What do you think?
Rate this book
Metamancer
Metamancer: (n) One talented in Metamancy, the magic of detecting, altering, canceling, and manipulating magic itself.
To escape political intrigue in the capitol, Sir Jared and Mage Madeline D'Abrac settled in a remote barony on the outskirts of the kingdom. Soon after, a baby in a basket appeared on their doorstep under mysterious circumstances. Fearing a connection to dark and powerful magic, they endeavor to raise him into a non-magical life as a warrior.
As he grows up, Johnny D’Abrac happily trains to be a knight like his father, and when he’s old enough, he joins the guard to fight in the war with the elves. However, fate doesn’t ask your opinion. Soon, death and intrigue interfere, and Johnny finds himself on a path he never dreamed of: apprentice to a wizard and friends with an elf. He yearns for stability, but the unseen machinations of others pull him in new directions as he tries to take control of his own life.
It doesn't help that he turns out to have the most feared talent of all, Metamancy, the magic of altering magic itself.
(Cover Art by Matt Stawicki)
To escape political intrigue in the capitol, Sir Jared and Mage Madeline D'Abrac settled in a remote barony on the outskirts of the kingdom. Soon after, a baby in a basket appeared on their doorstep under mysterious circumstances. Fearing a connection to dark and powerful magic, they endeavor to raise him into a non-magical life as a warrior.
As he grows up, Johnny D’Abrac happily trains to be a knight like his father, and when he’s old enough, he joins the guard to fight in the war with the elves. However, fate doesn’t ask your opinion. Soon, death and intrigue interfere, and Johnny finds himself on a path he never dreamed of: apprentice to a wizard and friends with an elf. He yearns for stability, but the unseen machinations of others pull him in new directions as he tries to take control of his own life.
It doesn't help that he turns out to have the most feared talent of all, Metamancy, the magic of altering magic itself.
(Cover Art by Matt Stawicki)
316 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 1, 2023
About the author
William I. Zard
1 book3 followersWilliam I. Zard is the pen name for Patrick G. Heck’s fantasy fiction writing. He was born in Ohio but moved to Massachusetts at the age of ten. His originally intended career was Biology, and he earned a Bachelors and a Masters in Biology at Clark University and S. U. N. Y. Buffalo.
He caught the writing bug during the final project for his creative writing class at Clark University. Since the assignment was to write a “short story,” and his writing quickly expanded to twenty-seven pages with a lame, tacked-on ending, it wasn’t much of a success as a final project. However, he continued to read, write, and build a world for his characters and their story for many years. Eventually, he had so many ideas he wanted to share that he finally committed to publishing his work. Nine months later, Metamancer was finished and ready for publication.
A wide variety of authors influence his writing. The strongest influences would be Ursula K. LeGuin, David Eddings, Glen Cook, and Dragonlance Chronicles/Legends. Robert Jordon is also a big influence, though in both positive and negative ways.
In addition to science, computers, and fiction, he also enjoys autocross racing, computer games, the game of Go, and aviation.
He caught the writing bug during the final project for his creative writing class at Clark University. Since the assignment was to write a “short story,” and his writing quickly expanded to twenty-seven pages with a lame, tacked-on ending, it wasn’t much of a success as a final project. However, he continued to read, write, and build a world for his characters and their story for many years. Eventually, he had so many ideas he wanted to share that he finally committed to publishing his work. Nine months later, Metamancer was finished and ready for publication.
A wide variety of authors influence his writing. The strongest influences would be Ursula K. LeGuin, David Eddings, Glen Cook, and Dragonlance Chronicles/Legends. Robert Jordon is also a big influence, though in both positive and negative ways.
In addition to science, computers, and fiction, he also enjoys autocross racing, computer games, the game of Go, and aviation.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
July 31, 2023
great first book of series
A story of an abandoned child with magic powers, but with some new twists. Didn’t feel like reading the same old variations. He’s done his early schooling and book two I assume will be at the academy of wizards.
Writing is excellent and properly edited, so it flows smoothly and not a struggle. It keeps you reading at a good pace.
Looking forward to the rest of the books and a new author to follow.
A story of an abandoned child with magic powers, but with some new twists. Didn’t feel like reading the same old variations. He’s done his early schooling and book two I assume will be at the academy of wizards.
Writing is excellent and properly edited, so it flows smoothly and not a struggle. It keeps you reading at a good pace.
Looking forward to the rest of the books and a new author to follow.
Read
October 7, 2024There are some very good elements here which a fantasy book should have.
It’s definitely a YA book. We get to know our two main characters pretty well, Johnny and Alfyra. We have humans of course, but also goblins and elves and wizards and a pegasus! Through their growing relationship we learn about the history between humans and elves and why elves are distrusted and hated today.
The story begins with an orphaned baby left with a warrior and his wife. They give him a new name. There are short passages that recount his childhood and the experiences that eventually lead him to wizard training.
The ending leaves us with lots of questions as to what will happen next.
However there are some things that didn’t flow well for me. Johnny has a childhood enemy but not much comes of this relationship. I thought we’d see more of Dillon and his machinations. On the other hand, the fate of Johnny’s best friend, Derek, was a total surprise and catapulted the story into another direction.
There’s also too much description of many things instead of action. We don’t experience a lot of things but are only told. There’s more action once Johnny dubbed Sinprejic enters the wizard tower for training.
The use of modern ideas and language made me think this was more an urban fantasy, but it’s definitely set in another time without modern conveniences. So the conversations didn’t keep me immersed in a certain time period because I wasn’t sure where I was. There wasn’t a good transition between events to help the plot move smoothly and seamlessly.
However by the end I was invested in the life of Johnny and how his fate might affect his surroundings, the elves, and the wider world at large.
It’s definitely a YA book. We get to know our two main characters pretty well, Johnny and Alfyra. We have humans of course, but also goblins and elves and wizards and a pegasus! Through their growing relationship we learn about the history between humans and elves and why elves are distrusted and hated today.
The story begins with an orphaned baby left with a warrior and his wife. They give him a new name. There are short passages that recount his childhood and the experiences that eventually lead him to wizard training.
The ending leaves us with lots of questions as to what will happen next.
However there are some things that didn’t flow well for me. Johnny has a childhood enemy but not much comes of this relationship. I thought we’d see more of Dillon and his machinations. On the other hand, the fate of Johnny’s best friend, Derek, was a total surprise and catapulted the story into another direction.
There’s also too much description of many things instead of action. We don’t experience a lot of things but are only told. There’s more action once Johnny dubbed Sinprejic enters the wizard tower for training.
The use of modern ideas and language made me think this was more an urban fantasy, but it’s definitely set in another time without modern conveniences. So the conversations didn’t keep me immersed in a certain time period because I wasn’t sure where I was. There wasn’t a good transition between events to help the plot move smoothly and seamlessly.
However by the end I was invested in the life of Johnny and how his fate might affect his surroundings, the elves, and the wider world at large.
July 31, 2023
This is one of the best books I have read in a long time. I read that the author spent 30 years writing this book, and I can tell by the depth of thoughts he put into it. The characters are rich. Some of the characters, such as Jared D'Abrac who is the main character's father, can be a main character in a spin off. This book is about Johnny's journey to wizardry. His journey is relatable for many young adults who try to find their footing and discover their talents.
October 25, 2024
I read this for a blog tour so thanks for the audio and digital copy of the book to the author and indiebooktours.
I had an absolutely wonderful time with this one, I read it in tandem audibly and with the digital version and I read it very quickly. This is for sure a YA fantasy if you are looking for something easy and quick paced then you wont be disappointed.
It is a wonderfully fleshed out story about a young boy coming of age, it has wonderful magic and wizards which are likable and well fleshed out.
I love the fact there are goblins, wizards and elves as well as humans. It makes the story so much more unique and easy to read. The only problem i have with the book is that I dont want to wait for the next one to come out. I am ready to keep reading and to go on another adventure with this author.
Very pleased to find another new author to follow.
4 stars
I had an absolutely wonderful time with this one, I read it in tandem audibly and with the digital version and I read it very quickly. This is for sure a YA fantasy if you are looking for something easy and quick paced then you wont be disappointed.
It is a wonderfully fleshed out story about a young boy coming of age, it has wonderful magic and wizards which are likable and well fleshed out.
I love the fact there are goblins, wizards and elves as well as humans. It makes the story so much more unique and easy to read. The only problem i have with the book is that I dont want to wait for the next one to come out. I am ready to keep reading and to go on another adventure with this author.
Very pleased to find another new author to follow.
4 stars
October 23, 2024
I received the audiobook in exchange for my honest review. I thoroughly enjoyed Metamancer! It had some intriguing concepts when it came to the magic in the world. The interactions between Johnny and Alfyra were well done, and I looked forward to learning more about the elves and the other races in this world.
This is aimed at younger readers, and I would class in age range similar to The Rangers Apprentice books (which I also really enjoyed).
Overall, I thought this was a great book, and I will definitely be reading the next one when it is available.
This is aimed at younger readers, and I would class in age range similar to The Rangers Apprentice books (which I also really enjoyed).
Overall, I thought this was a great book, and I will definitely be reading the next one when it is available.
August 6, 2023
My only frustration with this novel is waiting for volumes 2 and 3. The world description is tightly written, with good internal consistency, important in a fantasy novel. His world presents conflicts different from our everyday reality.
The main character has kept my interest and sympathy. I found myself waiting to see how he would respond to
surprising plot twists as he develops maturity in a dangerous reality.
The main character has kept my interest and sympathy. I found myself waiting to see how he would respond to
surprising plot twists as he develops maturity in a dangerous reality.
October 14, 2024
I enjoyed reading Metamancer.. something happened that I really didn't expect that had a huge impact on how the story progressed.
I listened to the audiobook and the narrator john Pirhallah did a really good job.
There are no large battles and Epic quests but I knew that going it and it didn't deter me.
If you are looking for a character driven story I would recommend this book.
Thank you to the author for providing a copy of the book for review
I listened to the audiobook and the narrator john Pirhallah did a really good job.
There are no large battles and Epic quests but I knew that going it and it didn't deter me.
If you are looking for a character driven story I would recommend this book.
Thank you to the author for providing a copy of the book for review
August 5, 2023
This is a compelling coming of age book that I found hard to put down. For a novice author, Zard writes with amazing clarity, brevity and control. The energetic plot races along with memorable characters, lively dialog and impressive descriptions of conjuring magic. I hope the rest of this series appears very soon.
December 10, 2023
Bones
This book is very lean. The story is good and the writing more than adequate. There is almost nothing here that doesn’t in some way move things forward. This is good but I can’t help but feel it could use a bit more to flesh it out.
Looking forward to the next release.
This book is very lean. The story is good and the writing more than adequate. There is almost nothing here that doesn’t in some way move things forward. This is good but I can’t help but feel it could use a bit more to flesh it out.
Looking forward to the next release.
December 25, 2023
Far to much fluff
Over half of the book could be dropped without really affecting the story. The first 60% or so of the story has very little to do with the story, just bits and pieces of setup that are barely needed.
Over half of the book could be dropped without really affecting the story. The first 60% or so of the story has very little to do with the story, just bits and pieces of setup that are barely needed.
August 1, 2023
blurb sounds pretty captivating. Will read
October 28, 2023
Very good book
This is a fine fantasy adventure novel. It is well written and edited. I especially like the grumpy female wizard I anxiously await the sequel.
This is a fine fantasy adventure novel. It is well written and edited. I especially like the grumpy female wizard I anxiously await the sequel.
November 23, 2023
Very good read
Enjoyed this one a lot, had a few, very few slow parts but overall good story. Would recommend to any fantasy, magic, sword a sorcery reader.
Enjoyed this one a lot, had a few, very few slow parts but overall good story. Would recommend to any fantasy, magic, sword a sorcery reader.
February 1, 2024
Diverse
Well, thoughtout and interesting storyline. A new beginning of a developing world of magic. Characters are unique and developing. Can't wait for the next book.
Well, thoughtout and interesting storyline. A new beginning of a developing world of magic. Characters are unique and developing. Can't wait for the next book.
March 1, 2024
Coming of age story of a magic endowed boy who wants to achieve. Read Kindle book using Alexa audio asset. Borrowed this eBook with Kindle Unlimited on February 23, 2024
September 15, 2025
Interesting read
The book kept me wanting to know more about the rest of the story. Interesting characters are in the story.
The book kept me wanting to know more about the rest of the story. Interesting characters are in the story.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews