The Mages of Starsea

Space adventure and epic fantasy meet in this new series from bestselling science fiction author Kyle West.

Just as humanity takes its first steps outside the solar system using an ancient and mysterious gateway, mages begin being born. No one understands how, or why. All they know is a terrible truth: the mages' magic rots their bodies and minds to the point of madness, with apocalyptic consequences.

Growing up in a decrepit Miami that has sunk beneath the waves, Lucian dreams of captaining his own starship. But that dream comes crashing down the day the government identifies him as a mage.

He must give up everything to travel to the planet Volsung to train at the Academy, an institute for mages. If the Academy refuses to train him, he will suffer from "the fraying," a disease that will rob him of sanity and life.

During the journey, Lucian meets a mysterious mentor, who hints that he might have a greater part to play in the universe's cycle of creation and destruction. But only if he can survive the perilous journey between stars before his magic destroys him.

The first of a planned twelve novels, The Mages of Starsea is a promising beginning to a sprawling epic set in a boundless sea of stars.