The Contractors Series by Andrew Ball

The Earth is under siege - and no one knows about it, because the invaders erase those whom they consume.A handful of men and women stand on the border between the mundane and the magical. They have a special spark of soul; not quite enough to be naturally gifted in spellcraft, but greater than the average person, a tiny flame that can ignite incredible potential. They possess the ability to fight back against the Vorid; the ability to become a Contractor... moreThe Earth is under siege - and no one knows about it, because the invaders erase those whom they consume.A handful of men and women stand on the border between the mundane and the magical. They have a special spark of soul; not quite enough to be naturally gifted in spellcraft, but greater than the average person, a tiny flame that can ignite incredible potential. They possess the ability to fight back against the Vorid; the ability to become a Contractor.Daniel Fitzgerald is one of those people, but when duty comes calling, he promptly slams the door in its face. He has no illusions of grandeur. He is not someone special. He wants to go to school and study law. And frankly, he doesn't really like people. He doesn't want anything to do with magic - he just wants to be left alone.But when the entire planet is a battlefield, there is no place to run. less

Following a mock tribunal comprised of unfeeling elder magicians, Daniel is sentenced to the bowels of Hell – but what he finds there defies his wildest expectations.The prison that is Hell has long since been transformed into a series of vicious competitions pitting the prisoners against one another. The bloody debacle is broadcast live by PrisonWatch, the ruthless corporation headed by the demon emperor, Beelzebub... moreFollowing a mock tribunal comprised of unfeeling elder magicians, Daniel is sentenced to the bowels of Hell – but what he finds there defies his wildest expectations.The prison that is Hell has long since been transformed into a series of vicious competitions pitting the prisoners against one another. The bloody debacle is broadcast live by PrisonWatch, the ruthless corporation headed by the demon emperor, Beelzebub.But Hell isn’t just an exercise in profit or a dumping ground for exiles like Daniel. The magic that ensures Hell’s existence is bound in complex history and forbidden secrets that underline the relationship between humans and demons. With only hints of the truth to guide him, Daniel must fight to keep his head above the political water and escape his role as a new pawn in an ancient conflict. Along the way, he’ll meet old friends, forge alliances, and make new enemies as he strives to beat PrisonWatch at their own game.On Earth, the Vorid have been beaten back, but the war is only just beginning. Eleanor Astor struggles to bring her personal principles into alignment with the politics of the Ivory Dawn. Suddenly at odds against the order of magicians by which she was raised, she is a lone voice advocating for the contractors, and it’s only a matter of time until the Vorid strike again. With the fate of the entire world resting on the outcome, she’ll be pressed to hold the line until she can find a way to free Daniel…somehow. less