THE FORGOTTEN: BOOK 1
Book one OF a five part series currently in production.
"Humphrey offers an imaginative, fast-paced tale that's sure to please both teen and adult readers...A wild but inspiring read will leave readers looking forward to a sequel." -- Kirkus Reviews
Escape To The Other Side
Henry Murphy's parents never told him he was from another realm. They couldn’t, because they have become as unaware as Henry. Everything was forgotten—memories siphoned away by the dark force that stalked them. For the last seventeen years, Henry has been living a lie.
All those years of hiding have been compromised. Henry’s parents fled as refugees after stealing the location of the furnace—a source of power that would have allowed the Nekura uncontested rule over all life. But with their memories silenced, the Nekura have closed in on them unnoticed.
The first warning was the screaming girl. After she broke into Henry’s high school classroom and screamed for him to run, she was hauled away and disappeared. The only friend Henry finds to help him is Charley, a strong-willed orphan girl with a fractured past.
Henry is thrust into a reality he never knew existed and must fight against sinister creatures he cannot touch for reasons he doesn’t understand. What he doesn’t know can still hurt him, and it is hunting him down. Their only hope is the Light—a legendary force that bestows intangible power for those connected to it. Henry must uncover the shrouded memory of his family’s past and race to find the furnace before the Nekura tear his family apart and destroy both worlds in the process. Henry will learn the heartache of the forgotten, the joy of the reclaimed, strength beyond himself, and the unbreakable ties that bind family together.
The world that Humphrey has given us is utterly captivating. Branded is filled with characters that are bursting with life, beautiful imagery that takes you to an entirely different world, and a pacing that leaves this book completely unputdownable...
Jessica B., Reviewer at
From the Bookshelf of Dreams
It is extremely rare for me to be at a loss for words, but here I am, gobsmacked and blown away by Branded. Joseph T. Humphrey is an exceptionally gifted storyteller and, paired with a plot and characters he's turned from ink into flesh, this series is a winner... Branded is well worth your trust and pays out fantastically. I am so excited to see the direction we are hurtled into next.
Asher Syed, Reviewer, Reader's Favorite
Humphrey crafts an excellent, fast-moving thriller that forges new paths in the realm of supernatural fantasy thrillers, melding three genres into an inspection that is vividly presented and filled with satisfying twists and turns.
D. Donovan,Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book Reviews
In a book where Stranger Things meets The Neverending Story, Humphrey weaves a fantastical tale...It's a richly detailed and vivid novel complete with action, magic, and mystery that is satisfying and appealing. It sets forth a promising new series, establishing Humphrey as a rising fantasy writer to watch.
Dylan Ward, Reviewer, The US Review of Books
Even the scions of truth and justice have dark secrets in Joseph T. Humphrey’s Branded, an imaginative urban fantasy novel that pits light against dark, and in which found families are a triumph.
Jeanna Jorgenson, Reviewer, Foreword
Clarion Reviews
Rarely do you find a thriller which can be enjoyed by both adults and teens. This book has achieved that feat effortlessly...Branded will scare you and at the same time excite and inspire you...If it was possible to give more stars, this book would be deserving of all of them.
Aaron Washington, Reviewer, Pacific Book Review
Branded is perhaps the best young adult novel I have read this year. With strong characters accompanied by a powerful plot, author Joseph T. Humphrey has developed a fantastic tale of survival and acceptance that everyone will love and can relate to...This is a remarkable beginning to the series, and I cannot wait to see what happens next! Brilliant in every aspect!
Rabia Tanveer, Reviewer, Reader's Favorite
Since the very first page, I found myself wanting to read more. Humphrey has made this book impossible to put down, you will find yourself not knowing that you read several more chapters than your checkpoint. Riveting plots to frightening twists will keep you hooked to Branded.
Matthew H., Reviewer, Age 10
AUTHOR BIO
Joseph T. Humphrey is a premiering author of contemporary fiction for young adults with adult crossover appeal. He loves a good thriller with complex, cerebral plot lines and plenty of action. And he loves his heroes to be heroic!
When Joseph is not writing, he works as a board-certified emergency medicine physician, although he wishes he could be out slaying minions of the darkness with the characters in his books. He lives in Illinois with his fabulous wife, who gave him inspiration for his story. He also served as a flight surgeon for the U.S. Navy, but even more perilously, he is the father of two young boys.
Joseph is also a Christian thinker and speaker—he loves talking about Jesus Christ and the Gospel message. He tries playing the banjo when his lovable Goldendoodle allows him a break from the constant petting. He likes baseball, loves the Avengers, and hunts for the best donuts shops across the country.
inspiration
Some of Joseph’s favorite authors and inspiration include Stephen R. Lawhead, C.S. Lewis, Joseph Finder, Ted Dekker, W.P. Kinsella, Harper Lee, J.R.R. Tolkien, John White, and Timothy Keller.
Fiction can have the resonance of truth and translate to the real world. J.R.R. Tolkien once said, “inevitably the myths woven by us, though they contain error, will also reflect a splintered fragment of the true light… our myths may be misguided, but they steer however shakily toward the true harbour.” The craft of fiction is to take the reader on an emotional ride so that at the end of the hero’s story, it is not only the characters that have learned and grown, but the reader as well. That is the triumph of the novel.
INTREPID PEN
Intrepid Pen Publishing, L.L.C. is an independent publishing company that was founded in 2020 by Joseph T. Humphrey. Intrepid Pen specializes in sharing stories that both excite and inspire, mixing together high-wire tension with deep-hearted emotion. The company was founded on the belief that young and old can share the world of story together, and with the characters, can learn and grow as well. To see truth in the pages of fiction -- this is the mission of Intrepid Pen.
Speaking
As a fiction author, an emergency medicine physician, a US Navy veteran, and a Christian thinker and speaker, Joseph has a unique and diversified background that borrows from all walks of life. He has enjoyed various opportunities to speak at colleges, churches, and faith-based youth camps. He has a special interest in the Gospel message and apologetics-- where science, logic, faith, and story intersect. He would love to see if he can be available for your next event, and is available for interviews by blog or video.