This book was a terrific surprise. That pseudonym, title, and the cover art led me to expect yet another independent author trying to take advantage of the cosy-fantasy boom with unedited, trope-heavy pap. I don't know who Cryverus is but, based on the quality of their writing, I'm imagining they've a Liberal Arts Degree focused on English Lit.
There's very little plot driving this story... yes Cosy. At the same time the story strongly draws the ready forward. Short term foreshadowing is used lightly to create overlapping story arcs of three or four chapters. That heartbeat was the percussion but the characters created the tune. Here's an author that has put Sinicism aside and is willing to insist that people of good-will can work together to create wholesome communities.
I've long been fascinated by immortality and how that level of overwhelming experience might interact with a world of children (as regular mortals must seem, by comparison). Ambrose, of some unknown age above 300 years, comes close to my own vision. He doesn't swagger around, demonstrating his great skills and knowledge. Neither does he push people into roles he's judged are best suited to them. Instead, he lives a good life — and by doing so he sets an example to others. He only steps in when he must, and only as much as needed. To quote, "...the smallest possible kindness, the exact least the thing needed and not a scrap over."
I'll finish with praise for the author's prose. It's beautiful. You won't find a $10 word used where a $1 word can do the job. There aren't three similes jammed into each paragraph. Rather, the authors' voice is natural, unique, and evocative. It reminded me of the dialogue in Lonesome Dove but with a British flavour. The sentence structure was similar to Jack Vance but more accessible. Just lovely.
Now I'm off to plunder Cryverus' back-catalogue in hopes of finding more gems.
My reviews are my own. If you enjoyed this book, I'm glad you did. If not, I respect your opinion, so please respect mine. This is simply my perspective, so let's keep the discussion courteous. My review is honest and voluntary. As a reader, I read to escape the world and its issues, and my reviews reflect that.
This one was fantastic! I loved the concept, and I really enjoyed the author's writing style. The story kept me engaged from start to finish, and the side characters were fun, likable, and added a lot to the experience.
It's marketed as a LitRPG, but there aren't many stat screens, so it feels much more like a slice-of-life story with LitRPG elements. If you're looking for pages of stats and character sheets, this probably isn't the book for you—but I personally enjoyed that balance.
And thank you for not making the floozy Cressida a romantic partner!
Now I'm counting down the days until Book 2 is available. It's definitely going on my must-read list!
Onward and forward to my next adventure. Happy reading!
The old and weary arch mage retires as a lone apple farmer in a remote valley and becomes a respected part of the local community. Still, he comes to aid whenever the needy arrive unasked for at his door step. Throughout, he gets two young, mistreated apprentices who learn from his wisdom, the most important being that it is greater, and more difficult, to mend than to destroy.
The language is quiet and underplayed to emphasise the grandness of the arch mage (yes, he is an OP MC). The LitRPG aspect is thankfully very small and could have been omitted. Maybe it is only there to satisfy fans of LitRPG.
The style of writing reminds me of A Wizard of Earth Sea, one of the greatest fantasy books ever. Just that the arch mage still openly uses his full power when needed, as opposed to Ged from Earth Sea when he retired.
When I read the sample for this, I was ready to read a few pages and move on to the next sample. Instead, I downloaded the book and read to the end. This was a good book that was well written. I did not skip any pages, paragraphs, or sentences. The start of the book caught my attention and kept it. I liked how time flowed. It went with the story well. The MC lived a hard life and just wanted to be left alone. Things just kept happening that he was, sadly, the only one who could fix them. He accepted that, fixed them, then went back to his apples. I felt it was well done and interesting. Nothing kept going too long or too short. Because I liked this authors style of writing, I am going to read whatever other books they have and see if I like them as much. Good find and good read!
Finally someone who is not following the same formula of gratuitous violence. This author stands alone and makes the "OP" hero a person who is morally upright. I will read the next book in the series. I hope he doesn't cave to the pressure of spitting out viloent, immoral, cookie-cutter stories from whoever makes the authors in Kindle Unlimited write all the same.
I must say, well done to the author of this story. Keep on being a warm light in this dark world. I wish there were more like you.
I hope you read this review and know that I see your efforts and am grateful for the entertaining story that doesn't harm the reader.
This book is not creative. There are a bunch of stories that cover the exact same plot that have come out before and after this one. This one also uses the exact same style of writing which makes me think ai (for all of them) but this one at least seems to have been proof read for continuity and edited for the usual errors. It's also a lot less repetitive than those other books which is why I'm giving it a passing grade. It's definitely not 5 stars. But none of these books are. And anyone who says otherwise is probably getting paid or a bot
A pretty good story with an Arch mage who has seen enough if war and death and just wants to go somewhere quiet an maybe raise a few vegetables and some chicken and a goat or two., but the world has other ideas. The story is well placed and keeps your interest. There's no word porn, no words you wouldn't want your 3 year old repeating in church. Just a good solid story.. You should give it a chance, there are worse ways to spend a few hours and if you've got Kindle Unlimited it's free!
I totally enjoyed this read and could connect with Ambrose and how he felt. I loved his quirkiness and his demeanor; even though he was blunt and dry, he had a good heart and was kind. Im glad he took the boys in and it showed how they impacted and enriched his life as well as how they came to see him as a father figure without actually saying it. Im definitely ready for book 2.
I dont even know what to write. I loved this story. Loved it. Every bit and bauble of it. It was an experience and one worth having. Kudos to the author. I avidly await the next installment.
If you're looking for titanic struggles and deep conflict... this isn't the book for you. This is the story of a man who knows exactly who he is. Knows exactly how much of himself he is willing to give. Knows that destruction is easy and mending is worth doing.
This was far far better than the title would lead you to believe. Beautiful, almost lyrical, prose. Characters that I connected to and cared about. Cozy, without being tower. An overpowered protagonist who is that rare thing among OP MCs, responsible and careful and thoughtful. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was everything I’ve been looking for in cozy fiction. Well done.
What a special story. I usually skip any book with long-winded titles and I’m so glad I took a chance on this one. The story is fresh, creative, and action packed. The main character has a quiet strength that will move you to want to become his champion. I hope there’s a book 2!
Nothing flashy. No bright lights and loud words of power. None of that. A man in a brown coat barely lifting his hand to undo, not breaking a monsters body or cutting off limbs, undoing as if they were never there. True unlimited power. Overpowered is an understatement.
I expected another of those half written semi -boring cozy meme stories, just something mildly interesting to fill some time while waiting on an appointment. Instead I read a masterfully written psychological drama about a man who holds too much power. It's far better than I expected.
Its a bit too wordy and repetitive, i get where they are going with it but they need to tone it down. Otherwise a good story that rarely depends on the status screen which is nice. The feelings it generates are great, the feeling of love and completeness is a integral part of the story.
This is a good OP slice of life tale. Very laid back MC, wants the simple life, but as usual which genre, the world will not leave him alone. Well written, with just the right amount of detail, IMO. Looking forward to book 2.
3.5 rounded up. It is basically a slice of life with some simple adventure that is easily remedied. Grammar and prose were good and the characters were likable. A little too much tell when it could have been show.
While this book had a lot of good reviews on Amazon, I could not get past how many similes were used just in the first 3 pages. I really wanted to like it, but the way it was written set my teeth on edge.
This book was a perfect way to relax on a hot summer afternoon. Just an FYI, it's almost cozy. So, if that's not your thing, this might not be for you.
I am partial to stories where the MC has retired from the spotlight. Some authors do this well, more do not. This is a very good story told slowly, patiently with no ambitious drama. An arch mage who wants peace. Read it!
5 star! This book quietly draws you into the daily life of Ambrose an Archmage who decides to retire. I found myself wondering what would happen next and enjoying the peacefulness of a home he creates. Can't wait for book 2.
Love the story and the character dynamics. Can't wait for the next one in the series. Read this one twice already and will be keeping track of others by the author.