That treasured line from The Princess Bride didn't inspire the next Shadowfast heist thriller, but it could have. The real inspiration was my trip to Germany, floating up the Middle Rhine where we saw 30 castles on the hills in one day.

I fictionalized Schloss Stolzenfels (pictured) as Schloss Falkensten ("Falcon Stone"), where Shadowfast plays at a science conference After Party. They want to trick a genius into divulging where he hides his breakthrough invention. No one counted on eco-warrior terrorists with assault rifles raiding the party.

If that's not enough Germany for you, Shadowfast also puts their mark on Bad Kreuznach, a picturesque, ancient spa town. Cisco just wants to drive to Strasbourg, but he turns aside to shake the mysterious trio of cars following him. A death-defying car chase on streets built for wooden carts, not Audis and BMWs, livens this setting. 

I'm halfway through drafting this next Shadowfast adventure. Watch for it later in 2026!