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An Elf With No Name
The time of the War Mages - humans with magic flowing through their blood - has long passed. While they once determined the outcome of conflicts between rival kingdoms, the industrial revolution has rendered the use of magic on the battlefield unnecessary. And so, they fade away into the background...
Damian Spires is a slacker of sorts, content with sliding through life on the odd job of fortifying homes or ridding trees of pesky imps. But when he stumbles upon an unconscious elf in an alley on his walk home from weekly poker night, he faces a variety of Who is this woman? Where did she come from? Is someone looking for her?
Focusing on helping the strange woman to adapt to the terrifying new world she finds herself in, Damian decides to protect her from those who seek to do her harm. As they learn more about each other, they discover some truths about themselves as well.
What they don't know is that there is another power at play, stalking in the shadows. Someone is responsible for the elven woman entering their world, and they are more ready to expend whatever resources are required to regain their bounty.
Damian Spires is a slacker of sorts, content with sliding through life on the odd job of fortifying homes or ridding trees of pesky imps. But when he stumbles upon an unconscious elf in an alley on his walk home from weekly poker night, he faces a variety of Who is this woman? Where did she come from? Is someone looking for her?
Focusing on helping the strange woman to adapt to the terrifying new world she finds herself in, Damian decides to protect her from those who seek to do her harm. As they learn more about each other, they discover some truths about themselves as well.
What they don't know is that there is another power at play, stalking in the shadows. Someone is responsible for the elven woman entering their world, and they are more ready to expend whatever resources are required to regain their bounty.
- GenresFantasy
248 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 20, 2022
11 people are currently reading
43 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 155 reviews
October 17, 2024
(3.5)
An Elf With No Name delivers a mix of magic and dry humor set against a modern backdrop. Damian, our war mage protagonist, brings sharp wit and sarcasm to his offbeat adventures, and his friendships, especially with characters like Grognar, add some genuine moments that stood out to me.
The story takes a while to find its footing, but once it does, the action picks up and keeps you engaged. The romance element, however, felt a bit rushed—I found myself wanting more buildup to make Damian’s connection with the elf feel believable. That said, the world-building is intriguing and unfolds smoothly without feeling overly complicated.
If you’re into light fantasy with a sarcastic edge, this is worth a read. I'd like to thank the author for the opportunity to read and review.
An Elf With No Name delivers a mix of magic and dry humor set against a modern backdrop. Damian, our war mage protagonist, brings sharp wit and sarcasm to his offbeat adventures, and his friendships, especially with characters like Grognar, add some genuine moments that stood out to me.
The story takes a while to find its footing, but once it does, the action picks up and keeps you engaged. The romance element, however, felt a bit rushed—I found myself wanting more buildup to make Damian’s connection with the elf feel believable. That said, the world-building is intriguing and unfolds smoothly without feeling overly complicated.
If you’re into light fantasy with a sarcastic edge, this is worth a read. I'd like to thank the author for the opportunity to read and review.
March 31, 2024
DISCLOSURE: I was offered a free copy by the author in exchange for an honest review
First off... PAY NO ATTENTION TO THE COVER... It does not fit the book AT ALL
This is a lighthearted, humorous paranormal story with a side of romance. The MC, a war mage named Damian, is living his bachelor life when he comes across an elf who was somehow transported from another reality. He takes her home to keep her safe, which turns out to be a little more tricky than he anticipated.
What I liked about this:
- Creative world building
- It made me laugh - especially the villains and side characters, they were a bit like caricatures at times, but it worked as a campy style
- Very good descriptions of the magic system and the action scenes - I appreciated that it was explained to the reader exactly how the magic worked, it wasn't just "he used magic".
- Main character is a very normal guy (for a war mage, at least) - it was refreshing to read about a magical being that also struggles to pay his bills and lives in a sort of tenement style apartment. I'm sick of reading about rich MMCs
- Representation - Non-binary, Bi and sapphic side characters
What didn't work for me:
- The cover (I know I mentioned this already, but I think it bears repeating)
- The relationship development -
- The character arcs - While the book is very descriptive when it comes to what is happening, it is not descriptive at all when it comes to what is going on in anyone's head. This caused a number of issues for me, one of them being the romance mentioned above, and the other being just a general lack of connection to any of the characters. The majority of the book is written from Damian's perspective, but I had trouble understanding who he was as a person because he just sort of describes what he does and says without a lot of discussion about his motives/emotions/fears, etc.
Overall, it was pretty good, and very good I think for a debut novel. It was a good length, I stayed engaged in the story, and I laughed out loud at several points. I really wish they would change the cover though, it's so deceptive.
First off... PAY NO ATTENTION TO THE COVER... It does not fit the book AT ALL
This is a lighthearted, humorous paranormal story with a side of romance. The MC, a war mage named Damian, is living his bachelor life when he comes across an elf who was somehow transported from another reality. He takes her home to keep her safe, which turns out to be a little more tricky than he anticipated.
What I liked about this:
- Creative world building
- It made me laugh - especially the villains and side characters, they were a bit like caricatures at times, but it worked as a campy style
- Very good descriptions of the magic system and the action scenes - I appreciated that it was explained to the reader exactly how the magic worked, it wasn't just "he used magic".
- Main character is a very normal guy (for a war mage, at least) - it was refreshing to read about a magical being that also struggles to pay his bills and lives in a sort of tenement style apartment. I'm sick of reading about rich MMCs
- Representation - Non-binary, Bi and sapphic side characters
What didn't work for me:
- The cover (I know I mentioned this already, but I think it bears repeating)
- The relationship development -
- The character arcs - While the book is very descriptive when it comes to what is happening, it is not descriptive at all when it comes to what is going on in anyone's head. This caused a number of issues for me, one of them being the romance mentioned above, and the other being just a general lack of connection to any of the characters. The majority of the book is written from Damian's perspective, but I had trouble understanding who he was as a person because he just sort of describes what he does and says without a lot of discussion about his motives/emotions/fears, etc.
Overall, it was pretty good, and very good I think for a debut novel. It was a good length, I stayed engaged in the story, and I laughed out loud at several points. I really wish they would change the cover though, it's so deceptive.
June 13, 2025
3.5 stars. It’s quirky and has a bunch of interesting characters. The plot is pretty good and I had a fun time reading.
January 15, 2024
First of all, thank you to the author for allowing me a free copy of this book in exchange for a review!
Although this book played with some familiar fantasy tropes (werewolves / vampires to name a couple), it was very unique. The writing was really good and extremely vivid. It would make an excellent movie, or perhaps even a video game. While the world was fairly complex, it was also easy enough to understand and follow. That meant I was able to enjoy and devour lots of the world in one go without feeling confused to what was going on.
I enjoyed following Damien on his adventures, he met lots of different and weirdly wonderful people. There was lots of enjoyable dark humour too! My favourite part was following his friendship with the elf with no name, and reading them slowly getting to know each other. Seeing her character develop as she remembers more about herself and reacts to this new world around her.
There was a showdown towards the end which I couldn't help but stay up and finish! It was pretty badass!
Very much recommend to fantasy lovers, those who enjoy the genre or those just getting into it. Now for a movie please heh heh?
Although this book played with some familiar fantasy tropes (werewolves / vampires to name a couple), it was very unique. The writing was really good and extremely vivid. It would make an excellent movie, or perhaps even a video game. While the world was fairly complex, it was also easy enough to understand and follow. That meant I was able to enjoy and devour lots of the world in one go without feeling confused to what was going on.
I enjoyed following Damien on his adventures, he met lots of different and weirdly wonderful people. There was lots of enjoyable dark humour too! My favourite part was following his friendship with the elf with no name, and reading them slowly getting to know each other. Seeing her character develop as she remembers more about herself and reacts to this new world around her.
There was a showdown towards the end which I couldn't help but stay up and finish! It was pretty badass!
Very much recommend to fantasy lovers, those who enjoy the genre or those just getting into it. Now for a movie please heh heh?
March 12, 2024
I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of this book to review. I enjoyed this book very much. I loved the characters and their storylines. There was plenty of humor and a little bit of romance. It also had plenty of action and adventure. This was a fantasy book but it was very unique. The whole time I was reading it, I kept thinking it would make a great movie. I really enjoyed the writing. It was very thorough and detailed. I am looking forward to reading the next book to find out what happens with the characters!
November 18, 2024
Thank you to the author for sending me a free copy of this book in exchange for a review!
I really enjoyed this book! It was easy to get into and the way the author builds the world is captivating! There’s war mages, werewolves, vampires and demons in a modern setting.
You follow Damian, a war mage, in his day-to-day as he gets himself into trouble, finds trouble and overall is just trying to live his life!
There was a great amount of adventure, banter and sarcasm! The little romance that existed was a little by-the-by and rushed but the main story is great! I’m looking forward to more!
November 21, 2023
1st of all thank you so much as this was sent to me from Henry Roi and the author Mortimer Langford
i have never read a fantasy with the guy as a main character so it was a nice refreshing change.
Such a great easy to read writing style and exciting to get through as Damian is such a character Even though he is taking on all these jobs to get through life but then he meets a woman with no memory so the story takes us through them helping her find her way in this new strange world.
Very pleased i got this to review and read. Would recommend especially anyone who loves fantasy worlds.
i have never read a fantasy with the guy as a main character so it was a nice refreshing change.
Such a great easy to read writing style and exciting to get through as Damian is such a character Even though he is taking on all these jobs to get through life but then he meets a woman with no memory so the story takes us through them helping her find her way in this new strange world.
Very pleased i got this to review and read. Would recommend especially anyone who loves fantasy worlds.
May 6, 2024
An Elf with no Name (The Spires Saga Book 1)
Author: Mortimer Langford
(Free Digital Copy from Author)
Synopsis
Damian, a War Mage, is the kind of guy who just lives life without a care in the world. He isn’t a bad guy, just carefree, does what he wants, and likes to gamble. Until one day when Damian is on his way home he finds a female elf in an alley, having no idea where she came from.
*Fantasy *Set in Modern Times in Wisconsin *Werewolves *Demons *Vampires *Magic
Likes
-Love a book that's easy to read, keeps your attention and I’m not a writer by any means but I’ve read a lot of books, but this book was really well written.
-Loved the MC personality, he seemed like he was clueless, but he was smart but also cunning, and quite the smart ass! (I can relate there lol)
-Really liked Pop Pop, he seemed like a fun, wise old grandpa everyone wants around
-I found the demons to be hilarious, I don't know what it was about them, maybe the way they talked.
-Some fantasy books (maybe just for me) are hard to follow at first, until you get acclimated to the story line, but this one I never got lost or confused. It all gradually worked everything together rather than throwing it all at you at once.
Dislikes
-Some of the language from the elf's world was a bit strange
Overall Rating
First I want to thank the author for the free copy of this book. I really enjoyed it! It gave me Doctor Strange meets (This might be a strange comparison but hear me out,) Halloweentown vibes except a little less PG; language, gambling, guns etc., but I think it was just because of the different characters not the story line. For example the character Max reminded me of Gort, but way cooler! This book was very entertaining, and funny. I highly recommend it! Can’t wait to read the rest of this series.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Author: Mortimer Langford
(Free Digital Copy from Author)
Synopsis
Damian, a War Mage, is the kind of guy who just lives life without a care in the world. He isn’t a bad guy, just carefree, does what he wants, and likes to gamble. Until one day when Damian is on his way home he finds a female elf in an alley, having no idea where she came from.
*Fantasy *Set in Modern Times in Wisconsin *Werewolves *Demons *Vampires *Magic
Likes
-Love a book that's easy to read, keeps your attention and I’m not a writer by any means but I’ve read a lot of books, but this book was really well written.
-Loved the MC personality, he seemed like he was clueless, but he was smart but also cunning, and quite the smart ass! (I can relate there lol)
-Really liked Pop Pop, he seemed like a fun, wise old grandpa everyone wants around
-I found the demons to be hilarious, I don't know what it was about them, maybe the way they talked.
-Some fantasy books (maybe just for me) are hard to follow at first, until you get acclimated to the story line, but this one I never got lost or confused. It all gradually worked everything together rather than throwing it all at you at once.
Dislikes
-Some of the language from the elf's world was a bit strange
Overall Rating
First I want to thank the author for the free copy of this book. I really enjoyed it! It gave me Doctor Strange meets (This might be a strange comparison but hear me out,) Halloweentown vibes except a little less PG; language, gambling, guns etc., but I think it was just because of the different characters not the story line. For example the character Max reminded me of Gort, but way cooler! This book was very entertaining, and funny. I highly recommend it! Can’t wait to read the rest of this series.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
July 10, 2025
3.5 stars
Thanks to the Author. I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
The Prologue!! I loved it, and I think it would be perfect for a video game, too. I don't really know why, but if you give me a video game with this prologue I would play it, right away!!
This book is a nice urban fantasy book, with interesting characters and an interesting magical system, with a healthy dose of sense of humor, and a plot that moves along nicely.
Damian is a war mage, in a time and world that have no real use for them, so he has to make do in some creative ways. He is like your friendly neighbor, but make it war mage edition. You have some kind of (magical) infestation? Call him! You need to connect a blood-seller with a vampire? He will do it!
I liked this kind of friendly reputation he has going on. He is a nice guy, a bit of a rascal and a cheat, with some questionable activities on the side, but he is well-known and well-liked in his community.
And sure, he is quite powerful and not one to trifle with (and I loved his magic!), but he is also a nice guy who enjoys helping others.
He also has some interesting friendships. I wanted to know more about them all, because the secondary characters deserve to be known, and they all seem pretty cool!
Plot-wise, things move along pretty nicely, we follow him around while he tries to help everyone who crosses his path, including an elf, in a world where elves shouldn’t exist. And things get more complicated at every step, because someone his plotting something bad, and Damian and the elf are at the centre of it.
And everything is seasoned with humor, making the read quite funny at moments, too. And this is a thing I appreciated quite a lot.
Reading this book strongly reminded me of Demons & Ramen and Obsidian Son (even if this one is far richer in magical creatures). So if you already enjoyed these books, or you are interested in them, keep this one in mind, too!
There were a couple of things that didn’t really work for me, but they were minor. One is pretty shallow, but the cover is not really a good fit for the book. It doesn’t fit the vibes at all.
And the other is the romance part. It is not a big part of the book, mind me. This is not a romantasy or a paranormal romance (I don’t know how the series will progress from here, but at this point, there is some romance, but it is not one of the big points of the book), but we have some romance and it is not really so well developed, for me. It is not bad, it works, but it could have been developed a tad better in the story.
But, as I said, these aren’t big things. I enjoyed this one and I had a lot of fun while reading it!
Thanks to the Author. I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
The Prologue!! I loved it, and I think it would be perfect for a video game, too. I don't really know why, but if you give me a video game with this prologue I would play it, right away!!
This book is a nice urban fantasy book, with interesting characters and an interesting magical system, with a healthy dose of sense of humor, and a plot that moves along nicely.
Damian is a war mage, in a time and world that have no real use for them, so he has to make do in some creative ways. He is like your friendly neighbor, but make it war mage edition. You have some kind of (magical) infestation? Call him! You need to connect a blood-seller with a vampire? He will do it!
I liked this kind of friendly reputation he has going on. He is a nice guy, a bit of a rascal and a cheat, with some questionable activities on the side, but he is well-known and well-liked in his community.
And sure, he is quite powerful and not one to trifle with (and I loved his magic!), but he is also a nice guy who enjoys helping others.
He also has some interesting friendships. I wanted to know more about them all, because the secondary characters deserve to be known, and they all seem pretty cool!
Plot-wise, things move along pretty nicely, we follow him around while he tries to help everyone who crosses his path, including an elf, in a world where elves shouldn’t exist. And things get more complicated at every step, because someone his plotting something bad, and Damian and the elf are at the centre of it.
And everything is seasoned with humor, making the read quite funny at moments, too. And this is a thing I appreciated quite a lot.
Reading this book strongly reminded me of Demons & Ramen and Obsidian Son (even if this one is far richer in magical creatures). So if you already enjoyed these books, or you are interested in them, keep this one in mind, too!
There were a couple of things that didn’t really work for me, but they were minor. One is pretty shallow, but the cover is not really a good fit for the book. It doesn’t fit the vibes at all.
And the other is the romance part. It is not a big part of the book, mind me. This is not a romantasy or a paranormal romance (I don’t know how the series will progress from here, but at this point, there is some romance, but it is not one of the big points of the book), but we have some romance and it is not really so well developed, for me. It is not bad, it works, but it could have been developed a tad better in the story.
But, as I said, these aren’t big things. I enjoyed this one and I had a lot of fun while reading it!
December 2, 2023
‘releasing centuries of magic back into his memories, magic that he had locked away, lest he be tempted to use it.’ | Mortimer Langford
The brilliance of fantasy is the escape into another world, the ability to pick up the corner of a sentence and tuck yourself in, to nestle in the ink and magic. This book gifts this comfort, the world building and structure is sublime, I felt myself falling into this headfirst like falling into a black hole but welcoming the encompassing world I was greeted with.
I enjoyed the humour, sarcasm truly is the highest form of wit I don’t care what anyone else says!
Overall I found the pacing to be well set. It never dragged or felt too fast for the most part.
At times it felt crowded and hard to keep a track of all the characters, not necessarily a bad thing though as it certainly didn’t ruin the experience for me!
While I enjoyed the romantic side of this book I’d like to see more of this in the next book as it felt somewhat on the rushed side while other aspects held too much detail. The detail of Damian’s eggy breakfast or the intricacies of the spells were sometimes slow for me and I found myself flitting over these passages to the next part but that’s a personal preference!
I enjoyed this book and am looking forward to the next in the saga - thank you to Mortimer Langford and Henry ROI for sending me this copy!
The brilliance of fantasy is the escape into another world, the ability to pick up the corner of a sentence and tuck yourself in, to nestle in the ink and magic. This book gifts this comfort, the world building and structure is sublime, I felt myself falling into this headfirst like falling into a black hole but welcoming the encompassing world I was greeted with.
I enjoyed the humour, sarcasm truly is the highest form of wit I don’t care what anyone else says!
Overall I found the pacing to be well set. It never dragged or felt too fast for the most part.
At times it felt crowded and hard to keep a track of all the characters, not necessarily a bad thing though as it certainly didn’t ruin the experience for me!
While I enjoyed the romantic side of this book I’d like to see more of this in the next book as it felt somewhat on the rushed side while other aspects held too much detail. The detail of Damian’s eggy breakfast or the intricacies of the spells were sometimes slow for me and I found myself flitting over these passages to the next part but that’s a personal preference!
I enjoyed this book and am looking forward to the next in the saga - thank you to Mortimer Langford and Henry ROI for sending me this copy!
September 15, 2023
Thank you to Mortimer Langford and Henry Roi for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
This was such a fun read! I read it in a day, it was genuinely a very fast and easy read.
We follow Damian, a War Mage who does odd jobs here and there helping people. One day, after a poker night, he comes across an unconscious elven lady and decides to help her. Little does he know, she and the world are in more danger than it seems.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book - it was very well paced, involved dry, sarcastic humour, and had a super interesting concept. Damian and Aziramin are both very likeable, and I can't wait to find out more about Aziramin in future books as she was very intriguing! The other characters were super interesting too, although I did feel that there were too many people at times, still - it wasn't a massive issue.
For some reason, this story gave me major CW's Supernatural vibes, possibly the humour and overall supernatural element involving demons, vampires etc. I feel like others who like this show would like this book too!
The epilogue opens up well to what future books will be tackling, and I honestly look forward to seeing what's in store!
Highly recommend this for anyone looking for a fun, quick read❤️
This was such a fun read! I read it in a day, it was genuinely a very fast and easy read.
We follow Damian, a War Mage who does odd jobs here and there helping people. One day, after a poker night, he comes across an unconscious elven lady and decides to help her. Little does he know, she and the world are in more danger than it seems.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book - it was very well paced, involved dry, sarcastic humour, and had a super interesting concept. Damian and Aziramin are both very likeable, and I can't wait to find out more about Aziramin in future books as she was very intriguing! The other characters were super interesting too, although I did feel that there were too many people at times, still - it wasn't a massive issue.
For some reason, this story gave me major CW's Supernatural vibes, possibly the humour and overall supernatural element involving demons, vampires etc. I feel like others who like this show would like this book too!
The epilogue opens up well to what future books will be tackling, and I honestly look forward to seeing what's in store!
Highly recommend this for anyone looking for a fun, quick read❤️
August 1, 2024
No spoiler synopsis & review: Damian, a War Mage, lives his life day by day mixing with interesting characters, from Vampires to Demons. He is on his way home one night where he finds an Elf alone & Damian decides to step up to the plate & helps her, which is easier said than done when she has no memory of who she is. The thing is, someone is sending Elven women into their world for a reason & we begin to learn more as we go.
This book has great humour to it & there are some great laugh out loud moments.
Damian is such a great MMC, I loved learning more about him the more we make our way through the book! We meet a lot of characters along the way, which I love, as I want to know about all the weird & wonderful creatures when I’m building up a visual of the world in my head!
I really look forward to reading more so I will absolutely be reading book 2!
Solid 4 Stars for me ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This book has great humour to it & there are some great laugh out loud moments.
Damian is such a great MMC, I loved learning more about him the more we make our way through the book! We meet a lot of characters along the way, which I love, as I want to know about all the weird & wonderful creatures when I’m building up a visual of the world in my head!
I really look forward to reading more so I will absolutely be reading book 2!
Solid 4 Stars for me ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
September 23, 2024
I had a lovely time reading this one!
The beginning had me feeling nostalgic with all kinds of hell boy vibes. It felt like an urban underworld. I liked the characters a lot and the magic system as well. The transitions were a little rough between some scenes, so it left me wanting just a teensy bit more to put me correctly in the scene and location, but that is to be expected of a debut novel. I liked it very much and I hope this author continues this world forward because it was a fun place to be, with a bit of a grittier edge and darker scene. The snappy banter had me laughing throughout the book. Definitely a good urban type fantasy, but the cover definitely leaves the vibes a little muddy, as it doesn’t fit the book in my opinion.
I will read more from this author and I will continue the series if there is more coming.
The beginning had me feeling nostalgic with all kinds of hell boy vibes. It felt like an urban underworld. I liked the characters a lot and the magic system as well. The transitions were a little rough between some scenes, so it left me wanting just a teensy bit more to put me correctly in the scene and location, but that is to be expected of a debut novel. I liked it very much and I hope this author continues this world forward because it was a fun place to be, with a bit of a grittier edge and darker scene. The snappy banter had me laughing throughout the book. Definitely a good urban type fantasy, but the cover definitely leaves the vibes a little muddy, as it doesn’t fit the book in my opinion.
I will read more from this author and I will continue the series if there is more coming.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 13, 2025
A big thank you to mortimir langford for sharing this amazing novel with me!
Set in the modern world with magic hidden away from the "normies" Damien Spires is your typical slacker/ dry humor MMC who you just can't help but love
The elf is the sweetest and when she tumbles (literally) into Damien's life we get a glimpse of his sweet side
The villain in this story grips your moral compass, one of those "I get where you're coming from but..😬"
The magic system and the world building is fantastic, it is on the shorter side but left nothing out while also having nothing drag on, I flew through it!
Add to your TBR for
✨ Friends to lovers
☄️ Reluctant Hero
✨Demons
☄️Vampires
✨Magic
☄️Sunshine FMC
Set in the modern world with magic hidden away from the "normies" Damien Spires is your typical slacker/ dry humor MMC who you just can't help but love
The elf is the sweetest and when she tumbles (literally) into Damien's life we get a glimpse of his sweet side
The villain in this story grips your moral compass, one of those "I get where you're coming from but..😬"
The magic system and the world building is fantastic, it is on the shorter side but left nothing out while also having nothing drag on, I flew through it!
Add to your TBR for
✨ Friends to lovers
☄️ Reluctant Hero
✨Demons
☄️Vampires
✨Magic
☄️Sunshine FMC
May 21, 2024
An Elf With No Name is a satirical fantasy novel filled with chaos and lots of twists. Langford did a great job with this debut.
Damian is our MMC and he is a war mage. He finds an unconscious elf in an alley and takes it upon himself to save her. He brings her home to make sure she’s okay. Meanwhile, there is someone else looking for this elf and he will do anything and everything to find her.
This story is filled with a multitude of magical creatures. Fantasy lovers will really enjoy this one. Langford’s writing is utterly clever and witty, making it a fun read.
Thank you, Mortimer, for this digital copy. Available on Amazon!
Damian is our MMC and he is a war mage. He finds an unconscious elf in an alley and takes it upon himself to save her. He brings her home to make sure she’s okay. Meanwhile, there is someone else looking for this elf and he will do anything and everything to find her.
This story is filled with a multitude of magical creatures. Fantasy lovers will really enjoy this one. Langford’s writing is utterly clever and witty, making it a fun read.
Thank you, Mortimer, for this digital copy. Available on Amazon!
January 5, 2025
This was a fun read! This book had lots of dry humour which I loved. The world-building was very well done too, and I thought that the story being set in the modern world was cool. 10/10 for a relatable MC (other than the magic part, having an MC that is also super broke is relatable af). The story was well paced imo, and didn’t feel dragged out like some fantasy books do.
I admittedly felt the romance side of this was a bit clunky, it felt like there was no mention of feelings etc and then suddenly they were in love which seemed a bit random.
Overall, I really enjoyed this debut book and can’t wait to read more from the author!
I admittedly felt the romance side of this was a bit clunky, it felt like there was no mention of feelings etc and then suddenly they were in love which seemed a bit random.
Overall, I really enjoyed this debut book and can’t wait to read more from the author!
September 10, 2023
An Elf With No Name by Mortimer Langford
, I was messaged by the author on Instagram to review his book, as I am still rarely new in the fantasy genre I was all for it, and inbetween my day to day routine I have been reading this book day in and day out and I have absolutely loved it, the Main Character, Damien Spires has a witty sense of humour that I relate to so much, the world building is great, and sets the book up wonderfully! I think I may have to have a look into the next book now 😍 thank you Mortimer for this wonderful opportunity to review your book!
, I was messaged by the author on Instagram to review his book, as I am still rarely new in the fantasy genre I was all for it, and inbetween my day to day routine I have been reading this book day in and day out and I have absolutely loved it, the Main Character, Damien Spires has a witty sense of humour that I relate to so much, the world building is great, and sets the book up wonderfully! I think I may have to have a look into the next book now 😍 thank you Mortimer for this wonderful opportunity to review your book!
September 2, 2024
This was such a fun read! It’s very light hearted for the most part. The humor in this is so good too! The writing in this was very detailed and I enjoyed learning about how the world these characters live in!
Every single character in those books was comedy gold, especially Damian! He had me cracking up with how nonchalant he was with all the insanity happening around him. The side characters are so memorable as well., with Grognar and Pop Pop being my favorites.
Now that I’m done, I need more!! The ending was such a cliffhanger, and I can’t wait to see where the next book goes!
Thank you so much to the author for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review ❤️
Every single character in those books was comedy gold, especially Damian! He had me cracking up with how nonchalant he was with all the insanity happening around him. The side characters are so memorable as well., with Grognar and Pop Pop being my favorites.
Now that I’m done, I need more!! The ending was such a cliffhanger, and I can’t wait to see where the next book goes!
Thank you so much to the author for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review ❤️
June 27, 2024
I really enjoyed this book! It felt like a combination of Hellboy, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Harry Potter, which I love! The banter between some of the characters made me laugh, and the action scenes were so well done. I was hooked and couldn’t wait to find out what happened next. The one critique I have is that I felt the relationship between the two main characters was rushed. There wasn’t a lot of development. But overall, it was a very fun read!
September 13, 2024
This was a funny book!
I was honestly not expecting what I read. From the cover, one would think it was going to be more on the darker side. But it was light read.
You get multi povs. It was an interesting take on mages, vamps, and shifters.
I enjoyed Damien, who is a War Mage. He's a goofy character that takes odd jobs. The cast of characters in this book are and were a hoot to read about. All their personalities were perfect for this book.
I was honestly not expecting what I read. From the cover, one would think it was going to be more on the darker side. But it was light read.
You get multi povs. It was an interesting take on mages, vamps, and shifters.
I enjoyed Damien, who is a War Mage. He's a goofy character that takes odd jobs. The cast of characters in this book are and were a hoot to read about. All their personalities were perfect for this book.
December 17, 2024
This book was everything I wanted The Magicians to be. This book was well paced, had great character dynamics, and has been set up greatly for a sequel. I am so glad I was asked to review this book, because it was a great book to dive into after my first semester of medical school. Check it out!!
November 18, 2023
I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I'm not very experienced with this genre, but I connected to Damian on the first page of chapter one. Yanna's character development was entertaining too.
I found most of it easy to follow (a reflection of me, not the book!) And I especially loved the contemporary setting. I'd like to see where the saga goes!
I found most of it easy to follow (a reflection of me, not the book!) And I especially loved the contemporary setting. I'd like to see where the saga goes!
August 10, 2023
I really enjoyed this book! The characters were well played out and Damien’s wit and charm was the icing on the cake . Looking forward to reading more from this author.
June 18, 2024
Thank you to the author for a free e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
This book was a humorous fantasy about war mages, elves, weres and more.
It took me a while to get into as it didn’t grip me in the beginning although some parts did make me laugh. The more the book went on the more I enjoyed it despite the lack of character building and relationship development, there’s a lot of details some are unnecessary.
The author has done an amazing job for his debut book. However the cover is deceptive, you would think it was a horror/thriller but it’s not.
Personally I think it would be a good book to start off with if you’re just getting into fantasy. I’m looking forward to the second book.
3.5⭐️
This book was a humorous fantasy about war mages, elves, weres and more.
It took me a while to get into as it didn’t grip me in the beginning although some parts did make me laugh. The more the book went on the more I enjoyed it despite the lack of character building and relationship development, there’s a lot of details some are unnecessary.
The author has done an amazing job for his debut book. However the cover is deceptive, you would think it was a horror/thriller but it’s not.
Personally I think it would be a good book to start off with if you’re just getting into fantasy. I’m looking forward to the second book.
3.5⭐️
June 27, 2024
DAMIEN DAMIEN DAMIEN !!! Omggggg this book ! I received this book as an ARC and I could say I ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT ! I haven’t read a fantasy book in a while ( shocking ) and this did it for me.
This book had great writing , great description of the characters and kept me turning the pages. I finished this book within 24 hours. I LOVED Damien and Aziramin/Yanna. (I could definitely picture a spin-off from Aziramin/Yanna’s point of view) From the very beginning that he had encounter her you could tell they would hit it off. I enjoyed that there was a world for all creatures to live together. They were equal amongst each other but I also enjoyed that there was an other worlds that had even more creatures to get introduced in the future. It gave the book the continuation of other worlds not just Elves. It kept me wondering on what’s next !
I genuinely enjoyed that it wasn’t a long read with down moments every section of this book had a moment to follow and get to know the creatures. The enjoyed the quick flash back to explain the origin of a lot because it was straight forward but also showed the loyalty among those characters. Overall it was a great read and I very much enjoyed it ! I hope to read the continuation soon to see what adventures Damien would be up to next .
This book had great writing , great description of the characters and kept me turning the pages. I finished this book within 24 hours. I LOVED Damien and Aziramin/Yanna. (I could definitely picture a spin-off from Aziramin/Yanna’s point of view) From the very beginning that he had encounter her you could tell they would hit it off. I enjoyed that there was a world for all creatures to live together. They were equal amongst each other but I also enjoyed that there was an other worlds that had even more creatures to get introduced in the future. It gave the book the continuation of other worlds not just Elves. It kept me wondering on what’s next !
I genuinely enjoyed that it wasn’t a long read with down moments every section of this book had a moment to follow and get to know the creatures. The enjoyed the quick flash back to explain the origin of a lot because it was straight forward but also showed the loyalty among those characters. Overall it was a great read and I very much enjoyed it ! I hope to read the continuation soon to see what adventures Damien would be up to next .
June 13, 2024
Thank you to to the author for reaching out to me to give an honest review of his book - I received a free e-copy to read.
***Spires is a slacker of sorts, content with sliding through life on the odd job of fortifying homes or ridding trees of pesky imps. But when he stumbles upon an unconscious elf in an alley on his walk home from weekly poker night, he faces a variety of questions: who is this woman? Where did she come from? Is someone looking for her?***
I got hooked into this story right from the first page and liked the world setting. It made a change not to have a folksy fantasy setting with a heroic warrior, in this story vampires, werewolves, demons and magicians live almost discreetly alongside normal humans in towns.
I enjoyed reading this book, it had me laughing at some of the antics of the characters. Now I have to sit and wait patiently for the next book to be written so I can continue reading about Damian Spires.
***Spires is a slacker of sorts, content with sliding through life on the odd job of fortifying homes or ridding trees of pesky imps. But when he stumbles upon an unconscious elf in an alley on his walk home from weekly poker night, he faces a variety of questions: who is this woman? Where did she come from? Is someone looking for her?***
I got hooked into this story right from the first page and liked the world setting. It made a change not to have a folksy fantasy setting with a heroic warrior, in this story vampires, werewolves, demons and magicians live almost discreetly alongside normal humans in towns.
I enjoyed reading this book, it had me laughing at some of the antics of the characters. Now I have to sit and wait patiently for the next book to be written so I can continue reading about Damian Spires.
June 16, 2024
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I'm so glad I was introduced to it by the author himself.
This book has everything you want in a fantasy story from demons to vampires, werewolves, elves, magical elements, along with lots of humour and they live alongside normal humans in normal town life.
Damian Spires is our MMC and i was invested in his story from the beginning and how his relationships developed with his friends and other side characters.
I found it fast paced and packed with action from the start and loved the humour the author added which i haven't seen in this genre so far.
I am recently quite new to the fantasy genre so some parts I reread to get my head around. But all in all I enjoyed this book so much and will be looking out for more in the Spires Saga and by Mortimer Langford in the future.
This book has everything you want in a fantasy story from demons to vampires, werewolves, elves, magical elements, along with lots of humour and they live alongside normal humans in normal town life.
Damian Spires is our MMC and i was invested in his story from the beginning and how his relationships developed with his friends and other side characters.
I found it fast paced and packed with action from the start and loved the humour the author added which i haven't seen in this genre so far.
I am recently quite new to the fantasy genre so some parts I reread to get my head around. But all in all I enjoyed this book so much and will be looking out for more in the Spires Saga and by Mortimer Langford in the future.
July 8, 2023
Action-packed fantasy with a badass protagonist!
3.5 rating rounded up to 4
For the most part, I love this book. The world-building is strong, the protagonist is such a fun and badass character to follow, the characters - even the side ones - are distinct, and the friendship chemistry is a delight. In fact up to about 70% of the book it's a strong 4.5-star read for me. Upon reaching that mark, however, I started to have problems with how the female elf's character developed, how the villain's backstory underwhelmed me, and how the final showdown was more theatrics than action. However, and I can't stress this enough, the action sequences before the final showdown really hooked me. There's something about how the author writes action sequences that makes it easy to play them in my head and watch it like a thrilling part of a movie.
World and Character Building
The world-building is excellent. It is easily established that we are in contemporary times but magical creatures are out and about. The story mostly happens in a location where this is normal so this isn't your typical plot where there's a huge stress on how to hide certain things from humans. Even so, the rules and hierarchy of the society were laid out so well that the expositions did not feel heavy at all.
As for the characters, they were all written so well. All of them have distinct personalities by the way they act around Damian, the way they talk, and how they fit in this society. No matter how small their presence is in the book, they feel organic. I especially love Damian's relationship with his friends. It's always a pleasure to read those rough, playful types of friendships written so well. I was just invested!
Unfortunately, there are two major character developments that I disliked and were very hard to ignore - the love interest and the villain.
Despite that, however, I was sold on Damian's character For the most part, he was such a fun person to follow and honestly, he's just a total badass. I can't help but be amazed at his action sequences. He's just an awesome character.
Final Thoughts
Do I like this book? Absolutely. The plot that glues a book together was well-paced and there's a promise of an interesting sequel. In fact, with Damian's character developing so well, I would be happy even if we follow other characters' journeys onwards. Bartholomew or Gerard, I think, would be excellent candidates for spinoffs. I know they can have as great as Damian's motivations and with the author's writing style, they can have just as amazing action sequences as him. I love the concept of magic powers being imbued into modern weapons and yet each mage still has their go-to magical items to fight with. Artemis is an awesome sidekick.
I'd recommend this to fantasy readers who like a lot of action but still want a solid world foundation. I sincerely thank the author, Mr. Mortimer Langford, for providing me with a free copy to read this. I'm honored and delighted that this was a great read!
3.5 rating rounded up to 4
For the most part, I love this book. The world-building is strong, the protagonist is such a fun and badass character to follow, the characters - even the side ones - are distinct, and the friendship chemistry is a delight. In fact up to about 70% of the book it's a strong 4.5-star read for me. Upon reaching that mark, however, I started to have problems with how the female elf's character developed, how the villain's backstory underwhelmed me, and how the final showdown was more theatrics than action. However, and I can't stress this enough, the action sequences before the final showdown really hooked me. There's something about how the author writes action sequences that makes it easy to play them in my head and watch it like a thrilling part of a movie.
World and Character Building
The world-building is excellent. It is easily established that we are in contemporary times but magical creatures are out and about. The story mostly happens in a location where this is normal so this isn't your typical plot where there's a huge stress on how to hide certain things from humans. Even so, the rules and hierarchy of the society were laid out so well that the expositions did not feel heavy at all.
As for the characters, they were all written so well. All of them have distinct personalities by the way they act around Damian, the way they talk, and how they fit in this society. No matter how small their presence is in the book, they feel organic. I especially love Damian's relationship with his friends. It's always a pleasure to read those rough, playful types of friendships written so well. I was just invested!
Unfortunately, there are two major character developments that I disliked and were very hard to ignore - the love interest and the villain.
Despite that, however, I was sold on Damian's character For the most part, he was such a fun person to follow and honestly, he's just a total badass. I can't help but be amazed at his action sequences. He's just an awesome character.
Final Thoughts
Do I like this book? Absolutely. The plot that glues a book together was well-paced and there's a promise of an interesting sequel. In fact, with Damian's character developing so well, I would be happy even if we follow other characters' journeys onwards. Bartholomew or Gerard, I think, would be excellent candidates for spinoffs. I know they can have as great as Damian's motivations and with the author's writing style, they can have just as amazing action sequences as him. I love the concept of magic powers being imbued into modern weapons and yet each mage still has their go-to magical items to fight with. Artemis is an awesome sidekick.
I'd recommend this to fantasy readers who like a lot of action but still want a solid world foundation. I sincerely thank the author, Mr. Mortimer Langford, for providing me with a free copy to read this. I'm honored and delighted that this was a great read!
July 2, 2024
I got an invite from the author to read this book. I have to start by saying that the world building in this book was very well done and Damian is cool as hell. It was interesting that what I would have classified as ‘fluff’ in other books (like the scene where they go to the mall) did not feel unnecessary here. The pacing was great and the story was a ton of fun to read. All the side characters were fun, though I hope to get more on Blaze, Gerard, Max, and even Grognar in the next book. The ending left it open to future books which I will not hesitate to pick up. If you’re looking for a quick fun and exciting read then this is it!
October 27, 2023
Interesting premise, world design and magic system.
I didn’t connect to the characters and found that the story didn’t really go anywhere.
I feel this would have made a better graphic novel where the type of banter and dry wit would have been received better.
I thank the author for their generous donation of providing a free copy of this book.
Offering writerly advice- I would have sought out more beta readers and done a few more revisions before publishing. There were multiple over uses of words, like the characters names that was distracting as a reader.
I didn’t connect to the characters and found that the story didn’t really go anywhere.
I feel this would have made a better graphic novel where the type of banter and dry wit would have been received better.
I thank the author for their generous donation of providing a free copy of this book.
Offering writerly advice- I would have sought out more beta readers and done a few more revisions before publishing. There were multiple over uses of words, like the characters names that was distracting as a reader.
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