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Magical After
On the surface this book is about a man, David Gosling, who enters a virtual world in search of his wife, who he believes might still be alive within the game. However, David discovers, deep within, schemes are playing out for the take over of the real world as a creature from the shadows reveals his dark intentions for real world domination.
- GenresFantasy
314 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 1, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
August 21, 2021
I received a review copy of this book from the author through Booktasters, for which my thanks.
Magical After is the first part of the first of four books set in the fantasy worlds of Atsia Major and Atsia minor. This is a world of adventure and magic but also a virtual reality world, where our characters are part of what is one could describe as a multiplayer rpg game—but of course things are not quite as simple as that.
Starting off, we meet David Gosling who is a single dad to three kids, Peter, Jimmy and London, ever since his wife Hellen died a year earlier (we only learn later how). David has not been faring particularly well, though his sister-in-law Jammie and her husband Mark have moved closer to help. Now David has learnt that he is suffering a brain tumour and must undergo surgery, which means the kids will have to stay with their aunt and uncle while he recuperates or in case the worst happens.
His wife Hellen’s company has offered to meet all expenses of his treatment but when David goes to meet with them, he learns something surprising. Hellen had been involved with developing a virtual reality world (here I was a little confused as I got the impression she was a lawyer) where anyone could be written in—in fact she herself may be somewhere in this world. The owner of the company, Carl Mathews III, offers to send David into this world, where he will be able to spend time with his children while undergoing treatment and convalescing in the real one. David is excited by the idea, more so by the fact that he might find Hellen in there once more and accepts. But soon we find that Carl III has other motives, and David and Hellen are on his list of targets.
In the story we essentially follow three threads in the fantasy/game world. We of course have David who finds himself led by Hellen (who is there but does not reveal herself to him) in one part of this world where he begins his explorations, gets certain quests, and makes his way to Opal city where he soon begins to establish himself using his real world skills. Alongside we have two former soldiers, a Gurkha Tommy Cruise (I think the name could have been better), and another hardened vet, John Taney, sent in by Carl III, to do away with David and Hellen. Tommy and John are also introduced to this world where each of them faces their own set of quests and challenges and each must also face demons and shadows from their past; but amidst all this is also the mission they were sent out to accomplish. Meanwhile Hellen is also communicating from the game with a programmer/developer in the real world Lawrence, and trying to thwart Carl III’s plans.
This was a very different book to anything I’ve read before, for even in science-fiction/fantasy reads, I haven’t read anything set inside a rpg game before (or something like one—because this was the only thing I could compare it with but here players seem to play as themselves not as predefined characters). The author has created an elaborate fantasy world with different cities, natural features, challenges and quests, and of course plenty of dangers. In this first part, we begin to become familiar with some parts of Atsia Major—Opal City, Bay City, and the City of the Dead—there are maps to help one get one’s head around the layout. And we have only barely started to explore. This is certainly a very imaginative book, and the author’s creativity stands out in this.
I enjoyed following the adventures of the three characters—David, John, and Tommy—each lands in a separate part of Atsia and ends up with different quests and also benefits (level, xp, health points, and soul points and such—this is explained as well). As in a game quests and explanatory messages keep appearing to each. I found each of the threads interesting so going back and forth between was good fun. There is both the anticipation of what adventure will befall them next and how their quest will proceed as well as of how and when they will run into each other (and what will follow).
Other characters in the game include those that are part of the game world as also other players, and I loved that the author used names which gamers usually would—Ramenboy and WhoDadi50, etc. One can also guess at who is part of the game world and who is from the real world based on these.
The writing at the start conveyed David’s whirl of thoughts and confused state of mind really well. The dialogue however, I felt could be strengthened in places, and some of the character names too, could be better. But the latter at least is just a matter of opinion. Otherwise this was an easy to read and enjoyable book (the parts where they discuss aspects of creating the game, coding and such were of course lost on me).
I am looking forward to reading the next part of the book soon (I have this) and seeing where the characters’ adventures lead them to next and how they fare in the quests they have undertaken.
3.9 rounded off to 4
Magical After is the first part of the first of four books set in the fantasy worlds of Atsia Major and Atsia minor. This is a world of adventure and magic but also a virtual reality world, where our characters are part of what is one could describe as a multiplayer rpg game—but of course things are not quite as simple as that.
Starting off, we meet David Gosling who is a single dad to three kids, Peter, Jimmy and London, ever since his wife Hellen died a year earlier (we only learn later how). David has not been faring particularly well, though his sister-in-law Jammie and her husband Mark have moved closer to help. Now David has learnt that he is suffering a brain tumour and must undergo surgery, which means the kids will have to stay with their aunt and uncle while he recuperates or in case the worst happens.
His wife Hellen’s company has offered to meet all expenses of his treatment but when David goes to meet with them, he learns something surprising. Hellen had been involved with developing a virtual reality world (here I was a little confused as I got the impression she was a lawyer) where anyone could be written in—in fact she herself may be somewhere in this world. The owner of the company, Carl Mathews III, offers to send David into this world, where he will be able to spend time with his children while undergoing treatment and convalescing in the real one. David is excited by the idea, more so by the fact that he might find Hellen in there once more and accepts. But soon we find that Carl III has other motives, and David and Hellen are on his list of targets.
In the story we essentially follow three threads in the fantasy/game world. We of course have David who finds himself led by Hellen (who is there but does not reveal herself to him) in one part of this world where he begins his explorations, gets certain quests, and makes his way to Opal city where he soon begins to establish himself using his real world skills. Alongside we have two former soldiers, a Gurkha Tommy Cruise (I think the name could have been better), and another hardened vet, John Taney, sent in by Carl III, to do away with David and Hellen. Tommy and John are also introduced to this world where each of them faces their own set of quests and challenges and each must also face demons and shadows from their past; but amidst all this is also the mission they were sent out to accomplish. Meanwhile Hellen is also communicating from the game with a programmer/developer in the real world Lawrence, and trying to thwart Carl III’s plans.
This was a very different book to anything I’ve read before, for even in science-fiction/fantasy reads, I haven’t read anything set inside a rpg game before (or something like one—because this was the only thing I could compare it with but here players seem to play as themselves not as predefined characters). The author has created an elaborate fantasy world with different cities, natural features, challenges and quests, and of course plenty of dangers. In this first part, we begin to become familiar with some parts of Atsia Major—Opal City, Bay City, and the City of the Dead—there are maps to help one get one’s head around the layout. And we have only barely started to explore. This is certainly a very imaginative book, and the author’s creativity stands out in this.
I enjoyed following the adventures of the three characters—David, John, and Tommy—each lands in a separate part of Atsia and ends up with different quests and also benefits (level, xp, health points, and soul points and such—this is explained as well). As in a game quests and explanatory messages keep appearing to each. I found each of the threads interesting so going back and forth between was good fun. There is both the anticipation of what adventure will befall them next and how their quest will proceed as well as of how and when they will run into each other (and what will follow).
Other characters in the game include those that are part of the game world as also other players, and I loved that the author used names which gamers usually would—Ramenboy and WhoDadi50, etc. One can also guess at who is part of the game world and who is from the real world based on these.
The writing at the start conveyed David’s whirl of thoughts and confused state of mind really well. The dialogue however, I felt could be strengthened in places, and some of the character names too, could be better. But the latter at least is just a matter of opinion. Otherwise this was an easy to read and enjoyable book (the parts where they discuss aspects of creating the game, coding and such were of course lost on me).
I am looking forward to reading the next part of the book soon (I have this) and seeing where the characters’ adventures lead them to next and how they fare in the quests they have undertaken.
3.9 rounded off to 4
July 28, 2022
Magical After was a very unique read that made me feel like I was playing a video game more than reading a book.
Although it started a bit slow, I really enjoyed Magical After. The author did a great job of describing the virtual world David entered in such a way that it felt real to me and it had me wanting to play it too. I’ve never read anything like this before and it was a lot of fun!
I did have a few issues with the formatting but overall this book was really interesting and I plan to read the next book in the series!
*I was given a free copy of this book through Booktasters and this is my honest, voluntary review.*
Although it started a bit slow, I really enjoyed Magical After. The author did a great job of describing the virtual world David entered in such a way that it felt real to me and it had me wanting to play it too. I’ve never read anything like this before and it was a lot of fun!
I did have a few issues with the formatting but overall this book was really interesting and I plan to read the next book in the series!
*I was given a free copy of this book through Booktasters and this is my honest, voluntary review.*
December 25, 2020
Surprisingly very good
I went into this book basically blind and it is worth the read. Without spoiling much there are multiple storylines and alot of depth to the characters and world. Its a bit slow progression but I see alot of potential and I will definitely be picking up the next book
I went into this book basically blind and it is worth the read. Without spoiling much there are multiple storylines and alot of depth to the characters and world. Its a bit slow progression but I see alot of potential and I will definitely be picking up the next book
September 14, 2021
Magical After by David Gunter is a sci-fi adventure fantasy. it is like playing an elaborate video game where the scenario and events keep changing and makes you keep guessing aas to what will be encountered next. A one of its kind fantasy and virtual reality story that will keep the readers entertained especially the video game enthusiasts.
The story starts with David whose wife died some time back and he himself is sick and is given a chance to meet his wife's conscience in a VR game while he recuperates from a risky operation. This part of the long story. Many characters and events and parallel stories give diversity and take the story forward. The only drawback of the book is too many characters and mane events confuse and sometimes takes a 2nd reading to understanding after going back a few pages. But still a thrill ride
Thanks @BookTasters for this book
The story starts with David whose wife died some time back and he himself is sick and is given a chance to meet his wife's conscience in a VR game while he recuperates from a risky operation. This part of the long story. Many characters and events and parallel stories give diversity and take the story forward. The only drawback of the book is too many characters and mane events confuse and sometimes takes a 2nd reading to understanding after going back a few pages. But still a thrill ride
Thanks @BookTasters for this book
September 24, 2021
I received a free copy of this e-book in exchange for an honest review.
Magical After is Book 1, Part 1 of the Dark World. We open with David Gosling and learn a little bit about his life and the inciting incident that places him inside the virtual world of Atsia Major. I liked that the author kept a balance of establishing David's day-to-day life whilst keeping the plot moving forward.
The problem that kept pulling me out of the narrative was a consistent repetition of words and descriptions. To give a made-up example, readers will generally understand that if you state that a character walked to the entrance of a cave and looked outside, they are looking outside the cave. Any descriptions that flow from there will be seen as such. The beginning of this book would read more like:
"David walked to the entrance of the cave and looked at the wildflowers outside the entrance of the cave. David surveyed the land and made a note that nothing seemed to be lurking outside the entrance of the cave."
Constantly repeating that someone is looking out the entrance of a cave gets redundant and can feel like too much hand-holding for the reader. At the start of the book descriptions that read this way were near-constant and it made it a struggle to remain immersed in the narrative. There were also plenty of grammar and spelling errors that could be polished.
The world-building was fun and pulled from RPG's in a fun and immersive way. As the story goes on the author finds his step and the humor in the story makes it fun to read. I felt that the character work and world-building were the strengths of this novel but would have liked to see more editing and polishing of the prose.
Magical After is Book 1, Part 1 of the Dark World. We open with David Gosling and learn a little bit about his life and the inciting incident that places him inside the virtual world of Atsia Major. I liked that the author kept a balance of establishing David's day-to-day life whilst keeping the plot moving forward.
The problem that kept pulling me out of the narrative was a consistent repetition of words and descriptions. To give a made-up example, readers will generally understand that if you state that a character walked to the entrance of a cave and looked outside, they are looking outside the cave. Any descriptions that flow from there will be seen as such. The beginning of this book would read more like:
"David walked to the entrance of the cave and looked at the wildflowers outside the entrance of the cave. David surveyed the land and made a note that nothing seemed to be lurking outside the entrance of the cave."
Constantly repeating that someone is looking out the entrance of a cave gets redundant and can feel like too much hand-holding for the reader. At the start of the book descriptions that read this way were near-constant and it made it a struggle to remain immersed in the narrative. There were also plenty of grammar and spelling errors that could be polished.
The world-building was fun and pulled from RPG's in a fun and immersive way. As the story goes on the author finds his step and the humor in the story makes it fun to read. I felt that the character work and world-building were the strengths of this novel but would have liked to see more editing and polishing of the prose.
December 13, 2021
If you are into science, virtual reality gaming and computer stories, this is for you.
September 29, 2021
I received this gift from the author David Gunter in exchange for a review. I am so happy that Booktasters made this happen!
Genre:
Fantasy, sci-fi, action
Plot:
David Gosling, a single father to three kids, struggles with coping post his wife’s death. Right then, he receives a news that threatens to change his world once and for all. Soon enough, a call he made to his wife’s company lawyers regarding his situation leads to completely new path. A path which promised many beautiful things. An entry into the virtual world created by his wife. Impressed David takes up the offer.
Is the offer exactly as claimed? As unaware David embarks on a personal quest into the virtual world, he soon must survive in a completely new world, battle not only the demons, assassins but also the nefarious plans of the people outside the virtual world.
Will he be able to return before it is too late? Will he succeed in his personal quest?
Review:
I was totally surprised with this book. I must admit the author is indeed an amazing storyteller. The author has announced that the entire story will be released as a series of parts. The four-book series, in which each book is split into two parts – this book is Part 1 of Dark World Book 1. Halfway through I understood and appreciate the author for planning the series this way.
From the beginning he manages to keep us hooked to the storyline. The fears, the puzzling thoughts, confusion – all the emotions feel believable. As a passionate gaming enthusiast, especially RPGs I found this book quite a refreshing read. Certain terms reminded me of the games that I play regularly and could connect to it easily. It also made me appreciate how difficult it is to present the story yet portray the game as it is played. Though the technology behind the virtual world sounds slightly complicated, it’s easy to get past that and focus on the story.
The pace of the story is maintained throughout the book. Apart from David, we get to see two other characters making progress simultaneously. There are right number of characters, each introduced as the story progresses. The author made it easy to keep up with all the characters.
This book is right blend of science and fantasy. Neither overpowers the other. Be it the character development, quests within the game or the mystery behind the whole world, the book is quite interesting!
I recommend this book wholeheartedly!
I will be back with Part 2 of this enchanting book! I can’t wait to see how this whole series progresses!
Genre:
Fantasy, sci-fi, action
Plot:
David Gosling, a single father to three kids, struggles with coping post his wife’s death. Right then, he receives a news that threatens to change his world once and for all. Soon enough, a call he made to his wife’s company lawyers regarding his situation leads to completely new path. A path which promised many beautiful things. An entry into the virtual world created by his wife. Impressed David takes up the offer.
Is the offer exactly as claimed? As unaware David embarks on a personal quest into the virtual world, he soon must survive in a completely new world, battle not only the demons, assassins but also the nefarious plans of the people outside the virtual world.
Will he be able to return before it is too late? Will he succeed in his personal quest?
Review:
I was totally surprised with this book. I must admit the author is indeed an amazing storyteller. The author has announced that the entire story will be released as a series of parts. The four-book series, in which each book is split into two parts – this book is Part 1 of Dark World Book 1. Halfway through I understood and appreciate the author for planning the series this way.
From the beginning he manages to keep us hooked to the storyline. The fears, the puzzling thoughts, confusion – all the emotions feel believable. As a passionate gaming enthusiast, especially RPGs I found this book quite a refreshing read. Certain terms reminded me of the games that I play regularly and could connect to it easily. It also made me appreciate how difficult it is to present the story yet portray the game as it is played. Though the technology behind the virtual world sounds slightly complicated, it’s easy to get past that and focus on the story.
The pace of the story is maintained throughout the book. Apart from David, we get to see two other characters making progress simultaneously. There are right number of characters, each introduced as the story progresses. The author made it easy to keep up with all the characters.
This book is right blend of science and fantasy. Neither overpowers the other. Be it the character development, quests within the game or the mystery behind the whole world, the book is quite interesting!
I recommend this book wholeheartedly!
I will be back with Part 2 of this enchanting book! I can’t wait to see how this whole series progresses!
December 9, 2020
Entertaining, imaginative fantasy
This was a fun read with an engaging premise, plot and structure. The virtual reality world makes for some interesting interaction between characters and the game interface.
While I enjoyed the book, there were many typographical and spelling errors that needed a final editing pass to catch. These issues weren’t bad enough to block my engagement with the story, but there were enough of them to draw my attention.
This was a fun read with an engaging premise, plot and structure. The virtual reality world makes for some interesting interaction between characters and the game interface.
While I enjoyed the book, there were many typographical and spelling errors that needed a final editing pass to catch. These issues weren’t bad enough to block my engagement with the story, but there were enough of them to draw my attention.
October 26, 2021
David lost his wife to an illness several years ago and has raised his children by himself for quite some time. It isn’t easy, but he makes it work somehow. A diagnosis of a brain tumor turns his world upside down yet again. The only parent his kids have left will be incapacitated for months in a coma. He doesn’t know what to do until he finds out that his wife was working on a secret project before she passed away. This project will allow his consciousness to live in a VR universe even while his physical body is trapped in a coma. His kids may be able to visit that consciousness and see him while he is stuck in the coma for several months. Since his wife created the world, she too may have uploaded her consciousness before her passing. Now, David has a purpose aside from simply existing again. He has the goal of finding the love of his life in the virtual reality she created.
I came into this book expecting more of a game-focused RPG universe. Maybe something more akin to Sword Art Online. I was expecting David to be thrown into this brand-new virtual game world (that of course would be slightly different from what was originally advertised) and group up with other people in the world to go on adventures. Instead, this seemed to be more of a traditional fantasy story that took place in a VR world. I didn’t see as many of the game mechanics being used, but I was still thrown into this sprawling fantasy world. The maps on the pages did help me track where the characters were in the story, which was a great help as the book took place over so much area.
The main thing that made this book difficult to get into was the sheer number of side stories going on. You had David, the main character whose wife created the game. Then you had Tommy, a person who was testing the game to get money and escape their real-world issues. Then there was John, a character who had worked in the military for several years and was testing the game so that his consciousness could be used as a VR trainer for military recruits in the future. Each of them was in this new VR universe, each of them for their own reasons. I don’t recall ever seeing their paths cross within the story, so it often felt as if I was trying to read 3 different stories simultaneously. I was highlighting the Kindle book frantically just to keep track of who was doing what. This was worsened by the fact that characters would have time gaps in their memory, seemingly “falling asleep” in one area and then “waking up” somewhere different. This was explained slightly in the story outside of the consciousness of the actual characters, but it did make reading from their POV even more confusing at times. I feel like focusing on David and only bringing these characters up in relation to how they interacted with David would have made for a more coherent story to follow.
One thing that I did enjoy in this story was how realistic all of the quests were. I have played several MMOs over the years, and these quests really reminded me of the old-school classic ones like World of Warcraft or Lord of the Rings Online. The quests really helped guide the different players along their various stories and forced them to solve little riddles and puzzles along the way.
Overall, while this book may not have been for me if you’re looking for a fantasy book with a wide variety of characters and a storyline with themes of secrecy and corruption and a sprawling world. This series could definitely turn a new leaf for book 2.
Overall Rating: 2.5 out of 5 books
I came into this book expecting more of a game-focused RPG universe. Maybe something more akin to Sword Art Online. I was expecting David to be thrown into this brand-new virtual game world (that of course would be slightly different from what was originally advertised) and group up with other people in the world to go on adventures. Instead, this seemed to be more of a traditional fantasy story that took place in a VR world. I didn’t see as many of the game mechanics being used, but I was still thrown into this sprawling fantasy world. The maps on the pages did help me track where the characters were in the story, which was a great help as the book took place over so much area.
The main thing that made this book difficult to get into was the sheer number of side stories going on. You had David, the main character whose wife created the game. Then you had Tommy, a person who was testing the game to get money and escape their real-world issues. Then there was John, a character who had worked in the military for several years and was testing the game so that his consciousness could be used as a VR trainer for military recruits in the future. Each of them was in this new VR universe, each of them for their own reasons. I don’t recall ever seeing their paths cross within the story, so it often felt as if I was trying to read 3 different stories simultaneously. I was highlighting the Kindle book frantically just to keep track of who was doing what. This was worsened by the fact that characters would have time gaps in their memory, seemingly “falling asleep” in one area and then “waking up” somewhere different. This was explained slightly in the story outside of the consciousness of the actual characters, but it did make reading from their POV even more confusing at times. I feel like focusing on David and only bringing these characters up in relation to how they interacted with David would have made for a more coherent story to follow.
One thing that I did enjoy in this story was how realistic all of the quests were. I have played several MMOs over the years, and these quests really reminded me of the old-school classic ones like World of Warcraft or Lord of the Rings Online. The quests really helped guide the different players along their various stories and forced them to solve little riddles and puzzles along the way.
Overall, while this book may not have been for me if you’re looking for a fantasy book with a wide variety of characters and a storyline with themes of secrecy and corruption and a sprawling world. This series could definitely turn a new leaf for book 2.
Overall Rating: 2.5 out of 5 books
September 28, 2021
*I received a copy of this book in exchange for a fair review*
I didn't hate this book, but it definitely felt as though something was missing from it; however, I am aware that it is only the first of four books, so I am willing to put it down to the 'struggling to build both a world and plot at the same time' first book struggles. This book is a science-fiction/fantasy cross over that takes much inspiration from online roleplaying games, i.e. World of Warcraft, Star Wars the Old Republic, etc. I found that particular concept to be quite unique, similar to Jumanji where the 'players' (who were real people in this case) would have to take on quests and follow a linear in game story in order to win. This feels separate to Jumanji in which the characters earn experience (as you would in an rpg) and 'level up' earning benefits to themselves; I liked that the author took time to explain this concept, it wasn't extremely thorough that it retracted from the story, but it was also enough that people who don't play online rpg's would still be able to understand it.
The book itself was quite easy to read and despite some minor confusions (is Hellen a lawyer or the developer of a VR world?) the plot makes some sense, though it is no where near completion in this book. I will say that the writing felt a bit juvenile at some points, and seemed as though our main character was definitely projecting a lot of exposition in the very beginning, too much tell and not enough show basically. The dialogue was interesting to say the least, but I also know that those are all very subjective things to point out, I'm sure many people are okay with the dialogue and thought choices.
The characters themselves are fine; David, Hellen and Carl being the only real 'fleshed' out characters. I would say that the motivations for Carl seem a bit skewed, but I expect that to be better explained throughout the series.
Overall, I couldn't really recommend this until I've read the rest of the series, or at least the second book. There's still quite a bit to be desired, but there is also a lot of potential here, especially with the unique concept for a story.
I didn't hate this book, but it definitely felt as though something was missing from it; however, I am aware that it is only the first of four books, so I am willing to put it down to the 'struggling to build both a world and plot at the same time' first book struggles. This book is a science-fiction/fantasy cross over that takes much inspiration from online roleplaying games, i.e. World of Warcraft, Star Wars the Old Republic, etc. I found that particular concept to be quite unique, similar to Jumanji where the 'players' (who were real people in this case) would have to take on quests and follow a linear in game story in order to win. This feels separate to Jumanji in which the characters earn experience (as you would in an rpg) and 'level up' earning benefits to themselves; I liked that the author took time to explain this concept, it wasn't extremely thorough that it retracted from the story, but it was also enough that people who don't play online rpg's would still be able to understand it.
The book itself was quite easy to read and despite some minor confusions (is Hellen a lawyer or the developer of a VR world?) the plot makes some sense, though it is no where near completion in this book. I will say that the writing felt a bit juvenile at some points, and seemed as though our main character was definitely projecting a lot of exposition in the very beginning, too much tell and not enough show basically. The dialogue was interesting to say the least, but I also know that those are all very subjective things to point out, I'm sure many people are okay with the dialogue and thought choices.
The characters themselves are fine; David, Hellen and Carl being the only real 'fleshed' out characters. I would say that the motivations for Carl seem a bit skewed, but I expect that to be better explained throughout the series.
Overall, I couldn't really recommend this until I've read the rest of the series, or at least the second book. There's still quite a bit to be desired, but there is also a lot of potential here, especially with the unique concept for a story.
November 26, 2021
In the introduction to the world of Atsia Major, the Dark World Book I introduces characters David, John, Tommy and others as they explore the virtual reality world created as an escape and entertainment. As you read, you will get the sense that there is something else going on in this world much more sinister and dark than originally thought.
This introduction story into the virtual reality world is great read for any sci fi fan but especially those who enjoy video games. For The main character David, the virtual reality world is a place offered to him by his deceased wife's employer as a place to recover from brain surgery, but he has hopes that he might discover some remnants of his wife in this world that she created. As he enters the world, things quickly prove to be different than what he had initially thought. He makes his way through the world, largely guessing on what should be done while learning how to play this "game".
In this introduction to the world, the author introduces several other characters that I believe will come to play a larger role in both David's journey as well as the world's development. I am excited for Dark World Book I Part 2 to explore more of David's journey as well as Tommy and John and others as they explore the world and discover more about its purpose and intent.
This introduction story into the virtual reality world is great read for any sci fi fan but especially those who enjoy video games. For The main character David, the virtual reality world is a place offered to him by his deceased wife's employer as a place to recover from brain surgery, but he has hopes that he might discover some remnants of his wife in this world that she created. As he enters the world, things quickly prove to be different than what he had initially thought. He makes his way through the world, largely guessing on what should be done while learning how to play this "game".
In this introduction to the world, the author introduces several other characters that I believe will come to play a larger role in both David's journey as well as the world's development. I am excited for Dark World Book I Part 2 to explore more of David's journey as well as Tommy and John and others as they explore the world and discover more about its purpose and intent.
October 11, 2021
Here is an engaging science fantasy that is going to be a video role-playing game, and likely a good one. The protagonist, David, agrees for his personality to be connected with a virtual reality universe that is a complex, AI-driven game, while he is in a medically induced coma recovering from extensive surgery. He has a reason beyond giving himself "something to do" while his body recovers. His deceased wife, Hellen, was the creator of the virtual world, and he believes her personality remains somewhere in the game. His mission is to find her. In the process, he meets "magical" creatures, options for quests, computer-generated characters, and other "gamers" who are in the program for fun. But there are other players we meet, too. One in particular is in the military, his personality inserted as an experiment in using the game for training. And then, there is the mysterious Carl, who controls the company that owns the software. He has his own agenda, but we do not yet know what it is. There will be more installments and ultimately the game itself. I would likely have given this short novel five stars if I were a gamer myself. I still found the story engaging. Four stars.
October 29, 2021
I received a copy of Magical After free to review through booktasters. I will first admit, that I went into this book not realizing that it wasn't just a straight up fantasy novel, and it was kind of a pleasant surprise. While the writing style is not the best point of this book, it is by no means unreadable. The descriptions of the in-game mechanics were not my cup of tea I will admit. I imagine, that it would make much more sense to someone who is versed in role-playing games or dungeons and dragons. Unfortunately for me I am not, so talks of character sheets, buffs, debuffs, etc were a bit foreign to me; it was explained clearly enough that I wasn't too terribly lost though. The story of it in and of itself is engaging, interesting, and I like the concept. Constant use of pronouns can make some conversations difficult to follow and a bit repetitive to read. All together this is a book I probably will not return to, but did enjoy reading while I was going through it.
May 17, 2021
This book was gifted in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Very creative and inventive story!
Loved the idea of this story. I really enjoyed reading this book and cannot wait to see how the story develops further. Will love to see if he ends up finding out who the real enemies are and how the reunion with his other half will go as it seems inevitable. Without giving too much away, this book was a deep dive into what could potentially become reality in the future. The integration of real world issues surrounding health and recovery was very interesting. Fascinating concept and I cannot wait to engage more. Second book please!!!
Very creative and inventive story!
Loved the idea of this story. I really enjoyed reading this book and cannot wait to see how the story develops further. Will love to see if he ends up finding out who the real enemies are and how the reunion with his other half will go as it seems inevitable. Without giving too much away, this book was a deep dive into what could potentially become reality in the future. The integration of real world issues surrounding health and recovery was very interesting. Fascinating concept and I cannot wait to engage more. Second book please!!!
July 30, 2021
The imagination behind "Magical After" is astonishing. The setting is familiar enough (in the beginning) to ease you into the complexities of the story, while not losing what makes this book unique. The characters took a little while to connect with, but it did happen with some. If you find the story slow to start, it's worth sticking with because it does pick up. I'm looking forward to seeing where this tale leads...
My thanks to the author and BookTasters. This review was written voluntarily and is entirely my own, unbiased, opinion.
My thanks to the author and BookTasters. This review was written voluntarily and is entirely my own, unbiased, opinion.
December 2, 2021
Thank you, book tasters, for giving me an opportunity to read this book. I liked the story plot of the book which combines sci-fi world and fantasy together in the name of the video game. However, the story was not much captivating, in my opinion, due to the lack of character linking to the story and to other characters. But I recommend this book strongly to the fans of the movie Jumanji, who likes books of mixed genres.
December 13, 2022
Awesome virtual reality world
This story had me hooked by the second chapter. Good world building, awesome characters, intense in some scenes, mystery that keeps you wanting to know more.
I received this book has a prize from Goodreads and glad I did since I now have a new favorite author. Thank you for the book Mr. Gunter
This story had me hooked by the second chapter. Good world building, awesome characters, intense in some scenes, mystery that keeps you wanting to know more.
I received this book has a prize from Goodreads and glad I did since I now have a new favorite author. Thank you for the book Mr. Gunter
August 16, 2021
I really couldn't get into this book,although I tried so hard. I am not someone that handles leaving a book unfinished well. I am sure that this book would be great for a lot of people. It just wasn't for me,it was too all over the place. So with deep regrets , I have to give this book a two.
December 15, 2024
not for me
January 6, 2023
I thought this book was everything from the bottom if my heart with all the charactwrs
November 17, 2021
I opted to start with part 2 of book 1, it left me very curious to see what I missed in part 1.
The first part of this story is primarily world-building, and it does an excellent job of it. It sets the scene, introducing the characters, a little backstory, lore, and the ‘gameplay’ of the virtual world the story is primarily set in.
In an effort to keep my reviews spoiler-free, I’ll refrain from mentioning actual dialogue or character names. Certain characters and their interactions with each other and the world had me laughing constantly. From the narrator badmouthing a disembodied voice to the stubborn warrior who tries to equip armor that’s beyond his level, only to get dizzy and fall every few steps.
While you could skip part 1 and not miss out on too much world-building, as most of it is covered in part 2. At least to a degree that you’d understand the basics, I wouldn’t recommend it.
I really think this series is worth a read. It’s a new and relatively unique take on the fantasy series we’re all so familiar and in some cases, bored with. I’ve always loved medieval fantasy, but there are only so many times I can find ‘orc kills dwaf, dwarf clan retaliates’ and political assassinations interesting.
The audiobook is about half as long as part 2, making it an excellent sampler for the series. The end result is a story that sets the stage, so to speak, and doesn’t require a large time commitment to see if it’s for you. It lacks a lot of the system sounds and stat readings I found tedious in part 2, which likely saved a lot of time. Though by the sounds of it, they also lack a little of the polish introduced in part 2.
NOTE: This copy was provided to me free of charge as a review copy. The opinions stated in this review are mine and mine alone, I was not paid or requested to give this book a certain rating, suggestion, or approval.
The first part of this story is primarily world-building, and it does an excellent job of it. It sets the scene, introducing the characters, a little backstory, lore, and the ‘gameplay’ of the virtual world the story is primarily set in.
In an effort to keep my reviews spoiler-free, I’ll refrain from mentioning actual dialogue or character names. Certain characters and their interactions with each other and the world had me laughing constantly. From the narrator badmouthing a disembodied voice to the stubborn warrior who tries to equip armor that’s beyond his level, only to get dizzy and fall every few steps.
While you could skip part 1 and not miss out on too much world-building, as most of it is covered in part 2. At least to a degree that you’d understand the basics, I wouldn’t recommend it.
I really think this series is worth a read. It’s a new and relatively unique take on the fantasy series we’re all so familiar and in some cases, bored with. I’ve always loved medieval fantasy, but there are only so many times I can find ‘orc kills dwaf, dwarf clan retaliates’ and political assassinations interesting.
The audiobook is about half as long as part 2, making it an excellent sampler for the series. The end result is a story that sets the stage, so to speak, and doesn’t require a large time commitment to see if it’s for you. It lacks a lot of the system sounds and stat readings I found tedious in part 2, which likely saved a lot of time. Though by the sounds of it, they also lack a little of the polish introduced in part 2.
NOTE: This copy was provided to me free of charge as a review copy. The opinions stated in this review are mine and mine alone, I was not paid or requested to give this book a certain rating, suggestion, or approval.
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