What do you think?
Rate this book
Have Spell, Will Travel: A Roy Harper Anthology
BE ADVISED
As the Columbian West is Incredibly
Dangerous Plagued by Bandits, Monsters,
Demons and Hexes, To say Nothing of
Those Mortals who Tamper with Forces
Of Otherworldly Nature, it is Unwise for
A Man Unfamiliar with Violence to Face
It Alone. Therefore, We Heartily Recommend
Those Unprepared for Conflict, Be it Arcane
Or Mundane, Avail Themselves of the
Assistance of One Roy Harper, Firespinner.
Mr. Harper is a Man Famed for Capturing
Outlaws, Hunting Monsters and Punishing
The Unrighteous. He is Trustworthy and Swift.
While it is True that His Services are Priced
In Accordance with His Incredible Skill, We
Believe that can You Afford Them You will
Not be Disappointed.
- from an advertisement in the Leondale Times
The Columbian West is full of dangers. Robbers, spirits and monsters haunt the wastes and black magics hide in the shadows of the towns. When they are more than the average man can handle they call in a specialist. A firespinner. A man with a knack for both swords and magic. A man like Roy Harper. Join Roy on a series of eight adventures as he hunts cultists, kraken and everyday murderers, exorcizes a haunted train and faces down some of the most dangerous magics in the West!
As the Columbian West is Incredibly
Dangerous Plagued by Bandits, Monsters,
Demons and Hexes, To say Nothing of
Those Mortals who Tamper with Forces
Of Otherworldly Nature, it is Unwise for
A Man Unfamiliar with Violence to Face
It Alone. Therefore, We Heartily Recommend
Those Unprepared for Conflict, Be it Arcane
Or Mundane, Avail Themselves of the
Assistance of One Roy Harper, Firespinner.
Mr. Harper is a Man Famed for Capturing
Outlaws, Hunting Monsters and Punishing
The Unrighteous. He is Trustworthy and Swift.
While it is True that His Services are Priced
In Accordance with His Incredible Skill, We
Believe that can You Afford Them You will
Not be Disappointed.
- from an advertisement in the Leondale Times
The Columbian West is full of dangers. Robbers, spirits and monsters haunt the wastes and black magics hide in the shadows of the towns. When they are more than the average man can handle they call in a specialist. A firespinner. A man with a knack for both swords and magic. A man like Roy Harper. Join Roy on a series of eight adventures as he hunts cultists, kraken and everyday murderers, exorcizes a haunted train and faces down some of the most dangerous magics in the West!
481 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 20, 2024
2 people are currently reading
1 person want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
November 26, 2024
Roy Harper is a veteran blessed—or cursed—with the magical power to use the element of fire in various circumstances. He's also something of a mysterious drifter with a lot of trauma from his past. In a steampunk/weird west setting, he uses his formidable “firespinner” skills to defeat evil whenever it threatens the good and innocent. During his adventures, he works with a cast of other skilled magic-wielders, including a brother and sister duo from a distant land, an indigenous tribesman, and some of Roy’s fellow ex-soldiers. Each story showcases the different skills Roy and his inadvertent associates employ on their adventures.
The episodes are engrossing and very well-written. The tale of the sets of cursed twins was intriguing and tense, while yarn dealing with vampire-type entities who seek blood for very mercenary reasons is unique, and evokes a sense of horror without being graphic. My favorite in the collection was the fast-paced tale of the ghost-infested sky train.
Roy is the common denominator throughout the action. He's a likable, relatable protagonist, and his associates are engaging; their dialogue is smooth, and they all move through a rich and imaginative world. While Chen can undoubtedly craft some gifted prose, at times I was frustrated when the pacing was slowed by detailed digressions into the magic systems. This also happened during references to the past war and conflicts between the different interests, especially Druids and the different types of magic practitioners; but overall, I found “Have Spell, Will Travel” to be entertaining and a fun read.
The episodes are engrossing and very well-written. The tale of the sets of cursed twins was intriguing and tense, while yarn dealing with vampire-type entities who seek blood for very mercenary reasons is unique, and evokes a sense of horror without being graphic. My favorite in the collection was the fast-paced tale of the ghost-infested sky train.
Roy is the common denominator throughout the action. He's a likable, relatable protagonist, and his associates are engaging; their dialogue is smooth, and they all move through a rich and imaginative world. While Chen can undoubtedly craft some gifted prose, at times I was frustrated when the pacing was slowed by detailed digressions into the magic systems. This also happened during references to the past war and conflicts between the different interests, especially Druids and the different types of magic practitioners; but overall, I found “Have Spell, Will Travel” to be entertaining and a fun read.
December 3, 2024
POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD: YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED
The following is an ARC review, given to me in exchange for an honest review.
Have Spell, Will Travel is unlike your traditional novel, where the protagonist has to overcome a single great problem. Instead, it has more in common with your typical anthology or adventure story. If you’ve read or watched Kino’s Journey, you’ll know what you are signing up for with this book. It’s a series of short tales that detail the journey of one Roy Harper, a Regular who once served for the Columbian side in the Lakeshire war. In the time since the firemind has taken to bounty work and spends much of his time carrying out various contracts. It is through these contracts that we learn not only about the world and period it’s based on. We also get a bit of insight into how Roy thinks and behaves. While far from perfect, he has a knack for doing what needs to be done in any situation.
As a whole, there is a fun collection of stories here to read and while I love the worldbuilding. It can be quite overwhelming with how deep it is and can lead to some confusion, but that’s a small thing. The characters are engaging, and the story leaves you wanting to see what is next in store for Roy Harper and the others since there are some strong implications that Roy isn’t out of the woods yet and has in fact been thrust into a far more dangerous world than the one he already knew.
For a more in depth review - read here
The following is an ARC review, given to me in exchange for an honest review.
Have Spell, Will Travel is unlike your traditional novel, where the protagonist has to overcome a single great problem. Instead, it has more in common with your typical anthology or adventure story. If you’ve read or watched Kino’s Journey, you’ll know what you are signing up for with this book. It’s a series of short tales that detail the journey of one Roy Harper, a Regular who once served for the Columbian side in the Lakeshire war. In the time since the firemind has taken to bounty work and spends much of his time carrying out various contracts. It is through these contracts that we learn not only about the world and period it’s based on. We also get a bit of insight into how Roy thinks and behaves. While far from perfect, he has a knack for doing what needs to be done in any situation.
As a whole, there is a fun collection of stories here to read and while I love the worldbuilding. It can be quite overwhelming with how deep it is and can lead to some confusion, but that’s a small thing. The characters are engaging, and the story leaves you wanting to see what is next in store for Roy Harper and the others since there are some strong implications that Roy isn’t out of the woods yet and has in fact been thrust into a far more dangerous world than the one he already knew.
For a more in depth review - read here
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews