In Ulstra, the setting for my upcoming epic fantasy debut, no official postal service exists. Instead, the delivery of correspondence between the various regions is the domain of one of the world’s only domesticated animals: messenger pigeons.

Pigeons are capable of flying up to 100 miles per hour, covering great distances in a single day. They can reliably return home from up to 1,000 miles away. With their magical enhancements, Ulstra’s pigeons can fly over half the continent without tiring.

In Ulstra, pigeons are treated with kindness and respect. They live in custom dovecotes, elaborate structures built to keep them safe, dry, and well-fed. People living in remote areas may have a single pigeon, while populous cities boast larger coops.

Pigeons come in an endless array of color combinations and dramatic feather displays. The variety and adaptability of the species lets them flourish in every part of the world.


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The book cover for Crystals of Ulstra, a queer epic fantasy novel by Bradley Bowen. It features an illustration of the main character Koralo over a backdrop of a eucalypt forest.

Crystals of Ulstra

An epic fantasy tale with a queer-normative sensibility, Crystals of Ulstra is the first book in the Ulstra trilogy.

Meet the Author

Bradley Bowen is a Colorado-based writer, digital fundraiser, and author of the queer fantasy epic Crystals of Ulstra.