Arcane Veterinarian

Arcane Veterinarian #1

by Michael James Ploof

He dreamed of being a veterinarian. He never imagined it would happen on a different world...
After passing his veterinary exam, Ethan is whisked away to an alternate medieval Earth by a sorcerer in need of a veterinarian. He soon comes in possession of Dali, an arcane intelligence of untold power whose sole purpose is to help its master become the greatest at whichever magical path they choose.

Naturally, Ethan chooses to become the greatest arcane veterinarian in the world!

Intent on making this magical new world his home, he settles down in the whimsical town of Arcane Acres, where he seeks out an apprenticeship with Doctor Ledbetter, the aging yet affable local vet. With Dali’s aid and Ledbetter’s guidance, Ethan learns to magically diagnose and treat a diverse array of enchanted animals.

But Arcane Acres isn’t all fairies and unicorn farts. Someone has been hexing the town’s enchanted creatures. Someone who covets power above all else, and is determined to see the community fail.

If Ethan and his new friends can’t unravel the mystery behind the hexed creatures in time, Arcane Acres will be doomed...

Arcane Veterinarian offers a unique blend of cozy, quirky charm, slice-of-life, and immersive LitRPG elements, where readers follow Ethan’s progression from a novice level arcane veterinarian on his way to grandmaster status.

Featuring an endearing cast of characters, captivating magical creatures, and a heartwarming progression, this isekai tale promises to enchant readers of all ages!

Genres: Fantasy, Litrpg, Cozy, Magic, Slice Of Life, Audiobook, Fiction

482 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 6, 2024

About the author

I spent my youth in the land of make believe. School was a bore, and growing up in the "Boonies" without cable television forced me to use my imagination. If I wasn't holed up in my bedroom playing with my vast collection of action figures, I could be found in the forest with a wooden sword or staff in hand, battling the forces of evil. As an 80's kid, I was raised on a healthy diet of movies like Star Wars, The Neverending Story, Labyrinth, Goonies, and endless other classic (but strange) movies.

As a reader, I enjoy books that take off right out of the gate, sweep me off my feet, and whisk me away on an epic adventure. As an author, I try to create books that do the same for my readers. I write fantasy, and I suppose that I still live in a land of make believe, except now I get to share the adventure with others.

I hope that you will join me on my next adventure, and together we can escape reality, if only for a time.

Yours in Magic,

Michael James Ploof

Join the mailing list at www.whillofagor(dot)com.

Books by Michael James Ploof

Epic Fallacy

Book #1: Champions of the Dragon

Book #2: Beyond the Wide Wall

Book #3: The Legend of Drak' Noir

Book #4: The Mother of Zuul

LEGENDS OF AGORA

Book #1: Whill of Agora

Book #2: A Quest of Kings

Book #3: A Song of Swords

Book #4: A Crown of war

Book #5: Kingdoms in Chaos

Book #6: Champions of the Gods

Book #7: The Mantle of Darkness

Book #8: Dark Echoes of Light

Book #9: The Warcrown Legacy

THE WINDWALKER ARCHIVE

Book #1: Talon

Book #2: Sea Queen

Book #3: Exodus

BLACKTHORN

Book #1: Blackthorn Rising

THE ORION REZNER CHRONICLES

Book #1: Afterworld

The Dragon Throne War

Book #1: A Dream of Fire

Doomsday Sheriff

Book #1

Book #2

Book #3

Dragon Rider Academy

Episode #1: Ascension

Episode #2: Transcendence

Episode #3: Initiate

Episode #4: Dragon Heart

Episode #5: Accursed

THE SOCK GNOME CHRONICLES

Book #1: Billy Coatbutton and the Wheel of Destiny

Book #2: Billy Coatbutton and the ring of Sockchild

Harem books written as Mike Ploof

Rebirth online

Rebirth Online #1

Rebirth Online #2

Rebirth Online #3

Rebirth Online #4

Rebirth Online #5

Rebirth Online #6

Monster World

Monster World #1

Monster World #2

Warwick

Episode #1: Galactic Arena

Episode #2: Galactic Fugitives

Episode #3: Galactic Vengeance

litRPG Published By Aethon Books

Arcane Veterinarian Book 1 - August 6, 2024

Arcane Veterinarian Book 2 - Fall 2024

The Family Jewels Book 1 - Coming Soon

Reviews

[Graham]

So this book is not a cozy book like the title on Amazon says it is. It is definitely more LITRPG with a lot of stress and just a lot of, if this character told this character something then a good chunk of the story gets removed. There isn't much vet stuff and when it does happen it feels like a side note to the overarching plot.

Looking at the main character he is just awful. He's dumb in a I don't know how to preserve my life kind of way that makes you question how he got a degree to be a vet from an ivy league school. A large chunk of the story builds off of this man's stupidity and it makes the story shallow because of it. He also comes in with these ideals of animal cruelty that this new world doesn't have and just expects everyone to listen to him. This man also falls in love at first sight and proceeds to be really creepy about seeing this woman constantly. It reads like a love drunk teenager instead of a mid 20s to 30 year old.

Edit: some spelling and grammar mistakes

[gordon musgrave]

Might be good

Well just from the beginning I did not like how it was written, his response to being transported was stupid quit reading after that

[ReadToBreathe]

This MC was dumb and disgusting. He did what the wizard told him not to do, did not tell the daughter even though he had multiple chances, and had the audacity to fell for the wizard's daughter. And of course the other idiot "female character" forgave him because why not😑 I skimmed the second half because I stopped caring about the plot and the characters. I should have given up on the book from the start bc the beginning was so cliché and lazy writing.

[Devan]

***DNF***

The MC is dumb as a rock. I’m on the run from a crazy strong sorcerer who wants to kill me? I should definitely tell everyone at the pub my story so he can find me easier. I am a saint so it’s ok to alienate all the dwarves and righteously offend them with their treatment of dragons on my first day encounter with them. There’s definitely no better way to go about that right? So annoying.

I might have been able to get past that but the story was just meh. Couldn’t force myself to finish it.

[A Pinch of Plot]

The title of Arcane Veterinarian by Michael James Ploof immediately piqued my interest. The cover featuring a griffin sealed the deal; I knew I had to read it. As someone who has always loved animals (farm life will do that to you) and once dreamed of becoming a veterinarian, the blend of fantasy and animal care instantly hooked me.

This story delivers on its promise and more. Book one introduces Ethan, a veterinary student summoned to another world by a sorcerer to heal his ailing griffin, Gustwing. Ethan successfully diagnoses the griffin's ailment and helps the sorcerer nurse him back to health. However, chaos erupts when rival wizards attack, killing the sorcerer. With his dying breath, he entrusts Ethan with a crystal called "the arcane crystal," warning him not to touch it and to deliver it to a woman named Rose in Arcane Acres. Setting off on Gustwing, Ethan has no idea where he is going, who Rose is, or how he will return to Earth. Upon landing, Ethan makes his first mistake by handling the arcane crystal, triggering the LitRPG elements of the series. The crystal is absorbed into Ethan, permanently fusing him with Dali, a kind of artificial intelligence possessing almost limitless power. After spending time in Arcane Acres, Ethan decides he prefers this world and chooses to stay, embarking on numerous adventures with his new friends and the fantastical creatures he vows to care for.

I enjoyed the concept of the arcane intelligence and the gaming interface aspect of his newfound powers, reminiscent of the Fallout Pip-Boy and perk cards. The antics and conversations of the creatures often made me laugh, and the adult humor prevents the story from feeling too childish. Later in the series, there are scenes where Ethan and his love interest get cozy, with some fade-to-black moments implying more. While some reviewers criticize Ethan for making dumb decisions despite being intelligent, I see it as fitting for a young adult series, where such choices often drive the plot. I appreciated the world-building and the unique, colorful characters throughout the series. The pacing felt just right, justifying the three books. I listened to the audio editions and enjoyed the narration, except for the female voices. The narrator, a man, struggled to convincingly imitate female voices, which was distracting. For instance, Rose, meant to be soft-spoken and elegant, sounded frilly and unintelligent due to the narrator's overly soft delivery. The creatures' voices were also a bit cringeworthy, so if time isn't an issue, I would recommend reading the Kindle version. The ending provides a satisfying conclusion to the series' events while leaving room for future adventures. If you enjoy LitRPG, fantasy, magic, magical creatures with character, adventure, humor, and a touch of romance that won't make you scramble to turn off the radio when the kids are in the car, this series is for you!

[MaKayla Farley]

The MC is stupid as hell and pissed me off more often than not. I started this expecting to get the cozy animal doctor story of my dreams but was instead greatly disappointed.

[Old Time Tales]

What a shame.

Ok. I’m done. I tried, I really did. I wanted to like this book. I am going to be honest here, I am reviewing a book that I could not finish, I had to quit.

The idea of being a veterinarian in a fantasy realm is brilliant. But I just can’t handle the dialogue. I am not going to force myself to read 100’s of pages of badly written dialogue and poorly plotted character conflicts. I didn’t even make it to where he starts developing skills.

The descriptive parts of the book were very well done. It gave me hope. But once he starts telling lies, needless, STUPID lies, just so that there can be drama and conflict, I am done.

Gustwing is a very cool character, I am sorry that I won’t be hearing more about him. He should have bitten Ethan’s head off.

Cheers!

PS If you actually do read this book and do finish it please let me know. I’d like to hear what you think. Maybe my impression was wrong, and I was unfair. If so, feel free to tell me!

[Tiuri]

I had such high hopes for this but they didn´t come true.
First off, it's not really "cozy" if there is a lot of animal abuse and some killing too.
The MC being an idiot doesn't help, especially because he's supposedly a smart man. I was about half way and he had already made three huge blunders, so I had trouble finishing the book. The fact that he gets handed almost everything on a silver platter doesn't really help nor does the fact that he indiscriminately applies earth notions to a non-earth world.

Some minor editing is needed, "it's" is not the same as "its" and "who's" is not the same as "whose" but grammar and style are mostly fine. The worldbuilding is strange too, there are medieval veterinarian tools but sugar cubes exist as well, and they're definitely not medieval.

[Lukas]

DNF (~70%)
1.5/5 - Wouldn't recommend, unless desperate for an easy read

The good:
Pretty unique premise
Some of the side characters were fun The AI
Grammar is good
Being nice to animals is always a win

The bad:
Plot holes (quite a few)
World building felt forced at times, like the author adds things to the world that just don't make sense for the sake of the story
Medicine??? The MC solves the problems by talking to the animals, which is fine, but where is his training This feels lazy, like the author did not want to do the research.
God, I haven't seen such an unlikable MC in a while. The author wanted to make him seem like a genius ivy league student and failed to do so. He is simply stupid, lustful, naive and a liar. This is fine people are flawed, but the author frames the character poorly. The MC seems more like a 14 year-old kid, than a trained veterinarian.
He is also handed everything to him. Magical animal talking powers, the amazing system which makes him and only him OP, housing

[Cmoore]

Ohhhh man. Just what I needed a nice cozy powered adventure to keep me busy, listening for a couple of days! Thanks to both Michael James Ploof and Nathan Agin for such good start for to what looks to be great series. This is the story about Ethan a newly anointed Veterinarian after graduating and receiving his diploma he's absodamnlutely ready to celebrate 🍾!!! Only things don't go as planned. He was literally sucked up to an alternate earth... to treat a sick Griffin! Say what? Yeah a sick griffin... and believe it or not, Ethan's newly formed powers enabled him to find and then help the mage that summoned him, diagnose and then he watched as the mage made the curative potion. Instead of freaking out about his predicament. Ethan reveled in it. A new world without any student debt and with magical Beasts to boot. Yay, life simply couldn't get any better 🤗! Except of course for Malazar who for some reason wants to kill 'em.

[Roger]

Arcane Veterinarian: A Cozy Fantasy LitRPG Series, my first enjoyable read from author Michael James Ploof. Outstanding read! Extremely well written, the characters well-developed. I’m a character reader, I get into the characters. Who and what they are. Why they do the things they do. The things that make a reader get invested into the characters and thereby the book and this book has it all! I was given an Audible copy of this book & am voluntarily reviewing it. Nathan Agin’s fabulous narration adds to the well-written book's enjoyment. Since it's part of a series I can't wait to get & read the next book in this series, Arcane Veterinarian 2: A Cozy Fantasy LitRPG Series . (RIP Marley January 20, 2014 - July 24, 2018).

[Tennille]

Fun and yet strange fantasy about a young veterinarian who is suddenly pulled to another world (which is very similar to Earth in the 16th century except with magic and magical creatures) to heal a sick griffin. He heals a Griffin and quickly is pulled into a violent dispute between sorcerors. After one is mortally wounded, he is tasked with taking the Arcane crystal to the sorcerers daughter but curiosity gets the best of him and he ends up absorbing the crystals powers giving him magical abilities. Healing of animals (16th century style with a sprinkle of magic) and dodging wicked sorcerers while falling in love with the sorcerers daughter is the primary theme throughout. The story continues in book 2 but doesn't leave the reader hanging if they choose to end at book 1.

[MyDoRyS]

Audio: 5 Stars

Story: I had hopes of a good animal related slice of life story. What we get is a cheaply written teen book. The MC is supposed to be about 26 yo with a degree from an ivy league school, but what we get is an idiot who makes poor life decisions. The book is full of stuff for the sake of word count and not for content value. The MC is incredibly unlikable, a total horny prat. The dialogue feels like pre-teens having a discussion, not even teens! To summarize the book is completely immature! Onto my next adventure, Happy Readings!!!

[Brett R.]

This 67-year-old thoroughly enjoyed this book, and I look forward to book 2!

Although this book is aimed at 12 - 17-year-olds, I really enjoyed the characters, the plot, and the magic. Luckily, I won't have to wait too long for book 2!
The basic story follows the familiar trope of the MC being snatched from his home (in this case, world) and having to learn magic. He makes a mistake early on and spends the rest of the story trying to figure out how to make it right.
Can't wait to see how the story evolves.

[Dick SantaCruz]

Toooo much detail and took slow moving

Mr Proof is a talented author and had a great story. However, I don't like stories where the author provides lots of details. For example, did we really need to know the different names of the twelve months of the year used in his new world. The action is also excruciatingly slow. I've been waiting for 15 chapters for the hexed animals to be healed. I fell asleep for about 4 chapters and didn't miss anything. I got to 70% before I felt a hex and had to stop.

[Stephen]

Cute, fun, really well written!

This was really enjoyable to read. Ethan is whisked away to an alternate earth (Aerth), And discovers fun and amazing veterinarian-related magic and skills. Hijinx ensue. The world is lovingly described, The characters are well written And easy to imagine.

The only downside of this book was that it was so much fun to read and then it was over.... I will be excited to read book 2 when it is ready.

[Lori]

Fun and Adventure!

Well written fantasy with likable characters, (the good guys, and gals), and despicable bad guys.
The world building is well done without being overdone, and the way magic works is interesting.
The “Dali” avatar is intriguing and I’m interested to see how the author develops the character.
It’s a great start to the series, and I look forward to reading the next book!

[Murphies_law]

A big nope! Super juvenile.

DNF at 3%

Oh great! The protagonist is another hero who accepts being isekaied at once and just goes straight to business without looking back. Actually, this guy sets a new record for speed adaptation and acts like a male version of know-it-all Hermion Granger from the start..

Comments:

He is a veterinarian and his gamer friends call him criter. Maybe it is just not my kind of humour..

[Scott Davison]

A great world building story

I always like stories about professions with a twist. I would have liked more about treating the magical animals. When this book was more like “All Creatures Great and Small” and the protagonist described procedures like the unicorn birth the book was better. He could have made the point scoring reports less wordy and the novel would have been paced better, too.

[Raven]

This was a cute story. Our hero, a newly minted veterinarian, was summoned to a different, albeit still very earthlike, world to assist a sorcerer in healing his griffin. Things happen, sorcerer dies and hero gets stuck in this new world... but he's kinda ok with that. In trying to fulfill sorcerer's last request, hero makes a bit of a boo-boo and, well, that leads to opportunities as well as problems.

I think my only issue with this book is how closely this world copies our own - Earth, Aerth, England, Genland, etc. I guess I understand why the author did it, but it still kinda irks...

[Pasha Reads]

3.75 stars

dont remember how i found this but i'm glad i did. it made me a bit impatient at times but not knowing that it was the first in a series, i thought it would be wrapped up one time. cool book, more litrpg than cozy but still fun. wished it was more vet-work centered than solve the magic problems and defeat the bad guy. still enjoyed it though, and will be continuing in the series at some point.

[Jim Gutzwiller]

Arcane Veterinarian

Well done! It was a engaging tale, and went on to show what could happen in the multi verse.

I enjoyed the tale quite a bit, and have preordered book 2. I hope to find it as engaging and pleasant as book 1.

I will have to read more by the author just to see what they can do.

Thank you !

[Michael Sammons]

Quite a fun read

I really enjoy stories that revolve around characters that are quirky yet down to earth. This book has that in spades and constantly has you chuckling. The only thing that pulled me down from the fun were a few scenes that I read as a dream and most of the way through it realized it was real

[Anne V]

Fun Story

A mostly immersive tale, and generally good read. The RPG elements were a bit clunky, but easy to skip over. The only real drawback was the author’s occasional attempts to use old fashioned language, which resulted in some jarring errors. “Beset” does not mean what this writer thinks it means!

[Shanamarie Rushing]

Different

The idea of an arcane veterinarian is definitely different. The story moves very quick, going from being pulled into another world to being a hero in less than a month. It is kind of nice not to have to go through several books to get a happy ending. I am looking forward to the next installment.

[RGaskin]

The intro with the description of Ithaca NY was scary true. As a vet, I could use the powers critter has. The character development was good. The interactions and environment are developed enough for the story to hold together. I usually skip the stats pages; I do not care to get that in-depth. Good read.

[Alice]

DNF after the first chapter. Everything was told, not shown - e.g. "he did this, then he felt like this and did that." Eventually, every other sentence in dialogue was an exclamation. The MMC wasn't realistic with his reactions at all IMO after getting forcefully isekai-ed to another world and told to treat a griffin by some random wizard.

[Charles Hagberg]

1 great book !

I think this author nailed it in his book. The characters are great Animals are great Can't be an archangel without having arcane animals And the author nailed it too Read book to read I hope everybody enjoys as much as much as I did.

[Jim Phillips]

Well...

I was a lot more interested in the possibilities this book presented. All told I wasn't really appreciative of the result. I will say it was written extremely well with almost no typos.

[g roberts]

Everything is great....except


Love the concept, the YA video game slant, animals, romance, quest, all good. Please, could someone proof read for typos/spelling?

I'm still reading the next book.