“The Truman Show meets Game of Thrones in this epic tale of a studio-owned Fantasy world.” While the cover is arresting (that green…), that pitch is what hooked my attention. Long-time readers of CR will know how much I enjoy reading about Hollywood and behind-the-scenes books. So, coupling this with an interest in fantasy fiction (even if it has been waning, recently), means Thomas Elrod‘s upcoming The Franchise is of considerable interest. Really looking forward to giving this a try. Here’s the synopsis:
A land filled with magic and dragons and wizards and warriors.
Thousands of people live and work within its borders — fearful of their enemies and loyal to their king.
The classic fantasy world of The Malicarn has been brought to life on the big screen in a series of epic movies, almost entirely populated by characters in total belief that their sham fantasy lives are real.
A fan-favorite actor finds himself doubting the studio’s work, but the world of The Malicarn has an almost unstoppable momentum, and bringing freedom to a population who already believe themselves to be free won’t be as easy as he thinks.
All the world’s a stage.
Meet the players.
Thomas Elrod’s The Franchise is due to be published by Tor Books in North America on May 12th, 2026.
Civilian Reader 