Patrick Samphire

A dead god. A brutal murder. A second-rate mage. It was only supposed to be one little job - a simple curse-breaking for Mennik Thorn to pay back a favour to his oldest friend. But then it all blew up in his face. Now he's been framed for a murder he didn't commit. So how is a second-rate mage, broke, traumatized, and with a habit of annoying the wrong people, supposed to prove his innocence when everyone believes he's guilty? Mennik has no choice if he wants to get out of this: he is going to have to throw himself into the corrupt world of the city's high mages, a world he fled years ago. Faced by supernatural beasts, the mage-killing Ash Guard, and a ruthless, unknown adversary, it's going to take every trick Mennik can summon just to keep him and his friend alive. But a new, dark power is rising in Agatos, and all that stands in its way is one damaged mage... Reviews "Fast-paced, quick-witted, deftly plotted and as well-thought-out as it is well-written. Highly recommended, and I'm already looking forward to the next one." - Juliet E. McKenna, Author of The Tales of Einarinn, The Aldabreshin Compass, and The Green Man's Heir "Shadow of a Dead God contains the snarky, disillusioned, diamond-in-the-rough, down-at-heels, determined and fiercely loyal mage-detective your TBR desperately needs! "Recommended for readers of The Lies of Locke Lamora and anyone who loves fantasy mystery starring a delightfully reluctant, unlikely, foul-mouthed and golden-hearted hero." - Katrina Middelburg, Read. Ruminate. Write.

A Mennik Thorn Novel

Shadow of a Dead God

While dreaming of being a spy like those in his favorite magazine, twelve-year-old Edward has been stuck holding his eccentric family together but when his parents are kidnapped, he leads his sisters and cousin in an effort to rescue them across the danger-filled landscape of nineteenth-century Mars.

Secrets of the Dragon Tomb

In the city of Agatos, nothing stays buried forever. Only an idiot would ignore his debt to a high mage, and Mennik Thorn is not an idiot, no matter what anyone might say. He's just been ... distracted. But now he's left it too late, and if he doesn't obey the high mage's commands within the day, his best friends' lives will be forfeit. So it's hardly the time to take on an impossible case: proving a woman who murdered a stranger in full view is innocent. Unfortunately, Mennik can't resist doing the right thing - and now he's caught in a deadly rivalry between warring high mages, his witnesses are dying, and something ancient has turned its eyes upon him. The fate of the city is once again in the hands of a second-rate mage. Mennik Thorn should have stayed in hiding.

An Epic Fantasy Mystery

Nectar for the God

Fans of Jim Butcher and Scott Lynch will love this snarky fantasy mystery. It was only supposed to be one little job - a simple curse-breaking for Mennik Thorn to pay back a favour to his oldest friend. But then it all blew up in his face. Now he's been framed for a murder he didn't commit. So how is a second-rate mage, broke, traumatized, and with a habit of annoying the wrong people, supposed to prove his innocence when everyone believes he's guilty? Mennik has no choice if he wants to get out of this: he is going to have to throw himself into the corrupt world of the city's high mages, a world he fled years ago. Faced by supernatural beasts, the mage-killing Ash Guard, and a ruthless, unknown adversary, it's going to take every trick Mennik can summon just to keep him and his friend alive. But a new, dark power is rising in Agatos, and all that stands in its way is one damaged mage... Third place in the Self-Published Fantasy Blog-Off 2020 (SPFBO6) Finalist in the Book Bloggers' Book of the Year Award (BBNYA) 2021 Shortlisted for the Booknest Fantasy Award Best Self-published Novel 2020 Reviews "The start of something great." - Novel Notions “I loved every moment of this book. In terms of sheer entertainment value, its certainly one of the best I’ve read this year and it’s been a while since I’ve had such fun with a book.” - Rowena Andrews, Beneath a Thousand Skies “Fast-paced, quick-witted, deftly plotted and as well-thought-out as it is well-written. Highly recommended, and I’m already looking forward to the next one.” – Juliet E. McKenna, Author of The Tales of Einarinn, The Aldabreshin Compass, and The Green Man’s Heir “Shadow of a Dead God contains the snarky, disillusioned, diamond-in-the-rough, down-at-heels, determined and fiercely loyal mage-detective your TBR desperately needs! “Recommended for readers of The Lies of Locke Lamora and anyone who loves fantasy mystery starring a delightfully reluctant, unlikely, foul-mouthed and golden-hearted hero.” – Katrina Middelburg, Read. Ruminate. Write. “If you need a fun, entertaining read in these trying time, Shadow of a Dead God is highly recommended.” - Jamie Lee Moyer, Author of Brightfall “Mennik Thorn is a wry, dry, washed-up mage whose talents, other than friendship, are modest to say the least. A dogged determination to live life on his own terms puts him at odds with almost everyone and everything. But he’s funny, and he’s good-hearted, and Samphire can plot a mystery that turns every page. Reading his story of detective derring-don’t is as satisfying as it is entertaining. A great start! I look forward to more.” - Justina Robson, Author of Natural History and the Quantum Gravity series.

What do a smuggling gang, a curse that won't go away, and a frequently lost dog have to do with each other? Answer: they're all here to disrupt Mennik Thorn's hard-earned peace and quiet. As the sole freelance mage in the city of Agatos, Mennik is used to some odd clients and awful jobs. But this time, one of his clients isn't giving him a choice. Mennik might have forgotten about the smugglers whose operations he disrupted, but they haven't forgotten about him. Now he is faced with a simple ultimatum: help them smuggle in an unknown, dangerous cargo or flee the city he loves forever. Time is running out for Mennik to find an answer, and things are about to get completely out of control. Note: this is a short novel, not a full-length novel.

An Epic Fantasty Mystery

Strange Cargo

A dead god. A brutal murder. So what's a second-rate mage to do when everyone thinks he's guilty?

An Epic Fantasy Novel

A missing Martian. A sinister plot. A Napoleonic spy.If Edward thought life was going to be easy in Lunae City, he was very, very wrong. The moment he intercepts a thief escaping from Lady Harleston's town house, he is caught in a terrible scheme that threatens all of Mars. Soon he's fighting off vicious sea serpents, battling a small army of heavily armored thugs, and trying to unpick an impossible mystery. Edward doesn't know whom he can trust. Will he make the right choice? Or will his family-and his entire planet-fall victim to the treacherous Emperor of Mars? A Christy Ottaviano Book

The Emperor of Mars

Fantastische Schauplätze auf dem Mars, gefährliche Schurken und ein Held, der kein Fettnäpfchen auslässt: Ed Marsmallow ist da! Auftakt zu einer Fantasy-Abenteuer-Reihe mit einem besonderen Setting: einer britischen Kolonie auf dem Mars! Action, Witz und Spannung werden erfolgreich vereint und die Protagonisten bieten sowohl für Jungen als auch für Mädchen ab 11 Jahren ideale Identifikationsfiguren. Edward hat mit drei anstrengenden Schwestern, einem experimentierfreudigen Wissenschaftler als Vater und einer überkorrekten Mutter alle Hände voll zu tun - und leider nicht so viel Zeit für seinen größten Traum: Spion sein. Als seine Eltern vom machthungrigen Archäologen Sir Titus entführt werden, weil eine von Dads Erfindungen ihn angeblich zu einem bedeutenden Schatz führen kann, ist das für Ed DIE Gelegenheit, ein Held zu sein. Allerdings ist das nicht so einfach, wie er es sich vorgestellt hat!

Ed Marsmallow - Auch Held sein will gelernt sein

Y. S. Lee

Shveta Thakrar

Cassandra Khaw

Stephanie Burgis

Jenny Moss

Ysabeau Wilce

Iona Sharma

Laura Gilman

Would you rather dance beneath the waves or hide your smuggled magic there? Welcome to a world of sparkling adult fantasy and science fiction stories edited by Stephanie Burgis and Tiffany Trent and featuring underwater ballrooms of one sort or another, from a 1930s ballroom to a Martian hotel to a grand rock 'n roll ball held in the heart of Faery itself."From the first page, I knew I was in good hands. This is my kind of fantasy -- magic, adventure, and gorgeous writing. The Underwater Ballroom Society is the kind of fantasy that got me into reading fantasy." - Patrice Sarath, Author of The Sisters MederosStories in this anthology:Ysabeau S. Wilce, "The Queen of Life"Y.S. Lee, "Twelve Sisters"Iona Datt Sharma, "Penhallow Amid Passing Things"Tiffany Trent, "Mermaids, Singing"Jenny Moss, "A Brand New Thing"Cassandra Khaw, "Four Revelations from the Rusalka Ball"Stephanie Burgis, "Spellswept"Laura Anne Gilman, "The River Always Wins"Shveta Thakrar, "The Amethyst Deceiver"Patrick Samphire, "A Spy in the Deep""This anthology is an excellent collection of stories and all of them are well worth your time." - Michelle at The Monday Review

Patrick Samphire

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