The Deck of the Numinon
With a turn of the cards, a Stone Giant breaks loose from the Granite Mountains, leaving a path of destruction through the Regency of the Stands. The fabled guard towers of Safrasco are destroyed by a sorcerous griffin, the threat of war rising in its wake. Captain Ferriman turns to a blind herb trader named Cerra Meadows in the hopes she can help him navigate the sorcerous paths that threaten the peace of the Empire.
The Cards are drawn, the cast put into play. The Deck is ruled by the majics that created it. Events take on a life of their own, reliant on the strengths and motivations of the players whose avatars are determined by the draw. The Queen of Quills represents qualities that Cerra must embrace in order to discover the identity of the Seer and locate the Cards before her world runs out of Time.
Reviews
Literary Titan Review
The Deck of the Numinon is an epic fantasy novel by GJ Scherzinger. The story takes place in a mysterious universe surrounded by magic. Where cities battle each other for dominance and control, and in faraway lands women in convents known as Sybellines study magical artifacts and train in the arts of shapeshifting. When a deck of magical cards with the power to manipulate people and time falls into the hands of a player with malicious intentions, cards are drawn and a series of catastrophic events follows. As generals and diplomats from the different kingdoms blame each other for the destruction of the fabled towers of Safrasco and prepare their armies for war. The Standish general Artis Ferriman enlists Cerra, a bling girl of humble means, as his agent at the embassy in order to find the culprit of the attacks. Cerra sets off on her journey, accompanied by her demon lover Yutan. Unaware that both of them represent cards in play. While dealing with diplomatic life and an unexpected loss, she soon finds an ally in Havi, a Sybelline trainee entrusted with the mission of finding the deck and removing it from the player. As Cerra navigates a mysterious world dominated by greed, lust, and betrayal, she discovers that her mission goes beyond spying, she is a player in the game representing The Queen of Quills and must embrace those qualities in order to locate the “seer” and stop the game before she runs out of time.
The Deck of the Numinon is an engrossing and riveting novel. From the carefully detailed world to the incredibly original plot, The Deck of the Numinon is everything any fantasy reader can dream of. Once you start reading, there’s no putting the book down. It never gets mundane as events play out smoothly, each with schemes and backstories left and right. The author does an incredible job of describing characters that are complex and unpredictable. Cerra, the main character, is a pacifist unwillingly thrown into conflict, which makes her fun to follow. She is blind, yet her remaining senses compensate for that loss, which makes for a different kind of power. She feels the world in a way that any reader can relate and connect with on a personal level, I know I did! As for the writing, the story is extremely well planned and portrayed, and really has to be to accomplish such a deep story on an epic scale. But the language used is quite complex and can be hard to grasp, an important observation for anyone looking for a light read. All in all, I highly recommend this book for its originality and engaging plot. I definitely recommend it to anyone that enjoys Lord of the Rings or Game of Thrones.
BookLife Prize - 2020
Plot/Idea: 9 out of 10
Originality: 9 out of 10
Prose: 7 out of 10
Character/Execution: 8 out of 10
Overall: 8.25 out of 10
Assessment:

Plot: Scherzinger's ambitious standalone work of epic fantasy unfolds in a magical world that falls into a path of destruction when power-wielding cards are compensated by a dangerous villain.
Prose: Scherzinger's detailed, polished prose creates a vibrant, fully immersive world.
Originality: Invested readers will be rewarded with a multilayered story that creates and abides by its own unique world building.
Character/Execution: The numerous characters are convincingly developed and supplied with well-rounded back stories and motivations. While initially difficult to parse out each kingdom, character, and magical element, the storytelling ultimately delivers satisfying portrayals and narrative arcs.
Date Submitted: August 29, 2020
Kops Fetherling International Book Awards
~ Bronze Medal (Third Place Science Fiction/Fantasy) 2020
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GoodReads Reviews
The Deck of Numinon, by GJ Scherzinger, is a fantasy adventure novel published by Blue Rune in 2020. This title adds to the author’s shelf of popular titles and seems to be enjoying a lot of success. I for one, found this book to be very entertaining.
For fans of any of the author’s other well-known titles, such as The Henna Witch, The Wizard of Grimmer’s Wharf, The House on Chambers Court, or Demon of the Black Gate, The Deck of Numinon will be familiar in terms of the depth, creativity, originality, and attention to detail.
If you are looking for an immersive adventure story that is written with the clear intention to take you into another world, you don’t have to look much further than The Deck of Numinon. The writing style is incredible for several reasons.
The author utilizes an array of tools to create an intricate system of details and concepts that help him formulate his literary magic. Scherzinger crafts each line with care and attention and he knows well how to create a scene in his readers’ minds that not only feels authentic but also encourages you to think about aspects of a scene that you might not otherwise consider.
Jumping between and intertwining the various textures in a scene to the smells, tastes, feelings, and more with effortless flow, the author is clearly adept at bringing his readers into his own internal world. The author’s long history in the TV industry might have something to do with that, but I have a feeling that this author takes great pleasure in the creation process.
Although fantasy is not generally my genre of choice when it comes to reading for fun, I really enjoyed reading The Deck of Numinon. It did not take me long to get pulled into the complexity of the storyline and to get attached to the characters and their various paths. In fact, I liked the book so much I also bought a few of the author’s other books to explore this author’s mind a bit more.
I would give this book 5 out of 5 stars for many reasons. The most important of which is that the story allowed me to experience something new. In a genre full of much of the same, The Deck of Numinon breaks free from the norm and takes readers on a unique journey that they will not soon forget. I would happily recommend this book to anyone looking for a change of pace, even if fantasy adventure is not something that they normally pick up.
~ Benjamin David
The Deck of the Numinon is a high fantasy book by GJ Scherzinger. The Numinon is a mystical deck of cards that is also known to be a living deck. The player of the deck can use it for different reasons. Not only can the Numinon tell fortunes, but it can also create fortunes. With a history and each card having a trait and story attached, it unfolds a remarkable journey and life-changing events for many. Once someone plays the first card, the rock monster wreaks havoc, many people’s fate changed, and there is the threat of war is brewing.
For me, this book was a slow start. But it then picked up with a lot of intrigue and mystery. We follow multiple characters, each with their journey, and some of them intertwine. One of the more interesting characters we follow is Carra. She is a blind woman with a card-dealt purpose, but she also has a trusty cat and a demon by her side. There is nothing ordinary about any character in the book, especially because it consists of many magical people and demons. Those who are fans of intricate fantasy will enjoy this book.
I do have to give a warning. There is a sexual assault scene, though not too detailed. There is also not a lot of focus on this scene itself. Scherzinger’s writing style is extremely detailed, which can be a divided area for readers. However, I think that everyone can enjoy this book. After it picks up, it has a good flow to it. The story also has a great, slow build. There is much anticipation surrounding this deck of cards and the actions put in motion by it. As the end got closer, it was hard to put the book down. I would love to have more about Carra, her cat, and her demon! I also quite enjoyed Havi and her story. It would be nice to have more of these characters.
~ Jessica
Written by GJ Scherzinger, this is a book that tells the story of a Stone Giant who breaks loose from the Granite Mountains destroying everything in his path through the Regency of the Stands and a sorcerer who destroys the guard towers of Safrasco. All this awakens a rising war and Captain Ferriman looks for the help of Cerra Meadows, a blind herb trader, to fight against what threatens the peace of the whole Empire before it is too late.
“The Deck of the Numinon” is a book that has it all; magic, interesting and peculiar characters, and also suspense and mystery. The author did a great job portraying the characters and also developing a plot that has many condiments, as well as twists and turns which caught my attention from beginning to end. It is a thrilling tale that needs to be read attentively as the vocabulary isn’t simple and the narrative structure is complex. Each scene is richly atmospheric and full of descriptions which soon gets the reader involved and imagining themselves inside the story. Reading it is quite a literary journey.
The text, which is divided into several chapters and written in the third person, is supported by marvelous illustrations that suit the plot perfectly, making the reading much more enjoyable. The author managed to create a good balance between telling and showing, which I think is a great ingredient for this type of novels with a unique plot.
With well rounded and developed characters, a plot that got me reading at the edge of my seat more than once and an end that surprised me, this is a read that I would certainly recommend. I look forward to more of the author's literary output and I will give this must read with great pace and depth five well deserved stars.
~ Mia C.
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The suspense, mystery, and author’s beautiful narration will have you stop what you are doing to concentrate on the stories in ‘The Deck of the Numinon’. The revelation of events and description gets to be interesting with every new page. ‘The Deck of the Numinon’ is a great book to read if you enjoy entertaining tales and wild characters who sometimes get to do engage in eerie activities. The illustrations are appealing and the development of the plot fascinating. The author’s writing is nothing less than brilliant. GJ Scherzinger wrote a captivating story that requires little effort to understand.
In the book, we follow different characters as they try to get to their crazy goals. An unknown seer gets to use the Numinion, but in hiding. This results in excess fear, despair, and turmoil among the people of Teranovae. The anxiety in the air can be felt far and wide. There is however one interesting character that the reader gest to love, Haviana. He is a young rookie and has been tasked with getting back the deck of the numinion to safety. Will he be up to the task? With the chaos, a mediator has to do the work of bringing conflicting parties together. Captain Ferriman is given the responsibility of bringing the peace needed. Every scene gives one a new sensation. I also loved Cerra and the roles she was given.
‘The Deck of the Numinon’ will put you on edge throughout your reading time. The suspense, action, and conversations among characters are interesting to read. You will fall in love with the main characters because of how perfectly they executed their roles. GJ Scherzinger is a creative genius and a great author whose works should be celebrated. I recommend this book to readers that enjoy fantasy fiction that has some elements of occult horror.
~ Aaron
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Neil Gaiman once said, “I like stories where women save themselves.” GJ Scherzinger’s novel The Deck of the Numinon features a prime character who is a humble, blind, yet strong woman who perseveres through a multitude of challenges through her own ingenuity with just a little help from her friends. This book starts off explosively and does not stop. Just when you think there may be some peace, boom, another tempestuous event gives the reader no option to put the book down. Scherzinger’s gift of prose and plot take us on a colorful, fantastical adventure well worth the read.
~ Linda L.
Amazon Reviews
Having read Demon of the Black Gate and thoroughly enjoyed it, I eagerly anticipated reading the Deck of the Numinon, which includes the return of Cerra, a strong female character whom I found fascinating. To my great joy, GJ Scherzinger has written another stand alone fantasy but this time of truly of epic proportions, surpassing even my highest expectations.
The story has a unique plot line, using the magic held within the Deck of the Numinon to activate characters and shape events. This Tarot has been stolen from the Sybelline Order, a mysterious and secretive group, who shape shift into animals and who work to keep the balance of nature and magic in the world of Teranovae.
The Numinon begins to be used secretly by an unknown Seer of great magic, to create fear, discord and aggression amongst the people’s of Teranovae, in some, as yet unknown, game of power. The card avatars assigned to living characters, move in ways determined by the choices the Seer makes, their own natures and the magic of the Numinon.
A young Sybelline novice, Haviana is entrusted to search for and return the Deck of the Numinon to the safety of the Order. As a minor avatar, the Messenger, it is hoped the Seer will overlook her abilities.
When elemental mayhem is unleashed by the Seer, the regions blame each other and prepare for war. Captain Ferriman is tasked to enlist the support of Cerra, to aid in the dangerous negotiations for peace. He hopes her blindness will bring insight to the deeper events.
Thus begins Cerras journey, leaving the comfort and safety of her home to take on the card avatar of the Queen of Quills and the dangerous adventures created by the clever author.
The story builds, layer upon layer, card upon card, weaving an intense and exciting read. It climbs to an epic and unique ending, involving the unleashing of armies, avatars and elemental energies.
To be honest, I was wonderously exhausted at the climax!
The writing is beautiful, the scenes alive with texture, the characters fascinating and engaging and the plot is both unique and epic. I can thouroughly recommend this book to anyone who enjoyed Game of Thrones or Lord of the Rings, you won’t be disappointed.
Amazon Reviews
Having read Demon of the Black Gate and thoroughly enjoyed it, I eagerly anticipated reading the Deck of the Numinon, which includes the return of Cerra, a strong female character whom I found fascinating. To my great joy, GJ Scherzinger has written another stand alone fantasy but this time of truly of epic proportions, surpassing even my highest expectations.
The story has a unique plot line, using the magic held within the Deck of the Numinon to activate characters and shape events. This Tarot has been stolen from the Sybelline Order, a mysterious and secretive group, who shape shift into animals and who work to keep the balance of nature and magic in the world of Teranovae.
The Numinon begins to be used secretly by an unknown Seer of great magic, to create fear, discord and aggression amongst the people’s of Teranovae, in some, as yet unknown, game of power. The card avatars assigned to living characters, move in ways determined by the choices the Seer makes, their own natures and the magic of the Numinon.
A young Sybelline novice, Haviana is entrusted to search for and return the Deck of the Numinon to the safety of the Order. As a minor avatar, the Messenger, it is hoped the Seer will overlook her abilities.
When elemental mayhem is unleashed by the Seer, the regions blame each other and prepare for war. Captain Ferriman is tasked to enlist the support of Cerra, to aid in the dangerous negotiations for peace. He hopes her blindness will bring insight to the deeper events.
Thus begins Cerras journey, leaving the comfort and safety of her home to take on the card avatar of the Queen of Quills and the dangerous adventures created by the clever author.
The story builds, layer upon layer, card upon card, weaving an intense and exciting read. It climbs to an epic and unique ending, involving the unleashing of armies, avatars and elemental energies.
To be honest, I was wonderously exhausted at the climax!
The writing is beautiful, the scenes alive with texture, the characters fascinating and engaging and the plot is both unique and epic. I can thouroughly recommend this book to anyone who enjoyed Game of Thrones or Lord of the Rings, you won’t be disappointed.