2026 New York Book Festival Runner-Up Award Winner in General Fiction In a world where Gods walk among mortals, Ash Darkscream-a solitary Lesser God of Necromancy-has spent centuries avoiding his grim purpose. His parents, Greater Gods of Death, demand he unleash the zombie apocalypse. After centuries of "failed" planning, they've now given him a new task to ignore: capture the mysterious Child of the Creators. When an unknown force begins hunting him and visions of an ancient power invade his mind, Ash is forced onto a path he can no longer avoid. Joined by Lunette, an enigmatic faun with a knack for finding trouble, and Leroy, his chain-smoking failed-reaper roommate, Ash embarks on a journey to uncover what is hunting him-and why. As ancient forces stir and the bonds of the universe begin to fray, Ash may face an impossible choice: embrace his parents' ambitions... or forge his own path. However, destiny may not give him a choice at all. Blending dark humor, epic action, rebellion, redemption, and a touch of love, Lesser Gods is a modern fantasy series with mythological roots-perfect for readers who like their existential crises served with a side of chaos.