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The Dubious Tale of the Winter Wizard
Follow Bertly, a hapless wizard from a small village, as he writes his own tale of his journey to become the greatest champion of all time. After many blips and blunders, and with the help of his assorted group of friends, Bertly will become the second-greatest sorcerer the world has ever seen. But there’s an expiration date on the telling of the tale. Will he write his own ending, or will the victors write his story for him?
- GenresFantasy
397 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 7, 2019
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106 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
September 4, 2019
I enjoyed this book, but probably wouldn't recommend it to most people for a few reasons.
First off, this is the first book from the writer, and it shows. It's not terribly well written, with too many consecutive sentences starting with the main Characters name, to name one annoyance among a few. ["Bertly did this. Bertly then did this other thing"]
Secondly, it would have benefited from a proof read. There are many errors in this book, be it spelling or contextual. I remember, for example, near the start of the book, 2 dwarven twins and an elf were getting off a train, but they were referred to as 'the three elves' [Or something very close to that]
Thirdly, the first half of the book feels very rushed. The main character starts off as a child starting wizarding school and the whole school process practically finished by half way through the book, with the characters actually being fast-tracked through school to shorten the process even more.
And lastly, while the storytelling is actually pretty good (at least in the second half where it is better paced), it could be improved upon. There are many unconsidered questions that obviously went unanswered that a more experienced author might address, that kind of end up making the world feel a bit hollow. Things like how nobody seemed to notice a gryphon prowling the corridors of the school at night almost every night for a while, or when teachers do not react to Bertly's aging by a few years (muscle mass, height and all) when he returns from a few days trip.
It also felt like a childrens book until the gore and battles started half way through the book, which was just kind of unexpected. Oh, and the main character isn't terribly likeable, either.
Overall though, the story itself was interesting enough, and I intend to read the next book when it comes out and hope that this writer has improved, as there is potential there.
Recommended to anybody who
-Specifically is interested in the setting of this book
-Wants to read and support an authors first novel, and follow to see how they improve
Not recommended to anybody looking for a good read, as there are many many better choices out there. Perhaps if the next books improve or the story overall (when complete) is good, this may be worth reading then.
Good luck with the next one, Nick.
First off, this is the first book from the writer, and it shows. It's not terribly well written, with too many consecutive sentences starting with the main Characters name, to name one annoyance among a few. ["Bertly did this. Bertly then did this other thing"]
Secondly, it would have benefited from a proof read. There are many errors in this book, be it spelling or contextual. I remember, for example, near the start of the book, 2 dwarven twins and an elf were getting off a train, but they were referred to as 'the three elves' [Or something very close to that]
Thirdly, the first half of the book feels very rushed. The main character starts off as a child starting wizarding school and the whole school process practically finished by half way through the book, with the characters actually being fast-tracked through school to shorten the process even more.
And lastly, while the storytelling is actually pretty good (at least in the second half where it is better paced), it could be improved upon. There are many unconsidered questions that obviously went unanswered that a more experienced author might address, that kind of end up making the world feel a bit hollow. Things like how nobody seemed to notice a gryphon prowling the corridors of the school at night almost every night for a while, or when teachers do not react to Bertly's aging by a few years (muscle mass, height and all) when he returns from a few days trip.
It also felt like a childrens book until the gore and battles started half way through the book, which was just kind of unexpected. Oh, and the main character isn't terribly likeable, either.
Overall though, the story itself was interesting enough, and I intend to read the next book when it comes out and hope that this writer has improved, as there is potential there.
Recommended to anybody who
-Specifically is interested in the setting of this book
-Wants to read and support an authors first novel, and follow to see how they improve
Not recommended to anybody looking for a good read, as there are many many better choices out there. Perhaps if the next books improve or the story overall (when complete) is good, this may be worth reading then.
Good luck with the next one, Nick.
June 6, 2020
I found The Dubious Tale of the Winter Wizard when I was on reddit, trying to find a new book to read. The author (or at least someone claiming to be the other) messaged me about the book and suggested that I might enjoy it. So, I eagerly bought the book right away, thinking it was very cool to be contacted by an author.
Well, the fact is that I didn't enjoy the book very much, though I did finish it.
One of the main problems with the book is the main character, Bertly. He acts like a little prick, and he's not very likeable. Polly is a much more likeable character, but in truth, both of these characters seem rather flat. After Bertly becomes a master and gets his apprentice Roderick, things get even more annoying, as Roderick constantly asks questions and Bertly constantly explains things. It's like one of those anime where the main character is completely clueless for the sake of explaining to the audience all the neat intricacies of the world.
The beginning of the story was okay, but perhaps that's because that's the part of the book where you're trying to get into it. The middle was unsurprisingly the worst part of the book (which isn't unexpected since the middle is supposed to be the hardest to write). I honestly feel like I hardly remember the middle because it was just not that engaging. Bertly's trip to The Decomposite with Alestar was probably the most interesting thing that happened in the middle, other than Bear.
But ultimately, the end of the book was the most disappointing part of the whole experience. In the last few chapters, the story really starts to get interesting, and you are actually excited about reading on after suffering a lot of lack-luster storytelling. But then the story ends without any real conclusion or even fully explaining anything that it brought up-- almost as if to say, join us for the next book to find out all the things that this book should have focused on.
So, yeah. It wasn't an awful experience. I finished the book, though with some difficulty, and there were enjoyable parts of this story. Unfortunately, I can't say it was very good. I would have rather been reading just about anything else, to be honest. If Nick reads this, I hope you know I mean very well by what I've said here. I hope that you have continued to write and that your writing continues to grow, and I hope that my criticism here is instrumental in your growth. Best wishes.
Well, the fact is that I didn't enjoy the book very much, though I did finish it.
One of the main problems with the book is the main character, Bertly. He acts like a little prick, and he's not very likeable. Polly is a much more likeable character, but in truth, both of these characters seem rather flat. After Bertly becomes a master and gets his apprentice Roderick, things get even more annoying, as Roderick constantly asks questions and Bertly constantly explains things. It's like one of those anime where the main character is completely clueless for the sake of explaining to the audience all the neat intricacies of the world.
The beginning of the story was okay, but perhaps that's because that's the part of the book where you're trying to get into it. The middle was unsurprisingly the worst part of the book (which isn't unexpected since the middle is supposed to be the hardest to write). I honestly feel like I hardly remember the middle because it was just not that engaging. Bertly's trip to The Decomposite with Alestar was probably the most interesting thing that happened in the middle, other than Bear.
But ultimately, the end of the book was the most disappointing part of the whole experience. In the last few chapters, the story really starts to get interesting, and you are actually excited about reading on after suffering a lot of lack-luster storytelling. But then the story ends without any real conclusion or even fully explaining anything that it brought up-- almost as if to say, join us for the next book to find out all the things that this book should have focused on.
So, yeah. It wasn't an awful experience. I finished the book, though with some difficulty, and there were enjoyable parts of this story. Unfortunately, I can't say it was very good. I would have rather been reading just about anything else, to be honest. If Nick reads this, I hope you know I mean very well by what I've said here. I hope that you have continued to write and that your writing continues to grow, and I hope that my criticism here is instrumental in your growth. Best wishes.
February 17, 2020
The Dubious Tale of the Winter Wizard by Nick McNeil follows Bertly, the eponymous wizard, as he narrates his life story to his hapless apprentice, from attending a magical academy to potentially saving the world.
I thought overall this book was fine. Not great, not awful. There were several characters I enjoyed, especially the griffin Clia, and I liked the one-sided rivalry between Bertly and the only other human wizard, Polly. I thought the overall plot was fine, a little generic, but as the book takes a little bit of a comedic route, using these tropes in a deconstructive fashion is rather fun. I enjoyed elements of the world building as well. I also have to say the cover art is really excellent.
I struggled with understanding the exact genre of this book. I think the book is attempting to weave both comedy and epic fantasy together, but I don’t really feel like this ever comes together smoothly in the novel. It’s hard to really single out specific moments, but I really felt like I had whiplash when reading the book, where things would swing from light and comedic to grim. Maybe it’s all due to the first-person narration, where the plot is more in line with an epic fantasy, but the main character and his narration is absurd. Bertly himself is a rather reprehensible individual. Granted, he is 16 years old in the book when he is narrating it, so I can’t be too shocked at his self-absorption, self-aggrandizement and moments of stupidity. He is a hard character to really root for, and he himself unwittingly injects the comedy into the narration.
It makes me wonder why this book needs to be written as Bertly recounting the tale of his life up to a certain moment. In a sense this book is very akin to the Kingkiller Chronicles by Patrick Rothfuss. Both feature unreliable narrators who recount their life, a majority of which entail either attending a magical school or going on adventures. The reader understands in both of these works that the narrator is certainly shaping their life to be appealing and in the best possible light. This book acknowledges that in its very title, “The Dubious Tale”. I guess the only benefit the book reaps from its first-person retrospective narration I feel is the injection of comedy. Will a sequel to this book also be written in the same retrospective manner? At least for the Kingkiller Chronicles, the retrospective viewpoint helps give structure to the entire trilogy.
There are other things throughout the book I found inexplicable or irksome. For example, why is Bertly known as the Winter Wizard? When Bertly and company return to Stonebank, the populace greets him as the Winter Wizard, and while the characters have no idea who that is, Bertly just adopts it as his own title and runs with the nickname throughout the rest of the novel. I still don’t understand its significance, but it really feels out of nowhere and just shoehorned in. Another thing that irked me was Roderick and Bertly’s fight 3/4ths of the way through the novel, when Roderick confronted Bertly about his selfish actions in the past that nearly got the entire group of companions killed. Bertly’s response to Roderick, “Why are you just now blowing up about this?” (287) echoes my own thoughts, as a fight like this should have naturally occurred much earlier in the novel when this information was revealed to Roderick as he was writing Bertly’s story. This just felt like a moment that was shoed-in, and then hand waved away as a necessary part of the plot progression.
Overall, I give this book three out of five stars. While entertaining, I struggled with the book’s genre, and felt like its under commitment to either being a comedy or an epic fantasy undermined it. Certain plot points in the book felt forced, which were jarring for me to read. I hope that a sequel to this book finds its footing and focuses on character development, especially the narrator if it is also going to be a first-person retrospective tale.
I thought overall this book was fine. Not great, not awful. There were several characters I enjoyed, especially the griffin Clia, and I liked the one-sided rivalry between Bertly and the only other human wizard, Polly. I thought the overall plot was fine, a little generic, but as the book takes a little bit of a comedic route, using these tropes in a deconstructive fashion is rather fun. I enjoyed elements of the world building as well. I also have to say the cover art is really excellent.
I struggled with understanding the exact genre of this book. I think the book is attempting to weave both comedy and epic fantasy together, but I don’t really feel like this ever comes together smoothly in the novel. It’s hard to really single out specific moments, but I really felt like I had whiplash when reading the book, where things would swing from light and comedic to grim. Maybe it’s all due to the first-person narration, where the plot is more in line with an epic fantasy, but the main character and his narration is absurd. Bertly himself is a rather reprehensible individual. Granted, he is 16 years old in the book when he is narrating it, so I can’t be too shocked at his self-absorption, self-aggrandizement and moments of stupidity. He is a hard character to really root for, and he himself unwittingly injects the comedy into the narration.
It makes me wonder why this book needs to be written as Bertly recounting the tale of his life up to a certain moment. In a sense this book is very akin to the Kingkiller Chronicles by Patrick Rothfuss. Both feature unreliable narrators who recount their life, a majority of which entail either attending a magical school or going on adventures. The reader understands in both of these works that the narrator is certainly shaping their life to be appealing and in the best possible light. This book acknowledges that in its very title, “The Dubious Tale”. I guess the only benefit the book reaps from its first-person retrospective narration I feel is the injection of comedy. Will a sequel to this book also be written in the same retrospective manner? At least for the Kingkiller Chronicles, the retrospective viewpoint helps give structure to the entire trilogy.
There are other things throughout the book I found inexplicable or irksome. For example, why is Bertly known as the Winter Wizard? When Bertly and company return to Stonebank, the populace greets him as the Winter Wizard, and while the characters have no idea who that is, Bertly just adopts it as his own title and runs with the nickname throughout the rest of the novel. I still don’t understand its significance, but it really feels out of nowhere and just shoehorned in. Another thing that irked me was Roderick and Bertly’s fight 3/4ths of the way through the novel, when Roderick confronted Bertly about his selfish actions in the past that nearly got the entire group of companions killed. Bertly’s response to Roderick, “Why are you just now blowing up about this?” (287) echoes my own thoughts, as a fight like this should have naturally occurred much earlier in the novel when this information was revealed to Roderick as he was writing Bertly’s story. This just felt like a moment that was shoed-in, and then hand waved away as a necessary part of the plot progression.
Overall, I give this book three out of five stars. While entertaining, I struggled with the book’s genre, and felt like its under commitment to either being a comedy or an epic fantasy undermined it. Certain plot points in the book felt forced, which were jarring for me to read. I hope that a sequel to this book finds its footing and focuses on character development, especially the narrator if it is also going to be a first-person retrospective tale.
July 23, 2019
Overall I really enjoyed this book, it was just a fun Fantasy Read. I didn't get the same Harry Potter vibes that a lot of people have commented. There were a couple points where the pacing or character advancements seemed forced or abrupt, starting to go by the Winter Wizard for example seemed to come out of nowhere.
Primarily I loved the relationships between characters, especially in the jumps forward as they are writing the book, and I could relate to the main character somewhat as I always felt like I missed that one important piece of info like he did in the beginning.
I am looking forward to the next installment. This book did seem to end somewhat abruptly, to the point that I could have used a little more explaining, so I am definitely looking forward to what happens next with the characters.
Primarily I loved the relationships between characters, especially in the jumps forward as they are writing the book, and I could relate to the main character somewhat as I always felt like I missed that one important piece of info like he did in the beginning.
I am looking forward to the next installment. This book did seem to end somewhat abruptly, to the point that I could have used a little more explaining, so I am definitely looking forward to what happens next with the characters.
July 8, 2019
Entertaining and Different
I almost put this down due to the combination of first and third person writing, but it works for this story. He weaves humor and drama into a good tale. At times you think the main character might just be a self absorbed jerk fantasizing about being a hero, but he ends up becoming a real one.
I almost put this down due to the combination of first and third person writing, but it works for this story. He weaves humor and drama into a good tale. At times you think the main character might just be a self absorbed jerk fantasizing about being a hero, but he ends up becoming a real one.
January 2, 2020
Obviously someone's first novel attempt, and just... very generic fantasy that tries to be something more and flops.
The title & initial pitch was interesting, but by the end of the story, there's a cliffhanger & it just feels... Mary Sue-ish.
There's tone problems between dark/serious "Oh no, my father-figure just died!" followed by "laughs"
The title & initial pitch was interesting, but by the end of the story, there's a cliffhanger & it just feels... Mary Sue-ish.
There's tone problems between dark/serious "Oh no, my father-figure just died!" followed by "laughs"
April 14, 2019
This looked a little Harry Potter-ish (not a big fan) and I wasn't sure how I fit (age 79) it's targeted audience. I thought "well I'll give it a chapter or two." Then a few more.
I read the whole book and enjoyed it very much. I'm casting the movie as we "speak."
I read the whole book and enjoyed it very much. I'm casting the movie as we "speak."
November 9, 2019
Bit of a weird mix between humor and seriousness, with moments of brilliance that you'd need to be alert enough to spot. The pacing was good. I would've liked the story to have finished with this book itself, but perhaps there's plenty of things to warrant another book (or more).
December 14, 2019
Fun tale
Enjoyable story with some great characters, look forward to more from this author. Has lots of magic, spells and creatures with an interesting way of telling a tale of the beginning of a saga.
Enjoyable story with some great characters, look forward to more from this author. Has lots of magic, spells and creatures with an interesting way of telling a tale of the beginning of a saga.
July 7, 2019
Fun read, like the characters and the world set up. Looking forward to the next instalment.
July 23, 2019
kind of like a poor man's wise man's fear. it feels undercooked
August 28, 2019
Enjoyable Read
A lot more violence than I expected. Really enjoyable surprise for me. Well written, with good character development. Action scenes were good.
A lot more violence than I expected. Really enjoyable surprise for me. Well written, with good character development. Action scenes were good.
September 20, 2019
Great read!
I was really surprised at the amount of action. Not knowing what to expect, I was delighted with the story.
I was really surprised at the amount of action. Not knowing what to expect, I was delighted with the story.
October 14, 2019
Not bad...
It's a pretty average book, but it was still entertaining. It has small Harry Potter elements with slightly quirky magic and world building.
It's a pretty average book, but it was still entertaining. It has small Harry Potter elements with slightly quirky magic and world building.
December 19, 2019
Did not finish, found the character boring and tedious, didn't like the writing style.
March 9, 2020
Ends with a whimper
Good pace but the plot things out in the final chapters. Characters do the opposite - start thin but fatten up later.
Good pace but the plot things out in the final chapters. Characters do the opposite - start thin but fatten up later.
March 27, 2021
Simply didn't grip me in the way I'd hope it would. I would've given it longer than chapter 5 but I feel like I've got more promising things on-deck to read.
July 26, 2019
Good story albeit with some highly unnecessary gore. The writing can be well done, but it feels jaggedy and unpolished. The storyline doesn't flow.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews