Reading order
| # | Title | Published | Author | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Blacksmith’s Son | 2011 | Michael G. Manning | Buy |
| 2 | The Line Of Illeniel | 2011 | Michael G. Manning | Buy |
| 3 | The Archmage Unbound | 2012 | Michael G. Manning | Buy |
| 4 | The God-Stone War | 2013 | Michael G. Manning | Buy |
| 5 | The Final Redemption | 2014 | Michael G. Manning | Buy |
The Mageborn series by Michael G. Manning is a five-book epic fantasy beginning with The Blacksmith’s Son in 2011. The series follows a young man who discovers he has inherited magical abilities, tracing his journey from an ordinary upbringing through magical education and into conflict with forces that threaten the world he has come to protect.
Manning published all five books between 2011 and 2014, establishing the world, magic system, and cast of characters that would carry through his subsequent series. The Mageborn series is the foundation of Manning’s shared world, and readers who plan to explore the companion and sequel series will want to start here for the essential background. The books build steadily in scope from personal to world-level stakes across the five entries.
The series draws on traditional epic fantasy conventions – a chosen protagonist, a clearly defined magic system, mentors and antagonists, and a world in danger – while Manning’s detailed world-building gives the setting a distinctiveness that rewards readers who invest in the full five-book arc.