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War of the Magi #2
Demons of the Hunter
How far would you go to avenge your mother’s death?
For six long years, Eric has done everything he could to learn his mother’s and sister’s killer. He slaughtered hundreds of dragons. He suffered gruesome injuries, shattered dreams, and a broken heart.
Finally, after his last victory, he has his answer.
Ragnor.
The magi warn Eric that the task of defeating the second legendary dragon pales in comparison to conquering the first legendary dragon, Indica. The Dragon Hunter Guild’s master, Artemia, cautions him that a mind controlled by rage will only weaken his skills. His mentor, Abe, worries that Eric’s bloodlust blinds him to some dark truths.
But Ragnor consumes Eric’s mind. He will not let anything stop him. He would watch everything burn to the ground in the name of vengeance.
He knows he will get his chance. But in doing so, he may very well sacrifice everything—including his friends, his world, and himself.
For six long years, Eric has done everything he could to learn his mother’s and sister’s killer. He slaughtered hundreds of dragons. He suffered gruesome injuries, shattered dreams, and a broken heart.
Finally, after his last victory, he has his answer.
Ragnor.
The magi warn Eric that the task of defeating the second legendary dragon pales in comparison to conquering the first legendary dragon, Indica. The Dragon Hunter Guild’s master, Artemia, cautions him that a mind controlled by rage will only weaken his skills. His mentor, Abe, worries that Eric’s bloodlust blinds him to some dark truths.
But Ragnor consumes Eric’s mind. He will not let anything stop him. He would watch everything burn to the ground in the name of vengeance.
He knows he will get his chance. But in doing so, he may very well sacrifice everything—including his friends, his world, and himself.
306 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 9, 2018
7 people are currently reading
11 people want to read
About the author
Stephen Allan
27 books12 followersFrom the time that he zoned out of elementary school to dream about visiting planets beyond our galaxy, Stephen has always fantasized about great worlds, fantastic journeys and incredible stories. After going through some real life journeys in his adolescence and young adulthood, Stephen has returned to the fantasy and sci-fi realm and turned those creative thoughts into real words through his science fantasy and epic fantasy stories.
A graduate of Duke in 2010, Stephen moved to Las Vegas that summer to become a professional poker player, a journey that would eventually lead him to create "The Wild Card," a real-life-turned-fiction novel. He then lived in a series of places, residing in Charlotte, Vegas again, Los Angeles and Montana, all accruing stories and ideas in his head for future work. He then entered the fantasy world with “The Kastori Chronicles” young adult fantasy series. His work has been featured on "The Writership Podcast" and other media.
He now lives in Raleigh near his family and his alma mater. He loves improv, Duke basketball, his two dogs and traveling (especially to Montana). You can reach him at stephen@stephenaallan.com.
A graduate of Duke in 2010, Stephen moved to Las Vegas that summer to become a professional poker player, a journey that would eventually lead him to create "The Wild Card," a real-life-turned-fiction novel. He then lived in a series of places, residing in Charlotte, Vegas again, Los Angeles and Montana, all accruing stories and ideas in his head for future work. He then entered the fantasy world with “The Kastori Chronicles” young adult fantasy series. His work has been featured on "The Writership Podcast" and other media.
He now lives in Raleigh near his family and his alma mater. He loves improv, Duke basketball, his two dogs and traveling (especially to Montana). You can reach him at stephen@stephenaallan.com.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
January 10, 2018
*I received a free ARC of this book. The decision to review and my opinions are my own.*
This is the second book in a series, and doesn’t really stand alone. Book 1, Shadows of the Empire, sets up the plot and character arcs, and this installment picks up right where the first left off.
The narrative and theme is structured in threes. There are three legendary dragons to vanquish (in theory, one per novel, but I have suspicions…); three power-hungry leaders out for themselves and ready to watch the world burn; three young ‘Chosen Ones’, each subjugated to a different leader.
There is less action here than previously: the narrative is slower in pace and heavier in exposition (less showing, more telling). That is due to the primary focus of this book not really being the slaying of Ragnor, but the internal conflicts of our young characters as they continue on their developmental journeys.
Each of the youths is tied to a leader corrupted by greed for personal power: Eric follows Artemia, head of the Dragon Hunters Guild, who is obsessed with gaining dragon magic so that she can take over and rule the world; Zelda is swept along with Kara, who has seen too much and wants to watch the empire burn and to lead the mages in ruling the world; Tyus is in the shadow of his father, the Emperor, who wants rid of anything more powerful than himself (everything!) that might thereby threaten his rule, and is willing to do whatever it takes to wipe out any opposition.
In contrast, the three youngsters have differing goals. Whilst Zelda and Tyus are both mainly motivated by their desires to broker peace between the mages and the Empire, Eric is single-mindedly focused on his quest for vengeance for his family. This actually makes him a terribly frustrating character to read in this installment, as we see right at the very beginning that the peace he seeks for their souls has already been achieved, so his continuation blindly against all fact, reason, logic makes you want to give his head a wobble!
This is consistent with the main theme however, directly explained by Abe in the narrative, of greed. Greed for power, greed for vengeance, greed for security; all blinding individuals to the bigger picture as they pursue their own ends. It has become clear that destroying the dragons is destabilising the natural world of Hydor, but our ‘heroes’ plough on regardless. Likewise, at this point the war between the Empire and mages seems inevitable and any efforts otherwise, futile.
With all of the characters either sadly ineffective or wantonly selfish, this was more of a dispiriting read than the previous book. The wise characters (Abe and Gaius) take a step back and let hotter heads rule, removing the hope for a moderate solution to the many problems ahead.
With all of that said, this is the middle section of a wider story arc, and my personal experiences of epic fantasy suggest that these mid-points often provide the calm before the storm: having set the scene, there is now a slow build towards the dramatic climax. Likewise the main characters mid-arc have lost their naivety and innocence, but not yet gained the knowledge and experience they need to develop.
I will be interested to see what comes in Book 3, and whether my suspicions about the Ragnor ‘discrepancies’ are accurate…!
“Hah! A dagger against a dragon like I. When will you learn, Eric the Dragon Hunter? When will you learn that your vengeance will lead you nowhere? When will you learn that what you fight for is shallow and without reward? When will you learn that you can never fulfill your mission?”
– Ragnor in Eric’s dream, Stephen Allan, Demons of the Hunter
(Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog)
This is the second book in a series, and doesn’t really stand alone. Book 1, Shadows of the Empire, sets up the plot and character arcs, and this installment picks up right where the first left off.
The narrative and theme is structured in threes. There are three legendary dragons to vanquish (in theory, one per novel, but I have suspicions…); three power-hungry leaders out for themselves and ready to watch the world burn; three young ‘Chosen Ones’, each subjugated to a different leader.
There is less action here than previously: the narrative is slower in pace and heavier in exposition (less showing, more telling). That is due to the primary focus of this book not really being the slaying of Ragnor, but the internal conflicts of our young characters as they continue on their developmental journeys.
Each of the youths is tied to a leader corrupted by greed for personal power: Eric follows Artemia, head of the Dragon Hunters Guild, who is obsessed with gaining dragon magic so that she can take over and rule the world; Zelda is swept along with Kara, who has seen too much and wants to watch the empire burn and to lead the mages in ruling the world; Tyus is in the shadow of his father, the Emperor, who wants rid of anything more powerful than himself (everything!) that might thereby threaten his rule, and is willing to do whatever it takes to wipe out any opposition.
In contrast, the three youngsters have differing goals. Whilst Zelda and Tyus are both mainly motivated by their desires to broker peace between the mages and the Empire, Eric is single-mindedly focused on his quest for vengeance for his family. This actually makes him a terribly frustrating character to read in this installment, as we see right at the very beginning that the peace he seeks for their souls has already been achieved, so his continuation blindly against all fact, reason, logic makes you want to give his head a wobble!
This is consistent with the main theme however, directly explained by Abe in the narrative, of greed. Greed for power, greed for vengeance, greed for security; all blinding individuals to the bigger picture as they pursue their own ends. It has become clear that destroying the dragons is destabilising the natural world of Hydor, but our ‘heroes’ plough on regardless. Likewise, at this point the war between the Empire and mages seems inevitable and any efforts otherwise, futile.
With all of the characters either sadly ineffective or wantonly selfish, this was more of a dispiriting read than the previous book. The wise characters (Abe and Gaius) take a step back and let hotter heads rule, removing the hope for a moderate solution to the many problems ahead.
With all of that said, this is the middle section of a wider story arc, and my personal experiences of epic fantasy suggest that these mid-points often provide the calm before the storm: having set the scene, there is now a slow build towards the dramatic climax. Likewise the main characters mid-arc have lost their naivety and innocence, but not yet gained the knowledge and experience they need to develop.
I will be interested to see what comes in Book 3, and whether my suspicions about the Ragnor ‘discrepancies’ are accurate…!
“Hah! A dagger against a dragon like I. When will you learn, Eric the Dragon Hunter? When will you learn that your vengeance will lead you nowhere? When will you learn that what you fight for is shallow and without reward? When will you learn that you can never fulfill your mission?”
– Ragnor in Eric’s dream, Stephen Allan, Demons of the Hunter
(Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog)
January 29, 2018
I received this book in exchange for an honest review.
Eric, Tyus, and Zelda are back along with the supporting characters from book 1. The chapters are long and the book started slow for me but it was well worth it. Zelda is probably my favorite character in the series. Though young, she makes decisions better than some adults. She shows compassion and bravery while trying to make the world a better place. Eric continues his revenge quest though he begins questioning if it’s the right path. We learn more about Tyus and his unfortunate relationship with his father, the Emperor. All characters fight for what they believe is the right thing but along the way there are others who are so hungry for power that it may not matter what they do. The book really picked up in the middle and when Eric and Artemia finally make it to Ragnor’s domain, I couldn’t put the book down. We’re left with another cliff hanger at the end!
Eric, Tyus, and Zelda are back along with the supporting characters from book 1. The chapters are long and the book started slow for me but it was well worth it. Zelda is probably my favorite character in the series. Though young, she makes decisions better than some adults. She shows compassion and bravery while trying to make the world a better place. Eric continues his revenge quest though he begins questioning if it’s the right path. We learn more about Tyus and his unfortunate relationship with his father, the Emperor. All characters fight for what they believe is the right thing but along the way there are others who are so hungry for power that it may not matter what they do. The book really picked up in the middle and when Eric and Artemia finally make it to Ragnor’s domain, I couldn’t put the book down. We’re left with another cliff hanger at the end!
January 10, 2018
I really enjoyed meeting Zelda and Eric in the first book of Stephen Allan’s War of the Magi series, Shadows of the Empire. Now, in Demons of the Hunter, they are back. This is a very dark tale, however, and one which is I suspect crucial to setting up things to come. Major truths are revealed and the ending is, to say the least, shocking. Nonetheless it’s well done and worth the trip. Still definitely recommended.
January 10, 2018
Continuing on from book 1, this follows on with the tales of Zelda and Eric.
Will the empire hold up its promise to the Shadows now that the Dragon is dead? What will Eric do next?
A lot darker that book 1.
I received a free copy of this book
Will the empire hold up its promise to the Shadows now that the Dragon is dead? What will Eric do next?
A lot darker that book 1.
I received a free copy of this book
January 9, 2018
Good magical action adventure with allot of twists to the story. Looking forward to the next book.
March 8, 2018
This a great sequel to Shadows of the Empire. Stephen's world building skills are great and his story line is believable. This is going to be one great series!
November 23, 2022
Another great installment
This story builds upon the foundation of the first so well it makes you want to keep reading. This could be a great tv show
This story builds upon the foundation of the first so well it makes you want to keep reading. This could be a great tv show
January 24, 2018
This is a continuation of Shadows of the Empire and you should read it first (Shadows of the Empire first. I thought it was a bit slow to start but really got going well. I like Stephen's writing a lot; he does a super job on descriptions, ei. you had see, hear, feel and smell things as they are written. I highly recommend the book.
January 28, 2018
As this is the second installment in the War of the Magi series, our journey continues. It picks up right where the first one left off. Leaving no time gaps, where we’re forced to guess the events between the end of book one and the beginning of book two. I personally hate whenever authors skip around, leaving the readers to guess the details.. so I appreciated this intact timeline.
Our beloved characters are forced to face many trials and hard times during the war between the Magi and the Empire. During this time, they experience some major character development. Everyone is growing up, facing their fears, and fighting for what they believe in.
The underlying theme here is greed. There are no limits to what the power of greed can destroy.
I loved how many twists and unexpected dark truths were revealed in this novel. I found the second book to be much less.. predictable than the first, which was refreshing. We also got to see some expansion on the magic system and the complex history of the Magi. Sometimes I find that I get bored while learning the history of the lands in a novel. However, the way that this specifically was told, kept me interested and excited to see how it all connected.
I will say that I had one issue while reading this book. The pacing during the first half, was a little slow for me. I understand that it’s necessary for the arc of the story, and it in no way kept me from reading on, but it is the one problem I faced during my time reading. Also, the second half definitely picks up and makes up for the slower pacing in the beginning. So many things are going down, shocking things are being revealed, and it’s just a wild ride.
THAT ENDING.. I will be eagerly awaiting the sequel.
🛑SPOILERS AHEAD🛑
I would just like to mention that I was NOT disappointed by the presentation and the description of the Southlands. It is what I was most looking forward to in this sequel honestly, and I am very happy with the result. The terrifying and unknown creatures that Eric and Artemia saw in the temple of Ragnor.. were simply fascinating. I’m so excited to get to the next book and see how Eric is going to escape, what Artemia is going to do with a whole deadly army, and to CONFIRM that Tyus is alive and well. Not to mention what other damage Rufus can do in the name of the Empire.
Our beloved characters are forced to face many trials and hard times during the war between the Magi and the Empire. During this time, they experience some major character development. Everyone is growing up, facing their fears, and fighting for what they believe in.
The underlying theme here is greed. There are no limits to what the power of greed can destroy.
I loved how many twists and unexpected dark truths were revealed in this novel. I found the second book to be much less.. predictable than the first, which was refreshing. We also got to see some expansion on the magic system and the complex history of the Magi. Sometimes I find that I get bored while learning the history of the lands in a novel. However, the way that this specifically was told, kept me interested and excited to see how it all connected.
I will say that I had one issue while reading this book. The pacing during the first half, was a little slow for me. I understand that it’s necessary for the arc of the story, and it in no way kept me from reading on, but it is the one problem I faced during my time reading. Also, the second half definitely picks up and makes up for the slower pacing in the beginning. So many things are going down, shocking things are being revealed, and it’s just a wild ride.
THAT ENDING.. I will be eagerly awaiting the sequel.
🛑SPOILERS AHEAD🛑
I would just like to mention that I was NOT disappointed by the presentation and the description of the Southlands. It is what I was most looking forward to in this sequel honestly, and I am very happy with the result. The terrifying and unknown creatures that Eric and Artemia saw in the temple of Ragnor.. were simply fascinating. I’m so excited to get to the next book and see how Eric is going to escape, what Artemia is going to do with a whole deadly army, and to CONFIRM that Tyus is alive and well. Not to mention what other damage Rufus can do in the name of the Empire.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews