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The Contractors #1
Contractor
The Earth is under siege - and no one knows about it, because the invaders erase those whom they consume.
A handful of men and women stand on the border between the mundane and the magical. They have a special spark of soul; not quite enough to be naturally gifted in spellcraft, but greater than the average person, a tiny flame that can ignite incredible potential. They possess the ability to fight back against the Vorid; the ability to become a Contractor.
Daniel Fitzgerald is one of those people, but when duty comes calling, he promptly slams the door in its face. He has no illusions of grandeur. He is not someone special. He wants to go to school and study law. And frankly, he doesn't really like people, and he doesn't want anything to do with magic. He just wants to be left alone.
But when the entire planet is a battlefield, there is no place to run.
A handful of men and women stand on the border between the mundane and the magical. They have a special spark of soul; not quite enough to be naturally gifted in spellcraft, but greater than the average person, a tiny flame that can ignite incredible potential. They possess the ability to fight back against the Vorid; the ability to become a Contractor.
Daniel Fitzgerald is one of those people, but when duty comes calling, he promptly slams the door in its face. He has no illusions of grandeur. He is not someone special. He wants to go to school and study law. And frankly, he doesn't really like people, and he doesn't want anything to do with magic. He just wants to be left alone.
But when the entire planet is a battlefield, there is no place to run.
408 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 16, 2014
143 people are currently reading
1650 people want to read
About the author
Andrew Ball
2 books330 followersAndrew Stephen Ball is an indie author and pharmacist. He practices in New Hampshire, where he lives with his fiance. He's a lifelong enthusiast of fantasy and science fiction, the genres in which he spends most of his time when writing.
He does not trust people who don't like chocolate.
Connect with Andrew:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Andrew...
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Andrew_S_Ball
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/vi...
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Andrew-Ball/e/B...
He does not trust people who don't like chocolate.
Connect with Andrew:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Andrew...
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Andrew_S_Ball
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/vi...
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Andrew-Ball/e/B...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 119 reviews
September 9, 2014
I would wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a steal, value-wise. At only $2.99 on smashwords, this book is easily worth every cent for any person who enjoys sci-fi/fantasy as well as urban fantasy. The level of characterization in Contractor truly sets it aside from most other works, and it is plain to see in the writing that Andrew Ball is someone who truly enjoys writing and is doing so because it matters to him, rather than making a quick buck as so many others in the genre are wont to do.
In Andrew's own words about Contractor, "Contractor is about a young man that doesn't want to be a hero getting forced into it anyway. Daniel finds that being a hero is just about as much a pain in the butt as he figured it would be.
The real story of the book is Daniel's growth and development as an adult. Daniel begins shut off from the world. He disconnects himself from his surroundings because he is bitterly unsatisfied. He is absolutely determined to change things, not for any love of his world, but out of a nursed grudge, a sense of being wronged. I wanted to write a protagonist that doesn't prioritize self-sacrifice; a man that doesn't really like people."
A little further background information about the novel, with a few things that could be viewed as spoilers:
November 8, 2014
I selected this book because it was related to a good book that I read in my kindle.
CHARACTERS
The characters were really amazing as they were tested, and tested, and tested. Daniel the main character has to choose between the ordinary life he wants so badly and the heroic life where he has a power that can save his brother. He chooses the power and saves his brother but his power leads him to something so much more. As Daniel was tested through the death of his friends and the outcome of his decisions he had made some mistakes. It was amazing to see the protagonist grow in character, power, and identity. His power enabled him to become who he is, a strong man. However, he is faced through so many problems and they might just change him for the worse. It was amazing to see the character to also use his abilities to do things powerfully inspiring. “Black smoke shifted around Daniel’s body as he absorbed the soul of his defeated foe.” This indicates that Daniel has developed into a really strong character. This shows how greatly the character helps contribute to develop this story.
CHARACTERS
The characters were really amazing as they were tested, and tested, and tested. Daniel the main character has to choose between the ordinary life he wants so badly and the heroic life where he has a power that can save his brother. He chooses the power and saves his brother but his power leads him to something so much more. As Daniel was tested through the death of his friends and the outcome of his decisions he had made some mistakes. It was amazing to see the protagonist grow in character, power, and identity. His power enabled him to become who he is, a strong man. However, he is faced through so many problems and they might just change him for the worse. It was amazing to see the character to also use his abilities to do things powerfully inspiring. “Black smoke shifted around Daniel’s body as he absorbed the soul of his defeated foe.” This indicates that Daniel has developed into a really strong character. This shows how greatly the character helps contribute to develop this story.
March 8, 2015
Original, Independent, and Exciting Story
I am not a literary expert, so I will leave the literary breakdown of the story arc and plot to others. I highly recommend this book if you are looking for a good story. The story is full of adventure, well-developed/complex characters, along with unique and intertwining plot. The story combines traditional classes of mythical/magical creatures with science and technology and sci-fi. The story merges current events with historical and mythical events and aliens. There is even an element of religion weaved into the story as well.
The characters are well-developed and full of personalities. Some you like. Some you like but end up not liking because their logic is flawed. Some are immediately bad guys, but you aren't sure if you will hate the character. The characters hold their personalities throughout. For example, the main character, Daniel, is a good guy and just a teenager. Daniel's actions and thoughts are naive and mostly follow what you expect of a high schooler/freshman in college. As I am reading, there are times where, as an adult, I am telling him, "No, don't do it. They are lying to you."
Overall, the characters are simply complex like anyone we know. The plot is simple in its complexity. The story is simply entertaining.
I am not a literary expert, so I will leave the literary breakdown of the story arc and plot to others. I highly recommend this book if you are looking for a good story. The story is full of adventure, well-developed/complex characters, along with unique and intertwining plot. The story combines traditional classes of mythical/magical creatures with science and technology and sci-fi. The story merges current events with historical and mythical events and aliens. There is even an element of religion weaved into the story as well.
The characters are well-developed and full of personalities. Some you like. Some you like but end up not liking because their logic is flawed. Some are immediately bad guys, but you aren't sure if you will hate the character. The characters hold their personalities throughout. For example, the main character, Daniel, is a good guy and just a teenager. Daniel's actions and thoughts are naive and mostly follow what you expect of a high schooler/freshman in college. As I am reading, there are times where, as an adult, I am telling him, "No, don't do it. They are lying to you."
Overall, the characters are simply complex like anyone we know. The plot is simple in its complexity. The story is simply entertaining.
April 18, 2015
A story for all those that fight for family, and the right side, even when the cost proves to be high.
This review is from: Contractor (The Contractors Book 1) (Kindle Edition)
Andrew Ball has a hit on his hands ! This wonderful story of love and sacrifice, a young man given powers beyond imagination, in order to save his brother's soul. Yet he still manages staying true to his self and makes this book remarkably easy to recommend to tweens and teens and even full on adults that love a great story. There are brushes of sex mixed in but nothing overly graphic most commercials show more. The tale of Daniel fighting against an alien invasion even knowing if the magical community knew of him he'd be sentenced to eternity in hell he still fights against the invasion. His girlfriend is one of the elite guard of magicians that fight and she and he both have to come to grips with the fact that others see them as traitors. The modern day Romeo and Juliet, accept each other knowing the risks involved. The final battle in New York brings him attention from all foes, Military, Magicians and Aliens, he must fight them all or die trying. Times Square becomes the final battle sight, Daniel, must not only protect himself from friendly fire but his girl friend Rachel from hostile fire. In the end the battle is won, but the cost, the cost was just too high for Daniel, He looses Rachel, and a prison in Hell for eternity is what is waiting for him. The good news is a sequel is in the works, the heartbreaking news is that Daniel will not be the same, it was his need to heal that stole Rachel's soul, so without her he's already in Hell.
This review is from: Contractor (The Contractors Book 1) (Kindle Edition)
Andrew Ball has a hit on his hands ! This wonderful story of love and sacrifice, a young man given powers beyond imagination, in order to save his brother's soul. Yet he still manages staying true to his self and makes this book remarkably easy to recommend to tweens and teens and even full on adults that love a great story. There are brushes of sex mixed in but nothing overly graphic most commercials show more. The tale of Daniel fighting against an alien invasion even knowing if the magical community knew of him he'd be sentenced to eternity in hell he still fights against the invasion. His girlfriend is one of the elite guard of magicians that fight and she and he both have to come to grips with the fact that others see them as traitors. The modern day Romeo and Juliet, accept each other knowing the risks involved. The final battle in New York brings him attention from all foes, Military, Magicians and Aliens, he must fight them all or die trying. Times Square becomes the final battle sight, Daniel, must not only protect himself from friendly fire but his girl friend Rachel from hostile fire. In the end the battle is won, but the cost, the cost was just too high for Daniel, He looses Rachel, and a prison in Hell for eternity is what is waiting for him. The good news is a sequel is in the works, the heartbreaking news is that Daniel will not be the same, it was his need to heal that stole Rachel's soul, so without her he's already in Hell.
February 12, 2015
I had the hardest time trying to determine if this was teen fiction (which isn't a deal breaker for me) because the dialogue is simplistic,, cliche, and downright unbearable reading. The characters are shallow and the writing style middle-school level.
The book, for me, was a chore to read and I nearly gave up at the 25% mark. I continued through the book in hopes that the 5 star ratings It received would at least qualify this experience as somewhat worthwhile. Unfortunately, it was an epic fail to the end, and I will not be reading any subsequent releases.
For the author: drop the frogman, drop the clichés and develop.your characters. Keep the parallel universe idea and your interesting view of "Hell".
The book, for me, was a chore to read and I nearly gave up at the 25% mark. I continued through the book in hopes that the 5 star ratings It received would at least qualify this experience as somewhat worthwhile. Unfortunately, it was an epic fail to the end, and I will not be reading any subsequent releases.
For the author: drop the frogman, drop the clichés and develop.your characters. Keep the parallel universe idea and your interesting view of "Hell".
October 19, 2014
I was highly apprehensive to get and read this book. I read the reviews on Amazon and I don't think I saw a person who didn't like it. so, I read it and was highly impressed by it. The characters in the book all were very intriguing. They grew as the book went on, there was enough detail to visualize in my head, but not too much where my imagination could take over and fill in the blanks. There are very few books that I read more than once, and this is now apart of that. There is one huge disappoinment. The wait for the sequel.
March 20, 2016
Is it cynical of me to think that the meta reason Rachel died is that now he can hook up with Eleanor in the next book?
And whose genius idea was it to imprison power absorbers with other power absorbers, that has no potential of ever backfiring. None at all…
Btw at the very beginning I thought he was writing a book instead of homework and took him as an author who is well out of school, sadly he isn't but he was okay too.
And whose genius idea was it to imprison power absorbers with other power absorbers, that has no potential of ever backfiring. None at all…
Btw at the very beginning I thought he was writing a book instead of homework and took him as an author who is well out of school, sadly he isn't but he was okay too.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 18, 2015
This book came up pretty much every time I bought a fantasy book for my kindle. On a whim, I bought when I had like $5 left on a gift card. I let it set on my kindle for a month afterwards. On another whim I decided to start reading it. I was blown away. I mean I know growing up is hard to do, but I could not get over this kid. I won't go into any details. That will give away details. That is not what I want to do. I will strongly recommend this book to anyone who like superhero books with a twist.
I can not wait till the next book. Andrew ball is on my recommended author list.
I can not wait till the next book. Andrew ball is on my recommended author list.
March 18, 2015
This book was AWESOME!!!! Its filled with TONS of action, a little tragedy, and even some romance. The twist at the end left me reeling. I can't wait to find out what happens next! Do Daniel and Jack remain friends? Does Beezlebub take Xik up on his offer?? And if he does, who wins that fight??? UGH!!!! FALL CANT GET HERE SOON ENOUGH!!!
April 18, 2015
This book is one of the few books where my heart was pounding at certain moments. What a beautifully slow build up of the suspension through out the story.
An absolutely page turner!
I loved the progress of the story with the unexpected plot twist.
I knew that Andrew can write interesting stories but this one is really nice and I can't wait to read the next of the series. ;)
An absolutely page turner!
I loved the progress of the story with the unexpected plot twist.
I knew that Andrew can write interesting stories but this one is really nice and I can't wait to read the next of the series. ;)
October 25, 2014
I liked the plot, the way it unfolded, and the interaction between its characters.
The book is simply captivating.
Thank you for writing it and can't wait to read Prisoner.
The book is simply captivating.
Thank you for writing it and can't wait to read Prisoner.
February 23, 2016
Contractor is the perfect storm of genres. A little gaming, heaps of fantasy, a pinch of scifi, a really intimate and charming romance, high adventure, and a desperate battle to save the human race from alien invaders. All of this is wrapped together in an entrancing and hard to put down first effort by author Andrew S. Ball. Helping this improbable urban fantasy story along is (and what deserves to be) an award winning level audiobook narration by the incredible Luke Daniels.
Just when you think you've got the story figured out and you know where it's all headed, Ball throws you more than one curve ball. Near the end of the novel, he pulls the rug completely out from under you. It's a frustrating and stunning conclusion, but Ball knows what he's doing (I hope). We'll see when the second Contractor novel comes out. This one is highly recommended.
Just when you think you've got the story figured out and you know where it's all headed, Ball throws you more than one curve ball. Near the end of the novel, he pulls the rug completely out from under you. It's a frustrating and stunning conclusion, but Ball knows what he's doing (I hope). We'll see when the second Contractor novel comes out. This one is highly recommended.
May 19, 2020
Aaarrggh!!! So frustrating!
I'm not talking about the book of course. The book is pure awesomeness that has been harnessed in the form of paper and ink. I am talking about the fact that I have just finished this amazing novel and there's no sequel yet.
This book completely side swiped me. Judging by its impressive score on Goodreads and tempering that by the relatively small number of ratings behind that score, I was expecting something that was at least enjoyable, but not much more than that. However, this book is easily the best book I've read this year.
This is the story of Daniel Fitzgerald, a young man who must signs a magical contract to save his family. The terms of the contract are that he will be given amazing magic powers, and in return he will not only be recruited into a war that spans the multiverse, but he will also be hunted down by the magical community of earth.
There's nothing overly original in this story save for how a lot of familiar elements have been masterfully woven together to create something new. However, where the strength truly lies in this book is in the characters and how well they are written.
All the characters are well-rounded, believable, have clear motivations, and each grow throughout the novel. Not only are they each interesting in their own rights (even tertiary characters with very little screen time), but the way they interact with one another and form relationships is something that is organic, not at all forced and enjoyable to read. There are romances here, but none of the usual trappings that go with it like a lack of trust or problems that could be solved with a single sentence but for some reason get in the way of two characters being happy for an entire novel.
The complete absence of these clichés goes beyond romances. Everything in this book felt fresh, natural and it just flowed well. At no point did I ever think that a character was doing something that humans wouldn't do, was acting out of character, or simply doing what was needed to progress the plot. It felt fresh to read a book that was so free of the usual frustrations I have with most books that I just loved this all the more.
So the fact that I love this so much leads me back to my original frustration... where's the next book? I am dying to see what happens next and I really can't wait. It's been nearly two years since this book was published, so hopefully the next is just around the corner.
This is really an excellent read that I thoroughly recommend. It's a wonderful urban fantasy that is suitable for all readers (nothing too adult happens while at the same time the story is not dumbed down for a younger audience). Please, read this book and help make it more popular. Hopefully then the author will see that it is definitely worth his while to hurry up with the next book.
I'm not talking about the book of course. The book is pure awesomeness that has been harnessed in the form of paper and ink. I am talking about the fact that I have just finished this amazing novel and there's no sequel yet.
This book completely side swiped me. Judging by its impressive score on Goodreads and tempering that by the relatively small number of ratings behind that score, I was expecting something that was at least enjoyable, but not much more than that. However, this book is easily the best book I've read this year.
This is the story of Daniel Fitzgerald, a young man who must signs a magical contract to save his family. The terms of the contract are that he will be given amazing magic powers, and in return he will not only be recruited into a war that spans the multiverse, but he will also be hunted down by the magical community of earth.
There's nothing overly original in this story save for how a lot of familiar elements have been masterfully woven together to create something new. However, where the strength truly lies in this book is in the characters and how well they are written.
All the characters are well-rounded, believable, have clear motivations, and each grow throughout the novel. Not only are they each interesting in their own rights (even tertiary characters with very little screen time), but the way they interact with one another and form relationships is something that is organic, not at all forced and enjoyable to read. There are romances here, but none of the usual trappings that go with it like a lack of trust or problems that could be solved with a single sentence but for some reason get in the way of two characters being happy for an entire novel.
The complete absence of these clichés goes beyond romances. Everything in this book felt fresh, natural and it just flowed well. At no point did I ever think that a character was doing something that humans wouldn't do, was acting out of character, or simply doing what was needed to progress the plot. It felt fresh to read a book that was so free of the usual frustrations I have with most books that I just loved this all the more.
So the fact that I love this so much leads me back to my original frustration... where's the next book? I am dying to see what happens next and I really can't wait. It's been nearly two years since this book was published, so hopefully the next is just around the corner.
This is really an excellent read that I thoroughly recommend. It's a wonderful urban fantasy that is suitable for all readers (nothing too adult happens while at the same time the story is not dumbed down for a younger audience). Please, read this book and help make it more popular. Hopefully then the author will see that it is definitely worth his while to hurry up with the next book.
January 20, 2015
Overall I thought the contractor was an enjoyable experience. It's fun watching the main protagonist progress throughout the book and grow more powerful as he continues to engage stronger and more competent foes. One of the author's strong points (arguably his strongest) are the actions sequences and he does those very well.
While the action is superb, I think the author could benefit from keeping his characters acting within character more often. Out of nowhere and roughly halfway into the book, our beloved protagonist starts dropping "faggot" bombs on everyone. It's bizarre and I have a hard time cheering on a character who continually calls not only his friends, but his enemies, "fags". Around the same time he makes a strange joke regarding having relations with young thai boys and once again it comes out of nowhere and doesn't fit with the character. I don't know if these scenes were thrown in as a joke or a placeholder and accidentally left in, but they don't fit with the rest of the story. Call me old-fashioned, but unlike our protagonist I've yet to win over a girl I just met by picking fights and calling other guys on campus "faggots."
The gist of the story is a little weak and I'm always somewhat disappointed when authors invoke souls as part of the storyline because it feels like an easy way out and often their explanations are vague and vacuous leaving me wanting more. For a kindle e-book I wasn't expecting a whole lot so I wasn't entirely surprised. It does manage to set the stage but that's about all it accomplishes.
*spoilers below*
Few oddities here and there with the ill-fitting language with the main character and an awkward and glossed over death of his love interest. Wasn't really sure what to think but maybe more will be unveiled in the next book? Either way I'm looking forward to picking it up and seeing where the author goes. The stage is definitely set for some serious fisticuffs.
While the action is superb, I think the author could benefit from keeping his characters acting within character more often. Out of nowhere and roughly halfway into the book, our beloved protagonist starts dropping "faggot" bombs on everyone. It's bizarre and I have a hard time cheering on a character who continually calls not only his friends, but his enemies, "fags". Around the same time he makes a strange joke regarding having relations with young thai boys and once again it comes out of nowhere and doesn't fit with the character. I don't know if these scenes were thrown in as a joke or a placeholder and accidentally left in, but they don't fit with the rest of the story. Call me old-fashioned, but unlike our protagonist I've yet to win over a girl I just met by picking fights and calling other guys on campus "faggots."
The gist of the story is a little weak and I'm always somewhat disappointed when authors invoke souls as part of the storyline because it feels like an easy way out and often their explanations are vague and vacuous leaving me wanting more. For a kindle e-book I wasn't expecting a whole lot so I wasn't entirely surprised. It does manage to set the stage but that's about all it accomplishes.
*spoilers below*
Few oddities here and there with the ill-fitting language with the main character and an awkward and glossed over death of his love interest. Wasn't really sure what to think but maybe more will be unveiled in the next book? Either way I'm looking forward to picking it up and seeing where the author goes. The stage is definitely set for some serious fisticuffs.
November 3, 2014
This book started out pretty bad, but improved throughout. Of course, it was predictable, and some of the characters were a little thin, but it was still a nice fun romp. Overall, the book seemed like I was playing through a role-playing game. Got to level up, collect points, fight bosses, etc. The plot was woven onto that backbone, which worked better than I thought it would have, if someone had described the book to me in those terms before I read it. The more we transitioned away from real life style high school/college teen drama, and into the magical aspects of the world, the more the story spread its wings and started to work better.
I was super annoyed by the author's constant use of ellipses (the dot dot dot: ...) to START lines of dialog, for no reason. I had no idea how to even interpret that. It left the dialog feeling extremely lurchy for me. Rarely have I encountered punctuation issues that have had such an extreme effect on me.
I was super annoyed by the author's constant use of ellipses (the dot dot dot: ...) to START lines of dialog, for no reason. I had no idea how to even interpret that. It left the dialog feeling extremely lurchy for me. Rarely have I encountered punctuation issues that have had such an extreme effect on me.
May 5, 2016
 "Every guy is a closet nerd"
When Daniel and Rachel met in their first days at college, they felt an immediate attraction. But each had a secret they couldn't share. Romeo and Juliet only had only feuding families to contend with, but Daniel (a loner, mostly honest, a joker, cellist, mean lasagna cook, friend and room mate of nerdy Jack and who loves his little brother) is a contractor whilst Rachel (vibrant, redheaded, sharing a room with her adoptive sister, the ice cold, trouble making 'Duchess', Eleanor) is a magician and part of the elite Astor family which heads the Ivory Dawn, one of the oldest and most powerful of the magical societies, dedicated to totally destroy any vampiric contractors world wide. And the alien invasion most people don't know about s reaching a crescendo...
Well written, often funny, with great characters, smart ass dialogue, shimmering battle scenes and a very unusual take on alien invasion, this is a most enjoyable book. Highly recommended
When Daniel and Rachel met in their first days at college, they felt an immediate attraction. But each had a secret they couldn't share. Romeo and Juliet only had only feuding families to contend with, but Daniel (a loner, mostly honest, a joker, cellist, mean lasagna cook, friend and room mate of nerdy Jack and who loves his little brother) is a contractor whilst Rachel (vibrant, redheaded, sharing a room with her adoptive sister, the ice cold, trouble making 'Duchess', Eleanor) is a magician and part of the elite Astor family which heads the Ivory Dawn, one of the oldest and most powerful of the magical societies, dedicated to totally destroy any vampiric contractors world wide. And the alien invasion most people don't know about s reaching a crescendo...
Well written, often funny, with great characters, smart ass dialogue, shimmering battle scenes and a very unusual take on alien invasion, this is a most enjoyable book. Highly recommended
May 12, 2016
At first I felt that the book was all over the place. However, I feel that the author redeemed himself with the way that he tied up the ending and got me pumped for the sequel. Then . . . . . I read his Facebook page.
From the author: : "I'm pushing back the release date of the sequel. I'm not quite sure when I'll have it done, to be honest, because I really can't estimate my workload. I hate waiting for novels as much as anyone, but I just can't meet the goal I set for myself, which was this very winter."
The story is well told and innovative. I enjoyed it and want to read the next one in the series. I don't often feel this way but the author did a great job of wrapping this one up and setting up the next one. And now I am just agitated.
From the author: : "I'm pushing back the release date of the sequel. I'm not quite sure when I'll have it done, to be honest, because I really can't estimate my workload. I hate waiting for novels as much as anyone, but I just can't meet the goal I set for myself, which was this very winter."
The story is well told and innovative. I enjoyed it and want to read the next one in the series. I don't often feel this way but the author did a great job of wrapping this one up and setting up the next one. And now I am just agitated.
May 12, 2015
I really like the world building in this book, and the story telling.The characters are good too, and mostly believable. I say mostly because the dialog falls short to me especially in the relationships. I think Bell could do a little bit better writing a believable woman, and relationships too.
I would also rather he let me discover a character's motivations, rather than trying to hit me with them.
All in all, it is a good book, especially for an indy. I'll read the next.
I would also rather he let me discover a character's motivations, rather than trying to hit me with them.
All in all, it is a good book, especially for an indy. I'll read the next.
October 13, 2014
Absolutely amazing, this book balances great conflict with great battles, the Main Character is likeable and not stupid. And there's none of the overt over the top sex that plagues a lot of indies nowadays. Better than most published fantasy. I want MORE!
May 7, 2016
Redoing my review.
In general, it's a decent book. I'll start with my issues.
I enjoy reading relationships and sex. And sex does sell. The romance/relationship in this book is good. It's not "I see a hot girl/guy and I want to get into his/her pants". There's a development into it. It's just the sex part is weird. If you analyze their background, they should not be experienced or open to it, regardless of how much Rachel is said to be a slut. She doesn't have the time or opportunity. Her "employer" kicks every guy near her out the window. The whole sex things is "forced" to satisfy the male readers. I personally dislike this "forced"-ness.
There are sarcasm in this book. If you get it, it's alright. If you don't, well, you know what happens when someone tries to be sarcastic but nobody gets him/her. It's lame and awkward. And that's what you get in this book.
A protagonist that tries to be a "sarcastic" "smart ass" but fails horribly to certain readers.
There are also other "forced" plots in this book. I also hate it. "Forced" plots are basically plot points that aren't well developed, as in it doesn't fit right in the story. There's a gap between what is happening and what the author wants to make happen. Simple example is, the plot should go from A to B to C to D to E to F to G but it ended up as A to B to D to E to G. It skips a bit and makes you feel like the author forced it to happen. This type of forced plots aren't that bad.
The really bad kinds are the stupidity induced plots. As in, no one would take the same actions as a certain character unless they are retarded or drunk. It's frustrating.
Aside from all that, the general concept of the contractor or magic system is alright. It's not bad. There are sweet moments and "supposedly" funny moments, due to the "sarcasm". Yes, I didn't get 99% of it. It's just awkward parts for me.
This is a spoiler. It's not a happy ending because it needs to lead to book 2. I don't know if this character will be revived, but either way, I loathe the author for putting this character through it. I hate damsel in distress. I hate that trope. It's cliche. It's overused. And it's totally lame. If book 1 isn't setting up book 2 for this damsel in distress trope, then I still dislike this book for killing off a "main support character". I don't like tragedies. I especially don't like "forced" tragedies, as in characters didn't had to die but died because the author forced it upon them. It could've had a situation where they had to die with no chance of survival, but the author got lazy or incapable of writing a situation that makes it sound logical. Andrew Ball simply forced it upon the characters and killed them off.
In short, it's a fun book. But Andrew Ball is another amateur writer. The core concepts are pretty good. It's just not executed that well. The first half is better written than the second. And the author made a few poor choices in the style he wrote it (e.g. sarcastic protagonist with sarcasm that readers don't get).
In general, it's a decent book. I'll start with my issues.
I enjoy reading relationships and sex. And sex does sell. The romance/relationship in this book is good. It's not "I see a hot girl/guy and I want to get into his/her pants". There's a development into it. It's just the sex part is weird. If you analyze their background, they should not be experienced or open to it, regardless of how much Rachel is said to be a slut. She doesn't have the time or opportunity. Her "employer" kicks every guy near her out the window. The whole sex things is "forced" to satisfy the male readers. I personally dislike this "forced"-ness.
There are sarcasm in this book. If you get it, it's alright. If you don't, well, you know what happens when someone tries to be sarcastic but nobody gets him/her. It's lame and awkward. And that's what you get in this book.
A protagonist that tries to be a "sarcastic" "smart ass" but fails horribly to certain readers.
There are also other "forced" plots in this book. I also hate it. "Forced" plots are basically plot points that aren't well developed, as in it doesn't fit right in the story. There's a gap between what is happening and what the author wants to make happen. Simple example is, the plot should go from A to B to C to D to E to F to G but it ended up as A to B to D to E to G. It skips a bit and makes you feel like the author forced it to happen. This type of forced plots aren't that bad.
The really bad kinds are the stupidity induced plots. As in, no one would take the same actions as a certain character unless they are retarded or drunk. It's frustrating.
Aside from all that, the general concept of the contractor or magic system is alright. It's not bad. There are sweet moments and "supposedly" funny moments, due to the "sarcasm". Yes, I didn't get 99% of it. It's just awkward parts for me.
This is a spoiler. It's not a happy ending because it needs to lead to book 2. I don't know if this character will be revived, but either way, I loathe the author for putting this character through it. I hate damsel in distress. I hate that trope. It's cliche. It's overused. And it's totally lame. If book 1 isn't setting up book 2 for this damsel in distress trope, then I still dislike this book for killing off a "main support character". I don't like tragedies. I especially don't like "forced" tragedies, as in characters didn't had to die but died because the author forced it upon them. It could've had a situation where they had to die with no chance of survival, but the author got lazy or incapable of writing a situation that makes it sound logical. Andrew Ball simply forced it upon the characters and killed them off.
In short, it's a fun book. But Andrew Ball is another amateur writer. The core concepts are pretty good. It's just not executed that well. The first half is better written than the second. And the author made a few poor choices in the style he wrote it (e.g. sarcastic protagonist with sarcasm that readers don't get).
January 2, 2015
No Surprises In The Fine Print
I went into the book with the expectation of maybe reading a few pages, possibly a chapter or two at most, and moving on. I like to read various efforts at prose super heroics and this sounded like a possibly interesting variation on the theme: Magic is the power behind the appearance of what can only boil down to superpowers.
As I said, low expectations. And yet. . . here I am at the end of the book, writing a review of the entire novel. Expectations met and far exceeded.
In "Contractor," Earth is under siege from a multiversal alien race that sends out sub sentient spawn to individually and imperceptibly drain the person's soil. The soul is power that flows ever upward on the chain of command, empowering and lifting those above to even higher levels. Against them are set the Klide. Imagine a magical Cold War across the multiverse. Earth is a low-priority target, but still it is being slowly devoured. Earth's defenders are hereditary magicians, the planet's secret rulers. They are losing this secret war.
The Kilde aren't willing to cede its enemy any world and so they begin running arms to battlefields like Earth. They bring a contract, which magically empowers the signer, granting them - in effect - superpowers. These powers will grow with every enemy they kill. Like a vampire, these contractors grow stronger with every kill. Which is why Earth's magical community has a burn-to-ash-on-sight order for all contractors.
Daniel Fitzgerald, a cynical and emotionally isolated high-school senior was forced to sign the contract to save the life of his little brother. Once done, he had every intention of stopping, but he can't just watch as the lives and souls of people he knows are devoured. And so he strikes out against the enemy using the same empowering magic as they do. And he grows stronger. And the threat from Earth's magicians grows almost as fast as the threat from its invaders.
Author Andrew Ball certainly knows how to string words together to form some competent sentences. While I had several issues with his writing, mostly the over reliance on was and a few others, those concerns began to fall to the wayside as the book progressed. The hero, Daniel, was too good to be completely believable. He's strong, kind, stands up for the little guy, is a gentleman with girls and adults. And that's all before he gets superpowers. Even his faults - an irreverence to power - are more pluses than minuses.
Even the fact that a major event near the end of the book took place off screen (thereby raising the distinct possibility of a fake out), didn't detract all that much from a fun, fast read. It's not great literature and it won't change your life, but it's a pretty worthwhile way yo spend a few hours.
I'm definitely considering buying the sequel. If I do, though, I'm definitely going in with higher expectations.
Worth your time and money.
I went into the book with the expectation of maybe reading a few pages, possibly a chapter or two at most, and moving on. I like to read various efforts at prose super heroics and this sounded like a possibly interesting variation on the theme: Magic is the power behind the appearance of what can only boil down to superpowers.
As I said, low expectations. And yet. . . here I am at the end of the book, writing a review of the entire novel. Expectations met and far exceeded.
In "Contractor," Earth is under siege from a multiversal alien race that sends out sub sentient spawn to individually and imperceptibly drain the person's soil. The soul is power that flows ever upward on the chain of command, empowering and lifting those above to even higher levels. Against them are set the Klide. Imagine a magical Cold War across the multiverse. Earth is a low-priority target, but still it is being slowly devoured. Earth's defenders are hereditary magicians, the planet's secret rulers. They are losing this secret war.
The Kilde aren't willing to cede its enemy any world and so they begin running arms to battlefields like Earth. They bring a contract, which magically empowers the signer, granting them - in effect - superpowers. These powers will grow with every enemy they kill. Like a vampire, these contractors grow stronger with every kill. Which is why Earth's magical community has a burn-to-ash-on-sight order for all contractors.
Daniel Fitzgerald, a cynical and emotionally isolated high-school senior was forced to sign the contract to save the life of his little brother. Once done, he had every intention of stopping, but he can't just watch as the lives and souls of people he knows are devoured. And so he strikes out against the enemy using the same empowering magic as they do. And he grows stronger. And the threat from Earth's magicians grows almost as fast as the threat from its invaders.
Author Andrew Ball certainly knows how to string words together to form some competent sentences. While I had several issues with his writing, mostly the over reliance on was and a few others, those concerns began to fall to the wayside as the book progressed. The hero, Daniel, was too good to be completely believable. He's strong, kind, stands up for the little guy, is a gentleman with girls and adults. And that's all before he gets superpowers. Even his faults - an irreverence to power - are more pluses than minuses.
Even the fact that a major event near the end of the book took place off screen (thereby raising the distinct possibility of a fake out), didn't detract all that much from a fun, fast read. It's not great literature and it won't change your life, but it's a pretty worthwhile way yo spend a few hours.
I'm definitely considering buying the sequel. If I do, though, I'm definitely going in with higher expectations.
Worth your time and money.
January 25, 2016
This is probably the best bad book I have read in a long time.
There is no denying it, the book is bad: the plot is familiar, the characters one dimensional, the drama contrived and the setting cliche. Despite all that I had a lot of fun reading it and I liked it very much. It feels immature every step of the way and that might be its greatest strength.
Throughout the book I had the feeling, that this was written by someone very close to his characters. Every conflict, every motivation screams that teenage worldview and since many of the characters are in that age this adds to the mood. Add to that the blatant wish fulfillment on behalf of the main character and that leads to a surprising feeling of connection to the world. It is not the world we live in, but it is not that different from the world we wish we would live in.
This world is far too simple to be really interesting, the good guys do good, therefore they are good, the bad guys do the opposite with the expected result. Characters are decidedly good or bad and the middle ground is left firmly untouched, with little reflection or introspective.
Ironically this is one of the great strengths of the book. Nowhere is the brooding superhero agonizing over his choices, lamenting his fate to the heavens. The few quieter scenes are immediately drowned out by thundering action until nothing is left standing. In fact the thundering finale leads to a surprisingly subdued ending that feels at odds with the rest of the book.
What makes the whole thing work is the writing. The action never becomes confused despite sometimes being massive melees and the quieter bits remain clear and interesting enough to carry you over to the next fight. The dialogue is sharp and – like the rest of the book – always a bit better than would be realistic.
The story, like the characters needs to mature to become more than just average. Luckily both show much potential, just like the writing itself. Waiting for the next one.
There is no denying it, the book is bad: the plot is familiar, the characters one dimensional, the drama contrived and the setting cliche. Despite all that I had a lot of fun reading it and I liked it very much. It feels immature every step of the way and that might be its greatest strength.
Throughout the book I had the feeling, that this was written by someone very close to his characters. Every conflict, every motivation screams that teenage worldview and since many of the characters are in that age this adds to the mood. Add to that the blatant wish fulfillment on behalf of the main character and that leads to a surprising feeling of connection to the world. It is not the world we live in, but it is not that different from the world we wish we would live in.
This world is far too simple to be really interesting, the good guys do good, therefore they are good, the bad guys do the opposite with the expected result. Characters are decidedly good or bad and the middle ground is left firmly untouched, with little reflection or introspective.
Ironically this is one of the great strengths of the book. Nowhere is the brooding superhero agonizing over his choices, lamenting his fate to the heavens. The few quieter scenes are immediately drowned out by thundering action until nothing is left standing. In fact the thundering finale leads to a surprisingly subdued ending that feels at odds with the rest of the book.
What makes the whole thing work is the writing. The action never becomes confused despite sometimes being massive melees and the quieter bits remain clear and interesting enough to carry you over to the next fight. The dialogue is sharp and – like the rest of the book – always a bit better than would be realistic.
The story, like the characters needs to mature to become more than just average. Luckily both show much potential, just like the writing itself. Waiting for the next one.
February 15, 2015
I don't ask for much sometimes, and sometimes I get enough by that criteria. This book was fun, plain and simple. While it could have been a rather by-the-numbers urban fantasy, the kind that seems to come far too often with self-published works like this, instead I got something where the author actually took the time to flesh out his characters through long conversations. The action scenes were good, and the author managed to avoid making the most obvious female character the love interest (I am hoping that doesn't change truth be told). True, some of the dialogue once the protagonist moves to college isn't exactly PC, but it does seem fairly appropriate for a group of 18 year old men. I'll be reading the promised sequel.
August 7, 2015
i wish books could be rated on a 10 star scale...
i give this ADHD fantasy plot vomit a 4.5/5. pretty sure half the shit in this book was made up on the spot but it was entertaining so i went with it. i thought the second book was already out but i guess my understanding of calendars is just plain shit.
if you enjoy superpowers and aliens and sarcastic one-liners every 30 seconds then you'll love this book. will definitely be reading the sequel.
i give this ADHD fantasy plot vomit a 4.5/5. pretty sure half the shit in this book was made up on the spot but it was entertaining so i went with it. i thought the second book was already out but i guess my understanding of calendars is just plain shit.
if you enjoy superpowers and aliens and sarcastic one-liners every 30 seconds then you'll love this book. will definitely be reading the sequel.
October 4, 2014
I loved this book and am waiting with baited breath for the next.
November 12, 2014
It was incredibly good book. It did start out slowly but after the first few chapters the story becomes addictive
April 15, 2016
Loved it! Really saw how the characters timelines and sub-plots could expand. Excited for the up coming books!
January 14, 2015
it was fuckin awesome book .... enough said you deserve more recognisation
October 22, 2020
“I don’t like the word vague when it’s adjacent to the word obligation.”
Contractor by Andrew Ball
3.75/5.0
So, Contractor has been on my want to read list for a while. For the most part I avoided it because it was originally released back in 2014, and with no updates on a sequel and no word about the series in general. I wanted to wait for clarity. Well here we are, the sequel is officially out and he is regularly putting updates about the third book. Now let get on with the review.
~Story~
Contractor focuses on our main character, Daniel, as he figures his way around a new power to fight an alien race. The plot I would describe as ‘okay’. There really isn’t anything drastically wrong but it just wasn’t exciting to me, I feel like it wasn’t a special concept or really unique. The story is really a black and white; good guys and bad guys’ story. Now that typically does not bother me, but what bothered me a little bit was that the book kept insisting there was gray involved. There were no gray areas. Just because there were people who also were fighting for the same cause as our MC, it does not mean that they are good. I feel like the author tried to hard to convince us of the moral ambiguity of the situation but in my mind, there were none. There were good hearted people who fought for earth, and there were evil a**hats that fought for the same(ish) cause. Black and white. They were the antagonist just as much as the aliens. The ideas behind the powers were interesting but outside the main character they were not described enough to really dig myself in. There was a grinding leveling up (without actually leveling up) feel to the progression of the MC, not to unsimilar to Litrpgs.
~Characters~
The characters were, for the most part, well put together. I would have liked more diversity in characters particularly in the college setting. I did really like the way Daniel and Rachel felt like actual young adults. I feel like characters will either act like their 12 or 30. I feel like the reactions and dialogue matched and felt fluid and composed. With the inclusion of funny witty moments here and there, it really nailed interactions between characters. I also enjoyed the character developments with Eleanor and Rachel and wished there would have been more growth (not power related) in Daniel. So, no spoilers, but I felt some decisions made by characters at the end, characters that were supposed to be running a huge international magic organization responsible for the lives of billions of people, were extremely asinine, outrageous and quite possibly the most stupid decisions I have ever read. That whole segment just frustrated me.
~Writing & Future~
The writing was good, not really much to complain about to be honest. The prose was nothing special and followed along just fine. There were no big, obvious spelling or grammar mistakes. The fight scenes were fun, but did become a little monotonous towards the end.
I did want to include in this segment about my future worries of the series. This in no way is affecting this rating for the book. I am worried about the state of the sequel. It seems like the sequel is set up to be focused away from the central plot from the first book. Second book tend to be slower in pace, and with an extra 150 pages or so, I am worried that the plot switch will throw the sequel to a crawl. It will be my primary reason for waiting for the third book before reading book 2.
Final Thoughts:
With convincing characters and some quality growth and interaction, Contractor is a simple but fun read that could use a jolt to its plot. I did not regret my time reading the book but it could have been top notch with some creative inputs and tweaks.
"Out of the crooked timber of humanity, no straight thing was ever made,"
Contractor by Andrew Ball
3.75/5.0
So, Contractor has been on my want to read list for a while. For the most part I avoided it because it was originally released back in 2014, and with no updates on a sequel and no word about the series in general. I wanted to wait for clarity. Well here we are, the sequel is officially out and he is regularly putting updates about the third book. Now let get on with the review.
~Story~
Contractor focuses on our main character, Daniel, as he figures his way around a new power to fight an alien race. The plot I would describe as ‘okay’. There really isn’t anything drastically wrong but it just wasn’t exciting to me, I feel like it wasn’t a special concept or really unique. The story is really a black and white; good guys and bad guys’ story. Now that typically does not bother me, but what bothered me a little bit was that the book kept insisting there was gray involved. There were no gray areas. Just because there were people who also were fighting for the same cause as our MC, it does not mean that they are good. I feel like the author tried to hard to convince us of the moral ambiguity of the situation but in my mind, there were none. There were good hearted people who fought for earth, and there were evil a**hats that fought for the same(ish) cause. Black and white. They were the antagonist just as much as the aliens. The ideas behind the powers were interesting but outside the main character they were not described enough to really dig myself in. There was a grinding leveling up (without actually leveling up) feel to the progression of the MC, not to unsimilar to Litrpgs.
~Characters~
The characters were, for the most part, well put together. I would have liked more diversity in characters particularly in the college setting. I did really like the way Daniel and Rachel felt like actual young adults. I feel like characters will either act like their 12 or 30. I feel like the reactions and dialogue matched and felt fluid and composed. With the inclusion of funny witty moments here and there, it really nailed interactions between characters. I also enjoyed the character developments with Eleanor and Rachel and wished there would have been more growth (not power related) in Daniel. So, no spoilers, but I felt some decisions made by characters at the end, characters that were supposed to be running a huge international magic organization responsible for the lives of billions of people, were extremely asinine, outrageous and quite possibly the most stupid decisions I have ever read. That whole segment just frustrated me.
~Writing & Future~
The writing was good, not really much to complain about to be honest. The prose was nothing special and followed along just fine. There were no big, obvious spelling or grammar mistakes. The fight scenes were fun, but did become a little monotonous towards the end.
I did want to include in this segment about my future worries of the series. This in no way is affecting this rating for the book. I am worried about the state of the sequel. It seems like the sequel is set up to be focused away from the central plot from the first book. Second book tend to be slower in pace, and with an extra 150 pages or so, I am worried that the plot switch will throw the sequel to a crawl. It will be my primary reason for waiting for the third book before reading book 2.
Final Thoughts:
With convincing characters and some quality growth and interaction, Contractor is a simple but fun read that could use a jolt to its plot. I did not regret my time reading the book but it could have been top notch with some creative inputs and tweaks.
"Out of the crooked timber of humanity, no straight thing was ever made,"
June 11, 2017
That was surprisingly fun considering that the premise is a bit silly. And by 'a bit silly', I obviously mean utterly ridiculous. There's a whole bunch of fantasy and sci-fi elements thrown into this world and while the effort to keep it all making sense is valiant, it doesn't always quite gel properly. I have a weird need for things to make logical sense and so when I see things that don't, they tend to annoy me. That didn't happen nearly as often as I had expected though, so I still ended up being pleasantly surprised by the whole book.
The writing is nice and clear, which makes following along easy. The story moves along quickly for the most part with the only notable exception being most of the second act where the cliche "first love" subplot is developed. There's even a random vigilante side-mission sequence thrown right in the middle of that to obviously keep the reader interested, so I suspect the author knew it wasn't the most riveting part of the book as well. There was a bit of a 'bait-and-switch' feeling actually since the first act seemed to promise fast-paced excitement and then suddenly we got a soppy love story instead.
As I mentioned, the world is pretty inundated with classic sci-fi and fantasy elements which are actually managed reasonably well. However, especially towards the end, I definitely thought that the old adage of "less is more" should have been applied here. It gives the whole book a fun and exciting atmosphere though, so while I think a lot more restraint could have been used, I can see the appeal of that kind of world to a lot of people. It actually resulted in a minor annoyance in that the strengths of various magical entities weren't consistent throughout the story, making a lot of the earlier battles seem quite overplayed by the time you get to the end.
The characters were a bit of a double-edged sword. On the one hand, they were interesting and likeable, developed nicely throughout the book and mostly made sense in the world. On the other hand, secondary characters tended to be caricatured, the protagonist was great at everything he tried, a lot of the other characters weren't very original and the antagonists were the usual 'clearly evil' baddies that our hero had to overcome. The protagonist often felt either overpowered or too perfect which made it hard to feel worried for him, but he was still relatable and fun enough to care for.
There were a few nice surprises thrown in throughout the book and I liked how certain, inevitable plot points were handled. There's a lot of minor issues overall, but with the fast pace and enjoyable story, they weren't very noticeable while reading. I'd probably recommend this to most people who enjoy sci-fi and fantasy. While I didn't really like the open ending that much, I'll probably give the next book a read when it eventually comes out.
The writing is nice and clear, which makes following along easy. The story moves along quickly for the most part with the only notable exception being most of the second act where the cliche "first love" subplot is developed. There's even a random vigilante side-mission sequence thrown right in the middle of that to obviously keep the reader interested, so I suspect the author knew it wasn't the most riveting part of the book as well. There was a bit of a 'bait-and-switch' feeling actually since the first act seemed to promise fast-paced excitement and then suddenly we got a soppy love story instead.
As I mentioned, the world is pretty inundated with classic sci-fi and fantasy elements which are actually managed reasonably well. However, especially towards the end, I definitely thought that the old adage of "less is more" should have been applied here. It gives the whole book a fun and exciting atmosphere though, so while I think a lot more restraint could have been used, I can see the appeal of that kind of world to a lot of people. It actually resulted in a minor annoyance in that the strengths of various magical entities weren't consistent throughout the story, making a lot of the earlier battles seem quite overplayed by the time you get to the end.
The characters were a bit of a double-edged sword. On the one hand, they were interesting and likeable, developed nicely throughout the book and mostly made sense in the world. On the other hand, secondary characters tended to be caricatured, the protagonist was great at everything he tried, a lot of the other characters weren't very original and the antagonists were the usual 'clearly evil' baddies that our hero had to overcome. The protagonist often felt either overpowered or too perfect which made it hard to feel worried for him, but he was still relatable and fun enough to care for.
There were a few nice surprises thrown in throughout the book and I liked how certain, inevitable plot points were handled. There's a lot of minor issues overall, but with the fast pace and enjoyable story, they weren't very noticeable while reading. I'd probably recommend this to most people who enjoy sci-fi and fantasy. While I didn't really like the open ending that much, I'll probably give the next book a read when it eventually comes out.
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