Mitchell Hogan

An immersive and ambitious new series from the Aurealis Award winning author of A Crucible of Souls. A corrupted power stirs from beyond the grave. A sacred order of knights sworn to protect the world from evil. The Necromancer Queen will rise again. Seventeen years have passed since the Necromancer Queen Talia was overthrown and slain, and her capital city destroyed by the Knights of the Order of Eternal Vigilance. Anskar DeVantte, raised in the sacred disciplines of the Order, is now ready to face the brutal initiation trials to become a consecrated knight-sorcerer. But the further Anskar rises in the ranks the more his faith wavers, and he is beset by harrowing dreams and uncertainty. As troubling powers awaken within him, a schism grows between Anskar and his hallowed Order, and he draws the hungry gaze of the vanquished queen's fanatical followers. As Anskar pieces together the mysteries of his early life, and begins to understand the malevolent forces gathering in his path, he finds himself with a crucial choice to make: Remain loyal to the Order's righteous mission, or control the dark powers growing within him. Either way, his destiny is steeped in war. The only question is, which side will he be on?

Incursion

An imaginative new talent makes his debut with the acclaimed first installment in the epic Sorcery Ascendant Sequence, a mesmerizing tale of high fantasy that combines magic, malevolence, and mystery After young Caldan's parents are brutally slain, the boy is raised by monks who initiate him into the arcane mysteries of sorcery. Growing up plagued by questions about his past, Caldan vows to discover who his parents were, and why they were killed. The search will take him beyond the walls of the monastery, into the unfamiliar and dangerous chaos of city life. With nothing to his name but a pair of mysterious heirlooms and a handful of coins, he must prove his talent to become apprenticed to a guild of sorcerers. But the world outside the monastery is a darker place than he ever imagined, and his treasured sorcery has disturbing depths he does not fully understand. As a shadowy evil manipulates the unwary and forbidden powers are unleashed, Caldan is plunged into an age-old conflict that will bring the world to the edge of destruction. Soon, he must choose a side—and face the true cost of uncovering his past.

Book One of the Sorcery Ascendant Sequence

A Crucible of Souls

Outcast and exiled, the demon Tarrik Nal-Valim has long been forgotten by the world of humans. At least, so he thinks. But when he is summoned as a last resort by a desperate sorcerer, it seems as though his past has caught up with him. The sorcerer is Serenity "Ren" Branwen, the daughter of Tarrik's former master--and friend. Though she seems cold, driven, and ruthless, Tarrik can tell that Ren has her back against a wall, and he is compelled by ferocious powers to obey her. As their world sinks into a terrifying maelstrom of murder, intrigue, and insurrection, Tarrik is forced to serve Ren's arcane designs--plans that, if they were to succeed, would resurrect unimaginable power and could destroy Tarrik's entire race. But as events unfurl, the lines between demon and master become blurred, and Tarrik realizes that Ren is not what she seems. To prevent utter devastation, Tarrik may have to surrender what he values most: a chance at redemption and an end to his exile.

Shadow of the Exile

Mark Lawrence

John Gwynne

Brian Staveley

Miles Cameron

Stan Nicholls

Andrew Rowe

Ed Greenwood

Petros Triantafyllou

Sebastien Castell

How do you get forty fantasy authors to contribute short stories for a war-themed anthology without paying them? It sounds as if there should be a good punchline to that, but all Petros Triantafyllou did was twist the moral thumbscrews and tell them all the profits would go to Doctors Without Borders, a charity that works tirelessly across the world to alleviate the effects of conflict, sickness and poverty. So, with clear consciences, several busloads of excellent and acclaimed fantasy authors have applied themselves to the task of penning a veritable mountain of words on the subject of The Art of War, expect bloodshed, gore, pathos, insight, passion, and laughs. Maybe even a wombat. Who knows. Anyway, as the original blurb said: "It's good. Buy it." -Mark Lawrence Featuring: Mark Lawrence, Ed Greenwood, Brian Staveley, Miles Cameron, John Gwynne, Sebastien De Castell, Mitchell Hogan, Stan Nicholls, Andrew Rowe, C.T. Phipps, Rob J. Hayes, Nicholas Eames, Mazarkis Williams, Ben Galley, Michael R. Fletcher, Graham Austin-King, Ed McDonald, Anna Stephens, Anna Smith Spark, RJ Barker, Michael R. Miller, Benedict Patrick, Sue Tingey, Dyrk Ashton, Steven Kelliher, Timandra Whitecastle, Laura M Hughes, J.P. Ashman, M.L. Spencer, Steven Poore, Brandon Draga, D. Thourson Palmer, D.M. Murray, Anne Nicholls, R.B. Watkinson, Charles F Bond, Ulff Lehmann, Thomas R. Gaskin, Zachary Barnes & Nathan Boyce. With a Foreword by Brian D. Anderson. Print version includes 40 black & white interior art pieces.

Anthology for Charity

Art of War

The international ebook bestseller, now in print. Anasoma, jewel of the Mahruse Empire, has fallen. As orphaned, monk-raised Caldan and his companions flee the city, leaving behind their hopes for a new beginning, horrors from the time of the Shattering begin to close in. With Miranda's mind broken by forbidden sorcery, Caldan does the unthinkable to save her: he breaks the most sacrosanct laws of the Protectors. But when the emperor's warlocks arrive to capture him, Caldan realizes that his burgeoning powers may be more of a curse than a blessing, and the enemies assailing the empire may be rivaled by more sinister forces within. And soon, the blood of innocents may be on Caldan's own hands. PRAISE FOR MITCHELL HOGAN At the end of A Crucible of Souls you will have questions that need answers ... and the most pressing one is how soon can I get the sequel? - Good Reading Any fan of the Fantasy genre will love this novel, as will anyone who enjoys epic storytelling, complex characters, or just getting the chance to read something that stands far above the norm. - mariannedepierres.com The story is strong and the writing style simple but assured as a promising new series begins. -- Daily Telegraph ...a solid fantasy debut - Canberra Times

Blood of Innocents

In the epic, never-before-published conclusion to the series that began with the award-winning A CRUCIBLE OF SOULS, Mitchell Hogan combines the wonder of classic sword-and-sorcery fantasy with the grit of the modern masters to create something at once familiar and unique for readers of all ages. In this gritty and breathtaking conclusion to Mitchell Hogan's award-winning Sorcery Ascendant Sequence, a young sorcerer must learn to wield his extraordinary powers to defeat two warring empires. In a battle of armies and sorcerers, empires will fall. After young Caldan's parents were slain, a group of monks raised the boy and initiated him into the arcane mysteries of sorcery. But when the Mahruse Empire is attacked, and the lives of his friends hang in the balance, he was forced to make a dangerous choice. Now, as two mighty empires face off in a deadly game of supremacy, potent sorcery and creatures from legend have been unleashed. To turn the tide of war and prevent annihilation, Caldan must learn to harness his fearsome and forbidden magic. But as he grows into his powers, the young sorcerer realizes that not all the monsters are on the other side. And though traps and pitfalls lie ahead, and countless lives are at stake, one thing is certain: to save his life, his friends, and his world, Caldan must risk all to defeat a sorcerer of immense power. Failure will doom the world. Success will doom Caldan.

A Shattered Empire

For the damned, redemption may be just a mad dream... Years have passed since the demon Tarrik and his master, the sorcerer Ren, destroyed the servants of Samal and suppressed the very essence of the vile lord. The cost was greater than even a demon could have imagined. But in the realms of demons and humans, no evil can be fully controlled, and no one's true fate can be foretold. Including Tarrik's. He's been summoned once more, now by the vengeful Linriel, who's fallen in with one of Samal's ravaged survivors. Linriel takes Tarrik, bound again to serve, on a journey to the harsh southern lands to find the source of Ren's coveted powers, and there they discover a part of Tarrik's past he thought had been lost forever. As old bindings more powerful than sorcery fetter him, Tarrik is drawn into an obsessive and insane mission to erase the demon lord Samal from existence forever. And only if he succeeds will he at last be freed from exile. As old threats are reborn, he must decide what sacrifices he's willing to make and what risks he's willing to take on the unforgiving road to redemption.

Dawn of the Exile

This is a standalone novella of 16,500 words set before the events of Revenant Winds.From Mitchell Hogan — Aurealis Award winner and author of the Sorcery Ascendant Sequence.Niklaus, master swordsman, has not aged a day since being chosen by his mercurial goddess. A slave to her will, he moves from one cryptic mission to the next in the hope of ascending to become her equal.But even a man who has lived for centuries can sometimes find himself out of his depth.When Niklaus is sent to kill a sorcerer of the Tainted Cabal, overconfidence leads to a fatal mistake, and neither experience nor skill with a blade can prevail against the forces unleashed against him.

Tower of the Forgotten

The start of an immersive new sword & sorcery action series from the Aurealis Award winning author of A Crucible of Souls. A woman transformed by the blood of demons. Deadly beyond reckoning. Raven was once a member of the Grim Hand, a group of demonically altered assassins-until she staged her own death and began a new life free from brutality and murder. But some secrets refuse to stay buried, and the past is reluctant to loosen its grip on those who hide from it. When faceless assassins strike, Raven must return to a world of intrigue and violence, if only to save herself. Alone, trapped, and fighting a vengeful enemy that easily outmatches even Raven's demon-hybrid abilities, she is forced to seek help from the man she once loved. A man with a revelation that will shake Raven to the core and change her world forever.

Reawakening

Raven

Anasoma, jewel of the Mahruse Empire, has fallen. As Caldan and his companions flee the city, horrors from the time of the Shattering begin to close in. With Miranda's mind broken by forbidden sorcery, Caldan is forced to disobey the most sacrosanct laws of the Protectors if he is to have any chance of healing her. But when one of the emperor's warlocks arrives to take control of him, he begins to suspect his burgeoning powers may be more of a curse than a blessing, and that the enemies assailing the empire may be rivaled by even more sinister forces within.

From the Aurealis Award-winning author of A Crucible of Souls. In a world devastated by a series of cataclysms, where the followers of different gods vie for ascendancy, mankind carves out a precarious existence among the remnants of a desolated past. Cities and civilizations are built atop mysterious and ofttimes menacing ruins, and the unforgiving wilderness outside is filled with inhuman creatures and races from before the dawn of history. Sorcery is seen by some as a gift of the gods, and by others as their curse. And the demon-ravaged past has all but been forgotten. As a secret cabal schemes to awaken an evil thought defeated millennia ago, the lives of three unlikely heroes are fated to converge: Aldric, a veteran priest and sorcerer, who seeks acceptance from the church that shuns him. On the brink of their approval, he receives a mission that brings him face to face with a long-buried evil. Niklaus, master swordsman, and slave to his goddess, who plots to split the veil between life and death and ascend to become her equal. Kurio, the runaway daughter of a noble family, now turned to thievery, who stumbles across a disturbing secret that binds her future to infernal designs. Drawn toward a horrifying endgame by an unknown force, Aldric, Niklaus, and Kurio find themselves in a battle not only for their lives, but for the beliefs that have come to define them. A wrong decision, an overreaching ambition, or the failure of an already tormented faith, is all it will take to plunge mankind into an eternal dark.

Revenant Winds

In this gritty and breathtaking conclusion to the Sorcery Ascendant Sequence, the award-winning fantasy series, a young sorcerer must learn to wield his extraordinary powers to defeat two warring empires. In a battle of armies and sorcerers, empires will fall. After young Caldan’s parents were slain, a group of monks raised the boy and initiated him into the arcane mysteries of sorcery. But when the Mahruse Empire was attacked, and the lives of his friends hung in the balance, he was forced to make a dangerous choice. Now, as two mighty empires face off in a deadly game of supremacy, potent sorcery and creatures from legend have been unleashed. To turn the tide of war and prevent annihilation, Caldan must learn to harness his fearsome and forbidden magic. But as he grows into his powers, the young sorcerer realizes that not all the monsters are on the other side. And though traps and pitfalls lie ahead, and countless lives are at stake, one thing is certain: to save his life, his friends, and his world, Caldan must risk all to defeat a sorcerer of immense power. Failure will doom the world. Success will doom Caldan.

Book Three of the Sorcery Ascendant Sequence

A fast-paced fantasy adventure in the world of the Sorcery Ascendant Sequence, from Aurealis Award winning author Mitchell Hogan.Ten years before A Crucible of Souls…In the bustling capital city of the Mahruse Empire, Felicienne Shyrise spends her days as a talented investigator, taking on stolen goods and missing person cases, and the occasional murder the city guard are too incompetent, or too lazy, to resolve.During nights, she hones her skills playing Dominion, a board game almost as complicated as life itself. She dreams of making a name for herself, and becoming the richest woman in the Empire.But when she’s roped into a murky investigation by a First Adjudicator to the immortal Emperor himself, her life is thrown into disarray. Will this be the perfect opportunity to showcase her skills and make valuable connections, or will her future now be in the hands of political powers that can never be denied?Working against her will, and afraid of the consequences of refusing the commission, she uncovers evidence that points to an attempt on the Emperor’s life. Felicienne rapidly finds herself a target, and must use her considerable wits to uncover the plot of an unseen enemy who always seems to be one step ahead of the game.This is a standalone novella of 25,000 words. No prior knowledge of the Sorcery Ascendant Sequence is required to enjoy it, which means it's a perfect introduction for new readers or a chance for Sorcery Ascendant veterans to spend a little more time with Felicienne Shyrise. Reviews of A Crucible of Souls: "An impressive debut book... a well written and exciting tale.""I'd put this right up there with Rothfuss, Sanderson, and Weeks. I'm always happy to find another Fantasy Gem.""...the in depth characterization and attention to detail with the system of magic really breathed new life into a old standby of sword and sorcery fantasy. I enjoyed it so much I couldn't put my kindle down.""This book has great characters, mysteries, and villains. There is so much material ready to be dug into, and I can't wait for the author to explore every area of his world he introduced us to. The magic system is both simple and complex, I felt as immersed in learning it as the main character.""This book is captivating from beginning to the end."

At the Sign of the Crow and Moon

The Aurealis Award-winning e-book bestseller now in print. An imaginative new talent makes his debut with the acclaimed first installment in the epic Sorcery Ascendant Sequence, a mesmerizing tale of high fantasy that combines magic, malevolence, and mystery. When young Caldan's parents are brutally slain, the boy is raised by monks who initiate him into the arcane mysteries of sorcery. Growing up plagued by questions about his past, Caldan vows to discover who his parents were, and why they were violently killed. The search will take him beyond the walls of the monastery, into the unfamiliar and dangerous chaos of city life. With nothing to his name but a pair of mysterious heirlooms and a handful of coins, he must prove his talent to become apprenticed to a guild of sorcerers. But the world outside the monastery is a darker place than he ever imagined, and his treasured sorcery has disturbing depths he does not fully understand. As a shadowed evil manipulates the unwary and forbidden powers are unleashed, Caldan is plunged into an age-old conflict that will bring the world to the edge of destruction. Soon, he must choose a side, and face the true cost of uncovering his past. "The story is strong and the writing style simple but assured as a promising new series begins." -- Daily Telegraph

A novice sorcerer may hold the key to saving his world—or be the instrument of its destruction—in Mitchell Hogan's Blood of Innocents, the second book in The Sorcery Ascendant Sequence, a mesmerizing saga of high fantasy that combines magic, malevolence, and mystery. Anasoma, jewel of the Mahruse Empire, has fallen. As orphaned, monk-raised Caldan and his companions flee the city, leaving behind their hopes for a new beginning, horrors from the time of the Shattering begin to close in. With Miranda’s mind broken by forbidden sorcery, Caldan does the unthinkable to save her: he breaks the most sacrosanct laws of the Protectors. But when the emperor’s warlocks arrive to capture him, Caldan realizes that his burgeoning powers may be more of a curse than a blessing, and the enemies assailing the empire may be rivaled by more sinister forces within. And soon, the blood of innocents may be on Caldan’s own hands.

Book Two of the Sorcery Ascendant Sequence

"A novice sorcerer may hold the key to saving his world--or be the instrument of its destruction--in this second book in the Sorcery Ascendant Sequence, a mesmerizing saga of high fantasy that combines magic, malevolence, and mystery. Anasoma, jewel of the Mahruse Empire, has fallen. As orphaned, monk-raised Caldan and his companions flee the city, leaving behind their hopes for a new beginning, horrors from the time of the Shattering begin to close in. With Miranda's mind broken by forbidden sorcery, Caldan does the unthinkable to save her: he breaks the most sacrosanct laws of the Protectors. But when the emperor's warlocks arrive to capture him, Caldan realizes that his burgeoning powers may be more of a curse than a blessing, and the enemies assailing the empire may be rivaled by more sinister forces within. And soon, the blood of innocents may be on Caldan's own hands"--

Blood of innocents

A corrupted power stirs from beyond the grave. The Necromancer Queen will rise again. In the wake of the rebel Niyandrians’ abduction attempt, Anskar DeVantte, now a knight-inferior of the Order of Eternal Vigilance, has set sail with the Grand Master, bound for the mother house in Sansor. Anskar has already begun to suspect that the Order’s holy convictions aren’t as pure as they appear, and his doubts are confirmed when the ship detours to the slave markets of Atya. As the Grand Master gathers an expedition to retrieve an ancient artifact from an unearthed ruin, Anskar finds himself torn between the holy path he is committed to and the grasping hands of those who wish to use his unique power: the Grand Master; the rebel leader, Carred Selenas; and even the Necromancer Queen herself. When a depraved rot is exposed at the heart of the Order, Anskar is forced to confront the growing power of the dusk- and dark-tides within himself, and find a balance that won’t see him damned in the eyes of his god. But can a lowly knight-sorcerer resist his instincts to obey his superiors’ in the Order, and fight the pull of Queen Talia’s corrupted influence from beyond the grave? The true danger is greater than even the Order realizes, and soon Anskar must decide who he can trust, and what he is willing to risk in order to carve out his own destiny, protect the world, and perhaps the fate of all Niyandrians. An immersive and ambitious new series from the Aurealis Award-winning author of A Crucible of Souls.

Corruption

The first three books in the epic fantasy The Necromancer's Key series. A corrupted power stirs from beyond the grave. The Necromancer Queen will rise again. Seventeen years have passed since the Necromancer Queen was overthrown and slain by a holy order of knights. Raised in the sacred disciplines of the knights Order, Anskar prepares for the brutal initiation trials to become a consecrated knight-sorcerer. But as troubling powers awaken within him, a schism grows between Anskar and his hallowed Order. As he draws the hungry gaze of the vanquished queen’s fanatical followers, and pieces together the mysteries of his early life, he finds himself with a crucial choice to make: Remain loyal to the Order’s righteous mission, or control the dark powers growing within him. Either way, his destiny is steeped in war. The only question is, which side will he be on?

Mitchell Hogan

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