The Magic Circle

by Barry Ryerson

Forty years ago, nuclear war devastated vast swathes of the world. Since then, the remaining countries strived to rebuild and grow stronger. Continents formed The Peace Accords, an agreement that cut all contact with each other to prevent such a war from ever happening again.

Three strangers—an art student in Paris, a Russian spy, and a South African programmer—find their lives intertwine as magic returns to Earth. Guided by the mysterious Celestials, they must choose how they use this force in a fight that will determine the fate of every single living thing on the planet.

Genres: Fantasy

382 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 3, 2022

Reviews

[Alan K. Dell]

An excellent blend of science fiction and magical fantasy with romance, and LGBTQIA+ and disability representation, from Barry Ryerson.

I’ve been looking forward to reading The Magic Circle for quite a long time. The curse of being a mood reader! That being said, it still took me a while to read the book. That’s not a slight on the book at all, though. I’ve been busier than usual and I didn’t get a lot of time to read over the last couple of months. Anyway onto the review!

One of the first things that struck me with The Magic Circle was that it had strong Umbrella Academy vibes—A colourful group of misfits with strange magical powers, ostensibly led by a child who seems uncannily mature as well as being the voice of reason. Don’t examine that comparison too closely, though, I haven’t properly watched the show. It’s just the impression I got seeing the odd clip while my wife watched it.

Anyway, the premise for The Magic Circle was very intriguing, and I was invested right from the off. The book has multiple POVs switching between Beth, an art college student in France who discovers she can do magic, Yevgeny, a Russian magical assassin and spy working for the church, and Wikus, a dangerous South African tech genius under the influence of a malevolent entity who desires the ability to do magic above all else. Wikus is very much the main antagonist for the book, and I thought having the villain as a POV character was very well done here.

The worldbuilding here was great. I really enjoyed the interplay between sci-fi and fantasy, where the nations are rebuilding after a nuclear war that unleashed magic into the world. All the technology has a magical basis, too, and there’s a lot of scientific concepts mixed in, such as using a satellite to collect antimatter from the Van Allen radiation belts.

I really loved the characters. The cast was diverse, bombastic, well-written and their representation was treated with respect. Yevgeny was brilliant in particular; I thought his arc throughout was great and I especially liked how the ending affected him. Beth was a fun counterpoint, being thrown into a life she hadn’t expected. And the other members of the Magic Circle: Rafael, Louis, Faye, and the Twins were all very intriguing. Faye was an interesting one but I don’t think we got to see enough of her as a character. They all started out with different powers and we got to see how they developed as they learned more, which was a lot of fun. The Celestials were a great take on angelic beings—Impundulu was so unsettling. I have to say, their purpose bordered on the ridiculous, but it was all delivered so well that I had no problems lapping it all up. There was nothing to take me out of the story or break my suspension of disbelief here.

The pacing was spot-on, and the last chapters—Wow! They absolutely flew by at breakneck speed as the action came to a head. There were plenty of introspective and emotional scenes, plenty of unexpected twists and turns. I won’t spoil them here. The ending was awesome, though. Barry really knocked this out of the park.

I’d highly recommend this one for anyone craving a fun, action packed adventure that mixes science and magic in a way that absolutely sucks you in. Bravo!

[Lesley Cordell]

What a roller coaster! I loved the slow build up. The gradual unfolding of a great plot line; intricate but not complicated. A deft blend of varied characters who I came to invest in. I was swept away when the action started. A hero and a heroin from different back grounds who fall in love and try to save what’s left of the world. Delicious. Terrific action scenes. Thoroughly approve of the way the author explored ‘alternative’ young love. And has engineered a sequel. Wowzer! Yep I could deffo picture all of this in my minds eye. A super enjoyable read.

[Marie Keates]

This was a difficult choice for me as it is outside of the genres I normally read, and I struggled to get into it. The book was well written, the concept was interesting and the characters believable. It just wasn’t my thing. If you enjoy fantasy type, futuristic stories, this is well worth a read and I’m sure you will enjoy it.

[Connie Senior]

The Magic Circle takes the reader on a twisty, exciting ride through a post-apocalyptic world. I’d call this a techno-magic-thriller. Is that a genre? If not, I just made it up.

The devastation wreaked by nuclear weapons has changed the Earth, physically and politically. While empires battle for control, the characters – the soldiers in these battles – make the book come alive. The narrative weaves together three characters: Bethany, an art student who rapidly becomes tangled in magic and intrigue; Yevgeny, a dutiful soldier of the state who comes to question his loyalties and his identity; and Wikus who blindly lusts for a power that will destroy even more of the planet.

The main characters are drawn with nuance and depth. Not all of them are sympathetic. The author makes villains as believable and three-dimensional as heroes, which gives the story more depth than you sometimes see in thrillers.

The author has a clear vision for the world of the book, which sets up the larger battle that will determine the fate of the planet. But the smaller details are what kept me reading. A major thread running through the book is that we should accept people based on who they really are and not what they look like. This provides surprising plot twists (which I won’t give away here) and grounds the action in emotion.

In the end, a very satisfying book in which not everything is resolved, setting up a sequel. I’m looking forward to the next installment.

(This review is based on an advanced reader copy of the book.)

[D.M.]

Amazon Rating: ☆★★★★
Book Rating: ☆☆★★★

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When I mentioned I was reading this book to the author, I informed him I'm not keen on young protagonists. It's a personal thing. They can be awesome but they usually just irritate me. As such I won't review the book based on the characters. If you like the youngin' gunnin' adventure and youth with wild abandonment, then I see no issues for you. My own bias is just that, my own.

What I did love, (and didn't expect to) was the world Ryerson created. Do not be fooled by the blurb. This is no mere ‘radiation fallout created super powers’ troupe (that I assumed) it’s much more interesting than that. And I admit I might be a tiny, winey bit jealous that I didn’t come up with such an intriguing idea. Gotta say, I love it. And more than that. There is so much potential for so many other stories within this world. It’s kinda exciting!

The factions involved are also intriguing. I love the uniqueness of the three big powers. How they independently and technologically evolved. I love how Africa, untouched by the wars of the old world became this behemoth of society. I actually wish we saw more of that. But I can imagine it being very difficult to write. It’s just so big. I also like the tiny glimpse of Raf’s home. I want to explore that land! … I’m also curious as to what Australia and South America looks like. I can imagine them (or even just in part) plodding away, unaware of the world at large.

I found the writing a bit of a mixed bag. Sometimes it was beautiful and I just enjoyed being swept along for the ride. Sometimes it felt rushed and I got a little confused at what was happening and had to re-read passages. Overall the quality is in the upper bracket. The final action scene really gripped me. I felt the tension and found myself at the edge of my set (and that’s pretty rare for this middle-aged, emotionally stunted human- thing)

So if you like stories aimed at a more youthful audience, that is more black and white than grey (I mean it’s not entirely black and white, but the shades are closer to the ends of the spectrum) then I’m sure you will enjoy this tale. If you like more complexity and moral ambiguity it might not really hit for you.

One thing I learned from reading this is that some people literally see red when rage kicks in. The author (at the point I’m up too while writing this little tad-bit) mentioned/described it twice. The second time I'm like, 'that's just a saying isn't it?' A quick google search reveals that nope, some people's vision really does turn red. What do you know? I never knew that.

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My rating Systems:

Amazon Rating: (because they suck when it comes to book ratings)
5 – Fantastic work. Anything from brilliant to highly likeable.
4 – A decent solid piece of writing with a lot going for it. I really dig your jive.
X – No rating if I didn’t like it or think others won’t like it.

All other Book Rating Systems:
5 – Absolutely genius. I probably want to marry you.
4 – Fantastic story. I loved it and will pick up your other work without hesitation.
3 – A good, solid story. I enjoyed it and if it wasn’t quite my thing I’m sure others would dig it.
2 – I wasn’t into it. Some potential but missed opportunities.
1 – Yeah, na.

Typically my Amazon score is my honest rating + an extra star.
I try to star-rate with the intended audience in mind, not my own personal feelings.

[Alisha Rowe]

This review was originally posted at https://bit.ly/3eeyS0j












Each powerhouse (other than America) has secluded themselves since the nuclear strike. However, they all want those that can wield magic. However, Celestials that previously only minorly influenced people's decisions are playing an active role. Those that want to escape and those that want the world to continue as it always have. If the Celestials escape the world will stop spinning, literally. Can one group of people stop the end of the world before it's too late?
I received a copy of this eBook from the author in exchange for an honest review. I love fantasy books and while there are "celestials" in this book they are in no way religious. Which I adored. Another interesting concept is not only do only a few people have magical abilities, but those who have magic can only use it in areas where ley lines cross.

It was an interesting change from being able to do magic no matter where you are. There is a little bit of everything in this book. Action, adventure, and even some romance (of all types). The combination of languages versus the traditional French was interesting, although it was just discussed versus seeing it. Wouldn't matter if we did see it anyways considering I know very little of Spanish or French. Let alone putting the two together. This book is primarily set in France with some instances in Antarctica, Russia, Africa, and Canada. The weird thing is that other than being mentioned in passing for having a particle collector it is like America ceased to exist 40 years prior.

Each of the romances in this book is unique and offers something unexpected. Be it traditional, or something new (at least something I haven't come across before). There is something a bit confusing to me. Zenya was a big part of this story. At the beginning we are told he has the ability to change his appearance, yet he struggles with an aspect of himself. If it bothered him so much why wouldn't he change it? I'm not saying he needed to change himself. I just mean that since it bothered him so much and he had the ability to I don't know why he never considered it.

I enjoyed each aspect of this book. From the characters as they learn about their abilities to the battle between good and evil. We even get more details on the background nuclear strike which is great since it starts as a bit of a mystery. Once you hit the halfway point the book really picks up and becomes fast paced. This book does end on a bit of a cliffhanger and based on what I seen on Amazon there are no further books in the series at this time. Hopefully in the future.

[Amanda King]

When I first downloaded The Magic Circle by Barry Ryerson, to write this review, I was very excited. It is probably the first audiobook I’ve listened to that I immediately considered a genre mashup, with clearly identifiable elements of supernatural, fantasy, spy thriller, post-apocalyptic, futuristic and even romance. That initial excitement eroded quickly, however, as the story failed to keep my attention. It's difficult to say whether it was the writing, or the narration, but I suspect it was some combination of the two that resulted in a flat, monotone, and mildly irritating experience.

This story has many fantastic elements. The post apocalyptic world is interestingly divided, well thought out and multidimensional. The characters are diverse, and (mostly) very human. Layers of development in both the world and characters are evident, and I loved the political machinations of the different players in the games of power and control being played. I feel a lot of these strengths were undermined by the presentation.

While the narration can’t exactly be described as monotone—it was usually fairly clear who was speaking from the tone and accent used—there was something about the pacing or voice that made this book incredibly difficult for me to concentrate on and immerse myself in. The extreme transition of the main character from art student to military operator in such a short time strained credulity in a story environment that was already pushing the boundaries of belief by incorporating elements from so many genres, so when I also found almost all of the characters to be generally irritating in small, petty ways, an already difficult listen became even less bearable.
I suspect the written version of this book would be better, because then the world can come to life in your own voice and at a pace that makes sense. Perhaps the other elements would come together better then too, rather than feeling shallow and disjointed.

Overall, if you enjoy genre mash ups, and imaginative interpretations of what a post-nuclear war society would look like, then I suggest checking The Magic Circle out, in a readable format. I simply can't recommend the audiobook.

Thank you to Barry Ryerson for providing a free copy of this Audible Audiobook edition for review purposes.

[Twila]

Here's a sci-fi / fantasy / post apocalyptic action thriller that carries you along with wave upon wave of fascinating speculation and brilliant action. A great setup, with a post-apocalyptic world where the power of ley-lines is finally being harvested and those with a talent for it are finding whole new dimensions of possibility and danger. I loved it for the almost believable science, the clever world-building, the mixing of myth and magic. It's also refreshing to find a book which depicts a fantasy world with a huge cast of real world people who I minded about. Yes, there were plenty of characters who were dotted in for a moment merely to be killed in battle scenes, and in any book I find the battle scenes a bit tiresome, but the characters who figured as characters and not just fight-fodder were all interesting, engaging people - and not all heterosexual caucasians with hollywood bodies either. Even the bad guys had depth and angles. Well done for all that.
The main character is an artist, and that felt like a stroke of genius in an action novel - the perfect counterpoint to all the derring do and fighting, especially as the art itself is gorgeously imagined in its post apocalyptic unfamiliar world. There were moments there that just delighted me in their random simple cleverness - as an example, let me just say bristles and avoid any spoilers: you'll see it as it comes by.
I am normally irritated when books end with a clear pointer to a next installment - I like my books to have a unity and finality to them. But this is a clever author, and he left me with a cliff-hanger that just somehow slipped in, and I completely forgave it. I'll probably read the next book too.

[Carly Rheilan]

This is an entertaining book by an author who slips very deftly between genres. Is it a post-apocalyptic sci-fi? A magic and myth spectacular? A gauche girl finds love story? A high octane action adventure? It does all of those rather nicely, but I liked it best for its interesting and rather massive cast of characters, and particularly its perfectly managed changes in point of view. Each time the focus changed, I felt a certain thrill of satisfaction: I really did want to get into the minds of each of these main characters, wonderfully diverse, all of them intriguing. An artist, and autist, a woman with legs she likes even if everyone else would like to fix them: I want to go on listing the characters I liked best, but there are surprises here and even to list them might count as spoilers. Suffice to say, that it's a well imagined crew. In the fighting I lost the plot from time to time and I felt there was something rather laboured in those passages, as if the author felt obliged to put some battles in to meet the demands of genre-readers, when actually the book was full enough already. Yes, it's a very full book, and rather densely packed, even in its weighty 368 pages. Less might have been more - save some of the ideas for later books perhaps - but then again, this is such an inventive author, I suspect he can't help himself. There will probably be just as many new ideas and just as many pages in the next book too. A real achievement.

[Zowie Norris]

So - this is the second book that I have read by Barry Ryerson. loved the first one - but wow - this one is even better! So - the story goes ; Boom - a nuclear strike and powerhouse secludes themselves. However, anyone who can weld magic is wanted.

However, Celestials that are playing a more active role that before.. There are those that want the world to continue as it always have and those that want to escape . To stop the world spinning, the Celestials are needed. Will this happen? Will it stop? I guess you will need to read this story to find out - I promise it will be worth it too.

The characters are developed well and all bring unique and interesting personalities to the story too. The romantic relationships in the story are diverse and unique, presenting a refreshing and modern view to their roles and personalities

The celestials are an interesting group of people that support with any decision. There are magical people but they can only use it in areas where ley lines cross.

The plot is action packed with magic, adventure, challenges and romance too - between a range of different gender types too .
This story is set in France with some parts in Antarctica, Russia and Africa too.

I really enjoyed this book - exciting and gripping from start to finish. Highly Recommended .

[Eryn McConnell]

I liked this a lot.

The post-Apocalyptic element of nuclear war changing the globe is right up my street and I liked the different countries being so cut off from each other, with differing technologies as a result.

I really like the inclusion of diverse characters. This is so refreshing. His treatment of characters living with a disability is great. Gender and sexuality being openly handled and not in a cookie cutter way - fantastic.

What I'm not so keen on - this started exceptionally well. I think the ending isn't as up to scratch as the beginning, it felt a bit like the author was trying to get everything finished up.
I felt the romance angle was pushed in too hard - I am not a romance fan so would have preferred less of it.

Some of the characters are rather one-dimensional which is a shame. Raf and Yevgeny really stand out but in comparison some of the others are lacking in motivation and nuance.

So, a good story, but at times towards the end it felt like the plot was flailing a bit.

[Marie Sinadjan]

I love a good genre mashup, and this book is delightful a mix of dystopian, military thriller and espionage, urban fantasy and romance. I've tagged this as YA due to two of the main characters being about that age and dealing with themes of identity and all that, though this is definitely on the older side, perhaps even closer to NA. There's swearing, and enough of it, just in case that's relevant to others' reading tastes. (I liked it, it made the characters' voices feel natural!)

Anyway, this was very enjoyable! The narration was done by L Spooner (who also did Barry's Middle Grade novel, fantasy adventure The Child of Fire and Earth) and I was really impressed by the variety of accents and voices employed. I'm not great at figuring out accuracy of accents though, but I liked being able to differentiate the characters as I listened to the story unfold — even if I had to take some time to get used to them.

The world is rich and unique. I don't think I've read anything quite like it. I enjoyed the blend of fantasy and sci-fi, and it was also very interesting to see a different set of countries dominate the world as well as the differences in their technologies. And there were many, many surprises!

The only bit that bothered me was how fast the main romance developed, though I could understand that it was to give time for the other important development later on. I was a bit bummed by the ending though, because it too felt like it happened a little too fast. But the LGBTQ+ rep is really good, or at least to me it was as I don't remember reading something similar before.

I highly recommend this for those who are looking for YA/NA books that aren't just your formulaic romantasy, and those who'd like a little bit of everything in their stories. (Yeah, we even get a villain POV. How's that?)

[Ivonne]

What I liked about the book is that it is easy to read and is a story for anyone who wants action and romance together. I found it to be a story that has been known to unfold and there are not many filler details, which makes the story quick to read.

Although I have said that it is a quick read, I feel like it was a lot of burden for the book and a lot of action. This is great and the characters are very unique, but many stories happen simultaneously and it can be a complex reading (it is not, it only seems with the extension in words).

[Pauline Lovett]

I have just finished The Magic Circle by Barry Ryerson. What a fantastic tale of magic, politics and relationships. Set in a post apocalyptic world after a nuclear war devastated swathes of the world, the story follows the stories of Bethany Robert’s a young woman just starting out at university and Yevgeny Arafyev a young Russian spy.
Ryerson skillfully weaves a love story and political/religious thriller together with a liberal sprinkling of magic to masterfully take his tale to ‘the next level.’
I’m seriously hoping there’s a book 2!

[Caroline Rebisz]

Not my usual genre of book but I really enjoyed it. The writer brings to life the new world, post apocalyptic event with detail and characters which are intriguing. The story moves at pace and brings the reader along, fully engaged with the main characters. I note that the story is aimed at a younger audience and would agree with other reviewers that the story can be enjoyed by all. Would recommend as a great read.

[Ally]

This is not the type of book I would normally read but I am trying out different genres which are being recommended on Twitter. A bit too much violence for me so skipped some of that but overall I actually enjoyed the story. Impressed by the vision of this author and the descriptions of all the various fantasy implements, places and people and magic. I would definitely recommend if this is your type of book.

[Ricardo Medina]

I found Barry's novel via Instagram and I cannot be happier!
The story is perfectly written , with a more than correct rhythm that will make you read and read and read until the end.
The variety of characters is awesomely fitted, in the end, our society is exactly as shown here!

Very nice Sci-fi work. Truly recommended!

[Owen Hollifield]

What a great story. Ryerson sets the stage brilliantly for his book and you get sucked into his magic tinged future world through his excellent writing. I highly recommend this book and I am more than happy to say that The Magic Circle Is one of the best books I've read this year!

[C.L. Wyer]

A different take on the apocalypse!

I have read several different types of apocalypse tales. The way humans survive always interests me. This book was different from what I have read before! Well written, action packed, it has everything you could ask for!