SusanAnnWalker author

The Sorcerer and the Necromancer by Susan Ann Walker

A young swordsman with a threatening secret. A rogue mage with a forbidden power. When they do battle, will the city survive? Daric came to ignore the slur of being called "blank." Growing up without magic of his own in a remote enclave of wizards, he left as soon as he could to make his way with his sword and his wits. Then the seventeen-year-old bodyguard accidentally discovers he has a hidden Gift for sorcery, enabling him to drain mystical energy from others, and he is terrified that his suddenly-appearing talent places everyone around him in deadly peril. Determined to master his new abilities, Daric finds a mentor to guide him and friends who support him, even though many fear him and demand his exile. But while he trains, a necromancer is killing elderly merchants and animating their corpses to rob them; and seers are dreaming of a devastating firestorm soon to come. As rumors swirl and panic mounts, the fledgling sorcerer realizes he may be the key to saving the place that's become his adopted home—or the cause of its destruction. Can Daric wield his dangerous skills to stop a madman from burning everything and everyone around him to ashes? Or will he lose control, and bring about the very disaster he is desperate to prevent? The Sorcerer and the Necromancer is the third book in the "Tales from the City of Magic" sword and sorcery series. It can be read on its own, although there are some continuing characters from earlier books. If you enjoy stories of hidden powers, dark prophecies and found families, then you'll love Susan Ann Walker's exciting fantasy adventure.

Shadow of the Jade Cat by Susan Ann Walker

A supernatural killer prowls the streets. Can a troubled guardian prevent a bloodbath? Lord Bastian carries the weight of the city on his shoulders. A master mage charged with keeping the peace in a mecca for those with magical gifts, he's challenged by powerful guild leaders who question his authority. When a prominent but unscrupulous merchant is gutted by a mysterious creature on the eve of a trade fair, the embattled magister scrambles to solve the crime while confronting accusations he himself wanted the victim dead. As more dismembered corpses turn up, Bastian is dismayed to learn the murderer is an agent of vengeance created by a deity that no mage or priest can hope to contain. Stalked by the arcane predator, harried by human assassins, and doubting his own abilities, he desperately seeks aid from an old rival and a devout but untrained young temple novice. Together, can these uneasy allies stop a relentless destroyer made by a goddess, or will a throng of arriving fairgoers become lambs to the slaughter? Shadow of the Jade Cat is the second book in the "Tales from the City of Magic" sword and sorcery series. (It can be read on its own, but you'll know more about the characters' backgrounds if you read book 1, How the Wraith Got His Soul Back, first.) If you're a fan of stories with dark magic, enigmatic gods, and mystical creatures, then Susan Ann Walker's spooky fantasy thriller is for you.

How the Wraith Got His Soul Back by Susan Ann Walker

A young healer fleeing a dark wizard. A monster desperate to regain his stolen soul. Can a lost warrior guide them to refuge? Cayden i'Daubrin meant to turn his back on battle forever. After his men were slaughtered while he lay injured, the legendary fighter nicknamed "Deathgiver" wandered aimlessly, taking any job that didn't require leading others into combat. Until, discovering that a runaway girl he was hired to find is hunted by a blood mage for her healing gift, he chooses to help her escape rather than return her to certain death. Struggling to protect the adventurous teen, Cayden becomes even more alarmed when she befriends a wraith—a tortured creature whose spirit was taken by a curse. As they all race toward sanctuary in the magical city he once called home, with an army of blood slaves and mercenaries closing in, the weary swordsman steels himself to face the evil sorcerer blocking their only route to safety. Can Cayden win against a relentless foe who commands the powers of countless previous victims? Or will he lose his life, and the lives of the fugitives who gave him their trust? How the Wraith Got His Soul Back is the first book in the Tales from the City of Magic sword and sorcery series. If you enjoy stories with dark magic, thrilling swordfights, and reluctant but ultimately noble heroes, then you'll love Susan Ann Walker's fast-paced fantasy adventure.