The Dao of Magic #4

The Dao of Magic #4

by Andries Louws

A devastated school. A collapsing planet. All eyes on Drew.

After teleporting his students all over the world in a rather dramatic attempt to stave off the inevitable apocalypse, Teach is busy. Instead of sipping and relaxing, he now has to slaughter the most powerful of beasts while running around and saving civilization as a whole. Re-Haan, his dragon mistress, isn’t helping either. She just waves him goodbye as he is swallowed by a massive sandworm.

When he finds an object that should be impossible, a hyper dense projectile just like one that nearly bisected and killed him while he was breaking through, Drew sets out; determined to get to the root of this mystery.

This fresh start isn’t working out the way he hoped, and all the death threats his students are sending him aren’t helping. Teach might just have to face his past for real in order to survive this one.

Genres: Fantasy, Magic, Audiobook

299 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 30, 2019

About the author

Andries Louws is an avid reader of fantasy, science fiction and pretty much everything interesting since a young age. He is still thankful to the nice ladies at the local library that let him check out all those violent action thrillers, epic fantasy books and encyclopaedias without enforcing age requirements. He also studied multimedia design and computer science while devouring as many novels, audiobooks, and video games as he could get his hands on. He then started writing his own stories after reading one too many badly translated Chinese novels and hasn't stopped since.

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Reviews

[H Rez · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, I probably would have given it a better rating but it just feels like it was shorter than it should be and there wasn't much of a plot progression.
It seem mostly like we're just catching up to everyone getting to know a bit of where they ended up and then the book ended.

[Michael Haedt · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series continues to be one of the worst written series I have ever come to enjoy. I am no grammar Nazi and I still cringe at the inelegant prose and frankly horrible writing at times.

This series continues to be fun and entertaining in spite of itself. The author is clearly getting better as a writer as the story progresses. Book four impressed me with the depth it is trying to go in universe building and making interesting characters and still managing to keep it consistent and compelling.

I am off to find something of quality to scour my brain and literary sensibilities clean (ish) in the mean time but I will be back for book five the day it drops.

[Akshay · Rating 3 out of 5]

Title: The Dao of Magic #4 (The Dao of Magic #4) by Andries Louws

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ (3/5)

Review:

Andries Louws continues to weave a captivating tale in The Dao of Magic #4, the latest installment in this enchanting series. As the journey of our protagonist unfolds, Louws delves deeper into the realms of magic, cultivation, and the intricacies of the Dao, offering readers a satisfying continuation of the mystical odyssey.

Expansive World-building:

One of the strengths of The Dao of Magic series is Louws' ability to create a rich and expansive world filled with magical wonders. In the fourth installment, the author expands upon the already intricate universe, introducing new realms, mystical creatures, and arcane powers. The world-building is vivid and immersive, providing readers with a sense of awe and discovery as they navigate the ever-expanding magical tapestry.

Cultivation and Magical Systems:

Louws continues to explore the intricacies of cultivation and magical systems, adding layers of depth to the narrative. The cultivation journey of the protagonist is both a source of empowerment and a catalyst for personal growth. The author's meticulous attention to the rules and mechanics of magic enhances the coherence of the mystical elements, creating a sense of believability within the fantastical setting.

Character Development:

The characters in The Dao of Magic #4 undergo significant development, facing challenges that test their resolve and unveiling new facets of their personalities. The protagonist's evolution as a cultivator and their interactions with other characters contribute to the emotional resonance of the story. Louws skillfully weaves personal struggles, relationships, and the pursuit of power into a cohesive narrative that keeps readers invested in the fates of the characters.

Plot Progression:

The plot of the fourth installment maintains a steady pace, balancing moments of introspection with action-packed sequences. Louws introduces new plot threads and challenges that propel the story forward, keeping readers engaged with the unfolding events. The novel successfully builds upon the foundations laid in previous books, offering both resolution to ongoing arcs and setting the stage for future developments.

Prose and Descriptive Flourish:

Louws' prose is straightforward and accessible, allowing readers to easily immerse themselves in the magical world. The descriptive flourish used to depict magical landscapes, mystical encounters, and intense battles adds a layer of visual richness to the narrative. The author's ability to convey the wonder and danger of magical realms enhances the reader's sense of being transported to a fantastical universe.

Conclusion:

The Dao of Magic #4 by Andries Louws is a worthy addition to the series, offering fans of cultivation fantasy a satisfying continuation of the protagonist's journey. With its expansive world-building, detailed magical systems, and well-crafted characters, the novel maintains the allure of the mystical while advancing the overarching narrative. Readers invested in the Dao of Magic series will find this installment to be a rewarding and immersive continuation of the saga.

[Douglas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Note 1: I listened to an audio book that is not currently listed on Goodreads.com so I placing my review here.

Note 2: I am giving the same review for books 3-5 but book 4 is getting one less star because it was particularly weak on story resolution.

So I've blown through books 3-5 so fast I can't remember where one ends and the next began. Therefore I am going to give them all the same generic review.

The author does a pretty good job of focusing on the journey of the MC. As a result, it isn't disappointing when a book ends and the MC hasn't reached his over all goal of ascending to a higher cultivation realm. The author really tests this, though, not even really attempting to resolve story lines as the MC progresses. Plus, the author is overly detailed, something that I am fine with but limits my ability to recommend these books to others. Even so, it is readily apparent that these books would be twice as good if they contained fewer background details and more story progress.

Part of the problem is the author keeps adding characters, none of whom ever die or otherwise leave the story. I can barely keep track of the story lines following the MC and his seven original students, I don't even try to keep track of the rest of the cast.

The length of this story also has the downside of removing any sense of danger for the characters. The author pretty much establishes by the end of book 3 that no harm is going to come to any of his favorite characters. Between that and the over explanation of everything the big fight in book 5 was completely predictable.

Bottom line: Worth the read for me since I like cultivation books and the author focuses on the MC's journey rather than the MC's destination, but it is a questionable recommendation to others due to a lack of risk to characters and a way to detailed story.

[Isaac Norsham · Rating 3 out of 5]

The writing style changed. Before it a proper novel now it looks more like a webnovel/light novel.

No clear plot progression, few chapters that formed to mini arks in the plot.

I just wish the author will continue writing with an ending in mind for later books. Most webnovel authors just churning out many chapters as possible with many plot holes and either just stop without an ending or a rushed ending.


Regarding the decision to separate all the characters is a mix felling for me, I hate and also love the idea. I hate it because it shows that the author don't know how to make a story with multiple characters and missing the interaction and relationship develop between characters. What we get are just solo adventure for each characters. With that, I also love it that each other side character have their own arks to develops and grows. Most novels with many side characters tend to be one dimension.

[Kevin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I hope I don't regret reading this book. How the last one ended has me weary of touching this.

What I feared from the ending of the last book did not fully manifest in this one. that is all the students opening their own school of cultivation. I didn't enjoy this as I did the previous ones however.

There were too many point of views, and it seemed the author threw in more pop culture references with Drew than normal. The normal craziness just felt less with all these perspectives.
I also disliked the last couple chapters in this book, as I don't think those two are interesting enough to have so much time dedicated to show what they were up to.

I'm not hyped at all for the next book. We will see if I read it.

3/5 Stars

[Scott Pike · Rating 5 out of 5]

Consequences come home good book

This was a pretty good but we see a lot of things that were foreshadowed in previous books of the series come to a head and cause bigger problems for everybody and we also see a lot of her characters make what they think seem like okay choices only to learn they were complete morons. Continues the tradition of out of the traditional box cultivation stories in a magical world worst buying starts with the first book in the series.

[Paul Calhoun · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's getting better. I think that scattering the school was a bit of writer's convenience so the MC could focus on getting down to the actual plot, though he then gets massively sidetracked again, so not as much happens as could happen. It seems like the MC is all for freedom except he's intentionally inconveniencing his students so they learn something.

[Timothy M. Becker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great continuation

I love how the author decided to separate all the characters and show how they acted in unfamiliar situations. Drew continues to surprise me with how he stumbles throughout everything but still helps everyone else. Great story and cant wait for the next one.

[Colby McKinzie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great new addition

This latest book in the series starts off very oddly and is hard to understand at first, but it gets much better and then had me rolling around laughing my ass off at the end. Highly recommend

[Andy Grzywacz · Rating 5 out of 5]

So good, ended so abruptly

This series has been just fantastic from the start. The dialogue is witty, the characters a fantastically bizarre, i love this series. Cant wait for more!

[Sunmade Ejiwunmi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nice

I don't know how this series keeps getting crazier but it does. The MC and his associates are getting stronger but they are up against a mind bending soul warping entity. Amazing

[Lukas Lovas · Rating 5 out of 5]

A few very frustrating scenes...but all in all, a good continuation of the series :)

[Julie Winter · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Best New Series Of The Year!!

I highly recommend this book and the entire series to all fantasy and sci-fy - LitRPG/Cultivation fans. Start with book one.

This is a cultivation LitRPG. It is not a serous cultivation book. I found it light hearted and fun-fun-fun!

This series has been the best books I have read for the last two years. I have 600 Audibles and over double that kindle books. I read a bit. I review when a book has touched me- good or bad. Feel free to check my other reviews, if they help you decide please click the "Like" button. Thanks!

Yes, I love this book! Just as good as the written word is the Narration. I must say this is the best fit of the written word into audio...of the narrator 'becoming' the protagonist that I have ever known. I have purchased each book but then waited till Audible had them to read and listen because the narration is JUST THAT GOOD. I will be looking into other works by Pavi Proczko.

This series is not just Action-Adventure, Comedy, LitRPG, Fantasy or Science Fiction it is significantly all those genres!! Yes, after careful thought I absolutely put this into science fiction genre too. The writer puts almost more science into it than I could understand; and I finished college. There were some concepts that went over my head, but at the same time I did not feel I was missing out too much. It is like Easter eggs the author has installed all throughout the books. (this just added to the fun) He spends a great amount of time describing events in detail instead of just saying, "Sally had yellow hair." He may say, " Sally's hair resembled a wheat field just before harvest." IF you had ever seen a wheat field in August you could picture the color of her hair. If you hadn't you still get an idea of what was said and do not feel you missed too much. So for all the people out there that have more on the ball intellectually, you will get more out of the books but those that don't, like me, lol, may not but we get the general idea and still we very much enjoy the story. I suspect I missed a lot of humor due to ignorance but I certainly got enough to make it worth my while to already be planning another read/listen starting from the first book. This also makes it fun to check with other people to see if they understood a certain Easter Egg as you did! Fun, all through the series.

If you are thinking about this book---Oh! you are so lucky to have a great series in your future. I paid full price for my books and audios and do not know the author or narrator in any way. However, I now support them in any way I can that might get more Dao of Magic out in the world.

The plot is not tightly written. The protagonist does a lot of...hmmm.. wandering around. But he provides enough entertainment that I was not ever bored!! Each book moved the plot along, some more than others, but every single one is now a treasure to me. I plan to purchase the hard copy for my book shelf and I have not even done that with my all time favorite series, about Harry Dresden written by Butcher.

Again, treat yourself to the narrated version if you can. It is the Book Of The Year for me!