Ends of Magic

Nathan Lark wished for magic at every birthday until his teens. When he's summoned to a fantasy world by an Archmage eager to discuss Earth's technology, Nathan can finally stop worrying about his dissertation in stem cell biology. Unfortunately, that's because his problems are bigger now. In a world where magic is the tool of the oppressor, Nathan needs to make a choice. Magic, or morality? And once he's chosen, will he try to survive the world of Davrar, or change it? Ends of Magic is a high fantasy story where Magic is the source of great evil and great wonder. Follow Nathan as he tries to find a place in an inhospitable world with a deep history and interesting people. He will make friends and enemies, exploring a world that does not work like ours.

Alexander Olson presents Book 2 in the Ends of Magic series.

Nathan and his companions are free. For now. They're trapped inside the fortress-city of Halsmet, and every mage of Giantsrest is hunting for them. Luckily enough, they've been found by Faline, the shapeshifting leader of the Assassins of Gemore. She's pledged to teach Nathan her deadly trade. How far will he go to fight the empire of slavers? How much murder is justified? Even if they manage to win this fight against Giantsrest, it won't be the end of the conflict. A Questor from ages past lurks in the heart of the Ascendent Academy, and he won't allow Giantsrest to suffer a defeat. It is time for Nathan to face his sworn enemy, to stand against the Ascendent Academy. But how can one person fight an empire of thousands?

The Empire of Giantsrest must fall. With an army marching on the liberated city of Halsmet, Nathan and his allies are prepared to fight to the death. Giantsrest may have overwhelming magical might, helmed by the nearly immortal archmage Badud-but Nathan has a few tricks of his own. To win the war that will follow, Nathan must risk it all. With his skills as an antimage and assassin, he will disguise himself behind enemy lines, attacking where Giantsrest least expects it, in the capital-the political heart of their power, where mages jockey for status. But one wrong move would spell failure and place Gemore in the crosshairs. Striking from the shadows, he must defeat his targets and uncover the secrets of the Academy before his time runs out. Even if he fails, Nathan is sure of one thing. His enemies will learn to fear the antimage.

The Ascendent Academy has fallen, but Nathan's journey is just beginning. He has a mission-to journey across Davrar to find Sarya Pamaris, a friendly Questor who can begin to answer his questions. Hopefully she will reveal to him the secrets of the Endings, and how to stop them. On the way, Nathan and his friends must contend with the remnants of Giantsrest, the catspaws of Questors and above all the terrifying dangers of Davrar itself. They have risen to the level of the elites, and that means those threats have noticed them. Because on Davrar, Nathan is sure of one thing. There's always another danger over the horizon.