Thomas J Devens- The Revolting Peasant of Grimdark

@tdevens.bsky.social

1157 Followers 877 Following

(He/Him) Author of gritty fantasy/grimdark (Fall of Emros and Vermin of the Old Empire), foundry worker, gamer, drinker of dark beers, and thrower of axes. Never good at social media, but trying to be more active-ish. https://linktr.ee/thomasjdevens

Promo image featuring covers of "The Scroungers" and "The Dregs" by Thomas J Devens. Captions read "Vermin of the Old Empire, 50% off on itch.io till July 6th" with the url: revoltingpeasantpress.itch.io at the bottom. The cover of The Scroungers features three characters in a medieval styled city on a dark, rainy night. The cover of The Dregs features four characters among the carnage of a battlefield aflame.
Circular badge announcing "Available at DriveThruFiction" with the logo for the site DriveThruFiction
Black and white lo-fi drawing of four adventurers in a dark forest. Series title: Tales from the Tavern at the Brink of the Abyss, in the left. Issue title: A Payday and a Pint, in the right. Revolting Peasant Press- Issue 1 and bearded helm with crossed axes logo in bottom left corner
Black and white lo-fi drawing of four adventurers in a dark forest. Series title: Tales from the Tavern at the Brink of the Abyss, in the left. Issue title: A Payday and a Pint, in the right. Revolting Peasant Press- Issue 1 and bearded helm with crossed axes logo in bottom left corner
Punk rock horse with mohawk, vest, studded belt, and tattered jeans. Very poorly drawn
Promo art featuring Spotlight Indie's logo in the upper left corner. Over a black background there are author photos and names, on the left Thomas J Devens. On the right the words "With special guests" and the photos and captions for Alex French, Tim Hardie, and DB Rook. In the center is a line drawing of an open book with question marks over it. And finally the caption in the lower left "Revolting Peasant Press Issue 1 Reveal Party! Sunday 8pm (UK)
Top half: The cover of the novella "The Scroungers" by Thomas J Devens, featuring three main characters walking through a gloomy medieval city. Text to the right that says: "The Scroungers: gritty fantasy, mired in the mud and the blood and the filth of mankind. 0.99" Under that is the banner for the Narratess Indie Book Sale. A chonky dragon reads a book at the bottom, a pile of skulls with a candle and ghost sit on the left of the text, and a space ship flies by a planet on the right of the text. Text: Indie Book Sale indiebook.sale Fantasy, Sci FI & Horror 11 - 13 April Banner designed by Arden Powell
Banner for the Narratess Indie Book Sale. A chonky dragon reads a book at the bottom, a pile of skulls with a candle and ghost sit on the left of the text, and a space ship flies by a planet on the right of the text. Text: Indie Book Sale indiebook.sale Fantasy, Sci FI & Horror 11 - 13 April Banner designed by Arden Powell
Promo image with the covers for all of Thomas J Devens' books: Stone & Shield, Split Paths, Lucky Die, The Scroungers, The Dregs, and The Pawn. With the caption: "Gritty fantasy mired in the mud and the blood and the filth of mankind"
Cover art for Carpentry in the Elven Forest by Alex French. A hand drawn illustration of the main characters walking through a forest.
Photo of two cassette tapes, "Miasmic Purple Smoke" and "From the Mire" by Bog Wizard, surrounded by stickers and beer koozies from the band.
Promo poster with a black and yellow spirally background, a photo of me making a dumb face, and thumbnails of all of my book covers. Text reads: Hey! You! This weirdo's turning 40! So why not get his ebooks for free! Pay what you want! ko-fi.com/thomasjdevens
Picture of assorted papers, pens, and other tools showing my zine in progress.
A collage of book covers, listing my top ten books of the year, including: Residuum by DB Rook, The Hallows by HL Tinsley, Hall of Bone by Tim Hardie, The Last Gasp of Midnight by Thomas Howard Riley, Season of Kings/Season of Vengeance by AJ Rettger, Storytellers by Bjørn Larssen, Dark Oak by Jacob Sannox, Carpentry in the Elven Forest by Alex French, Dance With Me by Livia J Elliot, The Iron Crown/The Shadow Gate by LL MacRae.
Photo of my desk top, with a tray of dice, a can of beer, some simple sketches, and my laptop opened to my word document and the bandcamp page for Castle Rat
Promo image for short story, featuring a silhouetted man with a sword in a forest near an evil tree, overlaid with surreal colors in the light. The "Revolting Peasant Press" logo at the center. Text reads: "A Trip Through the Woods: a Scavengers of the Wasteland short story"
Photo of various notebooks, pens, and folders of current works in progress.
Audiobook cover of The Scrounger by Thomas J Devens. Narrated by RJ Bayley. Featuring three characters in the dark, rainy streets of a run-down town.
Cover of The Dregs by Thomas J Devens
Cover of "Lucky Die" a short story in the Shadows of Emros series by Thomas J Devens. Artwork features the main character, Shel, seated at a cluttered table in a tavern
Promo image featuring covers of many of the books on sale, including The Scroungers, larger at the center. Text reads: Epic sale of beloved sff 2025. Aug 7th-11th. Over 100 recommended books on sale. Free or $0.99
Promo image: "The Roustabouts: a new chapter in the Vermin of the Old Empire" over image of pike armed soldiers.
Promo image with the cover of the audiobook, The Scroungers, and pictures of author Thomas J Devens and narrator RJ Bayley. Caption reads: It is my absolute honor to announce. Audiobook coming fall of 2025!
Book excerpt that reads: “I assume that would be the Hell Mutt?” Direnn turned her attention back to the barkeep. Despite his limp, he crossed the room in few strides. With Direnn’s question he paused, raising a brow. “Huh? Him? No, no.” The man glanced at the dog, snorting a laugh, and turned back to Direnn. “That’s my dog, Flop, or Lazy Little Shit, he don’t come to neither, so doesn’t matter much either way.” “Flop?” “Aye, on account of him being a big ole, wrinkly, floppy mutt and me not being all too creative in my naming conventions.” A grin stretched across the man’s face as he leaned over the bar. “I’m Helmutt, and this here is my pride and joy.” He waved his hand, showing off the tavern, before leaning closer and lowering his voice. “Well, the tavern and Flop, of course, but don’t tell him I told ya that. “But where are my manners? Welcome to my humble establishment, make yourself at home.” Helmutt reached a calloused and scarred hand across the bar in welcome greeting.
Prompt list for #FantasyIndiesJuly Day 2- Do you tend to like the MCs, side characters, or villains the most?
Prompt list for #FantasyIndiesJuly Day 1- Introduce yourself & WIP
Book cover of The Iron Crown by L.L. MacRae
Photo of a paperback copy of The Scroungers over a background of chainmail, furs, and an axe.
Promo for the Kickstarter launch of Dance With Me by Livia J Elliot. Up top is the caption "Campaign Starts May 6th 2025" with the "Follow Now" Kickstarter seal and a picture of the cover of Dance With Me: a black and white cover with golden text and a figure's silhouette falling into the darkness. Finally, it includes a quote from a review; "A clever, dark, psychological fairy tale."
New cover of "The Scroungers" by Thomas J Devens. A medieval village in a rain storm, a greenish-blue light cast on the scene. Three figures are arrayed at the center.
Promo image for a cover reveal with the captions; "The Scroungers. 3 Days. Vermin of the Old Empire. Thomas J Devens."
Promo image for a cover reveal, showing parts of the old cover of "The Scroungers" by Thomas J Devens, with sections of the new cover. At the center, the caption "4 Days"
Image of an old castle with text of a poem above. Text reads: In times too dark, a cycle unending, The fields aflame, and cities shall crumble, War torn kingdoms, and tyrants unbending, Until again the war drums rumble, It continues, Endless saga, Of betrayed folk, Of evil lords, Upon that blade, Shall spark anew, Nations end, Tyrants fall, Death is a blade,
Promo for cover reveal with the captions "The Scroungers. 5 Days. Vermin of the Old Empire. Thomas J Devens"
Promo image for a book cover reveal with caption: "The Scroungers. 6 Days. Vermin of the Old Empire. Thomas J Devens."
Promo image for a book cover reveal with the captions: "7 Days", "The Scroungers. Vermin of the Old Empire. By Thomas J Devens"
Screenshot of text that reads: What the fuck did I just read? Five stars! Part of me wants to just leave it at that.
Cover of the novella "The Scroungers" by Thomas J Devens with various quotes from reviews over top and the caption "One Year Bookiversary. Can we get to 10 ratings?"
Promo image of the Revolting Peasant Press logo of a bearded viking helmet and crossed axes, imposed over a stock battle scene of warriors with pikes. Over all of it is the text "The Dawn of the Horse Shit Boys: a Battlefield Rats short story"
Promo image of the Revolting Peasant Press logo of a bearded viking helmet and crossed axes, imposed over a stock battle scene of warriors with pikes. Over all of it is the text "A Dutiful Soldier: a Battlefield Rats short story"
The cover of "Hall of Bones" by Tim Hardie
Book cover of Lucky Die by Thomas J Devens, featuring an armored woman sitting at a cluttered table in a dimly lit tavern.
a background of wooden planks, spattered with blood, and an image of the outline of a helmet and beard with crossed throwing axes. The text reads: " With a roll of the dice, fates are decided. With the clatter of bones, one’s doom is sealed. The gods laugh, watching the little people make their mistakes. And the gods watching Shel are laughing their asses off."
Screen capture of the Unearthed Stories app, featuring covers for the stories "In the Shadow of Duty" by B.S.H. Garcia, "Dreams of the Sky" by Karl Forshaw, and "Static Signal Living Legacy" and "Tales of the Stars" by Livia J Elliot
Promo image of "The Pawn" with a picture of the cover of "The Pawn" (an axe surrounded by flames and embers) on a cell phone in the Unearthed Stories app. Beside it is the quote "Around me, smoke curls up to the slowly darkening sky. Flames dance upon mounds of the slain. I never asked to be here. I never sought war. Who does?"
Clip of Rhys Darby as Stede Bonnet in the show 'Our Flag Means Death'
photo of the album "Forces of Nature's Transformation" from Lifeless Dark on cassette
Promo image- Text reads "Book Ones Birthday Giveaway" with the covers of the books "Stone & Shield" and "The Scroungers" by Thomas J Devens. All over a sort of sepia toned stock image of a fantasy tower.
Book promo image. Background: an army amassed with spears and banners raised. "Vermin of the Old Empire" across the top. 3 Book covers featured; "The Scroungers", "The Pawn", and "The Dregs". And the following captions surround the book covers: "When the lords have fallen, the vermin shall rise." "Surprising turns, action & full of wit. Grimdark in the vein of Abercrombie! -James Harwood-Jones" "Muddy, grubby, and bl**dy good stuff. -HL Tinsley" "A sordid, dark read told with an atmospheric prose that's unique and engaging. -Livia J Elliot" "A fun novella full of blood, plots and brutality. -Pete Reviews Books Good"
Promo image. Background of a castle tower with four book covers overlaid. Captioned: "holiday ebook sale". Covers are for Thomas J Devens' books, indicating sale prices: "Stone & Shield"- free; "The Scroungers"- free; "Split Paths"- 99 cents; and "The Dregs"- 99 cents
Image displaying the sale prices of the ebooks- Stone & Shield- free, Split Paths- 99 cents, The Scroungers- free, and The Dregs- 99 cents
Image of a spear wielding army. Over top are the book covers of The Scroungers and The Dregs with text indicating the holiday sale of the paperback books. The Scroungers for $5.99 and The Dregs for $6.99
Cover of "In the Shadow of their Dying" by Michael R Fletcher and Anna Smith Spark. Featuring mercenaries with swords drawn as a hoard of undead close in around them. All tinted by a sickly green sky
Snow coverage over front yard, road, and some pine trees
Cover of The Dregs by Thomas J Devens. Four warriors standing amid the slain upon a field of battle.
Book cover of "Stone & Shield" by Thomas J Devens, Fall of Emros book 1. A close up of a sword, held pointing downward by a soldier. In the middleground other soldier look on, with spears and shields while a fire blazes through a village in the background.