Wizard Tag
The Hellequin Chronicles by Steve McHugh are great mystery novels that you can enjoy one-by-one, and if you love magic and action, these books are for you!
Instead of a book review, this is a universe review for multiple series written by Steve McHugh. This review will be broad and avoid too many spoilers.
Wizard’s Library: The Hellequin Chronicles by Steve McHugh
How many books are in the Hellequin Chronicles series?
This is a little bit of a complicated answer and the large number should not scare you away if you are a fantasy fan, especially if you like great magic systems.
There are sixteen books in the Hellequin Universe.
There are ten books (including one novella) that Steve McHugh wrote which are called The Hellequin Chronicles. Then there is a trilogy about some of the supporting cast, which is called the Avalon Chronicles and has related storylines. The Rebellion Chronicles is another trilogy about the main character from the Hellequin books.
Is it worth reading a series that has so many books and multiple spinoffs?
The Hellequin series is really great if you like epic serial tales. Each book contains at least one mystery, but they all tie in together in an overarching tale that is the culmination of thousands of years of events.
The main character is Nathaniel Garret, and is a likable Private Investigator-type or contractor-type. He starts off the series having lost much of his memory, which is really the first mystery and allows the tried and true literary device; fish-out-of-water to succeed. You really become sympathetic to Nate and since he has lost his memory, he also doesn’t truly know what he is capable of.
This solves another problem in fantasy stories with powerful main characters. The problem of being OP! This guy starts off with some impressive skills, but much like Harry Dresden from the Dresden Files by Jim Butcher or John McClane from the Die Hard movie series, he still manages to get his butt kicked often. Often you can see that he barely scrapes through, but you know he is going back later to take care of business!
There is a subplot about his true identity and powers that runs through the series. It involves curses that were put on him that are slowly (over centuries) fading away and allowing Nate access to more of his power. So, he gets more and more powerful, but we are constantly reminded that no matter how good you are, there is always someone better, stronger, faster, etc.
In order to survive, Nate has to rely on more than just his strength and power. He uses a combination of technology, magic, friends, preparation, and luck to survive and thrive!
The Avalon Trilogy is about characters you will come to love, and the Rebellion Trilogy is about a time when Nate loses all magic and has to figure out how to get it back and how to help people without his magic. They all advance the overall story, so that is a good reason to read them!
Five cool things about the Hellequin setting:
- It takes place in the modern world.
- The hidden magical creatures and powers that be, have access to technology a step above the humans (so science fiction and fantasy together)!
- The locations jump from London to small mountain towns in the Pacific Northwest, but they are all detailed and vibrant.
- There is a magical system that allows access between worlds.
- Locations from various well-known mythologies are key to the overall plot.
The variety of characters in the Hellequin Chronicles:
- The universe includes characters who are non-human taken from Arthurian Legends.
- Olympians and Norse gods and goddesses play big roles in the stories, but not as gods; rather as non-human magicians, elementals, and other magical creatures with great longevity.
- The main characters are inextricably linked to the gods and myths that we have read so much about.
- Some characters that you think you know from mythology may start out one way, but few of them have static personalities, and some will surprise you entirely!
Three Good Reasons to Start Reading the Hellequin Chronicles:
- The descriptions of magic and magic battles are excellent! Each battle is detailed and they are all page-turners! You want to get through them just to get to the next encounter!
- The main character is a proper hero with a great moral code, loyalty to a small group of friends, and determination against all odds.
- It could all be happening right now in front of our eyes. This is a tale explaining how the magical world conceals itself and polices itself, but is really dominant over the mundane!
Share your thoughts in the comments below!
- Have you read any of the Hellequin novels and which is your favorite?
- What do you think of the mythological tie-ins?
- Are you ever interested in spinoffs featuring supporting characters?
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