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Airovale — 3D mockup of the fully illustrated steampunk fantasy paperback by Jef Gray

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AuthorJef Gray
Pages156 — fully illustrated
Chapters10
Published2026

About the Book and Short Films

Airovale is an epic steampunk fantasy, where every gift demands its price.

The story opens on a typical day of Life in the Village — the bustling capital of merchants, aeronauts, and families as zeppelins and hot-air balloons stitch trade across the South Sea archipelago. A caravan of miners makes a perilous trek to The Crescent Islands, rich in copper and secret gold. Armed with an ancient map obtained by chance, a hidden location promises untold riches — but at a deadly cost. They violate a sacred space, evoking the Curse of the Temple Gold, where an ageless guardian calls a storm that decimates the fleet. Survivors dump their fortunes, trading weight for lives to save those plunged into the sea. Coming Home empty-handed, they embrace their true wealth — life and family.

The great storm crushes many ships, but the winds cast a single zeppelin into the forgotten blue horizon of the southern sea. Adrift for weeks without a map or direction, the ship sets down on the uncharted island of Canyon Myst. Despair turns to solace as the fae and human Mystics provide materials for repairs — while warning to take only what is needed. The fire-stone mines provide coal for fuel, but digging reveals massive gems and gold, shifting dreams of home into dreams of building kingdoms. Now beyond what was needed, The Law of Exchange keeps score in wages unknown, soon revealed in how Deceptive Time works on the fabled island.

Hours on the island move differently than in Airovale, but a forbidden love between Aden, a crew member, and Kira, a betrothed fairy, blossoms as they explore a submerged ancient city. Testing the boundaries of human and fae magic, they encounter portals that uncover a time paradox on Canyon Myst. Enlightened about the time shift, Aden rushes to inform the crew as his affair with Kira is revealed. The Duel ensues, leaving him a castaway, marked for death while his jewel-loaded airship escapes the wrath of the Mystics. Aden faces The Long Night alone on the island, before discovering the full truth at the Mystic Portal. The outcome is revealed in the book and videos on Airovale.com.

Airovale is both sweeping spectacle and intimate parable — inviting readers to ask: what is time worth, and what would you trade for more precious moments, while wasting the minutes at hand?

The Ten Chapters

  1. Chapter 1Life in the Village
  2. Chapter 2The Crescent Islands
  3. Chapter 3Curse of the Temple Gold
  4. Chapter 4Coming Home
  5. Chapter 5Canyon Myst
  6. Chapter 6The Law of Exchange
  7. Chapter 7Deceptive Time
  8. Chapter 8The Duel
  9. Chapter 9The Long Night
  10. Chapter 10Mystic Portal

Airovale is an immersive story viewable as a cinematic series at Airovale.com — or in paperback on Amazon or as an eBook on Barnes & Noble.

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Jef Gray — author of Airovale and series creator
About the Author Jef Gray is an award-winning technologist, storyteller, and festival founder. His passion for history, art, and science is woven throughout Airovale.

Full bio and creator notes →

Episodes

Carousel of portrait-format Airovale episodes. Swipe to browse through 10 episodes of the steampunk fantasy series.