What do you think?
Rate this book
The Enemy of Magic
The world of Shalistar has reached the climax of its final age. Magic and sorcery, a forbidden art, have taken root in the hearts of its inhabitants. The outcome of this wickedness has come in the form of “The Messenger,” a cruel being who offers power and prestige. Those who accept the gift are granted unnatural abilities, but find themselves a slave to Baelor, the unmerciful master of “The Messengers.”
Born within this world of darkness is a group of warriors, known as The Order of the Elect. They follow the will of Aleph, the creator of Shalistar, who has guided them in battling the forces of evil for thousands of years, keeping the darkness at bay. At the end of the age, at the pinnacle of darkness, a young man and a young woman have been summoned by Aleph, to walk through trials unnumbered and meet their creator face to face at his mountain summit.
Welcome to a world where an eternal battle has been waged between good and evil. The lines have been drawn, and the people of Shalistar face the crucial choice to follow the will of Aleph or surrender to the control of Baelor. Ancient history and spiritual conflict collide in this fantastical drama, written in the tradition of The Lord of the Rings and The Chronicles of Narnia.
Born within this world of darkness is a group of warriors, known as The Order of the Elect. They follow the will of Aleph, the creator of Shalistar, who has guided them in battling the forces of evil for thousands of years, keeping the darkness at bay. At the end of the age, at the pinnacle of darkness, a young man and a young woman have been summoned by Aleph, to walk through trials unnumbered and meet their creator face to face at his mountain summit.
Welcome to a world where an eternal battle has been waged between good and evil. The lines have been drawn, and the people of Shalistar face the crucial choice to follow the will of Aleph or surrender to the control of Baelor. Ancient history and spiritual conflict collide in this fantastical drama, written in the tradition of The Lord of the Rings and The Chronicles of Narnia.
315 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 23, 2021
6 people are currently reading
24 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
October 24, 2022
My local bookstore has a shelf of Local Authors at the very front of the store and this one practically jumped into my hands from that shelf. The cover called to me and after a quick glance at the blurb, I took it home and dug in.
The Enemy of Magic is very much a deep fantasy focused on profound messages and thought-provoking conversations. There are a lot of stories told by characters and the plot moves very slowly forward. It's a book that values meaning, hope, light in the darkness, and overcoming challenges.
Because I am more familiar with faster-paced fantasy, this book was difficult for me to stick with. There is excitement and adventure without a doubt, but most of this book is building up the backstory, revealing the world, and conveying messages of hope. It's just a much different pace than I am accustomed to, but I did enjoy the story and the characters. I am looking forward to continuing the story in book two!
Content disclaimers: Very mild cursing. The action and gore can be intense at times. There is very little to no sexual content, though there is romance present.
The Enemy of Magic is very much a deep fantasy focused on profound messages and thought-provoking conversations. There are a lot of stories told by characters and the plot moves very slowly forward. It's a book that values meaning, hope, light in the darkness, and overcoming challenges.
Because I am more familiar with faster-paced fantasy, this book was difficult for me to stick with. There is excitement and adventure without a doubt, but most of this book is building up the backstory, revealing the world, and conveying messages of hope. It's just a much different pace than I am accustomed to, but I did enjoy the story and the characters. I am looking forward to continuing the story in book two!
Content disclaimers: Very mild cursing. The action and gore can be intense at times. There is very little to no sexual content, though there is romance present.
December 1, 2021
Full Disclosure: The author is one of my oldest, dearest friends. He asked me to write a spoiler-free review because he trusts me and values my opinion. We have spoken at length about the book, its themes, the characters, and the story itself. Were he not already my friend, after reading this book I would find him and become his friend.
This book checks every box for a timeless classic and does so without being vulgar or crude. The characters are believable, relatable, and breathe with their own essence. I chuckled at their jokes and raucous camaraderie. I cheered when they reached a high point and achieved victory in some situation. I wept when they failed or when the weight of their circumstances brought them to their knees. I was swept away into their lives, walked arm-in-arm with them through every turn of the page, and even now I have tears in my eyes as I think back on the journey we faced together. This is a book worth reading.
The story is timeless without being tedious. The pacing is often maddening in the best of ways where you keep telling yourself, “Just one more page!” then “Just one more chapter!”. I devoured this book because I HAD to know what happened to them; the story and the characters are one. This is good versus evil, light versus dark, and the fate of their world hangs in the balance. It is an allegory, to be sure, and sometimes a very thinly-veiled one at that, but only to those who see and understand the realities being presented. You will find yourself longing for the Creator that is described in this book and despising wholeheartedly the Destroyer who has come to harm his people. This is as it should be and is a mark of maturity in the writing. This is not a “Christian novel”, but it is deeply informed by a Christ-centered faith. The description is accurate when it says that this novel is “in the tradition of The Lord of the Rings and The Chronicles of Narnia”. One would never accuse either of those books of being religious propaganda and this book is no different. Even to an Atheist the themes in this book will ring true and the people in its pages will come to life. Of that I am certain.
But what is a book without its author? I can attest to this for you. The author of this book is a Godly man who has raised his family in humility and faith. He has been more like a brother to me than a friend and is always ready with a word of encouragement or an uplifting story. In struggles he has been patient, in defeat he has remained steady, and when tested again and again he has come through it unsinged. The impact he has made on my life cannot be overstated and this book has become just one more time that God used him to help me find my way. I pray that it helps you find yours.
This book checks every box for a timeless classic and does so without being vulgar or crude. The characters are believable, relatable, and breathe with their own essence. I chuckled at their jokes and raucous camaraderie. I cheered when they reached a high point and achieved victory in some situation. I wept when they failed or when the weight of their circumstances brought them to their knees. I was swept away into their lives, walked arm-in-arm with them through every turn of the page, and even now I have tears in my eyes as I think back on the journey we faced together. This is a book worth reading.
The story is timeless without being tedious. The pacing is often maddening in the best of ways where you keep telling yourself, “Just one more page!” then “Just one more chapter!”. I devoured this book because I HAD to know what happened to them; the story and the characters are one. This is good versus evil, light versus dark, and the fate of their world hangs in the balance. It is an allegory, to be sure, and sometimes a very thinly-veiled one at that, but only to those who see and understand the realities being presented. You will find yourself longing for the Creator that is described in this book and despising wholeheartedly the Destroyer who has come to harm his people. This is as it should be and is a mark of maturity in the writing. This is not a “Christian novel”, but it is deeply informed by a Christ-centered faith. The description is accurate when it says that this novel is “in the tradition of The Lord of the Rings and The Chronicles of Narnia”. One would never accuse either of those books of being religious propaganda and this book is no different. Even to an Atheist the themes in this book will ring true and the people in its pages will come to life. Of that I am certain.
But what is a book without its author? I can attest to this for you. The author of this book is a Godly man who has raised his family in humility and faith. He has been more like a brother to me than a friend and is always ready with a word of encouragement or an uplifting story. In struggles he has been patient, in defeat he has remained steady, and when tested again and again he has come through it unsinged. The impact he has made on my life cannot be overstated and this book has become just one more time that God used him to help me find my way. I pray that it helps you find yours.
August 3, 2022
What an incredible fantasy/adventure story with inspiring Christina themes all throughout. I highly recommend it for Teens and Adults! It was an easy read, and hard to put down. I can't wait for book 2!
January 3, 2022
This is the book I have been waiting to read. The Spiritual elements are solid as are the writing and the characters. I seldom finish books of fiction but this one I finished in just over a month.
May 20, 2025
Not my cup of tea, but I appreciated meeting the author at fan expo and getting a chance to read his self-published work!
February 22, 2025
Good book. Epic fantasy -- sets up a huge story. Well written, though slightly heavy on the religious allegory themes. Otherwise enjoyable.
Met the author at the Sci-Fi convention. Great guy.
Met the author at the Sci-Fi convention. Great guy.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews