Railroad Rising

Gunpowder magic, steam-power, adventure, and intrigue...

Carrtog, landless third son of Tsingallik and warrior trained in the use of powder magic, intends to make his way as a mercenary for hire. On his travels north, he and his personal guardsman stumble upon the royal christening of an expansion to Cragmor's burgeoning railway -- in this case a gift from the King as a sign of goodwill to the conquered north of old. When the gathered populace prove they are not there to be pacified, Carrtog isn't about to standby and do nothing. Cloaks sweep back, swords and pistols are drawn. Luckily for Carrtog, charging in might be his best chance of earning a name. But then the trap springs around the royal party and Carrtog realizes his eagerness may lead to his demise.

Worse, if he manages to survive the ensorcelled contraption and rescue the King from the depths of the rebellious north, he might find that holding the King's favor could prove more dangerous than any duel against a combat magician in the haze of battlefield smoke. He'll need more than a little wit and inventiveness to survive this uprising.

J. P. Wagner was both a sci-fi/fantasy writer and a journalist. While his editorials and informative articles could be found in publications such as the Western Producer and the Saskatoon Star Phoenix, Railroad Rising: The Black Powder Rebellion is his first published novel.

A self-proclaimed curmudgeon, but known to his family as a merry jokester, his words have brightened many lives. Sadly, J. P. Wagner passed away in 2015 before the publication of Railroad Rising: The Black Powder Rebellion.

While this may be the last book he finished before he died, it doesn't mean that this was his only book. In addition to his career in journalism, he wrote many novels throughout his lifetime. All of these works have been passed down to me, his daughter and now I will share them with you.