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Ascension of a Street Rat #1
Loremaster
With a knife in his gut, Rowan figured he was destined to become just another corpse littering the slums of Taureen.
So, he was fairly surprised to wake up in the back of a moving wagon with a couple of adventurers. Turns out that Rowan had been given something most street rats can only dream of. A second chance.
With only a sword, a spellbook, and enough gold for tuition, he is thrust into a school for aspiring adventurers. A world full of haughty nobles, scions of wealthy families, and various other types of people he used to steal from.
Here, Rowan must vie for his place among students who have been diving in their family-owned dungeons for years, their bodies filled with dense mana instead of tavern scraps and the occasional pilfered apple pie. He will have to fight, study, and most of all – keep his true past a secret.
Because Faebrook Academy is his second chance. His last chance.
So, he was fairly surprised to wake up in the back of a moving wagon with a couple of adventurers. Turns out that Rowan had been given something most street rats can only dream of. A second chance.
With only a sword, a spellbook, and enough gold for tuition, he is thrust into a school for aspiring adventurers. A world full of haughty nobles, scions of wealthy families, and various other types of people he used to steal from.
Here, Rowan must vie for his place among students who have been diving in their family-owned dungeons for years, their bodies filled with dense mana instead of tavern scraps and the occasional pilfered apple pie. He will have to fight, study, and most of all – keep his true past a secret.
Because Faebrook Academy is his second chance. His last chance.
739 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 25, 2023
714 people are currently reading
554 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 130 reviews
January 1, 2024
3/5
A steady start followed by excess info dumps and slow pacing made this book a decent read rather than a brilliant series opener
I was honestly quite shocked by the fumble. Loremaster started out pretty great with a run of the mill trope but I was hooked from the beginning because of the writing which was really good.
But once the MC started on the academy the book started to drag and that was quite a shock to me since most books pick up the pace as the MC enters the academy.
They could have easily cut down 150+ pages easily there are a lot of unnecessary scenes throughout the book. And that twist... I saw that coming a mile away.
To summarise, there are certain parts in this book which were well thought out and executed but as a whole I would say it was a fumble in the middle.
A steady start followed by excess info dumps and slow pacing made this book a decent read rather than a brilliant series opener
I was honestly quite shocked by the fumble. Loremaster started out pretty great with a run of the mill trope but I was hooked from the beginning because of the writing which was really good.
But once the MC started on the academy the book started to drag and that was quite a shock to me since most books pick up the pace as the MC enters the academy.
They could have easily cut down 150+ pages easily there are a lot of unnecessary scenes throughout the book. And that twist... I saw that coming a mile away.
To summarise, there are certain parts in this book which were well thought out and executed but as a whole I would say it was a fumble in the middle.
October 9, 2023
This book had a lot of potential and I really liked the beginning. However it fizzled out once the MC got to the school. From there on it was slow and uneventful with scenes that just would not end. Particularly the night out with Rowans friends, I was nearly crying by the end of that one. And why hint at his past and just abandon that story line with so little exploration.
In that way it reminded me of the name of the Wind. I felt entombed me in a dull educational institution with nothing happening that I actually care about. When I read a book I want it to be at least entertaining. It was like watching someone's day to day (literally day) boring life.
I've given it a 2.5 because at least I was able to finish it. But I won't be returning for book 2. Also is this LitRPG? If I knew it was I would have avoided it like I avoid all of them.
In that way it reminded me of the name of the Wind. I felt entombed me in a dull educational institution with nothing happening that I actually care about. When I read a book I want it to be at least entertaining. It was like watching someone's day to day (literally day) boring life.
I've given it a 2.5 because at least I was able to finish it. But I won't be returning for book 2. Also is this LitRPG? If I knew it was I would have avoided it like I avoid all of them.
October 21, 2023
Book one
This is another of those magic school books. What makes it stand out is the fact that we aren't bored to tears by in depth classes. There is plenty of action going on to keep a reader interested.
The editing was excellent. I only found one mistake that I have listed on Goodreads.
The characters, while not the deepest I've run across I'm highly interested in finding out what family the MC is the lost scone of. He is definitely someone important.
I haven't as yet found this series being published on Royalroad or other sites, but will keep looking.
9/10
This is another of those magic school books. What makes it stand out is the fact that we aren't bored to tears by in depth classes. There is plenty of action going on to keep a reader interested.
The editing was excellent. I only found one mistake that I have listed on Goodreads.
The characters, while not the deepest I've run across I'm highly interested in finding out what family the MC is the lost scone of. He is definitely someone important.
I haven't as yet found this series being published on Royalroad or other sites, but will keep looking.
9/10
October 8, 2023
A character driven adventure
This is a very well written novel. Editing is spot on. Most importantly, the stories and characters are rich. Each character is unique and acts within their framework. I can’t stress enough how fun this book was. Dungeon diving, rags to riches, a non OP MC that makes logical decisions and is eminently human towards himself and his friends. It’s rare to find such empathetic writing. This author understands people, their drives and motivations, and each person he introduces feels unique and real. Did I mention, interesting magic system, good pacing, strong action, and tangible world building? 10/10
This is a very well written novel. Editing is spot on. Most importantly, the stories and characters are rich. Each character is unique and acts within their framework. I can’t stress enough how fun this book was. Dungeon diving, rags to riches, a non OP MC that makes logical decisions and is eminently human towards himself and his friends. It’s rare to find such empathetic writing. This author understands people, their drives and motivations, and each person he introduces feels unique and real. Did I mention, interesting magic system, good pacing, strong action, and tangible world building? 10/10
October 27, 2023
A wonderful start to a new series! I love magical academy books; they are always super interesting to see how the world is affected by these schools and how they affect the main character. I loved the magic in the book; it was very well-developed and exciting and full of hooks for later things. Like the magic system, the world-building was well done and kept me invested and excited to learn more. I really loved the characters and the story most of all! It's a fantastic fantasy series, and I can't wait for the next book.
November 2, 2024
I picked this up on a whim since I haven’t read a Gamelit/Progression Fantasy story in a while, and thankfully, I got what I was hoping for: an enjoyable read overall.
Plot—7/10, Character—7/10, Setting & Magic—8.5/10, Writing—8/10, Enjoyment—7/10
Plot
The plot follows an 18 or 19-year-old street urchin/thief as he gets a second chance at life. Territory wars among the street gangs in his city eventually put him on the run and he ends up stabbed in an alley, but in a twist of fate, some passing adventurers pick him up and heal him. While traveling to their next destination over two months, they provide some basic equipment and some general training, then give him two choices: enroll at a nearby adventurer school and pursue adventuring, or make his way to a nearby town and settle down in a stable life as a town guard. Either way, it’s too dangerous for him to stay with the adventurers and they must part ways.
I think it’s a great premise. While not an isekai or portal fantasy involving a person whisked from Earth to a fantasyland, taking a commoner orphan who grew up on the streets and tossing him into an adventurer academy surrounded by 90% children of nobles covers a lot of similar ground. It offers the Stranger in a Strange Land experience and generally does a good job of it.
Characters
I also enjoyed the characters. I won’t say I’ve been exposed to a brand new human experience or that Rowan is a classic character for the ages, but I found his perspective pretty realistic for his circumstances. He draws upon his experiences as a kid on the street dealing with gangs and finds wisdom in how to approach the squabbles among noble families. At the end of the day, he’s only a commoner and isn’t quite powerful enough to make enemies too early. But similar to many people who come from nothing and get a taste of a better life, he’s unwilling to roll over and return to anything resembling his previous life. This provides an interesting balance for Rowan to maintain throughout the story and the various circumstances he finds himself in.
Setting & Magic
The setting and magic were pretty grounded and fleshed out. Info was generally a mix of slow reveals combined with minor infodumps framed as lectures within the academy setting, so it made the infodumps a little less flagrant to me. The author also made use of Rowan’s ignorance on certain matters to fit the info within the story in a way that made sense. I’m moderately sensitive to infodumping and I notice it a lot in gamelit, and nothing really bothered me too much in this story, so take that how you will. I think it’s a personal preference.
The magic was a pleasant mix of familiar ideas and somewhat more background on the workings of things. There was a lot of effort to make the magic make sense. I wouldn’t say this was a “crunchy” magic system with numbers and formulas all over the place, but there was a sense of grounded logic and consistency to how things worked, which I tend to prefer over the hand-wavy soft magic found elsewhere.
Writing
The writing was pretty solid and I would consider it above average compared to other independent stories I’ve seen in the Gamelit and Progressive Fantasy genres. There were minimal proofreading errors or clarity issues. Most issues I ran into were the typical things I associate with newer writers like redundancy within sentences or words that are out of place for the time.
For example, I think it’s okay to mention push-ups and sit-ups in a medieval setting because the name of the exercise describes the action. It makes sense. But a burpee is named after the creator, specifically an American physiologist from the 1930s named Royal Burpee. Considering we are in a medieval-inspired setting, if you want people to perform a Burpee, I think you would be better off describing the action and giving it a different name.
This type of thing probably won’t bother a lot of readers and may just be people like me who notice. Brandon Sanderson has talked about this subject before, specifically on the topic of whether an ottoman exists without the Ottoman Empire for anyone who wants to search and read on the subject.
Enjoyment
While I noticed little things like this, they didn’t really impact my enjoyment and as shown above, I enjoyed this story. I even made time to continue reading once I got home rather than only during lunch breaks at work. This tends to be the difference between an enjoyable and a mediocre story for me.
I generally prefer faster-paced stories, and I would call this a slow burn. So I did notice the pacing at times and wish things would speed up, but I also never felt inclined to skim forward either, so it was an acceptable middle ground for me.
So overall, I liked this story and I would recommend it to anyone in the mood for a good fantasy story, especially if you're looking for a progression fantasy or magic school plot.
Plot—7/10, Character—7/10, Setting & Magic—8.5/10, Writing—8/10, Enjoyment—7/10
Plot
The plot follows an 18 or 19-year-old street urchin/thief as he gets a second chance at life. Territory wars among the street gangs in his city eventually put him on the run and he ends up stabbed in an alley, but in a twist of fate, some passing adventurers pick him up and heal him. While traveling to their next destination over two months, they provide some basic equipment and some general training, then give him two choices: enroll at a nearby adventurer school and pursue adventuring, or make his way to a nearby town and settle down in a stable life as a town guard. Either way, it’s too dangerous for him to stay with the adventurers and they must part ways.
I think it’s a great premise. While not an isekai or portal fantasy involving a person whisked from Earth to a fantasyland, taking a commoner orphan who grew up on the streets and tossing him into an adventurer academy surrounded by 90% children of nobles covers a lot of similar ground. It offers the Stranger in a Strange Land experience and generally does a good job of it.
Characters
I also enjoyed the characters. I won’t say I’ve been exposed to a brand new human experience or that Rowan is a classic character for the ages, but I found his perspective pretty realistic for his circumstances. He draws upon his experiences as a kid on the street dealing with gangs and finds wisdom in how to approach the squabbles among noble families. At the end of the day, he’s only a commoner and isn’t quite powerful enough to make enemies too early. But similar to many people who come from nothing and get a taste of a better life, he’s unwilling to roll over and return to anything resembling his previous life. This provides an interesting balance for Rowan to maintain throughout the story and the various circumstances he finds himself in.
Setting & Magic
The setting and magic were pretty grounded and fleshed out. Info was generally a mix of slow reveals combined with minor infodumps framed as lectures within the academy setting, so it made the infodumps a little less flagrant to me. The author also made use of Rowan’s ignorance on certain matters to fit the info within the story in a way that made sense. I’m moderately sensitive to infodumping and I notice it a lot in gamelit, and nothing really bothered me too much in this story, so take that how you will. I think it’s a personal preference.
The magic was a pleasant mix of familiar ideas and somewhat more background on the workings of things. There was a lot of effort to make the magic make sense. I wouldn’t say this was a “crunchy” magic system with numbers and formulas all over the place, but there was a sense of grounded logic and consistency to how things worked, which I tend to prefer over the hand-wavy soft magic found elsewhere.
Writing
The writing was pretty solid and I would consider it above average compared to other independent stories I’ve seen in the Gamelit and Progressive Fantasy genres. There were minimal proofreading errors or clarity issues. Most issues I ran into were the typical things I associate with newer writers like redundancy within sentences or words that are out of place for the time.
For example, I think it’s okay to mention push-ups and sit-ups in a medieval setting because the name of the exercise describes the action. It makes sense. But a burpee is named after the creator, specifically an American physiologist from the 1930s named Royal Burpee. Considering we are in a medieval-inspired setting, if you want people to perform a Burpee, I think you would be better off describing the action and giving it a different name.
This type of thing probably won’t bother a lot of readers and may just be people like me who notice. Brandon Sanderson has talked about this subject before, specifically on the topic of whether an ottoman exists without the Ottoman Empire for anyone who wants to search and read on the subject.
Enjoyment
While I noticed little things like this, they didn’t really impact my enjoyment and as shown above, I enjoyed this story. I even made time to continue reading once I got home rather than only during lunch breaks at work. This tends to be the difference between an enjoyable and a mediocre story for me.
I generally prefer faster-paced stories, and I would call this a slow burn. So I did notice the pacing at times and wish things would speed up, but I also never felt inclined to skim forward either, so it was an acceptable middle ground for me.
So overall, I liked this story and I would recommend it to anyone in the mood for a good fantasy story, especially if you're looking for a progression fantasy or magic school plot.
January 14, 2025
Great new series
Jus writing this review to bring more eyes to this new litRPG/Pogression Fantasy series. Great characterization, fun dungeon crawling and amazing narration on the Audiobook. I'm sure the author plays a lot of Gloomhaven because the dungeons seem inspired by it, wich worked really well
I'd normally give it 4 stars but I rather give it 5 and support a new author breaking into the scene
Jus writing this review to bring more eyes to this new litRPG/Pogression Fantasy series. Great characterization, fun dungeon crawling and amazing narration on the Audiobook. I'm sure the author plays a lot of Gloomhaven because the dungeons seem inspired by it, wich worked really well
I'd normally give it 4 stars but I rather give it 5 and support a new author breaking into the scene
October 19, 2023
Predictable
Being constantly told the MC is a street wise street rat, but then seems to fall for basic tricks and traps, is difficult to understand. It's like the author wanted to make the kid to both be a streetwise orphan and naive idiot.
Overall, the story isn't bad. Just predictable and repetitive. The story doesn't have any cultivation or progression story elements and could just as easily be called harry Potter fan fiction.
Being constantly told the MC is a street wise street rat, but then seems to fall for basic tricks and traps, is difficult to understand. It's like the author wanted to make the kid to both be a streetwise orphan and naive idiot.
Overall, the story isn't bad. Just predictable and repetitive. The story doesn't have any cultivation or progression story elements and could just as easily be called harry Potter fan fiction.
November 20, 2024
4 He Would Slay The Dragon Known As "Education Systm" Stars
Loremaster is the first book in the Ascension of a Street Rat series by M. E. Robinson.
Rowan has managed to continuously surprise me, as this story has progressed. First, with the way in which his morals developed throughout, and his dedication to improving himself and becoming a hero. This leads to very little loss of life, especially at his hands. I've probably been reading too many books with deranged protagonists if the lack of murder is shocking...
Second, how neatly he fits into the special snowflake guidelines. He has a mysterious past and ancestry, tied to the fae nation. He possesses truly unheard amounts of mana. He rises from the absolute bottom of society out of mediocrity to stand on par with those truly more fortunate than him and destined to overtake them. He somehow has people trying to kill him without even trying.
"Adventuring Academy" has been an interesting place to explore. The hidden paths and secret rooms are only just being discovered. I find myself intrigued as to what the following years of schooling have in store for Rowan's advancement. Beyond these walls lies a vast and interesting world as well. One I'm interested in delving into, especially in hopes of reuniting with Tethis and Darm in the future.
This book series holds so much potential that I can feel the room for so much growth between now and the end of the series.
His friends are as much a draw to continue exploring as he is. Dugan with his obvious secrets. He somehow seems to know things before they happen almost? Or maybe I'm misreading? But it also seemed as if he had more depth than explored. Droon is already growing into a strong character in his own right. What will become of his opinion of Rowan if he ever learns the truth they've hidden from him in these pages. Leaving only Morgana and her dangerous association. Her prickly exterior seems to be a mechanism of defense given the assassination plots discovered before the closing of this book. Although, that only leaves me anticipating her character coming to life once we know her further.
Loremaster is the first book in the Ascension of a Street Rat series by M. E. Robinson.
Rowan has managed to continuously surprise me, as this story has progressed. First, with the way in which his morals developed throughout, and his dedication to improving himself and becoming a hero. This leads to very little loss of life, especially at his hands. I've probably been reading too many books with deranged protagonists if the lack of murder is shocking...
Second, how neatly he fits into the special snowflake guidelines. He has a mysterious past and ancestry, tied to the fae nation. He possesses truly unheard amounts of mana. He rises from the absolute bottom of society out of mediocrity to stand on par with those truly more fortunate than him and destined to overtake them. He somehow has people trying to kill him without even trying.
"Adventuring Academy" has been an interesting place to explore. The hidden paths and secret rooms are only just being discovered. I find myself intrigued as to what the following years of schooling have in store for Rowan's advancement. Beyond these walls lies a vast and interesting world as well. One I'm interested in delving into, especially in hopes of reuniting with Tethis and Darm in the future.
This book series holds so much potential that I can feel the room for so much growth between now and the end of the series.
His friends are as much a draw to continue exploring as he is. Dugan with his obvious secrets. He somehow seems to know things before they happen almost? Or maybe I'm misreading? But it also seemed as if he had more depth than explored. Droon is already growing into a strong character in his own right. What will become of his opinion of Rowan if he ever learns the truth they've hidden from him in these pages. Leaving only Morgana and her dangerous association. Her prickly exterior seems to be a mechanism of defense given the assassination plots discovered before the closing of this book. Although, that only leaves me anticipating her character coming to life once we know her further.
February 5, 2024
I don't get the good reviews tbh
I'm of two minds about this book. I really like when main characters have goals and personality and the world building is good. This book has all of that, however, it also has a lot of frustrating parts. The main thing that frustrated me is that the MC has no agency over his decisions and over his relationships with the people around him he mainly got shat on by all of the nobles around him and instead of fighting back, having a backbone, any of that...he just went along with it. Every single time he talked to nobles he took a step back and it just really felt like he wasn't the main character. I just expect a little bit more courage in my heroes. So yeah, the main character has a personality but it's a really s***** one. I think there could have been times where the main character got his lick back or maybe if he was a bit stronger and maybe beat one of the nobles in all their combat exercises instead of losing every single time and then getting literally spat on by one of them. Then the one Noble who is always rude to him staring at him glaring at him and doesn't talk to him he for some reason finds her really attractive and likes to follow her and they form a team together and he saves her life and then now they're all intertwined and they're stuck that way now because of what happened at the end of this book. But her personality never changes she still rude she's still combative for no reason she still looks down on him and at the end of this book you don't really feel like he's grown much as a person you don't really feel like much has happened even though it's 800 pages and you don't really feel satisfied I don't feel satisfied that they basically said that now they're going to work together and he has no choice otherwise he has to run when it doesn't even feel like it's that big of stakes to make him run. I don't know, this was just a really disappointing book for me.
I'm of two minds about this book. I really like when main characters have goals and personality and the world building is good. This book has all of that, however, it also has a lot of frustrating parts. The main thing that frustrated me is that the MC has no agency over his decisions and over his relationships with the people around him he mainly got shat on by all of the nobles around him and instead of fighting back, having a backbone, any of that...he just went along with it. Every single time he talked to nobles he took a step back and it just really felt like he wasn't the main character. I just expect a little bit more courage in my heroes. So yeah, the main character has a personality but it's a really s***** one. I think there could have been times where the main character got his lick back or maybe if he was a bit stronger and maybe beat one of the nobles in all their combat exercises instead of losing every single time and then getting literally spat on by one of them. Then the one Noble who is always rude to him staring at him glaring at him and doesn't talk to him he for some reason finds her really attractive and likes to follow her and they form a team together and he saves her life and then now they're all intertwined and they're stuck that way now because of what happened at the end of this book. But her personality never changes she still rude she's still combative for no reason she still looks down on him and at the end of this book you don't really feel like he's grown much as a person you don't really feel like much has happened even though it's 800 pages and you don't really feel satisfied I don't feel satisfied that they basically said that now they're going to work together and he has no choice otherwise he has to run when it doesn't even feel like it's that big of stakes to make him run. I don't know, this was just a really disappointing book for me.
November 2, 2023
Most of this book is set in a magic academy. The story has good structure and pacing but brings almost nothing original to the genre. The author spends more time than is typical on character development, which is nice. The magic system is on the fuzzy side and the technology is medieval. Overall it was no chore to read, despite a sprinkling of grammatical errors, but I doubt I'll remember much about it in a month's time.
October 16, 2023
Lackluster and boring.
The academy setting is lacking in any creativity or originality. The professors are window dressing and pointless. At no time is any character down having any growth, they are all static. The fight at the end is ridiculous and resolved with nothing but plot armor, it is entirely unbelievable. This book has no story.
The academy setting is lacking in any creativity or originality. The professors are window dressing and pointless. At no time is any character down having any growth, they are all static. The fight at the end is ridiculous and resolved with nothing but plot armor, it is entirely unbelievable. This book has no story.
December 8, 2024
Wonderful start to this series
Excellent character development, magic mechanics, and action. Unlike many on this genre, the author did not get bogged down I exposition.
Excellent character development, magic mechanics, and action. Unlike many on this genre, the author did not get bogged down I exposition.
April 19, 2025
The tone of the book is inconsistent. It starts as a gritty medieval fantasy, dabbles very briefly with power fantasy and then morphes into magical high-school slice of life. Plot holes and weird digressions abound. The author will mention some interesting tidbit and never come back to it again, or spend an inordinate amount of time on something (secret passages, that one friendship that never amounts to anything. The school is inordinately cavalier with the lives of the applicants and students, scions of royalty, nobles, powerful and rich people. The less said about the clurb episode, the better. We have discos, team building exercises, giant screens, fizzy cocktails and board games. WTF! Also characters spend PAGES dying. Ugh ! The more I write the more aggravating.
October 30, 2024
Butchered his own book. Started good. But I think he didn't really know where he was going with the overall plot. He turned to food descriptions and boring info dump segments that threw the book off. It's almost as though there are 2 authors. Or maybe AI.
At one point he called it "Culinary temptations". And I'm thinking 🤔... wuh?
He glosses over all relevant action, but extrapolates training montages and eating oh and studying. Why go to a college if you're complaining about everything. The main character from a street urchin becomes whinny at an astounding rate. Don't even get me started on the Apple Pie. Yes it was cute the first 10 times it was mentioned.
My problem is, someone had told me the book fell apart and that made me want to read the entire thing to see if it's true.
Yeah.
It's true.
At one point he called it "Culinary temptations". And I'm thinking 🤔... wuh?
He glosses over all relevant action, but extrapolates training montages and eating oh and studying. Why go to a college if you're complaining about everything. The main character from a street urchin becomes whinny at an astounding rate. Don't even get me started on the Apple Pie. Yes it was cute the first 10 times it was mentioned.
My problem is, someone had told me the book fell apart and that made me want to read the entire thing to see if it's true.
Yeah.
It's true.
December 31, 2023
A good start which turns into a Harry Potter clone
So much wasted potential in this book. The introduction of the protagonist was interesting, the setting was interesting… Then it turned into an Academy novel, which is already not great but it’s a Harry Potter Academy clone. It even has a magical book which tells you which house you belong in.
So much wasted potential in this book. The introduction of the protagonist was interesting, the setting was interesting… Then it turned into an Academy novel, which is already not great but it’s a Harry Potter Academy clone. It even has a magical book which tells you which house you belong in.
December 12, 2024
Warning YA magical school novel
This is more a copy of Harry potter with a focus on meaningless politics rather than an adventuring or progression novel. If you want all the angst of reading about someone else doing school again with no real hook or anything investing other then made up politics that have the depth for a 5 year old to understand then this is for you.
This is more a copy of Harry potter with a focus on meaningless politics rather than an adventuring or progression novel. If you want all the angst of reading about someone else doing school again with no real hook or anything investing other then made up politics that have the depth for a 5 year old to understand then this is for you.
May 9, 2025
Rating 2.5 stars
I feel a little bad about that rating, but it is what it is. The book started out 4 stars and then slowly lost 1/2 stars throughout. Up until the last 3 hours of the audiobook, I was going to give a 3-star rating. It had its problems, but it was till alright. That ending for me made me angry though. Nothing crazy, it just triggered my pet peeve. I am not really sure how to describe my thoughts on this book. Basically, it is a typical fantasy story. Street rat gets stabbed and almost dies. Someone saves him and trains him for a while then they set him up with a chance to go to an adventuring school. He is able to make it in, and the rest of the book is the typical adventure/magic academy story. Pretty standard stuff. I actually like stories like this. There was just something about the way it was written that didn't allow me to connect with the characters or the story. Normally, I put myself in the MCs place. When the MC is learning how to fight or about magic, I am taken along with them which allows me to feel more connected to the character. When the MC overcomes an obstacle, I cheer with them. When, they have a setback, I feel the disappointment. I have a good feeling about their progress because I was there throughout the process.
That is how it normally goes. That wasn't the case in this one. It was written in a way that left me out of that process. Here is an example. The MC was first learning about a spell and how it works. He barely managed it and was way behind what the other students could do. Instead of being involved in the process of him getting better, the author went a different way. The next time the patient used that spell the author wrote about how the MC had been practicing for months and now got it to work properly. The author kept writing about the MC studying, training and practicing. That was 50% of the story but I never felt I was part of it. Instead of living through it along with the MC, I felt I was being told about what happened and why thing worked out the way they did. It left me disconnected from the story. I wasn't really invested so what did I care.
There were also a bunch of storylines that I thought would be prominent that didn't really go anywhere.
Overall, it was okay. Not bad enough to stop listening but my enjoyment level did drop along the way. The ending made me mad though.
I am really not sure if I explained myself right for this review. Does what I wrote make sense to anyone?
I feel a little bad about that rating, but it is what it is. The book started out 4 stars and then slowly lost 1/2 stars throughout. Up until the last 3 hours of the audiobook, I was going to give a 3-star rating. It had its problems, but it was till alright. That ending for me made me angry though. Nothing crazy, it just triggered my pet peeve. I am not really sure how to describe my thoughts on this book. Basically, it is a typical fantasy story. Street rat gets stabbed and almost dies. Someone saves him and trains him for a while then they set him up with a chance to go to an adventuring school. He is able to make it in, and the rest of the book is the typical adventure/magic academy story. Pretty standard stuff. I actually like stories like this. There was just something about the way it was written that didn't allow me to connect with the characters or the story. Normally, I put myself in the MCs place. When the MC is learning how to fight or about magic, I am taken along with them which allows me to feel more connected to the character. When the MC overcomes an obstacle, I cheer with them. When, they have a setback, I feel the disappointment. I have a good feeling about their progress because I was there throughout the process.
That is how it normally goes. That wasn't the case in this one. It was written in a way that left me out of that process. Here is an example. The MC was first learning about a spell and how it works. He barely managed it and was way behind what the other students could do. Instead of being involved in the process of him getting better, the author went a different way. The next time the patient used that spell the author wrote about how the MC had been practicing for months and now got it to work properly. The author kept writing about the MC studying, training and practicing. That was 50% of the story but I never felt I was part of it. Instead of living through it along with the MC, I felt I was being told about what happened and why thing worked out the way they did. It left me disconnected from the story. I wasn't really invested so what did I care.
There were also a bunch of storylines that I thought would be prominent that didn't really go anywhere.
Overall, it was okay. Not bad enough to stop listening but my enjoyment level did drop along the way. The ending made me mad though.
I am really not sure if I explained myself right for this review. Does what I wrote make sense to anyone?
March 21, 2024
For the most part, Loremaster was an enjoyable novel. It was interesting enough to keep you reading through to the end, and it delivered an interesting main character I wanted to see succeed. I especially like that he isn't the sort of character that falls into familiar stupid mistakes just to make the plot happen. He is well-reasoned, his decisions make sense, and I enjoyed our time with him.
My issues with this book come from the fact that it abandons many of the story elements it sets up. For example, our main character is someone who spent his life on the streets, keeping himself alive through his thieving skills and his ability to sneak about the streets and over rooftops. These skills should now be a core part of his makeup, but they are rarely used once he moves on to the next chapter of his life. They could have been skills used to overcome the protagonist's shortcomings in comparison to the other characters in this novel, but instead, they are almost forgotten.
This happens multiple times throughout this book as it goes to the trouble of setting stuff up and then moves on without that having much bearing on the overarching plot. It makes these things feel like isolated incidents that were used to tell a specific story when that was what the plot needed rather than impacting the main character and the story in any meaningful way. It made a lot of the novel feel shallow as a result, and the potential of what this story could have been was never realised.
The second issue I had with this book was the author's issues of telling rather than showing regarding side characters. This book struggled to set up its supporting cast in a way that made me care for them. The reason for this is that, with rare exceptions, we don't get to experience them as characters but instead get told about who they are.
Good examples of this are some team bonding excursions the main character goes on with his dysfunctional team later in the novel. On both occasions, the author will talk about how the characters are loosening up and getting more comfortable with each other as time goes on without actually letting us experience that happening through the actions of the characters. We are outside the moment looking in, and as a result, it neither feels earned nor real.
Because of this, I had no attachment to most of the supporting cast or the relationship the main character had with any of them. It robbed a lot of scenes of the emotional impact they could have had if more care had been taken to develop them.
Finally, there is the Morganna character... I couldn't stand her, and I hate even more what I think the story is doing with her. It's such a cliche in Magic Academy stories to take a horrible character and try to give them a redemption arc that turns them into the protagonist's closest ally. I recognised it the second she appeared in the book, and it was frustrating watching it happen for no other reason than it felt like the plot needed it to happen. Not all characters need a redemptive arc. Some characters can just be arseholes and let them stay that way. If you want characters to end up as close allies, having them start at polar opposites and trying to make them reach that point requires some incredible storytelling and a lot of strong character work. With requirements so high, it's rarely going to be a successful storyline, and it certainly wasn't here.
I finished the book feeling a little frustrated. On the one hand, it was an enjoyable story, and there's a lot of promise here for better things to come. On the other hand, there's a lot of unrealised potential here as there was a much more interesting story that could have been told. As a sucker for stories about exceptional people living up to their potential, this lack of delivering on that potential soured my experience with this book, and I can't rate it higher than 3 stars.
My issues with this book come from the fact that it abandons many of the story elements it sets up. For example, our main character is someone who spent his life on the streets, keeping himself alive through his thieving skills and his ability to sneak about the streets and over rooftops. These skills should now be a core part of his makeup, but they are rarely used once he moves on to the next chapter of his life. They could have been skills used to overcome the protagonist's shortcomings in comparison to the other characters in this novel, but instead, they are almost forgotten.
This happens multiple times throughout this book as it goes to the trouble of setting stuff up and then moves on without that having much bearing on the overarching plot. It makes these things feel like isolated incidents that were used to tell a specific story when that was what the plot needed rather than impacting the main character and the story in any meaningful way. It made a lot of the novel feel shallow as a result, and the potential of what this story could have been was never realised.
The second issue I had with this book was the author's issues of telling rather than showing regarding side characters. This book struggled to set up its supporting cast in a way that made me care for them. The reason for this is that, with rare exceptions, we don't get to experience them as characters but instead get told about who they are.
Good examples of this are some team bonding excursions the main character goes on with his dysfunctional team later in the novel. On both occasions, the author will talk about how the characters are loosening up and getting more comfortable with each other as time goes on without actually letting us experience that happening through the actions of the characters. We are outside the moment looking in, and as a result, it neither feels earned nor real.
Because of this, I had no attachment to most of the supporting cast or the relationship the main character had with any of them. It robbed a lot of scenes of the emotional impact they could have had if more care had been taken to develop them.
Finally, there is the Morganna character... I couldn't stand her, and I hate even more what I think the story is doing with her. It's such a cliche in Magic Academy stories to take a horrible character and try to give them a redemption arc that turns them into the protagonist's closest ally. I recognised it the second she appeared in the book, and it was frustrating watching it happen for no other reason than it felt like the plot needed it to happen. Not all characters need a redemptive arc. Some characters can just be arseholes and let them stay that way. If you want characters to end up as close allies, having them start at polar opposites and trying to make them reach that point requires some incredible storytelling and a lot of strong character work. With requirements so high, it's rarely going to be a successful storyline, and it certainly wasn't here.
I finished the book feeling a little frustrated. On the one hand, it was an enjoyable story, and there's a lot of promise here for better things to come. On the other hand, there's a lot of unrealised potential here as there was a much more interesting story that could have been told. As a sucker for stories about exceptional people living up to their potential, this lack of delivering on that potential soured my experience with this book, and I can't rate it higher than 3 stars.
April 10, 2025
spoilers
The progression aspect was decent overall. Studying magic & swordsmanship along with absorbing mana from dungeons. The social progression is reflected via the academy courses, ascending the adventurer ranks and the slow acquisition of new allies.
As a libertarian, I really liked the exposition briefly mentioning how negatively the government would react if its monopoly on violence was threatened.
I was initially going to drop this book when the protagonist first entered the academy. But the test of potential and his mysterious fey origins got me invested in the story. What makes a protagonist interesting? Simple, we are witnessing the journey of someone extraordinary.
By introducing a unique element that differentiates the protagonist from others. You set the foundations for an extraordinary journey. Why was there a seal placed on the protagonists mana reserves? Is the protagonist the long lost scion of some royal family? We just have to wait and see. The protagonists criminal origins are also interesting details. It provides a unique perspective, different from normal commoners or that of nobles. Living a life on the streets frames the character as an underdog in the eyes of the viewer. I did dislike how the author kept introducing exposition about the protagonists lack of skill compared to gang enforcers or to that of trained thieves. Again, protagonists are interesting because their extraordinary or they stumble upon an opportunity that makes them extraordinary. I would have preferred if the story framed the protagonist as a young expert thief who's mastered all the tricks of the trade.
I do question why the protagonist did not mention he was part Fey. It may have diffused the tensions a little. The royalist faction would no longer view him as a complete foreigner but as a mongrel which is at least a step up in their eyes. This would have likely benefited him.
One minor criticism is the lack of branching growth paths. Magical familiars, legendary herbs, racial abilities, secret inheritances, etc. What differentiates fey from humans besides cosmetic changes like height, hair and eye color or differently shapes ears? Are certain races physically stronger? Live longer? Possess innate magical abilities or affinities towards certain elements? This could feed into the protagonists background. Maybe he descends from a very special fey bloodline but his abilities are dormant due to his human side.
I am surprised the protagonist did not contemplate getting a warlock contract. He desires freedom which can only be obtained by pursuing strength. He knows the academy allows students with non-malicious warlock contracts and he's perfectly willing to break the school rules or the law in general. But given you introduced a party member who was secretly a warlock. It no longer feel like it makes thematic sense for the protagonist to pursue such a path.
The pacing was also a little slow for my taste. All the focus on food, studying or tests felt a little unnecessary. I think you should focus less on climbers and more on socio-political threats. Climbers are getting a little boring. Getting your stories tension right is important.
The progression aspect was decent overall. Studying magic & swordsmanship along with absorbing mana from dungeons. The social progression is reflected via the academy courses, ascending the adventurer ranks and the slow acquisition of new allies.
As a libertarian, I really liked the exposition briefly mentioning how negatively the government would react if its monopoly on violence was threatened.
I was initially going to drop this book when the protagonist first entered the academy. But the test of potential and his mysterious fey origins got me invested in the story. What makes a protagonist interesting? Simple, we are witnessing the journey of someone extraordinary.
By introducing a unique element that differentiates the protagonist from others. You set the foundations for an extraordinary journey. Why was there a seal placed on the protagonists mana reserves? Is the protagonist the long lost scion of some royal family? We just have to wait and see. The protagonists criminal origins are also interesting details. It provides a unique perspective, different from normal commoners or that of nobles. Living a life on the streets frames the character as an underdog in the eyes of the viewer. I did dislike how the author kept introducing exposition about the protagonists lack of skill compared to gang enforcers or to that of trained thieves. Again, protagonists are interesting because their extraordinary or they stumble upon an opportunity that makes them extraordinary. I would have preferred if the story framed the protagonist as a young expert thief who's mastered all the tricks of the trade.
I do question why the protagonist did not mention he was part Fey. It may have diffused the tensions a little. The royalist faction would no longer view him as a complete foreigner but as a mongrel which is at least a step up in their eyes. This would have likely benefited him.
One minor criticism is the lack of branching growth paths. Magical familiars, legendary herbs, racial abilities, secret inheritances, etc. What differentiates fey from humans besides cosmetic changes like height, hair and eye color or differently shapes ears? Are certain races physically stronger? Live longer? Possess innate magical abilities or affinities towards certain elements? This could feed into the protagonists background. Maybe he descends from a very special fey bloodline but his abilities are dormant due to his human side.
I am surprised the protagonist did not contemplate getting a warlock contract. He desires freedom which can only be obtained by pursuing strength. He knows the academy allows students with non-malicious warlock contracts and he's perfectly willing to break the school rules or the law in general. But given you introduced a party member who was secretly a warlock. It no longer feel like it makes thematic sense for the protagonist to pursue such a path.
The pacing was also a little slow for my taste. All the focus on food, studying or tests felt a little unnecessary. I think you should focus less on climbers and more on socio-political threats. Climbers are getting a little boring. Getting your stories tension right is important.
April 8, 2025
This book is sort of a mixed bag. On the one hand, the foundation of this book is solid, and there is enough intrigue to keep the reader engaged. The problem comes from the MC himself. For someone who grew up on the streets, fighting to survive everyday, he is...meek, almost pathetically spineless to be honest.
I admire the way the author kept things realistic by ensuring that the MC can't simply trounce the much more experienced nobles immediately. But the problem is, that means that the MC constantly gets beaten, ridiculed and otherwise looked down upon with no retribution whatsoever. From a reader's point of view, it gets very annoying very quickly. More than that, the fact that the MC deliberately goes out of his way to avoid annoying anyone is irritating as well. The author tries to explain this away by the MC claiming he is trying to avoid drawing attention to his past, but this is a weak excuse at best.
Finally, regardless of my other criticisms, things wouldn't be so bad if there was enough excitement and magic on display to distract from the other negatives, but unfortunately that just isn't the case. The MC possesses almost unprecedented amounts of mana and yet uses almost no magic whatsoever. Even though it is stated so often how much he admires and wishes to use magic. Instead he seems more focused on learning the sword, which would be fine, except that he doesn't have much talent for it.
In conclusion, I find it hard to recommend this book to others. I went in to this story with high hopes, but I can't help but feel like the author missed the mark. His ideas were good-if unoriginal-but the execution is where things fall apart. I might give the second book a go and see if the author fixed some things, but honestly after reading book 1, my hopes aren't high.
I admire the way the author kept things realistic by ensuring that the MC can't simply trounce the much more experienced nobles immediately. But the problem is, that means that the MC constantly gets beaten, ridiculed and otherwise looked down upon with no retribution whatsoever. From a reader's point of view, it gets very annoying very quickly. More than that, the fact that the MC deliberately goes out of his way to avoid annoying anyone is irritating as well. The author tries to explain this away by the MC claiming he is trying to avoid drawing attention to his past, but this is a weak excuse at best.
Finally, regardless of my other criticisms, things wouldn't be so bad if there was enough excitement and magic on display to distract from the other negatives, but unfortunately that just isn't the case. The MC possesses almost unprecedented amounts of mana and yet uses almost no magic whatsoever. Even though it is stated so often how much he admires and wishes to use magic. Instead he seems more focused on learning the sword, which would be fine, except that he doesn't have much talent for it.
In conclusion, I find it hard to recommend this book to others. I went in to this story with high hopes, but I can't help but feel like the author missed the mark. His ideas were good-if unoriginal-but the execution is where things fall apart. I might give the second book a go and see if the author fixed some things, but honestly after reading book 1, my hopes aren't high.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 3, 2023
This is the first book I've read by this author.
Rowan is a thief in the city of Taureen in the south, where he takes what he can to stay alive and fed. A gang moves in and tell him to move along. Even though he does he ends up with a knife to the chest. Two adventurers find him bleeding out in the street and heal him, putting him in their wagon. Darm leads the wagon and Tethis is an elf who teaches him to fight.
He's given a choice: become a city guard, live a good life and get married. Or take the test at Faebrook to become an adventurer. It's really not a surprise once you start reading that he chooses the latter.
I'll stop the recap there. Rowan is a commoner in an academy packed with nobles. He gets beaten often, and he was to work twice as hard as everyone else just to get a passing grade. Life isn't easy.
I really enjoyed this. Yes, there are a lot of magical academy stories out there but this one ranks up with the best of them. The editing is solid with only a few notable errors, and while there aren't any stats per se, there are implied stats. Mana is measured in manalenths and adventurers are graded by brass, silver, gold, and platinum.
The story progresses well but does take a sharp and slightly unexpected turn at the end. I can see some people being put off by this but I didn't mind. There are clues throughout but it comes to a head at the end of the book. 5/5* Recommended.
Rowan is a thief in the city of Taureen in the south, where he takes what he can to stay alive and fed. A gang moves in and tell him to move along. Even though he does he ends up with a knife to the chest. Two adventurers find him bleeding out in the street and heal him, putting him in their wagon. Darm leads the wagon and Tethis is an elf who teaches him to fight.
He's given a choice: become a city guard, live a good life and get married. Or take the test at Faebrook to become an adventurer. It's really not a surprise once you start reading that he chooses the latter.
I'll stop the recap there. Rowan is a commoner in an academy packed with nobles. He gets beaten often, and he was to work twice as hard as everyone else just to get a passing grade. Life isn't easy.
I really enjoyed this. Yes, there are a lot of magical academy stories out there but this one ranks up with the best of them. The editing is solid with only a few notable errors, and while there aren't any stats per se, there are implied stats. Mana is measured in manalenths and adventurers are graded by brass, silver, gold, and platinum.
The story progresses well but does take a sharp and slightly unexpected turn at the end. I can see some people being put off by this but I didn't mind. There are clues throughout but it comes to a head at the end of the book. 5/5* Recommended.
November 6, 2023
This book is about the blandest chosen one there is. The main character studies hard but the only thing he ever archives is that he was born with a bunch of . It's so unsatisfying.
It is also just such a long book with a few interesting things sprinkled in between. There are so many things that just lead to nothing. For example, one time it is late and the main character is out in the forest and the forest is dangerous and it's so late but he will get into a lot of trouble with his master and his master is dangerous more dangerous than the forest but it is late so the forest is very dangerous but if he doesn't do the mundane thing he is doing now he will be even more late. I'm paraphrasing here but you get the point the author loves to repeat the same thing over and over. And our payoff for sitting through this is? You guessed it nothing. Literally nothing. This happens so many times it was exhausting.
Also, it feels like the author was forced to memorize a dictionary and this gave the author the idea that using a lot of obscure words is a good substitute for any kind of development or plot.
The reason I'm harsh is that I actually liked the story but I would have preferred to get through it faster and with fewer words.
It is also just such a long book with a few interesting things sprinkled in between. There are so many things that just lead to nothing. For example, one time it is late and the main character is out in the forest and the forest is dangerous and it's so late but he will get into a lot of trouble with his master and his master is dangerous more dangerous than the forest but it is late so the forest is very dangerous but if he doesn't do the mundane thing he is doing now he will be even more late. I'm paraphrasing here but you get the point the author loves to repeat the same thing over and over. And our payoff for sitting through this is? You guessed it nothing. Literally nothing. This happens so many times it was exhausting.
Also, it feels like the author was forced to memorize a dictionary and this gave the author the idea that using a lot of obscure words is a good substitute for any kind of development or plot.
The reason I'm harsh is that I actually liked the story but I would have preferred to get through it faster and with fewer words.
October 11, 2023
so good can’t wait for the next one
This is a slow burn 🔥 with a side of slice of life 🍰 and I loved every second. I thoroughly enjoyed how this book does not rush you to an op mc he is on a journey and I’m all in for the next trip. There is some noble escapades that dump the mc in toilet 🚽 however I like that he is smart and savvy and he knows how to use situations for his improvement or get out. To tell you the truth I haven’t enjoyed the main character in a book as much as this one in a long time ⏰. I loved the pacing but this is a long book and if you want fast 💨 paced with lots of action ⚔️ this might not be for you. I love the tension and intrigue 🕵️♀️. The world is classic fantasy with the progression flair 🧚♂️ it’s not breaking boundaries but is written well. The characters are this books 📖 shining star 🌟 and I can’t wait to meet them again in the next instalment. This is a great read would recommend for those who like a cozy 🛌 slice of life with a school 🏫 theme noble 👸 intrigue and a well rounded underdog 🐶 main character who is smart and likeable.
This is a slow burn 🔥 with a side of slice of life 🍰 and I loved every second. I thoroughly enjoyed how this book does not rush you to an op mc he is on a journey and I’m all in for the next trip. There is some noble escapades that dump the mc in toilet 🚽 however I like that he is smart and savvy and he knows how to use situations for his improvement or get out. To tell you the truth I haven’t enjoyed the main character in a book as much as this one in a long time ⏰. I loved the pacing but this is a long book and if you want fast 💨 paced with lots of action ⚔️ this might not be for you. I love the tension and intrigue 🕵️♀️. The world is classic fantasy with the progression flair 🧚♂️ it’s not breaking boundaries but is written well. The characters are this books 📖 shining star 🌟 and I can’t wait to meet them again in the next instalment. This is a great read would recommend for those who like a cozy 🛌 slice of life with a school 🏫 theme noble 👸 intrigue and a well rounded underdog 🐶 main character who is smart and likeable.
September 11, 2024
This book was exactly what I needed for the start of the school year. It was lightly written, with an enjoyable cast of characters and fun stuff happening. The start was a little slow (and the words 'street rat' were used entirely too many times) but once it got going I had a lot of fun with this! It push into my favorites by any means, but its a story I'm excited to follow, especially because this book was joyously free of a lot of the issues that plague progression fantasy (notably rampant sexualization of every female character).
Depending on where the series goes, I could see this going up on my list. Book 1 here also was refreshing in that the main character remained fairly normal throughout. Often in these types of books their power spikes rapidly and they end at the top of their class. This wasn't the case, and it made things much more fun. Rowan is competent, but he isn't brokenly powerful like so many in this subgenre of fantasy are.
Good read. Recommended to those who enjoy magic schools and/or progression fantasy.
Depending on where the series goes, I could see this going up on my list. Book 1 here also was refreshing in that the main character remained fairly normal throughout. Often in these types of books their power spikes rapidly and they end at the top of their class. This wasn't the case, and it made things much more fun. Rowan is competent, but he isn't brokenly powerful like so many in this subgenre of fantasy are.
Good read. Recommended to those who enjoy magic schools and/or progression fantasy.
October 19, 2023
My Rating System:
5- Perfect for my taste, I could not physically stop reading/listening and wanted more afterward.
4- Almost perfect, could not stop reading/listening, probably wanted more afterward.
3- I enjoyed the book and could see others loving it, I need to think if I want more.
2- I can see why others might like the book, but I could not, I do not want more.
1- What is this? What went wrong? Why did they do this? This doesn't make any sense! (No idea who it is for, but definitely not for me).
[Audiobook Version]
The first half of the story is somewhere between 3 to 4 stars, while the rest was a solid 5. The beginning was pretty slow for me and I nearly dropped it around the 25% mark. To me, it just seemed to keep repeating how bad life was as a street rat even after . However, the story really picks up and is just a great overall story. I really enjoyed the book and hope it continues soon.
5- Perfect for my taste, I could not physically stop reading/listening and wanted more afterward.
4- Almost perfect, could not stop reading/listening, probably wanted more afterward.
3- I enjoyed the book and could see others loving it, I need to think if I want more.
2- I can see why others might like the book, but I could not, I do not want more.
1- What is this? What went wrong? Why did they do this? This doesn't make any sense! (No idea who it is for, but definitely not for me).
[Audiobook Version]
The first half of the story is somewhere between 3 to 4 stars, while the rest was a solid 5. The beginning was pretty slow for me and I nearly dropped it around the 25% mark. To me, it just seemed to keep repeating how bad life was as a street rat even after . However, the story really picks up and is just a great overall story. I really enjoyed the book and hope it continues soon.
December 26, 2023
The story follows Rowan’s ascension from a lowly street rat to a student of the world’s top adventuring academy. While giving readers a glimpse into his life in the slums and his eventual arrival to Faebrook was necessary, it was slower paced compared to his school life. That’s where the fun truly begins! There’s enough lore to help readers understand the world we’re in while not getting overloaded with information. The universe in Loremaster would be familiar to any players of D&D but still leave us intrigued with the right amount of questions about its inhabitants. I’d love to see more dialogue and get more background information from some characters which I’ve grown attached too. I thought that the book really found it’s rhythm about half way and that’s when I couldn’t put in down! My own reading pace went up as the story did and I’m now finding myself anxiously awaiting the next book to see what’s in store for Rowan during his next year at Faebrook Academy!!
September 30, 2023
I had the misfortune of having to abandon two books in a row this week (writing was fine, just didn't match my preferences). Luckily, Loremaster had plenty of things I enjoy.
As mentioned in the blurb, Rowan was rescued by a couple of adventurers after he had been stabbed with a knife. The author did a great job of describing the street life and how it shaped Rowan as a person. We get glimpses of his past throughout the novel and even came in handy during a couple of tricky situations.
There were action scenes that reminded you of the dangers of adventuring, politics, etc. There were even deaths that were a bit too dark for my liking. However, they were largely offset by magical training and cozy slice-of-life scenes. Some might find the pacing slow as a result, but I found it a compelling read and finished this rather long book in about a day.
As mentioned in the blurb, Rowan was rescued by a couple of adventurers after he had been stabbed with a knife. The author did a great job of describing the street life and how it shaped Rowan as a person. We get glimpses of his past throughout the novel and even came in handy during a couple of tricky situations.
There were action scenes that reminded you of the dangers of adventuring, politics, etc. There were even deaths that were a bit too dark for my liking. However, they were largely offset by magical training and cozy slice-of-life scenes. Some might find the pacing slow as a result, but I found it a compelling read and finished this rather long book in about a day.
November 30, 2023
Loremaster is a story about a person who attends a school (wonder if we should start calling these kinds of stories academy lit), where he learns that living on the streets isn't all it's cracked up to be, but neither is attending the academy trying to learn magic. Both come with their dangers, and it's going to take hard work to avoid an end at the hands of those who don't really care if a street rat lives or dies. I won't say more on that topic, or it might give away part of the story, but suffice it to say that if you're a fan of academy stories with magic in them, this story is a good one, especially if you're a LitRPG fan, even though there's not a whole lot of the actual LitRPG elements in this one, they are used, and it does make for a pretty good story. I'm definitely looking forward to more in this series.
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