Dead Man's Debt: Diary Of A Dark lord Book 1

By Steven Zylstra

"Villainy sounds dramatic until you realize most of it is hunger, paperwork, and being blamed for making decisions no one else was willing to touch."

The reporter stopped writing.

Elias noticed. "The honest version will work, right? I can only tell the truth because of the oath situation."

"I was hoping for something suitable for a press release."

"That was suitable. I removed several accusations."

According to Elias, his alleged descent into villainy began with several mitigating circumstances. Undeath, a lack of memories, and enslavement had created what he considered an unfavorable starting position. And being cursed didn't help either.

Then came the gods, who smiled at him with the serene confidence of beings who did not expect to be held responsible for damages.

"Cowards," Elias said.

The reporter wrote that down, then crossed part of it out.

"Don't go soft on the gods," Elias said. "They're already insufferable."

Reviews for Dead Man's Debt:

"Like watching a corpse argue with destiny, audit the gods, and accidentally become the most dangerous person in the room through excellent time management."

-Mira Quill, Senior Catastrophe Correspondent, The Cosmic Times

"Dark brilliance and alarming practicality. Lord Elias has turned the opening record of his magnificent and legally disputed rise into an inspirational account of undeath, curses, enslavement, and moral compromise, provided one maintains a flexible definition of inspiration."

-Professor Havel Mourn, Department of Narrative Containment

"Diary of a Dark Lord: Book 1 is a dark progression fantasy about an undead strategist, cultivation, villain marks, divine curses, cosmic bureaucracy, moral debt, and the terrible consequences of becoming useful. The Cosmic Times apologizes in advance for any implication that Lord Elias chose villainy deliberately, enjoyed the paperwork, or collected souls for reasons other than their undeniable aesthetic value."

-P. G. Nightwit, Corrections Editor, The Cosmic Times

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0HH8ZR9Z3
• ISBN13: 9798170886296
• Release Date: August 2026
• Publisher: Independently Published
• Length: 534 Pages
• Weight: 1.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.3" x 6.0" x 9.0"