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The Spellmonger #13
Footwizard
A Search For Answers In The Lost Land Of Anghysbel!
After winning two wars against the Nemovorti in six months, Minalan plans an expedition over the summer to the Lost Valley of Anghysbel, in the far north of his realm, in the caldera of a super volcano at the edge of the tundra. There, he suspects, many of the answers he so desperately need might be hidden. The only problem is that thanks to the anti-magical properties of the jevolar, there, his spells won’t work – he’ll be without magic for the first time since he came into his Talent. On this quest for the knowledge to save the world, however, the stakes are too high to be concerned about such things. Minalan seeks the knowledge he needs no matter the price.
The footwizard Fondaras the Wise has been to the realm of the jevolar four times in his long life and he knows the way – and the great dangers of the non-magical land. He warns that Anghysbel is filled with forgotten creatures and lost races that have hidden from the world for eons. That doesn’t dissuade the Spellmonger – it’s a challenge. So is the deadly poisonous alkali waste that is the only way to the fabled land. So is the fact that his wife, Alya, insists on going with the expedition. So is the company of goblins pursuing him to catch the greatest wizard in the world in a place without magic. And the passage through the alkali wastes is only open for the nine dry weeks of summer, so there is a time limit on his explorations.
But once he’s there, Minalan’s expedition discovers a unique land filled with forgotten secrets: an outpost of the Kasari, where the tribe sends its magically-Talented folk; a colony of Wilderlords existing in seclusion; the exiled clan of Kilnusk Alon, the former kings of the Dradrien and Karshak, alike; a community of Tal Alon left on their own for generations; and an old comrade who has fled the Five Duchies in fear of the Censorate.
That’s just where the mysteries begin. When he opens the Cave of the Ancients, a remnant of the original human colony on Callidore, Minalan starts on a path toward the answers he seeks. He is startled to find that the once-great human civilization once had an outpost in Anghysbel, as did many other races. Armed with new knowledge he braves the dangerous wilderness of Anghysbel with Lilastien and the rest of his friends in search of the ancient Alka Alon vault containing the arsenal he seeks. Along the way he discovers the scion of the Aronin, the half crazed Ameras; he encounters a dragon, learns about a forgotten group of the Forsaken, and is introduced to the mysterious Leshi in search of an immensely important, incredibly powerful artifact. Not even the threat of cyclopses and lizard men, renegade dragons and the pestilent Kurja can stand in the way of his exploration.
But that’s not all he discovers. When a beardless, half-mad Karshak outcast offers them an opportunity to learn the secrets they desperately seek, Minalan and Lilastien are tempted . . . but the price of that knowledge may well be madness, or even death. For dark powers more ancient than the world dwell in exotic Anghysbel, powers that would speed Callidore’s destruction, not work for its salvation. Minalan the Spellmonger has to consider carefully if he’s willing to pay the price to save the world . . . and the cost of that bargain may well be his life!
After winning two wars against the Nemovorti in six months, Minalan plans an expedition over the summer to the Lost Valley of Anghysbel, in the far north of his realm, in the caldera of a super volcano at the edge of the tundra. There, he suspects, many of the answers he so desperately need might be hidden. The only problem is that thanks to the anti-magical properties of the jevolar, there, his spells won’t work – he’ll be without magic for the first time since he came into his Talent. On this quest for the knowledge to save the world, however, the stakes are too high to be concerned about such things. Minalan seeks the knowledge he needs no matter the price.
The footwizard Fondaras the Wise has been to the realm of the jevolar four times in his long life and he knows the way – and the great dangers of the non-magical land. He warns that Anghysbel is filled with forgotten creatures and lost races that have hidden from the world for eons. That doesn’t dissuade the Spellmonger – it’s a challenge. So is the deadly poisonous alkali waste that is the only way to the fabled land. So is the fact that his wife, Alya, insists on going with the expedition. So is the company of goblins pursuing him to catch the greatest wizard in the world in a place without magic. And the passage through the alkali wastes is only open for the nine dry weeks of summer, so there is a time limit on his explorations.
But once he’s there, Minalan’s expedition discovers a unique land filled with forgotten secrets: an outpost of the Kasari, where the tribe sends its magically-Talented folk; a colony of Wilderlords existing in seclusion; the exiled clan of Kilnusk Alon, the former kings of the Dradrien and Karshak, alike; a community of Tal Alon left on their own for generations; and an old comrade who has fled the Five Duchies in fear of the Censorate.
That’s just where the mysteries begin. When he opens the Cave of the Ancients, a remnant of the original human colony on Callidore, Minalan starts on a path toward the answers he seeks. He is startled to find that the once-great human civilization once had an outpost in Anghysbel, as did many other races. Armed with new knowledge he braves the dangerous wilderness of Anghysbel with Lilastien and the rest of his friends in search of the ancient Alka Alon vault containing the arsenal he seeks. Along the way he discovers the scion of the Aronin, the half crazed Ameras; he encounters a dragon, learns about a forgotten group of the Forsaken, and is introduced to the mysterious Leshi in search of an immensely important, incredibly powerful artifact. Not even the threat of cyclopses and lizard men, renegade dragons and the pestilent Kurja can stand in the way of his exploration.
But that’s not all he discovers. When a beardless, half-mad Karshak outcast offers them an opportunity to learn the secrets they desperately seek, Minalan and Lilastien are tempted . . . but the price of that knowledge may well be madness, or even death. For dark powers more ancient than the world dwell in exotic Anghysbel, powers that would speed Callidore’s destruction, not work for its salvation. Minalan the Spellmonger has to consider carefully if he’s willing to pay the price to save the world . . . and the cost of that bargain may well be his life!
688 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 1, 2021
293 people are currently reading
350 people want to read
About the author
Terry Mancour
42 books1,172 followersTerry Mancour is a New York Times Best-Selling Author who has written more than 30 books, under his own name and pseudonyms, including Star Trek: The Next Generation #20, Spartacus, the Spellmonger Series (more than 11 books and growing), among other works.
He was born in Flint, Michigan in 1968 (according to his mother) and wisely relocated to North Carolina in 1978 where he embraced Southern culture and its dedication to compelling narratives and intriguing characterizations. He attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he majored in Religious Studies.
Terry, his beautiful wife and three children live just outside of Durham, N.C. atop Red Mountain. He was nominated for the 2018 Audie Award for Best Fantasy for the audiobook for Spellmonger (narrated by John Lee), the first book in his Spellmonger Series.
He has plotted the Spellmonger Series for at least thirty books, in addition to his Spellmonger Cadet (young adult) series, stand-alone novels, short stories and novellas set within the Spellmonger Universe, all of which will be published by Podium as audiobooks. He is also the author of a series of sequels to Golden Age sci-fi master H. Beam Piper's novel, Space Viking, as well as original sci-fi novels.
He was born in Flint, Michigan in 1968 (according to his mother) and wisely relocated to North Carolina in 1978 where he embraced Southern culture and its dedication to compelling narratives and intriguing characterizations. He attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he majored in Religious Studies.
Terry, his beautiful wife and three children live just outside of Durham, N.C. atop Red Mountain. He was nominated for the 2018 Audie Award for Best Fantasy for the audiobook for Spellmonger (narrated by John Lee), the first book in his Spellmonger Series.
He has plotted the Spellmonger Series for at least thirty books, in addition to his Spellmonger Cadet (young adult) series, stand-alone novels, short stories and novellas set within the Spellmonger Universe, all of which will be published by Podium as audiobooks. He is also the author of a series of sequels to Golden Age sci-fi master H. Beam Piper's novel, Space Viking, as well as original sci-fi novels.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 120 reviews
July 6, 2021
A magic story with no magic
The entirety of this should have been a short story. Having a full length novel in a series predicated on its protagonist being a spellmonger and having it be set in the least interesting possible locale for it to be useful does not for engaging reading make. Despite that the world building continues to be superb and the characters engaging. Hopefully the next installment returns a little closer to the magic of the rest of the series.
The entirety of this should have been a short story. Having a full length novel in a series predicated on its protagonist being a spellmonger and having it be set in the least interesting possible locale for it to be useful does not for engaging reading make. Despite that the world building continues to be superb and the characters engaging. Hopefully the next installment returns a little closer to the magic of the rest of the series.
July 8, 2021
The book I've been waiting for!
This is the big one. I've been waiting for Min to go on this quest for a long time. This book is full of HUGE revelations to questions that have been building in the series for a long time. It also opens the door to more problems and more opportunities for good storytelling. I would expect nothing less from Terry Mancour.
I've had nothing but great fun with this series. And after 13 huge books and countless short stories, the quality of story has never dropped. It's only gotten better and bolder.
This is the big one. I've been waiting for Min to go on this quest for a long time. This book is full of HUGE revelations to questions that have been building in the series for a long time. It also opens the door to more problems and more opportunities for good storytelling. I would expect nothing less from Terry Mancour.
I've had nothing but great fun with this series. And after 13 huge books and countless short stories, the quality of story has never dropped. It's only gotten better and bolder.
July 21, 2021
Oh no!
What can I say.I love Terry's writing,but where is this series going? I read and love fantasy....not ScFi. It's rapidly turning into Science fiction. We have Artificial intelligence technology, vehicles and plasma rifles.Space ships are coming soon,this is not what I signed up for when I started this series. Also when the series started with high fantasy you could not tell where the author originated ,but now it's turning into some serious Americana from a very narrow time base.A main character playing MP3 songs on a tablet from mostly American artists.Also of course the main players loving the discovery of Rifles
,it's like the the whole human race has been just waiting to evolve back into best time period in human history....20th century USA. They have missed the NRA sooo much.
I really am very disappointed after investing so much of my time in this journey.It's time to start looking for a new author.
What can I say.I love Terry's writing,but where is this series going? I read and love fantasy....not ScFi. It's rapidly turning into Science fiction. We have Artificial intelligence technology, vehicles and plasma rifles.Space ships are coming soon,this is not what I signed up for when I started this series. Also when the series started with high fantasy you could not tell where the author originated ,but now it's turning into some serious Americana from a very narrow time base.A main character playing MP3 songs on a tablet from mostly American artists.Also of course the main players loving the discovery of Rifles
,it's like the the whole human race has been just waiting to evolve back into best time period in human history....20th century USA. They have missed the NRA sooo much.
I really am very disappointed after investing so much of my time in this journey.It's time to start looking for a new author.
December 11, 2022
The whole real world culture re-exploration thing was obnoxious af, and completely broke my immersion. (Elves calling Elvis "the king" and goshing about jazz.. It's just too much)
This series is so hard for me to rate. The things it does well it does really well, and the things that are bad are just so insanely bad that i sometimes put the books down for a few days to get over it.
The narrator is top-notch.
The world-building is super interesting , the magic is fun, the political machinations was great
It just feels like your guide through the world is your creepy incel cousin, trying to twist everything into his weird sexual life-philosophy.
This series is so hard for me to rate. The things it does well it does really well, and the things that are bad are just so insanely bad that i sometimes put the books down for a few days to get over it.
The narrator is top-notch.
The world-building is super interesting , the magic is fun, the political machinations was great
It just feels like your guide through the world is your creepy incel cousin, trying to twist everything into his weird sexual life-philosophy.
December 14, 2021
This continues to be one of my favorite fantasy series. This particular book feels like the transition into the next era of the story which more technology and science fiction mixing into the traditional fantasy elements. It is really interesting to see a bunch of wizards tossed into a land without any magic at all and see how get get along. There were some really fun and interesting references to today's pop culture, and I am pretty sure this is the first time I have been Rick Rolled by a book. I found it overall very enjoyable and this book paid off a lot of the plot points that have been building over the last 4 or 5 books in a very satisfying way. It sets up the next book very well and feels like he is transitioning the story into the next phase which I expect to play out over the next 6 or 7 books. I believe it is also starting to really setup the final phase of the story, but that probably won't pay off until 15 books from now I suspect.
July 6, 2021
A best time.
Every single one of these volumes is a treasure. I am so heartened that there are quite a few authors who have found their way, and are committed, to this craft. Even better, some of those authors truly excel at it. I include Terrry Mancour in my list of those authors. The "Speillmonger" series is, quite simply, a true delight. I added it to my Goodreads (Persnickety) 'Personal Favorites' bookshelf quite a while ago.
I'm not sure if this volume ends an arc or begins a new one. The ending comes close to being a cliffhanger, but just avoids going there. Happy me. I really hate cliffhangers. Minalin finds so much of what he has been searching for, and more. There are wonderful new discoveries and allies. On Calliodore it is totally possible to talk amongst yourself. Minalin and Alya's story is a special treat. It's never cliche or sappy. At the end, the nefarious characters prove true to form and escalate as rampantly as possible. There's just so much to l look forward to in the following volumes.
Every single one of these volumes is a treasure. I am so heartened that there are quite a few authors who have found their way, and are committed, to this craft. Even better, some of those authors truly excel at it. I include Terrry Mancour in my list of those authors. The "Speillmonger" series is, quite simply, a true delight. I added it to my Goodreads (Persnickety) 'Personal Favorites' bookshelf quite a while ago.
I'm not sure if this volume ends an arc or begins a new one. The ending comes close to being a cliffhanger, but just avoids going there. Happy me. I really hate cliffhangers. Minalin finds so much of what he has been searching for, and more. There are wonderful new discoveries and allies. On Calliodore it is totally possible to talk amongst yourself. Minalin and Alya's story is a special treat. It's never cliche or sappy. At the end, the nefarious characters prove true to form and escalate as rampantly as possible. There's just so much to l look forward to in the following volumes.
July 4, 2021
You sunuvabeech
I’m not done reading yet. Quite enjoying it. This is a very well built novel. Everything stays with a single viewpoint, chronologically straightforward, and it moves at a decent pace.
Then I found the moment. Chapter 25. You bastard. Using an alien elf-wizard, too.
I can’t believe I got Rick-rolled.
I’m not done reading yet. Quite enjoying it. This is a very well built novel. Everything stays with a single viewpoint, chronologically straightforward, and it moves at a decent pace.
Then I found the moment. Chapter 25. You bastard. Using an alien elf-wizard, too.
I can’t believe I got Rick-rolled.
August 2, 2022
TLDR: We leave the usual giant clashes of armies and fates of nations for an old-school quest by Minalan and a few of his closest allies to a land without magic. This book answers a whole heap of burning questions that we’ve had and poses a few more. I loved every second of it.
Personal Score: 4.5 stars
Professional Score: 4.0 stars
More reviews at: https://www.fsfreviews.com/
Review:
This is our 13th outing into the Spellmonger universe. Well, more like 20th if you count all side novels and novellas let alone the two spinoffs that Mancour has penned. People think that Pratchett and King were/are prolific authors, but Terry Mancour keeps pumping out at least two very lengthy books a year in what has now solidified itself as my all-time favourite series. To not only continue a singular storyline for so long but have it become progressively more and more engrossing, engaging, and all-around brilliant is something I have never come across in any other series I’ve read or listened to. This man is my idol.
Now, as I’ve said prior to every Spellmonger review that I’ve penned, these aren’t books that you can just pick up. Or at least, they aren’t by this far into the series. This is the single most expansive yet easily understandable fantasy universe I have yet come across, but you do need the knowledge of the story so far and the world within which it takes place if you are to get a worthwhile listen/read from this book. So, if you are reading this review, I’ll assume you too have carved your way through Mancour’s literary mountain and we can just crack on.
A nice change of pace this one. No world-ending villains or blood-soaked battlefields here. No, no, no. In this outing, Min and a retinue of his best and brightest are off on a seven-week quest to the Vale of Anghybel, a land devoid of magic. It’s a land of unusual beasts, unusual peoples, and unusual threats where Mancour has really let his imagination go wild whilst always keeping his creations grounded within the rules and logic of his universe. This book is far less about the action and much more about the story, where several of the slow-burn storylines set up through the series either get explained or at least fleshed out a great deal more. Often this slower story would get a thumbs down from me, but not here. I love this series and I loved this book. It answered so many questions, linked so many events that we’ve been told about, and, quite frankly, expanded the Spellmonger universe to a degree that I can’t explain without giving too much away about the story. We get to see different sides to peoples and races we thought we already knew and are introduced to completely new ones that will turn much of what we thought we knew on its head. I’m always amazed by how Mancour can keep what is primarily a single-person perspective continuous storyline constantly chugging along with ever greater steam, but he does manage it and I am eternally thankful for it.
We get some real character growth from some of Min’s closest allies, the sort that truly makes you happy to see considering how much you’ve invested in these fictional people. There’s a whole heap of information on the early human colonisation and its disastrous downfall which I personally have been gagging for for about ten books now. We get to learn a great deal about races we’ve only heard about in passing and even more detail on those we know well. I’m struggling to define anything in particular that won’t give anything away, so I shall simply state this: although the pacing and content of this book may not be as overly exciting as you have come to expect, if you love the Spellmonger universe as much as I do, this book is genuinely one of the best in the series.
That’s all I’ve really got to say on the matter. If you’ve gotten this far into the series then of course you are going to give this book a go, and if you haven’t, then what the hell are you waiting for? Get off your arse and bury yourself in the best example of an extended fantasy narrative that I have ever had the good fortune to find.
Also, Mancour, you are an absolute shit! He put something in this book that had me laughing so hard I nearly fell off my rowing machine. Anyone who reads/listens to this book will know exactly what I am talking about when it happens. It is both a shining light in dark times and the bane of many people’s existence for those of my generation, and Mancour snuck it in like a pro. Bravo, you marvellous bastard.
Narration, as ever, is the absolute best of the best. Whether John Lee has become my favourite narrator purely because of his talent or also because he is the narrator of this masterpiece of a series, I do not know. All I do know is that if for some reason Lee was unable to keep narrating the Spellmonger books, they would lose a fair whack of the magic that makes them so amazing.
Personal Score: 4.5 stars
Professional Score: 4.0 stars
More reviews at: https://www.fsfreviews.com/
Review:
This is our 13th outing into the Spellmonger universe. Well, more like 20th if you count all side novels and novellas let alone the two spinoffs that Mancour has penned. People think that Pratchett and King were/are prolific authors, but Terry Mancour keeps pumping out at least two very lengthy books a year in what has now solidified itself as my all-time favourite series. To not only continue a singular storyline for so long but have it become progressively more and more engrossing, engaging, and all-around brilliant is something I have never come across in any other series I’ve read or listened to. This man is my idol.
Now, as I’ve said prior to every Spellmonger review that I’ve penned, these aren’t books that you can just pick up. Or at least, they aren’t by this far into the series. This is the single most expansive yet easily understandable fantasy universe I have yet come across, but you do need the knowledge of the story so far and the world within which it takes place if you are to get a worthwhile listen/read from this book. So, if you are reading this review, I’ll assume you too have carved your way through Mancour’s literary mountain and we can just crack on.
A nice change of pace this one. No world-ending villains or blood-soaked battlefields here. No, no, no. In this outing, Min and a retinue of his best and brightest are off on a seven-week quest to the Vale of Anghybel, a land devoid of magic. It’s a land of unusual beasts, unusual peoples, and unusual threats where Mancour has really let his imagination go wild whilst always keeping his creations grounded within the rules and logic of his universe. This book is far less about the action and much more about the story, where several of the slow-burn storylines set up through the series either get explained or at least fleshed out a great deal more. Often this slower story would get a thumbs down from me, but not here. I love this series and I loved this book. It answered so many questions, linked so many events that we’ve been told about, and, quite frankly, expanded the Spellmonger universe to a degree that I can’t explain without giving too much away about the story. We get to see different sides to peoples and races we thought we already knew and are introduced to completely new ones that will turn much of what we thought we knew on its head. I’m always amazed by how Mancour can keep what is primarily a single-person perspective continuous storyline constantly chugging along with ever greater steam, but he does manage it and I am eternally thankful for it.
We get some real character growth from some of Min’s closest allies, the sort that truly makes you happy to see considering how much you’ve invested in these fictional people. There’s a whole heap of information on the early human colonisation and its disastrous downfall which I personally have been gagging for for about ten books now. We get to learn a great deal about races we’ve only heard about in passing and even more detail on those we know well. I’m struggling to define anything in particular that won’t give anything away, so I shall simply state this: although the pacing and content of this book may not be as overly exciting as you have come to expect, if you love the Spellmonger universe as much as I do, this book is genuinely one of the best in the series.
That’s all I’ve really got to say on the matter. If you’ve gotten this far into the series then of course you are going to give this book a go, and if you haven’t, then what the hell are you waiting for? Get off your arse and bury yourself in the best example of an extended fantasy narrative that I have ever had the good fortune to find.
Also, Mancour, you are an absolute shit! He put something in this book that had me laughing so hard I nearly fell off my rowing machine. Anyone who reads/listens to this book will know exactly what I am talking about when it happens. It is both a shining light in dark times and the bane of many people’s existence for those of my generation, and Mancour snuck it in like a pro. Bravo, you marvellous bastard.
Narration, as ever, is the absolute best of the best. Whether John Lee has become my favourite narrator purely because of his talent or also because he is the narrator of this masterpiece of a series, I do not know. All I do know is that if for some reason Lee was unable to keep narrating the Spellmonger books, they would lose a fair whack of the magic that makes them so amazing.
November 27, 2021
What is the price of knowledge?
A flawed masterpiece of science-fantasy, but also an inspirational tale of exploration and true magic.
And did you want to pay?
Terry delivers an answer to both reader and character, leaving us wondering: was it worth it? I want to walk away in frustration, yet I am longing to turn a page as yet unpublished.
I cannot honestly say if that’s a good thing or not, I know I will aways love the book from the moment it steps outside the series norm and casts it’s enchantment of a magical land without magic. That is either a capstone achievement of reference to grand fantasy and science fiction authors leading back to Clarke, Tolkien, Burroughs and others - taking all those elements that make you want to cry, scream, weep and gasp in an book as explosive as the setting… or it’s a failure that will destroy the series by setting up what it never delivers - can a dream holiday deliver? Was it worth reading the book? As I write this, I don’t know. Knowledge has a price, this book takes you along as the characters learn that, as Min learns that he’s not a wizard, merely a superb mage. A theme alluded to before, and… one I don’t know if he or the author have truely understood and delivered on, respectively. I don’t know if reading this book was worth the mental price. I can say however, that you may very well want to take that gamble for yourself - but it is a gamble as it stands.
This is a recurring theme without the book, and I can’t tell if Terry intentionally wants to place that feeling in the readers heart and mind at the end - if this is an epic of subtle and distant references you have to been a fan of multiple genres to get, or if it’s a hashed attempt to stitch together sloppy storytelling.
[Critical Setting Meta-Spoiler below, but one that new readers may wish to know]
This is an excellent book that starts out with a premise (that wonder, enchantment and wizardry are about more than spellcraft) and does so superbly, leaving you spellbound and enchanted - you genuinely do not want the crazy little lost land with all the typical fantasy tropes which is actually a super volcano that once used to be the settlement of an ancient star-faring human races most far flung holiday resort come to an end, or the stories in it.
The plot revelations come fast and hard, with danger, surprise and inevitable madness and death (and rebirth) as themes to both wisdom and exploration, allowing the reader to capture the grandeur that Terry alludes to in earlier novels, and the price of wisdom and knowledge - because as everyone learns in time, all experience does come from change and pain, and it is no trite aphorism that the hardest challenged are often the most competent and wisest, and that wisdom has nothing to do with power.
However - and yes, Terry, there is indeed always a however.
[Spoilers are all small but critical, revealing the shape of the book and spoiling certain events - but YMMV - I have tried to discuss a plot jammed full of the use of prior guns on the wall that have been fired without stripping the mystery away, what is obvious to me may not be to you]
Those guns that I mentioned? You know, the discharged ones that are mentioned in a Ducal Treasure Vault full of lost technology? They are very literally fired. Or other models of them are. You know when Min gets a plasma rifle, he’s going to use it, and to Terry’s credit, he does this in style.
The revelations come too thick and fast, in particular the outright revelation this is a high science fantasy setting, not science fiction, space opera or fantasy (the distinction be different in many opinions, here I use it to distinguish between levels of scope and if the setting is about a magical other world) - readers of the first five books could easily be forgiven, until the very first mention of the word ‘colony’ that they have bought a fantasy novel, and while Terry heavily alludes, then outright states in prior books, this book changes the entire world for better or for ill, with a cascade of revelations that it is in fact science fantasy, and superb science fantasy at that. If it had just been that, this would have been the perfect book. Barring the minor quibble that it all gets a bit Cthulhu Mythos - right down to outright allusions to ‘dark powers in the earth’ and confirmation of what causes and removes magic (which in hindsight seems obvious). Some of this is good, some bad. But I can’t help feeling let down because there is so much with a poor ending grafted on designed to, I think, be the crash back down to reality from from a magical story, but instead I end up feeling betrayed by Penny’s utter high handed bitchiness - oh, I get why she’s that why, and Min his, but the forced integration to demonstrate how far the two have grown apart and the utterly unbelievable events that occur in a few paragraphs of speech just destroy all the book has tried to build. Because the inclusion of all the sci-fan revelations, the revelations regarding the past of the planet, of the high handed aloofness of even the most human elf, the strange and unique little world, the cosmic scope, the nature of death and the gods and… a thousand other things it would, as Min puts it oh so well, take too long to explain, are… like a volcano, pressure is built, the first eruption is a release of knowledge and - understandably, we’re left in the pregnant pause for more.
Except we’re not.
Instead, we’re showered in a wonderful story and poised for the series to step up its game, and Penny is some cruel and vicious voice of reality that steps in, rips our legs out from under us, and brings us crashing down in one paragraph of absurd events that are no less improbable than half the answers in the worlds being in Min’s head, and in one little lost volcano - but isn’t that what lost volcanoes are for? This series has been about turning tropes on their head from the beginning. Why undo that so painfully?
Really, that is the crux - as a solo novel, this would be close to a 7 star, never mind six, example of the genre - where others bloat, Terry remains succinct and with a unique style I love, down to little things such as Min and Lily (or should I be human and just call her ‘Rebel with a Cause’?) with newfound tactical knowledge, including an elderly elf having literally become a special forces badass (Goodness Gracious Great Balls of Fire!) and Min a noble elven warrior poet, resulting in two amazing but different sciences where Min and Lily demolish an army of darkness with plasma weapons - because you don’t need to be a mage to wield magic, as the book points out. Sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic, after all. A point Terry has been hammering home. But let us not also forget Min’d spear duel where, drawing upon the ancient elven warrior-prince he now _is_ (along with 9 others), he schools an assassin of the Enshadowed in what a real warrior can do with such a weapon. Or when the Spellmonger’s wifes background role shifts and she, having regained her sanity, finally reveals her ties to the Handmaiden and the Great Mother.
See? It’s jam packed full.
To packed. It has to explode. It begs to sweep us up into a story that changes the world.
But the end of the book less leaves us hanging, or represents passing through insanity and dream, or the dreamlike nature of a holiday (all of which are strong, powerful metaphorical themes that run alongside the primary one) but instead Terry opts to bring us crashing back down to reality.
And that, really, is his big mistake. Some of us just can’t overlook that, and once you look past it, it feels forced - both the ending and the revelations, as if he suddenly went ‘shit, I’m on unlucky 13 and… oh, dear Lord, what have I still got to do… but… I need to have them save the kingdom because I’ve done all that setup and all this work which I’ve moved to Penny, and put her in the position of being a snobby oracle, the very thing she despise and, oh… and… in a single chapter and a tiny bit of setup he destroys the entire dream and brings reality crashing back in via a series of unlikely events that as as unlikely as the lost vale. Except that turning the lost vale concept on its head is _superb_ storytelling. Undoing that because you also want to go back to telling a story about mages and knights is not. Nor is it a release… I said betrayed before. But actually, I feel let down.
This book had a theme of ‘what price knowledge?’ and in a way, that’s disturbingly self-referential in a manner that, if intended is sublime art, is not… well, as the book points out, we won’t know. This is a 2 star book as _part of a series_ but a 5+ star book for a superb science fantasy book.
But we’ve been handed the knowledge and are - like the characters, left waiting for the payoff, and if the next two mainline books (I honestly do not care about spin-offs written by other authors as regards a solo book review, except where the lack of view of a characters actions gets in the way - although I would adore one from Lily’s point of view, or any of the elves) which hopefully setup Penny’s and then the Knights-Magi (Collective? The band needs to get back together for a road trip, but we also need to see them finish growing up and getting married - together. If they don’t walk their respective brides down the same aisle together, I shall be disappointed, you can’t break two brothers apart in an epic like this without reuniting them - the greater the deed, the greater the risk, and so the greater the risk, the greater the glory, and Terry quite rightly states that growing up is one of the greatest of deeds, falling in love and making a home and a wide caps it. They deserve that together.) views of that story, allowing Min to step in for the third _pick up_ that potential and run with it, telling compelling notes that compliment this ride into the higher realms, allowing Min to take centre state as the riff is passed back to him for his solo (I can make musical allegories too!) then this book will redeem itself.
But if it doesn’t? Then as a series book it will aways remain a painful one to read, and that leads me to deliberately step away from the series and it’s fandom until I see where it’s going. Because as much as I like being made to feel what the character feels - I live for such feelings, in fact, they’re the point of high art in writing or music, as the express emotion - I don’t feel the need to be brought crashing down from wildly optimistic hope and struggle. If anything, I want to seek out books about space exploration and high magic to recapture that.
So - a highly, highly mixed review. As you can no doubt tell, I loved it, and I know I’m bad with let downs in literature, never mind unhappy endings. But skimming other reviews I see the same frustration in different forms, along with the same captivating grandeur, and I feel compelled to express the unspoken twin sentiments of ‘Oh my god that was amazing! When is the next book?’ and ‘Oh, come _on_ Terry! Seriously, all that? When was ‘Not like other Dark Lords’ changed to ‘Not actually fantasy?’ and why did you rip the plaster off that gap _now_ and then leave us hanging?’
Time will utterly redeem this book, or utterly condemn it, but I know that regardless, this book will remain one of my touchstones for a style and genre I adore, on multiple levels from pulp science fiction, through science fantasy, through space opera to high magic fantasy and the exploration of - as another tag line puts it ‘a magical book without magic’ but only from the point they step into the magic crafter to the point they leave. The rest of the book might as well be window dressing. The rest of the series might as well be unless this great revelation is run with - until for once, as the authors of these series write, we see marines with plasma rifles alongside spell slinging wizards.
Until then, I suppose to his credit, Terry does leave me pondering: What price knowledge? Because it is not always insanity or madness, it can, as is pointed out, be disappointment. But it’s unfair to judge that until the sequel - but you likely will feel the need to, simply to bear the wait. Unless you’re reading this long after the next few books are out, then… go and read some reviews of them.
But… at the end of writing and re-writing this review. I’ve settled back on three stars for now. Because it is so mixed. If and when it redeems itself. I’ll add another review for posterity to correct myself, but not remove this one.
But I don’t regret reading this - I am a storyteller and artist myself, although hardly as well known, I’ve been tentatively exploring my own version of this setting - and I am inspired as all hell!
A flawed masterpiece of science-fantasy, but also an inspirational tale of exploration and true magic.
And did you want to pay?
Terry delivers an answer to both reader and character, leaving us wondering: was it worth it? I want to walk away in frustration, yet I am longing to turn a page as yet unpublished.
I cannot honestly say if that’s a good thing or not, I know I will aways love the book from the moment it steps outside the series norm and casts it’s enchantment of a magical land without magic. That is either a capstone achievement of reference to grand fantasy and science fiction authors leading back to Clarke, Tolkien, Burroughs and others - taking all those elements that make you want to cry, scream, weep and gasp in an book as explosive as the setting… or it’s a failure that will destroy the series by setting up what it never delivers - can a dream holiday deliver? Was it worth reading the book? As I write this, I don’t know. Knowledge has a price, this book takes you along as the characters learn that, as Min learns that he’s not a wizard, merely a superb mage. A theme alluded to before, and… one I don’t know if he or the author have truely understood and delivered on, respectively. I don’t know if reading this book was worth the mental price. I can say however, that you may very well want to take that gamble for yourself - but it is a gamble as it stands.
This is a recurring theme without the book, and I can’t tell if Terry intentionally wants to place that feeling in the readers heart and mind at the end - if this is an epic of subtle and distant references you have to been a fan of multiple genres to get, or if it’s a hashed attempt to stitch together sloppy storytelling.
[Critical Setting Meta-Spoiler below, but one that new readers may wish to know]
This is an excellent book that starts out with a premise (that wonder, enchantment and wizardry are about more than spellcraft) and does so superbly, leaving you spellbound and enchanted - you genuinely do not want the crazy little lost land with all the typical fantasy tropes which is actually a super volcano that once used to be the settlement of an ancient star-faring human races most far flung holiday resort come to an end, or the stories in it.
The plot revelations come fast and hard, with danger, surprise and inevitable madness and death (and rebirth) as themes to both wisdom and exploration, allowing the reader to capture the grandeur that Terry alludes to in earlier novels, and the price of wisdom and knowledge - because as everyone learns in time, all experience does come from change and pain, and it is no trite aphorism that the hardest challenged are often the most competent and wisest, and that wisdom has nothing to do with power.
However - and yes, Terry, there is indeed always a however.
[Spoilers are all small but critical, revealing the shape of the book and spoiling certain events - but YMMV - I have tried to discuss a plot jammed full of the use of prior guns on the wall that have been fired without stripping the mystery away, what is obvious to me may not be to you]
Those guns that I mentioned? You know, the discharged ones that are mentioned in a Ducal Treasure Vault full of lost technology? They are very literally fired. Or other models of them are. You know when Min gets a plasma rifle, he’s going to use it, and to Terry’s credit, he does this in style.
The revelations come too thick and fast, in particular the outright revelation this is a high science fantasy setting, not science fiction, space opera or fantasy (the distinction be different in many opinions, here I use it to distinguish between levels of scope and if the setting is about a magical other world) - readers of the first five books could easily be forgiven, until the very first mention of the word ‘colony’ that they have bought a fantasy novel, and while Terry heavily alludes, then outright states in prior books, this book changes the entire world for better or for ill, with a cascade of revelations that it is in fact science fantasy, and superb science fantasy at that. If it had just been that, this would have been the perfect book. Barring the minor quibble that it all gets a bit Cthulhu Mythos - right down to outright allusions to ‘dark powers in the earth’ and confirmation of what causes and removes magic (which in hindsight seems obvious). Some of this is good, some bad. But I can’t help feeling let down because there is so much with a poor ending grafted on designed to, I think, be the crash back down to reality from from a magical story, but instead I end up feeling betrayed by Penny’s utter high handed bitchiness - oh, I get why she’s that why, and Min his, but the forced integration to demonstrate how far the two have grown apart and the utterly unbelievable events that occur in a few paragraphs of speech just destroy all the book has tried to build. Because the inclusion of all the sci-fan revelations, the revelations regarding the past of the planet, of the high handed aloofness of even the most human elf, the strange and unique little world, the cosmic scope, the nature of death and the gods and… a thousand other things it would, as Min puts it oh so well, take too long to explain, are… like a volcano, pressure is built, the first eruption is a release of knowledge and - understandably, we’re left in the pregnant pause for more.
Except we’re not.
Instead, we’re showered in a wonderful story and poised for the series to step up its game, and Penny is some cruel and vicious voice of reality that steps in, rips our legs out from under us, and brings us crashing down in one paragraph of absurd events that are no less improbable than half the answers in the worlds being in Min’s head, and in one little lost volcano - but isn’t that what lost volcanoes are for? This series has been about turning tropes on their head from the beginning. Why undo that so painfully?
Really, that is the crux - as a solo novel, this would be close to a 7 star, never mind six, example of the genre - where others bloat, Terry remains succinct and with a unique style I love, down to little things such as Min and Lily (or should I be human and just call her ‘Rebel with a Cause’?) with newfound tactical knowledge, including an elderly elf having literally become a special forces badass (Goodness Gracious Great Balls of Fire!) and Min a noble elven warrior poet, resulting in two amazing but different sciences where Min and Lily demolish an army of darkness with plasma weapons - because you don’t need to be a mage to wield magic, as the book points out. Sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic, after all. A point Terry has been hammering home. But let us not also forget Min’d spear duel where, drawing upon the ancient elven warrior-prince he now _is_ (along with 9 others), he schools an assassin of the Enshadowed in what a real warrior can do with such a weapon. Or when the Spellmonger’s wifes background role shifts and she, having regained her sanity, finally reveals her ties to the Handmaiden and the Great Mother.
See? It’s jam packed full.
To packed. It has to explode. It begs to sweep us up into a story that changes the world.
But the end of the book less leaves us hanging, or represents passing through insanity and dream, or the dreamlike nature of a holiday (all of which are strong, powerful metaphorical themes that run alongside the primary one) but instead Terry opts to bring us crashing back down to reality.
And that, really, is his big mistake. Some of us just can’t overlook that, and once you look past it, it feels forced - both the ending and the revelations, as if he suddenly went ‘shit, I’m on unlucky 13 and… oh, dear Lord, what have I still got to do… but… I need to have them save the kingdom because I’ve done all that setup and all this work which I’ve moved to Penny, and put her in the position of being a snobby oracle, the very thing she despise and, oh… and… in a single chapter and a tiny bit of setup he destroys the entire dream and brings reality crashing back in via a series of unlikely events that as as unlikely as the lost vale. Except that turning the lost vale concept on its head is _superb_ storytelling. Undoing that because you also want to go back to telling a story about mages and knights is not. Nor is it a release… I said betrayed before. But actually, I feel let down.
This book had a theme of ‘what price knowledge?’ and in a way, that’s disturbingly self-referential in a manner that, if intended is sublime art, is not… well, as the book points out, we won’t know. This is a 2 star book as _part of a series_ but a 5+ star book for a superb science fantasy book.
But we’ve been handed the knowledge and are - like the characters, left waiting for the payoff, and if the next two mainline books (I honestly do not care about spin-offs written by other authors as regards a solo book review, except where the lack of view of a characters actions gets in the way - although I would adore one from Lily’s point of view, or any of the elves) which hopefully setup Penny’s and then the Knights-Magi (Collective? The band needs to get back together for a road trip, but we also need to see them finish growing up and getting married - together. If they don’t walk their respective brides down the same aisle together, I shall be disappointed, you can’t break two brothers apart in an epic like this without reuniting them - the greater the deed, the greater the risk, and so the greater the risk, the greater the glory, and Terry quite rightly states that growing up is one of the greatest of deeds, falling in love and making a home and a wide caps it. They deserve that together.) views of that story, allowing Min to step in for the third _pick up_ that potential and run with it, telling compelling notes that compliment this ride into the higher realms, allowing Min to take centre state as the riff is passed back to him for his solo (I can make musical allegories too!) then this book will redeem itself.
But if it doesn’t? Then as a series book it will aways remain a painful one to read, and that leads me to deliberately step away from the series and it’s fandom until I see where it’s going. Because as much as I like being made to feel what the character feels - I live for such feelings, in fact, they’re the point of high art in writing or music, as the express emotion - I don’t feel the need to be brought crashing down from wildly optimistic hope and struggle. If anything, I want to seek out books about space exploration and high magic to recapture that.
So - a highly, highly mixed review. As you can no doubt tell, I loved it, and I know I’m bad with let downs in literature, never mind unhappy endings. But skimming other reviews I see the same frustration in different forms, along with the same captivating grandeur, and I feel compelled to express the unspoken twin sentiments of ‘Oh my god that was amazing! When is the next book?’ and ‘Oh, come _on_ Terry! Seriously, all that? When was ‘Not like other Dark Lords’ changed to ‘Not actually fantasy?’ and why did you rip the plaster off that gap _now_ and then leave us hanging?’
Time will utterly redeem this book, or utterly condemn it, but I know that regardless, this book will remain one of my touchstones for a style and genre I adore, on multiple levels from pulp science fiction, through science fantasy, through space opera to high magic fantasy and the exploration of - as another tag line puts it ‘a magical book without magic’ but only from the point they step into the magic crafter to the point they leave. The rest of the book might as well be window dressing. The rest of the series might as well be unless this great revelation is run with - until for once, as the authors of these series write, we see marines with plasma rifles alongside spell slinging wizards.
Until then, I suppose to his credit, Terry does leave me pondering: What price knowledge? Because it is not always insanity or madness, it can, as is pointed out, be disappointment. But it’s unfair to judge that until the sequel - but you likely will feel the need to, simply to bear the wait. Unless you’re reading this long after the next few books are out, then… go and read some reviews of them.
But… at the end of writing and re-writing this review. I’ve settled back on three stars for now. Because it is so mixed. If and when it redeems itself. I’ll add another review for posterity to correct myself, but not remove this one.
But I don’t regret reading this - I am a storyteller and artist myself, although hardly as well known, I’ve been tentatively exploring my own version of this setting - and I am inspired as all hell!
August 28, 2022
The story is strong, but I hate genre-switching. This series is very for of doing that, so into the series. So if you're not a fan of fantasy into scifi genre hops, be warned. John Lee is an amazing narrator.
July 2, 2021
My favourite
This is my favourite fantasy series and I’m always so happy when there is a new one and so sad when I binge read the book and then I’m finished so to hear there is another one in not too long is great. Back to the book I love when Alya is in more of the story so yay and I really liked this, while I don’t feel The story progresses the narrative to much I do feel it’s a much needed accent to what happens next in the greater storyline and it’s interesting to learn more of the world and it’s not disappointing in any way shape or form
This is my favourite fantasy series and I’m always so happy when there is a new one and so sad when I binge read the book and then I’m finished so to hear there is another one in not too long is great. Back to the book I love when Alya is in more of the story so yay and I really liked this, while I don’t feel The story progresses the narrative to much I do feel it’s a much needed accent to what happens next in the greater storyline and it’s interesting to learn more of the world and it’s not disappointing in any way shape or form
July 13, 2021
Wish I could give it 6 stars
Not sure how Terry maintains the quality of story when it is all so complicated! Essential reading for lovers of the spell monger.
Not sure how Terry maintains the quality of story when it is all so complicated! Essential reading for lovers of the spell monger.
July 3, 2021
This is spoiler free review.
After binge reading this, all I can think of is I should have waited for audiobook, John Lee really raises the level of these books.
ITS JUST TOO MUCH...and not in a good way. ALL the plot lines converging, too much lore.
And I mean all of the plot lines...ALL OF THEM.
Pages and pages of repetitive conversation rehashing what we just saw, sometimes to the same characters. (editorial mistakes)
This is book THIRTEEN please stop reminding readers what happened in the TWELWE books we remember and if we don't we probably stopped reading.
Cutting out repetition and rehashing this would be 150 pages shorter.
In earlier books we see gradual increase in scope, from personal to domain to barony and finally county. This just says F*** it and goes to UNIVERSE scale, where can you go after this?
The ending is very "baitish" more of an advertisment for book 14 then a real ending.
Well the answer is probably that Terry Mancour got tired of Spellmonger and wants to end it as fast as possible probably in 2-3 more books.
Makes me sad I enjoyed this series especially all the small fluffy details about feudal life.
After binge reading this, all I can think of is I should have waited for audiobook, John Lee really raises the level of these books.
ITS JUST TOO MUCH...and not in a good way. ALL the plot lines converging, too much lore.
And I mean all of the plot lines...ALL OF THEM.
Pages and pages of repetitive conversation rehashing what we just saw, sometimes to the same characters. (editorial mistakes)
This is book THIRTEEN please stop reminding readers what happened in the TWELWE books we remember and if we don't we probably stopped reading.
Cutting out repetition and rehashing this would be 150 pages shorter.
In earlier books we see gradual increase in scope, from personal to domain to barony and finally county. This just says F*** it and goes to UNIVERSE scale, where can you go after this?
The ending is very "baitish" more of an advertisment for book 14 then a real ending.
Well the answer is probably that Terry Mancour got tired of Spellmonger and wants to end it as fast as possible probably in 2-3 more books.
Makes me sad I enjoyed this series especially all the small fluffy details about feudal life.
February 11, 2022
3.5 rounded down.
What the heck did I just listen to? I was confused for a good part of this book wondering what Terry Mancour was going to pull out next. The entire time wondering if he planned this plot trajectory from the beginning or if he’s jumping the shark. Wizards shooting plasma rifles? Disney references? Staying Alive by The Bee Gees? Check, check, and check.
I mean, I get it. He’s trying to merge sci-fi with fantasy, but this execution just seems a bit wild and uncontrolled. Two genres smashed together in spectacular fashion when more finesse likely would have gone a long way.
What the heck did I just listen to? I was confused for a good part of this book wondering what Terry Mancour was going to pull out next. The entire time wondering if he planned this plot trajectory from the beginning or if he’s jumping the shark. Wizards shooting plasma rifles? Disney references? Staying Alive by The Bee Gees? Check, check, and check.
I mean, I get it. He’s trying to merge sci-fi with fantasy, but this execution just seems a bit wild and uncontrolled. Two genres smashed together in spectacular fashion when more finesse likely would have gone a long way.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 9, 2021
Wow. A lot happens in this book.
I consider myself a huge Spellmonger fan, but I don't know how to feel about this book.
The old status quo is blown away, and I'm not sure how to feel about all the changes.
I will get the audio book when it comes out, and hopefully it will help me decide.
I consider myself a huge Spellmonger fan, but I don't know how to feel about this book.
The old status quo is blown away, and I'm not sure how to feel about all the changes.
I will get the audio book when it comes out, and hopefully it will help me decide.
October 14, 2021
4.5 Stars 🌟
Now this is more like it! It goes without saying that I am a HUGE fan of this series. On a side note.... a BIG shout out to the new spinoff book that just came out this month - ShadowPlay - featuring the POV from Gatina. This series shows us the history of her starting as a child, their family and how the Shadowmages develop into the important clan that they are when we meet them in the future. (Sorry, just a side note)
As a fan, I have to admit that the last book or two has been a little below the level of what I have come to expect from this series. Don't get me wrong....I still LOVE being able to jump back into Minalan's world and the realm of the Spellmonger, but it seemed as if there were SO many details of specific battles, descriptions of spells, locations of troops....it was a bit much with so much tedious information.
Now in this book, we get back to the main focus and POV being only from our Spellmonger. There are different POV's but they are wonderfully placed as excerpt's from the journals of others on the quest and placed at the beginning of each chapter. Minalan is going on a quest and boy is he is out of his element as he is going on a quest to a place where there is NO magic....seriously...NO MAGIC.
I don't even think Minalan knew how vulnerable he was going to feel without access to his magic. We also get to see a different and better Alya. It was so nice to see the two of them being a couple again. I forgot how she always seems to have a particular way of seeing things that is different - because she does not have magic, yet also because she has a front row seat to her husband's actions and ideas as well as all of his quirks. She is back to being able to be a help and a support to her husband - that was really nice to see.
With no spoilers, let me jut say that there is a WHOLE lot of information given in this book. Answers to so many questions that we have had as readers. History is explained, from as far back as 600 years ago when the New Horizon brought the first humani to the planet. And then, we get even more history going WAY WAY back. Answers and answers....yay. But, in the usual fashion, when one question is answered, there are more questions that develop.
I really enjoyed this book. There was a little bit of lag in the middle of the book - it is long at about 800 pages, but somewhere around the 60% mark or so things really pick up. Things are happening and happening quickly. Once the information starts to come out, it comes out in droves.
The ending had me holding my breath and scared me for a minute. But the VERY end.....it left me trying to figure out WHY Pentandra reacted like that. I even went back to Court Wizard and read a few chapters of a particular event because I was thinking the answer might be there. Ugh....as much as it left me wondering, it also left me excited and waiting for Book 14. It sounds like things are .....whoops, no spoilers.
Let's just say I can't wait. :)
Now this is more like it! It goes without saying that I am a HUGE fan of this series. On a side note.... a BIG shout out to the new spinoff book that just came out this month - ShadowPlay - featuring the POV from Gatina. This series shows us the history of her starting as a child, their family and how the Shadowmages develop into the important clan that they are when we meet them in the future. (Sorry, just a side note)
As a fan, I have to admit that the last book or two has been a little below the level of what I have come to expect from this series. Don't get me wrong....I still LOVE being able to jump back into Minalan's world and the realm of the Spellmonger, but it seemed as if there were SO many details of specific battles, descriptions of spells, locations of troops....it was a bit much with so much tedious information.
Now in this book, we get back to the main focus and POV being only from our Spellmonger. There are different POV's but they are wonderfully placed as excerpt's from the journals of others on the quest and placed at the beginning of each chapter. Minalan is going on a quest and boy is he is out of his element as he is going on a quest to a place where there is NO magic....seriously...NO MAGIC.
I don't even think Minalan knew how vulnerable he was going to feel without access to his magic. We also get to see a different and better Alya. It was so nice to see the two of them being a couple again. I forgot how she always seems to have a particular way of seeing things that is different - because she does not have magic, yet also because she has a front row seat to her husband's actions and ideas as well as all of his quirks. She is back to being able to be a help and a support to her husband - that was really nice to see.
With no spoilers, let me jut say that there is a WHOLE lot of information given in this book. Answers to so many questions that we have had as readers. History is explained, from as far back as 600 years ago when the New Horizon brought the first humani to the planet. And then, we get even more history going WAY WAY back. Answers and answers....yay. But, in the usual fashion, when one question is answered, there are more questions that develop.
I really enjoyed this book. There was a little bit of lag in the middle of the book - it is long at about 800 pages, but somewhere around the 60% mark or so things really pick up. Things are happening and happening quickly. Once the information starts to come out, it comes out in droves.
The ending had me holding my breath and scared me for a minute. But the VERY end.....it left me trying to figure out WHY Pentandra reacted like that. I even went back to Court Wizard and read a few chapters of a particular event because I was thinking the answer might be there. Ugh....as much as it left me wondering, it also left me excited and waiting for Book 14. It sounds like things are .....whoops, no spoilers.
Let's just say I can't wait. :)
July 21, 2022
General Overview
Running out of places to go, this series has truly jumped the shark. I'm too far gone to not read further, but yeah, I don't know how much I am going to enjoy reading this grand epic 'fantasy' any further.
Style
I have spoken about Mr Mancour's writing style many times before. It is sometimes repetitive, and cliche. It is good enough and he shines in his worldbuilding. This is as true to this novel, as all of his others.
Story
There is no other image that better summarises the story of Footwizard then this. This meme is it. The series has been heading down the road to Sci-Fi. A few touches are great and interesting, but its not what I signed up for I guess when I started this series.
But really, where else was it going to go? The stakes always keep getting higher in this series. Where else can this series go then but out of the world it is set in.
I think, there is a better series here. Ignoring the Sci-Fi issues I have with this novel, I think the series could have been made better if That didn't happen, and the series went on as expected. If it had happened, it would have really made the next few books interesting. It would have changed the whole narrative. It could have worked that the secret answers and mysteries gathered could have been passed on somehow else.
But, predictably, this didn't occur.
Final Thoughts
I will probably finish off this series. I see myself rolling my eyes more and more with each book. It feels a bit cheap, but I'm hooked. Mr Mancour got me.
Running out of places to go, this series has truly jumped the shark. I'm too far gone to not read further, but yeah, I don't know how much I am going to enjoy reading this grand epic 'fantasy' any further.
Style
I have spoken about Mr Mancour's writing style many times before. It is sometimes repetitive, and cliche. It is good enough and he shines in his worldbuilding. This is as true to this novel, as all of his others.
Story
There is no other image that better summarises the story of Footwizard then this. This meme is it. The series has been heading down the road to Sci-Fi. A few touches are great and interesting, but its not what I signed up for I guess when I started this series.
But really, where else was it going to go? The stakes always keep getting higher in this series. Where else can this series go then but out of the world it is set in.
I think, there is a better series here. Ignoring the Sci-Fi issues I have with this novel, I think the series could have been made better if That didn't happen, and the series went on as expected. If it had happened, it would have really made the next few books interesting. It would have changed the whole narrative. It could have worked that the secret answers and mysteries gathered could have been passed on somehow else.
But, predictably, this didn't occur.
Final Thoughts
I will probably finish off this series. I see myself rolling my eyes more and more with each book. It feels a bit cheap, but I'm hooked. Mr Mancour got me.
July 7, 2021
Another wondrous installation in an excellent series.
It is hard to write a review without dropping spoilers. We get many additional glimpses and insights into the richness of Caladore in Footwizard. Several new characters are introduced and we delve deeper into many of our old friends. The plot remains exciting but in a leisurely fashion. Footwizard is more a tale of mysteries explored and wonders revealed than it is one of epic battles fought and won but the Spellmonger series is more than rich enough and Mancour more than up to the task. All in all, it is an epic adventure of the completion of a number quests intermixed with discovery and mystery. There is plenty of tension and conflict if most of the latter is low key and in the background. There are a good number of reveals that promise grand story arcs in future novels as well.
If I have one complaint it is that the editing is not up to its usual (very high) standards. It doesn't significantly impact the readability or get in the way of the story but it does cause enough stumbles that can be annoying. Those who are looking for a rock-em sock-em thrill packed battlefest may be disappointed should be somewhat assuaged by the calm narration, natural wonders, and world-shaking revelations promise of new rich story arcs and take comfort in the certainty that those rock-em sock-em thrill packed battlefests are sure to be plentiful in the next few novels.
All told another first rate endeavor that is highly recommended.
It is hard to write a review without dropping spoilers. We get many additional glimpses and insights into the richness of Caladore in Footwizard. Several new characters are introduced and we delve deeper into many of our old friends. The plot remains exciting but in a leisurely fashion. Footwizard is more a tale of mysteries explored and wonders revealed than it is one of epic battles fought and won but the Spellmonger series is more than rich enough and Mancour more than up to the task. All in all, it is an epic adventure of the completion of a number quests intermixed with discovery and mystery. There is plenty of tension and conflict if most of the latter is low key and in the background. There are a good number of reveals that promise grand story arcs in future novels as well.
If I have one complaint it is that the editing is not up to its usual (very high) standards. It doesn't significantly impact the readability or get in the way of the story but it does cause enough stumbles that can be annoying. Those who are looking for a rock-em sock-em thrill packed battlefest may be disappointed should be somewhat assuaged by the calm narration, natural wonders, and world-shaking revelations promise of new rich story arcs and take comfort in the certainty that those rock-em sock-em thrill packed battlefests are sure to be plentiful in the next few novels.
All told another first rate endeavor that is highly recommended.
November 9, 2024
BOOM like being hit with a sledgehammer of plot! **NO SPOILERS**
I don’t have the words to express just how brilliant this book is. There’s an absolute wealth of unusual, strange and outright bizarre unfolded within. The larger overarching plot of the series is filled in with more detail giving tantalising glimpses of Callidore’s past. There’s not so much of a plot drop as a plot avalanche. This is one book that must not be missed.
Minalan and his companions travel through a toxic wasteland to reach the fabled land of Anghysbel. They have several goals that they hope to achieve; accessing the colonial outpost, searching for Ameras the new Aronin to request aid from the Alka Alon vault and making contact with the local Wilderlord and his people. Just to keep things interesting the Enshadowed are sending their own forces as well, oh and there will be no access to magic for the duration of their journey and stay in Anghysbel.
Pentandra as Baroness of Vanador watches over the Magelaw in Minalan’s absence.
This is a journey that fulfills the definition of adventure, filled with strange and exotic creatures (and people). Will Minalan find the answers he’s seeking? I’ve never been more grateful that I am right now that the next book in the series is immediately available. It’s going to be a long night.
I don’t have the words to express just how brilliant this book is. There’s an absolute wealth of unusual, strange and outright bizarre unfolded within. The larger overarching plot of the series is filled in with more detail giving tantalising glimpses of Callidore’s past. There’s not so much of a plot drop as a plot avalanche. This is one book that must not be missed.
Minalan and his companions travel through a toxic wasteland to reach the fabled land of Anghysbel. They have several goals that they hope to achieve; accessing the colonial outpost, searching for Ameras the new Aronin to request aid from the Alka Alon vault and making contact with the local Wilderlord and his people. Just to keep things interesting the Enshadowed are sending their own forces as well, oh and there will be no access to magic for the duration of their journey and stay in Anghysbel.
Pentandra as Baroness of Vanador watches over the Magelaw in Minalan’s absence.
This is a journey that fulfills the definition of adventure, filled with strange and exotic creatures (and people). Will Minalan find the answers he’s seeking? I’ve never been more grateful that I am right now that the next book in the series is immediately available. It’s going to be a long night.
July 23, 2021
Book 13 the lore builder
This book seemed different from the other 12. There were way more puns from Minalan. The number of pop culture references peeked higher than any mcu spiderman session. While a few were entertaining the sheer number of them left it a little over the top. I appreciate Mancour's writing still.
The journey went about as one would expect and in fact conveniently solved all of minalan's problems from the past few books. Though the next 6 books' worth of problems were introduced in the last few pages.
Only reason I wouldn't give it a 5 star is because most of the book felt inauthentic to the style he had. Perhaps it was just me, but the writing style just felt different.
This book seemed different from the other 12. There were way more puns from Minalan. The number of pop culture references peeked higher than any mcu spiderman session. While a few were entertaining the sheer number of them left it a little over the top. I appreciate Mancour's writing still.
The journey went about as one would expect and in fact conveniently solved all of minalan's problems from the past few books. Though the next 6 books' worth of problems were introduced in the last few pages.
Only reason I wouldn't give it a 5 star is because most of the book felt inauthentic to the style he had. Perhaps it was just me, but the writing style just felt different.
December 29, 2021
I've been pretty rough on this series when I thought it wasn't living up to its potential. But this installment is pure gold. Many fantasy series have tried to do the thing where they reveal a high technology past that's been lost and replaced by a current medieval/magical society. Usually that winds up being just a token, "gee whiz" type of thing that doesn't go anywhere. Boy is that NOT the case here. Mancour hits us with "big picture" reveals about how this universe works in this book. The technological past is crucial to the plot going forward. This fantasy series just ventured into space opera territory, and it's a really compelling space opera that could stand on its own. For this to happen in the 13th book of a series about wizards fighting goblins is pretty jaw dropping.
January 2, 2023
Just WOW
I will never be okay with some of the decisions our Spellmonger makes but when they come with the depth of experience and brilliant writing of some parts of this book, we’ll, I’ll grit my teeth and happily turn the page. No one is perfect, after all!
No major spoilers but I will say that that whole episode that exposes Min to an incredibly ancient being just rocked my world. It was original. It was profound. It was incredible detailed. It’s moments like those that remind us of why we read an how valuable authors are who not only have that level of imagination but also the ability to share that vision through words.
Thank you for a few minutes I will never ever forget.
I will never be okay with some of the decisions our Spellmonger makes but when they come with the depth of experience and brilliant writing of some parts of this book, we’ll, I’ll grit my teeth and happily turn the page. No one is perfect, after all!
No major spoilers but I will say that that whole episode that exposes Min to an incredibly ancient being just rocked my world. It was original. It was profound. It was incredible detailed. It’s moments like those that remind us of why we read an how valuable authors are who not only have that level of imagination but also the ability to share that vision through words.
Thank you for a few minutes I will never ever forget.
July 3, 2021
Loved this book.
I am a big fan of the spellmonger series and thoroughly enjoy each new book. The only complaint was the music references, otherwise I read it in two days, pausing only for bodily functions. If you haven't read Spellmonger, the first of the series, I encourage you to start there. If you have, then you already know what to expect. An addictive series that lifts the imagination in new and unexpected ways. Footwizard encompasses all I expect from the author and uplifts the fantasy genre. I'm already dreaming of sinking my mindteeth into the next book of the series.
I am a big fan of the spellmonger series and thoroughly enjoy each new book. The only complaint was the music references, otherwise I read it in two days, pausing only for bodily functions. If you haven't read Spellmonger, the first of the series, I encourage you to start there. If you have, then you already know what to expect. An addictive series that lifts the imagination in new and unexpected ways. Footwizard encompasses all I expect from the author and uplifts the fantasy genre. I'm already dreaming of sinking my mindteeth into the next book of the series.
August 3, 2021
If you could walk the halls of knowledge, would you?
I absolutely adored this new and different adventure of min’s. So many writers leave Easter eggs, clues, subtle references to things we know well. Terry Mancour beat me over the head with a 4 ton stora bone and I loved it. The emotions of music, settings, and choices described in this book brought a world I already loved visiting in my mind - even more to life.
Would I make the same choices? Would I share knowledge? Are secrets really worth hiding away? All these questions and more will be put forth… do you think you could last 1.. 2.. or more moments of knowledge?
I absolutely adored this new and different adventure of min’s. So many writers leave Easter eggs, clues, subtle references to things we know well. Terry Mancour beat me over the head with a 4 ton stora bone and I loved it. The emotions of music, settings, and choices described in this book brought a world I already loved visiting in my mind - even more to life.
Would I make the same choices? Would I share knowledge? Are secrets really worth hiding away? All these questions and more will be put forth… do you think you could last 1.. 2.. or more moments of knowledge?
October 23, 2021
Better
Quality of wordsmithing is pretty. Back to the standard of initial books in series. No significant chronological mix up of sections written at different times nor alternate conflicting retelling of the same place or event.
Probably because the author is stops holding back on many long hinted mysteries and back stories from the pre-history of his story world. Only but he added a heap of untold current events in the last pages of the book to compensate and he is still teasing some future events that are really pretty blatant and obvious at this point.
Quality of wordsmithing is pretty. Back to the standard of initial books in series. No significant chronological mix up of sections written at different times nor alternate conflicting retelling of the same place or event.
Probably because the author is stops holding back on many long hinted mysteries and back stories from the pre-history of his story world. Only but he added a heap of untold current events in the last pages of the book to compensate and he is still teasing some future events that are really pretty blatant and obvious at this point.
April 5, 2022
Book 13 in the series I love to hate, or hate to love? I with I could explain it, but there is something about this series that gets under my skin. But there is also something about this series that makes it increasingly difficult to put down.
I've come to grips with the idea that I'm on this pony for the ride to end, come what may. Minalin continues to do silly things and get away with it. The world continues to spin. We learn much more about the ancient past and new areas of Callidore. Honestly, it's a pretty good book. Nice work Terry.
I've come to grips with the idea that I'm on this pony for the ride to end, come what may. Minalin continues to do silly things and get away with it. The world continues to spin. We learn much more about the ancient past and new areas of Callidore. Honestly, it's a pretty good book. Nice work Terry.
November 28, 2023
Without a doubt, this is my favorite Spellmonger book, so far. This is a true long-distance quest story, with Minalan and company journeying to a Shangri-la-like mysterious land. At times, reading about this new and unknown land reminded me of the feeling I had when I first read The Wounded Land by Stephen R Donaldson. At times you miss Castalshar and can't wait to get back, while at other times you are enchanted by the new land and never want to leave.
I also love the blend of fantasy and science fiction that really comes through in this novel.
I also love the blend of fantasy and science fiction that really comes through in this novel.
July 1, 2021
Absolutely brilliant
I really enjoyed reading the entire book. It takes a good author to put together and keep the flow in a storyline . One of the best yet. The ending was unexpected too. There was a lot of small little ditty’s that made me laugh. Just a day after publication and k no ow looking forward to what comes next and how Min sorts out the absolute crock he has come home to.
I really enjoyed reading the entire book. It takes a good author to put together and keep the flow in a storyline . One of the best yet. The ending was unexpected too. There was a lot of small little ditty’s that made me laugh. Just a day after publication and k no ow looking forward to what comes next and how Min sorts out the absolute crock he has come home to.
August 12, 2021
Great set up for the next major arc.
The author didn't simply drop a bombshell of a plot reveal, he dropped a whole nuke. This book more than the last two sets up with third of the story, the spellmonger's exile arc, the plot reveals made explains much and shakes up the power dynamics greatly. Book 14 can't come soon enough, where we learn what went on with Pentandra during the largely eventful summer holiday of the spellmonger into the Jevolar.
The author didn't simply drop a bombshell of a plot reveal, he dropped a whole nuke. This book more than the last two sets up with third of the story, the spellmonger's exile arc, the plot reveals made explains much and shakes up the power dynamics greatly. Book 14 can't come soon enough, where we learn what went on with Pentandra during the largely eventful summer holiday of the spellmonger into the Jevolar.
November 24, 2021
one of my favorite additions to the series! A ton of information and lore introduced in the book. almost too much but the auther guides the story well. I'm normally not a huge fan of sci-fi but I feel like this series blending into sc-fi a little is fantastic, the history of humans and their place on calador is made more clear and I'm excited to see the world grow and merge magic with technology in the coming books. absolutely incredible work Terry, thanks for another book
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