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The Black Wizard
After a major apocalyptic event, the town of Shallows is the last surviving city in the world. Here you will find Warriors, Wizards and Rangers of extraordinary ability and talent. Surrounding the city is a mysterious dungeon where monsters, treasure and adventure await. A White Wizard, named Alvin Roscoe, has all the essential components to be a hero of legend. He is handsome, wealthy, extremely intelligent, and was born into a family of great nobility. This young man consistently conquers all obstacles thrown into his path. The roses hope he stops so they can smell him. He correctly judges books by their cover and counts the chickens before they hatch while successfully crossing the bridge before he gets to it. Drastic times call for his measures. Weather feels a bit under him. If this were the story about Alvin these words would paint a thousand pictures and it would be the best story you have ever read in your whole life. Ever. Unfortunately for you, this isn’t a story about the most interesting Wizard named Alvin, it’s about Andrew. In fact, Andrew isn’t even a prestigious White Wizard; he’s a poor Black one.
424 pages, Paperback
Published April 30, 2018
2 people are currently reading
6 people want to read
About the author
Andres A. Rodriguez
3 books24 followersAndres Rodriguez is a USAF veteran, a Federal Officer and a Nintendo fanboy since he was five years old. In 2007 he led a battalion of nerds against ITT Tech where he mastered in collecting student debt. He is constantly inspired by other fantasy writers from books, movies, and games. The eggs hidden throughout his universe are tributes to them. He currently lives in Arizona with his wife that doesn’t find him funny and his kids that do.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
January 24, 2019
I had a rough time deciding what to rate the book myself, 4 or 5 stars. 4 because I still feel as though there are more tweaks and finishing touches I can do but, I have finally decided that it will never be perfect. So 5 stars because I truly believe that this is the best that I can do after two years without continuing to rewrite and rewrite the same story over and over.
I started the book with the intention of it being a relaxing fantasy based comedy however, the more I continued to write the more I felt my writing improved. I started to develop a backstory and found a way to mix in some real life issues into a fantasy world. Such as the relation between my main character and the education strikes going on. Also, whatever book I happened to be reading at the time began to find it's way into my world somehow. So throughout this book you might recognize hidden references (easter eggs) to other works of art from books, video games, movies and ideologies.
I tried looking for other works of comical fantasy though my references never quite turned up what I was searching for. Because of this, I hope if you have been searching for something similar, I might be that author you have been searching for. To separate my works from those few silly novels, I tried to create a plot that a more serious reader would appreciate as well. Being my first work and trying to find this balance is what eventually led me to move onto the second book.
I look forward to you finding my eggs and I hope you enjoy this book. I look forward to reading about strengths and weaknesses while continuing to entertain you through my saga. Excelsior!
I thought I would share this review, this review was send via email but I thought it should be shared for it is the most extensive review I have received yet. This is someone else's opinion and since I value the time he took to write this review I will not omit anything or alter anything for better or worse. This is an honest review.
-
I started reading your book, "The Black Wizard" on Friday night and finished on Monday morning. I found it very entertaining because I'm a big fan myself of RPG games and D&D. I've spent countless hours playing Final Fantasy, Morrwind, Ultima and many RPG games. I'm also a big fan of Dungeons & Dragons, so a book like this appealed to me almost immediately. As an African American I was also curious to see how you would use the world "Black" in the context you were using it.
I'd like to break down your tory in 3 categories: 1. Story, 2. Conflict, &3. Character:
1. Story: I look to see if the overall story, including the plot pulls me in and keeps me there. I'd imagine there's not a lot of African Americans that are into RPG & Fantasy Fiction; yes, there are some, but most are into urban novels and the like. The story pulls me in quickly because its a genre I like. The world you created is one where a gamer can settle in quite quickly especially those who play D&D, Pathfinder, and other similar games.
To play devil's advocate, I wonder if the use of "Black" could be taken with offense by African Americans. I know you intended to make a few social statements, of which I agree in large, but would a Black take offense to a non-black making social statements about Blacks, even if it's not really about the race as society defines it.
Still, it goes back to who's likely to read it, in a way it reminds me of the book, "Ready Player One", as to the types of people most likely to read it. D&D players, video game players or RPG games and the like, which would be minimal African Americans. That said, as one myself, I really enjoyed this book. It's one I'd read again, and as a writer myself, its and inspiring work.
2. Conflict: The world is one thing, the conflict is what drives the story. Some stories pull a reader in and keep them others polarize readers. It's like the movie "The Mist", with the ending being a "downer". Viewers want to be rewarded for watching the movie - same with readers, we want the "payoff" or the reward of following the writer's story.
So does the conflict keep my attention? To be honest, I had a difficult time identifying exactly what the conflict was. The center of the story clearly seems to be Andrew, but I sometimes wondered what Andrew's true purpose was. I thought the conflict was Andrew's plan to rise from the back of the classroom to the front - or as close as possible. Then later, the group assembles in front of the dungeon after Dutch shares the book of Nehru with Maki. I thought the conflict would be the "Andrew against the world" or maybe the idea of finishing the dungeon, or the story involving the book of Nehru. It appears that much of the story was basically about the life of Andrew, which seems to be one hilarious conflict after another.
What kept me reading was the likeability of Andrew. I didn't feel sorry for him, because he never carried himself that way, But the conflicts he continuously found himself in was very enjoyable. If the idea was to walk us through the life and times of Andrew, if that was the central theme, then it was quite successful.
3. Character: I believe characters add that special color, or flavor, to a story. I found in reading your book, that Andrew was cleverly created. You introduced a lot of characters in the story and sometimes it took a while to reget who was who. Kinda like watching "Dune", with all their characters. But the good thing about your book was that (as with any book) one can always go back and read it again.
I really like the way you tie the characters to respect one another. Even Alvin had a respect Andrew because they had to work together and help support one another. I like the way you introduced the characters, like Smyt. I don't know why, but he reminds me of Orko, from the cartoon "He-man", or the Black Mage from Final Fantasy (the original). I like Adaline, and I think her name is Sonya, the one Andrew spazzed on after being zapped.
I think one of the funniest scenes was the Marcus Magical Munchie scene; the one with the "frutie tootie". I laughed when I read that, and just had to read it aloud to my roommate. There were many funny scenes which kept me reading. Your characters are all likeable, considering we know that'll have to work together to protect one another in the dungeon.
Overall, I like the process of watching Andrew, a Black in the very back of the class, move up in standing and experience, and becoming a vital part of a group of adventurers that are all more experience than Andrew. But Andrew, in his own way, adds flavor through his charisma (which is a D&D trait), his charm, and a bit of luck. The story left me wondering what will happen to Andrew, since we've invested quite a bit of heart in him.
If I gave a score of 1-10, 10 being the best, for each category, I'd score:
Story - 8 of 10, since its clearly a genre I can get into quickly, and it held my attention and kept it for 3 days straight.
Conflict - 6 of 10, if Andrew's purpose was something greater than his character development
8 of 10 if the conflict is the life of Andrew being a Black.
Character - 8 of 10. There's a lot of characters, but memorable scenes like "the fart girl" help remember certain characters. Andrew is a trip!!
So, I really like this story; I'd give it a 8 out of 10, and thank you for capturing my attention -and keeping it- over those 3 days. - Mr. Mason.
I started the book with the intention of it being a relaxing fantasy based comedy however, the more I continued to write the more I felt my writing improved. I started to develop a backstory and found a way to mix in some real life issues into a fantasy world. Such as the relation between my main character and the education strikes going on. Also, whatever book I happened to be reading at the time began to find it's way into my world somehow. So throughout this book you might recognize hidden references (easter eggs) to other works of art from books, video games, movies and ideologies.
I tried looking for other works of comical fantasy though my references never quite turned up what I was searching for. Because of this, I hope if you have been searching for something similar, I might be that author you have been searching for. To separate my works from those few silly novels, I tried to create a plot that a more serious reader would appreciate as well. Being my first work and trying to find this balance is what eventually led me to move onto the second book.
I look forward to you finding my eggs and I hope you enjoy this book. I look forward to reading about strengths and weaknesses while continuing to entertain you through my saga. Excelsior!
I thought I would share this review, this review was send via email but I thought it should be shared for it is the most extensive review I have received yet. This is someone else's opinion and since I value the time he took to write this review I will not omit anything or alter anything for better or worse. This is an honest review.
-
I started reading your book, "The Black Wizard" on Friday night and finished on Monday morning. I found it very entertaining because I'm a big fan myself of RPG games and D&D. I've spent countless hours playing Final Fantasy, Morrwind, Ultima and many RPG games. I'm also a big fan of Dungeons & Dragons, so a book like this appealed to me almost immediately. As an African American I was also curious to see how you would use the world "Black" in the context you were using it.
I'd like to break down your tory in 3 categories: 1. Story, 2. Conflict, &3. Character:
1. Story: I look to see if the overall story, including the plot pulls me in and keeps me there. I'd imagine there's not a lot of African Americans that are into RPG & Fantasy Fiction; yes, there are some, but most are into urban novels and the like. The story pulls me in quickly because its a genre I like. The world you created is one where a gamer can settle in quite quickly especially those who play D&D, Pathfinder, and other similar games.
To play devil's advocate, I wonder if the use of "Black" could be taken with offense by African Americans. I know you intended to make a few social statements, of which I agree in large, but would a Black take offense to a non-black making social statements about Blacks, even if it's not really about the race as society defines it.
Still, it goes back to who's likely to read it, in a way it reminds me of the book, "Ready Player One", as to the types of people most likely to read it. D&D players, video game players or RPG games and the like, which would be minimal African Americans. That said, as one myself, I really enjoyed this book. It's one I'd read again, and as a writer myself, its and inspiring work.
2. Conflict: The world is one thing, the conflict is what drives the story. Some stories pull a reader in and keep them others polarize readers. It's like the movie "The Mist", with the ending being a "downer". Viewers want to be rewarded for watching the movie - same with readers, we want the "payoff" or the reward of following the writer's story.
So does the conflict keep my attention? To be honest, I had a difficult time identifying exactly what the conflict was. The center of the story clearly seems to be Andrew, but I sometimes wondered what Andrew's true purpose was. I thought the conflict was Andrew's plan to rise from the back of the classroom to the front - or as close as possible. Then later, the group assembles in front of the dungeon after Dutch shares the book of Nehru with Maki. I thought the conflict would be the "Andrew against the world" or maybe the idea of finishing the dungeon, or the story involving the book of Nehru. It appears that much of the story was basically about the life of Andrew, which seems to be one hilarious conflict after another.
What kept me reading was the likeability of Andrew. I didn't feel sorry for him, because he never carried himself that way, But the conflicts he continuously found himself in was very enjoyable. If the idea was to walk us through the life and times of Andrew, if that was the central theme, then it was quite successful.
3. Character: I believe characters add that special color, or flavor, to a story. I found in reading your book, that Andrew was cleverly created. You introduced a lot of characters in the story and sometimes it took a while to reget who was who. Kinda like watching "Dune", with all their characters. But the good thing about your book was that (as with any book) one can always go back and read it again.
I really like the way you tie the characters to respect one another. Even Alvin had a respect Andrew because they had to work together and help support one another. I like the way you introduced the characters, like Smyt. I don't know why, but he reminds me of Orko, from the cartoon "He-man", or the Black Mage from Final Fantasy (the original). I like Adaline, and I think her name is Sonya, the one Andrew spazzed on after being zapped.
I think one of the funniest scenes was the Marcus Magical Munchie scene; the one with the "frutie tootie". I laughed when I read that, and just had to read it aloud to my roommate. There were many funny scenes which kept me reading. Your characters are all likeable, considering we know that'll have to work together to protect one another in the dungeon.
Overall, I like the process of watching Andrew, a Black in the very back of the class, move up in standing and experience, and becoming a vital part of a group of adventurers that are all more experience than Andrew. But Andrew, in his own way, adds flavor through his charisma (which is a D&D trait), his charm, and a bit of luck. The story left me wondering what will happen to Andrew, since we've invested quite a bit of heart in him.
If I gave a score of 1-10, 10 being the best, for each category, I'd score:
Story - 8 of 10, since its clearly a genre I can get into quickly, and it held my attention and kept it for 3 days straight.
Conflict - 6 of 10, if Andrew's purpose was something greater than his character development
8 of 10 if the conflict is the life of Andrew being a Black.
Character - 8 of 10. There's a lot of characters, but memorable scenes like "the fart girl" help remember certain characters. Andrew is a trip!!
So, I really like this story; I'd give it a 8 out of 10, and thank you for capturing my attention -and keeping it- over those 3 days. - Mr. Mason.
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July 22, 2019A light fantasy story with a ton of RPG elements, two tons of references to worlds both real and unreal, a lot of somewhat-serious fun, and much more definitely not serious fun.
If you ever wanted to see the world of almost any RPG through the eyes of their characters, not the player, this is it. Well, not just that, it also allows you to experience the n00b experience with all the teasing that comes with it. It comes with a not-so-small serving of immature humor, such as pulling shit (literally) out of portals, a teacher who got PWN'd in the dungeon, school corridors turning into a war zone, and punishment in the library where the best part is avoid said war zone.
With that said, I don't think it's possible to write a serious review but, considering the book's style, would a serious review do any good?
I don't think so.
If you ever wanted to see the world of almost any RPG through the eyes of their characters, not the player, this is it. Well, not just that, it also allows you to experience the n00b experience with all the teasing that comes with it. It comes with a not-so-small serving of immature humor, such as pulling shit (literally) out of portals, a teacher who got PWN'd in the dungeon, school corridors turning into a war zone, and punishment in the library where the best part is avoid said war zone.
With that said, I don't think it's possible to write a serious review but, considering the book's style, would a serious review do any good?
I don't think so.
July 9, 2020
Very fun read. I enjoyed all the tongue-in-cheek humor, the easter eggs and the beginning of a very fun, and slightly familiar adventure.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews