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Magic Eater #1

Manipulation

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Tad has a secret.

Found as a child, the sole-survivor of an apparent shipwreck, he grows up an orphan with no memory of his past or the heritage, which gives rise to his strange ability to smell magic.

Tad has a problem.

Adventurers hoping to exploit Tad’s ability to find the best magic, forcibly take him into a dungeon so far beyond his level that the slightest mistake could mean death.

Tad has a plan.

In the depths of a dungeon, Tad learns more about his true nature. Not only can he sniff out magic—he can eat it, using the mana to bend enchantments to his will, creating some truly epic gear in the process. He must unlock the secrets of his heritage and find his place in the wider multiverse. He knows he’s a man, but there’s a demon who says he’s so much more. He’s a Magic Eater.

552 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 14, 2025

1012 people are currently reading
227 people want to read

About the author

Sean Oswald

59 books282 followers

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5 stars
997 (66%)
4 stars
366 (24%)
3 stars
104 (6%)
2 stars
26 (1%)
1 star
12 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews
Profile Image for Splke.
46 reviews
June 1, 2025
Pretty good, but the ending was so contrived.
275 reviews3 followers
May 11, 2025
so much Deus ex Machina

The story is mildly interesting. But lacks in some serious ways.

The main character is about as interesting as a paper bag. He’s there. He’s doing stuff. He’s ridiculously overpowered, good at everything, and has so much plot armor he makes Harry Potter looks a well balanced character.

The bad guys are… bad. Definitely bad. Apparently the BBEG wants eternal youth? Boring.

The entire storyline is pretty weak. The most interesting character is an albino lizard.

It will appeal to some. But I wouldn’t call it a great book by any means. Wouldn’t recommend.
Profile Image for Johnny.
2,176 reviews82 followers
April 30, 2025
I wanted to rate this higher except it has some plot holes.
Normally you can see them in my notes and highlights but I keep getting an error message when trying to post a review through my Kindle.




6/10
Profile Image for Michael Burnett.
1,260 reviews7 followers
July 22, 2025
Great book

Great book I can't wait to read the next book in the series I would recommend this author to anyone
Profile Image for Jim Phillips.
975 reviews3 followers
July 14, 2025
Interesting

While it was interesting its not Iseki. While I don't think the magic system is quite sustainable it is unique. I had a few issues with the martial scenes as well. It remained interesting and then we got to the ending. Not the books finest moment.
18 reviews
April 20, 2025
This wasn’t my favorite book by this author (welcome to the multiverse) but it wasn’t bad. There was a lot more action in the first half of the book than the last where it transitioned to more training and crafting.

I’ll probably still read the next in the series but it’s not something I would rush to, more something I’d read in between other books.

It needs another editing run. Whomever the editor is, they missed a lot of spelling and grammatical errors. If this was a paid editing service, a refund is warranted.
33 reviews
April 14, 2025
The Friends Were the Enchantments We Made Along the Way

I'm not crazy about how the story progresses in the beginning. I think the starting point of the book is what could have been a quarter or a third of the way in, skipping past a lot of immediate characterization and exploration of world and it's characters. Even so the author manages to weave the exposition and persistent questions into the prolonged and maybe premature dive into our introduction to the story.

Some great points for this story are the shifting focuses between the main character, the side characters and the MC's expansion on enchantment crafting. Yes the main character is the main character but you'll find yourself experiencing the story alongside him as often as you're getting details on how he's different or special - why he's the MC.

Those moments made the story feel like a relaxing and engaging read. The main character is not struggling to define himself and sell you on how interesting or special his struggles and his qualities are, he's just doing him - often through situations he has little to no control over. It's a bit of a treat to not have to sit through a main character bloviating over their own self hatred and/or particular brand trauma and supposedly interesting neuroses. Nope, you're just hanging out with Tad, and he's just a guy doing his best, and that's pretty rad. I'm looking forward to the next installment, and am happy to recommend this to anyone in the litrpg crowd.
160 reviews3 followers
April 22, 2025
Good til the last drop

I are this up over Easter weekend. Having an extra two days off of work was just enough time to devour this book. I enjoyed everything about it but especially like it didn’t go the traditional route when building the MC. I don’t wanna spoil anything but from the very beginning you get the feeling he’s unique he’s smelling magic. Once you see him level and grow you get a real feeling for there’s something special here it gets even better. I didn’t expect it to turn the direction it did but once it started making that turn I could see how some would see this coming, but it was so good well written I didn’t see the two maybe 3 typos. The one issue is the character status sheet got long, but the author was kind enough to just combine all of it together and make it into a chapter whenever we had to see his entire status and that made sense because you could just skip to the next chapter. The character how the story grows where it ultimately ends up wonderful I recommend everyone read it and tell your friends. I know I can’t wait until the next book in the series drops in July.

Message to the Author

I always write a note to the authors of books. I really like and boy you have no idea. I devoured this book pun intended. I’ve told everybody I know on Facebook about it and I’ve promoted it in the groups. I’m a part of. I certainly hope more people read it. I only have two issues here to bring up. It’s the status screen, which got really long. Of course it would appear as its own chapter so it wasn’t so bad. You could skip it if you want it to, but if it can be consolidated, that would be great. Second and this is an issue and a potential spoiler.

Spoiler
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My only issue with the book was the ending. First the right of passage that scenario started out good, but then it made no sense. I don’t see what he was supposed to get from the dungeon to understand his heritage. We heard about the court and that gave me ideas, but I don’t know how that was supposed to give him ideas. Perhaps more confusing his frustration afterwards that made no sense to me. He exited the dungeon and said that’s it. I wanna leave. We’ve never seen that from him before it seemed out of place. For him to just take off I’m tired of the swaps he never said that before he was saying this place was like a home he never had. To me it would’ve made sense if he just left that random and Fara said I wanna come with you. That would’ve made way more sense. We could’ve still got the same outcome where he ended up on the boat and killing some of the law but that exit from the other world just did not click. With all that being said. I can’t wait for the next book.
661 reviews10 followers
September 12, 2025
Quite an interesting book with unexpected allies in the midst of villanies.

An orphan who is sensitive to mana, but who cannot wield it himself grows up in a harsh environment. He gets kidnapped by high level, but also highly mercenary adventurers. They are on a quest on behalf of a pretender to the throne (of sorts). As the MC begins to come into his inheritance, advesaries become allies and the kidnappers become his albatross.

The story is well crafted with good training montages, fight scenes and mystic crafting, along with interesting takes on magical theory.

Though I am not a big fan of stat pages, and game mechanics to assign XP and hit points they werent too onerous. The MC did have to work hard to develop his physical and mystic skills by practicing and experimenting.

I was disapointed that one story arc semed to have been left hanging. The MC's former boss, the shopkeeper was summoned by the lawgiver (to his great distress), but the arc stalled there as there was nothing further. No reason for the summons, no outcome, no connection to the troubles the kidnapping adventurers caused; nothing. That was disappointing.

The epilogue was quite interesting as it set the stage for higher level conflicts from human and fae potentates, as well as the machinations of a (temporarily) captive demon. I look forward to continuing this intriguing story. It became even more interesting when the epilogue introduced the backstory of the void court's schemes.

80 reviews
April 18, 2025
5 star first read 6 star second read

Note: I am a Patreon supporter of this author.

First read thru on Patreon was awesome, second read thru on Kindle after buying the book was better. There are multiple places with subtle hints to what will happen later in the book that make multiple reads enjoyable, and I would not be surprised to find a third read thru after book 2 comes out results in more hints being uncovered in book 1.

Spoilers Below:
I love the universe that is being built here. A system universe that appears to be well defined, dungeon system that can link worlds, and magic/void dichotomy that is refreshing. Can’t wait to see how many big bads we face in this series with 5 potentials of different levels shown. Can’t wait for book 2 and more information about Tad’s father.
Profile Image for Jim.
388 reviews9 followers
July 8, 2025
Another great story, world and an interesting magical class and race combo

I really enjoyed Tad’s beginning story and training arc, can’t wait to see what’s next!

Orphaned and barely surviving working and living in the back of a store, he is suddenly thrust into a life of adventure in a dungeon that he is dozens of levels too low for. As he wakes up from his kidnapping and finds himself nearly a space to some callous adventurers, Tad must find more inside himself than he ever imagined as life now demands more than being a store shelf stocker or a porter. The only question left is, does Tad have the drive to survive and grow stronger? He has a kind heart that will guide who he becomes unless the dangerous trials of his life turn him bitter.
205 reviews
December 8, 2025
Enjoyable, though I had some problems with how the main character acts after the inciting event. I also found it a little silly/irritating how the inner monologue would be like "I longed to do this certainly foolish thing that would get me in trouble!" and then the next paragraph would be like "But I decided not to, because that would be foolish". It's a frequent occurrence.

There's a lot of mysterious hinting that isn't resolved very quickly, if at all, but it's often presented in a way that promises future payoff. Unfortunately this means ole Tad doesn't know much about himself, from what race he even is to his character (which is quite wobbly).

I think I shall read the sequel despite being a bit burned out on multi-part series at the moment.
41 reviews
April 14, 2025
wow! orphaned as a child he never wanted to enter a dungeon

Tad an orphan has no core never wanted to be an adventurer but he was kidnapped and found himself in a dungeon with the ultimatum fight or die…

Tad is something special knowing as a sniffer. He can “smell” magic and the different qualities of magic at least that’s what his kidnappers think. He can change magical enchantments. Armed with a stat boosting flask he needs a find a way to fight and survive. I don’t want to give the story away but I am looking forward to the second book
Profile Image for Wendy.
Author 8 books16 followers
June 9, 2025
I hope the editor credited on the cover did development work because the copy editing is poor. That being said, I’m happy I pushed through the mistakes (repeated words, the occasional garbled sentence, etc.) to get to the story.

I had fun with the MC. He’s absolutely OP, but there’s satisfaction in that, probably because the antagonists ATA. I especially like that he doesn’t just fight. Instead, there’s a lot of time spent on him bettering the lives of others. The crafting elements are cool and I am looking forward to seeing more. I’m interested in his heritage and where his powers go.
1 review
April 16, 2025
Enjoyable and excited for the next one!

I thought it was a great read. The first half is a bit slow, but it's getting you used to the world and circumstances but the second half I couldn't put it down and loved the journey that was taking place. I've read his other series and enjoy it a lot but, this one felt like it had more meaning with his skills if that makes sense. Loved it and huge recommendation for it. Interesting ideas, love it!
Profile Image for Cameron.
283 reviews9 followers
April 23, 2025
Sean Oswald Starts a Great New Series

Wow, I really loved this one. The story follows a young man who discovers a special magic he has, and in the course of being dragged into a dungeon finds a way to make the best of a bad situation.

I think the world building is cool. I like that maybe it could be a in a world connected to others that are in the Oswald Multiverse… and I’m very excited to see where book two goes. Can’t wait til July.
Profile Image for Andy Murphy.
317 reviews1 follower
June 4, 2025
Manipulation

Tad has no memories from before he woke up on a beach clutching a pendant. With no known family, he grew up in an orphanage before getting a job with a merchant to manage inventory. It helps that he has always been able to smell magic. That was when an adventuring party decided that he would be joining them in the dungeon to help sniff out magic items, whether he wanted to or not.

This is the start to a great litrpg series! The magic system is well defined and the enchantments even more so. Tad is a very interesting character and I’m looking forward to seeing him develop more. It is not official, but I suspect that this series will be attached to Welcome to the Multiverse. One side note, the bonus chapter at the end is a preview for a different book all together. Giancarlo and Hannah Schooner do a great job with the duel narration.

Content Warning: none in Manipulation, but language in the bonus chapter
24 reviews
August 22, 2025
Y4 and not 5

The only reason that it got 4 stars was proofreading. On a couple of occasions Characters ended up entering the same Room they were already in , There's also the fact That 6 months after He entered the new world he still had 88% of the shared life.
Is this being petty? There is nothing more frustrating than to be caught up in a story and then have a glaring mistake like that kick you out.
Profile Image for Nathan.
1,069 reviews4 followers
October 25, 2025
ugly duckling

An orphan washed ashore, growing up in a town surrounding a spatial anomaly, gets abducted for his hidden talent by some Scary People, finds his way to slowly grow his power.

Lots of exploring the nature of magic and how dungeons and systems behave.

The morally grey characters lost out on a chance of a lifetime, because they treated the least of them (who may become their better) with disdain.
Profile Image for Zerdath.
88 reviews
December 11, 2025
Overall a good book, abrupt ending

I enjoyed the story a lot, it's a nice refreshing tale, definitely has enough twists to keep you guessing about where it's going. The ending felt extremely rushed and unfulfilling, with the main character making a choice that seemed completely at odds with everything else he'd done, but I'll still pick up the next one. Also not a fan of the satire-esque references, they felt jarring and shoehorned into an otherwise serious fantasy.
333 reviews5 followers
April 19, 2025
An intriguing premise and powerset

Cool powerset for sure and a fun premise, lots left obscured even at the end, but that just builds anclticipation for book 2. The MC is smart and controlled while also showing his immaturity as a teen. Decent supporting cast and very similar litrpg elements as Seans other books so that's easy to pick up.
15 reviews
April 19, 2025
WOW! Amazing start to a new series

Outstanding story that kept me gripped from start to finish! Excellent blend of character development with solid world building. Highly recommended to all LitRPG fans that enjoy a great story with a novel twist to the magic series. Can’t wait for the next book!
1 review
April 21, 2025
Definitely top 5 author

Read all of your books your writing style is expert and professional and can immersive the most beginner readers. Having read so much lit RPGs it's a breath of fresh air when you read a litrpg with an original powerset. Takes you back when LitRpg was just hitting the shelves
204 reviews3 followers
April 22, 2025
refreshing new take

Love LitRPG, but have been getting worn down with the same formula and same format. Wonderful new take and fascinating characters with a great blend of adventure and crafting. Oswald has another great series for us to enjoy and can't wait to see where we are taken on this new adventure.
267 reviews6 followers
July 19, 2025
Went from a 4/5 to a 2/5 rating during the very weak last half of the story. Add to that the contrivance of the last 10ish minutes which holds one of the most forced🙄🙄🙄 short shrift scene/location switches that I have ever read, and I considered if a 1/5 wouldn't have been a more appropriate rating.
106 reviews3 followers
October 2, 2025
Fantastic series

I had this book on my to read list for a whole and am really happy i now picked it up. It is very refreshing with some new premises. Tad is a likely MC and whole progressing fast he is not yet -completely- overpowered.
I enjoy all of Sean Oswald's books so this was not a big surprise. Go and give it a try.
Profile Image for Karen.
331 reviews3 followers
October 8, 2025
Interesting magic system and the enhancing/enchanting system. Liked the MMC most of the time. BIG QUESTION: why did you go back to the world? Like seriously. I would have stayed with the lizard people. I hate when plot overpowers the logic of a MC and what we have learned while reading the book. DNF before it got stupid.
5 reviews
November 9, 2025
Very Good

I read a lot of this genre, and this book is excellent. It follows the essential tropes, but in a refreshing and new way. The world building is a delightful and unexpected slow burn, with the author avoiding the common traps of telling not revealing as well as pacing too quickly. I'm really looking forward to the next book!
479 reviews2 followers
November 9, 2025
Can slap him 😤 omg this idiot got a class and went balls to the wall 🧱 he is out of control doing way to much smh 🤦 I have cussed him out in my head so much I feel like i need some soap in my mouth uggg this is good but the mc will piss you off but then again you have to remember he is still a child
753 reviews5 followers
April 16, 2025
Really good first book in a series.

I would say this is a great start to the series. I can't wait for the next book. I love the ability to enhance magic items from someone who has no magic. I am looking forward to finding out more about the void.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews

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