Tracing-Inferno-A-Myrmecoleon-Novel-Cover
FAIRHOPE, AL, UNITED STATES, September 19, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Author Roland Hesmondhalgh has released Tracing Inferno: A Myrmecoleon Novel, a genre-blending fantasy adventure available to readers through Amazon. Set within an afterlife closely modeled on Dante Alighieri’s Divine Comedy, the novel follows a young military corporal ordered to carry a mysterious parcel to the bottom of Hell. The story explores power, suffering, faith, sin, and the endurance of the human spirit through a combination of action and symbolism.
Availability
The novel is available worldwide in Kindle and Paperback editions on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0HHQS3W54
An Impossible Assignment Through the Nine Circles
The story begins after the death of the Myrmecoleon, a man whose influence continues to shape the world. Heaven and Hell require proof of the death, and Endeavor has been entrusted with providing it. Corporal Zambrano, a young agnostic serving in the military is assigned, to deliver it.
Zambrano must transport a locked and protected box through all nine circles of Hell. Its contents are considered so significant that their existence serves as confirmation that the Myrmecoleon is gone. Along the way, Zambrano encounters shades, mythic demons, and beings responsible for governing the afterlife.
The mission places him in situations that challenge his understanding of judgment, authority, and personal responsibility. It also raises a central question for readers: what does it mean to sin in the eyes of God?
Classical Research Supports an Accessible Adventure
At more than 181,000 words and 635 pages in a standard 5-by-8-inch format, Tracing Inferno provides the scope expected from a fantasy epic. The setting draws on Roland’s background in mythological studies and follows the geography of Hell described in the Divine Comedy.
Before publication, selected excerpts were reviewed by a Harvard scholar who teaches courses on Dante Alighieri. The scholar assessed the material for accuracy and endorsed the novel.
“Tracing Inferno was written to give readers an entertaining journey filled with action, characters, and room for personal interpretation,” said Roland, author of Tracing Inferno: A Myrmecoleon Novel. “Its connection to classical literature adds another layer to the experience, while Zambrano’s choices keep the story grounded in human questions.”
Original sketches accompany every circle of Hell, including the three rings of the Seventh Circle. These illustrations help readers follow the journey and visualize important locations within the setting.
Two Timelines Create a Structured Reading Experience
The narrative alternates between Zambrano’s descent and the events that follow it. Odd-numbered chapters show him being interrogated after the primary journey. Even-numbered chapters present his firsthand account of what he witnessed in Hell.
This structure gives readers time to process major events while gradually revealing the consequences of the mission. The novel can be read as a standalone story and also takes place within the same literary universe as Roland’s ongoing science fiction and fantasy series, The Myrmecoleon. The word “Myrmecoleon” comes from a medieval bestiary and translates from Greek as “ant-lion.” Its traditional depiction as an early Christian yin-yang creature reflects the series’ interest in dichotomy and struggles between opposing extremes. Here is a recent article published about the book.
About Roland Hesmondhalgh
Roland is a speculative fiction writer and former journalist whose professional experience includes national outlets, broadcast media, and commercial clients. He holds a B.S. in Multiplatform Journalism from the Florida Institute of Technology, an M.P.S. in Communications and Journalism from Georgetown University, and an M.A. in Creative Writing from Harvard University. He currently lives in Tokyo and writes fantasy, science fiction, contemporary fiction, and nonfiction.
Roland Hesmondhalgh
Author of Tracing Inferno: A Myrmecoleon Novel
rbh4writing@gmail.com
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