The Servant and the Mage: A Progression Fantasy Saga

by James Cook

Step into a world of intrigue and magic in The Servant and the Mage, the first novel in an all-new progression fantasy saga from the author of Path of Violence and the acclaimed Surviving the Dead series...

When Kharos, the son of a feared enforcer, is swept into the deadly machinations of the empire’s underworld, he faces a risk everything to save his father, or surrender his freedom for a chance at survival.

To shield Kharos from a ruthless crime boss, his father calls in a favor from the enigmatic lord of the Ludus Magnus—the empire’s most prestigious gladiator academy. Bound to ten years of servitude, Kharos is thrust into a world where strength is currency and secrets are deadlier than swords. Along the way, his sharp mind and hidden magical talents quickly earn him respect among gladiators and servants alike. But as he secretly aids his father’s fight, Kharos’s growing power draws the attention of Yoru, a shadowy archmage with a dangerous past.

Under Yoru’s tutelage, Kharos’s mastery of magic surges—but every lesson comes with a price. As Kharos’s influence rises, so too does his peril, for Yoru is a former assassin whose loyalty is as mysterious as his motives. With enemies closing in and old debts demanding payment, Kharos must decide if he will become a pawn in someone else’s game or forge his own destiny.

Perfect for fans of character-driven fantasy and epic progression, The Servant and the Mage launches an unforgettable saga of ambition, loyalty, and the true cost of power.

353 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 13, 2025

About the author

British navigator James Cook, known as Captain Cook, commanded three major exploratory voyages to chart and to name many islands of the Pacific Ocean and also sailed along the coast of North America as far as the Bering Strait.

During circumnavigation of the globe from 1768 to 1771 with James Cook, Joseph Banks collected and cataloged numerous specimens of plants and animals.

James Cook, captain, visited Austral Islands in 1769 and 1777.

James Cook, fellow of the royal society, served as a cartographer in the Navy. Cook made detailed maps of Newfoundland prior to making, and achieving the first recorded European contact with the eastern line of Australia and Hawaii and the record around New Zealand.

Cook joined the merchant as a teenager and joined the royal Navy in 1755. He saw action in the Seven Years' War and subsequently surveyed and mapped much of the entrance to the Saint Lawrence River during the siege of Quebec. This mapping helped to bring Cook to the attention of the admiralty and royal society. This notice came at a crucial moment in career of Cook and in the overseas direction and led to his first commission in 1766 of His Majesty's bark Endeavour.

Cook went thousands of miles across large areas of the globe. From New Zealand, he mapped to Hawaii in greater detail and on a not previously achieved scale. He progressed on his discovery, surveyed features, and recorded lines on European maps for the first time. He displayed a combination of seamanship, superior surveying and cartographic skills, physical courage, and an ability to lead men in adverse conditions.

A fight with Hawaiians killed Cook. He left a scientific and geographical legacy to influence his successors well into the 20th century, and people dedicated numerous memorials worldwide.