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The American Mage War #2
America Asunder
The war everyone expected is finally here, as the hydromancers of the North and the pyromancers of the South clash across America. The Union counterattack into Kentucky has the Confederacy back on its heels, but the nation's western frontier is dangerously unprotected. The United States needs all the silver it can get for the Union Army to press the fight against the southern war wizards. Barely recovered from their last battle, Jared Gilsom and his friends are sent west to help foster a treaty with the Pawnee tribe that will hopefully provide some security for America's western flank.
But a sinister power is rising in the South. As the war in Europe takes a sudden turn for the worse, the Union finds itself facing a new and uncertain threat. With alliances shifting and breaking across the continent, Jared and his companions continue their quest for answers in the struggle against the unseen plan that seems to be unfolding around them.
But a sinister power is rising in the South. As the war in Europe takes a sudden turn for the worse, the Union finds itself facing a new and uncertain threat. With alliances shifting and breaking across the continent, Jared and his companions continue their quest for answers in the struggle against the unseen plan that seems to be unfolding around them.
376 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 25, 2017
2 people want to read
About the author
Robert Edward
34 books10 followersHappily married with 3 kids, I write in my spare time- of which I have none. I've always liked to read adventure stories, whether fantasy, science fiction, history, or alternate history. I just waited until I had a big family and demanding day job before I finally wrote something myself.
I grew up reading DragonLance novels, playing D&D and Final Fantasy RPG, and very occasionally trying to write fantasy stories. My favorite games and stories always had a small party of adventurers on a long quest, with a series of smaller quests, set against an epic backdrop. Today I still love to read fantasy, science fiction, and alternate history. So that's what I set out to write.
I grew up reading DragonLance novels, playing D&D and Final Fantasy RPG, and very occasionally trying to write fantasy stories. My favorite games and stories always had a small party of adventurers on a long quest, with a series of smaller quests, set against an epic backdrop. Today I still love to read fantasy, science fiction, and alternate history. So that's what I set out to write.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
April 20, 2018
This was a great continuation of the first book. I can't wait to read the next.
September 30, 2018
America Asunder is the exciting sequel to Edge of a Knife. It merges the magic and muskets genre with alternative history. The first book was amazing. This one is also great, although not as flawless as its predecessor. The action is constant and great. The stakes are raised, but some of the issues I had with the first book carried over. I suspect the third book will end with a bang and make me look back more fondly on this entry, which is still a good book! I can’t wait to buy the next book. The author better get off his butt and write it. All points past this will contain spoilers.
The Good.
The first Grand Wizard of the Confederacy, Nathan Bedford Forrest, was killed at the end of the first book. Usually everyone and his mother would know this, but most of the characters aren’t aware of Grand Wizard Johnston being in charge. That was refreshing. I look forward to Jared and his team coming face-to-“face” with the Grand Wizard in book three. Or perhaps they won’t. That would also be a fun twist.
The air ships are awesome. I wish more than anything there was a movie of these books because so many things would look awesome on the screen.
Grand Wizard Johnston, aka Confederate Skeletor, would also be a sight to seen on film and/or television. I vow to try and make this happen when I win the lottery next week (fingers crossed).
General Custer has a new last stand in this book. He’s just as arrogant as I suspect he would have been in life. It was a fitting battle and end.
The General Watie fight was great. I love the use of potholes to swallow up people. I used something similar in one of my books and always wondered why you didn’t see it more often in comics/fantasy books.
Although the heroes still have plot armor, Tiago (probably my favorite character) forgot to use it to cover his arms. He loses one not simply because of a battle, but because racist Texans refuse to treat him as the priority case he was.
The good guys lose the big battle at the end. Just like The Empire Strikes Back, the bad guys get there turn to throw down.
The Bad.
Tiago’s injury was great, but unfortunately it doesn’t really slow him down. I feel like some PTSD, depression, failure in combat would be the natural progression, but he charges on like the hero he is. I mentioned in my last review that plot armor was thick on the main four characters. They still have it. Unfortunately, they used up all their lucky break/suspension of disbelief points in the first book. You defy death once, it happens. You defy it twice, you’re very lucky. You defy it three times (or closer to six at this point) and you’re a character in a story. That’s fine for most people, but I want casualties beyond red shirts and ancillary characters. Tiago even points out how ridiculously lucky they are. It’s a nod from the author, but I think someone should have died, instead of the constant fake outs and lucky saves.
I really liked Grand Wizard Johnston. I felt it took too long for him to show up again. I think I was 42% through the book before he came back. It’s a small gripe, but I was salivating. I swear Grand Wizard Johnston better be on the cover of the last book.
I’m not a fan of the romance genre. I hoped that Jared and Catherine wouldn’t get together. I figured it was a futile hope, but I hoped in nonetheless. The problem is their relationship seems off. They only seem to ever show their affection through physical means (kissing or sex). I don’t recall any sweet words shared between the two. This seems like a contradiction. If they’re just friends with benefits, then why all the soulful kisses? If they’re a full item, then why don’t they talk about their feelings, too. It felt like it was added just because that’s usually what stories do. I understand they were trying to keep it quiet at first, but they were alone a lot, too. To me, it felt unnecessary. Sigh.
I like zombies, but to me, they’re a zero-sum decision. Either start with zombies, or leave them out entirely. One of the best scenes in the first book was when Jared struggled with killing young Confederate soldiers. My brother has a saying “It’s always okay to punch a Nazi.” I agree. It’s also always okay to kill a zombie. By changing the Confederates into mindless super-solider drones, it took away from one of the best parts of Jared’s character.
Texas was especially racist at that time. I still feel it’s wrong to have all the swearing, but ignore the racial slurs that would have been used. I pointed it out with the last book. Texas should have been twice as bad.
The Technical.
There is a lot of swearing. This is also 1870s America, so there are slaves and racism (although no use of the N-word).
As the middle book of a trilogy, it ends on a cliffhanger, although not as pronounced as the first book. I feel you could read the middle book and not the other two, and still have a good experience.
The Good.
The first Grand Wizard of the Confederacy, Nathan Bedford Forrest, was killed at the end of the first book. Usually everyone and his mother would know this, but most of the characters aren’t aware of Grand Wizard Johnston being in charge. That was refreshing. I look forward to Jared and his team coming face-to-“face” with the Grand Wizard in book three. Or perhaps they won’t. That would also be a fun twist.
The air ships are awesome. I wish more than anything there was a movie of these books because so many things would look awesome on the screen.
Grand Wizard Johnston, aka Confederate Skeletor, would also be a sight to seen on film and/or television. I vow to try and make this happen when I win the lottery next week (fingers crossed).
General Custer has a new last stand in this book. He’s just as arrogant as I suspect he would have been in life. It was a fitting battle and end.
The General Watie fight was great. I love the use of potholes to swallow up people. I used something similar in one of my books and always wondered why you didn’t see it more often in comics/fantasy books.
Although the heroes still have plot armor, Tiago (probably my favorite character) forgot to use it to cover his arms. He loses one not simply because of a battle, but because racist Texans refuse to treat him as the priority case he was.
The good guys lose the big battle at the end. Just like The Empire Strikes Back, the bad guys get there turn to throw down.
The Bad.
Tiago’s injury was great, but unfortunately it doesn’t really slow him down. I feel like some PTSD, depression, failure in combat would be the natural progression, but he charges on like the hero he is. I mentioned in my last review that plot armor was thick on the main four characters. They still have it. Unfortunately, they used up all their lucky break/suspension of disbelief points in the first book. You defy death once, it happens. You defy it twice, you’re very lucky. You defy it three times (or closer to six at this point) and you’re a character in a story. That’s fine for most people, but I want casualties beyond red shirts and ancillary characters. Tiago even points out how ridiculously lucky they are. It’s a nod from the author, but I think someone should have died, instead of the constant fake outs and lucky saves.
I really liked Grand Wizard Johnston. I felt it took too long for him to show up again. I think I was 42% through the book before he came back. It’s a small gripe, but I was salivating. I swear Grand Wizard Johnston better be on the cover of the last book.
I’m not a fan of the romance genre. I hoped that Jared and Catherine wouldn’t get together. I figured it was a futile hope, but I hoped in nonetheless. The problem is their relationship seems off. They only seem to ever show their affection through physical means (kissing or sex). I don’t recall any sweet words shared between the two. This seems like a contradiction. If they’re just friends with benefits, then why all the soulful kisses? If they’re a full item, then why don’t they talk about their feelings, too. It felt like it was added just because that’s usually what stories do. I understand they were trying to keep it quiet at first, but they were alone a lot, too. To me, it felt unnecessary. Sigh.
I like zombies, but to me, they’re a zero-sum decision. Either start with zombies, or leave them out entirely. One of the best scenes in the first book was when Jared struggled with killing young Confederate soldiers. My brother has a saying “It’s always okay to punch a Nazi.” I agree. It’s also always okay to kill a zombie. By changing the Confederates into mindless super-solider drones, it took away from one of the best parts of Jared’s character.
Texas was especially racist at that time. I still feel it’s wrong to have all the swearing, but ignore the racial slurs that would have been used. I pointed it out with the last book. Texas should have been twice as bad.
The Technical.
There is a lot of swearing. This is also 1870s America, so there are slaves and racism (although no use of the N-word).
As the middle book of a trilogy, it ends on a cliffhanger, although not as pronounced as the first book. I feel you could read the middle book and not the other two, and still have a good experience.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews