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The Counterfeit Sorcerer #1
The Brand of the Warlock
A hooded man, his face marred by a mysterious black brand, walks the Plain of Savlos. Some say he has the power to summon demons. Others say he is the only one who can vanquish them. His name is Konrad, and he has a secret....
- GenresFantasy
218 pages, Paperback
Published September 5, 2019
158 people are currently reading
155 people want to read
About the author
Robert Kroese
70 books632 followersRobert Kroese's sense of irony was honed growing up in Grand Rapids, Michigan - home of the Amway Corporation and the Gerald R. Ford Museum, and the first city in the United States to fluoridate its water supply. In second grade, he wrote his first novel, the saga of Captain Bill and his spaceship Thee Eagle. This turned out to be the high point of his academic career. After barely graduating from Calvin College in 1992 with a philosophy degree, he was fired from a variety of jobs before moving to California, where he stumbled into software development. As this job required neither punctuality nor a sense of direction, he excelled at it. In 2009, he called upon his extensive knowledge of useless information and love of explosions to write his first novel, Mercury Falls. Since then, he has written 18 more books.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
December 15, 2025
The Brand of the Warlock
by Robert Kroese
Great book with armies of archers and sabers. Warlocks have mostly been killed off. Magical creatures such as wraiths are not uncommon.
The main character's life is followed and it certainly isn't boring. He starts as a shepherd and ends up marked as a warlock, which he is not. Lots of twists and turns in his life and in the plot. Really enjoyed this book.
by Robert Kroese
Great book with armies of archers and sabers. Warlocks have mostly been killed off. Magical creatures such as wraiths are not uncommon.
The main character's life is followed and it certainly isn't boring. He starts as a shepherd and ends up marked as a warlock, which he is not. Lots of twists and turns in his life and in the plot. Really enjoyed this book.
September 4, 2019
Five stars for pure enjoyability.
Starts out strong and keeps up the pace. As the first of five novels, it opens up the possibilities while making the first entry whole in itself.
Kroese once again astounds me in his ability to turn out straight ahead SF and Fantasy, along with humorous novels in those genres.
Starts out strong and keeps up the pace. As the first of five novels, it opens up the possibilities while making the first entry whole in itself.
Kroese once again astounds me in his ability to turn out straight ahead SF and Fantasy, along with humorous novels in those genres.
September 28, 2019
Kroese exceeds himself with the first in his latest series, crafting a main character who is a mystery within a mystery wrapped in an enigma. From the first chapter on, we never know what he’s going to do next, and we can’t wait to find out.
The novel has an old school feel of the classics, transposed to a fantasy setting. The Conte of Monte Cristo is the most obvious reference I could pick out, with a main character suffering imprisonment in another’s stead, but it has a feel many a classic bildungsroman adventure where a youth seeks his fortune and finds danger that tests him to his limits and brings him to strange, enchanting and terrifying splaces.
The story is told strictly from our main character’s perspective, but there is a sense there is a lot going on around him, behind his back and before he came on-scene. More, while things are told from his perspective, he does not share everything with the reader in terms of his insights and plans. We are constantly taken by surprise both by what others have done and what he has just done. He then explains things and we wonder why we didn’t see it.
The author is mostly known for his humorous novels, and this one has it’s share of hard-edged humor, but is played serious for the most part, and we’re rooting for the hero all the way.
The novel has an old school feel of the classics, transposed to a fantasy setting. The Conte of Monte Cristo is the most obvious reference I could pick out, with a main character suffering imprisonment in another’s stead, but it has a feel many a classic bildungsroman adventure where a youth seeks his fortune and finds danger that tests him to his limits and brings him to strange, enchanting and terrifying splaces.
The story is told strictly from our main character’s perspective, but there is a sense there is a lot going on around him, behind his back and before he came on-scene. More, while things are told from his perspective, he does not share everything with the reader in terms of his insights and plans. We are constantly taken by surprise both by what others have done and what he has just done. He then explains things and we wonder why we didn’t see it.
The author is mostly known for his humorous novels, and this one has it’s share of hard-edged humor, but is played serious for the most part, and we’re rooting for the hero all the way.
January 29, 2020
Another great humorous sci-fi book by Rob Kroese! It's more serious than his Mercury series, but still has plenty of humorous elements. Love the plot of this book and excited to read the next one in the series!
March 16, 2021
I think it was a well-written book and I had fun listening to the audiobook. It was very easy to immerse into the world. I enjoyed the first part more because ending was rushed. There was too much “deus ex machina” solutions. I also missed character development because I didn’t know much about the people around the protagonist.
Anyways I recommend this book!
Anyways I recommend this book!
August 11, 2022
Well-written book with two elements that completely ruined it:
1) The MC has a chance at the beginning of the book to inherit like a million dollars and marry his sweetheart. He deliberately throws the chance away with a foolish and short-sighted decision and therefore completely ruins his life forever.
2) The entire book is about him trying to find his fiancée. He finds her in a ghost realm place thing at the very end of the book and then has a demon kill her to ‘end her suffering’ because she's 'been in the (ghost realm place) too long. When he wakes up out of the shadow world place, the fiancée's dead in real life. He buries her and immediately moves on. The motivation for the entire story is dead. He failed. He doesn’t seem to care at all. Literally about 5 minutes after burying this girl, the MC reunites with his army buddies and they move on without any hesitation. On to the next adventure!
It’s like if, at the end of Lord of the Rings, Sauron kills Frodo and takes the ring and Sam says, “Dang. Oh well, you can’t win ‘em all. Let’s go home.”
How on earth the author expects us to join him for 4 more books after he did this is insane. How he didn't conjure some deus ex machina to save the entire plot of this book, I'll never know. No way to bring her back to life? No potion or secret magic in this book of magicians and ghost realms and demons? Nope! This is beyond our power - she must die. Everything he fought for, everything he wanted, all his hopes and dreams - gone, with no hope for return. Aren't you invested in the bigger plot of saving the country from some vague enemy? No? Huh, weird.
1) The MC has a chance at the beginning of the book to inherit like a million dollars and marry his sweetheart. He deliberately throws the chance away with a foolish and short-sighted decision and therefore completely ruins his life forever.
2) The entire book is about him trying to find his fiancée. He finds her in a ghost realm place thing at the very end of the book and then has a demon kill her to ‘end her suffering’ because she's 'been in the (ghost realm place) too long. When he wakes up out of the shadow world place, the fiancée's dead in real life. He buries her and immediately moves on. The motivation for the entire story is dead. He failed. He doesn’t seem to care at all. Literally about 5 minutes after burying this girl, the MC reunites with his army buddies and they move on without any hesitation. On to the next adventure!
It’s like if, at the end of Lord of the Rings, Sauron kills Frodo and takes the ring and Sam says, “Dang. Oh well, you can’t win ‘em all. Let’s go home.”
How on earth the author expects us to join him for 4 more books after he did this is insane. How he didn't conjure some deus ex machina to save the entire plot of this book, I'll never know. No way to bring her back to life? No potion or secret magic in this book of magicians and ghost realms and demons? Nope! This is beyond our power - she must die. Everything he fought for, everything he wanted, all his hopes and dreams - gone, with no hope for return. Aren't you invested in the bigger plot of saving the country from some vague enemy? No? Huh, weird.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 23, 2019
Overly verbose
I tried. 84% of the book before I threw in the towel.
It’s really well written. To the point that you want it to get sloppy just to make something happen.
One significant flaw: the MC repeatedly says time flows slower in the shadow realm, but then describes it as flowing faster.
I tried. 84% of the book before I threw in the towel.
It’s really well written. To the point that you want it to get sloppy just to make something happen.
One significant flaw: the MC repeatedly says time flows slower in the shadow realm, but then describes it as flowing faster.
April 14, 2020
Solid writing but I just couldnt get into the MC.
Edit: I take it back.. I tried to push on a bit farther... And while my impression of the MC got no better or worse the writing style seemed to get more and more... Long winded... Why say something in a couple well crafted sentences when you can say it in five times as many? Why you ask? So you don't piss off your readers.....
Edit: I take it back.. I tried to push on a bit farther... And while my impression of the MC got no better or worse the writing style seemed to get more and more... Long winded... Why say something in a couple well crafted sentences when you can say it in five times as many? Why you ask? So you don't piss off your readers.....
June 1, 2020
Kroese creates a world with just enough detail for things to make sense, without a lot of confusing extraneous detail. What I really appreciated about this book was the pacing - the twists and revelations come often enough to keep things interesting, but without overwhelming the reader. A great start to what I'm sure is an interesting series.
June 26, 2020
A man is falsely imprisoned for a crime he didn't commit, then is mysteriously released years later. Part of a five book series I really enjoyed the adventures of Konrad. I don't know if the author intended this, but the book really had the first person narrative of Burroughs' John Carter and I liked it a lot. Will be buying the next books soon.
March 17, 2020
As with many of his other books, the author does a good job of employing twists that are surprising. The story had me hooked, especially by the conclusion of the first chapter. Very well written but feels cut short. Knowing this is a series, I am not too disappointed :)
March 14, 2021
Was interesting in the beginning then gradually it became non interesting to the point that I dropped it at the ending.
June 26, 2021
Good story
I really enjoyed it. This was a new author, (to me), and I'm glad I found him. I'll be reading the next in the series.
I really enjoyed it. This was a new author, (to me), and I'm glad I found him. I'll be reading the next in the series.
April 20, 2023
Audiobook. Entertaining. Felt pretty middle of the road fantasy. I'd recommend other Robert Kroese titles over this
November 6, 2025
Thoroughly enjoyed this relaxed slow burn book. Reminded me a bit of The Count of Monte Cristo in the beginning.
January 24, 2020
I read this way to fast; I had trouble putting it down. Kroese delivers another terrific adventure that keeps the action going. The world building was fun, but I am certain the way I am pronouncing the names in my head it nowhere close to accurate. I loved the surprise twists; I think I know where things are going then... "I'm not a Warlock" Bam! Konrad, especially seemed to have a Princess Bride, vibe to his character and dialogue. I kept picturing Westley as I read his speeches of honor and logic. Overall, very entertaining with great potential for the rest of the series. Bring on number 2!
October 9, 2019
A solid book that feels like a good start for a great fantasy series. Konrad is a fun and clever protagonist in a book filled with some fun plot developments. Kroese's writing style is fun with lots of details involved and some decent humor involved. The world building was very well done with lots of hints towards the future and leaving the reader to wanting to know more.
The setup for the next few books seems really interesting and a neat way to resolve a major plot point. I look forward to receiving the next book soon.
The setup for the next few books seems really interesting and a neat way to resolve a major plot point. I look forward to receiving the next book soon.
December 18, 2019
Looking forward to the rest of the series!
Take a bit of the feel of The Black Company, mix with some tone of Hammer's Slammers, drop into a fantasy setting, all written by the author of The Saga of The Iron Dragon series, and you get The Brand of the Warlock!
Thoroughly enjoyed the main character's personality, and witnessing events through their eyes. Plenty of highs and lows, the story moves ever forward, pausing just enough to reset properly before moving to the next point.
Take a bit of the feel of The Black Company, mix with some tone of Hammer's Slammers, drop into a fantasy setting, all written by the author of The Saga of The Iron Dragon series, and you get The Brand of the Warlock!
Thoroughly enjoyed the main character's personality, and witnessing events through their eyes. Plenty of highs and lows, the story moves ever forward, pausing just enough to reset properly before moving to the next point.
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October 5, 2019Excellent book
This is the best of Kroese's books so far. It is a bit talky, but I enjoyed the characters very much. The world is interesting and I have hopes that all the characters will return in his next book.
This is the best of Kroese's books so far. It is a bit talky, but I enjoyed the characters very much. The world is interesting and I have hopes that all the characters will return in his next book.
September 13, 2019
Very enjoyable. Old school fantasy with an updated feel, and plot twists galore.
November 19, 2019
Excellent Start
I really enjoyed the story and characters. World building could use a little work, but maybe there will be more in the sequels.
I really enjoyed the story and characters. World building could use a little work, but maybe there will be more in the sequels.
May 19, 2021
Man. Kroese's books are always enjoyable but I got into this one more than his others. Fun character and story.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews