Thraxas Series by Martin Scott

Princess Du-Akai, third in line to the throne, hires Thraxas to retrieve a missing letter. Thraxas is pitted against the ruthless killer Sarin the Merciless, who seems to be a lot more deadly than she used to be. Worse, she's in league with Horm the Dead, mad half-Orc sorcerer from the Kingdom of Yal... morePrincess Du-Akai, third in line to the throne, hires Thraxas to retrieve a missing letter. Thraxas is pitted against the ruthless killer Sarin the Merciless, who seems to be a lot more deadly than she used to be. Worse, she's in league with Horm the Dead, mad half-Orc sorcerer from the Kingdom of Yal. Meanwhile the city is riven by internal strife as Senators Cicerius and Rittius fight it out for the post of Deputy Consul, and the criminal gangs The Society of Friends and The Brotherhood struggle for control of the dwa trade. Makri is busy studying at the Guild College but needs no encouragement to pick up her sword and enthusiastically join in with the fighting. Thraxas's investigation leads him from the sewers of Turai right up to the Imperial Palace, where he finds himself face to face with the King's new dragon. less

In the scorching heat of the Turanian summer, Thraxas is doing his best to avoid working. His plans for a spell of uninterrupted beer drinking go wrong when the Civil Guards arrest a man for murder, right in Thraxas's office. Outraged at this insult to his dignity, Thraxas goes into action. Soon he finds himself in the middle of a deadly war between rival bands of warrior monks. The situation becomes more complicated when a consignment of the King's gold goes missing... moreIn the scorching heat of the Turanian summer, Thraxas is doing his best to avoid working. His plans for a spell of uninterrupted beer drinking go wrong when the Civil Guards arrest a man for murder, right in Thraxas's office. Outraged at this insult to his dignity, Thraxas goes into action. Soon he finds himself in the middle of a deadly war between rival bands of warrior monks. The situation becomes more complicated when a consignment of the King's gold goes missing. To add to his difficulties, Makri decides to shelter to a wanted criminal, which attracts unwanted attention from the city authorities. Worse, Sarin the Merciless is back in town, and the bodies are piling up at an alarming rate. This is a new edition, with an introduction by the author. less

Key Selling Points- Combining action and humor, Thraxas will appeal to readers of Terry Pratchett's Discworld series, Piers Anthony's Xanth series, Eric Flint's Philosophical Strangler novels, and Harry Turtledove's humorous fantasies, as well as anyone who thought that. The Lord of the Rings would have benefited from an occasional pie in the face... moreKey Selling Points- Combining action and humor, Thraxas will appeal to readers of Terry Pratchett's Discworld series, Piers Anthony's Xanth series, Eric Flint's Philosophical Strangler novels, and Harry Turtledove's humorous fantasies, as well as anyone who thought that. The Lord of the Rings would have benefited from an occasional pie in the face.- The first Thraxas novel won the coveted World Fantasy Award and Thraxas' adventures are an international hit, having been published in France, Japan, Russia, the Netherlands, Germany, the Czech Republic and Poland. Now Americans can find out what they've been missing.- Martin Scott is the pseudonym under which Martin Millar writes his humorous fantasy adventures about Thraxas, the sybaritic overweight private eye and man of action in a fantasy world of elves, Orcs, and mean streets. Under his own name, he has written many highly praised mainstream novels.- The Guardian called his newest novel, Suzy, Led Zeppelin and Me, "brilliant, " and the London Times raved that it is one of the few "great rock novels." Millar has been compared to Kurt Vonnegut and Armistead Maupin, and The Edinburgh Times calls him "one of Britain's most gifted underground writers." less

It's a bad day for Thraxas when he's fined in court, then threatened by two old enemies – Rittius, head of Palace Security, and Glixius Dragon killer, a very unfriendly sorcerer. Thraxas is hired by his old army commander to locate a missing painting but everything goes wrong when the commander ends up dead. Thraxas finds himself embroiled in a murder enquiry when really all he wants to be doing is gambling at the chariot races... moreIt's a bad day for Thraxas when he's fined in court, then threatened by two old enemies – Rittius, head of Palace Security, and Glixius Dragon killer, a very unfriendly sorcerer. Thraxas is hired by his old army commander to locate a missing painting but everything goes wrong when the commander ends up dead. Thraxas finds himself embroiled in a murder enquiry when really all he wants to be doing is gambling at the chariot races. At the stadium, Thraxas and Makri are obliged to assist an Orc lord when his chariot is sabotaged, and helping an Orc lord does nothing for their reputation. Turai plunges into despair as the unending rain threatens to wash the city away. With the climate, the authorities and a cunning murderer all ranged against him, can Thraxas solve his case, and, just as importantly, emerge from the chariot races with a healthy profit? This is a new edition, with an introduction by the author. less

In the fourth book of the Thraxas series, Thraxas is invited to the Elvish Island of Avula. Sailing south means he can avoid the harsh Turanian winter, and escape from Makri, who's recent behaviour has outraged all decent citizens. Makri refuses to be left behind, much to the displeasure of the Turanian Prince, who knows her Orcish blood isn't going to be welcome on any Elvish island... moreIn the fourth book of the Thraxas series, Thraxas is invited to the Elvish Island of Avula. Sailing south means he can avoid the harsh Turanian winter, and escape from Makri, who's recent behaviour has outraged all decent citizens. Makri refuses to be left behind, much to the displeasure of the Turanian Prince, who knows her Orcish blood isn't going to be welcome on any Elvish island. Once there, Thraxas finds himself involved in the puzzling case of the Elvish sacred tree, and Makri starts giving sword-fighting lessons to a very puny young Elf. As a restful holiday, Thraxas's voyage south doesn't work out as well as he hoped. There's a lot more Elvish crime than he expected, and he ends up in conflict with virtually everyone on Avula. This is a new edition with an introduction by the author. less

The city is Turai, where sorcerers and assassins-sometimes, it's hard to tell them apart-ply their wares, the rulers are corrupt, the politicians are worse, and the civic guards might try to solve a crime, except that they've really got better things to do. Overweight and somewhat uncouth, Thraxas may not look like a man of action, (and he'd rather pass on the action, thank you, and order another beer), but if you're in trouble in Turai this portly private eye is probably your only hope... moreThe city is Turai, where sorcerers and assassins-sometimes, it's hard to tell them apart-ply their wares, the rulers are corrupt, the politicians are worse, and the civic guards might try to solve a crime, except that they've really got better things to do. Overweight and somewhat uncouth, Thraxas may not look like a man of action, (and he'd rather pass on the action, thank you, and order another beer), but if you're in trouble in Turai this portly private eye is probably your only hope. Not that Thraxas himself has much hope in the first of the two complete novels in this volume-A judge has fined him almost every guran he has, two old enemies have threatened his life, and his old commander in the army, after promising a solution to Thraxas' problems, has just turned up dead. Naturally, Thraxas is the prime suspect . . . . In his second case, Thraxas has received a message from an old friend in trouble in the Elvish Isles, and since the elves have no experience in investigating, Thraxas is hired to do the legwork. Naturally, as soon as he arrives in the Isles, things start getting weird. But when the going gets weird, Thraxas gets going. . . . less

Thraxas would rather be anywhere than at the Assemblage of the Sorcerers Guild, but the perpetually indigent private eye badly needs the fee. The Guild is meeting to elect a new head sorcerer and Cicerius, the city's Deputy Consul, is determined that the new head of the Guild will be Lisutaris of Turai. Toward that end, he wants Thraxas to be an undercover agent, working behind the scenes, with a temporary appointment to the long-vacant post of Tribune of the People as cover... moreThraxas would rather be anywhere than at the Assemblage of the Sorcerers Guild, but the perpetually indigent private eye badly needs the fee. The Guild is meeting to elect a new head sorcerer and Cicerius, the city's Deputy Consul, is determined that the new head of the Guild will be Lisutaris of Turai. Toward that end, he wants Thraxas to be an undercover agent, working behind the scenes, with a temporary appointment to the long-vacant post of Tribune of the People as cover. Aside from the fee, it is not wise to say ?no? to Cicerius. But Thraxas will soon have plenty of reasons to regret taking the case: when he learns that the most deadly assassin in the Assassin Guild is coming to town, reportedly to eliminate Lisutaris; when the sorcerer most favored to win the election is murdered and Lisutaris is the prime suspect; and when it begins to seem very unlikely that Thraxas will live to collect his fee. And even if Thraxas does survive, can Turai itself survive having a loose cannon like Thraxas as a government official? less

In the enchanted city of Turai, the royal family is corrupt, the politicians can be bought, and the civic guards have better things to do than guarding. Thraxas may look unprepossessing, being overweight and not quite overbrained, and more interested in pursuit of his next glass of beer than pursuit of justice, but if you're in trouble in Turai this portly private eye is probably your only hope... moreIn the enchanted city of Turai, the royal family is corrupt, the politicians can be bought, and the civic guards have better things to do than guarding. Thraxas may look unprepossessing, being overweight and not quite overbrained, and more interested in pursuit of his next glass of beer than pursuit of justice, but if you're in trouble in Turai this portly private eye is probably your only hope. Turai is no stranger to death in all its forms-except that now a silent and insidious variety of death has entered the city, and no one knows who will die next. What they do know is that everywhere Thraxas goes in his search to recover a missing magical jewel, the mysterious death has been there first, leaving the dead or dying as its calling card. Thraxas hasn't a clue, but he does have a pressing shortage of funds, and if stopping the unseen, unknown silent killer is what it takes to recover the jewel and replenish his wallet, he'll take the job. But will he solve the mystery, or join the dance himself. . . ? less

In the enchanted city of Turai, the royal family is corrupt, the politicians can be bought, and the civic guards have better things to do than guarding. Thraxas may look unprepossessing, being overweight and not quite overbrained, and more interested in pursuit of his next glass of beer than pursuit of justice, but if you're in trouble in Turai this portly private eye is probably your only hope. Winter's on its way to Turai, and so are an army of Orcs... moreIn the enchanted city of Turai, the royal family is corrupt, the politicians can be bought, and the civic guards have better things to do than guarding. Thraxas may look unprepossessing, being overweight and not quite overbrained, and more interested in pursuit of his next glass of beer than pursuit of justice, but if you're in trouble in Turai this portly private eye is probably your only hope. Winter's on its way to Turai, and so are an army of Orcs. Thraxas may have been a hero of the last Orc War (according to him) but he's got absolutely no intention of getting mixed up in this battle and is planning to keep his head well down--preferably buried in a big steak pie. Unfortunately, his next case has him in an investigation at the war ministry. A Senior Councilor has been murdered. With a cake . . . less

In the enchanted city of Turai, the royal family is corrupt, the politicians can be bought, and the civil guards have better things to do than guarding. Thraxas, the overweight and somewhat disreputable private eye working out of an even more disreputable neighborhood, has often grumbled about that sorry state of affairs. Unfortunately, the state of affairs has suddenly gotten much worse, and Thraxas has more to worry about than where his next meal and beer are coming from... moreIn the enchanted city of Turai, the royal family is corrupt, the politicians can be bought, and the civil guards have better things to do than guarding. Thraxas, the overweight and somewhat disreputable private eye working out of an even more disreputable neighborhood, has often grumbled about that sorry state of affairs. Unfortunately, the state of affairs has suddenly gotten much worse, and Thraxas has more to worry about than where his next meal and beer are coming from. The city is under siege by an army of rampaging Orcs, and now he not only has to regularly take part in standing guard duty on the stout walls, the only thing between the Orcs and Turai's destruction, but he also has a mystery to solve. A ship has managed to slip past the hordes of Orcs and made port in Turai. It was carrying a powerful magical talisman called the "Ocean Storm" which, used by the enemy, could raise a storm powerful enough to topple the city walls and let the Orcs in to pillage and slaughter. And it, along with the captain of the ship, mysteriously disappeared as soon as the ship had docked. If Thraxas doesn't locate the "Ocean Storm" before it falls into the wrong hands, Turai will be doomed. Which could seriously interfere with the big card game that Thraxas had been looking forward to . . . less

Thraxas and Makri drift ashore in the distant land of Samsarina, in the company of Lisutaris, Head of the Sorcerers Guild. After a miserable voyage on a leaky fishing boat, Thraxas just wants to drink beer, but there are other matters to attend to. Turai has fallen to the enemy, and the armies of the West are gathering. Before war breaks out, there's the great sword-fighting tournament, which gives Thraxas the chance of almost unlimited gambling, if only he can persuade Makri to enter... moreThraxas and Makri drift ashore in the distant land of Samsarina, in the company of Lisutaris, Head of the Sorcerers Guild. After a miserable voyage on a leaky fishing boat, Thraxas just wants to drink beer, but there are other matters to attend to. Turai has fallen to the enemy, and the armies of the West are gathering. Before war breaks out, there's the great sword-fighting tournament, which gives Thraxas the chance of almost unlimited gambling, if only he can persuade Makri to enter. Makri is surprised to find herself looking after a baby dragon, and even more surprised to discover that Thraxas has a romantic past, one which leads them into a murder investigation in an unfamiliar land, where hostile forces oppose them at every turn. This is the ninth book in the Thraxas series. less

In the tenth book of the series, armies are gathering. It's time for Thraxas and Makri to march back towards Turai. Lisutaris is War Leader and she trusts Thraxas enough to make him her personal security officer. Captain Thraxas is given the difficult task of outwitting Deeziz the Unseen, the enemy's most powerful sorcerer. He could do with some help from Makri. Unfortunately Makri spends most of her time hiding from the Elf with whom she once had an unsatisfactory relationship... moreIn the tenth book of the series, armies are gathering. It's time for Thraxas and Makri to march back towards Turai. Lisutaris is War Leader and she trusts Thraxas enough to make him her personal security officer. Captain Thraxas is given the difficult task of outwitting Deeziz the Unseen, the enemy's most powerful sorcerer. He could do with some help from Makri. Unfortunately Makri spends most of her time hiding from the Elf with whom she once had an unsatisfactory relationship. Thraxas is relieved to meet a few familiar faces, refugees from Turai, but as he tries to prevent Deeziz from ruining the war effort, he finds himself baffled, outmanoeuvred, and badly in need of beer. less