Ys Books is now Dragonwell Worlds and wants to adapt more games
The publisher behind the official Ys novelizations has a new name and plans to expand its catalog to other video game franchises.
Ys Books has officially rebranded to Dragonwell Worlds, expanding it's reach past Nihon Falcom properties.
The imprint originally launched as a specialized branch of Dragonwell Publishing. Dragonwell, LLC started in 2012 as an independent publisher focused on speculative fiction and popular science. That changed in 2023 when the company partnered with Nihon Falcom to produce official English novelizations and companion pieces for the Ys franchise. They created a dedicated storefront called Ys Books to house the new product line.
Fantasy author Anna Kashina spearheaded the project by adapting the 2016 game Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of DANA into a prose novel. The game originally launched on the PlayStation Vita before expanding to modern consoles, telling a massive story about shipwreck survivors building a community on the cursed Isle of Seiren. Kashina followed that up with an adaptation of Ys IX: Monstrum Nox, translating the prison city of Balduq into a physical hardcover format. Ys is one of gaming's foundational action-RPG franchises, known for fast-paced combat and rock soundtracks. Capturing that specific energy in a static book requires a different approach than simply transcribing the dialogue.
The cookbook is tempting
The current Dragonwell Worlds storefront still carries the complete Ys catalog. You can pick up the Monstrum Nox hardcover for $34.95 or a replica of Thanatos Beldine's engraved pen for $14.95. The highest-tier item is the Lacrimosa of Dana Collector's Set, which bundles the novel and several collectibles for $129.95. If you prefer to listen, there is an audiobook CD version of the first novel available for $34.95. They are also throwing in a free Ys IX bookmark with every physical order for a limited time.
I am genuinely curious how you translate Castaway Village survival meals into a functional kitchen guide. The Castaway Cookbook is available as a $29.95 standalone hardcover or a $34.95 gift set. The publisher also released Castaway Tales for $29.95, which focuses on the side characters and lore of the island rather than Adol's main quest.
Moving beyond Adol Christin
The rebrand signals that Dragonwell wants to apply this same treatment to other gaming properties. Adapting a 40-year-old JRPG franchise into a cohesive set of physical books was a massive undertaking, and it makes sense that the publisher would want to build on that infrastructure. The Ys series debuted in 1987 on the PC-8801 and has decades of dense lore. Translating that into accessible English novels proved the company could handle complex video game narratives.
The storefront transition is already complete. If they can figure out how to make a cookbook out of a game about being stranded on a deserted island, they can probably adapt anything.
Pick up Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of DANA on Humble Bundle.
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