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The Coldwater Job: A Crucible of Legacy Novella
What dark secrets are held in the castle that sits at the edge of the world?
Before becoming embroiled in an infamous conspiracy that changed the course of history and reshaped nations, the Red Wolf and his crew took on an impossible job. In the frozen tundra of the Far North, the reclusive and mysterious mages of the Coldwater Magician’s College practice their strange magics far from the prying eye of civilization.
Hired by a mysterious benefactor known to them only as the Wizard, the crew has been tasked with conning their way into the castle for a job only the infamous band of thieves could handle. But even their limits will be tested as each member of the team is pushed passed their breaking points. As they discover just how strange the eldritch institution is, it soon becomes clear it will take everything they have to escape with their prize, their lives, and their sanity in tact.
The Coldwater Job is a novella set before the events of The Scion Conspiracy, delving into one of the most remote and dangerous corners of the Crucible of Legacy universe.
Before becoming embroiled in an infamous conspiracy that changed the course of history and reshaped nations, the Red Wolf and his crew took on an impossible job. In the frozen tundra of the Far North, the reclusive and mysterious mages of the Coldwater Magician’s College practice their strange magics far from the prying eye of civilization.
Hired by a mysterious benefactor known to them only as the Wizard, the crew has been tasked with conning their way into the castle for a job only the infamous band of thieves could handle. But even their limits will be tested as each member of the team is pushed passed their breaking points. As they discover just how strange the eldritch institution is, it soon becomes clear it will take everything they have to escape with their prize, their lives, and their sanity in tact.
The Coldwater Job is a novella set before the events of The Scion Conspiracy, delving into one of the most remote and dangerous corners of the Crucible of Legacy universe.
106 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 5, 2026
About the author
Mike Cahoon
2 books29 followersOccasional writer of things. Husband, Dad, Firefighter.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
July 30, 2026
Very nice novella, enough to give an introduction to a thieving crew that promises bigger adventures in later accounts. It can be a lil tricky when dropping in on a fully formed crew out on assignment, characters have to know what they are doing without taking a moment for formal introductions to the reader, but as these characters move through the castle there is a good amount of work done to illustrate them.
Really enjoyed the Speaker magic in its limited usage here and am interested to see how that ability is explored further in the series.
Onward!
Really enjoyed the Speaker magic in its limited usage here and am interested to see how that ability is explored further in the series.
Onward!
July 1, 2026
My rating is 4.25
Mike writes a terrific novella!
A prequel to The Scion Conspiracy, the Coldwater Job is a good time!
There is a ton of action, danger and tension, all packed in this little package.
A heist, a desperate escape and a cast of characters that really made me turn the pages.
Highly recommend!!
Mike writes a terrific novella!
A prequel to The Scion Conspiracy, the Coldwater Job is a good time!
There is a ton of action, danger and tension, all packed in this little package.
A heist, a desperate escape and a cast of characters that really made me turn the pages.
Highly recommend!!
July 1, 2026
This novella may be short, but it packs an impressive amount of action, tension, and world-building into its pages. Set within the same universe as the main series, it serves both as an engaging standalone adventure and as valuable background for readers already invested in the larger story.
The plot follows a seemingly straightforward heist that quickly spirals into something far more dangerous. What begins as a simple mission becomes a desperate fight for survival as hidden threats emerge and carefully laid plans unravel. The pacing is relentless from start to finish, with very little downtime between twists, confrontations, and escalating dangers.
One of the novella’s greatest strengths is its atmosphere. The combination of fantasy adventure, magical intrigue, and horror elements creates a sense of unpredictability that keeps the reader on edge. There are moments that feel reminiscent of a chaotic tabletop role-playing session, where every decision leads to new complications and the situation grows increasingly out of control.
The characters may not have the page count needed for deep development, but they are memorable enough to make the story engaging. Readers familiar with the series will especially appreciate the additional insight into key figures and events, while newcomers can still enjoy the adventure without feeling completely lost.
The world-building also deserves praise. Despite its shorter format, the novella expands the setting in meaningful ways, revealing new corners of the world and hinting at larger forces operating behind the scenes. It succeeds in making the universe feel bigger while maintaining a focused, self-contained narrative.
The novella accomplishes exactly what it sets out to do: deliver a thrilling, fast-paced fantasy adventure that leaves readers eager for more.
Verdict: A tense and highly entertaining fantasy novella filled with action, magical danger, and heist-gone-wrong chaos. An excellent companion to the series and a strong entry point for new readers alike.
Many thanks to Mike for the opportunity to read this novella. I thoroughly enjoyed returning to this world and appreciate the chance to share my thoughts.
The plot follows a seemingly straightforward heist that quickly spirals into something far more dangerous. What begins as a simple mission becomes a desperate fight for survival as hidden threats emerge and carefully laid plans unravel. The pacing is relentless from start to finish, with very little downtime between twists, confrontations, and escalating dangers.
One of the novella’s greatest strengths is its atmosphere. The combination of fantasy adventure, magical intrigue, and horror elements creates a sense of unpredictability that keeps the reader on edge. There are moments that feel reminiscent of a chaotic tabletop role-playing session, where every decision leads to new complications and the situation grows increasingly out of control.
The characters may not have the page count needed for deep development, but they are memorable enough to make the story engaging. Readers familiar with the series will especially appreciate the additional insight into key figures and events, while newcomers can still enjoy the adventure without feeling completely lost.
The world-building also deserves praise. Despite its shorter format, the novella expands the setting in meaningful ways, revealing new corners of the world and hinting at larger forces operating behind the scenes. It succeeds in making the universe feel bigger while maintaining a focused, self-contained narrative.
The novella accomplishes exactly what it sets out to do: deliver a thrilling, fast-paced fantasy adventure that leaves readers eager for more.
Verdict: A tense and highly entertaining fantasy novella filled with action, magical danger, and heist-gone-wrong chaos. An excellent companion to the series and a strong entry point for new readers alike.
Many thanks to Mike for the opportunity to read this novella. I thoroughly enjoyed returning to this world and appreciate the chance to share my thoughts.
June 7, 2026
There’s terror in this place. A quick snatch and grab turns into something far more dangerous.
Blending horror elements (think Cthulhu) a heist goes upside down in a mages dwelling. It’s extremely exciting and full of grand D & D type adventure.
Had a blast as I did with his debut novel The Scion Conspiracy.
Excellent novella! Thanks to the author for providing this ARC.
Blending horror elements (think Cthulhu) a heist goes upside down in a mages dwelling. It’s extremely exciting and full of grand D & D type adventure.
Had a blast as I did with his debut novel The Scion Conspiracy.
Excellent novella! Thanks to the author for providing this ARC.
June 5, 2026
I've picked up this novella at Bookmatch.
A fantasy assassination with relentless action gone wrong, you say? Or right... depending on your levels of sadism. The whole sequence of events flows like an absolutely unhinged session of D&D. I adored the way Mike dropped us in the middle of everything—no explanation, no carrot, only the stick. Also, I sense that there is an incremental upping of the writing craft in both its quality and nuance vis-à-vis the first book in the series. Good signs all around. Sure, a few missed opportunities, here and there, to enhance and underpin the themes, but in the end, this mini story almost reads by itself... It felt great to re-visit this world (even its distant edges!). I for one very much enjoy the renaissance/age of discovery setting and look forward to more stories therein.
3.75 / 5.00
A fantasy assassination with relentless action gone wrong, you say? Or right... depending on your levels of sadism. The whole sequence of events flows like an absolutely unhinged session of D&D. I adored the way Mike dropped us in the middle of everything—no explanation, no carrot, only the stick. Also, I sense that there is an incremental upping of the writing craft in both its quality and nuance vis-à-vis the first book in the series. Good signs all around. Sure, a few missed opportunities, here and there, to enhance and underpin the themes, but in the end, this mini story almost reads by itself... It felt great to re-visit this world (even its distant edges!). I for one very much enjoy the renaissance/age of discovery setting and look forward to more stories therein.
3.75 / 5.00
July 22, 2026
This was a fairly good book. It moved along quickly, and I felt the action was handled well (which is good, since most of the book is action). It is a novella, which certainly had pros and cons, but the story was quite interesting.
I felt the main cast of characters were all distinct and interesting. They are all working together, and it appears they have been for some time, so their personalities have some overlap. Still, they each had enough unique traits to make them relevant. Outside the main cast, there wasn’t really much that I noticed, but that’s reasonable given the action-heavy (and short) nature of the book. There simply isn’t much time for most of the secondary characters.
The world felt really cool. I mostly didn’t know what was going on in the wider world, but it was constantly intriguing. I sort of wish there had been more information given, but the shortness of the book mostly prevented that. Still, the politics and magic of the world were still slipped into the story in a satisfying way that made me want to know more.
The plot here is simple: Sneak in, get the thing, get out. With most of the book focusing on that last part. It does its job well, given the limited time the book has to work with. There were a few actions that I wasn’t sure made complete sense, but they were easy enough to dismiss without causing me to lose sleep. XD
As for issues, I have two: Firstly, some of the descriptions grew a bit over-long. This is at least partially a personal problem, as I really can’t picture scenes in my head, so extra description mostly ends up meaningless to me. Still, I felt there were a few times where the sentences got rather long and it grew a bit hard to read, and these were generally long descriptions. It wasn’t a big deal, but it caused some minor stumbles. Secondly, I had a hard time rooting for the main characters. I think this might be because of the shortness of the book, but I didn’t really know if they were doing something good or something evil, and it made it a bit hard for me to truly invest in their success. It was still an interesting story, but I didn’t get as emotionally invested as I would have liked. This grew more complicated as the plan went awry and people started dying. I just wasn’t sure if the main characters were people I wanted to win.
Altogether, it was a pretty cool story. It was easy to read, and the world felt intriguing. It suffered slightly from not having enough backstory for the main cast, but it somewhat made up for it by being a nice quick read, which I suppose is the nature of a novella. Still, I enjoyed the time I spent reading this, and I am intrigued to see where the greater story goes.
I felt the main cast of characters were all distinct and interesting. They are all working together, and it appears they have been for some time, so their personalities have some overlap. Still, they each had enough unique traits to make them relevant. Outside the main cast, there wasn’t really much that I noticed, but that’s reasonable given the action-heavy (and short) nature of the book. There simply isn’t much time for most of the secondary characters.
The world felt really cool. I mostly didn’t know what was going on in the wider world, but it was constantly intriguing. I sort of wish there had been more information given, but the shortness of the book mostly prevented that. Still, the politics and magic of the world were still slipped into the story in a satisfying way that made me want to know more.
The plot here is simple: Sneak in, get the thing, get out. With most of the book focusing on that last part. It does its job well, given the limited time the book has to work with. There were a few actions that I wasn’t sure made complete sense, but they were easy enough to dismiss without causing me to lose sleep. XD
As for issues, I have two: Firstly, some of the descriptions grew a bit over-long. This is at least partially a personal problem, as I really can’t picture scenes in my head, so extra description mostly ends up meaningless to me. Still, I felt there were a few times where the sentences got rather long and it grew a bit hard to read, and these were generally long descriptions. It wasn’t a big deal, but it caused some minor stumbles. Secondly, I had a hard time rooting for the main characters. I think this might be because of the shortness of the book, but I didn’t really know if they were doing something good or something evil, and it made it a bit hard for me to truly invest in their success. It was still an interesting story, but I didn’t get as emotionally invested as I would have liked. This grew more complicated as the plan went awry and people started dying. I just wasn’t sure if the main characters were people I wanted to win.
Altogether, it was a pretty cool story. It was easy to read, and the world felt intriguing. It suffered slightly from not having enough backstory for the main cast, but it somewhat made up for it by being a nice quick read, which I suppose is the nature of a novella. Still, I enjoyed the time I spent reading this, and I am intrigued to see where the greater story goes.
August 3, 2026
A heist on a bunch of wizards? Yes please!
June 22, 2026
I greatly enjoyed The Coldwater Job! This novella added a lot of backstory around one of The Scion Conspiracy’s ( book 1 of the Crucible of Legacy series) main characters (the Red Wolf & his crew) and to me completely broadened the overarching things at play in the series. Tons of action, great back story, and the promise of exciting things to come in the series!
If you haven’t read this novella or the completed first book in the series (The Scion Conspiracy), I definitely recommend picking them up. You don’t want to miss out on the Crucible of Legacy series!
If you haven’t read this novella or the completed first book in the series (The Scion Conspiracy), I definitely recommend picking them up. You don’t want to miss out on the Crucible of Legacy series!
June 10, 2026
I hope you all enjoy reading this prequel novella as much as I enjoyed writing it! It’s available to download for free for subscribers to my newsletter at;
https://mikecahoon.com/newsletter/
https://mikecahoon.com/newsletter/
July 16, 2026
4.5 rounded up.
I really enjoyed this! The magic system and the college setting actually reminded my time playing Skyrim, and if anything can remind me of those cherished times—it deserves a high rating!
But on top of that, the story was very intriguing and the writing is very well done. I did an immersive read with the audiobook and I really enjoyed it.
Looking forward to reading the next book of the series!!
I really enjoyed this! The magic system and the college setting actually reminded my time playing Skyrim, and if anything can remind me of those cherished times—it deserves a high rating!
But on top of that, the story was very intriguing and the writing is very well done. I did an immersive read with the audiobook and I really enjoyed it.
Looking forward to reading the next book of the series!!
July 10, 2026
Thanks to Mike for the free copy from his newsletter!! Go join the newsletter, people. (งಠ_ಠ)ง
I read the Scion Conspiracy before, so was very excited to read The Coldwater Job. This was action-packed and I loved how he included the perspectives from all the characters, it made it read just like a fast-paced heist movie. It was a well written and executed prequel, and has me wanting to go back and re-read the Scion Conspiracy to see what I may have missed.
I read the Scion Conspiracy before, so was very excited to read The Coldwater Job. This was action-packed and I loved how he included the perspectives from all the characters, it made it read just like a fast-paced heist movie. It was a well written and executed prequel, and has me wanting to go back and re-read the Scion Conspiracy to see what I may have missed.
July 14, 2026
Always love me a heist story, and this is a fun one. High stakes and exciting action really helped me fly through this one.
July 12, 2026
Reading this novella kept me interested and engrossed until the end. It told an incredibly tight story that was focused very much on its surroundings and cast. I thought the page economy was used well and really showed potential for the larger world of the main series.
The writing was very detailed and reminded me of the fantasy books from the 90s and 2000s with its depth of description and action. The descriptive detail occasionally pushed beyond my more modern preference, but fans of classic fantasy will love it. At one point, I felt some of the antagonists could have used a bit more variation, but I fully understand why those decisions were made.
Overall, a great introduction to the series and a promising showcase of the author’s voice. I’m looking forward to what comes next.
The writing was very detailed and reminded me of the fantasy books from the 90s and 2000s with its depth of description and action. The descriptive detail occasionally pushed beyond my more modern preference, but fans of classic fantasy will love it. At one point, I felt some of the antagonists could have used a bit more variation, but I fully understand why those decisions were made.
Overall, a great introduction to the series and a promising showcase of the author’s voice. I’m looking forward to what comes next.
July 1, 2026
A fun and short read with a great mystery behind it!
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews