“The most fun I’ve had reading this year.”

See why readers can’t stop raving about the Amazon Bestselling, TikTok-viral, breakout indie hit, Cello’s Gate.

4.37 stars on Goodreads

4.6 stars on Amazon

4.31 stars on Storygraph

Awarded the Kickstarter "Project We Love"

350% Funding on Special Edition Kickstarter

4.37 stars on Goodreads 4.6 stars on Amazon 4.31 stars on Storygraph Awarded the Kickstarter "Project We Love" 350% Funding on Special Edition Kickstarter

The Sky Pirates of Imperia

Captain Grey and his crew of sky pirates have a reputation for doing the impossible. From breaking into high-security military research facilities to conning the iCity elite—there isn’t a lock they can’t pick, a safe they can’t break, or a hidden treasure they can’t find. Until now.

Returning from a harrowing heist involving a neon battery and a trash chute, Grey and his crew are approached by Dalia, the immortal daughter of the infamous ArchGovernor —and she has an offer.

The job? Locate and steal the Stones of Indigo—seven fabled rocks invested with godlike power. The search for the first stone is a bona fide treasure hunt, guided by an ancient map to a deadly, uncharted island that’s protected by a mysterious guardian. The score? One million credits per crew member, per stone. The catch? Well, that’s where things get a little complicated.

The stones don’t exist. They’re a myth. A bedtime story told to little pirates to make them believe that power and wealth are attainable if you just work hard enough.

And to make matters infinitely worse, Grey’s never trusted immortals, and Dalia’s definitely hiding something. Something bad. And if they don’t figure out what it is, it might cost them their lives.

Join the Hunt

Meet Maurice

I think you’re supposed to write these in third person to give the illusion that you’re so popular that someone else wrote it for you. So, here we go...

Maurice Africh is an ex-theater kid with a passion for tasty food, semi-luxurious travel, reality competition television shows, D&D, and fantasy novels. He currently lives in Asheville, North Carolina with his beautiful wife, Rachel, and his cute, albeit cranky chihuahua, Toby. He also hopes you liked this book because he’s sort of banked his entire reputation on it. Plus, he’s already writing the next one.

(no, not in real life)

Links for dayyyss!

hear from the frens

I know every author thinks their work is great, but you don’t have to take my word for it.


@mauriceafrich We're back with another review compilation for Cello's Gate! it's been approximately 2.4 months since Cello's Gate was released, and I am over the moon about its reception, about y'all, about everything. Every day, something new happens that sends me deeper into this surreality I've come to accept as my new home. Thank you to all the new frens. And all the frens we've yet to make. Don't forget to snag your signed copy of Cello's Gate today! #BookTok #booktoker #fantasybooktok #bookreview #bookreviews #bookrecs #bookrecommendations ♬ original sound - Maurice Africh Books
@mauriceafrich Signed Editions are available now! But I've also set up a TikTok Shop, where you can buy an unsigned copy of Cello's Gate, bundles, merch, and more (coming soon)! Big thanks and magnanimous love to all the creators featured in this review compilation. Go give them a follow! (Tagged in the comments!) #booktok #booktoker #bookreviews #bookreview #fantasybooktok #fantasybook #fantasy ♬ original sound - Maurice Africh Books
@mauriceafrich If anyone wants a signed copy of "Cello's Gate," I've recently come into a windfall, so to speak 🤭 It has sky pirates, mythic knights, and ancient immortals. It has gunslingers, five unique magic systems, and mechanized swords that can cut through steel. Inspired by Firefly, Final Fantasy, Treasure Planet, and Star Wars—it has everything you could possibly want in a action & adventure, science fantasy epic! #booktok #booktoker #fantasybooks #bookish #reader ♬ Boundless Worship - Josué Novais Piano Worship

Frequently Asked Questions

  • I get this question a lot! It’s been something that people have mispronounced my entire life. It’s pronounced like “Africa,” except the ‘a’ is replaced with an ‘h’ and makes the ‘ch’ sound (like church).

  • Here’s another common question. “Cello” is pronounced like the instrument. So, similar to my last name, it’s the ‘ch’ sound (like church).

  • No, I did not! Fortunately, none of the influencers who have read and reviewed my book were paid!

  • I get asked this question about 3-4 times a day. Unfortunately, there is currently no audiobook available for Cello’s Gate, but one is currently in the works!

  • The short answer: No. This is a bummer because I’ve heard from many people who have checked at their local bookstores, hoping to find it, with no success.

    The long answer: You can actually request Cello’s Gate from any bookstore. They should be able to order it. In fact, the more people that request it, the more likely they are to stock it!

  • Yes! You can request my book at your local library, and they should be able to stock it. It’s available in both physical and digital formats.

  • Cello’s Gate has found a really diverse audience, from teenage boys to women in their 60s. It is an adult book with graphic language, violence, gore, and sexual content. So, I leave that decision up to parents.

  • It does! Here’s a comprehensive list of trigger warnings:

    Graphic
    Death
    Gore
    Violence
    Language
    Gun violence
    Spiders

    Moderate
    Sexual content
    Slavery
    Murder

    Vibes
    Mouthy Pirates
    Filthy Language
    Bell Pepper Levels of Spice
    Likable Villains
    Excessive Violence
    Giant Spiders
    Moral Grey-ness (get it?)
    Witty Banter
    “John Wick-Esque Fight Scenes”
    Wicked Sword Fights
    Gunslingers
    Gut Punch Nostalgia
    Outrageous Worldbuilding
    Genre Blending
    Third Person, Present Tense

  • The current expected release of book 2 is Fall 2026.

  • You can buy it almost anywhere books are sold online, including

    I also sell signed copies, which are available on my shop and the TikTok shop!

  • Felix Ortiz did the art for the cover, and I could not recommend him more. It was an absolute pleasure to work with.

  • Yes, I actually worked with 2 brilliant editors.

    Developmental Editor
    Chersti Nieven (who also worked on The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson)

    Line Editor/Proofreader
    Robin Fuller (who also worked on the Magicians Trilogy by Lev Grossman)

Press

"If she wanted chains, she would have kept them. Freedom doesn't make life easy. But it does make it worth living."

"If she wanted chains, she would have kept them. Freedom doesn't make life easy. But it does make it worth living."

Want to get in touch?

If you’d like to book me for an interview, ask questions about my process, or learn more about where you can buy my books, shoot me an email at: mauriceafrich@secondworldbooks.com. Or you can sign up for my newsletter—I promise I won’t spam you unless something really important is happening.