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Curse of the Fay Duelist #0.5
Origins of the Cursed Duelist
Betrayed. Erased. And made an orcish slave.
A human child falls into the hands of a fey warlord with aspirations to the unseelie throne. But when that child learns to fight and grows into a shadow-killer of the faewylds, old grudges flock home to roost.
Remy Keaton’s memories of his prior humanity may have been snuffed out, but when the brutal warlord Rhylfelour takes things too far, Remy makes a strange alliance with the Spider Lady, Rhagathena—illegitimate queen of the Rime Throne. But with hers and the warlord’s eyes both set upon rule of the unseelie court, will Remy’s revenge trade one monster for an even worse one—one set up to strangle the Winter Court in webs of deceit and skullduggery?
All vengeance exacts a toll… can Remy Keaton afford to pay its steep price? With Rhylfelour’s murderous fits of rage, can Remy afford not to pay it?
If you like dark fantasy, paranormal, and urban fantasy with elves, magic, and mystery, then you need this book. For fans of Sarah J. Maas, Rae Carson, Holly Black, and Cassandra Clare.
Click buy it now and explore the unseelie realms today!
A human child falls into the hands of a fey warlord with aspirations to the unseelie throne. But when that child learns to fight and grows into a shadow-killer of the faewylds, old grudges flock home to roost.
Remy Keaton’s memories of his prior humanity may have been snuffed out, but when the brutal warlord Rhylfelour takes things too far, Remy makes a strange alliance with the Spider Lady, Rhagathena—illegitimate queen of the Rime Throne. But with hers and the warlord’s eyes both set upon rule of the unseelie court, will Remy’s revenge trade one monster for an even worse one—one set up to strangle the Winter Court in webs of deceit and skullduggery?
All vengeance exacts a toll… can Remy Keaton afford to pay its steep price? With Rhylfelour’s murderous fits of rage, can Remy afford not to pay it?
If you like dark fantasy, paranormal, and urban fantasy with elves, magic, and mystery, then you need this book. For fans of Sarah J. Maas, Rae Carson, Holly Black, and Cassandra Clare.
Click buy it now and explore the unseelie realms today!
- GenresFantasy
235 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 1, 2023
About the author
Christopher D. Schmitz
132 books251 followersChristopher D Schmitz is the author of fiction and nonfiction as well as a regular blogger.
Following completion of his first fantasy novel in the early 2000s he began working on lots of short fiction in order to refine his craft and went on to publish many pieces from 1,000-15,000 words in a variety of genres and outlets as writing exercises. Putting fiction away for a while, he pursued post-graduate work where he received a new appreciation for nonfiction, wrote Why Your Pastor Left, and then returned to his love for fiction, writing several new books.
Schmitz attained a Biblical Studies degree and a Youth Ministry minor from Trinity Bible College in 2003 and went on to gain a Masters of Arts in Religion from Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary in 2014.
Other: he is generally known as a decent guitarist and played/sang in a rock band for several years. Schmitz is also an ungraded bagpipe player and has been known to pop up in random places and play them--sometimes while dressed as a pirate... because normal is boring.
Following completion of his first fantasy novel in the early 2000s he began working on lots of short fiction in order to refine his craft and went on to publish many pieces from 1,000-15,000 words in a variety of genres and outlets as writing exercises. Putting fiction away for a while, he pursued post-graduate work where he received a new appreciation for nonfiction, wrote Why Your Pastor Left, and then returned to his love for fiction, writing several new books.
Schmitz attained a Biblical Studies degree and a Youth Ministry minor from Trinity Bible College in 2003 and went on to gain a Masters of Arts in Religion from Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary in 2014.
Other: he is generally known as a decent guitarist and played/sang in a rock band for several years. Schmitz is also an ungraded bagpipe player and has been known to pop up in random places and play them--sometimes while dressed as a pirate... because normal is boring.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
December 12, 2024
An origin story of a reluctant killer.
I originally supported the Kickstarter for this series, after enjoying previous books by the same author.
The protagonist starts as a human child in the fey world without knowledge of his past. Almost immediately, he is bound by an oath he can't break, and forced to serve an ambitious orc master. We watch this child grow into a man who becomes gifted at killing. Bound up in political intrigue as well as oaths, his bloody hands are forced to help the ascension of those he resents. He knows few friends, but the health and welfare of all of them also hand in the balance if he fails in satisfying his master.
It is a great beginner intro to a reluctant killer. An amazing part of the adventure is how even his targets teach him something about oaths...and how words matter. The reader is enthralled to see the protagonist begin to lay a scheme which might free himself and those he wishes to protect. Action, intrigue, betrayal, layered in the seelie and unseelie courts.
I originally supported the Kickstarter for this series, after enjoying previous books by the same author.
The protagonist starts as a human child in the fey world without knowledge of his past. Almost immediately, he is bound by an oath he can't break, and forced to serve an ambitious orc master. We watch this child grow into a man who becomes gifted at killing. Bound up in political intrigue as well as oaths, his bloody hands are forced to help the ascension of those he resents. He knows few friends, but the health and welfare of all of them also hand in the balance if he fails in satisfying his master.
It is a great beginner intro to a reluctant killer. An amazing part of the adventure is how even his targets teach him something about oaths...and how words matter. The reader is enthralled to see the protagonist begin to lay a scheme which might free himself and those he wishes to protect. Action, intrigue, betrayal, layered in the seelie and unseelie courts.
April 14, 2026
I devoured this. I read Fey Duelist first and I recommend reading it that way (publish order) it really just kind of hits better I think.
It was SO good, I was holding my breath through half the book worried for Remy. I cried at the end, I was not expecting that.
It was a perfect origin story to one of my favorite series.
This one flows well and is paced nicely. And it gives a lot of back story to Remy and the world as well.
It was SO good, I was holding my breath through half the book worried for Remy. I cried at the end, I was not expecting that.
It was a perfect origin story to one of my favorite series.
This one flows well and is paced nicely. And it gives a lot of back story to Remy and the world as well.
September 6, 2024
The world building is great. When new things are introduced they are explained without taking away from the story telling.
Even though it is book 0 read it after book 1. This makes it so there are more hints to take note of.
Learn how Remy came to be an assassin and how to read between the lines.
Even though it is book 0 read it after book 1. This makes it so there are more hints to take note of.
Learn how Remy came to be an assassin and how to read between the lines.
August 12, 2023
I need the next book ASAP.
May 5, 2024
An exciting first tale of Remy. I enjoyed the twists and turns along the way.
May 26, 2025
I liked this prequel a lot. It set up the character of Remy and just what he is willing to do to survive.
June 12, 2026
Its a prequel so lots of story building, looking forward to the next one!
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews