Power must be taken. Names must be earned.

A book cover titled "King Maker" by Quain Holtey, featuring a person dressed in traditional clothing with a headset, sitting and looking at a device, with a background of a gnarled tree and hanging vines.

What is King Maker?


King Maker is a dwarven fantasy set in an underground kingdom where strength and power mean everything, and the three named families that rule its streets are eager to use that power.

Riddin Khad, prince of the Khad family, was born deformed and weak, and suffers from chronic pain. For reasons no one knows, his father allowed him to live rather than kill him at birth.

Now, as a mysterious fourth name rises in the mountain, Riddin finds himself the heir of his family’s throne, and hated and rejected, he seeks nothing but to bring peace to a city he loves. Desperate to prove his strength and earn the respect of his people, Riddin has used his family’s magical gem stores to create technology that will even the scales of power.

To end the war that has threatened his people for centuries before it begins, Riddin will use his name, his intellect, and the promise of his inheritance to unite the very people who despise him.

He will fail.

If Riddin Khad wants the power to save his city, he will have to take it.

“Where Middle-earth meets Arcane”

  • "Had me at the edge of my chair... Do I wish it was longer? Yes. Do I think the ending was perfect? Also yes.

    — Goodreads Review

  • "Such a great book! My husband and I read it together in 2 sittings. It was so good & such a page turner. We couldn’t put it down! So ready for another one!!"

    — Goodreads Review

  • "LOVE it! I need to know everything about Azeik and what happens next!"

    — Goodreads Review

  • "I never thought I’d find myself cheering for the character arch of a literal gun, but here we are. Take a moment to read this book—you won’t regret it!"

    — Amazon Review

  • "From the strong fortress of Khad Rock, the teaming star-ceilinged cross-roads of Tri-Street, or the billowing lake of sand and magma that are the plains of Mordkin, Holtey painted a world that was distinct and easy to imagine while following Riddin's journey. "

    — Goodreads Review

  • "It’s the kind of story that stays with you long after the last page—quick to read, but impossible to forget."

    - Barnes & Noble Review

  • "To say this book hooked me in immediately is an understatement; from the start to the end, I could barely put it down!"

    — Barnes & Noble Review

Available Products

King Maker - Signed Hardcover
$20.00

Power must be taken. Names must be earned. Violence must be fought with violence. 

Amidst the three ruling families of the dwarven city of Mordkin, a fourth name rises. One that threatens the tenuous peace that has held for two hundred years. If he has any hope of keeping the peace, Riddin Khad, heir to the Khad throne, must use his name, his intelligence, and the promise of his inheritance to unite the families before war floods his streets.

This edition includes:

  • Signed hardcover copy of King Maker

  • Exclusive city map and cover art bookmarks

  • The first 100 copies will be numbered.

King Maker enamel pin set
Sale Price: $30.00 Original Price: $36.00

The exclusive hard enamel pin set inspired by the characters and inventions of King Maker. Aezik, the giant dwarf; Riddin, the crippled prince; and King Maker, Riddin’s prized invention and equalizer in a city where power means everything.

Cast in bronze, these pins are sure to look great wherever you showcase them.

More by Quain

Flowers for Hekci - A King Maker short story by Quain Holtey

In the underground city of Mordkin, Aezik sets out to fulfill his sister's impossible dream before the anniversary of her death: to find a flower.

Read on Substack

A Cure for Gods - Chapter 1 by Quain Holtey

The first chapter of my current work-in-progress fantasy novel, A Cure for Gods. *Subject to change.

Read on Substack

Cirque du Phasma - A Short Story by Quain Holtey

A terminally ill ventriloquist performs for a ghostly audience.

Read on Substack

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A young man with short light brown hair, smiling with arms crossed, standing outdoors in front of green bushes and a clear sky.

Meet the Author


Quain has been writing books since before he could read.

No, really. Pages of scribbles in various sizes that told stories no one else could hope to understand. But that didn’t stop him from trying to get his family, friends, teachers, and anyone else within his tiny toddler reach to read them.

Since then, he’s learned how to read and write, and the rest is history.

Quain has a bachelor’s in creative writing and a master’s in game design, both from Full Sail University, and is a professional game writer by day. By night (and often very, very, very early morning) he dons his cape, whips out his laptop, and writes fantasy and science fiction.

His novella, King Maker, is his first published book.

Well, kind of. But if you want to know that story, you’ll have to keep reading.

Get in contact with me