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Old Sorcery: An Absurdist Epic Fantasy Novel

Created by The Arcanist: Fantasy Publishing, LLC

Old Sorcery by James Callan is the story of three heroes (and one badass necromancer) captured by machinations of the most powerful sorcerer in the wide world of Garden. Witty and hilarious, deep and nuanced, this is a tale for the ages.

Latest Updates from Our Project:

Thank you for making this happen. Here's what's next.
25 days ago – Tue, Mar 24, 2026 at 11:41:00 AM

Howdy folks!

I'm blown away. We closed our campaign with 148 backers and $6,670 raised! That was well beyond my planned "best case scenario." So, thank you! This wouldn't have happened without your support.

I'll send more detailed updates soon, but here's some reminders and estimates for when rewards will be fulfilled.

Important Reminders
  • Some payments did not go through. Double check your transaction so you get your rewards.
  • We will send out a survey to collect shipping addresses and which name you'd like printed in the book (for Journeyman, Grandmaster, and Assemble the Demon Shards tiers).
  • Shipping will likely be charged sometime in April, approximately 1 month before we plan on shipping rewards. 
ETA
  • All eBooks are available right now. Contact [email protected] if you have trouble accessing your digital content. 
  • Paperbacks and Book Club Boxes: We will order inventory in April and begin fulfilling U.S. domestic orders by May. International paperbacks will be sent directly from the printer. 
  • Hardcovers: Same story but will take longer to ship, since we need to order these from the U.K.  
  • Audiobook: This is in production and will be delivered via a BackerKit update in the coming months. Give us time, as this is a volunteer effort we're pursuing in our free time. 

Thank you so much for your help in this. If you need anything, just give us a shout ([email protected]) 

Sincerely, 
James D. Mills, EiC of The Arcanist 

3 Hours Left to Back. All Backers Get All Stretch Goals. Don't Miss Out!
26 days ago – Mon, Mar 23, 2026 at 11:00:59 AM

Howdy folks!

We did it! Yesterday, we reached our final stretch goal which means every backer will receive the following in addition to their standard pledge rewards:

  • Digital wallpapers of Callan's hand-drawn map
  • The Old Sorcery audiobook
  • Four DRM-free Arcanist eBooks

That's an incredible result, and it's entirely thanks to your support.

Now, here's what happens next: we're going into Overtime. 

BackerKit's Overtime feature means the campaign doesn't end at a hard deadline. Instead, the timer resets each time a new pledge comes in. The campaign will only close once a full period passes with no new backers. So if you've been waiting, or know someone who'd love to jump in, there's still time; every new pledge keeps the door open a little longer!

Thank you all so much. I am admittedly experiencing a bit of shell shock. We are supremely humbled by your support. 

Sincerely,
James D. Mills, EiC of The Arcanist

48 Hours Left. Get a First Look Inside the Hardcover!
28 days ago – Sat, Mar 21, 2026 at 12:09:02 PM

Howdy folks!

This is it. We're in the final 48 hours of the campaign. And the timing couldn't be better: our test copy of the Hardcover just arrived, and we couldn't wait to show you what's inside.

Check out the video below to get a first look at our Premium Hardcover:

https://youtu.be/HxrwwLG3JHo?si=v29-luO-SrbuTDnP 

3 Days Remain. 101 Backers & Counting. Can we hit our ULTIMATE stretch goal?
29 days ago – Fri, Mar 20, 2026 at 04:48:59 AM

Howdy folks!

We woke up this morning to a wonderful surprise: we now have 101 backers! 🎉

We've also blown past our second stretch goal at $4,250, unlocking digital wallpapers of Callan's beautiful hand-drawn map of Garden for every backer. Thank you all, that's a real milestone!

Now, can we go one further? We have 3 days left to reach our ultimate stretch goal at $5,500, which would unlock four DRM-free Arcanist eBooks for every single backer on top of their existing rewards.

If you haven't pledged yet, or know someone who might love what we're doing, now is the perfect time. Let's finish strong!

Sincerely,
James

FINAL DAYS: Can we make it to 100 backers?
about 1 month ago – Thu, Mar 19, 2026 at 07:55:03 AM

Howdy folks!

We're in the home stretch and we're so close on two fronts!

We're currently at 94 backers, and I truly think we can hit 100 before the campaign ends. If you've been on the fence, now is the time!

And if we can reach $5,500 before we close, every single backer will receive DRM-free eBooks of every  Arcanist novel we've put out so far on top of their existing rewards. That's four more books for free!

Thank you all so much for your support. Let's finish strong!

Sincerely,
James