to Sarah. She has a natural talent for hexing and one bad eye, and all she wants is to be left alone—especially by outsiders.

But Sarah’s world gets turned on its head at the Nashville Tobacco Fair when a Yankee wizard-priest tries to kidnap her. Sarah fights back with the aid of a mysterious monk named Thalanes, who is one of the not-quite-human Firstborn, the Moundbuilders of the Ohio. It is Thalanes who reveals to Sarah a secret heritage she never dreamed could be hers.

Now on a desperate quest with Thalanes to claim this heritage, she is hunted by the Emperor’s bodyguard of elite dragoons, as well as by darker things—shapeshifting Mockers and undead Lazars, and behind them a power more sinister still. If Sarah cannot claim her heritage, it may mean the end to her, her family—and to the world where she is just beginning to find her place.

At the publisher's request, this title is sold without DRM (Digital Rights Management).

Praise for Witchy Eye and D.J. Butler:

“… you can’t stop yourself from taking another bite…and another…and another….I didn’t want to stop reading…. Kudos!” R.A. Salvatore, New York Times Bestselling Author

“ Excellent book. I am impressed by the creativity and the depth of the world building. Dave Butler is a great storyteller.” – Larry Correia

“WITCHY EYE is an intricate and imaginative alternate history with a cast of characters and quirky situations that would make a Dickens novel proud.” —Kevin J. Anderson, New York Times bestselling author of Eternity's Mind

"David's a pro storyteller, and you're in for a great ride."—Larry Dixon

"… a fascinating, grittily-flavored world of living legends. Hurry up and write the next one, Dave."—Cat Rambo, author of Beasts of Tabat

"This is enchanting! I'd love to see more."—Mercedes Lackey New York Times bestselling author

“Goblin Market meets Magical Musketpunk... A great ride that also manages to cover some serious cultural terrain.” —Charles E. Gannon, author of the thrice-Nebula nominated Caine Riordan series

"Witchy-Eye is a brilliant blend of historical acumen and imagination, a tour-de-force that is at once full of surprises and ultimately heart-warming. This is your chance to discover one of the finest new stars writing today!"–David Farland, New York Times bestselling author

“A gritty, engrossing mash-up of history, fantasy, and magic. Desperate characters careen from plot twist to plot twist until few are left standing.”—Mario Acevedo, author of Rescue From Planet Pleasure.

"Captivating characters. Superb world-building. Awesome magic. Butler fuses fantasy and history effortlessly, creating a fascinating new American epic. Not to be missed!"—Christopher Husberg, author of Duskfall

D.J. (“Dave”) Butler grew up in swamps, deserts, and mountains. After messing around for years with the practice of law, he finally got serious and turned to his lifelong passion of storytelling. He now writes adventure stories for readers of all ages, plays guitar, and spends as much time as he can with his family. He is the author of City of the Saints, Rock Band Fights Evil, Space Eldritch, and Crecheling from Wordfire Press, and Witchy Eye from Baen Books.


Genre: Fantasy

"A gritty, engrossing mash-up of history, fantasy, and magic. Desperate characters careen from plot twist to plot twist until few are left standing." - Mario Acevedo

"WITCHY EYE is an intricate and imaginative alternate history with a cast of characters and quirky situations that would make a Dickens novel proud." - Kevin J Anderson

"Excellent book. I am impressed by the creativity and the depth of the world building. Dave Butler is a great storyteller." - Larry Correia

"David's a pro storyteller, and you're in for a great ride." - Larry Dixon

"Witchy-Eye is a brilliant blend of historical acumen and imagination, a tour-de-force that is at once full of surprises and ultimately heart-warming. This is your chance to discover one of the finest new stars writing today!" - David Farland

"Goblin Market meets Magical Musketpunk... A great ride that also manages to cover some serious cultural terrain." - Charles E Gannon

"Captivating characters. Superb world-building. Awesome magic. Butler fuses fantasy and history effortlessly, creating a fascinating new American epic. Not to be missed!" - Christopher Husberg

"This is enchanting! I'd love to see more." - Mercedes Lackey

"… a fascinating, grittily-flavored world of living legends. Hurry up and write the next one, Dave." - Cat Rambo

"…you can’t stop yourself from taking another bite… and another… and another…. I didn’t want to stop reading…. Kudos!" - R A Salvatore