John Jarrold

US author Philip J Hay has joined the John Jarrold Literary Agency.

His debut novel is THE SOVEREIGN FLAME – a 95,000-word visionary fantasy where power demands sacrifice, and destiny is rewritten in fire.

For centuries, the Sovereign Dominion has maintained an illusion: six divine bloodlines, separate and distinct, each channelling different aspects of Solnara’s celestial flame. But when the heir Alyxander Kaen Sol witnesses his mother sacrifice herself to protect him from a dark, sentient cosmic force known as the Abyssal, he begins unravelling a truth that threatens the very foundation of his world: the flame burning in his veins isn’t simply his birthright – it’s a conscious force with its own agenda.

As Alyxander’s power surges beyond known limits, he discovers the division between bloodlines is a fabrication. Once, power flowed freely, and humanity was destined to evolve beyond its mortal shell – until the Sacred Orders imposed their doctrine to maintain control. Alyxander forges an unbreakable bond with Eris, an alluring shadow-walker whose darkness complements his flame in ways long forbidden.

Together, they uncover a devastating secret: Alyxander and his “cousin” Cassian are actually brothers – both sons of Divine Sovereign Augustus, born of forbidden love. Alyxander faces an impossible choice: embrace transcendence to guide humanity’s evolution, sacrificing his humanity and growing love for Eris, or surrender to ancient forces that would reinforce the barriers imprisoning humanity’s potential. As three paths – flame’s dominion, Abyssal’s dissolution, or something completely unprecedented – converge before him, Alyxander must answer the most profound question of all: Do you have the power to let power go?

THE SOVEREIGN FLAME fuses the lyrical intimacy of Patrick Rothfuss’s THE NAME OF THE WIND with the structural ambition of N.K. Jemisin’s THE BROKEN EARTH TRILOGY, and the philosophical depth of Frank Herbert’s DUNE – ultimately forging a modern myth of power, sacrifice, and transformation.

Many readers increasingly seek fantasy that combines intellectual depth with emotional resonance, and THE SOVEREIGN FLAME fills a growing market gap between traditional epic fantasy and more literary-oriented speculative fiction – appealing to both, while offering something genuinely innovative.

“I’m always seeking out authors whose writing makes my antennae spring up immediately – and Philip’s did. As I read on I saw that this is a wonderful book of immense scope, which will also appeal to fans of Christopher Ruocchio and Arkady Martine with its depth of setting and characterisation, and sheer, mind-bending invention,” said John Jarrold.

Philip is a 30-year-old African-American Harvard graduate (Class of 2017) with a background in poetry. As his debut, THE SOVEREIGN FLAME represents his vision of fantasy that transcends boundaries while remaining deeply personal – exploring questions of identity, sacrifice, and evolution that resonate in our divided world.