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Paranoid Mage #3
Heretic Mage
Callum is at war with the Guild of Arcane Regulation, the organization that governs mages on Earth. He’s spent most of his time lying low and hiding out, trying to understand what he can do and how he can remain free from their meddling. What he’s learned is that he can’t.
It’s time to move from reaction to action, and take on GAR and its evils directly.
It’s time to move from reaction to action, and take on GAR and its evils directly.
386 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 11, 2022
226 people are currently reading
132 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews
November 1, 2022
these books became such a disappointment .after the first book with a man against the world.we reach the third where he have friends and a cute girlfriend and not paranoid anymore .he doesn't explore his powers ,he goes on vacation .we get shit ton of pov which no one give a fuck about
February 26, 2023
The plot got stale after a while. I was planning on coming back to it eventually, until I found out the author is an alt-right conspiracy theorist. Knowing that put a lot of things from this and the previous books into a context that soured the whole experience.
November 16, 2022
stuff is happening I guess
this book suffers from the weekly serial syndication issue. All comics suffer from this condition, the ability to release a lot of content while stretching it out for as long as you can retain the readership. The author likes to drone on the minutiae of everything the Mc does, and it has honestly worn out its welcome. Stuff is happening that should have happened by the end of book 1. the author has to include scenes of the mage thinking about how he is grasping around in the dark, but refuses to have the mage correct that fault. Most books like this you have a mentor character, someone wise and knowledgeable to help the MC and the reader understand the new world. Instead we have three books of the MC scrounging knowledge and experience through murder, rash decisions and pure coincidence. The characters and honestly the fae are super interesting, but I can tell that this will be a series that will be stretched over as much time as it sells. these three books could be condensed into one book and it would still be considered unfinished. Idk if I'd recommend this, it feels like I'm reading fan fiction that's being thought up as it's written instead of meticulously crafted like most fiction written before 2010.
this book suffers from the weekly serial syndication issue. All comics suffer from this condition, the ability to release a lot of content while stretching it out for as long as you can retain the readership. The author likes to drone on the minutiae of everything the Mc does, and it has honestly worn out its welcome. Stuff is happening that should have happened by the end of book 1. the author has to include scenes of the mage thinking about how he is grasping around in the dark, but refuses to have the mage correct that fault. Most books like this you have a mentor character, someone wise and knowledgeable to help the MC and the reader understand the new world. Instead we have three books of the MC scrounging knowledge and experience through murder, rash decisions and pure coincidence. The characters and honestly the fae are super interesting, but I can tell that this will be a series that will be stretched over as much time as it sells. these three books could be condensed into one book and it would still be considered unfinished. Idk if I'd recommend this, it feels like I'm reading fan fiction that's being thought up as it's written instead of meticulously crafted like most fiction written before 2010.
February 10, 2023
In all honesty this book probably deserves 3 stars. I feel like not a lot really happens with the MC. Sure the world around him is changing due to his actions in fighting GAR, but he doesn’t actually do much. I feel like if you went from book 2 and skipped to book 4 you might not even realize you missed anything story wise.
November 24, 2022
Oooh draaaama! (insert spirit fingers here)
July 25, 2023
You know, if you just jump (in here is the audiobook) all the scenes with the MC and just get to the stories of the magical world and the side characters, it's a really interesting and dynamic book. I honestly enjoyed it. But the story is also very, very white. Like incredibly white middle class american take on fantasy. And in many portions racist blind and cliche.
Edit: Holy shit. Yeah no, that was not incidental racism. The guy is a fucking Q-anon white supremacist. My god, THIS IS WHY THE ONLY GOOD PARANORMAL IS DESCRIBED AS A BLONDE VIKING? WHY CHINA ONLY HAS ONE FAMILY, ITS BEING LEAD BY FU-MANCHU AND DO HUMAN EXPERIMENTATION (WII ATROCITIES AGAINST THE CHINESE PEOPLE BY JAPAN) AND ALL THE GOOD CHARACTERS ARE EITHER BLONDE OR HAD A VERY 50'S VIBE.
MOTHERFUCKER.
Edit: Holy shit. Yeah no, that was not incidental racism. The guy is a fucking Q-anon white supremacist. My god, THIS IS WHY THE ONLY GOOD PARANORMAL IS DESCRIBED AS A BLONDE VIKING? WHY CHINA ONLY HAS ONE FAMILY, ITS BEING LEAD BY FU-MANCHU AND DO HUMAN EXPERIMENTATION (WII ATROCITIES AGAINST THE CHINESE PEOPLE BY JAPAN) AND ALL THE GOOD CHARACTERS ARE EITHER BLONDE OR HAD A VERY 50'S VIBE.
MOTHERFUCKER.
November 7, 2022
Note: This book is Vol 1 of a currently ongoing Web Serial. Feel free to read further chapters in RR and contribute to author's Patreon.
https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/498...
A really good Urban Fantasy which subverts the tropes in a refreshing way.
Callum always knew he could "see" things that shouldn't ideally exist in this world, but after a few sessions with doctor decides to keep it to himself. When caught inadvertently in a accident, he ends up knowing more about our own world and ends up in a magical academy. He realizes he doesn't want to be a "academy" mage, so escapes out to make this own way. But life rarely turns out simple. After being pulled into some other situations the plot is all about adventures of Callum as he tries unsuccessfully to remain under the radar.
The books is a fun, fact read which literally drops you into the action from get go. The world is built as we learn through our MC, who has a healthy disregard for 'establishment'. Situation is more complex as pretty much all the magical races including humans have low regard for non-magical humans and MC is a crusade against that. Just when you think you see a trope, it gets subverted into something new and refreshing. Callum is a fun character to follow too.
There are some minor niggles as I felt that the discoveries of the MC make him a bit OP and his skills and the way he uses them should already have been existing in history of magic.
Still, it was a very good read and I'll continue to follow this.
https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/498...
A really good Urban Fantasy which subverts the tropes in a refreshing way.
Callum always knew he could "see" things that shouldn't ideally exist in this world, but after a few sessions with doctor decides to keep it to himself. When caught inadvertently in a accident, he ends up knowing more about our own world and ends up in a magical academy. He realizes he doesn't want to be a "academy" mage, so escapes out to make this own way. But life rarely turns out simple. After being pulled into some other situations the plot is all about adventures of Callum as he tries unsuccessfully to remain under the radar.
The books is a fun, fact read which literally drops you into the action from get go. The world is built as we learn through our MC, who has a healthy disregard for 'establishment'. Situation is more complex as pretty much all the magical races including humans have low regard for non-magical humans and MC is a crusade against that. Just when you think you see a trope, it gets subverted into something new and refreshing. Callum is a fun character to follow too.
There are some minor niggles as I felt that the discoveries of the MC make him a bit OP and his skills and the way he uses them should already have been existing in history of magic.
Still, it was a very good read and I'll continue to follow this.
December 25, 2025
I read all 5 of the books of this series one after the other on Royal Road before the physical versions arrived. Unfortunately that means I cant separate out my thoughts on the individual books but overall its still really good.
It starts with a non-typical urban fantasy protagonist who takes one look at the secrets of the magical world and decides he wants nothing to do with the multi generational authoritarian nonsense it represents. The main character has a single rare type of magic that he gets to abuse with modern physics against the magical group thats largely locked into the 1800's to become a real menace, and there is a lot of the early story that is the established mages relentlessly hunting him down.
Eventually he manages to establish a safe operating base at which point the tone changes a bit, it doesnt get worse with the shift in a rare example of the type, but it is very different once the main character can stop running and starts being able to kill.. pretty much anyone he needs to at ranges that can not be contested.
At this point a side story thats been running since the start comes a bit more into the spotlight, where a more standard group of urban fantasy protagonists get to start working in the chaos the actual main character created and really? its just fun, with fairly consistent worldbuilding and a soft magic system that still makes sense in the lore of the world.
It might not be worth paying for the physical version, but for a story thats still fully free on RR its a great way to kill a few days reading.
It starts with a non-typical urban fantasy protagonist who takes one look at the secrets of the magical world and decides he wants nothing to do with the multi generational authoritarian nonsense it represents. The main character has a single rare type of magic that he gets to abuse with modern physics against the magical group thats largely locked into the 1800's to become a real menace, and there is a lot of the early story that is the established mages relentlessly hunting him down.
Eventually he manages to establish a safe operating base at which point the tone changes a bit, it doesnt get worse with the shift in a rare example of the type, but it is very different once the main character can stop running and starts being able to kill.. pretty much anyone he needs to at ranges that can not be contested.
At this point a side story thats been running since the start comes a bit more into the spotlight, where a more standard group of urban fantasy protagonists get to start working in the chaos the actual main character created and really? its just fun, with fairly consistent worldbuilding and a soft magic system that still makes sense in the lore of the world.
It might not be worth paying for the physical version, but for a story thats still fully free on RR its a great way to kill a few days reading.
July 13, 2025
This one is pretty much a ramp-up of what we already expected.
Not content to leave this paranoid recluse alone, GAR and its predatory ways keep messing around and this little spacial-oriented mage continues to take exception--especially when they mess with anyone who he already saved. Or anyone who might have helped him.
So really, he's broadened his paranoid tendencies to trust some people. And now it's no longer one man versus the world, but something more akin to a renegade country standing up for itself.
We're losing the main title, alas.
Still, it's fun and rapid-fire when it comes to the fights or the decisions to fight, and I like the type of magic and how its explored. As for the characters and/or the baddies, I suppose I can give or take them. Often simple, even to the point of caricatures. But, oh well. It's still a fun ride and there's plenty to keep me on board.
Personal note:
If anyone reading my reviews is be interested in reading my SF (Very hard SF, mind you), I'm open to requests.
Just direct message me in goodreads or email me on my site. I'd love to get some eyes on my novels.
Arctunn.com
Not content to leave this paranoid recluse alone, GAR and its predatory ways keep messing around and this little spacial-oriented mage continues to take exception--especially when they mess with anyone who he already saved. Or anyone who might have helped him.
So really, he's broadened his paranoid tendencies to trust some people. And now it's no longer one man versus the world, but something more akin to a renegade country standing up for itself.
We're losing the main title, alas.
Still, it's fun and rapid-fire when it comes to the fights or the decisions to fight, and I like the type of magic and how its explored. As for the characters and/or the baddies, I suppose I can give or take them. Often simple, even to the point of caricatures. But, oh well. It's still a fun ride and there's plenty to keep me on board.
Personal note:
If anyone reading my reviews is be interested in reading my SF (Very hard SF, mind you), I'm open to requests.
Just direct message me in goodreads or email me on my site. I'd love to get some eyes on my novels.
Arctunn.com
November 1, 2022
solid entry
I’ve enjoyed this series and this was another solid entry. I’d give it a 4.3.
There are a few things that prevent me from giving it a 5.
1) The MC literally assassinates his enemies (with good cause) but he refuses to steal their stuff because it’s wrong. Even though it might save his life and that of his companions. This literally makes no sense.
2) Sometimes there is a bit too much focus on the minutiae of crafting. I really wish the MC spent a little more time developing his poses and getting stronger.
3) The characters are interesting. I think the author has missed several opportunities to further develop the side characters.
Still a good book and series, but could be great.
I’ve enjoyed this series and this was another solid entry. I’d give it a 4.3.
There are a few things that prevent me from giving it a 5.
1) The MC literally assassinates his enemies (with good cause) but he refuses to steal their stuff because it’s wrong. Even though it might save his life and that of his companions. This literally makes no sense.
2) Sometimes there is a bit too much focus on the minutiae of crafting. I really wish the MC spent a little more time developing his poses and getting stronger.
3) The characters are interesting. I think the author has missed several opportunities to further develop the side characters.
Still a good book and series, but could be great.
October 22, 2023
Still problematic, but still enjoyable.
It's the third book, and the author still seems to think he's being perfectly clear olr clever by expressing mumbo jumbo and thinking we'll understand.
And that's his explanation of magic. Ta Da!
The reader audible has employed is still just as bad as ever. Although he has stopped mispronouncing certain words like archmage, pronouncing it arch instead of ark, which is an improvement, Nevertheless, he still constantly drops words as if the adjectives the author chose offend him. His female voices remain horrible.
nit-picking aside, this remains an enjoyable and inventive story.
It's the third book, and the author still seems to think he's being perfectly clear olr clever by expressing mumbo jumbo and thinking we'll understand.
And that's his explanation of magic. Ta Da!
The reader audible has employed is still just as bad as ever. Although he has stopped mispronouncing certain words like archmage, pronouncing it arch instead of ark, which is an improvement, Nevertheless, he still constantly drops words as if the adjectives the author chose offend him. His female voices remain horrible.
nit-picking aside, this remains an enjoyable and inventive story.
March 15, 2023
I still really enjoyed this, but I'm also waiting for the next act to officially begin. There were a lot of interesting set pieces and they ended up filling a lot of pages, but it feels like we're still slowly moving towards a larger reveal of some sort.
It's kind of weird to see so many low ratings, especially since many seem to be copy/paste of each other. I think that those of us who want the story to move a bit quicker are likely to feel impatient by the end of this volume, but otherwise the story still delivered.
It's kind of weird to see so many low ratings, especially since many seem to be copy/paste of each other. I think that those of us who want the story to move a bit quicker are likely to feel impatient by the end of this volume, but otherwise the story still delivered.
October 27, 2023
I love it. It is slightly less intense compared to the previous 2 books. I see how it wouldn't be the best as an audiobook so if you can, just read it. Some parts detailing the intricacies of enchantments and such almost lost me,... I hope Lucy gets some development aside from just being MC's person. She's brilliant but I hope that will be further explored. Love where MC's character arc is headed. It's funny how he's just some guy but also bringing down an entire authority, is entirely ignorant about it and completely unbothered.
October 17, 2022
Always surprising, never superficial
This author always has, unexpected twists. I like the way the serious moral issues are fundamental to plot development. The book contains a lot of humor and it is obvious the author has fun with his characters.
I read the first two books of the series. I spent a lot of time trying to figure out how he was going to resolve the drama ,, none of them were right. If you want a great book that had real surprise and depth, this is it.
This author always has, unexpected twists. I like the way the serious moral issues are fundamental to plot development. The book contains a lot of humor and it is obvious the author has fun with his characters.
I read the first two books of the series. I spent a lot of time trying to figure out how he was going to resolve the drama ,, none of them were right. If you want a great book that had real surprise and depth, this is it.
February 5, 2023
This was exactly what I needed after reading a dry book like my previous read. I enjoyed this and I'm looking forward to the next book in the series. It's great to see how a few misconceptions can gut an entire organisation.
Hope book four keeps the steam. I know about a dozen people who I recommended this to, who are now bigger fans than me. The series gathers fans from people who don't even like the genre.
4/5 Stars
Hope book four keeps the steam. I know about a dozen people who I recommended this to, who are now bigger fans than me. The series gathers fans from people who don't even like the genre.
4/5 Stars
April 13, 2023
The MC is the poking stick into an unstable mage society and we see the eroding of that structures. Some parts were to easy for my taste but overall the same good story.
Also he has finally a partner to communicate with all the time and that is helping to get the MC out of the lone hero cliche.
After the destruction of two main villains we now have a full deck of characters that are mostly not evil but just clash with each other due to different motivations. I like that.
Also he has finally a partner to communicate with all the time and that is helping to get the MC out of the lone hero cliche.
After the destruction of two main villains we now have a full deck of characters that are mostly not evil but just clash with each other due to different motivations. I like that.
October 16, 2022
Good read
I do not usually post comments so take that with a grain of salt. I am impressed with the story. The main character's are not some over powered or fighting to stay alive every few minutes. It give the story a real depth. It will be very interesting to see what Inadvisable Compelled will do.
I do not usually post comments so take that with a grain of salt. I am impressed with the story. The main character's are not some over powered or fighting to stay alive every few minutes. It give the story a real depth. It will be very interesting to see what Inadvisable Compelled will do.
October 30, 2022
Not quite as good as the first two, but worth a read
A little bit too much training, and experimenting for me. There are pages and pages detailing the main character messing with enchanting and his magic, and for me it really started to take away from the story. You can just skip it though, I still enjoyed it without all the minutiae.
A little bit too much training, and experimenting for me. There are pages and pages detailing the main character messing with enchanting and his magic, and for me it really started to take away from the story. You can just skip it though, I still enjoyed it without all the minutiae.
March 11, 2023
another solid entry into the series. I feel that these books are all pretty short and honestly 2 of them could have been written as 1 book. It would have been fine, but this is the trend with many authors these days. they separate what could be 1 book, into shorter books to make more money. Still a good series though.
March 31, 2023
The series got really stale, repetitive and quite dull. Also, it feels like the MC is made smart more by dumbing down the opposition than anything else.
The moral philosophy is also... a thing. The initial beef the MC has with the magic crowd is NOT that they feed humans to vampires. It's that there is a draft.
That's the great horror.
The moral philosophy is also... a thing. The initial beef the MC has with the magic crowd is NOT that they feed humans to vampires. It's that there is a draft.
That's the great horror.
July 6, 2023
Interesting premise but flounders. Also, every scene with his new GF is some sexual comments, comments about her looks. It's some pointless amateur author stuff. He had a wife, he's older, he's not a hormonal teen.
Add that to much more time spent on some sort of prep or excuses to have the gf on screen, it's worse. Will see if it improves on the next book.
Add that to much more time spent on some sort of prep or excuses to have the gf on screen, it's worse. Will see if it improves on the next book.
October 19, 2022
downfall of arrogance
You should definitely read the previous two books to understand what’s going on. The action picks right up from where the last book ended.
I enjoy seeing a mix of science and magic.
Looking forward to the next book.
You should definitely read the previous two books to understand what’s going on. The action picks right up from where the last book ended.
I enjoy seeing a mix of science and magic.
Looking forward to the next book.
October 27, 2022
I'm still enjoying this series.
While I don't think the romance element is fleshed out well, (calling someone 'Big Man' every sentence starts to wear thin), the magical skill progression is terrific.
While I don't think the romance element is fleshed out well, (calling someone 'Big Man' every sentence starts to wear thin), the magical skill progression is terrific.
October 28, 2022
It's SO GOOD
Words can't express how much I enjoyed this book, and I cannot WAIT for the next one! An excellent continuation of the story, with things progressing and escalating in fun and entertaining ways.
Words can't express how much I enjoyed this book, and I cannot WAIT for the next one! An excellent continuation of the story, with things progressing and escalating in fun and entertaining ways.
December 8, 2022
Awesome
Awesome as usual-ended to quick-excellent read looking forward to reading the next book- love the character-Im hoping next book will show some of the higher up mages making peace with Wells
Awesome as usual-ended to quick-excellent read looking forward to reading the next book- love the character-Im hoping next book will show some of the higher up mages making peace with Wells
January 16, 2023
A good continuation of the series, however...
*spoilers*
Not much of significance occurred with Callum, it was mostly just fallout in the mage society. Not bad, it was a logical continuation of events, but I'd like a see little more heart to the story. Some risk, some reward, some tension, etc.
*spoilers*
Not much of significance occurred with Callum, it was mostly just fallout in the mage society. Not bad, it was a logical continuation of events, but I'd like a see little more heart to the story. Some risk, some reward, some tension, etc.
April 3, 2023
I've enjoyed this series and the details the author goes into. However this book seemed to lack focus and doesn't have a clear path of what's to come. I'll keep reading as I want to see where things go with the MCs plans to be left alone but this book suffered a bit with no real forward direction.
April 14, 2023
Slower, less on point, but still good
This is the first book in this series where I found my mind wandering. Many interesting things happen here and there are more hints to the "Mysterious past", but there a few chapters that felt more like digressions than story advancement.
This is the first book in this series where I found my mind wandering. Many interesting things happen here and there are more hints to the "Mysterious past", but there a few chapters that felt more like digressions than story advancement.
August 1, 2023
Maybe it was the voice in the audio version, but the female love interest is more like a nerd's version of perfect woman, but it comes across very irritating and not fully imagined. I liked the first couple books, but just couldn't finish this one.
March 14, 2024
I have given the previous two books four stars because I really enjoyed the story, but I found the amount of space given to ‘Callum’ manipulating ‘vis’ and developing portals got a bit tedious. In this book it is more about just using them and it didn’t interrupt the flow of the story.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews