Sign-In
Cart
A Curmudgeon's Reckoning: A Bartholomew Quill Short Story
Paperback
Series: Bartholomew Quill, Book 1
Publisher: Independently Published
Published: Jul 17 2025
Pages: 70
Weight: 0.21
Height: 0.18 Width: 6.00 Depth: 9.00
Language: English
Bartholomew Quill just wanted to be left alone. A man of precise habits and even more precise magical skills, he'd meticulously crafted a retirement of quiet contemplation in his unassuming cottage in Bridlington's Old Town. His days were filled with arcane horticulture, obscure treatises, and, most importantly, perfectly brewed tea from his beloved Ever-Brewing Kettle of Solace.
But when a petty magical rogue dares to steal his cherished kettle, Barty's hard-won peace shatters. In a moment of profound indignation and accidental over-channeling, he unleashes a forbidden spell, triggering an arcane alarm across the hidden magical world. Suddenly, Bartholomew Quill-the legendary Enforcer who thought he was out-is reluctantly back in play.
Now, hunted by relentless magical assassins, plagued by bureaucratic wizards armed with terrifying paperwork, and navigating a hidden underworld that's equal parts dangerous and absurd, Barty must recover his kettle. But the theft was merely a spark in a larger, far more pedantic plot orchestrated by a sorcerer obsessed with order.
Join Barty and his perpetually disgruntled Shadow-Moth companion, Murmur, on a journey through magically expanded car interiors, chaotic aquarium bazaars, and soul-crushing government offices. Can one curmudgeonly wizard, armed with an enchanted umbrella and a profound aversion to fuss, outwit an entire magical world that insists on being inconvenient?
A Curmudgeon's Reckoning is a witty, action-packed short story for anyone who enjoys the intricate hidden worlds of magic, the relentless pursuit of justice (or, in Barty's case, peace), and the dry, satirical humour of a universe that takes itself far too seriously. If you like your fantasy with a healthy dose of exasperation and a perfectly brewed cuppa, this one's for you.
Also from
Hope, Jim
Also in
Mystery & Thriller
The Underworld U.S.A. Trilogy, Volume I: American Tabloid, the Cold Six Thousand; Introduction by Thomas Mallon
Ellroy, James
Hardcover
Coffin Road: An Utterly Gripping Crime Thriller from the Author of the China Thrillers
May, Peter
Paperback
Sabine's Notebook: In Which the Extraordinary Correspondence of Griffin & Sabine Continues
Bantock, Nick
Hardcover
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Movie Tie-In Edition): Book 1 of the Millennium Trilogy
Larsson, Stieg
Paperback
The Golden Mean: In Which the Extraordinary Correspondence of Griffin & Sabine Concludes
Bantock, Nick
Hardcover
Big Little Truths: Reese's Book Club: A Novel: The Sequel to Big Little Lies
Moriarty, Liane
Hardcover
The Pirate Queen: A Novel from the New York Times Bestselling Author of the Frozen River
Lawhon, Ariel
Hardcover
The Altar of Pergamon: The Mystery of the Dark Angel and the Future of the World
Cahn, Jonathan
Hardcover