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Witchfinder
In Avalon, where the world runs on magic, the king of Britannia appoints a witchfinder to rescue unfortunates with magical power from lands where magic is a capital crime. Or he did. But after the royal princess was kidnapped from her cradle twenty years ago, all travel to other universes has been forbidden, and the position of witchfinder abolished. Seraphim Ainsling, Duke of Darkwater, son of the last witchfinder, breaks the edict. He can't simply let people die for lack of rescue. His stubborn compassion will bring him trouble and disgrace, turmoil and danger -- and maybe, just maybe, the greatest reward of all.
461 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 30, 2011
23 people are currently reading
79 people want to read
About the author
Sarah A. Hoyt
202 books175 followersSarah A. Hoyt was born (and raised) in Portugal and now lives in Colorado with her husband, two sons, and a variable number of cats, depending on how many show up to beg on the door step.
In between lays the sort of resume that used to be de-rigueur for writers. She has never actually wrestled alligators, but she did at one point very briefly tie bows on bags of potpourri for a living. She has also washed dishes and ironed clothes for a living. Worst of all she was, for a long time, a multilingual scientific translator.
At some point, though, she got tired of making an honest living and started writing. She has over 30 published novels, in science fiction, fantasy, mystery, historical mystery, historical fantasy and historical biography. Her short stories have been published in Analog, Asimov's, Amazing Stories, Weird Tales, and a number of anthologies from DAW and Baen. Her space-opera novel Darkship Thieves was the 2011 Prometheus Award Winner, and the third novel in the series, A Few Good Men, was a finalist for the honor. She also won the Dragon Award for Uncharted (with Kevin J. Anderson.)
a.k.a. Sarah D'Almeida
a.k.a. Elise Hyatt
a.k.a. Sarah Marqués
In between lays the sort of resume that used to be de-rigueur for writers. She has never actually wrestled alligators, but she did at one point very briefly tie bows on bags of potpourri for a living. She has also washed dishes and ironed clothes for a living. Worst of all she was, for a long time, a multilingual scientific translator.
At some point, though, she got tired of making an honest living and started writing. She has over 30 published novels, in science fiction, fantasy, mystery, historical mystery, historical fantasy and historical biography. Her short stories have been published in Analog, Asimov's, Amazing Stories, Weird Tales, and a number of anthologies from DAW and Baen. Her space-opera novel Darkship Thieves was the 2011 Prometheus Award Winner, and the third novel in the series, A Few Good Men, was a finalist for the honor. She also won the Dragon Award for Uncharted (with Kevin J. Anderson.)
a.k.a. Sarah D'Almeida
a.k.a. Elise Hyatt
a.k.a. Sarah Marqués
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
May 24, 2014
I really enjoyed this book. The plot was clever, the characters people you could like and admire, and the world vivid and alarming. Seraphim was the kind of man you don't see a lot of in fiction these days, it seems, a real hero. He's driven by duty and the need to do the right thing, and he's very easy to empathize with. More, please.
I'm a long-time fan of Georgette Heyer, so I particularly enjoyed a minor character, the dandified but efficient Mr. Blythe, who I took to be a most excellent homage to Heyer. More of him, too, please. I hope.
I eagerly await the sequel.
I'm a long-time fan of Georgette Heyer, so I particularly enjoyed a minor character, the dandified but efficient Mr. Blythe, who I took to be a most excellent homage to Heyer. More of him, too, please. I hope.
I eagerly await the sequel.
June 28, 2020
I enjoyed it overall. I liked the characters a lot. But the plot was so frenetic! It jumped from one cool idea to the next, never fully exploiting one thread. A clever idea was on every page, any one of which could be turned into a novel in itself! But the author just rushed past it so that the plot had a surface feeling to it, with little depth. Each chapter was written to bring the action to a peak, and then the next chapter resolved it, ending on a cliff hanger, rinse and repeat. I was happy to have it end, as I knew exactly how it would end by the second half.
September 16, 2017
This is the most convoluted book I have read in a long time.
Imagine every fairytale fantasy plot and character you can think of. Then throw it all into a poor defenseless book, add Arthur, Merlin, dragons, fey, a multiverse, a duke, spunky females and then give it a good stir... and hope for the best. The best in this case is 2 stars because I finished it. Skip this one, you'll be glad you did.
Imagine every fairytale fantasy plot and character you can think of. Then throw it all into a poor defenseless book, add Arthur, Merlin, dragons, fey, a multiverse, a duke, spunky females and then give it a good stir... and hope for the best. The best in this case is 2 stars because I finished it. Skip this one, you'll be glad you did.
February 16, 2020
Do not judge by the cover
Is it even considered a cover it is an ebook? While I felt dropped into a story at the beginning of this book i was immediately entranced. The writing is excellent and the story is elaborate. The nice thing about feeling as if you have to adjust to a story already occurring is that the universe is so developed that reading about it somehow makes it feel more true. What a marvelous treasure to find.
Is it even considered a cover it is an ebook? While I felt dropped into a story at the beginning of this book i was immediately entranced. The writing is excellent and the story is elaborate. The nice thing about feeling as if you have to adjust to a story already occurring is that the universe is so developed that reading about it somehow makes it feel more true. What a marvelous treasure to find.
June 13, 2021
A whirlwind. Loved it.
A whirlwind, but a heck of a ride. The many threads of the tale can be confusing, but the style matches the cats cradle of magic, pain, joy, duty, and -of course- love.
A whirlwind, but a heck of a ride. The many threads of the tale can be confusing, but the style matches the cats cradle of magic, pain, joy, duty, and -of course- love.
March 23, 2019
I bought this book because the author was going to be at a convention I attend. Loved it! The magical world is excellent as are the characters.
December 15, 2019
Very enjoyable read
I have to admit this book did start out a little slow. As it went forward, I really enjoyed the depth of the characters and the plot arc.
I have to admit this book did start out a little slow. As it went forward, I really enjoyed the depth of the characters and the plot arc.
January 21, 2025
Page Turner
Very few authors make me stay up all night reading their novel and Sarah Hoyt has now done it to me TWICE!
Very few authors make me stay up all night reading their novel and Sarah Hoyt has now done it to me TWICE!
April 17, 2014
Witchfinder is one of those rare stories that is at once comfortably familiar and relentlessly surprising. It starts out with all the trappings we expect as fantasy fans: richly imagined worlds, magic, larger than life heroes and villains, and, of course, fantastic creatures big and small. However, magic and world-building, exciting as they are, take a back seat to the characters. And oh boy, are there characters. If this book was a TV show, I would be spending all my time dreaming up spinoffs based around each and every one of them. Even the obligatory archetypes -the intrepid hero, the seemingly innocent fish-out-of-water, the perpetually fretting mother, the sidekick- are full of surprises and endless layers that are all interesting and important to the story. By the time the reader meets the rest of the cast, it's impossible to stop reading because you just want to KNOW, not just the turns of the plot, but the fate of everyone involved.
That's not to say the story is in any way lacking in action. In fact, action is more or less non-stop, with exposition stuffed in little crevices around the chases, fights, spells, magical journeys and various fantastical perils. There are some interesting themes as well: duty and sacrifice vs. personal fulfillment, fate vs. choice, adventure vs. safety, and, above all, love in all its varied, messy forms. This work would actually make for a great book club discussion because there are so many points that people of varying ages and life experiences would perceive in different ways.
Highly recommended to current and potential fantasy fans. The most jaded readers are still guaranteed some surprises, and those who have never tried the genre will leave this story looking for more, both from fantasy in general and from this author in particular.
That's not to say the story is in any way lacking in action. In fact, action is more or less non-stop, with exposition stuffed in little crevices around the chases, fights, spells, magical journeys and various fantastical perils. There are some interesting themes as well: duty and sacrifice vs. personal fulfillment, fate vs. choice, adventure vs. safety, and, above all, love in all its varied, messy forms. This work would actually make for a great book club discussion because there are so many points that people of varying ages and life experiences would perceive in different ways.
Highly recommended to current and potential fantasy fans. The most jaded readers are still guaranteed some surprises, and those who have never tried the genre will leave this story looking for more, both from fantasy in general and from this author in particular.
May 21, 2014
A fan of Sarah Hoyt, I was eager to read this book, thinking from the title that it would be a tale of a magician troubled by the fate into which he was born, that he would have to track down and incarcerate witches, wizards, sorcerers, sorceresses and other sages. And though the book was much different from what I expected it to be, I enjoyed reading it, finding it the perfect pastime to amuse myself as I did my daily dose of cardio.
Having it on a kindle makes for most easy reading.
But, this hero, Seraphim Ainsling, the eponymous witchfinder, wasn't seeking evil enchanters in order to protect them from doing harm, but seeking out outsiders with magical abilities who, without his work might find themselves prey to others who might ostracize or incarcerate them for their gifts. Or worse.
The characters, including the hero's half-brother, a woman not entirely certain of the work she is doing or of her own background, move around in a number of worlds, including our own and a Fairyland. And perhaps it's her description of fairyland (note the lower case here) that really makes this book stand out. Just as the filmmakers who crafted the mystical fairy realm in Snow White and the Huntress, Hoyt has her own unique spin on this world and in describing it shows how storytellers across generations have used that realm to offer insight into her notion of magic.
Here it is described as a "parasite" world, perhaps in need of a new ruler to change its place in the multiverse. But, all worlds, not just Fairyland itself, are dependent on its survival.
That may well be her way of saying all worlds need a little magic.
And this book has more than a little magic. It's just a fun read.
If you're looking for something to delight your mind as you strive to stay in shape, this is a perfect book to download to your kindle to read while you work out.
Having it on a kindle makes for most easy reading.
But, this hero, Seraphim Ainsling, the eponymous witchfinder, wasn't seeking evil enchanters in order to protect them from doing harm, but seeking out outsiders with magical abilities who, without his work might find themselves prey to others who might ostracize or incarcerate them for their gifts. Or worse.
The characters, including the hero's half-brother, a woman not entirely certain of the work she is doing or of her own background, move around in a number of worlds, including our own and a Fairyland. And perhaps it's her description of fairyland (note the lower case here) that really makes this book stand out. Just as the filmmakers who crafted the mystical fairy realm in Snow White and the Huntress, Hoyt has her own unique spin on this world and in describing it shows how storytellers across generations have used that realm to offer insight into her notion of magic.
Here it is described as a "parasite" world, perhaps in need of a new ruler to change its place in the multiverse. But, all worlds, not just Fairyland itself, are dependent on its survival.
That may well be her way of saying all worlds need a little magic.
And this book has more than a little magic. It's just a fun read.
If you're looking for something to delight your mind as you strive to stay in shape, this is a perfect book to download to your kindle to read while you work out.
May 2, 2014
So in one of my favorite movies, there's this scene. It involves an older chef stepping in to fix a mess, and as he's tossing things together, someone runs up and frantically asks "But what do we call it?" and he says, "A Belle Melange, a beautiful mess."
For some reason as I was reading this book, that came to mind. It's not that the book is a mess, far from it. It's tightly plotted, the action is almost continuous, with enough let-down and talk moments to give you a breath, even if the characters never get a break. No, this book is a beautiful mixture. Regency romance, fantasy, modern Earth, dragons, dryads, fairyland, the nature of magic… it's all in here. Assassination plots, kidnapping, more kidnapping, and in the middle of it, a prosaic Earthwoman. It shouldn't work… but it does.
I can't tell you how many times I have picked up a time-travel romance book over the years, to put it back down in disgust as my suspension of disbelief was mauled beyond endurance. I eventually stopped reading them. Sarah Hoyt touches on this in Witchfinder, with accuracy and humor, and her solutions are pragmatic without losing the charming romance. The ending was perfect.
The weaving of the worlds, the explanation of magic, where it came from, and why some worlds lack it, that alone is worth reading this for. You will rarely find such a well-developed system for magic, nor one so believable. Magic has consequences, and a price, and not only to an individual, but to a society.
All in all, I am looking forward to re-reading this one. And I am hoping for a sequel, or at least a related book.
For some reason as I was reading this book, that came to mind. It's not that the book is a mess, far from it. It's tightly plotted, the action is almost continuous, with enough let-down and talk moments to give you a breath, even if the characters never get a break. No, this book is a beautiful mixture. Regency romance, fantasy, modern Earth, dragons, dryads, fairyland, the nature of magic… it's all in here. Assassination plots, kidnapping, more kidnapping, and in the middle of it, a prosaic Earthwoman. It shouldn't work… but it does.
I can't tell you how many times I have picked up a time-travel romance book over the years, to put it back down in disgust as my suspension of disbelief was mauled beyond endurance. I eventually stopped reading them. Sarah Hoyt touches on this in Witchfinder, with accuracy and humor, and her solutions are pragmatic without losing the charming romance. The ending was perfect.
The weaving of the worlds, the explanation of magic, where it came from, and why some worlds lack it, that alone is worth reading this for. You will rarely find such a well-developed system for magic, nor one so believable. Magic has consequences, and a price, and not only to an individual, but to a society.
All in all, I am looking forward to re-reading this one. And I am hoping for a sequel, or at least a related book.
April 8, 2014
I admit I was a bit hesitant. Sarah writes great SF, but my experience with SF writers who cross over to fantasy hasn't been great. I shouldn't have worried. The plot is complex but not convoluted, the action starts from the first (ok, the second) page, the main characters are interesting and three-dimensional, and the plot twists are, well, twisty. (The one twist I spotted early on gets resolved about halfway through the book. It was like Sarah was saying, "Yeah, this one's so simple, I won't leave you hanging.") Not every writer understands the reader this well. There's light romance in varying favors, but no steamy scenes, thanks very much.
Very basically, the book is an interesting take on the "many parallel worlds with differing levels of magic" idea. A young woman from our Earth gets pulled to an alternate of much higher magic, the British empire is the dominant political entity, magicians abound, fae and other magical creatures hatch plots, aristocrats have varying degrees of ethics, and the good guys and bad guys have tea like civilized people. Nicely, Sarah didn't get into overmuch detail on the world building; we get a feel for the complexity of the universe without being dragged through endless details, with a hint of steampunk.
I'm very much hoping this is the beginning of a series.
Very basically, the book is an interesting take on the "many parallel worlds with differing levels of magic" idea. A young woman from our Earth gets pulled to an alternate of much higher magic, the British empire is the dominant political entity, magicians abound, fae and other magical creatures hatch plots, aristocrats have varying degrees of ethics, and the good guys and bad guys have tea like civilized people. Nicely, Sarah didn't get into overmuch detail on the world building; we get a feel for the complexity of the universe without being dragged through endless details, with a hint of steampunk.
I'm very much hoping this is the beginning of a series.
November 24, 2015
A wild ride through a universe with parallel Earths, some of which have magic and some of which don't, some of which know about the others and some of which don't, some of which permit the use of magic and some of which forbid it on pain of death. Avalon is one of those where magic is permitted and that knows about other worlds, and Seraphim Ainsling, Duke of Darkwater (in this Regency-inspired setting), has undertaken the illegal task of rescuing magic users who are in danger on other worlds. His quest blows up when he stumbles into a plot involving the throne of Avalon and sinister doings in Fairyland, a much more dangerous and terrifying place than the name suggests. The plot is intricate and non-stop, and I enjoyed the characters, trying to do the right things despite seemingly impossible odds. There's also a nice dose of romance, not obtrusive but enough to keep romance-loving readers happy. There's both a m/f and a m/m pair; normally, m/m isn't really my thing, but Mrs. Hoyt had me rooting for this couple to find their happy ending. Highly recommended if you're looking for intelligent and refreshingly original fantasy.
August 3, 2014
My patience for all things Regency begins and ends with persons actually writing from that period and Georgette Heyer. Despite that, and a rather tedious introductory chapter, Witchfinder caught fire at the start of the second with a premise and character that grabbed my attention and didn't let up until the thrilling finale.
Yes, the book was cheese. But it was fun, entertaining cheese. I doubt I'll re-read it, but I found this volume superior to the other likable outings by the same author, with improved world building and adventure. Hoyt has a slight tendency to create the dimensionless villain but that villain served this particular story well.
I can comfortably recommend Witchfinder to anyone who enjoys fantasy stories, strong women characters, and a fresh and clever take on a historical trend that most writers never get right.
Yes, the book was cheese. But it was fun, entertaining cheese. I doubt I'll re-read it, but I found this volume superior to the other likable outings by the same author, with improved world building and adventure. Hoyt has a slight tendency to create the dimensionless villain but that villain served this particular story well.
I can comfortably recommend Witchfinder to anyone who enjoys fantasy stories, strong women characters, and a fresh and clever take on a historical trend that most writers never get right.
August 23, 2014
This is the first book of hers that I have read. Seen lots of mentions, but was a little skeptical concerning her large number of titles and some rather cheesy cover art.
Skeptical no more.With the first chapters of this book I expected a rather well-defined story and if the plot had followed what I imagined I wold have been happy with this story playground. Yet what actually happened was more of a plot explosion where the story kept getting larger and paradoxically smaller as it drew in the main characters and their intertwinings. So there was a lot of fun with the reveals and the nature of fairyland.
So now I moved on to another of her books Darkship Thieves which is also starting out quite interesting.
Skeptical no more.With the first chapters of this book I expected a rather well-defined story and if the plot had followed what I imagined I wold have been happy with this story playground. Yet what actually happened was more of a plot explosion where the story kept getting larger and paradoxically smaller as it drew in the main characters and their intertwinings. So there was a lot of fun with the reveals and the nature of fairyland.
So now I moved on to another of her books Darkship Thieves which is also starting out quite interesting.
May 19, 2014
I've been meaning to read one of her books for a while now and think I picked a great one to start with. Not your typical magic novel, not your typical modern-day twist on witches. Sarah blends the best of both worlds and brings you characters you root for, because you've never quite seen anything like them.
No cliches or "I've read that a hundred times" scenarios that you have you reaching for the next read. Fans of "Once Upon a Time" will see how she blends beloved genres all while adding her own particular 'stank' (which is good) to them. My one complaint: the cover makes it seem like a cheesy romance set in the Victorian error/era.
No cliches or "I've read that a hundred times" scenarios that you have you reaching for the next read. Fans of "Once Upon a Time" will see how she blends beloved genres all while adding her own particular 'stank' (which is good) to them. My one complaint: the cover makes it seem like a cheesy romance set in the Victorian error/era.
May 19, 2014
I've been meaning to read one of her books for a while now and think I picked a great one to start with. Not your typical magic novel, not your typical modern-day twist on witches. Sarah blends the best of both worlds and brings you characters you root for, because you've never quite seen anything like them.
No cliches or "I've read that a hundred times" scenarios that you have you reaching for the next read. Fans of "Once Upon a Time" will see how she blends beloved genres all while adding her own particular 'stank' (which is good) to them. My one complaint: the cover makes it seem like a cheesy romance set in the Victorian error/era.
No cliches or "I've read that a hundred times" scenarios that you have you reaching for the next read. Fans of "Once Upon a Time" will see how she blends beloved genres all while adding her own particular 'stank' (which is good) to them. My one complaint: the cover makes it seem like a cheesy romance set in the Victorian error/era.
August 9, 2016
Quite enjoyable fantasy adventure with light romance thrown in that perhaps got a bit too complicated. Since I do like regencies as well, the fantasy world that resembles regency era was a bonus for me. American readers probably resent the fact that this fantasy version of England kept hold of their colonies. :) Too many POVs for my liking, but that's just me.
September 27, 2016
Cute
Not original but cute and well executed. Lots of lighter moments and the family ties were what this story really hung on. If ou like many-worlds fairy tales or regency romance you'll enjoy this fun adventure about a fairly normal young woman from earth and a lovely family of magicians from avalon.
Not original but cute and well executed. Lots of lighter moments and the family ties were what this story really hung on. If ou like many-worlds fairy tales or regency romance you'll enjoy this fun adventure about a fairly normal young woman from earth and a lovely family of magicians from avalon.
May 13, 2014
Hmm. Is this four stars on a Name of the Wind scale? Probably not. But it's a fun page turner and guilty pleasure, mixing a Lord Darcy-like magical society with a multiverse crossover from our Earth. With a bit of Three Musketeers thrown in for good measure.
May 14, 2014
Enjoyable fantasy
characters Include humans, fairies, dragons and royalty and parallel worlds. The story is fun to read. The characters had flaws that made them Interesting. It is suitable for any age, but not written in a childish manner.
characters Include humans, fairies, dragons and royalty and parallel worlds. The story is fun to read. The characters had flaws that made them Interesting. It is suitable for any age, but not written in a childish manner.
July 4, 2015
A magical potpourri
Starts like such an innocent romp and quickly becomes a complex set of interlocking arcs. Wonderful characters, strange worlds and a fresh take on multiple worlds. Loved it. More please.
Starts like such an innocent romp and quickly becomes a complex set of interlocking arcs. Wonderful characters, strange worlds and a fresh take on multiple worlds. Loved it. More please.
July 28, 2019
Another reason to look forward to Friday! Weekly installment is fun and light reading. Can't wait to see how this comes together. Thanks Mrs. Hoyt!
June 4, 2016
Very entertaining. Certainly needed some serious proofreading,though.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews