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Elementary #1
Elementary
Physicist Calista Hogarth is a firm believer in rationality. Suddenly finding herself in an entirely different world after her sudden death, she must now deal with the fact that the nature of the world is elemental and magical. Oh, and she has to save the world. No pressure.
ebook
Published May 13, 2023
83 people are currently reading
20 people want to read
About the author
Niall Teasdale
73 books292 followersI was born in the vicinity of Hadrian's Wall so perhaps a bit of history rubbed off. Ancient history obviously, and border history, right on the edge of the Empire. I always preferred the Dark Ages anyway; there’s so much more room for imagination when people aren’t writing down every last detail. So my idea of a good fantasy novel involved dirt and leather, not shining plate armour and Hollywood-medieval manners. The same applies to my sci-fi, really; I prefer gritty over shiny.
Oddly, then, one of the first fantasy novels I remember reading was The Dark Is Rising, by Susan Cooper (later made into a terrible juvenile movie). These days we would call Cooper’s series Young Adult Contemporary Fantasy and looking back on it, it influenced me a lot. It has that mix of modern day life, hidden history, and magic which failed to hit popular culture until the early days of Buffy and Anne Rice. Of course, Cooper’s characters spend their time around places I could actually visit in Cornwall, and South East England, and mid-Wales. In fact, when I went to university in Aberystwyth, it was partially because some of Cooper’s books were set a few miles to the north around Tywyn.
I got into writing through roleplaying, however, so my early work was related to the kind of roleplaying game I was interested in. I wrote “high fantasy” when I was playing Dungeons & Dragons. I wrote a lot of superhero fiction when I was playing City of Heroes. I still loved the idea of a modern world with magic in it and I’ve been trying to write a novel based on this for a long time. As with any form of expression, practice is the key and I can look back on all the aborted attempts at books, and the more successful short stories, as steps along the path to the Thaumatology Series.
As of 2015, I have thrown in my lot with writing. After thirty years of being a computer programmer I am making enough money to quit the day job and write full time. Dreams, occasionally, come true. My favourite authors are Terry Pratchett, Susan Cooper, and (recently) Kim Harrison. Kim’s Hollows books were what finally spurred me to publish something, even if the trail to here came by way of Susan, back in school, several decades ago.
Oddly, then, one of the first fantasy novels I remember reading was The Dark Is Rising, by Susan Cooper (later made into a terrible juvenile movie). These days we would call Cooper’s series Young Adult Contemporary Fantasy and looking back on it, it influenced me a lot. It has that mix of modern day life, hidden history, and magic which failed to hit popular culture until the early days of Buffy and Anne Rice. Of course, Cooper’s characters spend their time around places I could actually visit in Cornwall, and South East England, and mid-Wales. In fact, when I went to university in Aberystwyth, it was partially because some of Cooper’s books were set a few miles to the north around Tywyn.
I got into writing through roleplaying, however, so my early work was related to the kind of roleplaying game I was interested in. I wrote “high fantasy” when I was playing Dungeons & Dragons. I wrote a lot of superhero fiction when I was playing City of Heroes. I still loved the idea of a modern world with magic in it and I’ve been trying to write a novel based on this for a long time. As with any form of expression, practice is the key and I can look back on all the aborted attempts at books, and the more successful short stories, as steps along the path to the Thaumatology Series.
As of 2015, I have thrown in my lot with writing. After thirty years of being a computer programmer I am making enough money to quit the day job and write full time. Dreams, occasionally, come true. My favourite authors are Terry Pratchett, Susan Cooper, and (recently) Kim Harrison. Kim’s Hollows books were what finally spurred me to publish something, even if the trail to here came by way of Susan, back in school, several decades ago.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
May 20, 2023
A new world to explore
Mr. Teasdale has always been wonderful at creating realistic, mythical places. His world creation here I think is exceptional. The main character is forced to abandon her lo her long cherished beliefs about science. Wile forced to admit magic does exist in her new world, she sets out to find out how magic really works.
I hope this is the start of a new series.
Mr. Teasdale has always been wonderful at creating realistic, mythical places. His world creation here I think is exceptional. The main character is forced to abandon her lo her long cherished beliefs about science. Wile forced to admit magic does exist in her new world, she sets out to find out how magic really works.
I hope this is the start of a new series.
October 26, 2023
not what I expected. Better !
I was unsure of what to expect with this book and must confess that I thoroughly enjoyed it. By half way through, I was having trouble putting the story away.
I was unsure of what to expect with this book and must confess that I thoroughly enjoyed it. By half way through, I was having trouble putting the story away.
May 17, 2023
entertaining
This was fun. Mostly light with an interesting take on magic.
Still a little focused on boobs, but nothing overly graphic.
I look forward to the next book.
This was fun. Mostly light with an interesting take on magic.
Still a little focused on boobs, but nothing overly graphic.
I look forward to the next book.
May 17, 2023
The start of another great series from one of my favorite authors. In this case its about treating magic as science. And a good story and a good MC.
May 18, 2023
Awesome!
A great start to what I can only hope turns out to be many books! Awesome world full of magic, great characters, cool story!
A great start to what I can only hope turns out to be many books! Awesome world full of magic, great characters, cool story!
May 25, 2023
A bit different from Teasdales other works, but fun all the same.
Review to follow.
Review to follow.
November 15, 2023
A good read.
This one started out a bit slow foe my taste, but became much muck more interesting in a chapter or two.
This one started out a bit slow foe my taste, but became much muck more interesting in a chapter or two.
January 9, 2024
Great book
I cannot wait to read the next book in this series. This author always makes great books. I hope the next one comes out soon.
I cannot wait to read the next book in this series. This author always makes great books. I hope the next one comes out soon.
May 24, 2024
Exelent start
A new saga with a fresh hero a complex world setting and an interesting Magic system. The book was very enjoyable and I can't wait to read The next one.
A new saga with a fresh hero a complex world setting and an interesting Magic system. The book was very enjoyable and I can't wait to read The next one.
May 15, 2023
This book seems to be missing an ending...
July 1, 2023
This was a decent read, but it took a while to get going and although it was quite interesting it never really grabbed me.
If possible I would have given 2.5 stars, but the book was easy to read so I have rounded this up to three.
I have one other concern, this is the start of yet another series, but this author has at least fifteen other unfinished series on the go, with some dating back over eight years since the last book. Will this book just join the collection of unfinished stories.
If possible I would have given 2.5 stars, but the book was easy to read so I have rounded this up to three.
I have one other concern, this is the start of yet another series, but this author has at least fifteen other unfinished series on the go, with some dating back over eight years since the last book. Will this book just join the collection of unfinished stories.
April 19, 2024
Fun and interesting, but odd
The blurb is rather short for a good reason: The fun of this book is figuring out what is going on. Calista (the MC) is a scientist, which causes her some initial difficulties, but it leads her (and us) to a better understanding of the world she is in. (I wonder if the biscuits are magic.)
Unfortunately, the book ends after she gets a hint about why she is different from the other "heroes". It's not exactly a cliffhanger to but it is an incomplete story. I will definitely read the sequel. There will probably be a whole series.
The blurb is rather short for a good reason: The fun of this book is figuring out what is going on. Calista (the MC) is a scientist, which causes her some initial difficulties, but it leads her (and us) to a better understanding of the world she is in. (I wonder if the biscuits are magic.)
Unfortunately, the book ends after she gets a hint about why she is different from the other "heroes". It's not exactly a cliffhanger to but it is an incomplete story. I will definitely read the sequel. There will probably be a whole series.
March 17, 2024
Interesting story
It took a while to get into but I enjoyed it.
Ill read the next book. But have enjoyed other Niall books more.
It took a while to get into but I enjoyed it.
Ill read the next book. But have enjoyed other Niall books more.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews