Gun Magus

Steven R. McEvoy

Sep 13, 2026

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Excellent

This is the fourth novel and fifth story I have read by LaPoint. With each I am more impressed with his style, skills, and range. I had not read the description before picking this up. I picked up all his available books wile in the middle of reading the second one I read. This one has gone through a cover change. I do like the new cover, but feel it is missing the rabbit. This story reminds me a lot of Arthur Slade’s Death by Airship. But it also has the bit of a feel of playing a great D&D Adventure. I stated of another of his works that it had the feel of a mash up of Madeleine L’Engle’s Kairos stories, with Frank Peretti’s novels, with a dash of Declan Finn smattered in. It was even more so in this story. The mash up works so well. This work is different the other three novels I have read from LaPoint’s pen. The concept was unique and the execution is masterful. The characters are wonderfully written. We have a great cast of characters, a great plot that moves at a quick pace. The story is at times intense and at other times laughs out loud funny. The adventure takes place over just a few days. We begin with a rescue and shootout on our world. And end up in a fantasy realm. There is actions, battles, pirates, wizards and some dark scary parts, including a dark force controlling a ruler. There is also humour, fun and friendship, and maybe a budding romance. The pirate ship attacking a floating sentient fortress was impressive. This was another great read from LaPoint’s pen. I am excited to share it with my brother and wife and hope they love it as well. An excellent read!

In Chalk, NR LaPoint had a Catholic schoolgirl fall down a rabbit hole and end up harrowing Hell. In Dusklight, Hell came to her. In Gun Magus, if John Wick fell into the realm of Final Fantasy VI, it might be half as badass as all this. It’s an insanely fun time. On his way home after being fired from his job, Ken Jericho witnesses the kidnapping of a 10 year old girl. Being Texan, he charged in to get her out. During the firefight, he is disappeared into another world. Meanwhile, in another world, a wizard is trying to conjure up lunch, but instead, he gets Ken. And a minute or two later, hordes of monsters attack. Ken finds himself with unlimited ammo, and the mage concluding that Ken is a “Gun Magus.” The wizard—who is a six-foot tall rabbit who is NOT named Harvey—has been fighting a villain for the past year who seems ever illusive, and these are his monsters. Ken, the mage and the mage’s apprentice are off to kill the insidious SOB. Along the way, Ken and company collect others to their cause, a spider-girl, an Irish redhead woman pirate Captain, a pirate elf and a red panda Templar knight. Once again, the depth of story, character, and the seemingly infinite imagination NR LaPoint effortlessly uses throughout the story reminds me of John C Wright. We need to get those two in a room and see if they come out ready to take over the world. Or at least write a 12 part fantasy epic. This is an epic fantasy that has all the fun of fantasy, but none of the modern pretension. Basically, imagine if John Wick fell down a rabbit hole, found an actual rabbit, and now has to fight off a Dark Lord with a spider girl, a pirate, and a red panda Templar. Seriously, what’s not to love? Original review: https://upstreamreviews.substack.com/p/gunmagus2