What do you think?
Rate this book
Third Power
A high school student named Steve is pulled across the veil separating the worlds of Earth and Mithal in the hope he is the legendary Third Power. His coming foretold by prophecy, he is believed to possess a unique magic that can heal the supernatural sickness ravaging the land and combat the Second Power, a sorcerer who channels the might of Hell itself. With his abilities growing faster than his control, Steve must become a healer to end the plague, a statesman to unite the races, a warrior to lead the Resistance and, ultimately, discover the truth about himself or sacrifice them all.
620 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 3, 2017
59 people are currently reading
30 people want to read
About the author
Robert Childs
3 books10 followersRobert Childs was born in Illinois and is an avid sword fighting enthusiast with bachelors degrees in Japanese Language and Geology and a masters in Military Arts & Science. He specializes in rapier swordplay, actively teaching and competing since 1987 both in the US and abroad. Mostly recently he brought home the silver medal as the North American representative in single rapier combat. His book "Fourth Power" is the sequel to his debut novel "Third Power" in an ongoing series in the sword and sorcery genre. He currently lives in California with his wife, three dogs, and a large collection of sharp pointy objects.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
November 9, 2019
I loved the characters and the way the prophesy plot was shaped.
June 11, 2017
This is a copy of the review I put on Amazon's site:
I really enjoyed this story. As others have already mentioned there are a few grammar mistakes but overall the writing was vibrant, descriptive, and varied enough to keep my attention despite the occasional flaws.
I don't normally read books about 'human gets snatched from Earth to a magical kingdom to become a great world saving wizard', but something about the description of this book lured me in and I gave it a chance despite some of the warning reviews about grammar. I read the preview and even though some of the grammar might not be perfect, those first pages lured me in. In fact, I skipped buying a better written book because its intro didn't capture me like this one did. So my best advice is to read the free preview and judge for yourself.
I'm happy I gave this story a chance. It started off with a traditional boy gets fingered as 'special' and gets teleported to another world. However, he's not so happy about that and wants to go back. Woot! Differing already. He also has a darkness inside which can rear its ugly head when he gets really angry. Yay! Not a Mary Sue! When things start looking dire for those he cares about, he makes the sacrifice to leave his home to be this savior the prophecy says he is even if he doesn't believe in himself. He's one of those guys who does whatever it takes to protect others and make others happy which winds up leaving him very unhappy. Some reviewers called him whiny but I thought he felt pretty real, especially since he's still young. He's also not all powerful and has to work at learning control and he's still afraid to face the big bad guy which is good - I like heroes to work at it.
So things go sort of like you'd expect until the wrench is thrown in and maybe he's not really what he thought he was after all. I loved this aspect. Then other things happen and even though the revolutionaries make the best of plans, the evil dude has better plans that they have to struggle to overcome. So the enemy isn't totally stupid, though he could have perhaps been a bit more proactive. I felt he should have probably slaughtered the entire world by now. He's also pure evil so a little bummer about his cartoony nature and why I dinged one star from this story. The ending didn't happen the way I or our heroes thought it wound happen which was a nice change. Oh, some bits are predictable but others are a surprise.
The world building isn't too bad with nice scenic descriptions of several places as well as different races - humans, avians and werewolves. There are other races mentioned in the world but they didn't get involved in this battle. I guess the only flaw here is that the Earth people should have probably felt more out of their element with the different clothes and cultures, though the hero instinctively trying to glance at his watch for the time was a nice touch.
The princess as a love interest made me grind my teeth. I think our hero put up with her way too long and she wasn't a likeable character having no use in their society other than having people wait on her. I was hoping to see some character development for her, especially after their first confrontation, but no, she remained stuck. Fortunately, the other two female leads were strong and fun to read about. Though I wish we had more from the POV of the female from Earth, especially when she went into the magic forest to find herself.
Overall, the book could use a bit more polish but it stands well enough as is to be entertaining. When it came time for me to put it down, I didn't want to, so that's a good sign. I recommend it to anyone looking for a fun fantasy read.
I really enjoyed this story. As others have already mentioned there are a few grammar mistakes but overall the writing was vibrant, descriptive, and varied enough to keep my attention despite the occasional flaws.
I don't normally read books about 'human gets snatched from Earth to a magical kingdom to become a great world saving wizard', but something about the description of this book lured me in and I gave it a chance despite some of the warning reviews about grammar. I read the preview and even though some of the grammar might not be perfect, those first pages lured me in. In fact, I skipped buying a better written book because its intro didn't capture me like this one did. So my best advice is to read the free preview and judge for yourself.
I'm happy I gave this story a chance. It started off with a traditional boy gets fingered as 'special' and gets teleported to another world. However, he's not so happy about that and wants to go back. Woot! Differing already. He also has a darkness inside which can rear its ugly head when he gets really angry. Yay! Not a Mary Sue! When things start looking dire for those he cares about, he makes the sacrifice to leave his home to be this savior the prophecy says he is even if he doesn't believe in himself. He's one of those guys who does whatever it takes to protect others and make others happy which winds up leaving him very unhappy. Some reviewers called him whiny but I thought he felt pretty real, especially since he's still young. He's also not all powerful and has to work at learning control and he's still afraid to face the big bad guy which is good - I like heroes to work at it.
So things go sort of like you'd expect until the wrench is thrown in and maybe he's not really what he thought he was after all. I loved this aspect. Then other things happen and even though the revolutionaries make the best of plans, the evil dude has better plans that they have to struggle to overcome. So the enemy isn't totally stupid, though he could have perhaps been a bit more proactive. I felt he should have probably slaughtered the entire world by now. He's also pure evil so a little bummer about his cartoony nature and why I dinged one star from this story. The ending didn't happen the way I or our heroes thought it wound happen which was a nice change. Oh, some bits are predictable but others are a surprise.
The world building isn't too bad with nice scenic descriptions of several places as well as different races - humans, avians and werewolves. There are other races mentioned in the world but they didn't get involved in this battle. I guess the only flaw here is that the Earth people should have probably felt more out of their element with the different clothes and cultures, though the hero instinctively trying to glance at his watch for the time was a nice touch.
The princess as a love interest made me grind my teeth. I think our hero put up with her way too long and she wasn't a likeable character having no use in their society other than having people wait on her. I was hoping to see some character development for her, especially after their first confrontation, but no, she remained stuck. Fortunately, the other two female leads were strong and fun to read about. Though I wish we had more from the POV of the female from Earth, especially when she went into the magic forest to find herself.
Overall, the book could use a bit more polish but it stands well enough as is to be entertaining. When it came time for me to put it down, I didn't want to, so that's a good sign. I recommend it to anyone looking for a fun fantasy read.
August 8, 2017
The fulfilment of an ancient prophecy in the land of Mithal
Steven Walker is an ordinary 18-year-old, bored in history class, driving a 2009 red Mustang and eager to spend time with his girlfriend whilst dreaming of becoming an astronaut. Then a stranger leaves him a crystal pendant in his will and his life changes dramatically when he is transported through a portal to the world of Mithal which is in the grip of an evil sorcerer, Azinon, the Dark One, who overthrew the royal family and put himself on the throne. He now rules humankind unmercifully and manipulates the other races into bloody border wars with each other from behind the scenes. On Mithal, Steven meets the First Power of Mithal, the wizard Haldorum, and all sorts of other human and inhuman creatures. He finds out that he is the Third Power of Mithal and as the prophecy states - it is within his power to break the evil sorcerer’s hold over the land and restore the emperor to the throne. The rebel army has been battling against Azinon for 13 years but they were patiently awaiting the Third Power to finally break the Dark One’s hold over the land.
Together with two of his friends, Scott and Sonya, Steven and a host of other creatures ranging from sprites, pixies, werewolves, birdmen and a white tiger battles the armies of Azinon and, in the process, find out their strengths, weaknesses and finds love.
If you loved Tolkien's Lord of the Rings and Christopher Paolini’s Eragon series then this book is a must for you. It is cleverly written with subtle humour and good triumphing over evil is always heart-warming. I was spell-bound by the magic, the story telling and all the different types of creatures that the young people encountered, particularly Steven’s familiar, the tiger Kayliss, being a cat lover myself. A wonderful escape from the reality of the world around us.
Saphira
Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review.
Steven Walker is an ordinary 18-year-old, bored in history class, driving a 2009 red Mustang and eager to spend time with his girlfriend whilst dreaming of becoming an astronaut. Then a stranger leaves him a crystal pendant in his will and his life changes dramatically when he is transported through a portal to the world of Mithal which is in the grip of an evil sorcerer, Azinon, the Dark One, who overthrew the royal family and put himself on the throne. He now rules humankind unmercifully and manipulates the other races into bloody border wars with each other from behind the scenes. On Mithal, Steven meets the First Power of Mithal, the wizard Haldorum, and all sorts of other human and inhuman creatures. He finds out that he is the Third Power of Mithal and as the prophecy states - it is within his power to break the evil sorcerer’s hold over the land and restore the emperor to the throne. The rebel army has been battling against Azinon for 13 years but they were patiently awaiting the Third Power to finally break the Dark One’s hold over the land.
Together with two of his friends, Scott and Sonya, Steven and a host of other creatures ranging from sprites, pixies, werewolves, birdmen and a white tiger battles the armies of Azinon and, in the process, find out their strengths, weaknesses and finds love.
If you loved Tolkien's Lord of the Rings and Christopher Paolini’s Eragon series then this book is a must for you. It is cleverly written with subtle humour and good triumphing over evil is always heart-warming. I was spell-bound by the magic, the story telling and all the different types of creatures that the young people encountered, particularly Steven’s familiar, the tiger Kayliss, being a cat lover myself. A wonderful escape from the reality of the world around us.
Saphira
Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review.
July 6, 2020
Although the tale builds slowly, Childs weaves a wonderful vision of adventure, fantasy, magic, and love. The characters are well-developed and likable. Steve is young but holds up to the pressure with newly discovered strength and spirit. Along with the benefits the crystal bestows upon Steve, there is something dark and ominous as well. My only fault with Steve lies in his blindness towards Sonya. Granted, there is much going on in the young man’s life but I felt sorrow for Sonya. Kaylis, the white tiger, is the perfect fantasy creature. The story flows flawlessly as we follow Steve’s progression to become the Third Power. The second half of the novel throws some twists our way, several to be more accurate. The goals are still the same but roles shift and the tension shoots higher. The final battle is expertly crafted with a satisfying conclusion. In closing…Steve had been a young man making his way through high school. His biggest concern had been to find the time to study for his next test. Within a matter of two weeks, he had a world to save, a princess to marry, and a sorcerer to dethrone. What’s to worry about? I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
April 20, 2019
Fun Read
I've been reading fantasy novels for a long time. While this type of story (modern day characters who go to a fantastic realm) is not my normal pick, I'm glad that I read it. The author used excellent pacing, making for an exciting book. He does a great job describing his imaginative scenes, making it a joy to visualize. I'm looking forward to more books set in this world!
I've been reading fantasy novels for a long time. While this type of story (modern day characters who go to a fantastic realm) is not my normal pick, I'm glad that I read it. The author used excellent pacing, making for an exciting book. He does a great job describing his imaginative scenes, making it a joy to visualize. I'm looking forward to more books set in this world!
April 1, 2017
One Awesome Read!
I have read many books in the last 2 months, but this is by fare one of if not the Best I've read to date! Hoping for a second one so I can see what happens with them in the next chapter! An Awesome read I highly recommend to anyone!
I have read many books in the last 2 months, but this is by fare one of if not the Best I've read to date! Hoping for a second one so I can see what happens with them in the next chapter! An Awesome read I highly recommend to anyone!
April 17, 2017
Do Not Give Up on This Book. After the first five chapters, I put it down and said I could not read it due to the large amount of description. However, I left it sitting on my bedside table and Saturday I picked it up meaning to read for about ten minutes. Three hours later, I realized I did not want to put it down until finished. After you get through those first few chapters, the pages flew and you truly cared about all the characters and what happened to them.
Power through the first few chapters but don't start the next section until you have time to really read because you won't want to leave the character's adventures.
Power through the first few chapters but don't start the next section until you have time to really read because you won't want to leave the character's adventures.
April 23, 2017
Awesome!!
This story was amazing, it had so many twists and turns, just amazing!
Truly a great plot and an amazing work of art. I hope there will be another book in the future.
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a great story!
This story was amazing, it had so many twists and turns, just amazing!
Truly a great plot and an amazing work of art. I hope there will be another book in the future.
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a great story!
Read
May 16, 2017This will be a DNF review, hence the no stars for a rating.
I find that sometimes I can tell almost right away if I will finish a book or not and this is one of those that I couldn't get through. It was the writing style, mainly.
This is just a matter of preference, but I don't like being told how my characters feel, in general. And as a writer you can get away with it a little, but modern readers tend to like less of that stuff, because for instance, everyone knows what an angry person looks like, thanks to the miracle of modern television and movies. You don't need to say something like, "he said, angrily." Because if he said it while he was slamming the door, WE ALREADY KNOW.
Which isn't to say that telling instead of showing is WRONG, it's just a preference. There are a lot of older readers who are used to that style that can get along just fine, which is why I won't deride this writer for his style.
Examples of what drove me wild:
"I'm not so sure I'm really the fellow you're looking for?" (what teenager today says fellow??? or largesse or dreary or rousing or costly or studiousness... you get my point)
Amy's eyes widenedwith interest.
Her shoulders slumped disappointed at the offer but she smiled sweetly.
I could add many more examples, but I've just finished my glass of wine and I don't care. Maybe if this book was set in the 60's or something, I would have bought the language, but a modern setting just didn't work for me. I'm sure there are a lot of people, older, that it didn't bother at all. So you know, it's a personal taste thing.
I find that sometimes I can tell almost right away if I will finish a book or not and this is one of those that I couldn't get through. It was the writing style, mainly.
This is just a matter of preference, but I don't like being told how my characters feel, in general. And as a writer you can get away with it a little, but modern readers tend to like less of that stuff, because for instance, everyone knows what an angry person looks like, thanks to the miracle of modern television and movies. You don't need to say something like, "he said, angrily." Because if he said it while he was slamming the door, WE ALREADY KNOW.
Which isn't to say that telling instead of showing is WRONG, it's just a preference. There are a lot of older readers who are used to that style that can get along just fine, which is why I won't deride this writer for his style.
Examples of what drove me wild:
"I'm not so sure I'm really the fellow you're looking for?" (what teenager today says fellow??? or largesse or dreary or rousing or costly or studiousness... you get my point)
Amy's eyes widened
Her shoulders slumped
I could add many more examples, but I've just finished my glass of wine and I don't care. Maybe if this book was set in the 60's or something, I would have bought the language, but a modern setting just didn't work for me. I'm sure there are a lot of people, older, that it didn't bother at all. So you know, it's a personal taste thing.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews