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Rogue Agent #1-3 omnibus
The Rogue Agent: The Accidental Sorcerer, Witches Incorporated, Wizard Squared
BOOK 1: THE ACCIDENTAL SORCERER
Gerald Dunwoody is a wizard. Just not a particularly good one. He's blown up a factory, lost his job, and there's a chance that he's not really a Third Grade wizard after all. So it's off to New Ottosland to be the new Court Wizard for King Lional.
It's a shame that King Lional isn't the vain, self-centered young man he appeared to be. With a Princess in danger, a talking bird who can't stay out of trouble, and a kingdom to save, Gerald soon suspects that he might be out of his depth. And if he can't keep this job, how will he ever become the wizard he was destined to be...
BOOK 2: WITCHES INCORPORATED
It's a case of espionage, skullduggery and serious unpleasantness
And it's also Gerald's first official government assignment. He's hunting down a deadly saboteur, and time is quickly running out. Old enemies and new combine forces to thwart him. Once again, innocent lives are on the line. He needs his friends. He can't do this alone.
But Princess Melissande and Reg have troubles of their own. With the help of Monk Markham's brilliant, beautiful sister, they've opened a one-stop-shop witching locum agency, where magical problems are solved for a price. Problem is, the girls are struggling to keep the business afloat. Things are looking grim for Witches Incorporated - and that's before they accidentally cross paths with Gerald's saboteur.
Suddenly everybody's lives are on the line and Gerald realizes, too late, that there's a reason government agents aren't supposed to have friends...
BOOK 3: Wizard Squared
When the staff of Witches Incorporated receive a visitor from an alternate reality, they are shocked to learn that life in the parallel world next door is anything but a bed of roses... and it's all because of Gerald Dunwoody.
At a crucial moment in time, their Gerald turned left... but the alternate reality Gerald turned right. Now the parallel world next door is in the grip of terror, staring down the barrel of a thaumaturgical war -- a war that threatens to spill across the dimensions and plunge every reality into a nightmare.
The only person who can stop a rogue wizard gone mad is another rogue wizard. But what do you do when another rogue wizard can't be found?
Gerald Dunwoody is a wizard. Just not a particularly good one. He's blown up a factory, lost his job, and there's a chance that he's not really a Third Grade wizard after all. So it's off to New Ottosland to be the new Court Wizard for King Lional.
It's a shame that King Lional isn't the vain, self-centered young man he appeared to be. With a Princess in danger, a talking bird who can't stay out of trouble, and a kingdom to save, Gerald soon suspects that he might be out of his depth. And if he can't keep this job, how will he ever become the wizard he was destined to be...
BOOK 2: WITCHES INCORPORATED
It's a case of espionage, skullduggery and serious unpleasantness
And it's also Gerald's first official government assignment. He's hunting down a deadly saboteur, and time is quickly running out. Old enemies and new combine forces to thwart him. Once again, innocent lives are on the line. He needs his friends. He can't do this alone.
But Princess Melissande and Reg have troubles of their own. With the help of Monk Markham's brilliant, beautiful sister, they've opened a one-stop-shop witching locum agency, where magical problems are solved for a price. Problem is, the girls are struggling to keep the business afloat. Things are looking grim for Witches Incorporated - and that's before they accidentally cross paths with Gerald's saboteur.
Suddenly everybody's lives are on the line and Gerald realizes, too late, that there's a reason government agents aren't supposed to have friends...
BOOK 3: Wizard Squared
When the staff of Witches Incorporated receive a visitor from an alternate reality, they are shocked to learn that life in the parallel world next door is anything but a bed of roses... and it's all because of Gerald Dunwoody.
At a crucial moment in time, their Gerald turned left... but the alternate reality Gerald turned right. Now the parallel world next door is in the grip of terror, staring down the barrel of a thaumaturgical war -- a war that threatens to spill across the dimensions and plunge every reality into a nightmare.
The only person who can stop a rogue wizard gone mad is another rogue wizard. But what do you do when another rogue wizard can't be found?
1162 pages, Nook
First published January 1, 2011
About the author
K.E. Mills
6 books231 followers"K.E. Mills" is a pseudonym of "Karen Miller"
I was born in Vancouver, Canada, and came to Australia with my parents when I was 2. I think. Dad’s an Aussie, Mum’s English, go figure. Talk about Fate and Destiny. But three passports come in handy.
I’ve always lived in Sydney, except when I didn’t. After graduating with a BA Communications from the then Institute of Technology (now University) a few years ahead of Hugh Jackman, dammit, talk about rotten timing, I headed off to England and lived there for 3 years. It was interesting. I worked for a bunch of nutters in a community health centre and got the sack because I refused to go do EST with them (you stand in the middle of a circle and thank people for hurling verbal abuse at you for your own good, they said, and then were surprised when I said no), was a customer services officer for DHL London (would you believe at one time I knew every single airport code for every single airport in the world, off by heart?!?), got roped into an extremely dubious life insurance selling scheme (I was young and broke, need I say more?) and ended up realizing a life-long dream of working professionally with horses. After 18 grueling months I woke up, and came home.
Since then I’ve done customer service in the insurance and telecommunications industries, been a training officer, PR Officer in local government, production assistant in educational publishing, taught English and Business Communication at TAFE, been a supervisor and run my own sf/fantasy/mystery bookshop. Money for jam, there! I also managed to squeeze in a Master’s Degree in Children’s Literature from Macquarie University.
I used to have horses of my own, and spent lots of time and money showing, breeding, training and judging, but then I came off one time too many and so a large part of my life ended.
When I’m not writing I’m heavily involved in the Castle Hill Players, my local community theatre group, as an actor, director, prompt, stage manager (but not all at once!) and publicity officer.
I’m a story junkie. Books, film, tv ... you name it. Star Wars, Star Trek, Babylon 5, Battlestar Galactica (the new series), Stargate, Firefly, X-Men, Buffy, Angel, Supernatural, The Professionals, Forever Knight, Due South, The West Wing, The Shield, Sandbaggers, Homicide, Wiseguy, The Shield, The Closer ... and the list goes on. And that’s just the media stuff!
I love music. While writing I listen primarily to film soundtracks, because they’ve been written primarily to evoke emotional responses in the listener. This helps access emotion during tough scenes. Plus, the music is pretty. At least the stuff I listen to is. Favourite film composers include Hans Zimmer, Alan Silvestri, James Horner and John Williams. Vocalists I enjoy are Josh Groban, Russell Watson, Sarah McLachlan, Simon and Garfunkel , Queen, The Moody Blues, Steeleye Span, Meatloaf, Mike Oldfield ... anyone who can carry a tune, basically.
In short, I’m an only child with an overactive imagination, 3 dogs, 2 cats and not enough hours in the day. I don’t drink, smoke, or do enough exercise. I make periodic stabs at eating properly. Chocolate is my besetting downfall.
So that’s me. You can wake up now ...
I was born in Vancouver, Canada, and came to Australia with my parents when I was 2. I think. Dad’s an Aussie, Mum’s English, go figure. Talk about Fate and Destiny. But three passports come in handy.
I’ve always lived in Sydney, except when I didn’t. After graduating with a BA Communications from the then Institute of Technology (now University) a few years ahead of Hugh Jackman, dammit, talk about rotten timing, I headed off to England and lived there for 3 years. It was interesting. I worked for a bunch of nutters in a community health centre and got the sack because I refused to go do EST with them (you stand in the middle of a circle and thank people for hurling verbal abuse at you for your own good, they said, and then were surprised when I said no), was a customer services officer for DHL London (would you believe at one time I knew every single airport code for every single airport in the world, off by heart?!?), got roped into an extremely dubious life insurance selling scheme (I was young and broke, need I say more?) and ended up realizing a life-long dream of working professionally with horses. After 18 grueling months I woke up, and came home.
Since then I’ve done customer service in the insurance and telecommunications industries, been a training officer, PR Officer in local government, production assistant in educational publishing, taught English and Business Communication at TAFE, been a supervisor and run my own sf/fantasy/mystery bookshop. Money for jam, there! I also managed to squeeze in a Master’s Degree in Children’s Literature from Macquarie University.
I used to have horses of my own, and spent lots of time and money showing, breeding, training and judging, but then I came off one time too many and so a large part of my life ended.
When I’m not writing I’m heavily involved in the Castle Hill Players, my local community theatre group, as an actor, director, prompt, stage manager (but not all at once!) and publicity officer.
I’m a story junkie. Books, film, tv ... you name it. Star Wars, Star Trek, Babylon 5, Battlestar Galactica (the new series), Stargate, Firefly, X-Men, Buffy, Angel, Supernatural, The Professionals, Forever Knight, Due South, The West Wing, The Shield, Sandbaggers, Homicide, Wiseguy, The Shield, The Closer ... and the list goes on. And that’s just the media stuff!
I love music. While writing I listen primarily to film soundtracks, because they’ve been written primarily to evoke emotional responses in the listener. This helps access emotion during tough scenes. Plus, the music is pretty. At least the stuff I listen to is. Favourite film composers include Hans Zimmer, Alan Silvestri, James Horner and John Williams. Vocalists I enjoy are Josh Groban, Russell Watson, Sarah McLachlan, Simon and Garfunkel , Queen, The Moody Blues, Steeleye Span, Meatloaf, Mike Oldfield ... anyone who can carry a tune, basically.
In short, I’m an only child with an overactive imagination, 3 dogs, 2 cats and not enough hours in the day. I don’t drink, smoke, or do enough exercise. I make periodic stabs at eating properly. Chocolate is my besetting downfall.
So that’s me. You can wake up now ...
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
June 14, 2026
The Accidental Sorcerer was one of the best urban fantasy I've ever read. Had a hard time putting it down, and it actually made me laugh out loud in places (no easy feat). I love her characterization. Gerald and the rest are very distinct from each other and consistent throughout the books. The first three are really quite good books, but the fourth one kind of fell off. Wizard Squared was dark and freaky in places, but the motivation behind what happens with the villain is not necessarily as believable (but what that character does is quite unsettling). My two favorites are the first two, Accidental Sorceror and Witches Inc. The last one, I'm sorry to say (the one after Wizard Squared), had too much waiting and not enough action.
February 23, 2017
Book I was my favorite (5 stars) with Book II a close second (4 stars). Book III not so much (3 stars).
Things I liked:
The style -- the books are very well written, humorous and witty.
The world -- it's loosely based on old Britain and the language + certain British uhm... terms are just lovely.
The characters are pretty good -- not complex, unfortunately, but lovable anyway and you get attached to them as you read the books, which for me is important. I would say Reg is my favorite: she's quirky and temperamental and uncontrollable, but the others are pretty good as well.
Things I didn't like:
Good and evil are pretty well delineated, and the way it's done, the good is too good and the evil is too evil -- I like more gray scenarios.
Gerald has a disturbing habit of talking to his friends in his head rather a lot, which bothered me a bit and he keeps bemoaning his situation whereas all things considered it's actually not that bad. Other than that, though, he's a pretty good character so I don't have much complaints about him.
Book III recycled material from Book I to a huge degree -- Gerald makes a choice in the beginning and Book III explores what would have happened if he had made a different one. Way way way too much.
The rest is a bit of a SPOILER so don't read it if you don't want to know.
There is a certain trend where a story uses a parallel universe to kill off all its characters and destroy the world which I think is boring and overdone. Bad enough Book III recycled Book I for at least a third of it, it also overindulged in that lovely trend I just described. I suppose that whole story line was meant to add a darker dimension to the world and the characters + reassure Gerald as to the correctness of his actions in book I. But it was too much and I don't think it's a good addition to the series.
Things I liked:
The style -- the books are very well written, humorous and witty.
The world -- it's loosely based on old Britain and the language + certain British uhm... terms are just lovely.
The characters are pretty good -- not complex, unfortunately, but lovable anyway and you get attached to them as you read the books, which for me is important. I would say Reg is my favorite: she's quirky and temperamental and uncontrollable, but the others are pretty good as well.
Things I didn't like:
Good and evil are pretty well delineated, and the way it's done, the good is too good and the evil is too evil -- I like more gray scenarios.
Gerald has a disturbing habit of talking to his friends in his head rather a lot, which bothered me a bit and he keeps bemoaning his situation whereas all things considered it's actually not that bad. Other than that, though, he's a pretty good character so I don't have much complaints about him.
Book III recycled material from Book I to a huge degree -- Gerald makes a choice in the beginning and Book III explores what would have happened if he had made a different one. Way way way too much.
The rest is a bit of a SPOILER so don't read it if you don't want to know.
There is a certain trend where a story uses a parallel universe to kill off all its characters and destroy the world which I think is boring and overdone. Bad enough Book III recycled Book I for at least a third of it, it also overindulged in that lovely trend I just described. I suppose that whole story line was meant to add a darker dimension to the world and the characters + reassure Gerald as to the correctness of his actions in book I. But it was too much and I don't think it's a good addition to the series.
June 27, 2012
This was an interesting trilogy. Before I began, I read several reviews. And, looking back, I find the criticisms unwarranted.
First of all, this is not your typical fantasy series. It follows no epic battles. There are no orcs, elves or goblins present. I think the best representation is a spy story with magic. What it does seem to share with the genre is the tale of an ordinary man who becomes extraordinary. The books follow a young man, Gerald, and his friends and the story begins with an apparent royal screw up and Gerald's attempts to remove the stigma that this causes.
Some reviewers felt the first story, The Accidental Sorcerer, was uneven and couldn't decide if it was humorous or thrilling. I found it to be more of a light thriller with comic touches. I also felt the "comedy" was always in line with the characters as they evolved. I really enjoyed getting to know the characters and their intertwining relationships.
The criticism I read for the second book, Witches Incorporated, was that it had no villain. While it may be true that there did not appear to be one specific villain to latch onto and dislike, I did not feel that the book lacked for this. Bad guys abound and I still found myself rooting for the good guys. This book is really more of a mystery than a thriller, and it was a little harder to stick with than the first.
The third book in this trilogy, Wizard Squared, is definitely the weak link, but I still found it interesting. It answers the questions: What if Gerald had chosen option A during the epic battle in book 1. It may have been more interesting to write than actually read. Or maybe that is just me. I like my heroes heroic and my villains villainous, so for the hero to have picked the villainous choice goes against my code. A criticism I read of this book was that the author basically used prose from the first book and just added to it rather that totally re-writing a new book. I did not feel this was the case as the story was told from an slightly different point of view.
I gave this series 4 stars because, while I could put the book down, I eagerly anticipated jumping back into the world every time I was away. But, as I look back to justify the rating, I find myself unable to pin point any one terrific quality. I just know I loved the time I spent with the characters. I loved their relationships and I loved that each was true to himself as the story developed. And, as the ultimate praise, I immediately purchased the 4th book, Wizard Undercover, so I could continue to spend time with them.
First of all, this is not your typical fantasy series. It follows no epic battles. There are no orcs, elves or goblins present. I think the best representation is a spy story with magic. What it does seem to share with the genre is the tale of an ordinary man who becomes extraordinary. The books follow a young man, Gerald, and his friends and the story begins with an apparent royal screw up and Gerald's attempts to remove the stigma that this causes.
Some reviewers felt the first story, The Accidental Sorcerer, was uneven and couldn't decide if it was humorous or thrilling. I found it to be more of a light thriller with comic touches. I also felt the "comedy" was always in line with the characters as they evolved. I really enjoyed getting to know the characters and their intertwining relationships.
The criticism I read for the second book, Witches Incorporated, was that it had no villain. While it may be true that there did not appear to be one specific villain to latch onto and dislike, I did not feel that the book lacked for this. Bad guys abound and I still found myself rooting for the good guys. This book is really more of a mystery than a thriller, and it was a little harder to stick with than the first.
The third book in this trilogy, Wizard Squared, is definitely the weak link, but I still found it interesting. It answers the questions: What if Gerald had chosen option A during the epic battle in book 1. It may have been more interesting to write than actually read. Or maybe that is just me. I like my heroes heroic and my villains villainous, so for the hero to have picked the villainous choice goes against my code. A criticism I read of this book was that the author basically used prose from the first book and just added to it rather that totally re-writing a new book. I did not feel this was the case as the story was told from an slightly different point of view.
I gave this series 4 stars because, while I could put the book down, I eagerly anticipated jumping back into the world every time I was away. But, as I look back to justify the rating, I find myself unable to pin point any one terrific quality. I just know I loved the time I spent with the characters. I loved their relationships and I loved that each was true to himself as the story developed. And, as the ultimate praise, I immediately purchased the 4th book, Wizard Undercover, so I could continue to spend time with them.
December 3, 2011
Book 1: 5/5 (finished 21/01/2012)
Loved Gerald, Reg and Rupert most of all. I thought Gerald was going to be a bumbling, hapless protagonist, but he was so much more than that!
Great start to the series!
Book 2: 4/5 (finished 22/01/2012)
Enjoyed this book, though not quite as much as the first one. It was a little formulaic in places, but on the whole it was good.
Book 3: 4/5 (finished 27/01/2012)
I was disappointed in the book initially, as it was mostly a rehash of the end of the first book. I get that there had to be some setup, but it seemed to go on forever. Once the stories diverged, though, it improved.
Loved Gerald, Reg and Rupert most of all. I thought Gerald was going to be a bumbling, hapless protagonist, but he was so much more than that!
Great start to the series!
Book 2: 4/5 (finished 22/01/2012)
Enjoyed this book, though not quite as much as the first one. It was a little formulaic in places, but on the whole it was good.
Book 3: 4/5 (finished 27/01/2012)
I was disappointed in the book initially, as it was mostly a rehash of the end of the first book. I get that there had to be some setup, but it seemed to go on forever. Once the stories diverged, though, it improved.
July 28, 2012
These are great. There's another book in the series that was released not long ago, am currently reading. Humour is rather like Pratchett's Discworld series, only there's a bit less meta in it, and it's a bit more tightly focused around a selection of characters. I'm impressed at how carefully the author avoids turning the main character into a Mary Sue: at this point he easily could become a God Mode Sue, which the third book actually does reveal an alternate universe in which that happens.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
September 16, 2012
I would have given this 3.5 stars if it were an option. This was a fun read but a bit of a let down compared to the 1st book of the series, "The Accidental Sorcerer." I still look forward to reading the rest of the series however. I enjoy the characters, the setting, and the witty dialogue.
May 11, 2015
A bit more plot development and unpredictability in this episode.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews