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Affliction
His parents were heroes, and now he may get his chance to be one. Whether he's ready or not.
When Kyo's godfather is infected by the corruption-a spreading affliction that turns people into murderous shadow monsters, he goes to the only mages who can help. But the duo are not the kindly healers they appear. Kyo stumbles upon the victims of their manipulation and necromancy magics, and during the confrontation, the pair vanish with his godfather as a hostage.
Desperate to reclaim his family, Kyo gives chase, but his first encounter teaches him he won't defeat them alone. With the help of an anxiety-ridden cleric, a runaway princess, a fatherly stowaway, and a ten-year-old with the power to summon gods, he sets out to stop the mages before they turn the entire world into living dead and ravenous shades.
When Kyo's godfather is infected by the corruption-a spreading affliction that turns people into murderous shadow monsters, he goes to the only mages who can help. But the duo are not the kindly healers they appear. Kyo stumbles upon the victims of their manipulation and necromancy magics, and during the confrontation, the pair vanish with his godfather as a hostage.
Desperate to reclaim his family, Kyo gives chase, but his first encounter teaches him he won't defeat them alone. With the help of an anxiety-ridden cleric, a runaway princess, a fatherly stowaway, and a ten-year-old with the power to summon gods, he sets out to stop the mages before they turn the entire world into living dead and ravenous shades.
309 pages, Paperback
Published October 5, 2025
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20 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
October 27, 2023
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review, all opinions are my own. Thank you Eric Smolinski for the privilege of letting me read your first literary baby early!
Read this book if you enjoy:
-Fantasy
-Found family
-Themes of grief and loss
-Purpose seeking
-Killer Villains
-Strong female leads
Affliction is a fantasy novel that starts with intrigue. From the first paragraph I was sucked in and could not put down the book. Kyo is so easily relatable with his protective nature, profound love for his family, and witty comebacks. Smolinski does a great job at developing his fictional characters giving them not only things we adore about them, but flaws that we see in ourselves and each other; stubbornness, quick tempers, self-doubt, etc. But despite the sometimes stupid decisions from Kyo I found myself rooting for him, on the edge of my seat, at multiple points throughout the book. Honorable mention for the badass that is Rosette, may she grow up and continue to punch anything and everything in her way.
I love that the book takes the time to show how the found family forms and grows. So many other fantasy novels with the found family trope begin with the group already formed or they bring in the group all at once and you don’t get to how or what motivates the characters to join. The tension at certain points within the group made it feel so much more real and palpable.
One thing Smolinski does so well is translating fast moving highly magical fights into something that the reader can visualize without having to reread paragraphs. With so many characters involved in fight scenes I was worried I would get lost and be confused but everything was cohesive and flowed well even with the various different magical talents. Also the fact that Kyo can make swords appear out of nowhere, shut up I want that immediately.
I do want to mention that at times I felt like the conversations we a bit clunky and could have just a bit more to fully fill them out and make them flow. But I will say that I noticed that less and less as the novel progressed. I think Smolinski really found his stride and his characters became a lot more fluid and natural as the novel progresses. I do not want to mention any spoilers in my review but can we talk about chapter 25 omg the DRAMA!!
I thoroughly enjoyed Affliction and I cannot wait to see what the next book has in store for Kyo and the rest of the group!
Read this book if you enjoy:
-Fantasy
-Found family
-Themes of grief and loss
-Purpose seeking
-Killer Villains
-Strong female leads
Affliction is a fantasy novel that starts with intrigue. From the first paragraph I was sucked in and could not put down the book. Kyo is so easily relatable with his protective nature, profound love for his family, and witty comebacks. Smolinski does a great job at developing his fictional characters giving them not only things we adore about them, but flaws that we see in ourselves and each other; stubbornness, quick tempers, self-doubt, etc. But despite the sometimes stupid decisions from Kyo I found myself rooting for him, on the edge of my seat, at multiple points throughout the book. Honorable mention for the badass that is Rosette, may she grow up and continue to punch anything and everything in her way.
I love that the book takes the time to show how the found family forms and grows. So many other fantasy novels with the found family trope begin with the group already formed or they bring in the group all at once and you don’t get to how or what motivates the characters to join. The tension at certain points within the group made it feel so much more real and palpable.
One thing Smolinski does so well is translating fast moving highly magical fights into something that the reader can visualize without having to reread paragraphs. With so many characters involved in fight scenes I was worried I would get lost and be confused but everything was cohesive and flowed well even with the various different magical talents. Also the fact that Kyo can make swords appear out of nowhere, shut up I want that immediately.
I do want to mention that at times I felt like the conversations we a bit clunky and could have just a bit more to fully fill them out and make them flow. But I will say that I noticed that less and less as the novel progressed. I think Smolinski really found his stride and his characters became a lot more fluid and natural as the novel progresses. I do not want to mention any spoilers in my review but can we talk about chapter 25 omg the DRAMA!!
I thoroughly enjoyed Affliction and I cannot wait to see what the next book has in store for Kyo and the rest of the group!
April 6, 2025
What an honor to read a friend’s debut novel!
I believe this is the perfect Young Adult book for a middle school aged reading level to be introduced into a magic world with more mature characters. Obviously, even if you’re older, this is still a fun read!
My only critiques would be that the characters needed a little more depth to them. After a while, the chancellors blended into the same people in my head but with different names. And the conversation dialogues felt a little… predictable? Sybilla seemed to be reading off of every villain script ever written.
Beyond that, I enjoyed the interactions between the characters and found myself loving Rosette and her brave, wild child self. You go girl.
I believe this is the perfect Young Adult book for a middle school aged reading level to be introduced into a magic world with more mature characters. Obviously, even if you’re older, this is still a fun read!
My only critiques would be that the characters needed a little more depth to them. After a while, the chancellors blended into the same people in my head but with different names. And the conversation dialogues felt a little… predictable? Sybilla seemed to be reading off of every villain script ever written.
Beyond that, I enjoyed the interactions between the characters and found myself loving Rosette and her brave, wild child self. You go girl.
October 26, 2023
Review:
I was given an advanced copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. I want to thank E.R. Smo for sharing his work with me.
I am a lover of all things fantasy, and the more books I read and the more ARCs I review, the more I realize the difficulty and vastness of the genre. To write fantasy well is a tall order, one that Smo accomplishes in Affliction. With this being his debut fantasy novel, I am thoroughly impressed (and slightly jealous because I want my manuscript to be as well thought out as this…)
Smo balances world building, an action packed plot, and enduring snarky characters throughout the pages. With this being the first of a series it lays the groundwork. This book paints the world map of Feracael, establishes systems of authority, royalty, religion, class, and types of magic. Instantly, I knew this world had a lot to offer, and that richness drew me in immediately. Kyo searching for a lost magical artifact in chapter one told me the lore of this world runs deep, and my curiosity was captured. If a magical stone exists that stores potential magic, what other artifacts are out there? I can't wait to discover more as the series progresses. I want to understand their sources of magic. To me it feels a bit like Avatar the Last Airbender with it being elemental magic, but there are other branches of power that have me excited to learn about.
The characters, especially Kyo, have witty and sarcastic banter sprinkling in a bit of comedic relief to balance their hardships. I liked the dynamic between him and the princess the most, and wonder if their chemistry will bloom more down the line.
Marsh and Kyo remind me a bit of Locke and Jean from the Gentleman Bastards Series, except Affliction seems to be a tamer, nearly YA version of that relationship dynamic (religious man + troublemaker). They have each other's backs, and I'm all for it.
Then Roland and Rosette… I'd read a novella on their backstory right now. Her summoning magic is so interesting, and his guardianship of her speaks as another example of family. I am adopted, and it's nice to see that represented. Love and family is much more than biology.
Themes of coming of age, man versus world, identity, death and grief, found family, and power are ones that stood out while reading. This book demonstrates how age does not hinder bravery or determination. And that standing together can accomplish more than standing alone.
My only critique is because there are so many characters, some fell a bit flat, for example the chancellors of each city Kyo visits. I like that two of them are women because that's a progressive little matriarch detail some might miss. I like that their leaders are strong women, and I like that the villains are too. But I want to understand them all a bit more! Sybilla and Blanq are fascinating unhinged villains, I wish more time was spent with them. Why the hell did they team up? What does Blanq have to gain by association with this grieving, angry, and jaded widow? Are they related… like a mother and daughter duo?
I wanted a better peek into their motives and psychology so the suspension of disbelief felt rewarded. Also Sybilla "playing with her food" idea started to feel less believable as time went on. Why single Kyo out to maximize his suffering as opposed to just killing him? (My only guess is she knew his parents and this is personal for her?)
Also, his godfather was a bit underdeveloped. Because Kyo cares so much, the reader does also… but sometimes I wondered why should I care?
When the characters are a bit flat, the dialogue can also get a little tedious. Because the cast of characters was so large, this can easily happen. It wasn't awful or distracting, but noticeable to a close reader and fellow writer.
Overall, I really enjoyed this novel and look forward to the rest of the series!
I was given an advanced copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. I want to thank E.R. Smo for sharing his work with me.
I am a lover of all things fantasy, and the more books I read and the more ARCs I review, the more I realize the difficulty and vastness of the genre. To write fantasy well is a tall order, one that Smo accomplishes in Affliction. With this being his debut fantasy novel, I am thoroughly impressed (and slightly jealous because I want my manuscript to be as well thought out as this…)
Smo balances world building, an action packed plot, and enduring snarky characters throughout the pages. With this being the first of a series it lays the groundwork. This book paints the world map of Feracael, establishes systems of authority, royalty, religion, class, and types of magic. Instantly, I knew this world had a lot to offer, and that richness drew me in immediately. Kyo searching for a lost magical artifact in chapter one told me the lore of this world runs deep, and my curiosity was captured. If a magical stone exists that stores potential magic, what other artifacts are out there? I can't wait to discover more as the series progresses. I want to understand their sources of magic. To me it feels a bit like Avatar the Last Airbender with it being elemental magic, but there are other branches of power that have me excited to learn about.
The characters, especially Kyo, have witty and sarcastic banter sprinkling in a bit of comedic relief to balance their hardships. I liked the dynamic between him and the princess the most, and wonder if their chemistry will bloom more down the line.
Marsh and Kyo remind me a bit of Locke and Jean from the Gentleman Bastards Series, except Affliction seems to be a tamer, nearly YA version of that relationship dynamic (religious man + troublemaker). They have each other's backs, and I'm all for it.
Then Roland and Rosette… I'd read a novella on their backstory right now. Her summoning magic is so interesting, and his guardianship of her speaks as another example of family. I am adopted, and it's nice to see that represented. Love and family is much more than biology.
Themes of coming of age, man versus world, identity, death and grief, found family, and power are ones that stood out while reading. This book demonstrates how age does not hinder bravery or determination. And that standing together can accomplish more than standing alone.
My only critique is because there are so many characters, some fell a bit flat, for example the chancellors of each city Kyo visits. I like that two of them are women because that's a progressive little matriarch detail some might miss. I like that their leaders are strong women, and I like that the villains are too. But I want to understand them all a bit more! Sybilla and Blanq are fascinating unhinged villains, I wish more time was spent with them. Why the hell did they team up? What does Blanq have to gain by association with this grieving, angry, and jaded widow? Are they related… like a mother and daughter duo?
I wanted a better peek into their motives and psychology so the suspension of disbelief felt rewarded. Also Sybilla "playing with her food" idea started to feel less believable as time went on. Why single Kyo out to maximize his suffering as opposed to just killing him? (My only guess is she knew his parents and this is personal for her?)
Also, his godfather was a bit underdeveloped. Because Kyo cares so much, the reader does also… but sometimes I wondered why should I care?
When the characters are a bit flat, the dialogue can also get a little tedious. Because the cast of characters was so large, this can easily happen. It wasn't awful or distracting, but noticeable to a close reader and fellow writer.
Overall, I really enjoyed this novel and look forward to the rest of the series!
October 28, 2023
This book is a wild ride, just when I think it’s going one way the author pivots and goes another.
It starts of with this snarky teen who had me loling in the first few pages. Despite losing his parents, he’s managed to cope with his godfather as his only remaining family in his small town. He idolizes his parents who would rescue people across this budding world from monsters or those who looked to twist the world’s magic for evil.
When there was mention of a stone, I was like ok, we’re going down the Harry Potter route. This kid is the chosen one and he’ll be sent off to a school to harness magic and defeat evil. But NOPE!
No sooner do we get this tidbit than our main character’s godfather falls to a rapidly spreading plague. Luckily there are two kindly healers in town who also are the only ones known to cure this illness. So here I was thinking ok he’s going to go off in search of a cure and come across the great evil that is causing this plague.
Right? WRONG!
The kindly healers actually are collecting the victims of the plague and reanimating their corpses, at least the corpses of those that don’t turn into viscous shades, and they end up kidnapping our hero’s godfather and he goes after them.
The twists and turns in this book are incredible, the setting is like something out of FFX, and it’s full of action and a tension between two characters that I really hope the author turns into a hate to love romance in future books!!
Highly recommend!
It starts of with this snarky teen who had me loling in the first few pages. Despite losing his parents, he’s managed to cope with his godfather as his only remaining family in his small town. He idolizes his parents who would rescue people across this budding world from monsters or those who looked to twist the world’s magic for evil.
When there was mention of a stone, I was like ok, we’re going down the Harry Potter route. This kid is the chosen one and he’ll be sent off to a school to harness magic and defeat evil. But NOPE!
No sooner do we get this tidbit than our main character’s godfather falls to a rapidly spreading plague. Luckily there are two kindly healers in town who also are the only ones known to cure this illness. So here I was thinking ok he’s going to go off in search of a cure and come across the great evil that is causing this plague.
Right? WRONG!
The kindly healers actually are collecting the victims of the plague and reanimating their corpses, at least the corpses of those that don’t turn into viscous shades, and they end up kidnapping our hero’s godfather and he goes after them.
The twists and turns in this book are incredible, the setting is like something out of FFX, and it’s full of action and a tension between two characters that I really hope the author turns into a hate to love romance in future books!!
Highly recommend!
November 16, 2023
I usually gravitate towards fantasy that is more targeted to a mature audience, so i wasn't sure how much of my attention would be captured when I started this book... but in the end, I read this in just two sittings. (Note: an impressive feat for someone who cycles through five books at a the same time)
Smo does a great job of setting high stakes with deadly encounters that don't dip unto too needlessly clunky or gory for the sake of gore. I was also surprised to be sucked into the combat as much as I was- typically I end up skimming through most action scenes. Here, he is able to describe what's happening accurately without destroying the energy that should come with a fight scene. I personally think that is the highlight of the book, and a very pleasant surprise!
The plot was also well thought out but not predictable. I genuinely had a few "gotcha" moments in my head when I thought I could see where the story was going, only to have it take a different path. The encounters with people (and creatures) throughout felt natural, as did the bonds that developed between them along the way.
I think of all, I'm most excited to see where this group of misfits go next, and what trouble they get into on their next adventure!
Smo does a great job of setting high stakes with deadly encounters that don't dip unto too needlessly clunky or gory for the sake of gore. I was also surprised to be sucked into the combat as much as I was- typically I end up skimming through most action scenes. Here, he is able to describe what's happening accurately without destroying the energy that should come with a fight scene. I personally think that is the highlight of the book, and a very pleasant surprise!
The plot was also well thought out but not predictable. I genuinely had a few "gotcha" moments in my head when I thought I could see where the story was going, only to have it take a different path. The encounters with people (and creatures) throughout felt natural, as did the bonds that developed between them along the way.
I think of all, I'm most excited to see where this group of misfits go next, and what trouble they get into on their next adventure!
November 25, 2023
This story revolves around Kyo, whose godfather is infected by a spreading affliction that turns people into murderous shadow monsters and the only mages who can help are not the kindly healers they appear. To reclaim his family, Kyo with his team sets out to stop the mages before they turn the entire world into living dead shades.
This book has quite a unique and interesting premise, i loved the scale of the author's imagination here with light vs darkness, magical elements and intervined words. This book has all the things I love in a fantasy. Despite being a deeply explored heavy plot, the chapters are easy to read and kept me interested throughout, the character building is just insane, they were just so engaging and I instantly became attached to so many of them. Overall, this really is a brilliantly written book and I am super excited to see other books by the author!!!
This book has quite a unique and interesting premise, i loved the scale of the author's imagination here with light vs darkness, magical elements and intervined words. This book has all the things I love in a fantasy. Despite being a deeply explored heavy plot, the chapters are easy to read and kept me interested throughout, the character building is just insane, they were just so engaging and I instantly became attached to so many of them. Overall, this really is a brilliantly written book and I am super excited to see other books by the author!!!
November 26, 2023
First reading this book, it was little confusing to understand the layout but once you start reading it more it draws you in. The main character gives me Geralt from the witcher vibes but put him in jrpg videogame. When the fights happen between the details of the characters and the environment it got amazing. I was so drawn into reading it more once the climax happen or meeting certain characters or fights happened I could not drop the book. Looking forward to more to this series and hopefully a sequel is in the works.
March 20, 2025
packed for on adventure
Enjoyable read even though I’m not that into YA.
Good characters if maybe a few too many to develop and keep tabs on.
A great start that is going to be an interesting series.
Recommended for Fantasy YA fans
Enjoyable read even though I’m not that into YA.
Good characters if maybe a few too many to develop and keep tabs on.
A great start that is going to be an interesting series.
Recommended for Fantasy YA fans
October 27, 2023
Perfect for fans of action and video game quests!
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews