Public sentiment has turned against the Ambride Academy of Magic, for years a respected institution, now the object of fear and anger after unleashing a bloodthirsty army of the undead on the unsuspecting populace.
It was an accident. Really.
In an effort to save the academy’s reputation, Dean Elzbet Roust launches a radical goodwill campaign to open the institution to the general public for the first time in its history. When her gambit proves successful, Roust decides to take her initiative one step further and reach out to other academies, hoping to end decades of pointless rivalries and forge promising new alliances.
When Artur Greenstone of the Academy Atébo accepts the invitation, David Everwiser is tasked with acting as Roust’s ambassador. Simple enough, right?
If it were, this would be a very short story indeed.
Immediately after David and his friends arrive in Atébo, they run afoul of the city-state’s power-hungry warden Lord Dominon, who sees in this proposed alliance an opportunity to expand his own reputation within the wardens’ court.
As if that wasn’t headache enough, the company makes another new enemy in Holmer Grimsword and His Fearless Foursome, self-styled adventurers whose epic tales of heroism are suspect at best. Eager to prove himself, Holmer throws down the gauntlet and challenges Derek, Felix, and friends to a most unusual to brave the legendary Catacombs of Despair, home of the great dragon Frughirach, and slay the mighty beast.
A mad tyrant on one side, a fire-breathing dragon on the other, and as usual, our heroes are stuck in the middle of it all.
The Adventures of Strongarm & Lightfoot – Draconian Measures is the seventh book in the award-winning* fantasy series by Michael C. Bailey (Action Figures, Well-Behaved Women). Prepare yourself for another thrilling adventure featuring a diabolical despot, a somber songstress, a windbag warrior and his cocky crew, a dreadful dragon, and most importantly, a cat.
(* = The 2016 Bella Online Ebook Awards, gold medal in fantasy fiction)
Michael C. Bailey is a professional writer from Falmouth, Massachusetts who kind of hates writing bios.
Michael has been a working writer since 1998 when he simultaneously (and at the same time) sold his first freelance article to Renaissance Magazine and landed a job as a staff reporter for the Enterprise Newspapers. Michael recently ended his time at the Enterprise to focus on his creative writing.
Over the years Michael has contributed several more articles to Renaissance Magazine and other local publications, and has since 2004 been a staff writer for two New England-based renaissance faire production companies: Pastimes Entertainment and the Connecticut Renaissance Faire.
In September 2013, Michael's debut novel "Action Figures" became available on Amazon.com.