"The Blade Mage delivers big-muscled magic and high octane thrills."
-- Gary Phillips, Ash Dark as Night
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"Witty, action-packed, and never one to shy away from the unexpected. Phillip Drayer Duncan is not to be missed."
-- J.H. Fleming, The Queen of Moon and Shadow
"Phillip Drayer Duncan has done it again. First with the Assassins, Inc. series and now with The Blade Mage. His characters and the situations they get themselves into and out of have me laughing out loud—and I don’t often, even on the inside. I read two comic writers, Duncan and Robert Asprin’s Myth series."
-- JC Crumpton, Silence in the Garden
"BLADE MAGE is an action-packed series full of humor and heart, with a protagonist who understands that true magic comes from loyalty and friendship."
-Julie Jones, Blood Follows Blood
"The reclusive Blade Mage is unexpectedly thrust into the role of executioner and ordered to kill his best friend. Written with a keen sense of wit and humor, Phillip Drayer Duncan delivers a thrilling journey in a world filled with magic and mystery."
- Shayne Easson, The Rhythm of a Jaded Heart
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The Blade Mage
The sword chooses its wielder.
I never asked to be Blade Mage. My fellow wizards weren’t exactly thrilled about my selection, either. Unfortunately, those weird old druids have a strict no returns policy.
So I left, and for the past few years, I’ve managed to hide from my responsibilities and former life. But I always knew one day the Cabal would come looking for its precious sword.
And so they have, but only because a heinous crime has occurred…
A wizard of the Cabal has used forbidden magic to slay a fellow wizard. It’s an open and shut case. The killer admitted it. He also stands accused of kidnapping a child, who is still missing, but they say that isn’t my problem. No, as Blade Mage, the Cabal only expects one thing of me: they expect me to play the role of Executioner.
Problem is…
The accused is my best friend.
And before I chop his head off, or decide to just walk away, I want to know the truth. But the path to the truth is filled with shifty wizards, fearsome witches, insidious demons, and supernatural conspirators at every turn.
It ain’t easy being the Blade Mage.
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Of Song and Shadow
So, there I was…
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Just minding my own business and having a drink at a local watering hole, when this strange woman approaches me, begging for help.
I’ve never seen this woman in my life. I have no idea who she is.
If she’s to be believed, she doesn’t know who she is, either. Nor does she know where she came from, or exactly why it is she needs my help.
She sure as heck knows who I am, though. She knows that I’m the Blade Mage.
It only gets weirder.
Before I can figure out what to do, the shadows come to life and attack. It isn’t me they want, but this strange woman.
My every instinct screams that I should run away. But…I am the Blade Mage.
I’ve no choice but to help, but there are powers after this woman that I am helpless to stand against.
It doesn’t look like I’ll be the Blade Mage for long.
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The Memphis Knights
You’d think I would’ve learned my lesson. When the Cabal shows up at my doorstep, it always leads to trouble.
This time they want me to go to Memphis. Apparently, the Cabal has a partnership with a secret Order called the Memphis Knights. They look like a motorcycle club, but they’re actually Templars, and Memphis is their city.
Their leader has been murdered, and magic was involved.
But they don’t want mages running rampant in their town. And the victim’s son is only willing to trust one member of the Ozark Mountain Cabal. The one who was chosen by a magical sword.
And that, of course, would be me.
My job is to go in, make a good a show for the Cabal, and avoid getting into trouble while this whole thing blows over.
Surely I can manage that, right?
No, of course not.
The deeds are too dark to ignore. The loss too familiar. The enemies too vile.
I’m the Blade Mage, and I don’t care whether I’m up against an army of demons and dark wizards, or if most the Knights want me out of their town, I’m going to help them get vengeance, even if it costs me everything.
Rebel Medicine
I was a rebellious teen once. Oh, who am I kidding? I never grew up. I am a full-grown man-child with an overpowered magical sword.
I’m probably not mature enough to help a bunch of rebellious teens. But the Cabal won’t do anything, and these kiddos won’t listen to their tribal elders. I’m just minding my own business, trying to improve my rep around the Cabal, when surprise, the local Medicine Men need help with their runaways. Freaking teenagers. Am I right?
There’s already one death on the ledger. Someone has to find these angsty rebels and sway them from the dark side before more bodies hit the floor. Including mine.
Did I mention these brats are trying to kill me? And they’re not terrible at it. How the heck am I supposed to talk sense into them when they just want to murder me? More importantly, how do I get through to them without hurting them? I much prefer bad guys I can whack with my sword.
Of course, the Glee Club isn’t the only faction who wants to kill me. The local gangs aren’t happy to see my smiling face, either. Yay, more supernatural biker goons. Oh, and the rumors around the medicine men’s camp say there’s some legendary beast roaming the forest. Surely that can’t be involved. You know, it’s almost like someone is pulling strings from the shadows…
Oh, and that’s another thing. I don’t think the Cabal wanted me to get involved.
Oops.
As the body pile rises, can I save these kids from the dark path they’ve chosen? Or am I just going to be another of their victims?
The Southern Circle
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Evil super-powered jerk faces and their stupid games…
It was supposed to be a simple trip. An opportunity to meet our fellows in the Southern Circle. Nothing was supposed to go wrong. And I really tried to be on good behavior. Honest.
But when an opportunity to catch an old enemy presents itself, how can I resist?
When fishing trips go wrong…
Axel and I are captured by the Voodoo loa of death, and he wants us to join his little game. The rules are simple: Hunt down a voodoo priestess hiding in the swamp or die. Anthony Burns’s life is on the line, too. I never liked the guy, but it’s my fault he’s in this jam. Oh, and if we find the missing priestess, we’re supposed to kill her. Because that’s a thing Blade Mages do, right? Kill innocents?
Did I mention all our fellow competitors want to take us out as well? Nasty bunch. In fact, my old enemies might be the friendliest among them. The loa has summoned wizards, vampires, and far stranger entities to join his little party.
The deck is stacked against us like never before.
When every Louisiana urban legend turns up for a swampland battle royale, what hope does one Blade Mage and his devious best friend have? Can we somehow survive this mess or will we just become gator food? Come find out in The Southern Circle.
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Featuring the Blade Mage prequel stories…
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The Generic Mage
My name is Wyatt Draven, and I’m the Generic Mage. No, I wasn’t made by some wizard off-brand. That’s just what my team calls me since my jerk of a boss won’t assign me a specialist role.
Still, I’m on one of the Cabal’s special strike teams and do my part to protect people from the things that go bump in the night.
But now the Blade Mage has called in all available wizards for a special assignment.
The Blade Mage of the Ozark Mountain Cabal, who happens to be my dear old dad, has dedicated his life to hunting down every dark wizard, nasty beast, and evil prick who dared play their wicked games in the Ozarks. He’s hunted down all of them, save one – a particularly nasty Clown Goblin named Crag.
But now my old man has figured out where the murderous goblin is hiding, and we’re going after him.
Problem is…he’s hiding in plain sight, in a crowded public place, where no one would think twice if they saw him. I have to hunt for a goblin, keep my best friend out of trouble, figure out why my girlfriend is giving me the cold shoulder, try not to incur the wrath of my boss, and not get my head cut off in the process.
It ain’t easy being the generic mage.
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The Last Great Blade Mage
The Blade Mage has… I mean to say, my father has…
Well, I have to go back to the Castle, the main base of the Ozark Mountain Cabal.
There’s a funeral to attend.
And Drynwyn, that ancient blade, must choose a new Blade Mage. But I don’t really care about that.
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