The End of Magic

Two powerful mages. One steeped in privilege, the other bound by a moral code. Their world is thrown into chaos by the end of magic.

Rosheen Katell is a wandering mage and, with Anzu her griffin, she’s worked hard to build a reputation as a trustworthy truth seer. She never lies, never kills.

Sander Bree is a royal mage. He lives an easy life advising the king on matters of court and politics, but dreams of an apocalypse are giving him massive anxiety attacks.

Very soon, their magic will be gone. A cataclysmic event will change their lives and world forever. Sander must keep a promise to save the life of a young girl that would have been difficult enough with magic, but is a suicide mission without it. Rosheen is forced to side with a murderous warlord, and her once-solid principles are tested and found wanting. Both will be set against one another in a war unlike anything the world has seen before, in this sweeping fantasy of magic’s ending.

The first part of a fantasy trilogy for readers of Joe Abercrombie and Scott Lynch. Part two — The End of Dragons — is out now, with part 3 coming in 2025…

Praise for The End of Magic:

“Mark Stay paints his world and characters with deft, confident and dark strokes.”
RJ Barker, author of the Wounded Kingdom Trilogy

“Mark Stay writes like he’s the lovechild of Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett. The End Of Magic will have you laughing one minute and then leave you heartbroken the next — but always desperate to keep turning the pages. Enjoy the magic of a master storyteller at work.” Mike Shackle, author of the Last War trilogy

“The sort of book you give to people who say “prove to me why I should read fantasy”… A simply terrific read.”
James Barclay, author of the Legends of the Raven series

“Takes the tropes of high fantasy and uses them to wield an original, compelling and intricately plotted story… exactly the kind of fantasy that we need more of.”
Gavin G. Smith, author of the Veteran series

“Stay does for George RR Martin what Pratchett did for Tolkien.”
Julian Barr, author of The Way Home

The End of Dragons

The Thrilling Sequel to The End of Magic

To Survive, They Must Kill The Last of Her Kind.

The Lapis Moon is gone. Magic is dying. The world has moved on.

Mages, however, are an endangered species. Sander Bree is scraping a living as a mage for hire, Rosheen Katell is in hiding with her brother Oskar. All mages are outlawed, exiled, dodging assassins and the wrath of Archbishop Yorath Pasco who would gladly have them skewered in public.

Then a dragon attacks a small fishing village on the Parthalan coast. Dragons aren’t supposed to exist in these enlightened times, and so the Archbishop suggests a deal: if Sander and Rosheen use their magic to slay the dragon without fuss then their slates will be wiped clean. Of course, they encounter personal betrayals, political backstabbing, criminal shenanigans and a bloody great dragon in a rollicking adventure that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

Praise for The End of Dragons on Goodreads:

“Pratchettesque humour mixed with gritty fantasy.”

“Plenty of wit, along with a healthy dose of heartbreak.”

“A page-turning piece of fantasy.”

“Bloodthirsty, funny and heartwarming.”

“A deeply satisfying read.”

“Just brilliant!”

“Gripping from start to finish.”

“Wonderful escapism.”

Back to Reality

The Bestselling ‘90s nostalgia time travel comedy

Jo’s world is about to change forever, and it’s about time

Her marriage is on auto-pilot, daughter hates her, job sucks and it’s not even Tuesday.

As Jo’s life implodes, a freak event hurls her back to ‘90s Los Angeles where, in a parallel universe, she’s about to hit the big time as a rock star.

Jo has to choose between her dreams and her family in an adventure that propels her from London to Hollywood then Glastonbury, the world’s greatest music festival.

Jo encounters a disgraced guru, a movie star with a fetish for double-decker buses, and the biggest pop star in the world… who just happens to want to kill her.

Back to Reality is a funny, heartwarming story about second chances, with a heroine to rival Bridget Jones and the rock n roll nostalgia of Keith A Pearson.

The novel from the Bestseller Experiment podcast presenters Mark Stay and Mark Desvaux. The Two Marks went to more gigs in the ’90s than in any other decade and are currently working on a time machine to see Prince in concert.

Praise for Back to Reality:

“Like if Nick Hornby wrote a time travel, body swap adventure!”
New York Times bestselling author Mimi Strong

“A compelling story where the comedy compliments the drama and keeps you turning the page… A delight.”
Caimh McDonnell, Bestselling author of The Dublin Trilogy

“Doctor Who meets Freaky Friday at Glastonbury. With added cow. Escapist SF fun for everyone who wants to scratch their Terry Pratchett itch.”
Ian W Sainsbury, Winner of the Kindle Storyteller Award 2019

“A miraculous, laugh-out-loud journey to a past never lived. Original and captivating!”
Keith A Pearson

Robot Overlords

Stay in your homes. You are under quarantine.

Three years ago, Earth was conquered by a force of robots from a distant world. This was their one rule.

Ignore the order to self-isolate and you’re sure to be vaporised by a massive robot Sentry, or a crawling Sniper, or a flying Drone. That’s if the vast Cube doesn’t incinerate you first.

But Sean Flynn is convinced that his father – an RAF pilot who fought in the war – is still alive. And when he and his gang figure out a way to break the robots’ curfew, they begin an adventure that will pit them against the might of the ROBOT OVERLORDS.

This fast-paced, thrilling novelisation is based on the hit British film starring Sir Ben Kingsley (IRON MAN THREE), Gillian Anderson (THE X-FILES) and Callan McAuliffe (THE GREAT GATSBY). A perfect companion to the movie, it expands on the story with additional action, characters, and a special peek behind the scenes.

This is the perfect book to let your mind escape these days of self isolation.

Praise for Robot Overlords:

“Fun, entertaining read with snappy, realistic dialogue…. a blockbuster pace that will entertain early teens upwards and sci-fi fans alike.”
Following the Nerd

“Robot Overlords is an easy read, but it’s not a light tale. Deliciously scary in all the right places, it’s a compelling book. Like all good novelisations, it adds an extra dimension to a story already told in another medium. Recommended, especially if you like giant robot-driven dystopias.”
Starburst

“Enjoyable, entertaining, and sometimes surprisingly dark, Robot Overlords is a great read whether you’re a young adult, a young-at-heart adult, or even a miserable old man in an adult’s body (like me!).”
The Cult Den

“Such a cracking story – one which might literally blow your socks off.”
The Book Plank

“His characters come to life instantly, practically jumping off the page, all you need to know to care about them sketched in a few simple but always well-chosen words.”
Crime Review