Most Popular Books by Patrick Samphire

Fans of Jim Butcher and Scott Lynch will love this snarky fantasy mystery. It was only supposed to be one little job - a simple curse-breaking for Mennik Thorn to pay back a favour to his oldest friend. But then it all blew up in his face. Now he's been framed for a murder he didn't commit. So how is a second-rate mage, broke, traumatized, and with a habit of annoying the wrong people, supposed to prove his innocence when everyone believes he's guilty? Mennik has no choice if he wants to get out of this: he is going to have to throw himself into the corrupt world of the city's high mages, a world he fled years ago. Faced by supernatural beasts, the mage-killing Ash Guard, and a ruthless, unknown adversary, it's going to take every trick Mennik can summon just to keep him and his friend alive. But a new, dark power is rising in Agatos, and all that stands in its way is one damaged mage... Third place in the Self-Published Fantasy Blog-Off 2020 (SPFBO6) Finalist in the Book Bloggers' Book of the Year Award (BBNYA) 2021 Shortlisted for the Booknest Fantasy Award Best Self-published Novel 2020 Reviews "The start of something great." - Novel Notions “I loved every moment of this book. In terms of sheer entertainment value, its certainly one of the best I’ve read this year and it’s been a while since I’ve had such fun with a book.” - Rowena Andrews, Beneath a Thousand Skies “Fast-paced, quick-witted, deftly plotted and as well-thought-out as it is well-written. Highly recommended, and I’m already looking forward to the next one.” – Juliet E. McKenna, Author of The Tales of Einarinn, The Aldabreshin Compass, and The Green Man’s Heir “Shadow of a Dead God contains the snarky, disillusioned, diamond-in-the-rough, down-at-heels, determined and fiercely loyal mage-detective your TBR desperately needs! “Recommended for readers of The Lies of Locke Lamora and anyone who loves fantasy mystery starring a delightfully reluctant, unlikely, foul-mouthed and golden-hearted hero.” – Katrina Middelburg, Read. Ruminate. Write. “If you need a fun, entertaining read in these trying time, Shadow of a Dead God is highly recommended.” - Jamie Lee Moyer, Author of Brightfall “Mennik Thorn is a wry, dry, washed-up mage whose talents, other than friendship, are modest to say the least. A dogged determination to live life on his own terms puts him at odds with almost everyone and everything. But he’s funny, and he’s good-hearted, and Samphire can plot a mystery that turns every page. Reading his story of detective derring-don’t is as satisfying as it is entertaining. A great start! I look forward to more.” - Justina Robson, Author of Natural History and the Quantum Gravity series.

What do a smuggling gang, a curse that won't go away, and a frequently lost dog have to do with each other? Answer: they're all here to disrupt Mennik Thorn's hard-earned peace and quiet. As the sole freelance mage in the city of Agatos, Mennik is used to some odd clients and awful jobs. But this time, one of his clients isn't giving him a choice. Mennik might have forgotten about the smugglers whose operations he disrupted, but they haven't forgotten about him. Now he is faced with a simple ultimatum: help them smuggle in an unknown, dangerous cargo or flee the city he loves forever. Time is running out for Mennik to find an answer, and things are about to get completely out of control. Note: this is a short novel, not a full-length novel.

In the city of Agatos, nothing stays buried forever. Only an idiot would ignore his debt to a high mage, and Mennik Thorn is not an idiot, no matter what anyone might say. He’s just been … distracted. But now he’s left it too late, and if he doesn’t obey the high mage’s commands within the day, his best friends’ lives will be forfeit. So it’s hardly the time to take on an impossible case: proving a woman who murdered a stranger in full view is innocent. Unfortunately, Mennik can’t resist doing the right thing – and now he’s caught in a deadly rivalry between warring high mages, his witnesses are dying, and something ancient has turned its eyes upon him. The fate of the city is once again in the hands of a second-rate mage. Mennik Thorn should have stayed in hiding.

Nik Thorn should know better than to get involved with gods. But when a priest of a hated god asks Nik to save his life, Nik can hardly refuse, particularly when the priest knows exactly how, where, when, and why he is going to be killed. How hard can it be? Of course, that’s not Nik's only problem. When is it ever? A god has been murdered, the city’s high mages are about to go to war, and fury is rising in the streets. Agatos will burn. The final book in the Mennik Thorn series.

Mars in 1816 is a world of high society, deadly danger, and strange clockwork machines. Pterodactyls glide through the sky, automatic servants hand out sandwiches at elegant garden parties, and in the north, the great dragon tombs hide marvels of Ancient Martian technology. Twelve-year-old Edward Sullivan has always dreamed of becoming a spy like the ones he reads of in his favorite sci-fi magazine, Thrilling Martian Tales. Instead, he spends his days keeping his eccentric family from complete disaster . . . that is, until the villainous archeologist, Sir Titus Dane, kidnaps Edward's parents as part of a scheme to loot an undiscovered dragon tomb. Edward sets out on a perilous journey to save his parents and protect the dragon tombs in the process. Turns out spywork is a bit more challenging than he had imagined. . . .

A missing Martian. A sinister plot. A Napoleonic spy. . . Boundless adventures await in Book 2 of The Secrets of the Dragon Tomb middle grade sci-fi series! If Edward thought life was going to be easy in Lunae City, he was very, very wrong. The moment he intercepts a thief escaping from Lady Harleston’s town house, he is caught in a terrible scheme that threatens all of Mars. Soon he’s fighting off vicious sea serpents, battling a small army of heavily armored thugs, and trying to unpick an impossible mystery. Edward doesn’t know whom he can trust. Will he make the right choice? Or will his family—and his entire planet—fall victim to the treacherous Emperor of Mars? A Christy Ottaviano Book

A ghost searches for revenge in ancient Egypt. A boy unearths the bones of a dragon. A girl risks awakening a dark god to save her dog... He reached out a hand and touched Grace's cheek. The touch made her shiver. "You can't save everyone, Grace." "I don't want to," Grace whispered. "Just her." At the Gates and Other Stories is a collection of sixteen fantasy short stories. Reviews of stories in this collection "This is the first story I've heard this year that I'd consider a masterpiece. It's rare for a story to move me to tears, but this one did. The writing is perfect, capturing the period and expressing the torments of war brilliantly." - John Dodds, The Fix on The Western Front "Marvelous." - Colin Harvey, Suite101, on At the Gates "This one kept me turning the page without pause, with its natural pace and flow of words, good characterization, and skillful plot build-up. Samphire's writing skill is matched only by his knowledge of Ancient Egyptian culture and mythology." - Scott M. Sandridge, Tangent Online, on The Land of Reeds. "A great coming-of-age story." - David Roy, epinions, on When the Dragon Falls "Patrick Samphire offers an updated Arthurian fantasy, an elegantly crafted modern-day take on the Matter of Britain." - Gardner Dozois, Locus, Issue 598 on Camelot The Stories - At the Gates - Five Things of Beauty - Uncle Vernon's Lie - Finisterre - A Veil, a Meal, and Dust - A Field Guide to Ugly Places - Slipper of Glass - The Equation - When the Dragon Falls - Dawn, by the Light of a Barrow Fire - Camelot - Crab Apple - The Sea Beyond Thule - The Land of Reeds - The Western Front - Dragonfly Summer

Would you rather dance beneath the waves or hide your smuggled magic there? Welcome to a world of sparkling adult fantasy and science fiction stories edited by Stephanie Burgis and Tiffany Trent and featuring underwater ballrooms of one sort or another, from a 1930s ballroom to a Martian hotel to a grand rock 'n roll ball held in the heart of Faery itself."From the first page, I knew I was in good hands. This is my kind of fantasy -- magic, adventure, and gorgeous writing. The Underwater Ballroom Society is the kind of fantasy that got me into reading fantasy." - Patrice Sarath, Author of The Sisters MederosStories in this anthology:Ysabeau S. Wilce, "The Queen of Life"Y.S. Lee, "Twelve Sisters"Iona Datt Sharma, "Penhallow Amid Passing Things"Tiffany Trent, "Mermaids, Singing"Jenny Moss, "A Brand New Thing"Cassandra Khaw, "Four Revelations from the Rusalka Ball"Stephanie Burgis, "Spellswept"Laura Anne Gilman, "The River Always Wins"Shveta Thakrar, "The Amethyst Deceiver"Patrick Samphire, "A Spy in the Deep""This anthology is an excellent collection of stories and all of them are well worth your time." - Michelle at The Monday Review

Mystery, murder, and adventure on Mars... Mars in 1815 is a world of wonders, from the hanging ballrooms of Tharsis City to the air forests of Patagonian Mars, and from the ice caves of Noachis Terra to the Great Wall of Cyclopia, beyond which dinosaurs still roam. Now the famous jewel thief, the Glass Phantom, has come to Mars, and sixteen-year-old Harriet George's hapless brother-in-law, Bertrand, has been ordered to track him down. Bertrand has never been much of a policeman, and Harriet knows he'll never manage it. When he fails, the whole family will be ruined. So Harriet comes up with a plan: she will capture the Glass Phantom herself. Even if she and Bertrand have to follow her suspects on a perilous dinosaur hunt in the deadly Martian wilderness. But there are more dangers in the wilderness than just the dinosaurs--and if Harriet can't solve the mystery, she and Bertrand may not make it back from this hunt alive. "If the plot is great fun, it is the descriptions and world-building that take this book over the top." - Wendy McLeod MacKnight, author of The Frame Up "Harriet is a force to be reckoned with ... The plot takes several twists along the way. I enjoyed every one of them and the ending was incredibly satisfying." - Brandy Painter, Random Musings of a Bibliophile

Underwater mysteries, murder, and mosasaurs, with a fabulous girl-spy heroine. Mars, 1816. For almost a year, Harriet George has been training to be a spy in the British-Martian Intelligence Service, but it has not been going well. Now she has been given her first real assignment, and Harriet knows that if she doesn't succeed, it will also be her last. Together with her hapless brother-in-law, Bertrand, Harriet has been sent to Louros underwater hotel to retrieve a package from an informant. But when a footman is murdered, Harriet's mission is thrown into chaos. If she can't figure out who is behind the murder, not only will she fail her mission and lose her job, she may not make it back to the surface alive. A Spy in the Deep is Harriet George's second adventure, full of mystery, action, and humour. Join Harriet and Bertrand as they try to unweave another tangled mystery on Regency Mars. "This story reminded me somehow of Gail Carriger's Parasol Protectorate, but with a more serious bent to it and a charming heroine I would like to encounter again in other stories."- Speculative Herald "This story had the cozy feel of a drawing-room mystery, but add in dinosaurs on Mars, robots, clockwork trains and more and you have one crazy and unique story."- Books, Bones & Buffy