The Islands Are Waking: Announcing the Launch of Awake the Islands
Published: November 2025
I’m thrilled to finally share something that’s been years in the making: Awake the Islands, the first book in The Burning Light Chronicles, is now available worldwide.
A Story Born from Love
This book began in the most unexpected place—a hospital room during my recovery from stage four cancer. Watching my 13-year-old son navigate those difficult months with such courage and resilience, I wanted to give him something. Not just a distraction, but a story that spoke to the anxious teenager I knew he was, the hero I could see he was becoming, and the impossible spaces we all learn to stand in when life demands it of us.
Awake the Islands is that story.
What’s It About?
At its heart, this is a story about Ben Conleth, a fourteen-year-old who just wants to survive Year 9 without humiliation. Instead, he finds himself holding Excalibur, fighting demons, and discovering he’s something called “the Burning Light”—a bridge between Heaven and Hell.
When ancient forces begin stirring across Britain, four teenagers discover they’re not quite human. They’re Lights. And they’re the only things standing between humanity and a cosmic war that’s been brewing since before time had a name.
Why British Mythology?
I’ve always been fascinated by the idea that our mythology didn’t die—it just learned to hide. Walk through London at dawn, explore a forgotten courtyard, stand beneath York’s ancient walls, and you can almost feel it: the old magic, the old gods, the old battles, all just waiting for someone to notice them again.
Awake the Islands reimagines British mythology for the modern age. Vampires run nightclubs. Werewolves patrol ancient territories. And beneath the pavements of contemporary Britain, the old powers are waking up.
For Readers Who Love…
If you’ve ever loved Percy Jackson’s humour but wished for deeper stakes, or found yourself captivated by His Dark Materials’ philosophical depth, this book is for you. It’s for readers who believe protagonists should triumph through wit, heart, and the courage to keep standing when everything screams run.
It’s for my son. It’s for every anxious teenager who’s ever felt invisible. And it’s for anyone who’s ever wondered what they’d do if they discovered the impossible was real.
The Journey Continues
Awake the Islands is the first book in The Burning Light Chronicles. The islands are waking, Heaven and Hell are manifesting, and Ben’s journey is only beginning.
Where to Find It
Awake the Islands is available now in Kindle and paperback formats on Amazon stores worldwide:
A Personal Request
If you read Awake the Islands and it resonates with you—or if you know a young reader who might need this story—I’d be incredibly grateful if you could leave an honest review on Amazon. For an indie author, reviews are everything. They help other readers discover the book, and they mean the world to me.
Thank You
To my son, who inspired this story and encouraged me to share it with the world: thank you for your courage.
To everyone who’s supported this journey: thank you for believing in these stories.
The convergence is beginning. The islands are waking.
And I can’t wait for you to meet Ben.
Stephen Jonathan is the author of The Burning Light Chronicles and The Adventures of CandyLandy. He lives in Britain with his family, writing stories for the people who matter most.
