A Sorcerer Rises

Song of Sorcery #1

by Guy Antibes

Bound to a cruel grandfather, thirteen-year-old Ricky Valian is an orphan and a thief. Compelled to steal a valuable item in a public place, Ricky uses the only trick he knows, a magic trick. His crime doesn’t go unobserved. The Dean of Doubli Academy witnesses the theft and recognizes Ricky’s latent talent, volunteering to become Ricky’s guardian at the boy’s trial. Ricky finds himself, unlettered and untutored in sorcery, in a place filled with students. As he struggles with his unexpected circumstances, Ricky becomes a target of a vicious bully, who may not be above taking the life of someone who gets in his way.

FANTASY - EPIC / SWORD & SORCERY / YOUNG ADULT

Genres: Fantasy, Magic, Young Adult, Paranormal

328 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 27, 2017

About the author

I write action/adventure fiction with a definite proclivity towards Sword & Sorcery. I like magicians, but I'm less partial to unicorns, dragons, elves and dwarves. But give me a hero with a magic sword and I'll make him sing... Wait, I already have!

I've published a number of works under the CasiePress imprint and there are more to come.

I'm an older guy (Guy!), married and all my kids have grown up and given me grandkids to dote over. I've read thousands of books and found that in most cases, I'd rather write than read.

Reviews

[Jo · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this story enough to buy the second book.
The reason I gave it 3 stars? Well, I found parts of the narrative stilted and there is no physical description at all about Ricky, which I think is strange really. (I guess for me, it is easier to bond with main character if one can visualise how he /she looks.) The nature of his power is different which is refreshing and I wanted to see how that would develope in the next book.

[Timepiggy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good magic system poor character development

Really loved the magic system, and was happy with the story progression. Some of the emotional character development seemed pretty flat. Strong emotional ties suddenly blossomed after a few sentences etc.

[Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is fun, interesting, and exciting. It's full of people who seem like they should be quite smart. So why do they keep doing really stupid things? The plot needs a lot of work, it's like the heroes and villains are in a contest to see who is stupider. :(

Reading the second book of the series it feels like these books are missing a bit of detail. The scenes need a bit more explanation, they move a bit too quickly.


List of stupid things:

1) Saggy is initially beat up because he's a weapons master that walks around the city with no weapons. Hm.. okay. But then he walks around the city with Ricky with no weapons (again? really?) and they get attacked again. And then Ricky and Loria walk around the city by themselves and... surprise! they get attacked. And then four of them go to eat, look out the window and see a guy watching them, decide no big deal let's eat anyway and... it's poisoned! How could a weapons master and the former expert guardian of a princess possibly have expected that? Then later, Saggy walks around the city by himself, and gets tied up to a chair, but conveniently it's in his own house where Ricky easily finds him!

2) They are threatened. Ricky should agree to go to jail (no conviction, just go to jail. Not sure how that works, maybe they let you into jail if you ask?) or else we'll target the people in your school and Ricky thinks going to jail is a good idea. These villains seem like trustworthy guys! Fortunately for him, the powerful noble who threatened him is too stupid to wait for him to turn himself in, and kidnaps the school's Dean!

3) Ricky decides he should rescue the Dean. But he has to perform the magic show first. I mean, there's probably no rush right? The kidnappers are probably playing cards while they wait for him to come kill them all. After that he's still planning to agree to go to jail with no conviction.

4) After the magic show he goes to rescue the Dean. Conveniently the powerful noble has kidnapped her himself, and he was just sitting on a boat. What the heck was his plan here? Wait for Ricky to come and then do the evil villain laugh at him? baHAhaHaHAha.... But he didn't have an evil villain escape route. Did you not learn your lesson when they mysteriously won 4 vs 12?

[Stuart Macmartin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don’t know why, but I really like magic school books. This one doesn’t disappoint. Its best features are the world building, the magic system (if they ever discover barbershop they’ll have incredibly powerful magic teams), and the fact that they don’t throw uneducated people into the middle of classes and expect them to keep up — ok, so one positive feature is he doesn’t fall to the stupidest trope of magic school books.

On the downside, he doesn’t connect to others in a way where we the readers connect with him. Not too surprising given his background, but I suspect it’s just a weakness in the storytelling, or low priority for this book. Also, I found it odd that the teachers were confiding some rather serious secrets, almost upon meeting him, and bringing him into their political games. Finally, there were a few throw-away lines that were revealed later as a surprise to some people who I thought were there first time.

[Curtis · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Different Kind of Good

An interesting and technically innovative magic system coupled with good action makes this a story worth reading. It is stiff a lot, but the world and action balance that quite a bit. And it’s different, and different here is good. The characters are also different, and appear real and sometimes odd — although as seen from the perspective of a 14 year old boy, which is actually refreshing. Looking forward to the next book. Recommended.

[Francis Chamberland · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Sorcerer Rises (Song of Sorcery Book 1) Review

Dear Guy, I love reading your stories and this story was exceptionally. I am really looking forward to reading the next book in the series. Your introduction to book 2 at the end of book 1 keeps the entertainment going. Your imagination and creativity is wonderful and the characters are outstanding. Thank you for the entertainment. I highly recommend reading this book to anyone interested in reading a great story.

[Thor Aegir · Rating 4 out of 5]

While the main character evolution may be a bit unrealistic (in one year, he absords a whole lot of knowledge), and he may be too mature for his age, the story and the universe are well done.

I liked this book, and it is a good sorcery school book, that does not copy Harry Potter progression, like some other authors do. The story is original, complex, and I want to know more.

[Robert Spellmann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Second reading

Highly recommended author. Clean, moral characters with an amazing system of magic. This first volume of the Song of Sorcery is a strong invitation to contine this enjoyable series.

[Maricel · Rating 2 out of 5]

this is my fourth series from the same author. i like the plot and the different way of wielding magic plus the added bonus of sword fighting and fighting arts. what i don't like is that all his main characters seems to be sooo intelligent, highly skilled, fast learner and extremely mature young kids who seem to absorb all trainings like a sponge as they grow up (i didn't say 'as they mature' because they already are and i don't know how he can make them 'maturer'). like Ricky here who is supposed to be 13 but talk, act and think like 20...always serious....so boring. goodness, i think he's even more mature than me and i'm in my 40s. none of the characters has any sense of humor. the girls are usually prickly. what's immature, is how the romantic relationship is tackled even when the mc has grown up. same characters profile...it's getting tiresome. did i say bland and boring/ yes they are.

update: even if the targeted readers are middle grade to young adult, a budding relationship could have warmth in it. they interact like a colleague than a couple.

[Tom · Rating 4 out of 5]

High Quality coming of Age

The Author appears to be working on different ways magic could work.

The world building is definitely medieval but has clean water and full awareness of germs and bacteria by whatever name.

I like this setting better than the boarding school setting he has tried out.

Enjoy!

[Graham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyed it

I liked Ricky's character, and the flow was smooth and had a great pace to it. I'm hooked already. The action and magic were fin, though every time I read the word shantyboat I mentally shake my head and sigh... lol

[Janette · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting ideas about magic and how it works and the plot is OK. It's let down by very stilted conversations between characters and a fairly unbelievable main character. Not a bad read but i'm not going to rush out and read the next one.

[Pat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Feels rushed

There is a lot of great storylines and potential here. Besides some weird issues with continuity the biggest problem I have is that things get mentioned and solved in quick succession

[Heath Rogers]

Very interesting story

The plot line was very well thought out and very absorbing. It was let down by the author periodically forgetting his own story details and stating things in contrast to what the characters had already experienced or thought or said.

[Henry Keen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun

Very entertaining especially in quarantine. Looking forward to the sequel. I love coming of age fantasy stories. I hate that they require a certain amount of words to your review ;)

[Queen Suga · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid writing

Great book 1 of this series. Excellent writing, the plot was bomb, world building even better, character growth in point AND we don’t end on a cliffhanger. Can’t wait for book 2

[Janice Smith-gentry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good

This is the second series by this author I have read. I find that the characters are well defined. Though the scrappy way Ricky is treated throughout the story by some is completely unfair.

[Jim Duncan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent!

Standard idea of young boy getting a good chance to change his situation. I think it was done well, with good characters, both good and evil . Looking forward to more of this.

[Bob Bracken · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very good Pilgrims Progress & rise from poverty and oppression

A youth plucked from the streets & a life of crime, adopted into a magic academy & plunged into a saga of political intrigue & violence. Good stuff.

[Amanda Kern · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good start

This is a good start. It reminds me of the Prince series but it is different. I will definitely be reading the next book.

[Stacy Gallegos · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay Book

Character lacked depth. Story felt choppy and dragged. I️ wouldn’t recommend it for the price. Was not happy I️ spent money on this.

[Larry Holly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book

A great book, loved the characters and the story line. I'll definitely be reading more from this author and of this series when the next book comes out.

[Magi · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great Story well written and I am looking forward to the release of the second book in this series.

[jayne flatt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable read

Enjoyed this book a bit slow to start but then got into it looking to read book two to see what happens next

[Cathy Harper · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good read

I enjoyed this book and recommend it to those who like magic. Looking forward to the next book to see what happens to Hendrico.

[Garry Wyatt · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mildly entertaining YA fantasy novel/

[Indira Rivera · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked it

[Lutz Brandt · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hmph

Not at his best. More of a simplistic ya relationship story which rambles on. Too little about the magical development of the mc.

[Colleen Elizabeth Edwards · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good read

Well written tale , fast paced and I interesting characters
I couldn't put down the world of Ricky and friends
Just came alive worth reading

[James E. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read

Very entertaining book. Love this kind of story ark. Looking forward to the series. Well developed characters and enjoyable story.