Making Magic

by Allan Walsh

Alcus wants to be a writer. When he joins a group to have his work critiqued, things are not what he expected. Alcus soon finds himself drawn into a world of wonder. Can his writing compete against real magic?

Genres: Fantasy

32 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 30, 2017

About the author

Allan Walsh is a writer and artist, born in sun-scorched Australia and raised in the grungy suburbs of West London. He is a keen martial arts fan, lover of fantasy, and a movie buff. Allan has been influenced by cult Asian film directors such as Jacki Chan and Stephen Chow, Spec Fiction novelists the like of Joe Abercrombie and graphic novelists such as Wendy and Richard Pini. Allan currently resides in Brisbane, where he enjoys creating new worlds through his writing.

If you want to know more about Allan, you can find him on the following sites:
https://allanwalshauthor.com/
www.facebook.com/AllanWalshAuthor/
www.tumblr.com/blog/allanwalshauthor

Reviews

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'll be honest, straight or high fantasy isn't really my genre of choice, but when you've got it - you've got it. And Allan Walsh has most certainly got it!

I was completely mesmerised by this read (as I've been with all his work I've read) and it's allegory of creating stories begin akin to creating magic. With his descriptive prose the author placed you alongside his protagonist and immersed you in the wonder of the tale. I enjoyed picking out the "genres" of the magical spells, with the horror spell being truly creepy. A magical read that's one of my favourites for this year!

I received an ecopy of the short story directly from the author. I have voluntarily chosen to review the book and the gifting in no way influences my review/rating, which reflects my honest opinion.

[William Bitner Jr. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Genre - Fantasy/Short Story
Pages - 32
Publication Info - Allan Walsh (November 29, 2017)
Format - Kindle
Stars - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“Making Magic” by Allan Walsh was actually quite a charming read. I enjoyed this book a lot more than I thought I would. Sometimes the magic is the imagination and the ability to make it come alive. Great characters, and a story that grabs you from the beginning and does not let you go until the final words. I really loved the ending of this book and the message. I read a few Allan Walsh short stories today and this is one of my favorites.

Allan Walsh is a writer and artist, born in Australia and raised in the suburbs of West London. He is the author of numerous horror and fantasy short stories and novels

From the back cover: Magic can be dangerous, but it's the sorcerers you need to worry about.

When Alcus joins a writer's group, things are not what he expected and he finds himself drawn into a wonderful world of magic. But this new world is wrought with danger. Can he create magic to match that of a true sorcerer?

[Rachael · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this short story from Allan Walsh! I felt so bad for poor Alcus when he suddenly found himself in this world of witches and warlocks, and can only imagine how overwhelming he found it, when all he wanted to do was join a writers group. Bless him!
I loved all the characters, and my only critique is that it is not a full novel! I'd love to read more about this world. Huge thanks to Allan, for sending me a copy to read & review :)

[Christina McMullen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fun short read that definitely made me smile. Avid readers and authors alike will probably find themselves nodding along at the end.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short stories are a great way to sample an author’s writing style without the commitment of several hundred-page long novels to wade through. My biggest make-or-break factor when deciding if I am going to like a book is the narrative style. The style of Making Magic is very easy to read and get into. It flows so easily that I read this story in no more than fifteen minutes in one sitting, attention unbroken. From beginning to end the story is consistently easy to follow.

The dabbling in and conjuring of magic allows for a lot of detailed description; at times beautiful, others sinister, as fits the story. The detail in which Allan Walsh describes the spells and conjurations makes it very easy to imagine yourself in the same room. Through Alcus’ eyes, we experience the wonder at the magic and the self-doubt he experiences in being able to match such powerful magic through the power of the written word.

Being able to communicate an idea, an image or story through words in such a way that the reader can visualise the same thing is a form of magic. Immersing yourself so deeply into a story that you don’t notice time passing by is a temporary illusion. Words can also make more permanent changes to a person’s perception.

Who knew the power of vividly hallucinating over dead trees?

[L.M. Page · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely love this little story! This is the kind of book thats a nice, easy read. The story grabbed me instantly and I couldn't put it down until the end. A truly magical tale, if you have an hour or 2 to spare to go on a mental journey, give it a go, you won't be disappointed!