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Legacy / The Warlock Legacy #1
Firstborn
Meet Erik Ashendale: wizard and monster hunter extraordinaire.
Cursed from birth with extraordinary healing abilities, at the cost of actual use of magic, Erik rids the city from all that goes bump in the night, sometimes with the help of his demonic talking cat.
But now Erik is in for the fight of his life. Seven ancient sources of power have been corrupted and taken the form of demons, the Seven Deadly Sins. One of them, Lust, is after a young succubus and Erik finds himself having to protect her
To make matters worse, the angels have strong-armed their way into our plane, hunting for this mega demon.
How can one man survive in a struggle against gods and the primordial forces of the universe?
The fate of the world hangs in the balance.
Cursed from birth with extraordinary healing abilities, at the cost of actual use of magic, Erik rids the city from all that goes bump in the night, sometimes with the help of his demonic talking cat.
But now Erik is in for the fight of his life. Seven ancient sources of power have been corrupted and taken the form of demons, the Seven Deadly Sins. One of them, Lust, is after a young succubus and Erik finds himself having to protect her
To make matters worse, the angels have strong-armed their way into our plane, hunting for this mega demon.
How can one man survive in a struggle against gods and the primordial forces of the universe?
The fate of the world hangs in the balance.
252 pages, Paperback
First published September 20, 2012
1324 people are currently reading
1125 people want to read
About the author
Ryan Attard
33 books86 followersAuthor of the Legacy Series, the Pandora Chronicles and the Esper Files under Egan Brass
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 142 reviews
March 18, 2023
Firstborn
By Ryan Attard
Wow! Got this off Chirp cheap and was really thrilled by it! Warlock, wizards, creatures, monsters, and loads of action with humor sprinkled about. I will be watching for more! Want to get more from this series! Definitely!
By Ryan Attard
Wow! Got this off Chirp cheap and was really thrilled by it! Warlock, wizards, creatures, monsters, and loads of action with humor sprinkled about. I will be watching for more! Want to get more from this series! Definitely!
August 4, 2014
I was caught off guard by the beginning of First Born. It is told in past tense first person and recounts quite a lot of action right off the bat. It honestly felt a little bit like someone's role-playing narration. There was just too much and this led to a bit of a WTF moment. But as I read on the voice became really distinctive. It reminded me a lot of the Guy Noir segments of A Prairie Home Companion on NPR. Do you know those?
In the skits Guy Noir is a private detective who recounts the events of his cases, some of them quite eyebrow raising, in an often placid tone. I sensed that here too. Erik blithely relates feats of his own death defying skill, strength and bravery as if they are little more than humdrum. It led to bit of a Lake Wobegone Effect. (This is the impression that everything about a person or place is superior to the average, even if it isn't really.)
But as I read the book more as a magical noir narrative like Guy Noir's, with the genre's known tendency to exaggerate events and flounce language, it put the narrative in context and made me laugh. I could see the humour in it, and there is plenty of humour. As the book progressed Erik also had a self-deprecating habit, such as referring to himself as the 'only wizard stupid enough to..." or readily referring to himself as brawn and not brains. This went a long way toward humanising him and countering the praise me I just saved the world effect that the first person narrations of heroic events created. It also helped that as the plot established itself the lengthy and largely unintended descriptions of his own awesomeness became less frequent.
The story is really interesting and after the first couple of chapters Erik and his familiar are really likeable characters. They are witty and sarcastic, often throwing scathing one-liners at each other to dissipate tension. There are any number of laugh out loud moments. Erik is also dedicated to helping those unable to help themselves. You have to appreciate that.
I suspect that there are going to be a lot of books in this series, probably seven if I had my guess. So there is plenty of time for the plot to progress and characters to carve their own niche. This one took a couple of chapters to settle, but rolled along nicely after that.
Edit 2014: I'm fairly sure that there has been a bit of a rewrite on this, or at least a newer version has been released.
In the skits Guy Noir is a private detective who recounts the events of his cases, some of them quite eyebrow raising, in an often placid tone. I sensed that here too. Erik blithely relates feats of his own death defying skill, strength and bravery as if they are little more than humdrum. It led to bit of a Lake Wobegone Effect. (This is the impression that everything about a person or place is superior to the average, even if it isn't really.)
But as I read the book more as a magical noir narrative like Guy Noir's, with the genre's known tendency to exaggerate events and flounce language, it put the narrative in context and made me laugh. I could see the humour in it, and there is plenty of humour. As the book progressed Erik also had a self-deprecating habit, such as referring to himself as the 'only wizard stupid enough to..." or readily referring to himself as brawn and not brains. This went a long way toward humanising him and countering the praise me I just saved the world effect that the first person narrations of heroic events created. It also helped that as the plot established itself the lengthy and largely unintended descriptions of his own awesomeness became less frequent.
The story is really interesting and after the first couple of chapters Erik and his familiar are really likeable characters. They are witty and sarcastic, often throwing scathing one-liners at each other to dissipate tension. There are any number of laugh out loud moments. Erik is also dedicated to helping those unable to help themselves. You have to appreciate that.
I suspect that there are going to be a lot of books in this series, probably seven if I had my guess. So there is plenty of time for the plot to progress and characters to carve their own niche. This one took a couple of chapters to settle, but rolled along nicely after that.
Edit 2014: I'm fairly sure that there has been a bit of a rewrite on this, or at least a newer version has been released.
March 11, 2015
***I received this book for an honest review***
Plot/Story:
Firstborn did not start out very well for me. From the start it reminded me of a story that I have been reading called The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher. There are a lot of similarities to the two stories, too many to call it a coincidence. I feel like the resemblance between the two may have tainted my own views of the story.
Erik Ashendale is a wizard, who, because of a curse, can’t perform magic without a conduit. We soon find out that this wizard has a twin sister, who may or may not be evil. Either way, as most siblings, they just don’t get along.
The whole thing was all over the place. I had to keep going back to re-read parts because Erik seemed to go from one place to the next without much explanation. The beginning starts off with Erik helping the police in a situation, but the whole first and second chapter seems unnecessary. Or at least, the things that happened in the chapter seems unnecessary. There are things that we find out about the wizard in the first two chapters, but I feel there could have been a better way to expose all of this.
He goes from helping the police to helping his sister, and this is where I got confused. One second he is talking to his sister, in the next chapter he is chasing after some creature. I had no idea what was going on until later in the chapter when it was revealed he was helping his sister take care of some creatures that had escaped her lab.
To be honest, I always found myself falling asleep reading most of this book. It only got better at the last two chapters, and that was the only time I found myself interested in the book.
Characters:
I like the characters. Erik was hard to figure out. At moments he was like a teenager, other times he seemed more like a man in his mid to late 30’s. I spent most of the book trying to figure out how old he was, come to find out he was 23 and for some reason that just didn’t make sense to me.
My favorite character was Amaymon, the talking cat/demon. He was funny, crude, and everything you would imagine a demon being.
Romance/Kills:
There wasn’t much romance and most of the kills seemed downplayed. I found it hard to see what the author was trying to explain.
Writing:
The writing felt amateurish. At some points I felt like I was reading a book written by a high school student. There were a few mistakes that I picked up on throughout the book and one mistake that has my inner nerd ragging. There is a line spoken by Amaymon “Your so gay.” No, I did not use the wrong your/you’re, this was the mistake in the book. As you can imagine, it didn’t set well with me at all. I literally stared at this comment for at least 5 minutes, hoping and praying I was seeing it wrong. Of course, this is on top of the other errors throughout the book. There are missing words and extra words. I feel like the story needs a good edit.
Beginning:
The beginning worked for me. I was interested in the story, even with it reminding me so much of Dresden Files. But somewhere the story took a different route and I lost that interest.
Ending:
The ending was fantastic. Really, I loved the aspect of Erik building his own group of magic welders to take on the evils of the world. It’s the only reason I will even consider reading the next book.
Cover Art:
I am the kind of person that will judge a book by its cover. I can’t help it, I just love cover art. The cover art for Firstborn was simple but enough to draw me in.
Blurb:
I don’t think that the blurb on Goodreads really tells what the story is about. The whole heaven and hell battle doesn’t really play out until near the end of the book. I was well past the half way point before I even knew angels would have a play in the story. I felt like there were two or three storylines mixed in and played out before we got to the main story of the novel.
Other Stuff
Opening Line: Maybe it was the black trench coat.
Highlights: The ending made me want to read the next book.
Lowlights: Needs more editing.
Final Thoughts: Not horrible, but not good, read at your own risk.
Read Original Post at The Reading Bud.
Plot/Story:
Firstborn did not start out very well for me. From the start it reminded me of a story that I have been reading called The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher. There are a lot of similarities to the two stories, too many to call it a coincidence. I feel like the resemblance between the two may have tainted my own views of the story.
Erik Ashendale is a wizard, who, because of a curse, can’t perform magic without a conduit. We soon find out that this wizard has a twin sister, who may or may not be evil. Either way, as most siblings, they just don’t get along.
The whole thing was all over the place. I had to keep going back to re-read parts because Erik seemed to go from one place to the next without much explanation. The beginning starts off with Erik helping the police in a situation, but the whole first and second chapter seems unnecessary. Or at least, the things that happened in the chapter seems unnecessary. There are things that we find out about the wizard in the first two chapters, but I feel there could have been a better way to expose all of this.
He goes from helping the police to helping his sister, and this is where I got confused. One second he is talking to his sister, in the next chapter he is chasing after some creature. I had no idea what was going on until later in the chapter when it was revealed he was helping his sister take care of some creatures that had escaped her lab.
To be honest, I always found myself falling asleep reading most of this book. It only got better at the last two chapters, and that was the only time I found myself interested in the book.
Characters:
I like the characters. Erik was hard to figure out. At moments he was like a teenager, other times he seemed more like a man in his mid to late 30’s. I spent most of the book trying to figure out how old he was, come to find out he was 23 and for some reason that just didn’t make sense to me.
My favorite character was Amaymon, the talking cat/demon. He was funny, crude, and everything you would imagine a demon being.
Romance/Kills:
There wasn’t much romance and most of the kills seemed downplayed. I found it hard to see what the author was trying to explain.
Writing:
The writing felt amateurish. At some points I felt like I was reading a book written by a high school student. There were a few mistakes that I picked up on throughout the book and one mistake that has my inner nerd ragging. There is a line spoken by Amaymon “Your so gay.” No, I did not use the wrong your/you’re, this was the mistake in the book. As you can imagine, it didn’t set well with me at all. I literally stared at this comment for at least 5 minutes, hoping and praying I was seeing it wrong. Of course, this is on top of the other errors throughout the book. There are missing words and extra words. I feel like the story needs a good edit.
Beginning:
The beginning worked for me. I was interested in the story, even with it reminding me so much of Dresden Files. But somewhere the story took a different route and I lost that interest.
Ending:
The ending was fantastic. Really, I loved the aspect of Erik building his own group of magic welders to take on the evils of the world. It’s the only reason I will even consider reading the next book.
Cover Art:
I am the kind of person that will judge a book by its cover. I can’t help it, I just love cover art. The cover art for Firstborn was simple but enough to draw me in.
Blurb:
I don’t think that the blurb on Goodreads really tells what the story is about. The whole heaven and hell battle doesn’t really play out until near the end of the book. I was well past the half way point before I even knew angels would have a play in the story. I felt like there were two or three storylines mixed in and played out before we got to the main story of the novel.
Other Stuff
Opening Line: Maybe it was the black trench coat.
Highlights: The ending made me want to read the next book.
Lowlights: Needs more editing.
Final Thoughts: Not horrible, but not good, read at your own risk.
Read Original Post at The Reading Bud.
August 22, 2015
So we have a wizard who's sort of out of the closet and working as a PI, with some contacts on the police force who know to call him when something weird is going on. And then bad stuff happens, and he needs to power up when the forces of heaven and hell drag him into a war they've been brewing up for millennia. And he has a smartass pervert sidekick demon familiar, trapped in an unusual form as a punishment. He's also hopeless with women--even when one is a succubus, a bit of a nerd, and has father figure issues. And he really likes his black trenchcoat.
Sound familiar?
The basic setup is large amounts of Dresden, with a dash of the Nightside and a sprinkling of Fix, spiced up with some Supernatural style dickhead angels and cutesy demons. But as awful as that could have been, it's pretty good.
The writing is pretty sharp, particularly the cat/demon sidekick who has all the best lines, and the major characters are refreshingly aware they're kind of badass but not invincible, so instead of parading around going "aw shucks, did I do that?" they are just trying to get stuff done without
getting everyone else killed in the process.
I could probably sum this up with: If you recognise and like any of those references I just threw in there, you'll probably like this quite a lot.
No romance, no cliffhanger (but plenty of room for the story to continue). Really the only downer is that despite this being a couple of years old, there's only one followup out (hey, this is not G.R.R. Martin here, in self-pub, a series that's lain dormant for two years tends never to get finished, so I'm cautious). Also that followup, from the blurb, appears to be more about backstory than a continuation.
I would definitely keep reading this series, if it continues. That said, this reads pretty fine as a standalone, so it's well worth picking up (not least because it is free now and then).
Sound familiar?
The basic setup is large amounts of Dresden, with a dash of the Nightside and a sprinkling of Fix, spiced up with some Supernatural style dickhead angels and cutesy demons. But as awful as that could have been, it's pretty good.
The writing is pretty sharp, particularly the cat/demon sidekick who has all the best lines, and the major characters are refreshingly aware they're kind of badass but not invincible, so instead of parading around going "aw shucks, did I do that?" they are just trying to get stuff done without
getting everyone else killed in the process.
I could probably sum this up with: If you recognise and like any of those references I just threw in there, you'll probably like this quite a lot.
No romance, no cliffhanger (but plenty of room for the story to continue). Really the only downer is that despite this being a couple of years old, there's only one followup out (hey, this is not G.R.R. Martin here, in self-pub, a series that's lain dormant for two years tends never to get finished, so I'm cautious). Also that followup, from the blurb, appears to be more about backstory than a continuation.
I would definitely keep reading this series, if it continues. That said, this reads pretty fine as a standalone, so it's well worth picking up (not least because it is free now and then).
November 19, 2014
Overall, this is a fairly good book. There is tons of action (possibly too much), a snarky cat-demon, and a built in mythology as well as plenty of other good and bad things. This review probably needs to be a pros and cons list to accurately review. So here goes:
PROS
-Funny protagonist who doesn’t take himself too seriously. In fantastical reads like fantasy and science fiction I always love it when characters are regular people who just have badass abilities. That’s Erik for you. What he does annoy me sometimes, overall I like him because he has constant banter with the characters around him and even with himself.
-The monsters. They are super weird and really creative. There is so much description on one of the epic badies that I had to go back and re-read it just to get a clear image.
"This guy was larger than the ship we were on. The torso was a solid barrel of muscle and thick, slimy skin like a squid’s. It had a pair of humanoid arms, each layer with muscles the size of a small car. Each finger ended with a thick, black hoof. Its head was a grey blog with a pair of pitch-black, saucer-like eyes and a row of dagger-like teeth. A pair of bull horns emerged from the sides of it’s head.
The Alpha’s lower half was just a set of eight tentacles, each as thick as the chimney on this tanker. Just one slap of those things and the ship would capsize. Its suckers had rows of teeth in them, which could probably rip off the metal sheets of the tanker."
-The Action. The plot is constantly fast paced with a lot of action.
-The repertoire of mythological characters. You’ve got the seven deadly sins, Lilith, angels, elementals, etc…
-Amaymon. Erik’s demon familiar who is often a cat. A snarky, lusty cat. Best character.
CONS
-The action. I know this is in both sections but it’s important to address that while the story was action packed it also lacked a lot of the development that readers get during down time. After finishing the book I care relatively little about any of the characters because I saw very little develop even after Erik’s awakening scene.
-The Ushi-Oni. It’s the big Alpha that was described earlier. This CON is really me just being snotty. Ushi-Oni is a cow demon with eight legs like a spider not like a tentacle. (Sorry it’s the Japanese Language and Literature degree in me) – You truly can ignore this CON. I just needed to point it out.
-Needs to be more polished. Some typos bothered me a bit
-Weaponized Vagina, During a fight, a female antagonist who is trying to kill Erik during sex, has a “member” or tentacle slime out of her vagina. She wields said “member” as a weapon. I almost stopped reading it there and thought “Of course a dude wrote this.” Ridiculous.
I’m going to give this a three because of lack of development and the monster va-jj. I think that a lot of people will like it though.
PROS
-Funny protagonist who doesn’t take himself too seriously. In fantastical reads like fantasy and science fiction I always love it when characters are regular people who just have badass abilities. That’s Erik for you. What he does annoy me sometimes, overall I like him because he has constant banter with the characters around him and even with himself.
-The monsters. They are super weird and really creative. There is so much description on one of the epic badies that I had to go back and re-read it just to get a clear image.
"This guy was larger than the ship we were on. The torso was a solid barrel of muscle and thick, slimy skin like a squid’s. It had a pair of humanoid arms, each layer with muscles the size of a small car. Each finger ended with a thick, black hoof. Its head was a grey blog with a pair of pitch-black, saucer-like eyes and a row of dagger-like teeth. A pair of bull horns emerged from the sides of it’s head.
The Alpha’s lower half was just a set of eight tentacles, each as thick as the chimney on this tanker. Just one slap of those things and the ship would capsize. Its suckers had rows of teeth in them, which could probably rip off the metal sheets of the tanker."
-The Action. The plot is constantly fast paced with a lot of action.
-The repertoire of mythological characters. You’ve got the seven deadly sins, Lilith, angels, elementals, etc…
-Amaymon. Erik’s demon familiar who is often a cat. A snarky, lusty cat. Best character.
CONS
-The action. I know this is in both sections but it’s important to address that while the story was action packed it also lacked a lot of the development that readers get during down time. After finishing the book I care relatively little about any of the characters because I saw very little develop even after Erik’s awakening scene.
-The Ushi-Oni. It’s the big Alpha that was described earlier. This CON is really me just being snotty. Ushi-Oni is a cow demon with eight legs like a spider not like a tentacle. (Sorry it’s the Japanese Language and Literature degree in me) – You truly can ignore this CON. I just needed to point it out.
-Needs to be more polished. Some typos bothered me a bit
-Weaponized Vagina, During a fight, a female antagonist who is trying to kill Erik during sex, has a “member” or tentacle slime out of her vagina. She wields said “member” as a weapon. I almost stopped reading it there and thought “Of course a dude wrote this.” Ridiculous.
I’m going to give this a three because of lack of development and the monster va-jj. I think that a lot of people will like it though.
January 1, 2014
Snarky Humor Mixed With Magic
Fans of the fantasy genre are going to love Attard’s refreshing sense of humor. The dialog is snappy and contemporary with a cast of characters readers will enjoy meeting.
Erik Ashendale is a wizard for hire with magical powers he uses to rescue the innocent from evil monsters. His sidekick Amayomon is a talking cat, who Erik sometimes allows to morph into a street smart demon in human form. Armed with Djin,his special sword, Erik and Amaymon strike out on a mission to save the flirtatious succubus, Abigale, from evil demons and behemoth monsters. His estranged sister Gil enters the fight, taking it onto the high seas where some history behind their dysfunctional family of warlocks and wizards comes alive.
I thought “First Born” was a fun read, generally well crafted with a fast moving plot. I wouldn’t recommend it for young teens due to some of the language content. Unfortunately there were a number of copy edit errors. Though the typo errors didn’t distract me from the fun of the story, some readers may not want to read the other books planned for this series. I’m not going to let that hold me back though, I’m looking forward to reading more from this young creative author.
The publisher provided me with a copy of Firstborn in exchange for an honest review.
Fans of the fantasy genre are going to love Attard’s refreshing sense of humor. The dialog is snappy and contemporary with a cast of characters readers will enjoy meeting.
Erik Ashendale is a wizard for hire with magical powers he uses to rescue the innocent from evil monsters. His sidekick Amayomon is a talking cat, who Erik sometimes allows to morph into a street smart demon in human form. Armed with Djin,his special sword, Erik and Amaymon strike out on a mission to save the flirtatious succubus, Abigale, from evil demons and behemoth monsters. His estranged sister Gil enters the fight, taking it onto the high seas where some history behind their dysfunctional family of warlocks and wizards comes alive.
I thought “First Born” was a fun read, generally well crafted with a fast moving plot. I wouldn’t recommend it for young teens due to some of the language content. Unfortunately there were a number of copy edit errors. Though the typo errors didn’t distract me from the fun of the story, some readers may not want to read the other books planned for this series. I’m not going to let that hold me back though, I’m looking forward to reading more from this young creative author.
The publisher provided me with a copy of Firstborn in exchange for an honest review.
December 23, 2015
I had read this author's other book "Pandora's Chronicles" and I really liked it so I had to give Firstborn a go. And it was good!
A proper "man-book" - a few too many fight scenes for my liking but then again- they were still good.
Thoroughly enjoyed the dialogue in between the wizard and the demon/cat! Very funny and witty.
It's an enjoyable read, I do recommend!
A proper "man-book" - a few too many fight scenes for my liking but then again- they were still good.
Thoroughly enjoyed the dialogue in between the wizard and the demon/cat! Very funny and witty.
It's an enjoyable read, I do recommend!
April 22, 2020
Private detective/wizard Erik and his warlock twin sister Gil share a family curse but don't have much else in common. Whilst Erik tries to protect a soon-to-be succubus he and his sister get embroiled in a war between heaven and hell as it threatens to spill over onto Earth's plane. Fast paced, funny with loads of action and pop culture references. The writing style is a bit clunky in places, often only mentioning vital facts as they become needed instead of weaving them into the narrative, so in places the plot feels a little forced. But it's fun and has left me with loads of thoughts about what is to come. Will likely read the rest of the series.
June 13, 2025
Compelling urban fantasy
Book 1 in this compelling urban fantasy series was fast paced with touches of snark and whimsy. Start with a broke private investigator/ monster killer who is one of two twin scions of a magical family renown for both their power and bad deeds, toss in a demon familiar, a feuding twin sister who accepted the family power and perks and has her own demon familiar and toss in a 19 year old succubus who is fleeing from Lilith the mother of demons and you have a deliciously intriguing plot line filled with twists and turns, especially when an archangel enters the picture.
Book 1 in this compelling urban fantasy series was fast paced with touches of snark and whimsy. Start with a broke private investigator/ monster killer who is one of two twin scions of a magical family renown for both their power and bad deeds, toss in a demon familiar, a feuding twin sister who accepted the family power and perks and has her own demon familiar and toss in a 19 year old succubus who is fleeing from Lilith the mother of demons and you have a deliciously intriguing plot line filled with twists and turns, especially when an archangel enters the picture.
January 27, 2019
Good book
A great book about a human/ wizard that finally comes into his powers but still needs some training. I recommend this book to everyone.
A great book about a human/ wizard that finally comes into his powers but still needs some training. I recommend this book to everyone.
April 14, 2014
Erik Ashendale decided not to follow in his father’s footsteps and become a Warlock. Instead, he’s a powerful wizard turned detective who helps others, for a fee of course – a wizard has to eat, you know. He also has a demon/familiar, Amaymon, who takes the form of a cat most times. After taking down some Lizardmen who were holding a school hostage, he’s been hired to protect a young college girl from forces out to take her for themselves. Erik realizes pretty quickly that this girl isn’t what she seems. His sister is also after the girl, but he doesn’t know why the larger forces of good and evil are involved. He’s got to find out the truth, fight the mother of all evil, and save the girl from the forces who want to use her.
In FIRSTBORN we meet Erik Ashendale, his demon/familiar Amaymon, and Erik’s sister Gil. The Forces of Heaven and Hell have come out to play and they’ll stop at nothing to get what they want – the fledgling succubus Abigale. I love Amaymon, a snarky demon who takes the form of a cat. I think we all know if cats could talk, they’d be super-snarky. The characters are well-written and the mythology is very interesting. I enjoyed FIRSTBORN and I am looking forward to the further adventures of Erik Ashendale and Amaymon. I think readers who enjoy magical noir and who are fans of The Dresden Files, The Occult Crimes Unit Investigation series, and The Nightside series.
In FIRSTBORN we meet Erik Ashendale, his demon/familiar Amaymon, and Erik’s sister Gil. The Forces of Heaven and Hell have come out to play and they’ll stop at nothing to get what they want – the fledgling succubus Abigale. I love Amaymon, a snarky demon who takes the form of a cat. I think we all know if cats could talk, they’d be super-snarky. The characters are well-written and the mythology is very interesting. I enjoyed FIRSTBORN and I am looking forward to the further adventures of Erik Ashendale and Amaymon. I think readers who enjoy magical noir and who are fans of The Dresden Files, The Occult Crimes Unit Investigation series, and The Nightside series.
January 22, 2014
What a treat!
If you are a fan of Jim Butcher, but you always felt that there is room for a little more humour in his works, then do yourself a favour and add Ryan Attard’s Firstborn to your reading list.
Although this story shares some elements with those of Jim Butcher (socially awkward magician who helps the police from time to time, sidekick prone to perversions of all kind) there are plenty of original elements to Firstborn, mixed with cheekiness and dipped into vast quantities of self-deprecating humour.
The magic system bears unmistakeable traces of Anime and Manga, along with some of the more “traditional” traits. All in all, the author is very clever in avoiding the “superpower” trap, that in which magic can become the default (and boring) answer to all challenges. A wonderful balance, which makes it hard to believe that this actually a debut novel.
The dynamic between the main characters is pure entertainment. There is no love lost between Eric and his sister, Gil. This quote - “Hey Gil. It’s been too long. Can I get you anything? Perhaps something to go.” – is on par with any of Maggie Smith’s dialogues in Downton Abbey, and it is part of what makes Firstborn such a delightful reading.
If you are a fan of Jim Butcher, but you always felt that there is room for a little more humour in his works, then do yourself a favour and add Ryan Attard’s Firstborn to your reading list.
Although this story shares some elements with those of Jim Butcher (socially awkward magician who helps the police from time to time, sidekick prone to perversions of all kind) there are plenty of original elements to Firstborn, mixed with cheekiness and dipped into vast quantities of self-deprecating humour.
The magic system bears unmistakeable traces of Anime and Manga, along with some of the more “traditional” traits. All in all, the author is very clever in avoiding the “superpower” trap, that in which magic can become the default (and boring) answer to all challenges. A wonderful balance, which makes it hard to believe that this actually a debut novel.
The dynamic between the main characters is pure entertainment. There is no love lost between Eric and his sister, Gil. This quote - “Hey Gil. It’s been too long. Can I get you anything? Perhaps something to go.” – is on par with any of Maggie Smith’s dialogues in Downton Abbey, and it is part of what makes Firstborn such a delightful reading.
December 19, 2013
Hidden away from the view of men, a war has been waging between heaven and hell, between angels and demons. Life on Earth depends on striking a balance between the two forces, and for ages it has done so. But now a new terror is emerging, tipping the delicate balance and threatening mankind.
In Ryan Attard’s debut novel, Firstborn, we are introduced to Erik Ashenborn, a hero for hire who specializes in supernatural phenomena. He is a wizard from a magical family, one whose familial bonds have been strained, and one that is pushed to its breaking point when an unknown threat emerges.
We begin as Erik is hired to protect an innocent college student, a young woman who has caught the attention of demons. As he tries to protect her, he finds himself pitted against his twin sister Gil, a warlock who has aligned herself with angelic beings. Confused by the strange partnership, he nonetheless attempts to protect his charge, only to discover that she has a secret, one that she doesn’t even know, one which puts her in mortal peril.
You can read the rest of the review at http://joehinojosa.com/2013/12/11/boo...
In Ryan Attard’s debut novel, Firstborn, we are introduced to Erik Ashenborn, a hero for hire who specializes in supernatural phenomena. He is a wizard from a magical family, one whose familial bonds have been strained, and one that is pushed to its breaking point when an unknown threat emerges.
We begin as Erik is hired to protect an innocent college student, a young woman who has caught the attention of demons. As he tries to protect her, he finds himself pitted against his twin sister Gil, a warlock who has aligned herself with angelic beings. Confused by the strange partnership, he nonetheless attempts to protect his charge, only to discover that she has a secret, one that she doesn’t even know, one which puts her in mortal peril.
You can read the rest of the review at http://joehinojosa.com/2013/12/11/boo...
September 16, 2019
It was okay. I read most of it, but got bored before I got to the end. I like action-oriented urban fantasy, but this was too close to Dresden Files for me. If you're going to write about a magic-using private investigator with a friend on the police force, with lots of mystery about where his power comes from, and who also has supernatural relatives and a talking ___ (fill the blank with a thing that doesn't normally talk, such as a skull or a cat), then I assume you are trying to invite Jim Butcher comparisons.
This book didn't quite live up to that. It was almost there, but really just too similar. Maybe it's not a fair comparison, because I've had around 15 books of Harry Dresden to get a really interesting and complex back story, and obviously one book is not going to match that level of depth.
This book didn't quite live up to that. It was almost there, but really just too similar. Maybe it's not a fair comparison, because I've had around 15 books of Harry Dresden to get a really interesting and complex back story, and obviously one book is not going to match that level of depth.
July 27, 2025
I just finished reading the book for the third time. It had been 5 years since I last read it. I remember Ryan talking about rewriting his earlier books since he had grown so much as an author. The edition I have is still full of too many mistakes for it to have been fixed. I even tried to purchase another copy using my husband’s kindle, figuring that perhaps that would get me the edition that the sample uses. Nope. Books 2 and 4 show that they have updates, but not book 1. I still enjoyed it. I hadn’t read the reviews the first time. The ones who hated the book give examples that are demonstrably bad. I cannot say that I disagree with them. There were a lot of errors throughout. I still enjoyed it though, thanks in no small part to Amaymon. In a few books there will be a scene involving the cat, the succubus, and a bathtub... Years later and it still makes me laugh when I picture it.
January 22, 2013
An interesting take on wizards and demon familiars. Reminded me a little of Jonathan Stroud's Bartimaeus trilogy, especially the tongue and cheek camaraderie between the lead character Erik and his demon, Amamayon. The story moved at a fast pace and was filled with some interesting demons and some eye-opening action scenes that made me wonder if Erik would survive 'this round' of excitement. I look forward to the next tale as I'm sure this is not the last for Erik and his companions.
November 25, 2013
A beautiful blend of urban fantasy, detective pulp fiction, and action movie goodness! Firstborn brings together all the elements you would expect to see in an urban fantasy novel and more. With a few plot twists along the way to make things even more interesting, I was hard-pressed to put it down to go to work. If his future books are anything like this one, I’ll keep coming back for more.
July 8, 2016
Firstly, this book is extremely reminiscent of Jim Butcher Harry Dresdon series. However, I still enjoyed the story and the slight differences in wizarding and circumstances. An easy read but still fun if you want something similar to Harry Dresdon!
September 18, 2019
This book is totally terrific.
June 23, 2017
The first in a new urban paranormal mystery.
A wizard/ private detective is hired to find and protect a young girl. At the same time, a mystery draws him into a confrontaion with his estranged sister. They both live under a curse. His curse is that his magic tends to run amok under most circumstances but he has amazing powers of healing. His sister knows all magic but doesn't have the raw power to utilize that knowledge. Now they must confront a powerful entity that is manifesting as Lust, one of the Seven Deadly Sins.
There will be comparisons between this series and Harry Dresden. They have similar jobs, appearances, and even personalities for the most part. There are enough differences that it doesn't feel identical but it also feels like they could be cousins. One small quibble is that the book reads like it is supposed to be taking place somewhere in the United States, probably California. But then British spellings are used in several places throughout the book. Not a big problem but it was slightly annoying. The last thing is one of the differences form Harry Dresden. Harry started off fairly low powered and has gotten progressibvely stronger as the series progressed. This gave the reader to be able to form a connection with him as a "normal" guy before he started saving the world. In this story, the main character is already at super powered levels (with just some control problems) so it is harder to connect with him. I would rate it 3.5 stars.
A wizard/ private detective is hired to find and protect a young girl. At the same time, a mystery draws him into a confrontaion with his estranged sister. They both live under a curse. His curse is that his magic tends to run amok under most circumstances but he has amazing powers of healing. His sister knows all magic but doesn't have the raw power to utilize that knowledge. Now they must confront a powerful entity that is manifesting as Lust, one of the Seven Deadly Sins.
There will be comparisons between this series and Harry Dresden. They have similar jobs, appearances, and even personalities for the most part. There are enough differences that it doesn't feel identical but it also feels like they could be cousins. One small quibble is that the book reads like it is supposed to be taking place somewhere in the United States, probably California. But then British spellings are used in several places throughout the book. Not a big problem but it was slightly annoying. The last thing is one of the differences form Harry Dresden. Harry started off fairly low powered and has gotten progressibvely stronger as the series progressed. This gave the reader to be able to form a connection with him as a "normal" guy before he started saving the world. In this story, the main character is already at super powered levels (with just some control problems) so it is harder to connect with him. I would rate it 3.5 stars.
September 23, 2020
I really enjoyed reading the first book in the Legacy series. I picked this one because it was free, but I have been drawn into the world and am really interested in what happens next.
I haven’t read much of the urban fantasy detective classics that many people are drawing comparisons too. So it didn’t really strike too many similarities for me.
There’s a lot going on in this story. There’s supernatural detectives, lizardfolk, bad blood in the family, curses, angels, demonic familiars, regular demons, untapped magical power, a bit of succubus action, and all kinds of shady things going on in the background. It sounds like a lot, but by about one-third of the book most of the strands come together cohesively.
I echo an older review in saying that towards the end is actually where I got really interested. You see some of the main players and get really interested in the plots they’re hatching against each other.
I will say this though, there is a lot of pure action in this book. I was really interested at one point but after reading through some action scenes, only to realise it would be followed by more action; I needed to put it down for a while. There is a little bit of 'badass heroes walks into den of monsters' type stuff, but it wasn’t over the top. I think some well-placed sarcasm helped me get over that.
All in all, it was a quick and good read. Seriously considering getting into this series.
I haven’t read much of the urban fantasy detective classics that many people are drawing comparisons too. So it didn’t really strike too many similarities for me.
There’s a lot going on in this story. There’s supernatural detectives, lizardfolk, bad blood in the family, curses, angels, demonic familiars, regular demons, untapped magical power, a bit of succubus action, and all kinds of shady things going on in the background. It sounds like a lot, but by about one-third of the book most of the strands come together cohesively.
I echo an older review in saying that towards the end is actually where I got really interested. You see some of the main players and get really interested in the plots they’re hatching against each other.
I will say this though, there is a lot of pure action in this book. I was really interested at one point but after reading through some action scenes, only to realise it would be followed by more action; I needed to put it down for a while. There is a little bit of 'badass heroes walks into den of monsters' type stuff, but it wasn’t over the top. I think some well-placed sarcasm helped me get over that.
All in all, it was a quick and good read. Seriously considering getting into this series.
October 24, 2017
This was such a quick read for me, I actually wasn't expecting to finish it quite as quickly as I did, but it was at times a book I didn't really want to put down.
This book was a good read, I enjoyed it quite a bit, I might be slightly biased to the cat, you stick a talking cat into any book and well am all over it. Especially one as snarky, sarcastic and deadpanned as this cat was. I think it was the cat that made me give this book a 4* rating, I am a very easily swayed person when it comes to animals in books.
The story its self was kind of good, I got a strong sort of Supernatural (TV show) vibe from it, but it was all just like facts. There didn't seem to be any background to the characters, to the abilities, it was just all so and so could do this, or they did that. Which isn't always a bad thing at times, it did make me want more from this book and am sure the author has the ability to do more with these characters.
I will probably end up reading the second book when I get my hands on it, I hope to definitely see the Characters a bit more in depth, but I really looked forward to reading for the cat.
Really enjoyed this book, there were moments that made me smile, the author did good work. :)
This book was a good read, I enjoyed it quite a bit, I might be slightly biased to the cat, you stick a talking cat into any book and well am all over it. Especially one as snarky, sarcastic and deadpanned as this cat was. I think it was the cat that made me give this book a 4* rating, I am a very easily swayed person when it comes to animals in books.
The story its self was kind of good, I got a strong sort of Supernatural (TV show) vibe from it, but it was all just like facts. There didn't seem to be any background to the characters, to the abilities, it was just all so and so could do this, or they did that. Which isn't always a bad thing at times, it did make me want more from this book and am sure the author has the ability to do more with these characters.
I will probably end up reading the second book when I get my hands on it, I hope to definitely see the Characters a bit more in depth, but I really looked forward to reading for the cat.
Really enjoyed this book, there were moments that made me smile, the author did good work. :)
November 26, 2018
Rating: 8/10
Pages: 272
Attard started this series off with a bang. I loved how it did just really jump into the crazy world of Erik Ashendale, who hunts all sorts of ghouls and mischievious imps.
They mention his sister as a little person, so that is how i picture her, all in her Victorian garb. I haven't seen that reference since, but i like it. adds to her entire unique demeanor. While the plot between them is a bit pedantic, it is a good start for the rest of the series.
You can see Erik's team starting to build up. Again, some of it a little predictable, but with such outlandish characters, I was totally along for the ride. Every character that graces the pages of rag mags or ancient text is goign to be fair game as these two figure out their legacy. Amaymon is my very favorite, i think. I mean, such awesome comebacks, things you would always want to say, oh so inappropriate. And he kicks ass.
Really fun, clever fantasy anventure
Kindle
Pages: 272
Attard started this series off with a bang. I loved how it did just really jump into the crazy world of Erik Ashendale, who hunts all sorts of ghouls and mischievious imps.
They mention his sister as a little person, so that is how i picture her, all in her Victorian garb. I haven't seen that reference since, but i like it. adds to her entire unique demeanor. While the plot between them is a bit pedantic, it is a good start for the rest of the series.
You can see Erik's team starting to build up. Again, some of it a little predictable, but with such outlandish characters, I was totally along for the ride. Every character that graces the pages of rag mags or ancient text is goign to be fair game as these two figure out their legacy. Amaymon is my very favorite, i think. I mean, such awesome comebacks, things you would always want to say, oh so inappropriate. And he kicks ass.
Really fun, clever fantasy anventure
Kindle
February 9, 2024
Book 184 - Ryan Attard - First Born : The Warlock Legacy Book 1
Where to begin…this is awful…probably among the worst book I have ever read. Poor characterisations..the ultimate in cheesy pulp dialogue…and a plot so laughable it makes the movie ‘Avatar’ look Oscar worthy.
I’ll try and give it some colour…if I must
Erik Ashendale is a wizard…who uses magical guns and protects those who are caught up in the war between Heaven and Hell…and with his talking possessed cat, he is out there righting wrongs with his ‘Deadpool’- lite healing powers
I would love to be able to say it got better but no lies…is up there with the one and only zombie novel I read. It is poor
Told in first person like those ‘gritty’ noir novels of the 30s and 40s…dull…predictable and just oh so bland…
Never again…dear help whoever reads the rest in this series…sigh
Where to begin…this is awful…probably among the worst book I have ever read. Poor characterisations..the ultimate in cheesy pulp dialogue…and a plot so laughable it makes the movie ‘Avatar’ look Oscar worthy.
I’ll try and give it some colour…if I must
Erik Ashendale is a wizard…who uses magical guns and protects those who are caught up in the war between Heaven and Hell…and with his talking possessed cat, he is out there righting wrongs with his ‘Deadpool’- lite healing powers
I would love to be able to say it got better but no lies…is up there with the one and only zombie novel I read. It is poor
Told in first person like those ‘gritty’ noir novels of the 30s and 40s…dull…predictable and just oh so bland…
Never again…dear help whoever reads the rest in this series…sigh
March 10, 2018
Awesome! Can't wait to read the rest!
This one you can get for FREE & the rest are {thankfully!} available via KU but I might have to take a break from this series as [according to the author] this series is slated for 13(!) books in total but only 5 are complete at this time :/ & I'm not always known for my patience -- especially with great stories like this one! His luck is much similar to my own: I've just GOTTA know what crazy thing is {possibly quite LITERALLY lol} gonna be THROWN at him next! {& don't be surprised if you catch yourself laughing out loud! LITERALLY!!!}
I'm certainly not a prude but I will warn you there is definitely a not of language: and I'm not sure who it fits more: Eric or his cat!
;)
This one you can get for FREE & the rest are {thankfully!} available via KU but I might have to take a break from this series as [according to the author] this series is slated for 13(!) books in total but only 5 are complete at this time :/ & I'm not always known for my patience -- especially with great stories like this one! His luck is much similar to my own: I've just GOTTA know what crazy thing is {possibly quite LITERALLY lol} gonna be THROWN at him next! {& don't be surprised if you catch yourself laughing out loud! LITERALLY!!!}
I'm certainly not a prude but I will warn you there is definitely a not of language: and I'm not sure who it fits more: Eric or his cat!
;)
August 13, 2018
Firstborn is a well written book by Ryan Attard. The author developed an interesting plot that followed a good pace. The book was never dragging out nor did it feel like the author was rushing you through the story, it did feel maybe a tad slow though. There were a couple of twists that added nicely to the story. Like quite a few reviewers mentioned, it has a “Dresden” books feel to it.
Erik, the main character seems quite cocky and has a likable demon sidekick cat, which I actually really enjoyed. Of course, there is a healthy dose of sibling rivalry going on that adds to problems Erik is already facing.
This was an interesting book, not sure I would say I loved it or anything but not a bad read for a rainy Sunday afternoon.
Erik, the main character seems quite cocky and has a likable demon sidekick cat, which I actually really enjoyed. Of course, there is a healthy dose of sibling rivalry going on that adds to problems Erik is already facing.
This was an interesting book, not sure I would say I loved it or anything but not a bad read for a rainy Sunday afternoon.
May 19, 2017
Fun and Snarky – Just the way I like it!
For a first dip of his toe into Urban Fantasy, Ryan Attard has done a good job. His main character, Erik Ashendale, is a powerful wizard who, because of a curse, can only access his powers when channeled through objects. Erik and his demon familiar, Amaymon – usually disguised as a cat – are snarky, yet still endearing.
This book was fast-paced and I couldn’t wait to read more.
Ryan Attard
Firstborn
For a first dip of his toe into Urban Fantasy, Ryan Attard has done a good job. His main character, Erik Ashendale, is a powerful wizard who, because of a curse, can only access his powers when channeled through objects. Erik and his demon familiar, Amaymon – usually disguised as a cat – are snarky, yet still endearing.
This book was fast-paced and I couldn’t wait to read more.
Ryan Attard
Firstborn
October 14, 2017
If you have a thing for troublesome wizards you will enjoy this story. Dresden fans would appreciate it I think.
There is also an awesome demon who spend most of his time as cat that you gonna fall in love with as well. (This is the sort of thing that happens when he is asked for help to save a small boy)
"Fine. What do you want?" I asked exasperatedly. The Behemoth's shadow loomed over the boy. I could smell urine in the air. "Two belly rubs a day for the next week and an extra-large jumbo box of cookies," Amaymon replied. I looked at him incredulously. "I'm a cat, Erik. There are only so many ways you can please me."
There is also an awesome demon who spend most of his time as cat that you gonna fall in love with as well. (This is the sort of thing that happens when he is asked for help to save a small boy)
"Fine. What do you want?" I asked exasperatedly. The Behemoth's shadow loomed over the boy. I could smell urine in the air. "Two belly rubs a day for the next week and an extra-large jumbo box of cookies," Amaymon replied. I looked at him incredulously. "I'm a cat, Erik. There are only so many ways you can please me."
October 6, 2019
Couldn’t finish
I reserve 1 stars for books that I just can’t bare to finish. That was the case here. This whole thing is a less mature Dresden files if Micheal Bay was giving pointers.
One of the things that ruined it for me early was the main character receives a flintlock pistol. However somehow this flintlock pistol has a magazine which feeds shotgun shells. This leads me to believe that either the author has no idea how a flintlock pistol works or the gun has been modified in such a way that it would no longer have a flint lock, thus not making it a flint lock pistol. There just seems to be no effort made to research firearms.
I reserve 1 stars for books that I just can’t bare to finish. That was the case here. This whole thing is a less mature Dresden files if Micheal Bay was giving pointers.
One of the things that ruined it for me early was the main character receives a flintlock pistol. However somehow this flintlock pistol has a magazine which feeds shotgun shells. This leads me to believe that either the author has no idea how a flintlock pistol works or the gun has been modified in such a way that it would no longer have a flint lock, thus not making it a flint lock pistol. There just seems to be no effort made to research firearms.
November 29, 2025
Enjoying this start
I am enjoying this so far. First book and all. I really try not to judge until book 2. But I don't see complaints any time soon. I do read/listen and the attitude of the narrator is perfect. Sometimes you just get bland narration that doesn't exactly fit the persona of the character you feel should be better. I really really liked the narrator. I hope that part never changes. This author is new to me. I am always happy to find a new one I enjoy. I read and listen to roughly 300 books a year. Give or take. And still to this day I am lucky if I have 10 authors I stalk for more. Leaning towards this one being one of them.
I am enjoying this so far. First book and all. I really try not to judge until book 2. But I don't see complaints any time soon. I do read/listen and the attitude of the narrator is perfect. Sometimes you just get bland narration that doesn't exactly fit the persona of the character you feel should be better. I really really liked the narrator. I hope that part never changes. This author is new to me. I am always happy to find a new one I enjoy. I read and listen to roughly 300 books a year. Give or take. And still to this day I am lucky if I have 10 authors I stalk for more. Leaning towards this one being one of them.
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