Hi! My name’s MJ Kaye.

I write stories about light, shadow, memory, and the cost of becoming who you were never meant to be.

I’m the author of The Aethlum Saga, an epic fantasy series set in a world shaped by ancient powers, broken gods, and people forced to choose between who they are and who the world demands they become. The series begins with Eternal Ember and Of Shadows and Light, and continues to grow in scope, darkness, and emotional depth.

My stories are driven less by spectacle and more by consequence. I’m interested in what power does to people, how love survives impossible choices, and what happens when the past refuses to stay buried. If you’re looking for neat heroes and clean victories, Aethlum probably isn’t that world. If you’re drawn to morally complex characters, slow-burning tension, and moments that linger long after the final page, you may feel at home here.

I write because some stories don’t leave you alone until you do.

When I’m not writing, I’m usually building worlds — maps, lore, histories, and the quiet details that make a place feel lived in. Aethlum is a long-form project, planned across multiple books and cycles, and this site exists as a home for that world and the readers who’ve found their way into it.

Welcome to Illyndor.

If you have questions about the books or the world of Aethlum, you’re welcome to email me at mj-kaye@aethlum.com. I read everything, even if I can’t always reply straight away.