Why I never bothered branding Deceived Mage
Deceived Mage takes place two years before the events of Cursed Mage and the Catenarian Chronicles series. But it’s not branded in the same way.
Look at Cursed Mage and Astray Mage and you’re gonna find two books that look alike. Then check out Deceived Mage, and you’re gonna have a what the fuck moment.
Why does the cover look so different? And why ain’t Kaija on it?
Deceived Mage isn’t required reading. You could read Cursed Mage, hop over to Astray Mage, and get the full picture of what’s going on here.
But if you’re a curious reader like me who needs to see how everything went down before the series’ events? That’s why Deceived Mage exists. Optional reading means optional branding.
The core genres are different
As a theme-based author, I love using the liberty of coloring outside the lines. That’s the case with Deceived, since it’s got more political thriller/suspense elements with an urban fantasy backdrop.
In Cursed Mage, Astray Mage, and its sequel, Rising Mage, you’re getting dark paranormal fantasy. That said, the thriller/suspense and urban fantasy elements are still in there. I hint at the paranormal aspects at the tail end of Deceived.
The message is unchanging
I’m a libertarian author, and libertarianism is the core element. Every single book you read, regardless of the genre, will have libertarian messaging.
That means the State is the bad guy. It also means capitalism is not the bad guy. That said, what normies think is capitalism is the bad guy because what most people think is capitalism isn’t really capitalism. It’s cronyism, mercantilism, and corporate socialism.
With mercantilists as the bad guys, it means Leftists might actually enjoy it, depending on their brand of Leftism. Are they mainstream media elitists who masked up every time their overlords told them to during COVID? Then they’ll hate my work.
But if they say, “No, I get what he’s saying, but this is why we need to elect the right people,” they might appreciate it. I’ll never admit that “electing the right people” will magically create solutions since it hasn’t during my near 35 years of existence. But if they see the corruption, then we’re good to go.
I don’t lock myself in specific genres and Deceived Mage proves it
If you’re expecting Deceived Mage to read the same as Cursed Mage, Astray Mage, and its sequels, you’ll hate this book. Some readers will, since they’re not expecting dark paranormal fantasy.
Like I said: I write for libertarians who see the State as an evil and unnecessary entity. So they’re getting what they’re expecting.
Unorthodox? Sure. But in a world where the literary market is so saturated that it’s hard for genre fiction authors to stand out, why not break the rules and be different? Why not create a niche and cater to that niche?
Especially since, as far as Catenarian Chronicles go, elemental magic is still front and center. The dark overtones in Cursed Mage are also in Deceived Mage. So while sticklers will scream “genre mismatch,” those who crave complexity and stories with actual meaning will whisper, “genius.”
Now, check out Deceived Mage for yourself, meet Ella Kinnunen, and brace yourself for an explosive prequel to the Catenarian Chronicles. Get it right here.
