What Is Returnity? A Deep Dive into the New Epic Fantasy Series
- Returnity Books
- Jul 28
- 3 min read
Updated: Jul 28
In a world where time collapses, mushrooms infect minds, and power is currency, one architect claws his way through the ruins of a dying nation. Welcome to Returnity—an epic fantasy series that fuses Machiavellian cutthroatery with the wonder and worldbuilding of The Lord of the Rings.
If you’re a fan of complex politics, high-stakes drama, and morally gray characters in a richly built world, Returnity belongs on your shelf—and in your search bar.
What Is the World of Returnity?
The series takes place on Tethia, a sentient planet recovering from a time-warping anomaly known only as the Deep Slumber. Entire cities crumbled, survivors aged decades in days, and nothing has been the same since.
Now, two continents—Archon and Pelegra—are locked in a silent war between:
Crumbling crowns
Corporate guilds
And a spreading fungal blight that threatens all life
This isn’t just another fantasy kingdom. This is a world watching you back.
What Makes Returnity Different?
While most epic fantasy focuses on kings, warriors, or chosen ones, Returnity starts with an architect—Barron Alarie, a disillusioned man caught between ambition and survival.
The series blends:
Political intrigue in the spirit of Dune or Game of Thrones
Tolkien-level lore, myths, and geography
Biological horror via mind-controlling mushrooms and mysterious slumber dungeons
And the ever-present question: How much of your soul must you trade to reclaim your destiny?
Book One: Glowing Ambition
📖 In Glowing Ambition, Barron is passed over for the title his late father once held: Overseer of Nero Company. Bitter but driven, he reluctantly partners with the powerful Alchemy Guild, only to find himself entangled in conspiracies darker than he imagined.
As a deadly mushroom strain spreads, war brews beneath the surface, and Barron must decide: reclaim what was taken from him, or become the villain everyone already sees.
What Are the Central Themes?
If you love your fantasy with meaning, Returnity offers:
Power vs. principle
Can you fight a corrupt system without becoming part of it?
Time, decay, and memory
What does it mean to live on a world that forgets you as quickly as it shapes you?
Reinvention
Characters constantly evolve—villains become martyrs, heroes become tyrants, and redemption is never guaranteed.
Who Should Read Returnity?
Fans of epic fantasy with political bite
Readers of The Lord of the Rings, Malazan, The Broken Earth, The Poppy War, or The Traitor Baru Cormorant
Writers and worldbuilders looking for rich settings and unique magic systems
People fascinated by mushrooms, sentient planets, and morally gray characters
What's Next?
Book Two—Terrorform—ramps up the horror and the stakes. With Maldinia on the brink of collapse, rebel factions rise, Sporehouses spread like tumors, and old enemies return with new motives.
Want to stay in the loop?
Following the Returnity Books Instagram Page for updates, exclusive lore drops, and behind-the-scenes worldbuilding:
Final Thoughts
Returnity is fantasy for thinkers, dreamers, and survivors. Whether you’re here for the politics, the world, or the creeping dread of fungal corruption, this is a series that rewards those who pay attention—and punishes those who don’t.
Welcome to Tethia. It remembers everything you forget.
TL;DR
Series Name: Returnity
Author: Jeffrey Pons
Genres: Epic Fantasy, Political Intrigue, Fungal Horror, Worldbuilding
Core Themes: Power, Decay, Moral Ambiguity, Time
Main Book: Glowing Ambition
Keywords: Epic fantasy series, sentient world, mushroom apocalypse, fantasy politics, morally gray protagonist, Returnity books
