The Red Citadel and the Sorcerer's Power: A Complete Sword and Sorcery Fantasy Adventure

by Craig Halloran

The fate of the realm lies in the hands of a savage and a scoundrel...

★★★★★  "Masterfully written and conceived tale with fascinating characters dripping with wry wit."                         - Ron the Miserly, Amazon Reviewer

Once a respected wizard 

Finster is now a drunkard and a con man living anonymously amongst simple, easily manipulated village folk. But his self-serving cunning cannot save him when soldiers of the Magus Supremeus of the High Order burst in to drag the disreputable mage to the dreaded Red Citadel.

Finster’s captor, the new Magus, is none other than Ingrid the Insane

His former acolyte, a young woman of cold heart and ruthless ambition who has already murdered numerous magic-doers in her quest for ultimate power. The only reason Finster still lives is Ingrid’s belief that he knows the whereabouts of the Founders Stone, a magical artifact that could make her invincible.

Rendered powerless by a scarab beetle attached to his back

Finster realizes he is doomed unless he escapes and recovers the Stone before Ingrid does, and he turns to his dungeon cellmate for help. But the hulking, mute, barbarian youth he calls “Moth” is inscrutable and unpredictable. And their ultimate survival—and the survival of an entire kingdom—may require the cowardly wizard to assume a most unfamiliar and uncomfortable hero!

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More...Halloran makes a powerful stand with his thrilling fantasy adventure, The Red Citadel. Chock full of battles, magic, evil, and intrigue—and peppered with some delightful Terry Pratchett Discworld-esque cynicism—Red Citadel is the story of the salvation of the disreputable fallen wizard, Finster. Taken prisoner by a murderous despot, the cowardly mage must join forces with a hulking, young, barbarian mute to uncover a magical artifact in order to save his own skin, and quite possibly a kingdom as well.

This complete fantasy masterpiece is a full-length, 105,000 word, stand-alone novel that you can devour in a day or enjoy on a long trip!

Genres: Fantasy, Amazon

418 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 17, 2018

About the author

Craig Halloran grew up a role playing fiend and dungeon master's nightmare. Since, he's turned his boundless creativity into more than 80 acclaimed novels that span a wide variety of fantasy fiction sub-genres, from epic fantasy, sword-and-sorcery to future world apocalypse. Creator of the bestselling Darkslayer and the Chronicles of the Dragon series, he imagines unique worlds and wonders that are breathtaking in concept, and then brings them to life in stories brimming with excitement, suspense, and surprise. A former military policeman who now labors in the realm of the remarkable, Halloran has a large and loyal following of devoted fans who eagerly devour his page-turning, action-packed tales of fantastic adventure.

For more news and anecdotes you can follow him at:
Facebook: The Darkslayer Report by Craig
Twitter: Craig Halloran
www.craighalloran.com (Website and Blog)
www.thedarkslayer.com
www.dragonwarsbooks.com

Or drop him a line anytime as he loves to hear from readers: craig@thedarkslayer.com

***

#1 Bestseller of Epic Fantasy and Sword & Sorcery & KDP All-Star!

Dragon Wars (20 Books) releasing 2020-21

The Darkslayer Series #1 (6 Books)

The Darkslayer Series #2 (10 books)

The Chronicles of Dragon, Series #1 (10 Books)

The Chronicles of Dragon, Series #2 (10 Books)

The Odyssey of Nath Dragon, Prequel series, (5 Books)

The Supernatural Bounty Hunter Files (10 books)

The Henchmen Chronicles (5 Books)

The Red Citadel and the Sorcerer's Power (1 Stand Alone Book)

The Gamma Earth Cycle (2 Books, Work in Progress)

Zombie Impact (3 Books)

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Over 4000 reviews
4-Star+ Average Rating

Reviews

[Tony Duxbury · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finster is a nasty old man. Once a feared wizard, but he is now a fugitive hiding from the order of the Red Citadel. His one time apprentice now rules in the Citadel. She is the Magus Supremeus after she has killed off the rest of the sorcerers. Fortunately, she wants Finster alive because he knows the whereabouts of the Founder's Stone, which will give her ultimate power. Finster is captured and imprisoned with a mute barbarian of amazing strength. They escape together and are on the run. What follows next is a sword and sorcery romp through the kingdoms as they try to defeat Ingrid and her lover's dastardly plans for the world. Recommended reading.

[Coco.V]

🎁 FREE on Amazon today (2/8/2020)! 🎁

[Luis Zuniga-Canp · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spoiler Warning: I will discussing parts of the novel in my review that might spoil the book for you if you haven't read it already.

This book was not too shabby I gotta say. I saw it on Amazon one day and since I was interested in picking up new books by authors I haven't read before, I decided to give this book a shot.

'The Red Citadel and the Sorcerer's Power: A Complete Sword and Sorcery Fantasy Adventure' is one of those novels that would probably fit really well into the sword/sorcery/magical fantasy genre of novels. You have the main character, Finster, a typical mage who is part of the kingdom of Mendes, one of the Seven Grand Kingdoms. The novel hits you with the action within the first few chapters which to me, gave the novel a good pace.

As a whole, I felt the plot was cohesive and full. There was enough action and suspense sprinkled throughout the book to keep me engaged for almost the entire time I was reading it. The story itself follows the personal transformation of Finster, the head mage of the Red Citadel and his companion, Moth, who is a large brute of a man, known for his outburts of violence. The story shows the transformation of Finster who goes from being a scoundrel at the beginning of the novel to a hero who, together with Moth, end up overthrowing the evil king Rolan towards the end of the novel, who has been seeking his death ever since Finster murderered his beloved, Ingrid.

There is a fair amount of mature themes and graphic descriptions of violence and gore depicted in the book, so the reader should beware of that before picking up this book. I think the book has believable characters, an engaging magic system, and the author has done a great job using descriptive language and fleshing out the action scenes to make them more engaging.

I found this novel to be an interesting and unique read. It is considered a standalone novel, so the whole story takes place within roughly 400 pages, perfect for a few days of reading if you read fast enough.

[Omayra · Rating 1 out of 5]

I should have stopped reading on the third page. There was no hook. This book started with a description of a tavern, and there was no hook line. However, I kept reading because I paid money for it due to poor writing in every possible area. The sentences constructions seem irregular. I like when an author comes out of the norm and does things differently, but something must be done correctly. The story lagged at some areas, and then it speeded up, making me feel like the author was driving this story with one foot on the gas and the other on the brake. The plot was all over the place. And again, I like a challenge with storytelling, but I felt like the storyline was lost at times.

Now the characters were an issue. I had a problem with the characters; I could not relate to any of them, which is a personal choice, but I felt that the main character was unlikeable and overbearing. The book had a misogynistic feel to it. I know some stories that are the way women will be portrayed in the story, but in this case, all women were being dismissed and treated like they were no more than an object of seduction. I could not find any female character worth mentioning, saying a female is more than a side thing.

The book is written in a flash novel type of style. It is a group of short stories, and each has its own little story to tell, but because the book doesn't follow the traditional beginning, climax, and resolution, it leaves you feeling that things are missing. I like the Flash novels when they are well written, but this book misses the point in that each section is rushed, and since I have made no connection with the main character, I don't care what happens next.

This is another book that needed the tender loving hand of a developmental editor and a line editor.

[Martin Hernandez · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh.

This is not very good. For reference I've read Halloran's Supernatural Bounty Hunter series, and the Henchman Chronicles series, so I know how Halloran writes; what to expect. This book just doesn't feel right.

The blub description? That's essentially the first 100 pages. After that it's Finster, and Moth just kind of ambling along, and things "just happening". The duo go about their lives, and end up reacting to the machinations of the bad guys on numerous occasions.

There is a certain something missing from this book. Finster's Spider-man-like quips are funny, but they're not enough to hold the reader's interest in something that just never really reaches it's potential. It feels like this was supposed to be a series of books [small in page count like Supernatural Bounty Hunter], but were edited to be crammed together into one. I am still a fan of Halloran's writing, as his books feel like palette cleansers in-between lengthier reads, but this one in particular was a swing, and a miss IMO.

[Sebastien LaQroix · Rating 3 out of 5]

At first, this book excited me. It features an old wizard, Finster, with a tongue trying to survive in a world of violence, betrayal and grimdark. Watching Finster whip out quip after quip entertaining at first. And then the book just got… meh.

Finster, an aging wizard skilled in inanimate animation and bearing one too many regrets, spends his days drinking at an old pub. Of course, idyllic lives are made to be shattered, and Finster’s is shattered when guards show up for his arrest. They manage to beat him, clamp him in chains, and haul ass to the Red Citadel, the headquarters of Finster’s old wizard order. There he meets an old power-hungry protege who makes him an offer he can’t refuse. There really isn’t anything unique about the setting or story, but I don’t mind these things too much if the story is entertaining.

Unfortunately, the “novel’s” structure is part of the problem. This isn’t one cohesive novel but more of a series of short stories. As a result, the novel doesn’t feel cohesive as each short story has it’s own villain and arc (kinda sorta). Rather than the typical structure of a novel where you have a beginning, rising action, and a climax. You really don’t get that as much here and the novel suffers. Villains are dispatched quickly like in end-of-the-season episodes on TV. They don’t have enough time to shine rendering them nothing more than obstacles in Finster’s way. Nothing really makes them feel menacing either.. Sure they show their evil ways by killing a few subordinates, but, in the end, the villains and many other characters are forgettable.

Finster, as a protagonist, isn’t too bad. His quips are funny and watching him run his mouth to pretty much everyone he meets is fun. But even he isn’t enough to carry the whole novel, so we’re introduced to Moth, the mute barbarian. Moth is a badass killer who’s nigh invincible. Both characters team up to take on an entire kingdom as various not-so-scrupulous rulers seek the team’s death.

The biggest problem I had with the novel is how Finster faces far too many obstacles that don’t really move the plot forward. At one point, Finster and Moth are hiding out in a swamp. Moth is eventually captured by a giant snail-mushroom thing. Finster then spends a few chapters attempting a rescue, and we end up right back where we started. There is no reason this side-plot should have been there. It doesn’t add anything to the overarching story, simply gives the characters something to do while they literally sit around waiting for the villain to make his move. I’d like to think I’m a fairly easy reader to please, but, as I’ve learned from my own writing, “stuff happening” isn’t a plot.

That said, the book isn’t bad. Just extremely mediocre and not too memorable. The setting is entirely forgettable, just your generic video-game fantasy setting. The plot feels very been-there-done-that and the characters aren’t anything to write home about either. If you’re looking for a beach read to tide you over during your next layover, you might wanna pick this up. But keep in mind that once you finished, you’re unlikely to remember much.

3 stars out of 5

[amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

And two shall become one and watch out! I actually stopped reading this book about a quarter the way through and looked for something else. I wanted something darker. However, it kept calling me back. I had to know what was next for this unlikely duo. There was a lot of action and great characters who just kept coming. The author's imagination and descriptions painted a clear picture and made me feel like I was apart of the adventure, as if I were in the corner watching it unfold. Well Done! If wizardry, sorcery and creatures and objects beyond your imagination is what you crave, you will find it here.

[TheMadLep · Rating 1 out of 5]

(No spoilers.)
Abandoned at 40% due to poor writing skills in every possible area. Abrupt, choppy sentences, irregular pacing, barely-there storyline, incredibly unlikeable main character, over the top silly magical powers, women being dismissed as little more than seductive trollops or dumb irritations, racial stereotyping... this book seems to have everything I hate in one place. Terrible, just terrible. How it saw publication, I just can't fathom. To quote Monty Python: Run awaaaay! RUN AWAAAAAY!

[Greig · Rating 3 out of 5]

a free kindle original with a start, a middle and an end, which is very rare. standard sword and sorcery fare. a sarcastic, drunk wizard and a mute giant warrior save a kingdom from an evil tyrant yaddy, yaddy ya...it's an easy read to while away a good few hours. a touch of Tolkien, George RR Martin and Haggard. there's much better out there, but I got this as a free kindle download and there aren't many of this type our there that dont come with cliffhangers and 30 other books to wade through.

[Stuart Thaman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ll start by saying that Finster is a fun character. He’s witty, sarcastic, and an asshole. He makes a great protagonist. The lengthy book follows his adventures all around the kingdoms, causing trouble and generally having some expected epic fantasy adventures. Overall, I enjoyed the book quite a bit, but the writing just didn’t do much for me. Some sections were written so flatly that they were boring despite the inventive characters. If you like humorous epic fantasy, give it a whirl.

[Rod ganzer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic!

As all n avid reader of fantasy, this is one of the best I have had the pleasure to explore. Exceptional characters and a storyline that keeps you going from beginning to end. Well thought out and a genuine pleasure to read! I'm hopeful to hear more from Finster and Moth!

[Mary Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I hope there will be more books with these characters!

Full of excitement and a page turner. Characters very endearing, described so well I truly have a picture in my mind of then.
I have read both the Nath Dragon 25 books and the Dragonslayer 18 books. Have enjoyed them all. Will be watching for more.

[terry snelling · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read

Very good book and even has an ending which is great bonus nowadays.
Still leaves lots of openings for follow up but is a terrific story in it's own right.
Well worth reading.

[Jeffrey A. Dewey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome

Action packed with treachery, twists and turns while trying to save the kingdoms from the evil to overthrow the others.

[Craig Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant

Loved it couldn't put it down it was a great read with wizards witches ,fighting barbarians really enjoyed reading this

[Carol · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not good

Wow book is ok but hard to do review but I enjoyed the book as a mindless read go grief

[Eugenia Harris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome

This book was so good I hope there is another book with the finster and moth great combo book was just awesome

[Kent Mattoon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book! Only thing I hope for is more from Finster and Moth.

[Johnie C · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good read

I enjoyed reading this book very much and I recommend this book to anyone who like sword and sorcery type of books with lots of action.

[Tom Wyen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyable read

It seemed little long in some parts but overall very enjoyable. Its a book which you can put down and still pick-up

[Terry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent read

Like Conan mixed with the sorcerer supreme. Great story, excellent characters and world. This is Considerably better than his Darkslayer series.

[DVD · Rating 1 out of 5]

Horrible! Poor writing, no creativity and no characterization. The story just dragged on and was a pain to finish. I will give this author a skip in the future.

[Robert Ruppert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Would have to say there are very few books about wizardry and magic where the protanganist is a 'former' mass-murderering wizard, a drunk and really vile person, yet you root for him because all around him is much worse. As usual Craig's novels are fast, bloody, dangerous adventures that usually require you to just keep reading one chapter after another. Maybe the rating should be lower because of the low-brow antics but then it entertains me and that is what I want.