The War Against the Assholes

Mike Wood is a teenager at a decidedly unprestigious Catholic school in Manhattan, accustomed to solving problems using brawn rather than brains.

One day, his nerdy classmate Hob Callahan persuades him to read a mysterious old book of unknown authorship, The Calendar of Slights. On the face of things, the book is a guide to performing clever card tricks; but in fact, it is a test for recruiting new members to join a secret cell of radical magicians.

Amazingly, Mike passes with flying colours unlocking not only his potential magic powers - but also the door to New York City's vast and hidden underground network of warlocks, sorcerers and mages.

Here, with Hob as his unlikely guide, Mike's role as a steadfast soldier begins. For there is a war being waged. A war between rivalling factions of magicians that has spanned the ages. A clandestine war against the establishment: a war against The Assholes.

“Somehow Sam Munson has you believing in his urban-teen-grift-noir-magician-brawl from paragraph one. WAR AGAINST THE ASSHOLES is original, sharp and mean and it crackles with attitude and style. Death to the assholes! Long live the assholes!”

-- Paul Tremblay, author of A HEAD FULL OF GHOSTS
Lev Grossman's The Magicians series on acid SFSignal
I would give a thumbs up merely for the title alone: Fortunately, there's more to the book than the fabulous title -- John Scalzi

Sam Munson is the author of The November Criminals and The War Against the Assholes. His writing has appeared in The New York Times, n+1, The Times Literary Supplement, The Wall Street Journal, The National, The Daily Beast, Commentary, Tablet, The New York Observer, The Utopian, and numerous other publications.

Mike Wood is a regular teenager at a Manhattan Catholic school. One day, his classmate Hob Callahan persuades him to read a mysterious old book of unknown authorship: The Calendar of Slights . On the face of things, the book is a guide to performing clever card tricks; but in fact, it is a test to recruit new members into a secret cell of radical magicians. Ordinarily Mike is more brawn than brains but, astoundingly, he passes Hob's test with flying colours. The Calendar of Slights not only unlocks Mike's potential magical powers - but also introduces him to New York City's vast and hidden underground network of warlocks, sorcerers and mages. Here, with Hob as his unlikely guide, Mike's role as a steadfast soldier begins. For there is a war being waged. A war that has spanned the ages. A clandestine war against the magical establishment: a war against The Assholes. Melior Audere : it's better to dare.

Mike Wood is a teenager at a decidedly unprestigious Catholic school in Manhattan, accustomed to solving problems using brawn rather than brains. One day, his nerdy classmate Hob Callahan persuades him to read a mysterious old book of unknown authorship, The Calendar of Slights. On the face of things, the book is a guide to performing clever card tricks; but in fact, it is a test for recruiting new members to join a secret cell of radical magicians. Amazingly, Mike passes with flying colours unlocking not only his potential magic powers - but also the door to New York City's vast and hidden underground network of warlocks, sorcerers and mages. Here, with Hob as his unlikely guide, Mike's role as a steadfast soldier begins. For there is a war being waged. A war between rivalling factions of magicians that has spanned the ages. A clandestine war against the establishment: a war against The Assholes.

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