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Inconvenient Magic #1
Potatoes, Come Forth!
Everett is a down-on-his-luck magical tradesman just trying to make a living. He has manifested the seven spells required to earn the rank of Journeyman Magicker, but few of his spells are useful enough to earn coin, and when he does manage to find work, he is often paid in farm produce.
His life is simple, ponderous, and unexciting.
Then, almost miraculously, he manifests an eighth spell: Beautiful Woman, come forth!
And this is when his troubles truly begin.
Potatoes, Come Forth! is a fantasy novel of 89,400 words or approximately 357 pages.
His life is simple, ponderous, and unexciting.
Then, almost miraculously, he manifests an eighth spell: Beautiful Woman, come forth!
And this is when his troubles truly begin.
Potatoes, Come Forth! is a fantasy novel of 89,400 words or approximately 357 pages.
296 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 27, 2011
22 people are currently reading
248 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
December 26, 2021
Fun, Fantasy, Magic, Action
Funny, action packed, magic defying, romance. A journeyman magician with a very poor selection of magic spells is attempting to peddle his best skill, producing potatoes. Unfortunately he was paid in potatoes instead of money and as he slowly trughes along with 200 lbs of spuds to a city where he hopefully can sell them, he bemoans his abilities. Why, he wonders, can't I manifest something useful besides potatoes? Why can't I say "Beautiful Woman, Come Forth!" ... and then suddenly a naked one appears. This is the start of a very clever, enjoyable read.
Funny, action packed, magic defying, romance. A journeyman magician with a very poor selection of magic spells is attempting to peddle his best skill, producing potatoes. Unfortunately he was paid in potatoes instead of money and as he slowly trughes along with 200 lbs of spuds to a city where he hopefully can sell them, he bemoans his abilities. Why, he wonders, can't I manifest something useful besides potatoes? Why can't I say "Beautiful Woman, Come Forth!" ... and then suddenly a naked one appears. This is the start of a very clever, enjoyable read.
January 14, 2023
Rating 2.0 stars - DNF
There were some interesting parts but I never got a good feel for the flow of the story. As soon as I thought I was settled in to what was happening, things changed. The characters were kind of bland. I didn't really understand the magic system. Most of the spells people had were just useless, so what was the point? I didn't like Sarah either. Kind of a bitch of a female lead. On one hand she states she will do anything for her family and has no interest in the MC. On the other hand she acts like she has an interest in the MC and pulls the "hurt female" act whenever she doesn't get her own way. Which is it? Are you using the MC or do you like him? Are you pretending to like him just so he does what you want? Isn't that part of "I will do anything for my family?". On one hand I can respect someone that is honest and upfront but it muddies the water a little when she is open and up front about her future deceptions. I made it about 60 percent before I realized I didn't really care what was going to happen, so I pulled the plug and added another DNF to my list.
There were some interesting parts but I never got a good feel for the flow of the story. As soon as I thought I was settled in to what was happening, things changed. The characters were kind of bland. I didn't really understand the magic system. Most of the spells people had were just useless, so what was the point? I didn't like Sarah either. Kind of a bitch of a female lead. On one hand she states she will do anything for her family and has no interest in the MC. On the other hand she acts like she has an interest in the MC and pulls the "hurt female" act whenever she doesn't get her own way. Which is it? Are you using the MC or do you like him? Are you pretending to like him just so he does what you want? Isn't that part of "I will do anything for my family?". On one hand I can respect someone that is honest and upfront but it muddies the water a little when she is open and up front about her future deceptions. I made it about 60 percent before I realized I didn't really care what was going to happen, so I pulled the plug and added another DNF to my list.
January 9, 2023
This gets a legitimate 4.5, as the unlikableness of the pedantic MC was off-putting at first. Helpfully, he and the prickly female lead both developed, although I could say that "grew up" would be appropriate for them both, despite their adult ages. Exposure to the real world and people trying to kill you will do that, provided you survive.
The book finished well, so it deserves the 5th star for overall experience. I've downloaded the rest of the series on the strength of this one, so hopefully I don't regret it.
The book finished well, so it deserves the 5th star for overall experience. I've downloaded the rest of the series on the strength of this one, so hopefully I don't regret it.
April 13, 2013
Loved this book. Everett is a man who as a Magicker who had so much potential early on. He could have been a Wizard or a Grand Wizard. As it is, his best spell summons potatoes. I liked him from the start, and then he got better.
Everett travels through a world unlike any fantasy setting I've seen before. It's not Sword and Sorcerey. It's not Urban Fantasy. It's not even really Steampunk, though it has trappings of that genre as the world is undergoing an Industrial Revolution of sorts. Technology is growing and becoming prevalent. There's an Air Carriage, Steam-Powered Mobile Artillery and other cool devices, but it's different. It's almost like the Civil War era of the US.
When I try to pin down how to describe this book I come back to Everett. At times I want to describe him as a combination of an older Huck Finn and a Younger Gandalf. But that's not fair to Everett or the author as Everett's his own man. He's a man that discovers love, and the power within himself to save the world. This comes when he realizes it's not so much the abilities you've been given in life but your outlook on life and yourself coupled with a far-reaching creativity that matters.
I grinned, I laughed, I lost myself in the world and I can't wait to go back.
Everett travels through a world unlike any fantasy setting I've seen before. It's not Sword and Sorcerey. It's not Urban Fantasy. It's not even really Steampunk, though it has trappings of that genre as the world is undergoing an Industrial Revolution of sorts. Technology is growing and becoming prevalent. There's an Air Carriage, Steam-Powered Mobile Artillery and other cool devices, but it's different. It's almost like the Civil War era of the US.
When I try to pin down how to describe this book I come back to Everett. At times I want to describe him as a combination of an older Huck Finn and a Younger Gandalf. But that's not fair to Everett or the author as Everett's his own man. He's a man that discovers love, and the power within himself to save the world. This comes when he realizes it's not so much the abilities you've been given in life but your outlook on life and yourself coupled with a far-reaching creativity that matters.
I grinned, I laughed, I lost myself in the world and I can't wait to go back.
December 27, 2015
Do you like Watt-Evans?
....well here's his alter ego. This author writes enough like Lawrence Watt-Evans to be his twin. The subject matter seems almost to be another Ethshar tale. I happen to enjoy the writing style of Lawrence Watt-Evans, so I was very happy to read this story, and I intend to read the rest of this author's work. Editing could use a bit of help, but it wasn't bad enough to put me off this enjoyable read, and certainly not bad enough to downgrade my rating.
....well here's his alter ego. This author writes enough like Lawrence Watt-Evans to be his twin. The subject matter seems almost to be another Ethshar tale. I happen to enjoy the writing style of Lawrence Watt-Evans, so I was very happy to read this story, and I intend to read the rest of this author's work. Editing could use a bit of help, but it wasn't bad enough to put me off this enjoyable read, and certainly not bad enough to downgrade my rating.
February 26, 2023
This was a perfect read for me. There's some magic, some technology, adventure, romance, and quite a bit of comedy. Unlike a lot of fantasy books, it puts a really irreverent cast on magic and magic users, and kept me entertained throughout. And, unlike many fantasy stories, when the conflict was over we didn't linger. The author knew exactly where to cut it off.
January 30, 2016
Not the worst book is I've read
I'm really not sure why, but I just couldn't finish it. It's simplistic and too convenient. It didn't grab my attention. I put it down for another book, then realized I wasn't ever going to finish it. I guess it just wasn't for me.
I'm really not sure why, but I just couldn't finish it. It's simplistic and too convenient. It didn't grab my attention. I put it down for another book, then realized I wasn't ever going to finish it. I guess it just wasn't for me.
February 11, 2020
Don't judge a book by its cover. This gem was so much more than I expected based on the cover art. It was a fun jaunt into a world where Magic and Technology clash and cought in the middle is Everett.
January 14, 2023
DNF
It's not poorly written, I'm just not in the mood for the failure disguised comedy thing right now.
Also, how much self pity is too much self pity?
Let me rephrase that... How much self pity is too much self pity to be funny?
It's not poorly written, I'm just not in the mood for the failure disguised comedy thing right now.
Also, how much self pity is too much self pity?
Let me rephrase that... How much self pity is too much self pity to be funny?
June 17, 2019
Hilarious!
May 28, 2014
A very amusing beginning, believable characters, and clever uses for seemingly useless spells carried me along through the slightly slow last quarter of the book.
March 5, 2012
A wonderful tongue-in-cheek fantasy. Characters evolve and grow on you.
September 20, 2021
Just not my cup of tea. Going on the Humour tag and the feedback, I expected Rincewind. Instead I got a super version of Superman, Any humour is juvenile at best. I hate giving up on a book, and I didn't, hoping in vain to find some redeeming quality. After a hard slog I certainly will not bother with the sequels.
January 31, 2020
Slow start
But it does get better. The MC does grow and the lead female is initially selfishly focused, but likewise mellows near the end. Begs for a sequel, which is good, because there is a book 2 out. Recommended.
But it does get better. The MC does grow and the lead female is initially selfishly focused, but likewise mellows near the end. Begs for a sequel, which is good, because there is a book 2 out. Recommended.
March 9, 2019
Entertaining, good but not great- the plot works out decently but things seem to go on a bit too long towards the end.
May 16, 2019
Started a bit slowly, but turned out well.
August 5, 2020
Good
A good start to the book series, I am looking forward to seeing what happens in the next book released.
A good start to the book series, I am looking forward to seeing what happens in the next book released.
January 14, 2022
Very nice
It reminds me a lot of L Sprange de Camp. A nice magical adventure with no modern nuance or horror thrown in.
It reminds me a lot of L Sprange de Camp. A nice magical adventure with no modern nuance or horror thrown in.
April 21, 2023
Great potential here and some good writing, but I feel this book needs a good editor to help the author bring this world to life.
February 22, 2016
This was actually intended to keep track of my notes on this book as I was reading it. But I think I will share it anyway.
I was hesitant to purchase this book but it did sound like it could be amusing. So I got it. Thus far my feelings for this book is 'meh'. A noble woman who is summoned from her bathtub and transported, totally naked, half way across a continent shouldn't be that calm and collected. Even in a world where everyone has a few, various, completely random, magical spells. She also comes off a bit to pragmatic when she puts on the filthy, shirt from someone who had been lugging a wheelbarrow of 200 lbs of potatoes around all day, having spent a portion of that day in a railroad engine car helping the engineer out. I just don't find anything about this character, Sarah, believable.
I'm now halfway into the book and it is absurd. The problem is, it doesn't feel like it is absurd on purpose. But it doesn't feel like it was on purpose. Yes, it feels like the author is trying to be funny and amusing but not that he was deliberately trying to write Fantasy Humor. It ends up seeming absurd in a bad way rather than absurd in an amusing way.
I finished the book on Saturday. The ending pulled the questionable quality of the book out of the water. It ended better than expected. Other than the fact the author didn't do a very good job of showing the main character's becoming emotionally entangled so that they end up getting married at the end. It was rather abrupt and sudden. Sarah seemed to have very platonic feelings until she crawls into bed with him. He was clearly attracted to her and had twinges of jealousy but then suddenly he is in love with her. It was abrupt and awkward.
Other than some of the characteristics mentioned above, I did find myself wanting to know what would happen next. At the start it had that feeling of a first book, but by the end I no longer had that feeling. The book didn't have the editing errors I normally see when a person's first book is only published in an electronic format. The writing was actually pretty strong and in the end, I think the only real complaint is the author having trouble showing a growing relationship and it didn't pull off deliberate Fantasy Humor very well.
It did end well enough that I ordered the next book the very next morning.
I was hesitant to purchase this book but it did sound like it could be amusing. So I got it. Thus far my feelings for this book is 'meh'. A noble woman who is summoned from her bathtub and transported, totally naked, half way across a continent shouldn't be that calm and collected. Even in a world where everyone has a few, various, completely random, magical spells. She also comes off a bit to pragmatic when she puts on the filthy, shirt from someone who had been lugging a wheelbarrow of 200 lbs of potatoes around all day, having spent a portion of that day in a railroad engine car helping the engineer out. I just don't find anything about this character, Sarah, believable.
I'm now halfway into the book and it is absurd. The problem is, it doesn't feel like it is absurd on purpose. But it doesn't feel like it was on purpose. Yes, it feels like the author is trying to be funny and amusing but not that he was deliberately trying to write Fantasy Humor. It ends up seeming absurd in a bad way rather than absurd in an amusing way.
I finished the book on Saturday. The ending pulled the questionable quality of the book out of the water. It ended better than expected. Other than the fact the author didn't do a very good job of showing the main character's becoming emotionally entangled so that they end up getting married at the end. It was rather abrupt and sudden. Sarah seemed to have very platonic feelings until she crawls into bed with him. He was clearly attracted to her and had twinges of jealousy but then suddenly he is in love with her. It was abrupt and awkward.
Other than some of the characteristics mentioned above, I did find myself wanting to know what would happen next. At the start it had that feeling of a first book, but by the end I no longer had that feeling. The book didn't have the editing errors I normally see when a person's first book is only published in an electronic format. The writing was actually pretty strong and in the end, I think the only real complaint is the author having trouble showing a growing relationship and it didn't pull off deliberate Fantasy Humor very well.
It did end well enough that I ordered the next book the very next morning.
March 7, 2016
. Jonas Rhynedahll has a pleasant light fantasy series on a world where the disembodied spirits influence action, and sometimes become embodied. Magicians have specific spells that are frequently useless, and wizards can have thirteen. Everett can make bad wine from water, but his main spell is Potatoes, Come Forth! (Paper from Rhynedahll Software). A new spell, Beautiful Woman, come forth! Sends him Sarah. It also sends him towards a war in which Technology (embodied as a technician) has created tanks and bombs. Magic wants him to stop this war and keeps giving him more spells. Two years later he and Sarah have an adorable baby who is a manifested version of Magic. Then Destiny takes a hand literally and his powerful spells are all messed up. Not only that, but he has to rescue Sarah who has been trapped in an ancient city and needs to complete thirteen great deeds before she will be let go. Magic, Unfettered? (Paper from Rhynedahll Software). Is just as much as a giggle as the first and remind me of Piers Anthony without puns.Review printed by Philadelphia Weekly Press
January 13, 2016
Somewhat similar to Pratchet, the story moves along at a brisk pace and there is humor sprinkled throughout. An interesting take on the system of magic and the protagonist is a likeable fellow who is caught up in great events who seems to take it all with maybe a little too much good grace.
Overall it's an enjoyable short read.
Overall it's an enjoyable short read.
December 22, 2017
Okay, maybe it's not going to set the world on fire, but this short series is one of the more entertaining fantasy offerings I've read in recent years. A fun and unusual magical system combined with some twists on traditional plotlines.
I thoroughly enjoyed these books.
I thoroughly enjoyed these books.
January 6, 2016
2.5 / 5
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews