⭐️ 📚 Looks interesting 🙂☕️📖
Could be worth checking out…
Category: Book Reviews
Book Suggestions: The Choice of Magic, Michael G. Manning (2019).
This was recommended to me by a friend. Could be worth checking out 👍👌📚📖
Abstract
The ancient magic of wizards was anything but dark. It was the enlightenment that lifted humanity from the squalor of superstition, and the worship of fell spirits and capricious gods, but those days are gone. The shining glory of the sorcerers burned away the subtlety of wisdom, replacing it with easy power, held only in the hands of the elite—a new age built upon the elemental supremacy of aristocrats and the ignorance of the masses.
But this will change, for the greatest power comes with knowledge, and the deeper teachings of wizardry have not been utterly lost. The last wizard of the old tradition still survives in solitude, nursing tired grudges and waiting for death.
His passing might have gone unnoticed, but for the imposition of a youth too stubborn to accept his refusal to take an apprentice. With a new student comes new hope, and that hope has caused old powers to stir again. That the world will change is inevitable, but the shape of the future is anything but certain.
Book Review: Shadowless, by Randall McNally (2017).
This is most definitely a fantastically original novel by an intriguing author. Shadowless is a clever an inventive story based on the idea that Gods are quite evil and have committed so very horrific crimes on the humans over which they preside. One heinous act is to rape mortal women, bringing about children born with magic in their blood, abilities and skills of the God who fathered them. All this bit minus the very important Shadow.
The novel is written in a way that I found to be quite confusing. In a way, it comes across as several different stories only coming together much later in the book. I am honestly unsure if this what caused my attention to drift or if I was merely confused with each tale not constantly coinciding with the last. But once the characters finally meet and unite under a single goal things start to get interesting. Amrodan may not be as genuinely good as he so fantastically portrays.
I found the storyline itself to be exciting and action packed with a number of twists that easily shocked and surprised at each turn. Ultimately the story is original and unique and so is the way it is delivered to readers. I feel that there is much more to this story and there will likely be some great tales to follow on.
Overall I enjoyed this book Shadowless and would recommend it to readers who enjoy fantasy and action. Something a little different to the gods of old. I give this book a rating of 8.5/10 stars.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Book Recommendations: Sorcery of Thorns, by Margaret Rogerson (2019).
Something about this title made me take a second look. Could be my love of anything remotely fantasy, or the fact my first beloved series which introduced me to the fantasy genre was based around the concept of witchcraft and the learned magic of witches. Whatever the reason, I think it could be worth the read.
Abstract
All sorcerers are evil. Elisabeth has known that as long as she has known anything. Raised as a foundling in one of Austermeer’s Great Libraries, Elisabeth has grown up among the tools of sorcery—magical grimoires that whisper on shelves and rattle beneath iron chains. If provoked, they transform into grotesque monsters of ink and leather.
Then an act of sabotage releases the library’s most dangerous grimoire, and Elisabeth is implicated in the crime. With no one to turn to but her sworn enemy, the sorcerer Nathaniel Thorn, and his mysterious demonic servant, she finds herself entangled in a centuries-old conspiracy. Not only could the Great Libraries go up in flames, but the world along with them.
As her alliance with Nathaniel grows stronger, Elisabeth starts to question everything she’s been taught—about sorcerers, about the libraries she loves, even about herself. For Elisabeth has a power she has never guessed, and a future she could never have imagined.
Book Review: Eragon, by Christopher Paolini (2002).
My love of Dragons is what ultimately made my decision to read this novel. It has been on my must read list for a long time, and has been set aside many times for other purposes. However, it is definitely a book that should have been read much sooner! Eragon is most definitely a novel worth reading, delighting readers with adventure and a beautiful story about the relationship between a boy and his Dragon.
The story begins with Eragon, a somewhat average boy on the verge of entering manhood, whom had been raised by his uncle alongside his cousin Roran. However, Eragon’s quiet life quickly changes once he comes in contact with a Dragon’s egg. Deciding to keep the egg, Eragon’s hides and raises Saphira, and soon learns he has been chosen by his dragon the bece a fabled Dragon Rider. It isn’t long before what was first thought to be simply an old storyteller, turns out to be an especially proficient ally. Brom is able to tell Eragon a lot of what he had wondered and not had anyone to ask before.
It isn’t long before the introduction of Urgels and Shades make the adventure begin and our hero’s are driven into a journey that doesn’t necessarily hold their best interests at heart. Frrought with danger at every corner, Eragon, Saphira and Brom attempt feats few have manage to succeed in the past.
What I found to be fascinating in the “warm and fuzzy” realm would have to be the close relationship that is quickly founded between Dragon and rider. There is a deep connection that I feel neither of them truly understand in the beginning but blossoms into something great. I especially love the way Saphira endears him with the title “little one”. It’s double meaning really makes me giggle.
Overall, I feel that this is one of the lighter feel books on terms of Fantasy novels but absolutely worth the read. I have enjoyed this book and recommend this book to anyone who has a love for Dragon’s. I give Eragon by Christopher Paolini a rating of 9/10 stars.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Book Review: Limited Wish, by Mark Lawrence (2019).
Another outstanding mission full of futuristic notions, time travel, and of course D&D! Mark Lawrence has not disappointed in his second book Limited Wish. Although life has changed somewhat for Nick, he is still a teenage boy just trying to get through life on a day to day basis. His circle of friends rally close and help him as best they can but things continue to get stranger and much more complicated.
As Nick soon realises, once time has been changed there is bound to be a reaction to this action eventually. There was no way this was going to be an easy happily ever after story. In fact it turns out that the future may entail a little love and child if the timeline Nick sees comes together. However, when Demus suddenly arrives yet again although somewhat different from the man he had met 6 months earlier it becomes even more complex as the is now a paradoxical timeline that no one had foreseen happen at all. At least not that Nick realises anyway. How could he? It hasn’t happened to him yet!
I have to admit I found the confusion and humour of Nicks story thoroughly enjoyable. It is always nice to read something as crazy as time travel when it has the humour and imagination of Mark Lawrence to walk things along. I don’t want to give away too much of the storyline as I honestly found this to be an enjoyable read and I think there will be a lot of readers that will enjoy this.
Overall I feel that Limited Wish, as well as its predecessor One Word Kill are well worth the read. Who knew D&D could change they way the future can be enacted or at least influence it? I recommend this novel to anyone young adult onward. I also give a rating of 10/10 stars
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Book Review: One Word Kill, by Mark Lawrence (2019).
A fantastic novel by Mark Lawrence, One Word Kill shows just how influential a game of D&D can be! Especially for the future! The scene is set in 1980s London, when D&D was a big craze and imagination wasn’t on a mobile phone or tablet of some kind. Nick is a teenager and lover of D&D, and he also has Leukemia. Nick plays D&D with his friends every Saturday, and until recently it could be said that nothing really noteworthy has happened to the group. And then Nick became sick and then Demus arrives. Elton, John, Mia, and Simon along with Nick, find themselves in the middle of an event that could potentially change the future.
I have to admit this was not what I had expected from a title authored by Mark Lawrence. However, I found that after only a few pages into the book I was hooked! As always the author plunges into rich characters and portrays them in such a way they quickly become familiar and readers find themselves completely involved in Nick Hayes’ life along with that of his friends. Nick is an awkward teen and his friends are a bunch of oddities themselves, but they love the imaginative and compelling game of D&D brings them all together each Saturday at Simon’s house. The appearance of Demus tips the group off-kilter and all kinds of strange things happen.
Other than the obvious favourite character being Nick (he is a pretty entertaining nerd if I do say so myself), I really enjoyed the role D&D has in the story. The author has not only given readers who have no actual knowledge of the workings of the game and made it seem “cool”. I found myself more often than not reading these parts of the book just for a glimpse at the imaginative stories that they come up with. The whole concept of the future just brings an intriguing twist that had me surprised at every turn.
Admittedly I found the whole time travel thing quite confusing, having to reread sections to understand properly (easier understood the second time around 😜). But that done, the whole concept is quite exciting, hoping Nick is right about the future if he takes on the challenges put in front of him and his friends.
Overall, I have found this utterly intriguing and have loved every minute of Mark Lawrence wit and intense imagination. This book would suit any age group, from young adult up. It definitely has been a journey! I hope that the following novel in this series is just as good. I give this book a rating of 10/10 stars.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
