Royce Eldridge was a simple blacksmith. He and his wife had never been lucky enough to have children of their own, so when he discovered an orphaned baby on the side of the road after a trip to market, he and his wife were glad to open their arms and hearts, but they knew there was more to the child’s story. Sworn to keep a terrible secret, they raised the child, named Mordecai as their own, never telling him the full truth about how he was orphaned, or who his parents were.
As a young man, Mordecai began to develop in extraordinary ways, leading him to questions that couldn’t be answered by the simple story he had been given. In the course of seeking the truth, he will find love and treachery as events conspire to draw him into a battle for the future that he never expected. Beset on all sides by enemies and allies trying to control or destroy his future, he must make choices that will damn some and save others.
Will the world be worth saving if it costs him the very reasons he has for living in it?
Industry Reviews
"He seems to understand what makes good fantasy - a delicate balance between world-building, complete with history and cultures, without losing sight of the characters that inhabit it. Manning sweeps the reader from one scene to the next with tight chapters, efficient descriptions, flowing action, and likable characters."
~Brian Braden, Underground Book Reviews
"Michael G Manning has gone from strength to strength with each successive book. His protagonist, Mordecai, and his cohorts, have all the characteristics that make them appear only too human, and they are all the more endearing for their imperfections. I have wept. I have also laughed out loud. Mordecai's self-deprecation and ironic wit lifted the darkness just enough to lull me through to the next dark encounter. This author's natural aptitude for creating humour from the strangest situations is a delight."
~Helen Paton, regarding The Final Redemption
I stumbled over Michael Manning's work unexpectedly when I was searching for a new audiobook. I was hooked from the first few pages when Mordecai rescued a drowning horse. That was only the beginning. Manning is an artist, crafting his words carefully to paint amazing pictures and grand adventures that capture the imagination and fire the soul. His books are the best type-those you can't wait to finish, and don't want to end. He now numbers among my favorite authors, alongside the likes of R.A. Salvatore, Peter David, and Marion Zimmer Bradley.
~Renee Wiseman, Historian and Writer
Michael G. Manning is one of those guys that is able to make you really connect to his characters and his world. You will cheer, cry, get frustrated, and maybe even shout a few obscenities as you follow his characters through their harrowing journeys. Be warned ye who enter here, there are things much more dangerous than Dragons within.
~Brent Lee Markee, Author of the Heritage of the Blood Series
There are some worlds that the reader views. Then there are the worlds where the reader walks with the characters and becomes part of their conversations. From the first sentence of the "Mageborn" series, Michael starts you running in between the dangerous salvos thrown at those with mage-craft by those who do not. The realm of Lothion, as viewed through the eyes of young Mordecai can be a very perilous place, indeed. And not just for him, but for those he loves. And magic is hazardous to your health... Enter Lothion and watch Mordecai learn about his heritage and just what that means. Even the world isn't large enough to contain all the magic he discovers and someone out there wants him. Dead or alive, but probably dead.
I first read this series in 2012. Each time Michael added a new book to his fascinating series, I read it all over again. The story line is engrossing; the characters are alive with realistic senses of humor and pathos. I simply cannot stop once I have read the first word. Come join the "Mageborn" fans; you'll never leave.
~Connie Fogg-Bouchard
