The goblin invasion is on...and a wizard's work is never done!
After facing a hopeless siege, an implacable foe, and an impossible escape, you would think that Minalan the Spellmonger would be able to rest - but the armies of the undead goblin shaman Shereul (known as the Dead God to his human victims) are rolling over the Western reaches of the rustic Duchy of Alshar and is headed toward the heart of the Duchy of Castal. Thousands are fleeing for their lives as hordes of goblins pour out of Boval Vale and devastate the rugged fiefs of the Alshari Wilderlands. And the super-charged shamans of the Dead God are making defending the realm almost impossible for the outnumbered Alshari country knights.
While the two Dukes play feudal politics to further their own ends, the only people who seem to care about the invasion are Minalan and his outlaw warmagi friends - and they're busy dodging agents of the sinister Royal Censorate of Magic.
But if someone doesn't organize an army in Northern Alshar soon, then there will be nothing to stop the armies of the divinely powerful Dead God from conquering all five Duchies in his genocidal quest for vengeance.
But things are just not that simple: He has to cope with a sexy young Shadowmage assasin who works for a mysterious spymaster, a cocky new manservant, a dysfunctional group of suddenly-powerful warmagi, the Censor General, and a bunch of whiny nobles before the Dukes will grant him the troops and money he will need - and the Dukes have plans of their own. If Minalan the Spellmonger can't lobby the courts of Alshar and Castal to work together - and quickly - the hordes of the Dead God will sweep over the frontiers of both states. Worse, the mysterious Umbra veil he has erected around Boval Vale may come to imperil all Five Duchies.
Minalan would rather just go home and let the Dukes handle it, but his conscience won't let him. Someone has to stop the Dead God...and that someone happens to be him. Beyond politics and plots, goblins and trolls, mercenaries and magic, the Soulless and the shamans, Censors and secret orders, for Minalan there is only the thought that his child is to be born in a world with such dangers, and that is something he cannot permit.
It is time for the Spellmonger to pick up his mageblade, summon his allies, and go to war again...as a Warmage!
The series
In a realm where magic is both weapon and legacy, The Spellmonger Series invites readers into a world teetering between the remnants of empire and the rise of something far more dangerous. At its center is Minalan—a former battlefield mage who once wielded fire and fury in the service of kings, now trying to live a quieter life… until the past and its secrets refuse to stay buried.
Read full series description
This epic fantasy series blends court intrigue, brutal warfare, and deeply personal stakes with an honesty that’s rare in high fantasy. The world of Callidore doesn’t just shimmer with spells and sorcery—it pulses with the grind of politics, the tension of shifting loyalties, and the complicated cost of power. Minalan isn’t a chosen one; he’s a survivor, a strategist, and a man constantly forced to choose between what is right and what is necessary. That moral complexity is woven through every volume, making each battle—magical or otherwise—feel both intimate and immense.
While rich in classic fantasy elements—mages, kingdoms, ancient threats—this series distinguishes itself through its patient, immersive storytelling. The worldbuilding is expansive but lived-in, with layers of culture, history, and magic that unfold slowly, demanding and rewarding attention. And as Minalan’s journey grows from reluctant hero to architect of an entirely new order, so too does the depth of the narrative, which explores not only warfare and wizardry but family, nation-building, and the scars of survival.
With its slow-burn pacing, sprawling cast, and a voice that balances grit with moments of wit and heart, this is a fantasy saga that doesn’t just conjure awe—it earns it. For readers who crave political complexity, character-driven arcs, and the kind of magic that leaves a mark, the path of the Spellmonger offers a long, rewarding road.
Be the first reviewer
Sign in and write the first reader review.
