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The Battle Wizard Saga #1
Wizard Dawning
Alternate-cover edition can be found here
GLOBAL WARMING HEATS UP MAGIC. Chicago Post V3.1
Global warming affects life on earth in unexpected ways. Magic intensifies, spreads and goes public.
GOVERNMENTS REGULATE MAGIC. LA Tribune, 9.0.2
Danger from Dark Magic swells. Politicians panic.
Ten years ago the world was shaken with the discovery that White and Black magic existed. Despite the headlines, like most people, nothing magical has happened in Sig’s life.
As he prepares to leave for college, mysterious Great-Grampa Thor shows up with injuries sustained in a battle with a Dark Wizard. He bestows upon Sig, his only male heir, a magical family heirloom.
He’s to lead in the fight against Dark Magic. Unfortunately, Sig can only access a small portion of the talisman’s power. His only magic is the ability to change into a 9 foot tall, 700 pound warrior. It’s small benefit in the age of machinery, rockets, and computers.
The Dark Wizard comes after Sig. He escapes, but Great-Grampa falls victim to a demon induced coma before he can teach Sig what he needs to know.
Sig joins with a group of fellow supernaturals. His new friends help him fight off more attacks while he searches desperately for his greater magic. If he can’t stand on his own against a Dark Wizard, how can he take his place at the front of the world’s fight against black magic?
GLOBAL WARMING HEATS UP MAGIC. Chicago Post V3.1
Global warming affects life on earth in unexpected ways. Magic intensifies, spreads and goes public.
GOVERNMENTS REGULATE MAGIC. LA Tribune, 9.0.2
Danger from Dark Magic swells. Politicians panic.
Ten years ago the world was shaken with the discovery that White and Black magic existed. Despite the headlines, like most people, nothing magical has happened in Sig’s life.
As he prepares to leave for college, mysterious Great-Grampa Thor shows up with injuries sustained in a battle with a Dark Wizard. He bestows upon Sig, his only male heir, a magical family heirloom.
He’s to lead in the fight against Dark Magic. Unfortunately, Sig can only access a small portion of the talisman’s power. His only magic is the ability to change into a 9 foot tall, 700 pound warrior. It’s small benefit in the age of machinery, rockets, and computers.
The Dark Wizard comes after Sig. He escapes, but Great-Grampa falls victim to a demon induced coma before he can teach Sig what he needs to know.
Sig joins with a group of fellow supernaturals. His new friends help him fight off more attacks while he searches desperately for his greater magic. If he can’t stand on his own against a Dark Wizard, how can he take his place at the front of the world’s fight against black magic?
332 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 1, 2011
About the author
C.M. Lance
6 books15 followersAn Aerospace Engineer, Accountant, Product Manager, Operations Director, Sales Executive, and Writer in that approximate chronological order.
He’s always enjoyed writing, even though early writings were mostly Product Specifications, Sales Proposals, and Departmental Budgets. Most readers assumed those were fictional.
Currently lives in a motorhome and is traveling the US with his Interior Designer wife and their remaining Granddog.
Three grown children span the United States from New York to Austin, TX to San Diego.
To find out about other book projects and more about the Battle Wizard visit: http://CM-Lance.com
He’s always enjoyed writing, even though early writings were mostly Product Specifications, Sales Proposals, and Departmental Budgets. Most readers assumed those were fictional.
Currently lives in a motorhome and is traveling the US with his Interior Designer wife and their remaining Granddog.
Three grown children span the United States from New York to Austin, TX to San Diego.
To find out about other book projects and more about the Battle Wizard visit: http://CM-Lance.com
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
May 24, 2017
Childish from start to finish.
Right off the bat I was annoyed by the story. The introduction plays up the whole Global Warming theory and how it amplifies magic. Then in the first chapter the weather hasn't changed at all. Which is it? Either you have global warming or you don't! If it's warm enough to melt glaciers, then there wouldn't be frozen lakes and snow in Minnesota.
Which leads to the next annoyance. The author refuses to take displacement into account when they tote the whole crust of the Earth shifting. It doesn't make any sense. And the Earth's crust shifts constantly so these so-called ley lines wouldn't just "suddenly" appear.
Then there is the magic. It's supposed to be rampant, yet it's secretive throughout the book. They're so concerned about keeping it quiet, its absurd! And if Sig can detect black magic, why didn't he detect it with the girl/witch? Seems like she would emanate the smell of it as well.
I had a hard time trying to figure out how old Sig is. At times he acts like he is 12, but then his mom lets him have a beer. They talk about college, but treat him like he's 14. It doesn't seem to follow a proper age designation.
I also hated Sig. Right from the beginning he makes himself out to be a chauvinistic pig. "Women warriors. Isn't that an oxymoron?" Really makes you hate him, especially since Norse mythology(which the story is based upon) has women warriors.
And the tractor! The mother can operate it, in a life or death situation, just by her past observation? No way! Not believable at all! I know from experience it isn't that simple, and that leads to my next question: who takes care of the farm? Who does all the work? The mother doesn't. The Dad is gone. And Sig certainly doesn't. So who does it all? Obviously they would have to employ several people for the large farm they have, but there is never any mention of anyone.
The lack if concern for shifting boulders was childish. Whenever you have a cave in, you have to consider possible shifts very carefully, and they didn't. Plus, the boulders described are too large for the truck to pull, unless they are already tipping over, but it sounds like they were pretty stuck, so it doesn't quite work. Too many assumptions behind this work.
The whole story feel likes a first draft. And there were words thrown in that just didn't fit. Congratulations! You know a big word and how to use it, but that doesn't mean it fits in this particular sentence.
Another annoyance was the information thrown in that was completely irrelevant to the story. The Jaguar is special, but it isn't relevant! It doesn't give us anything pertinent to the plot, or character, so why go on about it?
Definitely would not recommend this to anyone, not unless it gets a major overhaul. If I could give it 0 stars I would.
The grammar:
Awful. Just awful. Wrong tense, missing words, strange phrasing, words used in the wrong places, and added words. Phrases are repeated over and over again. I got so tired of "I've got your back" I never want to hear or read the phrase again! Reads like a first draft and needs major editing.
For my clean readers:
Language, violence, discussion of cleavage(teenage boy hormones), underage drinking, and discussion of teenage cigarette use.
Right off the bat I was annoyed by the story. The introduction plays up the whole Global Warming theory and how it amplifies magic. Then in the first chapter the weather hasn't changed at all. Which is it? Either you have global warming or you don't! If it's warm enough to melt glaciers, then there wouldn't be frozen lakes and snow in Minnesota.
Which leads to the next annoyance. The author refuses to take displacement into account when they tote the whole crust of the Earth shifting. It doesn't make any sense. And the Earth's crust shifts constantly so these so-called ley lines wouldn't just "suddenly" appear.
Then there is the magic. It's supposed to be rampant, yet it's secretive throughout the book. They're so concerned about keeping it quiet, its absurd! And if Sig can detect black magic, why didn't he detect it with the girl/witch? Seems like she would emanate the smell of it as well.
I had a hard time trying to figure out how old Sig is. At times he acts like he is 12, but then his mom lets him have a beer. They talk about college, but treat him like he's 14. It doesn't seem to follow a proper age designation.
I also hated Sig. Right from the beginning he makes himself out to be a chauvinistic pig. "Women warriors. Isn't that an oxymoron?" Really makes you hate him, especially since Norse mythology(which the story is based upon) has women warriors.
And the tractor! The mother can operate it, in a life or death situation, just by her past observation? No way! Not believable at all! I know from experience it isn't that simple, and that leads to my next question: who takes care of the farm? Who does all the work? The mother doesn't. The Dad is gone. And Sig certainly doesn't. So who does it all? Obviously they would have to employ several people for the large farm they have, but there is never any mention of anyone.
The lack if concern for shifting boulders was childish. Whenever you have a cave in, you have to consider possible shifts very carefully, and they didn't. Plus, the boulders described are too large for the truck to pull, unless they are already tipping over, but it sounds like they were pretty stuck, so it doesn't quite work. Too many assumptions behind this work.
The whole story feel likes a first draft. And there were words thrown in that just didn't fit. Congratulations! You know a big word and how to use it, but that doesn't mean it fits in this particular sentence.
Another annoyance was the information thrown in that was completely irrelevant to the story. The Jaguar is special, but it isn't relevant! It doesn't give us anything pertinent to the plot, or character, so why go on about it?
Definitely would not recommend this to anyone, not unless it gets a major overhaul. If I could give it 0 stars I would.
The grammar:
Awful. Just awful. Wrong tense, missing words, strange phrasing, words used in the wrong places, and added words. Phrases are repeated over and over again. I got so tired of "I've got your back" I never want to hear or read the phrase again! Reads like a first draft and needs major editing.
For my clean readers:
Language, violence, discussion of cleavage(teenage boy hormones), underage drinking, and discussion of teenage cigarette use.
February 20, 2014
If you like this kind of thing, you'll probably like this book. I like fantasy, and I like the concept, and the book reads really fast. At the same time it still feels half-baked, like it's 2 or 3 revisions away from being really good. It also feels more derivative than original; it reads more like a genre mash-up than an inspired original novel. The writing is not bad, but it is uneven; there are several points where an odd metaphor or weird quip took me out of the story. Also present are the seemingly inevitable grammatical errors and typos that are the true price of a free ebook, although this book is not overwhelmed with them. The author does know how to write, but additional revising and editing are in order.
All in all, I enjoyed the book; I just wish it could have been better.
All in all, I enjoyed the book; I just wish it could have been better.
November 26, 2017
A good start.
This wasn't a bad story at all. I thought it might be but no, it got better as it went along and by the time the young hero, Sig, has learned that he is strong enough to be a warrior I was really into the whole thing. The next book will, hopefully, be just as good if not better.
This wasn't a bad story at all. I thought it might be but no, it got better as it went along and by the time the young hero, Sig, has learned that he is strong enough to be a warrior I was really into the whole thing. The next book will, hopefully, be just as good if not better.
April 13, 2018
Fun
Lots of fun to read and imagine, the characters and story are fun to read and believe in the fantasy world.
Lots of fun to read and imagine, the characters and story are fun to read and believe in the fantasy world.
May 26, 2014
I found Wizard's Dawning through the Rave Reviews book club, and I'm glad I did! This is a modern day magical fiction story staring Sig, a high school senior who finds out he has magic the day zombies attack his home. His grandfather is there to help Sig and his mother deal with the massive changes in how they see the world.
Wizard's Dawning combines everything we love about wild magical fantasy with modern characters and problems. A high school fling, fencing practice, and mom's home cooking combine with basilisks, witches, and near death experiences.
Sig is a great character. He's strong, responsible, and a leader. Yet he's still a high school boy distracted by a pretty girl and annoyed with his own shortcomings. He has a great relationship with his mother and a lifelong dream of practicing magic. He's scared of the new things happening to him, but steps up when he needs to. Sig is the next Battle Wizard, and that's a huge responsibility.
I felt like the author did a great job in bringing life to these characters and making me, the reader, fall in love with them. The writing style is very modern and practical, which brings the magic into the twenty first century.
This is the first book in the series. I haven't read the rest yet, but I intend to!
Wizard's Dawning combines everything we love about wild magical fantasy with modern characters and problems. A high school fling, fencing practice, and mom's home cooking combine with basilisks, witches, and near death experiences.
Sig is a great character. He's strong, responsible, and a leader. Yet he's still a high school boy distracted by a pretty girl and annoyed with his own shortcomings. He has a great relationship with his mother and a lifelong dream of practicing magic. He's scared of the new things happening to him, but steps up when he needs to. Sig is the next Battle Wizard, and that's a huge responsibility.
I felt like the author did a great job in bringing life to these characters and making me, the reader, fall in love with them. The writing style is very modern and practical, which brings the magic into the twenty first century.
This is the first book in the series. I haven't read the rest yet, but I intend to!
May 29, 2014
When you think of wizards, you think of ancient mystical times, with castles, kings, and dragons...Right? Well, not in Wizard Dawning. Set in the future of Earth, this story works on the premise that global warming processes have opened up pockets of magic and more people than ever before have access to special powers. You can even get a degree in magic for universities.
In the case of our protagonist, Sig, his family possesses old magic that has been passed down through the bloodline, along with the responsibility of being a Battle Wizard. These Battle Wizards fight dark magic with the use of a talisman, an artifact from an ancient time when gods and demons ruled the world. Throughout his young life, Sig has been stalked by a dark mage hoping to get his hands on that family talisman.
C.M. Lance weaves a rich tapestry of past and present where the characters live in a modern technological world with mystic secrets. The characters display full personalities that come out through the progress of the story. The relationship between the family members are wonderfully realistic, even with the complications of magical genes.
There is a lot of magic, a little bit of zombies, and some fights with demons, brought together with mythology.
In the case of our protagonist, Sig, his family possesses old magic that has been passed down through the bloodline, along with the responsibility of being a Battle Wizard. These Battle Wizards fight dark magic with the use of a talisman, an artifact from an ancient time when gods and demons ruled the world. Throughout his young life, Sig has been stalked by a dark mage hoping to get his hands on that family talisman.
C.M. Lance weaves a rich tapestry of past and present where the characters live in a modern technological world with mystic secrets. The characters display full personalities that come out through the progress of the story. The relationship between the family members are wonderfully realistic, even with the complications of magical genes.
There is a lot of magic, a little bit of zombies, and some fights with demons, brought together with mythology.
May 14, 2015
In the late 21st century, climate change has caused a resurgence of magical powers in the world, but Sig, a young man in Minnesota preparing to go to college, magic is something that other people possess. But, one day, when his Grampa Thor visits, they are attacked by zombies brought to life by a dark wizard out to destroy Sig. Sig then learns that not only does he have magic powers that he was unaware of, but so does his grandfather and his mother Madeline. To complicate his life even more, Thor give him a magic amulet that turns him into a Battle Wizard.
In all too short a time, Sig must master his new-found powers, or be killed by the dark wizard.
Wizard Dawning, book 1 of the two-book Battle Wizard Sage series, takes us on a wild ride as Sig finds himself battled and betrayed, with betrayal coming from a most unexpected quarter. A nicely-told tale for fantasy lovers, set in a world that we can all identify with, and populated by an amazing cast of characters.
In all too short a time, Sig must master his new-found powers, or be killed by the dark wizard.
Wizard Dawning, book 1 of the two-book Battle Wizard Sage series, takes us on a wild ride as Sig finds himself battled and betrayed, with betrayal coming from a most unexpected quarter. A nicely-told tale for fantasy lovers, set in a world that we can all identify with, and populated by an amazing cast of characters.
April 4, 2012
Aside from a few typos, this book was a fantastic read and a steal because I got it for free!
Magic, a bit of romance, mystery, tragedy, mythical beings (the addition of Amazons was cool), and all-around growth of the character(s) were great. I really enjoyed following Sig's story - not only is he likable, he is smart and funny. The book was interesting plot-wise but also because it made me think. Vocabulary was definitely beyond your usual YA scope, butt not to the point of being obtuse. I enjoyed the higher-level vocab and the different sense of humor from all the characters.
Main character is seriously a stand up young man doing his best. The author has really built an entire world with its own workings and theories (huge pro in my book!). Looking forward to more from this author!
Magic, a bit of romance, mystery, tragedy, mythical beings (the addition of Amazons was cool), and all-around growth of the character(s) were great. I really enjoyed following Sig's story - not only is he likable, he is smart and funny. The book was interesting plot-wise but also because it made me think. Vocabulary was definitely beyond your usual YA scope, butt not to the point of being obtuse. I enjoyed the higher-level vocab and the different sense of humor from all the characters.
Main character is seriously a stand up young man doing his best. The author has really built an entire world with its own workings and theories (huge pro in my book!). Looking forward to more from this author!
April 16, 2012
This is simply a story well told. From the first scene, Lance lays down a fantasy world of wizards, weres, zombies, witches and amazon women. Each character develops, each relationship grows, each action unfolds in support of the final battle of good vs. evil. Lance's writing is clear and direct, making a magical world engaging and believable. He teaches us the tools of battle and the powers of magic. Our knowledge grows throughout the book, as does our anxiety concerning who wields the evil magic in the final fight. Truly, a good read.
August 13, 2014
Lance writes with descriptions I liken to Stephen King, thorough and vivid. I enjoyed this book for its flavor, plot, and characters. I don't write spoiler reviews, they destroy the story for others. If you enjoy wizards, evil antagonists, and great support characters, you will love this book. The ending left me ready for the next book, and more of Sig`s battle against evil. I recommend this book to those who enjoy fantasy-adventure, and hope those dang grammar Nazis, and nonbelievers don't read it!
August 27, 2014
"Wizard Dawning" was an pleasnt read. I'm not a zombie fan, and was glad that this was more about the magic than about zombies. It has a range of demonic creatures to be battled against. The story was intriguing and had plenty of action. Some of the scenes passed too quickly, however. I would have enjoyed more depth to them. The book had some minor problems with words missing here and there, but nothing terribly bad. It's a lighter read than many of the sorcery books and has some corny humor. In all, it was worth the read.
November 29, 2013
Thrilling ride into fantasy and mythology.
Wizard Dawning held me mesmerized for hours. I turned page after page devouring this highly imaginative heart-pounding adventure as I was introduced to Sig’s magical world of fantasy and mythology. The plot is solid, fresh and creative, and the characters strong and easy to like. I didn’t want it to end and I was thrilled to see a second book in the saga. A very compelling read.
Wizard Dawning held me mesmerized for hours. I turned page after page devouring this highly imaginative heart-pounding adventure as I was introduced to Sig’s magical world of fantasy and mythology. The plot is solid, fresh and creative, and the characters strong and easy to like. I didn’t want it to end and I was thrilled to see a second book in the saga. A very compelling read.
March 12, 2014
This was an enjoyable read. The main character Sig gets a medallion from his grandpa that transforms him into an 8 foot tall battle wizard. We get to follow Sig as he learns how to handle his new powers.
It has a lot of tongue in cheek humor that makes this book a fun one to read. It's definitely not the book you are looking for if you want hard core action.
It has a lot of tongue in cheek humor that makes this book a fun one to read. It's definitely not the book you are looking for if you want hard core action.
March 18, 2012
This was a very well written book. The wit on the story reminded me a lot of The Stainless Steel Rat series by Harry Harrison. I'm looking forward to the next book, or at least I hope there are more books from this universe.
January 18, 2014
I'm glad I finally found a free book that wasn't a terrible romance. :) It still had some typos that I apparently won't be getting away from any time soon... But the plot was good. The ending was kind of lackluster...but I might be interested in continuing the story.
February 13, 2015
Battle Wizard Ka-Pow!
Great adventure, lots of action with a tad of romance and gobs of magic. Martial arts along with a bevy of Amazon's in college make this a fast paced fantasy read.
Great adventure, lots of action with a tad of romance and gobs of magic. Martial arts along with a bevy of Amazon's in college make this a fast paced fantasy read.
April 22, 2014
This felt like an intro rather than a full book. Just when all characters are on scene, it's over. Bummer.
May 6, 2014
Intriguing
Intriguing New fantasy series. The characters are likable, and I am curious about what will happen to them in the future.
Intriguing New fantasy series. The characters are likable, and I am curious about what will happen to them in the future.
May 25, 2014
Again no conclusion
confusing characters, not the best editing but interesting tale development.rambles in some pats, but stoola page turner. an enjoyable read.
confusing characters, not the best editing but interesting tale development.rambles in some pats, but stoola page turner. an enjoyable read.
October 19, 2014
Kind of shallow and not terribly well written.
November 21, 2014
Disappointing storyline because there is no ending. It needs a start and a finish.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews