BBNYA 2025 Finalist Spotlight: The Light of Kasaban by Thomas Howard Riley
Kasaban is not a place of safety-it is a place of survival, where even the smallest spark of magick can mean the difference between hope and destruction.
This week's BBNYA spotlight brings us into a harsh desert city where survival is never guaranteed and even the smallest spark of magick carries real danger. The Light of Kasaban by Thomas Howard Riley explores a world shaped by oppression, where quiet acts of courage and found family offer a fragile but powerful sense of hope.
The Light of Kasaban placed 7th in the 2025 competition, earning recognition from a global panel of book bloggers who read, evaluate, and champion the best in independently published literature.
If you enjoy discovering indie authors and standout stories outside the traditional publishing spotlight, this is exactly the kind of book worth adding to your reading list.
Part of my ongoing mission here at GinaRaeMitchell.com to champion indie authors and stories worth discovering.
About The Light of Kasaban
The Light Of Kasaban By Thomas Howard Riley
Published by Independently Published on September 2024
Genres: Fantasy
Formats: eBook, Hardcover, Paperback
Pages: 206
In the brutal desert city of Kasaban, the old gods have had their statues crushed to powder by invading Priests, with magick forbidden to anyone but themselves. Merely being born as one of the magi makes even infants into fugitives, and the Priests and their spies are always watching, ready to toss their enemies into the purifying flames of execution.
Saya Ani Anai is the last of her family, dedicating her life to being a teacher of magick for little orphaned children. From within her hidden home, she provides the closest thing to a normal life these children may ever know. They help each other like family, working for what they can and stealing the rest to scrape by, forced to live every day under the yoke of oppression.
When the warren-boss who keeps their domain a secret suddenly demands a higher price to keep his silence, they must race to find a way to meet the demand or they will lose their home and their lives. But for the poor living in Kasaban, and simply surviving is anything but easy.
With the Priests and their magick-hunters scouring the city for magi to burn, and the catastrophes of daily life intervening to crush her plans at every turn, Saya must risk everything to save her home and keep the children safe. But Kasaban is unforgiving. Its fires rage bright. If she fails, all her hopes will burn.
Why This Finalist Stands Out
✨ A World Where Magick Comes at a Cost
In Kasaban, magick isn't just rare-it's forbidden. That tension creates a constant undercurrent of danger, where even the smallest use of power can have devastating consequences.
✨ A Story Rooted in Found Family
At its heart, this is a story about protection and connection. Saya's role as a teacher to orphaned children adds an emotional layer that grounds the darker elements of the world.
✨ Survival in an Unforgiving Setting
The desert city of Kasaban feels harsh and unrelenting, where everyday life is shaped by scarcity, control, and the ever-present threat of discovery.
✨ Quiet Courage in the Face of Oppression
Rather than grand heroics, the story leans into smaller, meaningful acts of bravery-choices that carry weight in a world where simply surviving is a challenge.
Reader resources:
Curious to learn more or see how this story is resonating with other readers?
View The Light of Kasaban on Goodreads
View The Light of Kasaban on StoryGraph
View The Light of Kasaban on BookBub
Before we move on, here's a quick look at the author behind the story.
Meet Thomas Howard Riley
About Thomas Howard Riley
Thomas Howard Riley currently resides in the wasteland metropolis, where he reads ancient books, plays ancient games, watches ancient movies, jams on ancient guitars, and writes furiously day and night. He sometimes appears on clear nights when the moon is gibbous, and he has often been seen in the presence of cats.
He always wanted to make up his own worlds, tell his own stories, write his own history, create his own people, honor the truths of life, and explore both the light and the darkness of human nature. With a few swords thrown in for good measure.
And some magick. Awesome magick.
He can be found digitally at THOMASHOWARDRILEY.COM
On Twitter he is @ornithopteryx, where he is sometimes funny, always clever, and never mean.
Explore more from the author:
Website | Amazon | Goodreads
Where to Buy
If this finalist sounds like your kind of read, you can explore purchase options below.
Support Local Bookshops
Prefer to support independent bookstores? You can shop The Light of Kasaban through Bookshop.org below.
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Kindle | Paperback | Hardcover
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About BBNYA
The Book Bloggers' Novel of the Year Award (BBNYA) is a yearly competition where book bloggers from around the world read and score books written by indie authors. From hundreds of submissions, a small group of finalists is selected, culminating in one overall winner.
The award celebrates the creativity and diversity of independent publishing while helping readers discover incredible books beyond the traditional publishing spotlight.
BBNYA Website
@BBNYA_Official
@The_WriteReads
More 2025 BBNYA Finalists
Explore more of my BBNYA 2025 finalist spotlights here:
Closing Notes
Thank you to The Write Reads, BBNYA, and Thomas Howard Riley for allowing me to spotlight this finalist today.
Please consider congratulating the author in the comments or sharing this post with a fellow reader who enjoys discovering great indie books.
Happy reading - and thank you for supporting indie authors and stories worth discovering.
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