'Seven powerful mages want to make the world a better place. We're going to kill them first.'
Picture a wizard. Go ahead, close your eyes. There he is, see? Skinny old guy with a long straggly beard. No doubt he's wearing iridescent silk robes that couldn't protect his frail body from a light breeze. The hat's a must, too, right? Big, floppy thing, covered in esoteric symbols that would instantly show every other mage where this one gets his magic? Wouldn't want a simple steel helmet or something that might, you know, protect the part of him most needed for conjuring magical forces from being bashed in with a mace (or pretty much any household object).
Now open your eyes and let me show you what a real war mage looks like... but be warned: you're probably not going to like it, because we're violent, angry, dangerously broken people who sell our skills to the highest bidder and be damned to any moral or ethical considerations. At least, until such irritating concepts as friendship and the end of the world get in the way.
My name is Cade Ombra, and though I currently make my living as a mercenary wonderist, I used to have a far more noble-sounding job title - until I discovered the people I worked for weren't quite as noble as I'd believed. Now I'm on the run and my only friend, a homicidal thunder mage, has invited me to join him on a suicide mission against the seven deadliest mages on the continent. Time to recruit some very bad people to help us on this job...
Publisher: Quercus Publishing
ISBN: 9781529422771
Number of pages: 384
Weight: 600 g
Dimensions: 236 x 154 x 38 mm
There is no way you can read this book without a grin on your face - Financial Times
Chaotic energy, clever ideas and characters that stay with you after the final page - SFX
Brilliant and vivid world-building . . . riveting - Chad Stahelski, director of John Wick
With a contemporary style, relentless pace, and a unique and exciting magic system, The Malevolent Seven is an action-packed adventure that not only questions the true nature of heroes but the very meaning of good and evil - Michael J. Sullivan
Irreverent, foul-mouthed fun - Track of Words
A dark, comedic and bleak fantasy . . . breakneck and filled with twists and turns - Grimdark Magazine
A novel that wears its anti-hero credentials proudly on its sleeve - Geek Dad
de Castell doesn't get bogged down in the philosophizing. He lets his characters express the complexity and themes of the book through a propulsive and very fast-paced plot . . . this would make for a perfect summer beach read - The Fantasy Review
If you enjoy fantasy with clever plots, witty dialogue and characters with a keen sense of humour, you should keep The Malevolent Seven on your radar - Bibliosanctum
A march through mayhem. A unique mix of murderous mages, polymorphic angels, cunning demons, found family, and much more . . . one of my favourite books of the year, no question - FanFiAddict
This is de Castell without any restraints and writing complete chaos. It was a pleasure to read - Just Geeking By
A great time with bad people. The magic is fun, the cast is funny, and the quest is hopeless. I highly recommend you strap in and watch this diverse cast of rogues fall upward toward their goal with as much cursing and calamity as possible - The Quill to Live
Suffice to say if you enjoy your characters, magic and world on the darker side, aren't afraid of a little blood and enjoy found families who try to kill each other... this is the book for you - Becky's Book Blog
Full to the brim with magic, mayhem and danger. If you're looking for a book that will keep you guessing and keep you hooked right to the very last page, this one should definitely be on your wishlist - The Bibliophile Chronicles
This pulled me in from the first moments; it just felt like it was going to be fun - and it was - British Science Fiction Association
Fraught with danger, quite gory in places with an irreverent humour throughout. This book is just so much fun to read.
“In case I hadn’t made this clear already, we’re not exactly the good guys. But don’t worry – by the end of this story, me, Corrigan and the five other wonderists who would come to be known as the Malevolent Seven... More
It's the first adult fantasy book I read by Sebastian de Castell and I thoroughly enjoyed as it's gripping and well plotted story with elements of grim dark and epic fantasy and a lot of fun.
Cade Ombra and...
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