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Small-Town Crafter #5

The Artificer's Abode

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Greetings, friend! Take off your coat and get warm by the fire - I have a question for you. Have you ever wondered what happens when the world of magic meets honest craft? Then perhaps you’ve never met an artificer before.

Self-sorting wardrobes, ever-burning candles, front doors that turn away unwanted visitors - whatever you need, an artificer can make it. Does that sound like the job for you? Then venture into Sunhampton, the little town where each morning greets you with a cup of coffee and the promise of a bright day.

Nestled there is Lewis’s workshop, where he serves the town’s artificeric needs. He fixes self-spicing stewpots and he tinkers with clockwork cleaning systems. And every so often, an unusual job comes his way. Can Lewis fix up the old house by the river and make it livable again? And what about the waterwheel at the lumbermill, which mysteriously stopped turning one day, and nobody knows why?

No answer is easy, no job is straightforward. But with master crafters to guide him, loyal friends at his side, and his curiosity driving him forward, Lewis will get to the bottom of it. So, grab your artificer’s tools, your crafting notepad, and join him in Sunhampton where there are always things to craft and beers to drink.

266 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 15, 2024

208 people are currently reading
37 people want to read

About the author

Tom Watts

14 books38 followers
Hey! Tom Watts here. If you're reading this then you've either read one of my books or you’re thinking about doing it, and I want to say thanks either way.

I write low-stakes fantasy books that offer people a little of that important thing we call escapism, and I might have what you’re looking for.

Do you want to become a master craftsperson and live in a small, sunny village full of taverns and cafes? Then I have the story for you! Try my book, ‘Small-Town Crafter: the Artificer’s Apprentice.’

Or maybe you want to build a whole town from scratch right on top of untouched land, together with a couple of good friends. If that sounds good, then I’ve got something you’ll enjoy! Check out, ‘Welcome to Blade’s Rest.’

So, those are a couple of my books. As for me, well, I live in a little village with my wife and three dogs. When I’m not writing then I’m reading, and when I’m not doing that I’ve usually got a small schnauzer trying to get my attention.

Thanks for stopping by my author page. Make sure you press ‘follow’ so that you can be the first to find out when I release a new book.

Finally, If you try one of my books, then I'd like to wish you happy reading. Hope you enjoy visiting one of my fictional towns for a while.

Nice to meet you,

Tom.

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5 stars
243 (66%)
4 stars
98 (26%)
3 stars
20 (5%)
2 stars
3 (<1%)
1 star
1 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
2,329 reviews
March 21, 2024
I had been wondering about what I was gonna read when Kindle messaged me about this delightful slice-of-life book in a series I've been following and voila problem solved!
There's plenty of Artificered items to fix and even some special order crafting projects to make but Lewis and Master Cooper needs notorariety which in turn will feed the coffers so their business can grow. The plan is to sell business contracts for an annual fee. But first there's a broken down waterwheel that needs fixin' and Lewis is just the one for the job. Then there's some leveling to do as Lewis plans to obtain his journeyman class as quickly as possible!!!
See how it all turns out... especially when Lewis sets his eyes on a house 🏠 a fixer-uper...

I saved a couple of quotes that amused me:

"I usually kept my emotions about as well hidden as an elephant at a penguin party."

"Since my best friend Paisley was a merchant, I didn’t just take a leaf from her book – I took the whole tree."
Profile Image for Old Time Tales.
306 reviews8 followers
May 5, 2024
1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 5 (oops)

Somehow I read books 5 and 6 out of order. Which is important, because Lewis makes a lot of growth here. He gains enough confidence to start sharing his knowledge and experiance with others. He starts to work to build the business on his own. And he continues to make friendships where people rely on him. Lewis is a good guy, I like him.

Cheers! Read every day and read for fun!
Profile Image for Tyrannosaurus regina.
1,199 reviews25 followers
January 3, 2025
As usual, a very cozy vibe to this. Not quite enough Paisley and the others for me, though, so it was missing a bit of the found family aspects. Also, the last few pages covered at least six months of time, which I realise reached the end goal of the book but it also just feels like it skimmed over a significant portion of Lewis’s life and the changes that would have been happening over that time that had nothing to do with the house (especially Ophelia and trying to level up).

3.5*
Profile Image for Rob.
626 reviews20 followers
May 14, 2024
Might be my favorite in the series other than the first one. Lewis's ambition is to move out into an awesome cottage called River Friend while also working his way towards journeyman rank. Very pleasant to be watching him grow up.

Only quibble I had is how this book kind of wrapped itself up in a bow a little too easily.
Profile Image for Holly.
826 reviews1 follower
August 22, 2024
Another delightful installment in Lewis's artificer journey. It was very enjoyable, and, like the earlier volumes, an excellent diversion and stress-reducer. Tom Watts is a fine writer and brings his characters to life easily. I love the little town and surrounding countryside, the infusion of meals and the jobs Lewis takes on. Well-done!
Profile Image for MyDoRyS.
998 reviews4 followers
February 22, 2025
Yup....the last 2 books lost my attention. Unnecessary BORING information dump. Super annoying unlikable characters. Ridiculous unnecessary insta relationship. Barf! Then, all of a sudden, they are broke? Something I thought was solved on the fist books. There is no consistency, and it is full of discrepancies. Dropping the series. Onto my next adventure, Happy Readings!!!!
64 reviews
March 18, 2024
another great book

This was fun to read. Just wished it was longer. Would love to really see harder crafting jobs for Lewis, you know really make him stretch his abilities.
But a great series, should definitely read all of them
917 reviews2 followers
December 31, 2024
Another good one.

I really enjoyed reading this book. It was fun and entertaining. The story and characters were incredibly interesting and engaging. I'm looking forward to seeing what happens next. This book and series are definitely worth checking out.
57 reviews1 follower
March 17, 2025
Keep them coming...

I can't tell you how much I love this series. I know it's made for a young audience, but the cozy way Tom writes makes keeping up with Lewis and his gaggle of friends is fun for this old bird.
Can't wait to keep reading it. Off to grab the next one.
202 reviews
March 21, 2024
Not sure how he does it

Tom watts takes a simple story and turns it into a masterful journey. So I've already ordered the next book
6 reviews
March 21, 2024
Love these books

I love these books, they’re a great change of pace. A light and easy read with fun characters. Check it out!
40 reviews
July 10, 2024
I love this series

Reading Mr. Watts stories are like sitting by the fireplace with your best friends. Sometimes funny and always enjoyable and heartwarming.
Profile Image for Vader.
3,790 reviews34 followers
January 6, 2025
2.35

5 star - Perfect
4 star - i would recommend
3 star - good
2 star - struggled to complete
1 star - could not finish
5 reviews
July 29, 2025
This entire series is just great. No earth shaking, world ending drama. Just every day "fantasy" life living and challenges that the characters must live through. It has a great heart and this book is another excellent addition to the series. Worth reading!
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews

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