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The Firestaff Chronicles #1
The Tower of Sorcery
The first book in a unique, scandalously interesting and non-commercial fantasy series. Written by James Galloway purely for fun in the course of many years. Read by fanatical fans for even more fun. It has never been published and it can be found online, absolutely for free, on the author's website (http://forums.sennadar.com).
Or download from http://www.weavespinner.net/worlds_of...
Or download from http://www.weavespinner.net/worlds_of...
1145 pages, ebook
19 people are currently reading
566 people want to read
About the author
James Galloway
40 books136 followersThere is an author, who goes by the name of Fel. He releases his stories, chapter by chapter to the internet. They vary in genres, including fantasy and sci-fi. Several of these books are comparable in length to the epic story Les Miserable's, or longer.
All of these stories have been posted for free on the internet. Download from http://www.weavespinner.net/worlds_of... in various formats including epub, or from the original forumpostings http://forums.sennadar.com
All of these stories have been posted for free on the internet. Download from http://www.weavespinner.net/worlds_of... in various formats including epub, or from the original forumpostings http://forums.sennadar.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
June 22, 2015
There's a scene in a later book of this series which sums it up.
The main character (MC) is a ridiculously overpowered Werecat that uses rage fueled sorcery. He's being tracked by someone that's almost killed him twice (and did kill one of his friends).
The fight scene is probably twenty pages long. The MC decides the best course is to take out the opponents shield. So for 10 pages the MC is battering at the shield while the fighters are variously taunting each other. Then the author relates the MC could just use sorcery, but that wouldn't be sufficient revenge. Then stuff happens and he ends up using sorcery.
So... it's somewhat confusing, if you go with the scene like a B grade stunt person, it's readable. But if you start to question in what reality attacking a shield with a staff for 10 pages constitutes a plan (even disregarding the sorcery option), or why he's endangering both himself and the world to do it, etc.
There are alot of similar problems, like the Druidic magic system, which the MC isn't taught because its 'really hard and dangerous'! It turns out you basically wish for shit and invoke the magic and as long as you're specific its ok. In later books the author relates that one of the main druids wanted to teach the MC himself and that's really why he wasn't taught. In the end it just feels like the author is making it up as he goes along (non-withstanding how awful the system is).
So that's the long and short of it, lots of action and manly chest beating, but very loose, with tenuous logic and endless rationalizations and catchalls to fill the holes. Even rating this book against other web novels i've read, it's hard to justify more than 2. You could argue the author was overly ambitious.
If you like MC's getting super powerful with rage issues (who doesn't?) AND can ignore the bus sized plot holes, you might enjoy this book. I got to book 4 and had to stop, so there's *something* there. Maybe try reading it after a beer/wine or two.
The main character (MC) is a ridiculously overpowered Werecat that uses rage fueled sorcery. He's being tracked by someone that's almost killed him twice (and did kill one of his friends).
The fight scene is probably twenty pages long. The MC decides the best course is to take out the opponents shield. So for 10 pages the MC is battering at the shield while the fighters are variously taunting each other. Then the author relates the MC could just use sorcery, but that wouldn't be sufficient revenge. Then stuff happens and he ends up using sorcery.
So... it's somewhat confusing, if you go with the scene like a B grade stunt person, it's readable. But if you start to question in what reality attacking a shield with a staff for 10 pages constitutes a plan (even disregarding the sorcery option), or why he's endangering both himself and the world to do it, etc.
There are alot of similar problems, like the Druidic magic system, which the MC isn't taught because its 'really hard and dangerous'! It turns out you basically wish for shit and invoke the magic and as long as you're specific its ok. In later books the author relates that one of the main druids wanted to teach the MC himself and that's really why he wasn't taught. In the end it just feels like the author is making it up as he goes along (non-withstanding how awful the system is).
So that's the long and short of it, lots of action and manly chest beating, but very loose, with tenuous logic and endless rationalizations and catchalls to fill the holes. Even rating this book against other web novels i've read, it's hard to justify more than 2. You could argue the author was overly ambitious.
If you like MC's getting super powerful with rage issues (who doesn't?) AND can ignore the bus sized plot holes, you might enjoy this book. I got to book 4 and had to stop, so there's *something* there. Maybe try reading it after a beer/wine or two.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 24, 2009
The first book in a unique, scandalously interesting and non-commercial fantasy series. Written by James Galloway purely for fun in the course of many years. Read by fanatical fans for even more fun. It has never been published and it can be found online, absolutely for free, on the author's website (www.sennadar.com).
I don't think the general public would like this series, as it is way too politically incorrect. The protagonist is (literally) a psychotic killer with major issues, and yet he is portrayed as a good guy. And it is even believable.
The book, as well as the seires, are full of lots of graphic depictions of violence, some rather kinky sex and the world they create is anything but realistic. However, the heroes and the general setting are captivating, unique and very well developed, the action scenes - from one-on-one fights to epic battles of enormous proportions - are possibly the best I've read in the whole fantasy genre, and the sheer epic scale of the world, the plot and the heroes themselves as they progress and grow are mind-boggling. And, just in the right amounts, a pinch of very refreshing humour.
So, if you are a gentle, peaceful soul with no taste for violence, this probably isn't the book for you. The protagonist is quite capable of kicking a fluffy kitten, and I won't even start on the moral fibre of the bad guys. However, if you liked The Wheel of Time (before it became mind-numblingly protracted), The Lord of the Rings, etc. and generally like epic fantasy, you will enjoy this series tremendously.
I don't think the general public would like this series, as it is way too politically incorrect. The protagonist is (literally) a psychotic killer with major issues, and yet he is portrayed as a good guy. And it is even believable.
The book, as well as the seires, are full of lots of graphic depictions of violence, some rather kinky sex and the world they create is anything but realistic. However, the heroes and the general setting are captivating, unique and very well developed, the action scenes - from one-on-one fights to epic battles of enormous proportions - are possibly the best I've read in the whole fantasy genre, and the sheer epic scale of the world, the plot and the heroes themselves as they progress and grow are mind-boggling. And, just in the right amounts, a pinch of very refreshing humour.
So, if you are a gentle, peaceful soul with no taste for violence, this probably isn't the book for you. The protagonist is quite capable of kicking a fluffy kitten, and I won't even start on the moral fibre of the bad guys. However, if you liked The Wheel of Time (before it became mind-numblingly protracted), The Lord of the Rings, etc. and generally like epic fantasy, you will enjoy this series tremendously.
January 21, 2018
Story is great, I loved the setting and characters, it is long but I wasn't bored at any time.
Only downsides I saw were:
- constant repeats: I know his tail is "not as strong as arm, but considering his strength very strong", no need to repeat it every time he uses it, and "there were many cats, pets and other that he would not be noticed" - I know, you wrote it 12 times already
- lack of editing: there are some typos that spellchecker should have caught. Bigger problems are lack of separation when book switches to another POV and leftover sentences after editing
Overall, mistakes in the book are easily ignored considering the book size, but still drop the rating to 4 stars.
Only downsides I saw were:
- constant repeats: I know his tail is "not as strong as arm, but considering his strength very strong", no need to repeat it every time he uses it, and "there were many cats, pets and other that he would not be noticed" - I know, you wrote it 12 times already
- lack of editing: there are some typos that spellchecker should have caught. Bigger problems are lack of separation when book switches to another POV and leftover sentences after editing
Overall, mistakes in the book are easily ignored considering the book size, but still drop the rating to 4 stars.
December 30, 2010
Though the story itself was engaging enough, the misspellings throughout detracted a little from the quality. There were also parts where things just seemed to drag a little; but then I've never felt a great deal of affinity for cats. The magic system is not overly complex but interesting enough in its own way, yet the introduction of the Firestaff seems too little, too late. Very good reading, but hopefully there's more to impress.
April 13, 2015
The reason I did not rate this book:
5 stars - too many grammatical errors
4 stars - inconsequential ramblings appeared with frequency and often were repetitions of earlier rambling
3 stars - facts were contradicted leaving plot holes
Thus leaving the book with a 2 star rating, when it could have easily been rated 4 stars or possibly 5 stars.
Despite the low rating, the book captivated my interest, and I am looking forward to reading the next segment.
5 stars - too many grammatical errors
4 stars - inconsequential ramblings appeared with frequency and often were repetitions of earlier rambling
3 stars - facts were contradicted leaving plot holes
Thus leaving the book with a 2 star rating, when it could have easily been rated 4 stars or possibly 5 stars.
Despite the low rating, the book captivated my interest, and I am looking forward to reading the next segment.
May 10, 2017
There were quite a few issues besides grammar and spelling (which if it was just that could be a possible 4) that made this not as good as it could have been.
Vague spoilers (problems):
Vague spoilers (problems):
March 30, 2018
Ok! What a ride, the story is engaging and was really complete. The MC was kind of hard to relate to at first but now I don't regret reading through the book. Everything was amazing.
September 11, 2017
Tarrin Kael is a farmboy from a small village with dreams of becoming one of the famed Knights of Karas. Unlike most of those who have such aspirations, he's got enough training to hope he has a decent shot: from his father who used to be a Ranger, and from his mother who comes from a culture where everyone learns their hand-to-hand combat styles. But when a Sorceress and the Knight guarding her stop by his village, it is the Sorceress who claims him for her Tower. But trouble follows hard on their heels. Disaster after disaster plagues his journey---including being bitten by a Were-Cat, and losing his humanity---and even the Tower of Sorcery isn't what he hopes. Tarrin is determined to figure out what's going on. Because if he doesn't, something's going to succeed at killing him . . .
These books have been favorites for years, though it's been a while since I last read them. They aren't available through traditional ebook outlets, but the author has posted everything online for free, and one of his fans has compiled an ebook version for those with ereaders (I think I prefer the docs at this point, as it is easier for me to stop when I have to open another file to get to the next chapter. Plus the ebook seems to have a few formatting gotchas where scene breaks don't always populate correctly).
The prose can be somewhat clunky, and has a tendency to repeat smaller facts every now and again. And some of the character reactions are spelled out rather than shown, which can read awkwardly. It could use a pass with an editor to tighten things up some and fix a few grammar issues (I might find/replace "alot" myself on my copy, as it bugs me).
That said, the story is good enough that I tend to forget those flaws very quickly.
This is epic fantasy, with an enormous cast of characters, a number of intersecting subplots, a big world with historical and geographical context, a detailed magic system with four main types of magic and various checks and balances between them, and a number of human and nonhuman races. Rereading this is fun precisely because I can see where the threads of various plots started, and know how they will eventually draw together. But since the story mostly follows Tarrin, it doesn't feel overwhelming even on a first read. The world gets built up layer by layer, and executes well within those confines. Even apparent contradictions are plot points.
Tarrin is an interesting protagonist. He's only "typical" for a few chapters, and even there, the label is debatable. He's had enough training to make his dream of being a Knight a realistic one, but no amount of training could prepare him for the physical, mental, and emotional changes that accompany becoming Were-Cat. It doesn't help that no one really knows much about the Were in general and Were-Cats in particular, and the person best suited to help him is someone he is convinced is going to kill him. And compounding the natural changes that go along with being a Were-Cat is the political game that has thoroughly snared him. Cats don't like being trapped, or used, and being constantly afraid for his life and unsure who to trust is eroding his sanity.
Oh, and the Cat goes berserk when he gets mad enough.
Tarrin's friends don't have as much opportunity here to move beyond initial impressions, but they're still fun. His deep and almost immediate friendship with both Kerri and Allia is called out as unusual (and there's the suggestion of divine meddling), but his friendship with others grows more naturally. I like how many different warrior cultures are represented, and how although they have a lot of similarities, there's also a good amount of differences, which range from preferred weapon type to the character qualities that discipline emphasizes. And although two of those are held up as the gold standard, there's a lot of respect for any group that has skillful practitioners.
The author has a good eye for fight scenes and what makes them work. We have plenty of scenes of training bouts, individual conflicts, and group conflicts; with and without weapons; with and without magic. They don't feel repetitive because they tend towards surprises. And it's not just skillful combat---Tarrin angry has a tendency to rip off faces or explode heads. There's also a good sense of how nonhumans would fight differently due to their physical differences, like using their tails, claws, or massive strength.
Overall, this may be a little rough around the edges, but it is a very, very good series. Don't let the length deter you, because it manages to keep pretty good energy throughout, and the eventual payoff for the interlaced plots is spectacular. I rate this book Recommended.
If you're interested in reading these, the link is here: http://www.weavespinner.net/worlds_of...
These books have been favorites for years, though it's been a while since I last read them. They aren't available through traditional ebook outlets, but the author has posted everything online for free, and one of his fans has compiled an ebook version for those with ereaders (I think I prefer the docs at this point, as it is easier for me to stop when I have to open another file to get to the next chapter. Plus the ebook seems to have a few formatting gotchas where scene breaks don't always populate correctly).
The prose can be somewhat clunky, and has a tendency to repeat smaller facts every now and again. And some of the character reactions are spelled out rather than shown, which can read awkwardly. It could use a pass with an editor to tighten things up some and fix a few grammar issues (I might find/replace "alot" myself on my copy, as it bugs me).
That said, the story is good enough that I tend to forget those flaws very quickly.
This is epic fantasy, with an enormous cast of characters, a number of intersecting subplots, a big world with historical and geographical context, a detailed magic system with four main types of magic and various checks and balances between them, and a number of human and nonhuman races. Rereading this is fun precisely because I can see where the threads of various plots started, and know how they will eventually draw together. But since the story mostly follows Tarrin, it doesn't feel overwhelming even on a first read. The world gets built up layer by layer, and executes well within those confines. Even apparent contradictions are plot points.
Tarrin is an interesting protagonist. He's only "typical" for a few chapters, and even there, the label is debatable. He's had enough training to make his dream of being a Knight a realistic one, but no amount of training could prepare him for the physical, mental, and emotional changes that accompany becoming Were-Cat. It doesn't help that no one really knows much about the Were in general and Were-Cats in particular, and the person best suited to help him is someone he is convinced is going to kill him. And compounding the natural changes that go along with being a Were-Cat is the political game that has thoroughly snared him. Cats don't like being trapped, or used, and being constantly afraid for his life and unsure who to trust is eroding his sanity.
Oh, and the Cat goes berserk when he gets mad enough.
Tarrin's friends don't have as much opportunity here to move beyond initial impressions, but they're still fun. His deep and almost immediate friendship with both Kerri and Allia is called out as unusual (and there's the suggestion of divine meddling), but his friendship with others grows more naturally. I like how many different warrior cultures are represented, and how although they have a lot of similarities, there's also a good amount of differences, which range from preferred weapon type to the character qualities that discipline emphasizes. And although two of those are held up as the gold standard, there's a lot of respect for any group that has skillful practitioners.
The author has a good eye for fight scenes and what makes them work. We have plenty of scenes of training bouts, individual conflicts, and group conflicts; with and without weapons; with and without magic. They don't feel repetitive because they tend towards surprises. And it's not just skillful combat---Tarrin angry has a tendency to rip off faces or explode heads. There's also a good sense of how nonhumans would fight differently due to their physical differences, like using their tails, claws, or massive strength.
Overall, this may be a little rough around the edges, but it is a very, very good series. Don't let the length deter you, because it manages to keep pretty good energy throughout, and the eventual payoff for the interlaced plots is spectacular. I rate this book Recommended.
If you're interested in reading these, the link is here: http://www.weavespinner.net/worlds_of...
August 12, 2015
First things first, I honestly did not expect a lot from this series when I stumbled upon this on Reddit's r/lightnovels. My reason being that, apart from officially published books, I haven't really heard much renown on Western Web Serials, and the fact most Web Novels available online are of Asian origin, specifically Japanese Light Novels and my recent online favorite--Chinese Web Novels. And, since I had that pre-existing notion, I expected the prose to be sub-par, the story and characters uninteresting, and, the magic and lore nothing innovative. To my surprise, not only did Jame's Galloway not disappoint, the book was amazing.
Sure, there are a lot of typos and some sentences that are repeated over and over again all throughout the series, but that's nothing an editor can't fix, and if you can get past that, you can see that Galloway has a delicate touch in writing prose and still has a lot of room for improvement. Second, the story's premise is nothing new--a country bumpkin, who suddenly discovers he possesses a magical potential that hasn't been seen for ages, dreaming a life of adventure and intrigue--but he presented it in such a way that you would momentarily forget that fact and leave you wanting for more. Not to to mention, with mere words, he brought a whole world and its characters to life. A world filled with a myriad of well-thought-out races, cultures, language, magic, and martial arts. And, in this, we will accompany Tarrin Kael in his journey to discover all these wonders of the world of Sennadar and witness his battles with not only powerful individuals and evil organizations seeking to tear the world asunder, but also his inner struggles as he tries to wrestle for control with an alien entity that was forcefully imparted to his very being. In these battles, we will see Tarrin, a youthful innocent boy, transform into a ruthless and emotionless killing machine as his beliefs get challenged and his trust betrayed one too many. Then, ultimately, after realizing he is losing his grip on his humanity, even if he won't be the same as he once was, he tries to recover a semblance of that kind and young human he was before and find in himself the ability to trust others yet again.
In short, a truly epic tale with an unforgettable cast of characters living in a vast world filled with love, betrayal, and mystique. Oh, and did I mention that it is completely free to read online? What more can you ask for?
Sure, there are a lot of typos and some sentences that are repeated over and over again all throughout the series, but that's nothing an editor can't fix, and if you can get past that, you can see that Galloway has a delicate touch in writing prose and still has a lot of room for improvement. Second, the story's premise is nothing new--a country bumpkin, who suddenly discovers he possesses a magical potential that hasn't been seen for ages, dreaming a life of adventure and intrigue--but he presented it in such a way that you would momentarily forget that fact and leave you wanting for more. Not to to mention, with mere words, he brought a whole world and its characters to life. A world filled with a myriad of well-thought-out races, cultures, language, magic, and martial arts. And, in this, we will accompany Tarrin Kael in his journey to discover all these wonders of the world of Sennadar and witness his battles with not only powerful individuals and evil organizations seeking to tear the world asunder, but also his inner struggles as he tries to wrestle for control with an alien entity that was forcefully imparted to his very being. In these battles, we will see Tarrin, a youthful innocent boy, transform into a ruthless and emotionless killing machine as his beliefs get challenged and his trust betrayed one too many. Then, ultimately, after realizing he is losing his grip on his humanity, even if he won't be the same as he once was, he tries to recover a semblance of that kind and young human he was before and find in himself the ability to trust others yet again.
In short, a truly epic tale with an unforgettable cast of characters living in a vast world filled with love, betrayal, and mystique. Oh, and did I mention that it is completely free to read online? What more can you ask for?
August 6, 2017
This is the best book ever. I have read the series to its conclusion and I can assure you that it is amazing. The pace is good, the magic system is complex and unique, for once I saw an author who was not afraid of giving power to his characters. James, my man, Give us a few more books like this one.
July 13, 2018
Rambling, repetitive, stuffed with glaring errors. Like saying did when he obviously means didn’t, or never when he means ever (“if you never need any help”). All that I could forgive if the MC wasn’t such an overwhelming berk. But he is - he’s awful! Completely up his own bottom. Despite this I’ve read worse, so two stars.
August 27, 2015
It took me almost a year to finish this book, but not because it's bad, it's just very very long. I really liked the characters and the world build. I look forward to read the next book of the series :D (and free fiction books like this one are usually really good, since they are not conventional)
November 17, 2015
Finally we have a fantasy series to cater to the millions of bitter cat ladies throughout the world! Ever wonder what it would be like if your kitties had magic and a man-sized rage? Apparently nothing worth reading....
May 16, 2017
The good: Captivating story, vivid worldbuilding
The bad: Main character tends to brood a bit much, author repeats certain things a few times as if he forgot he already explained it.
I still liked it. A lot!
The bad: Main character tends to brood a bit much, author repeats certain things a few times as if he forgot he already explained it.
I still liked it. A lot!
May 8, 2015
The Firestaff series was recommended by a Goodreads friend. Usually, I don't pay attention to recommendations.I was looking for a good book to read, and I loved it.
April 14, 2016
couldn't complete this shit. Completely amateur writing...
May 31, 2016
Story\plot: good
writing: bad (too much repetition)
characters: fucking emo cat
writing: bad (too much repetition)
characters: fucking emo cat
August 24, 2017
cool idea, believable characters... Could have been about half the pages; maybe even less, and still covered the same amount of story.
May 3, 2019
Good story, but as expected some repeats & needs an editor to take out some parts.
But my main problem is the main character seems to be building up to become too powerful. So unless he fights a god even non-human villians will be no match for him, looking at how things are going.
But my main problem is the main character seems to be building up to become too powerful. So unless he fights a god even non-human villians will be no match for him, looking at how things are going.
November 8, 2021
I discovered this series years ago and have gone back to read it several times over. It is simply one of the most epic high fantasy series I've ever read. Each book is very long but they always seem to keep you engaged so it doesn't get tedious.
February 14, 2022
Really enjoyed it. The beginning was a bit misleading, made me think the main character was perfect in every way. But through circumstances his weaknesses and instability begins to show. Recommend it if you're into a dark fantasy series was a controversial MC
June 2, 2017
It was an ok book especially given the fact that it was an open source book. Too much time was spent in the school, and same thing was repeated over and over. The book had lots of errors.
September 9, 2017
A bit raw in the writing in a few places but plotting, characters and action very satisfactory.
I enjoyed it.
I enjoyed it.
December 24, 2017
A surprisingly good story. Needs editing but good story nonetheless
March 18, 2019
Good start. Characters are well laid out. Plot is mysterious. Magic is well thought out.
June 4, 2013
this series and pretty much every story he has written is great they are a free book published on his site so you can also download them to your computer and read them at your leisure plus theres more there on his site and they are long and great more than a little addicting and i have to say i found them better stories than some big published works.
http://weavespinner.net/worlds_of_fel...
hope it leaves the link sore the site in there but theres more than his sennadar books.
hope you enjoy them as much as i did. i still check often so see if hes wrote new stuff
http://weavespinner.net/worlds_of_fel...
hope it leaves the link sore the site in there but theres more than his sennadar books.
hope you enjoy them as much as i did. i still check often so see if hes wrote new stuff
March 4, 2016
This book made a really nice impression on me, such a refreshment in this genre, it made me howl with laughter, made me think about the characters when I wasn't reading it, it is a hard book to put down. Simply put, would recommend this book to all, 5/7 with rice.
February 7, 2010
Elements I've seen elsewhere, however it shortly takes a hard left turn and proves to be something completely different and orignal.
October 22, 2015
This was a book that once start reading can't put down. also the books are rather long, kept me occupied for a while.
Throughly loved the series
Throughly loved the series
September 23, 2015
one of the best book i have read....
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews