The Magic Collector

Magic of Havenwood #1

by Clayton Taylor Wood

Bella was sixteen when she discovered the truth: for the last decade, she’d been lost in a book.

The neighborhood she’d lived in had been a fiction, as had her neighbors, her school, and her friends. All characters and places in a magical book that she and her grandfather had lost themselves in, to escape a man called the Collector. The same man who murdered her mother...and will stop at nothing to kill her and her grandpa.

Bella soon learns that in the real world, art is truly magical...and that she must learn to paint if she ever wants to stand a chance at stopping the Collector. For anything Bella paints can be brought to life, and the more creative she is, the more powerful she will become.

Now Bella must fight back against the Collector, using the power of the magical arts to defeat him. If she fails, she and everyone she cares about will die...and the fate of art itself will hang in the balance!

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult

494 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 8, 2019

About the author

Clayton Wood is the author of six fantasy series. He's been a computer programmer, graphics designer, martial-arts instructor, and now works in the medical field.

Writing was always Clayton's passion, but it wasn't until the birth of his first son that he found the inspiration necessary to finish his first book. Five years later, he published Runic Awakening, the first entry in the Runic Series. With eleven books published, he doesn't plan on stopping anytime soon!

For updates, check his blog or his website.

To contact Clayton, email author@runicseries.com.

Reviews

[Casie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it

It was an interesting plot and kept me intrigued the entire time. I can’t wait to see where this story goes

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve not read such a mastery of fantasy possibly ever. Vivid imagery, poignant palaces and places, and just pure, mind-engaging fantasy.

[Lita · Rating 3 out of 5]

For me this was a unique concept. A world filled with artists - actors, painters, writers, and sculptors whose creations come to life and create creatures and even entire worlds. A man who is approximately 1,000 years old is greatest writer who ever lived, creating Havenwood, Dragonkin, and more with his words. A painter who lost his son in a drowning accident and magically recreates him by painting him and drawing him out of the painting. A demented individual named the Collector who collects artists by offering them a place to create without fear or prohibitions, but who ultimately wants to destroy.

I liked this story but found it overly long and with more detailed descriptions than I felt were necessary. I loved the concept and the characters but found the story lagging in places. It took me a lot longer to read this than it would other books of comparable length because I had to take a break from it so often. However, I would recommend it to avid readers who like this genre. I give kudos to the author for creating such a unique story premise.

[Michelle · Rating 1 out of 5]

The idea behind the book is different than most so I applaud that. However, it's a terrible book. It was a struggle to get through each chapter. I only finished it because once I start I have to finish, but I wish I wouldn't have wasted the time. I will definitely not be reading any other book in this series. Proceed with caution.

[Jessi Wheeler · Rating 4 out of 5]

tough to get into but well worth it

This book was, admittedly, difficult to really sick my teeth into…until about 45% of the way through, when I couldn’t put it down! By the end of the book I was begging for more. Clayton is such a curiously interesting writer that I enjoy reading. I just wish he didn’t take so long to really get interesting!

[H.M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good

I loved this book up until the end. The fight scene was chaotic and confusing and frustrating. I have a theory that the necklace that the main character has will bring back her mom, so we will see.

[Rachel Crowe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great story, thoroughly absorbing

I love the many and varied ideas and stories that Clayton Woods weaves. The characters are very well developed and the story keeps on giving, great read for those who like novel ideas and lands of fantasy and magic.

[Bud · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was sort of like a cross between L. Frank Baum's Wizard of Oz, and Pier Anthony's Xanth series, and yet had a whole new outlook on Fantasy. I enjoyed it in that way.

[Kelly-Marie Pollock · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed losing myself in the pages of this book, tbough at times the pave slowed to a near stand still and I struggled to keep going.

Stunning world building and likeable characters