The Wand-Maker's Debate

Osric's Wand #1

by Jack D. Albrecht Jr., Ashley Delay

Osric's Wand, The Wand-Maker's Debate is a fantastic novel that captures the imagination and holds on tight. ~The Kindle Book Review Albrecht and Delay are certainly a couple of authors to keep an eye on...Harry Potter, Lord Of The Rings, Narnia... If you have the remotest level of enjoyment from these stories, Osric's Wand will definitely be one for you. ~J Bryden Lloyd A great novel. Well written and inventive. The authors create a wonderful new world to explore and characters to fall in love with. A book to get lost in! ~ Lauren, Amazon.com reviewer Osric was content with his life, keeping the peace in a bustling trading town and honoring the tradition of the hunt. All was well in the world of Archana as leaders from every realm gathered to sign an unprecedented peace treaty--when disaster struck. Osric’s life will be forever changed as he sets out on a journey to find the culprit behind a murderous attack. Osric is joined by Archana’s greatest wand-maker, an argumentative prairie dog; an Empath and Maiden of the Unicorn; his closest childhood friend Kenneth, an exceptional hunter; and a dual-wielding dwarf with a soft spot for dragons. Soon the companions realize that something more sinister has been brewing for decades, and their long-held beliefs are challenged. They must master new magic and solve the riddles of prophecy, and Osric must accept that the quiet life he dreamed of may never be his reality. The Wand-Maker’s Debate is only the beginning. Look for the other novels in the Osric’s Wand series--Book The High-Wizard’s Hunt and Book The Well of Strands Watch for Book The Weaving of Wells coming soon!

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Magic, Adventure, Fiction, Dragons, Epic Fantasy

205 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 28, 2011

About the author

Jack D. Albrecht Jr. resides in Colorado. He is a devoted father and a full time student. His new found passion for writing consumes most of his time, but once in a while he can still be found under the hood of a car or studying for his Pharmaceutical degree. Jack has been an avid reader for most of his life, with Sci-Fi and fantasy being his favorite genres. Osric's Wand: The Wand-Maker's Debate (A Kindle Best Seller) is his first novel, co-authored by Ashley Delay.

Reviews

[Dianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

The chaos began on Archana when the world leaders gathered to sign a treaty for peace, something that has never been achieved. Tragedy strikes, leaders die and answers must be found. Who did this? With a worldwide war in the offing, Osric must journey far to stop the inevitable from happening.

In a world filled with magic, unicorns, enslaved dragons and unknown powers to be revealed, Osric sets out with his best friend and fellow soldier, the world’s greatest Wand-Maker, snarky, but knowledgeable creature and a beautiful magical Maiden of the Unicorn, whose calm and angelic features may be stealing Osric’s heart. Their fates lie in an ancient prophecy, but only their bravery and the gifts bestowed on Osric will keep them safe.

Travel on the back of a flying dragon, meet huge eagles, survive the visions that have been seen and witness the birth of the powers of magic. Osric’s Wand by Jack D. Albrecht Jr. and Ashley Delay is a journey into the realm of magic and fantasy written for younger readers that brings the flight of a dragon to life, where the honor of the characters feels real and the dangers they encounter are something only the mind can truly see. Wonderful descriptions bring each scene to life, as all types of creatures speak, perform magic and learn to work together as allies. Some characters are quirky, some have sharp tongues and some are the quiet heroes that make fantasy and history breathe.

A wonderful look into another world, a magical journey and a quest for the good of all that couldn't succeed without friendship and trust.

I received this copy from the authors in exchange for my honest review.

Series: Osric's Wand - Book 1
Publication Date: August 28, 2011
Publisher: CreateSpace
ISBN-13: 9781466269477
Genre: Fantasy
Print Length: 205 pages
Available from: Amazon |  Barnes & Nobl
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com

[John Blackport · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm putting the spoilers near the bottom.

The hero and conflict of this story is the closest thing I've seen to an attempt to set a fantasy story in a post-9/11 world.

Like many fantasy heroes, Osric wants peace. However, he's not a completely inoffensive Bilbo Baggins, or a clueless farm boy. He trains for, and embraces, the challenging role of a "Vigile". Unlike most fantasy heroes, he eschews the "proactive" role of taking the fight to the enemy --- indeed, he hopes there will *be* no enemy, and takes a job that he hopes will maximize the chance of diplomacy prevailing. The importance of his sword-arm takes a back seat to other, less sexy heroic virtues: sensitivity, perception and vigilance.

Osric isn't a genius. He's intelligent enough to do his job, but his thinking tends to be linear and straightforward, without many flashes of creativity or inspiration. He can take a long time to absorb surprises that pop up during the story.

The authors triumph in that this gives him limitations, but does not make him boring. In fact, it paradoxically does the opposite. I found Osric refreshing precisely *because* the authors resisted the temptation to make him into some kind of "man of mystery". He's charismatic, but not in a larger-than-life way -- he's almost more of an anti-hero than a hero. If I knew Osric, I would try to help him --- not because I'd think he was just the man to save the world, but because I feel comfortable around him, and trust his word and his intentions. He's the kind of guy I'd like to have a beer with.

At one point, he mentions (in his thoughts) that he'd like to settle down and raise a family. This has been done many times before by many heroes in many genres, but I can't recall it sounding so genuine. Osric is that rare hero: a likeable, ordinary guy.

The action starts quickly enough, with an explosion striking the conference Osric is supposed to protect. He's stuck under rubble of the building for a long time, and has to be rescued. (I found this part of the book very compelling, and hard to put down.)

Osric is sent on an information-gathering mission (he'd rather stay to protect something, but since that thing has been destroyed, he might as well go, right?) Along the way, he slowly discovers many secrets.

Some of the secrets didn't thrill me so much: but I chalk that up to my personal preference, rather than a weakness of the writing. Personally, I've always hated detailed expalanations of magical metaphysics. (I know a lot of fantasy readers will consider that heresy, but long discussions between wizards about how to summon otherworldly creatures or "unfetter elemental forces" just bore me to tears.) Another pet peeve of mine is fantasy characters who gain new powers during the story, then endlessly speculate about them. However, I do concede that these things are rather intrinsic to the fantasy genre, and they're done pretty well here. I never really rolled my eyes at Osric discussing these things, largely because of his humility, discussed above.

Osric discovers another big secret along the way, which I won't divulge. It's a good one --- a moral wrong that brings great benefit to the powers-that-be behind the "good guys" of the world. Osric decides to try to right this wrong, but sees that it will be a complicated challenge. It's not just a matter of finding and killing one specific villain (or finding a McGuffin).

There's a point-of-view shift when the action of the story is seen through the eyes of a solitary dwarf, who runs across the same secret I referred to in the above paragraph. This dwarf pursues a lead all on his own, doing some very interesting solo recon and detective work; I found this section of the story hard to put down.

HERE BE SPOILERS

OK, here's an aspect of the world-building that will make (or break) the book for specific readers: the world has talking animals, who fight, cast spells, run businesses, etc. The funny thing is that there is widespread agreement throughout this multi-species, magic-using civilization that meat-eating species (including humans) are allowed to kill and eat sentient creatures, in appropriate moderation, without fear of retribution by the (sentient) surviving family members of the victims who are eaten. (Human beings apparently can be hunters OR prey). Osric's parents are killed and eaten by a lion, and the grieving Osric accepts the lion's right to have killed them.

A few people I spoke with didn't like this --- I was willing to work with it though. Given that the sentient lions can't just stop eating meat, and given that *all* meat is sentient, the society at large has two choices: control the predation process through social and legal regulation, or just outlaw lions (and presumably, wipe them out). It's important to remember that in our own world, humanity has often, through the "tribute" systems of ancient tribes, set up arrangements that modern humans would find just as distasteful and horrifying, but were nonetheless followed for generations, as an attempt to avoid wholesale slaughter. I would certainly hate an enforcible social contract allowing a lion to eat my family, but I saw how a society profoundly devoted to peace and stability, (presumably at the expense of certain individual rights) might embrace that. In fact, I found it a bold risk for the authors to take, and refreshing overall: too many fantasy worlds seem strife-free paradises, held back from perfection only by the direct interference of the antagonists. I like it when a fantasy world acknowledges that even peaceful, well-intentioned people (and creatures) are going to have some unavoidable difficulties stemming from intrinsic points of view.

I didn't care for the final battle, which seemed a mite too easy and predictable for me -- I paused right before the fighting started, and concluded that not only could the bad guys not possibly win, but that their only hope to provide even a momentary challenge would be to take the sole female character hostage -- and this was exactly what happened. Moreover, as other reviewers have stated, I found Brigit a bit too naive and simplistic. I do see a flicker of mutual attraction between Osric and Brigit; however, given that neither character ever acts on this, I find it odd that neither Osric, nor Brigit (who are portrayed as attractive, and apparently unattached) never get any romantic attention from anyone else.

Overall though, this story is solid. I think its weaknesses are outnumbered, and overshadowed, by its many strengths.

[Eric Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

So this post will be a little different. I am going to do a review on a book by a couple of authors named Jack D. Albrecht and Ashley Delay. The name of their book is Osric’s Wand: The Wand-Maker’s Debate.

I went into reading this with no expectations; I was going to give it an honest look with no preconceptions. I’m going to talk about the overall setting first.

I’m not sure what expectations the authors had for the setting in this book, but let me put it simply; the world they created for this book was spectacular. The way that magic was approached was really intriguing. The ways that the various races of people interacted was great, and there are a lot of races of people, more than I expected. The world itself, was vibrant and full of life. It was easy for me to picture, in my head, the places that were described, and let me tell you, I’ve got a crowded head!

The characters I like a lot, especially a prairie dog named Gus and a dwarf named Machai. These characters’ sarcasm made me smile, which I suppose gives a little away about my personality. The rest of the characters were equally interesting. I genuinely cared about the characters for the most part.

The plot revolves around Osric, and his efforts to stop a war that may break out after an attack on a treaty signing. Along the way he is accompanied by Gus, and prairie dog wand-maker, his son Pebble, whose innocence I loved, Bridgett, a young woman who spent years living among unicorns, Kenneth, Osric’s right-hand-man and a grumpy dwarf (big surprise) Machai. Of course, things get a lot more difficult for Osric very quickly, when he discovers an old plot concerning the dragons, he must deal with also. I’m not going to say any more about the plot, I don’t want to give it away, but trust me, it’s good.
The story line was excellent and it was easy to follow. The story flowed well for me and there was very little if any, “down time” as I call it, in the plot. The way that the different subplots blended in together was great. I really hope there are more of these books coming, or maybe they are out there and I’m not smart enough to find them. I’d love to follow these character’s more, and see where their adventure takes them.

To put it simply, I loved this book. It was easy to read and quite enjoyable. I found myself caring about the characters, especially Gus and Machai. I was always interested to see what was going to happen next. In short if you like a good novel, give this one a look, you will not be disappointed.

I do feel I should say one more thing. This is my first book review, so if seems kind of choppy and amateurish, well that’s because I am an amateur, but this is my honest opinion!

[Emily · Rating 2 out of 5]

If Goodreads allowed half stars, I'm afraid this book would be a 1.5 for me... it's not the worst of the worst, but honestly it was really tough to get through.

I wanted to like it, I really did. I'll save the summary, because everyone else writes a summary as if they can't scroll up and read the book's own description. So, you know what the book is about. Here are the problems:

1) The writing style. First and foremost, the writing style is amateurish at best. The onslaught of writing cliches and lazy descriptions either gets worse as the book continues, or just grates more. Characters "shake their heads" to clear their minds or jump up and "whoop" and cheer... people don't do that in real life, just cartoons do. There are a lot of "processing" descriptions too. The main character tries to "process" what he has just learned, and goes forth to repeat what we've already read and raise questions the authors don't seem to think the readers were smart enough to be asking themselves. Also, there are lots of examples of the characters "laughing uproariously" at something that isn't funny at all. Either it's an inside joke and the characters retell a boring story to each other and start laughing hilariously for no reason, or the authors simply say "and then this character said something hilarious and everyone laughed uproariously" and we're left in the corner waiting for them to get over themselves because of course we're not in on the joke, nor is anything the characters ever say or do funny. Many things were also written as if the authors imagined it as a movie instead of a book, describing things in "slow motion" and exaggerated movements and sounds. On top of this, there were multiple grammatical errors. The dialogue is flat and generic, too.

2) Childish concepts. Honestly, some of the ideas in this book felt like a middle school student writing his or her first fantasy. "Let's have a woman who is like an ambassador to the Unicorns... and let's call her... "MAIDEN OF THE UNICORNS". There are generic "races" that not only conveniently stick to their race, but others make racist comments and that's okay. "Oh, well you know those _____, they are sly and liars". And it's a completely made up race so it's not "racist" in the offensive way it would be if it were about an actual, real race of people... but it's just very conveniently written so that everyone in an entire race is the same and they can make broad generalizations because it's simpler. The path of the story is also simplified and convenient. It starts off going one direction but then veers off to something else. They discover some horrible secret that has been going on for hundreds of years and no one has known about it... except that conveniently multiple groups of people find out about it in completely different parts of the world all at the same time even though it's been hidden for hundreds of years. Of course.

3) No women. Literally the only female character in the ENTIRE book is the MAIDEN OF THE UNICORNS. Other women are completely absent, so much so that it seems really, really obvious. And of course she's the empath, the "FEELINGS" one, she doesn't actually do anything except understand feelings and cry when she screws up. All the merchants, the warriors, the magicians, the wandmakers, the children, the members of gov't groups, every single other person is just by default male for no reason.

4) No character growth or depth. Each character has his "thing" and doesn't deviate from that. They all seem like cardboard cutouts with their roles, and none of them are particularly unique. Gus is downright hateable and obnoxious and again sounds like he was created by a child who wanted to write the mean grouchy antagonist who always says the same kinds of exaggerated, mean grouchy things over and over for no reason -- again, like a cartoon. None of them change or grow, nor do they have anything particularly interesting to say either. You don't really care about any of them. The main character is so generic he doesn't even feel like a character. The only introspection he has seems to be "Osric couldn't believe what was happening" or "Osric tried to process what he was told" or "Osric still couldn't wrap his head around _____" as an excuse to rehash what already happened. Gus's son Pebble is the worst -- he has a Jersey accent mixed with child's poor grammar for some reason and is really annoying. Everyone says how funny and adorable he is, but he is neither of those things. You want to kick him in the face and it's really obnoxious how much time is spent with the characters laughing at his antics or feeling bad for him when he's almost as hateable as Gus.

5) Bad pacing. The book starts off with lots of action then grinds to a halt and then picks up again and then slams to a stop again... over and over. The authors seem overly concerned with the logistics of how really boring things happen and spend far too many pages on it. For example, when a group is deciding to fly on a month long trip somewhere, they spend over 5 pages working out which merchant the food is going to come from, and the list of the things they need, and who he will stay in touch with, and what kind of food it should be, and how will they pack things, etc etc. NO ONE CARES, and it never actually mattered later.

6) Generic dialogue. The dialogue was just painful. Again, it felt very amateurish. It's clunky and, well, generic. Everyone sounds the same (except for Gus who says exaggerated generic grouchy things) and there is absolutely no realism or art to it. It feels like recycled words and sentences that you have read 100 times before and therefore are completely shallow, flat and forgettable.


On a separate note, the Kindle file itself was very poorly made. I downloaded it from Amazon and had nothing but trouble. The text was absolutely miniscule and I had to have it on the maximum text size to even read it. Every three pages half the page would be blank as if it were the end of the chapter, and I'd have to go forward and back a couple of times to make the missing text appear. 5 times, the "rating" box would pop up as if it were the end of the book and not let me move forward and I'd have to restart my Kindle for it to let me keep reading.

The whole thing was kind of a mess and I'll definitely not be continuing with the series.

[brenda whitman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good book

It starts a little bit slow but it quickly becomes very interesting. Eight more words are required and this is it.

[Embe Kuhl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Most books I like well enough; sometimes there are few I don't care for, even fewer that I outright dislike, less than those that I hate and even less than those that I hate .... are the books that just WOW me. What wow'ed me the most about this book is that it was written not by one but by TWO people (Jack D. Albrecht, Jr. & Ashley Delay).

I must confess before, I continue, I used Osric's Wand as the initial guinea pig on an experiment of mine. When it came across my "desk", I was intrigued by the cover and I thought - I wonder how my opinion will differ if I just start reading without looking at the synopsis until after I finish the book? Will the cover hold the same intrigue? Will the cover do the book justice? When I read the synopsis, after I have read the book, will I think it was an accurate hook or could it have done better?

First, to the cover. It illustrates things you will most certainly find in the book - a wand, a book, a short sword and a vial - each time you come across these things for the first time in the story, your mind will flick (perhaps subconsciously) to the cover and you are able to picture these elements all the more clearer. To be fair, its a good cover ... but it's not GREAT and this book deserves the latter more than the former.

I would liken the cover to a genie's lamp - when you "discover" it, it holds a certain intrigue but for whatever reason it appears dull. Something pulls at you though, compelling you to "rub" (open the book) the lamp and much to your surprise the mere lamp (unassuming book) holds untold treasures.

Stepping into Archana was a trip, it pulled at me and had me fighting the sleep I normally treasure because I just had to finish it. I found the ease with which the characters were written (by a pair of authors instead of the usual one!) fascinating. In the beginning as the characters were brought to the forefront - I was continuously caught off guard, I found myself making assumptions (normal and understandable ones) only to be knocked back a few sentences or paragraphs later that challenged me, as if to say "stop trying so hard to figure things out and just read".

The depth at which the characters are painted with each word is unique and colorful to say the least. I didn't have to imagine myself in Osric's shoes at the peace treaty signing when his world came to a screeching halt - it felt like I was standing right next to him. I wanted to smack Gus, I laughed and delighted in Pebble's childish glee and found myself wishing for Brigett's empathy and Ero's stoicism. I wanted to take up the cause of Greyback and her kind. I had a grudging respect for Kenneth, Machai and all others on the side of Archana. I hated the treacherous - Aran, Thom, others I don't care to name and those I know are still hidden in the shadows of the story.

I have to applaud the authors for their strong relationship, it must be strong otherwise I don't think the story of Archana would have been written so seamlessly. While I am sure that one could have written Osric's Wand without the others help and it would have been a good book - I am confident in saying I do not think it would have been as thrilling or enchanting had they not come together as a team.

[Kat · Rating 3 out of 5]

To be honest, I didn't particularly like this book. However, this book wasn't bad, truth betold. It was just me that didn't find some things in the book agreeable.

Formatting, typset, and such were brilliant on the Kindle version of the book, so it was very pleasant to the eyes when reading this book.

In this fantasy world, people have "gifts", that gives them special abilities. Say a "Hunter gift" gives you the ability to aim and shoot (hunt) very well. Apart from these "gifts", magic is also an everyday thing. Even animals can talk and interact with humans; yes animals can cast magic too.

Someone caused some commotion in a grand event, and the world is at the verge of war. The main character and his group are out to prevent the war. Only, they find out that there is more to all that.

I personally think that this kind of setting has very good potential to be a really interesting book.

I simply thought it ran into a pretty cliche or, Mary-Sue-ish (or, for a male character, Marty Stu?) and juvenile route. Though, I shouldn't be so harsh as this is a YA book, I guess.

Potential spoilers
Certainly, Osric (main character) starts acquiring all these new "gifts". It remains unexplained in the book, but i'm pretty sure eventually it will come out to something like "He has a "gift stealer" gift that pretty much lets him acquire whatever the gifts the people he has interacted with has." He pretty soon acquires all the gifts that his groupmates have (and probably even the gifts of some of the enemies he tackled with)

Everything comes down to this Osric boy. He is so important and acts mature most of the time until the odd, out-of-character temper tantrum he throws.

All in all, this was a good enough read for me. I doubt I will re-read it, and the pull isn't so strong that I have to read the sequel. I guess.. this is where I say goodbye, for now...

[Mireille Chester · Rating 5 out of 5]

First of all, I have to say there is nothing quite like a well written fantasy story to get my pulse pumping. It's my favorite genre and here's why. Absolutely anything and everything goes. So when I find an author who takes advantage of this rule and lets it all out, I fall in love. In this case, we're taking about two authors.

Osric's Wand blew my mind. It had magic of every kind, talking animals, wizards, hunters, dragons, dwarves, unicorns, maidens... you name it, Jack and Ashley wrote it in, but in a way that I wasn't overwhelmed with information. The characters were very well introduced, the world was described beautifully. I really couldn't find anything I didn't like about this story.

Though this story is primarily about Osric, I have to admit that my favorite character was, without a doubt, Gus. Every time he opened his mouth, I laughed. I mean, how can a prairie dog be so negative? Yes, he talks... he's also the best wand maker in the land. Yeah, you heard me.

Oh, wait. I lied. There was one thing I didn't appreciate about this novel. It ended. Thankfully, the way it ended, I'm sure there's a sequel coming, hopefully sooner than later.

Osric's wand gets a solid five stars from me and I can't wait to read more from these authors.


Memorable Moment:
"How long have you been hunting this meadow anyway?"
"'Bout three days now, sir. I fell asleep, and I awoke just moments ago and saw you."
"And you had to bloody miss, didn't you?!" Gus interrupted.
"Well, sir, you don't present a very large target."
"I am a full eighteen inches, as you can easily see. I didn't even move!"
"Yes, sir, but you only weigh about three pounds."
"I was eighteen inches!" Gus interrupted again. "Now I'll be seventeen and three quarters and lean to the left, thanks to you!"

[Alana Woods · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pure delight

I opened this book with some hesitation because although I’m not a huge reader of fantasy a lot of what I have read recently has been pretty forgettable and ho-hum, if not downright bad. For me, good fantasy is Alice in wonderland, The hobbit, Lord of the rings—that kind of quality read.

A few pages in I was starting to relax. A few more pages I was thinking ‘This is good’. By the end I had come to the opinion that this book could stand alongside Alice and The hobbit.

I could find no fault with either the story or the storytelling. The story is delightful and the telling of it both shows and tells in the appropriate places.

There’s much that to me is original. Yes, there are dragons. Yes, there are unicorns. But then there are the prairie dog wand-makers, there is the hunters’ code which requires a hunter to thank the family of his prey for the gift of the meal, and there are the gifts that each living creature is born with that form the basis for their path through life. The last paralleling our world where we say, but don’t always believe, that everyone has a talent, if only we can find it.

I liken it to Alice and The hobbit because I believe it will transcend an age grouping for readership. I can see advanced 12 year olds loving this book as much as their parents and grandparents.

Given the ending, which leaves the story incomplete, I foresee a sequel, perhaps more. I look forward to them.

[Sammy Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book today in several hours and initially found it a little hard on the reading. The authors do a great job of describing the scene, but perhaps the descriptions are a little *too* in depth, as an avid reader sometimes I like to imagine structures and scenes using my own imagination and I found constantly changing my own interpretation in my mind to fit the descriptions supplied exhausting ... But I digress ...

I love how the book is pitched to appeal to a varied range of ages, this book could be read to children or read by an adult and would offend no-one, a hint of a love story mixed in with dragons, talking animals and magic? Who wouldn't enjoy it???

The story, whilst unique has a CS Lewis type feel to it. I don't mean in the religious connotations sense, I mean in the strong use of descriptive language and the way the story is told. As a first attempt both authors should feel very proud of their work.

I can only see their storytelling and editing skills improving, there are a few errors in the story, but nothing memorable.

I look forward to reading more about Osric, the maid of Unicorn and Gus.

For note though, the name Kenneth really grated on me and I didn't feel that it suited the fantasy style story.

A solid 4 stars, this is worth anyone's money.

[Steph at Starry Night Book Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a great adventure, if you like dragons, magic, unicorns and other mythical creatures you will love this book. It was a nice easy read and the way that the various races of people interacted was great, the story flowed nicely I think the only thing I’d like to see more of is action but I get why you needed the back story. I loved Pebble He is just so cute and sweet and the way he finds trouble. I loved these characters sarcasm, as a sarcastic person myself I found it really funny at times.

The book revolves around Osric, and his efforts to stop a war that may break out after an attack on a treaty signing. After digging himself out from under what use to be a castle Osric is determined to find out who did this and to stop a war from coming. Gus a prairie dog wand-maker, his son Pebble also comes along for the ride. And then there’s Bridgett, a woman who spent years living among unicorns, she’s really sweet and is rather quiet. Kenneth, Osric’s best friend you can’t leave and not bring your best friend! Along the way they meet Machai who is a dwarf he is rather grumpy and is pretty bad ass with his weapons! If you want to know more read the book!

[Robert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Osric's Wand: The Wand-Maker's Debate is a very enjoyable fantasy tale with magic, talking beasts, wizards, and dragons. For those who have a love of stories such as The Chronicles of Narnia and Eragon, I believe Osric's Wand will not disappoint! I loved the main characters in this book, and I particularly enjoyed Gus, the talking prairie dog with attitude. This creature's sarcasm and grumpy demeanor kept me smiling throughout.

I won't give away any spoilers by detailing any specifics from the book (plus I stink at writing synopses), but what I can say is Jack D. Albrecht Jr. and Ashley Delay have created a world that has the potential for an epic fantasy series. The satisfying ending of this book hints at an exciting sequel.

For a debut novel I was very impressed. There were a few typos, but not near enough to pull me off the page and distract me from having fun reading this novel. I will definitely be getting the sequel!

Since I can't rate the book 4 1/2 stars, this one gets rounded up because it just did not feel right giving it 4 stars. :-)

[Lynxie · Rating 4 out of 5]

**I received a copy of this book from the author in return for a review.**

I enjoyed Osric's Wand. It was a light-hearted romp through a very magic infused world. All the big mythical creatures came out to play (unicorns and dragons etc).

I got a little lost with all the terms/names that were introduced at the beginning with only a little explanation... this could be a little clearer.

I felt that it was written for a little younger audience than I am, but I still enjoyed it. My favourite character was Pebbles. He added a really sweet and innocent feel to the story, even though the way he talks got on my nerves a bit.

This would definitely be suitable for early teen children, possibly even younger, but could still be enjoyed by an adult.

Thanks for the opportunity to read your book Jack.

A few things I noticed:

90% - 'You must channel your desire to help him, and you (should this be your?) will,'

91% - 'I don 't (should be don't) think it would be wise to inform...'

95% - "I wanted ('to' is missing) see you off, my friend,"

[Franz McLaren · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Osric’s Wand the authors have created a truly delightful world inhabited by humanity and creatures as equals. Although this is a book that will appeal to fantasy lovers of all ages, it is not a cutesy fairy tale. This tale is packed with swords, sorcery, magical creatures, and intrigue. All of it driven by believable characters with distinct personalities.

Within the first few pages, I was drawn into a world where someone is out to destroy a world peace effort. Osric, along with a delightful group of companions, is forced to try to stop this scheme. Throughout, numerous subplots are introduced and skillfully interwoven in this fast-paced tale. This book is liberally spiced with a believable magic system, humor, and action.

The only problem I have with Osric’s Wand is that there is not enough of it. I wanted to spend more time in this intriguing world and get to know more of the people and creatures that inhabit it. With any luck, Osric’s Wand is the first volume of an epic series.

[Na Deela · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't even know where to begin! I don't want to spoil the story for anyone who hasn't read it so I'll try to write this review without spoilers. No promises :-P. First, I need to say that I really really hope there is a sequel coming! I kept looking for more pages when there were none left. Second, I need to say that the creativity it had to have taken to write this story really has me flaberghasted. This is, by my experience, a truely original story with unexpected twists about every other page. I'm pretty sure my husband thinks I've lost my mind talking about "I can't believe it ended up being a paun " and "how will Osric free the dragons?" This really was an amazing story that took me on an adventure I didn't expect. I'm honored the authors allowed me the privilege to read their story and I will definitely be recommending this book to everyone I know!

[Y.I. Washington · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really found this book to be a pretty good read. I enjoyed the journey of Osric and his companions through their world to try and avert a world war. Jack and Ashley did a great job transporting the reader to the fictional world of Archana.

Imagine living your life following a quiet plan and finding out that you are so much more? This is a tale of growth, redemption, forgiveness, treachery and true companionship. And I fell in love with little Pebble.

I would have preferred a little less back story with more dialogue and action in the first few chapters. However, for a first book, this was definitely worth reading. I am recommending this book to every fantasy and sci-fi fan I know. I can't wait to see what happens next.

[Nigel · Rating 5 out of 5]

i spend a lot of my spare time reading and not just fantasy books but any book that draws my attention with just one chapter and believe me when i say that this book had my captivated from page one to finish with the witty humor of some characters or the suspenseful sequences within the adventure of osric and his companions.

of the books of read in the last three years i would have to say this is one of the most creative books i have read and i would have to put it in my top 3.

you can tell just by reading it that the authors spent time trying to make this book appeal to several audiences and they were very successful.

[Mimi Barbour · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sci-Fi fantasy type novels don't generally keep my interest, but I have to admit, this story did. And I attribute it solely to the talent of the author. Creative writing joined with a great imagination can't be beat, and when a new world opens up full of wonderful descriptive creatures communicating with each other by magic and with a hero such as Osric, how could I put the book down? With his special companions, he fights the good fight and I cheered him on all the way. Loved this story and highly recommend it to any lover who appreciates a great read.

[ReadingDiva Book Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Harry Potter meets Narnia, The Osric’s Wand Debate is a great story of magic & adventure. If you are a fan of magic, dragons, and amazing creatures with awesome powers then this is the book for you.
This story has great characters, excellent plot and a story that brings you into a world that will keep your imagination going wild. This book is great for young adults and adults alike.

Looking forward to reading more of this magical world!

[Josh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mixed feelings on this book. Relatively unique take on magic, but what was more interesting was talking animals but in a more gritty way than the classic Narnia way. Characters seemed a little one dimensional and the main protagonist soon morphs into the typical unstoppable fantasy hero. Everything comes together way to pat in the end. Having said that the novel left me strangely wanting more of the author's world.

[Tracie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This the first book in this series,as well as, the first book written by this author. I loved this story and the characters. He brought the characters to life and gave them a voice. I can't wait for the second book to come out. I hope I won't have to wait long. It really was an easy read and I thoroughly enjoyed it!

[Charlotte Abel]

I can't wait to dig into this book. Talking prairie dogs are worth at least 4 stars. Add in elves and humans living side by side with all sorts of sentient and vocal critters and it has to be a winner.

I'll edit this with an actual review after I read the book ;-)

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this book was amazing. I really liked the main characters. When I started reading this book I could'nt put it down because I could wait to see what happened next. I think this book would make a great movie.

[Risa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book captured my attention from the beginning. It had its faults but overall, it is a fun book to read. I hope the author writes more. It has unicorns, magic, dragons and dwarfs. Although the charactors are somewhat cliche, it is still a good story.

[Stephen Lodewyks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good read. I like the different creatures and storyline.

[Bill Tillman · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great read, this is the first of several Wand Maker books. Page turner, light reading and a fun book.

[Airicka Phoenix · Rating 4 out of 5]

 
 
 
While the world leaders of Archana gather for an unprecedented peace treaty signing, tragedy strikes, and rumors spread of war. Osric; a young, untested leader, is thrust into the chaos and must journey far with his unlikely companions to stop the inevitable world war. Circumstance brought them together, but prophecy has entwined their fates.
 
Now, the young Vigile Contege, the world’s greatest Wand-Maker, and a beautiful Maiden of the Unicorn must put aside their differences and work together, or watch as their homes are destroyed. Their understanding of magic will be challenged as they discover new methods and uses for their powers, and each day will only uncover more unanswerable questions to torment Osric’s mind.
 
Why was the signing attacked? What do the unicorns want with him? How do you read a book with no words? What is so special about his wand?
(Excerpt from GoodRead)
 
 
 
So, I got a lot of odd cyber-glances when I posted that I was reading this book. Several of my friends messaged me wondering if I was all right, because I don't read fantasy. More than that, I don't read fantasy that doesn't have a romantic element somewhere in the book. (My friends would be semi-wrong because I am a huge fan of Harry Potter) and now, I am a huge fan of Osric. But it didn't start out that way. I didn't see the book and think, 'hey! that's something I would like or looks interesting!' I'll be honest. When I first saw this book it was because a very dear, dear friend of mine had written it and after meeting Jack and getting to know him, and through him, Osric, I was convinced that I would give it a shot. If for no other reason then to support a friend.
 
The story begins with a surprise; for me at least. Not even halfway through the first chapter I actually stopped and reread the line twice before I was sure I hadn't misread--the animals talked and not just TALKED but the thing was DRUNK! OMG I think I just about soiled myself laughing picturing this hairy little thing, ambling around, pissed out of his mind! I honestly couldn't remember the last time any book surprised me so much. Now, it wasn't because the animals talked so much so that they did it so convincingly, like it was the most natural thing in the world to see squirrels and unicorns running around with humans. I've only ever read one other book that was this convincing.
 
If you haven't guessed by now, the story is based on Osric, a newly appointed Contege. His life was going pretty good up until he walks in to accept his new position only to nearly get blown up, then, then (and this is my favorite part because it was just so twistedly awesome) he was rescued, by a unicorn no less!
 
It's safe to say that the story is ridiculously hard to read, and I don't mean the story makes no sense--the story made absolutely perfect sense. What was hard to read was the authors (yes, authorS there are two! I made the embarrassing mistake of assuming there was only one (Ms. Delay, I humbly request your forgiveness for my grieve error!))
 
Usually, and I say this with smug, self-importance, I can usually guess what will happen in a book. I can get halfway in and will always know who the killer is and what the main character's issues are. But the authors of Osric's adventures completely messed with my head. As soon as I thought the story was going one way, they'd change it on me, twisting and weaving the story until I was at the end and realizing it was 5 in the morning and I had to be up in two hours. It was a serious blow to my ego. I kid you not.
 
So, what I didn't like about the book. Oh don't give me that look! You knew it was coming! Sheesh.
 
What I didn't like about the story was the very little time the authors put into Brigett. She had so much potential, but it wasn't thoroughly flushed out and that made me sad. But they are writing a sequel and Jack has assured me *warning glare* that there WILL be more romance in this book *cough* better be *cough* LOL However I did like Gus, the most irritating and sarcastic prairie dog I have ever read about! He totally wins gold in my books!
 
It was a fun read all in all. A fast-paced adventure that was a mix of Eragon meets Harry Potter meets Star Wars. There is no doubt in my mind that I WILL read the next installment!
 
So, in conclusion:
 
Will I read the next book? Yes.
 
Will I tell my friends about this book? Yes.
 
Did I enjoy it? Yes.
 
 
About the Authors
 
Jack D. Albrecht Jr. resides in Colorado. He is a devoted father and a full time student. His new found passion for writing consumes most of his time, but once in a while he can still be found under the hood of a car or studying for his Pharmaceutical degree. Jack has been an avid reader for most of his life, with Sci-Fi and fantasy being his favorite genres. Osric's Wand: The Wand-Maker's Debate is his first novel, co-authored by Ashley Delay. (Bio from Amazon)
 
Author Sites
Website
Twitter (@jackdalbrechtjr)
GoodRead
 
 
 

[Wolfgarr · Rating 2 out of 5]

I do not normally write negative reviews. Most of the time when i do come across something i do not like i just click the 1-2 star button and move along. This time though i feel the need to justify why i give this book 2 stars.

The bad..
The main character is entirely unlikable.. Heck for the most part most of the characters are Unlikable.
The story seems rushed..So much so it reminded me of watching a nascar race.. It seemed to me that the author was in a rush to tell his story..And forgot to include important things like..World building..Descriptions ..Etc..

The good...
The story plot itself and the world was Very interesting.

Anyways...Hope this review helps
Cheers

[Epic_Fantasy_Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this book up a while back that was recommended to me, and from flipping to the first page through the last, this book had my attention and hooked!
The book is easy to read and follow, and is a fun read for both beginner and advanced fantasy readers. The characters are great and funny, and the plot is easy to follow.
The book was giving me some Chronicles of Narnia, Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings vibes.
If you are looking for a fun and easy read, you should check this book out. I will be reading the second book shortly.
Happy Reading!

[Gloriamarie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Welcome to Archana, a world different from Earth where some of the animals are sentient and can talk. There are dwarves, elves, unicorns, dragons, nd creatures brand new for this series. On Archana a good death is when one is hunted, killed, and eaten as food to nourish others. Everyone has magical abilities which are channeled through wands.

The worldbuilding is handled deftly and in an interesting manner that engages one in the character and plot development at the same time.