Sea Cliff, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/12/2014 -- While nobody can deny Fantasy literature’s recent boom on popularity, many critics and readers demand more unique creations with less ‘recycling’ on the part of authors. Filling this gap not only with a wholly-unique narrative, but with a true fusion of fact of fiction, is author Richard J. Stuart.

In collaboration with illustrator Theresa Flaherty, Stuart has devised and published ‘Path of the Magi’ – the first volume in the ‘Tales of Tiberius’ series. This isn’t just fantasy – but a literary display of serious magic and bold history.

Synopsis:

In the tradition of Merlin, Maugris, and Prospero, comes the story of a new wizard, Tiberius Fuller, the magus, in his first fantasy adventure. Tiberius Fuller was an honorable and respectable young man, with a fiancée and a future.

Anyone suggesting he would ever have anything to do with magic would have been laughed out of town. That he would suddenly drop everything to follow the Path of the Magi and then confront a Dragon was unthinkable. So, of course, that's exactly what happened...

As the author explains, he didn’t want to release a story that was either 100% implausible or taking the fantasy genre in too light of a direction.

“Don’t get me wrong – my narrative is highly entertaining, but also laden with heaps of thought-provoking subject matter. For example, the fantasy world is based on real world lost colonies, like Roanoke and Vineland. Magic isn't taken lightly but treated as something serious and dangerous. Our protagonist is the Red Adair of magicians, using magic to stop the most treacherous magicians in the same way Red Adair used fires to put out fires, knowing all the while he is working with something dangerous and unpredictable,” says Stuart – a third generation magician.

Continuing, “There’s a subtle Christian message to delight fans of Tolkien, and plenty of high-fantasy adventure for those who grew up with stories such as King Arthur and the Chronicles of Narnia. At the same time, I didn’t let any previous works mold my story – everything is original and guaranteed to give readers something new.”

Stuart also takes his project beyond the pages of its book, with an action-packed website.

“My website contains a map of the border lands, interviews with my characters and previews of artworks that are in development for upcoming books. This is an entire immersive experience, not just a story,” he adds.

‘Path of the Magi’ is available now: http://amzn.to/1csnJSO.

For more information, visit the series’ official website: http://www.talesoftiberius.com.

About Richard J. Stuart
Richard J. Stuart is a third generation magician, who, as a past President of the Society of American Magicians prestigious Parent Assembly, is heir to the secret writings of Harry Houdini. Richard is knowledgeable about magic from every direction, including the dangers that real magic can present. He has taught Bible studies, attended seminars on the S.A.M.’s psychic investigations, studied ancient texts on sorcery and Elizabethan magic, toured the fairy rings in England, and even written a nonfiction article on “Wizard’s weapon use,” for the gaming magazine, “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice.” He has written fiction for “Aboriginal Science Fiction” and was a staff writer for Prentice Hall’s tax publications division for six years.

He's also a noted historian having given award winning lectures on American History for the Daughters of the American Revolution and the Daughters of 1812 Society. His article, "The Naval War of 1812 in Three-and-a-half ships" was published in the News-Letter of the National Society of the United States Daughters of 1812

Richard is an accomplished scholar with three degrees: a BS in finance from Ohio State University, a degree in law from St. John’s, and an MBA from Owen business school at Vanderbilt University. He studied literature, art, and history on summer study at Oxford University, New College. Richard is admitted to the Bar in the State of New York. His interest in Magic has been life long, winning his first Magic award at the age of six. In his spare time, he is a judge of the prestigious DRAGON Award for excellence in Magic. Athletically, Richard has studied Aikido, Karate, Judo, archery, wrestling and fencing. He is also an accomplished dancer. Currently, he resides in Long Island, New York, near the American Museum of Natural History where he has been spotted researching dinosaurs for a forthcoming novel.