Official Review: The MacAlister Blade by Joseph D Ferguson

[Erin Dydek]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The MacAlister Blade" by Joseph D Ferguson.]

---

2 out of 4 stars

---

Share This Review

---

Treyson McAlister is reluctant to leave his pregnant wife home alone, but he cannot ignore his grandfather's dying wish to recover the MacAlister blade. Although the quest to find his ancestors' sword in Scotland seems daunting, the dire warning about the world's need for the sword drives Treyson to do whatever it takes to honor his grandfather and protect the future for his unborn son.

A cataclysmic event on the horizon and an ever-growing war between the forces of magic and technology will come to the forefront of Treyson's journey as he gathers allies. His world is falling apart, and he will have to work together with new-found friends to unite the survivors of the devastating event while stopping a powerful foreign enemy.

The MacAlister Blade, by J.D. Ferguson, is a fast-paced science-fantasy novel with a post-apocalyptic backdrop. I loved this book's concept and how the characters had to join together in a sort of found family to survive the challenges presented in the book. The author shakes up the story by bringing together characters with different backgrounds and skills from around the world and dramatically changing their lives. Many people in our modern world would struggle with the loss of technology presented in this book, and watching the protagonists adapt and survive was my favorite part of the story.

The plot itself is relatively straightforward and easy to follow. While new technology is introduced in the book, the author briefly explains what it is and what it does without highly technical exposés on why or how it worked. This aspect of the book should appeal to readers looking for pure entertainment but may not appeal to fans of hard science fiction.

My least favorite part of the book was the vast number of editing issues and the lack of development in certain scenes and character motivations. There were a few places throughout the story that seemed a bit rushed, and even in the ending scenes, I wished there would have been additional resolution and tying of loose ends. Despite the book's rapid ending, however, the author did catch my interest, and I would like to see the story continue in a sequel.

I would gladly give The MacAlister Blade a 3-star rating because the story was entertaining, and I enjoyed the blend of magic and survival in a post-apocalyptic world. Unfortunately, the sheer number of errors in the book reduces my rating to two out of four. The author has a solid grasp of storytelling, and I would love to see this book undergo a thorough editing session. As this was the author's debut novel, I honestly believe his writing skill will improve with his next book, and I look forward to seeing that growth.

The book contained no sexual content, and a total of two mild swear words. I believe that the story would appeal to high school readers as well as adults. I would warn sensitive readers that there is a lot of death and some gruesome descriptions of the bodies in the first portion of the book. There are a few scenes with violence, but there are no gory depictions.

******
The MacAlister Blade
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon

[Pluma]

The setting of this book sounds exciting, and I like that the characters come from multiple backgrounds and bring different traits and skills to the plot. It’s a pity about the errors and the plot issues, but overall it sounds like a good book. Thanks for the great review!

[yomide]

Thanks for the review. This sure seem like a good story, and I'll love to see exactly how the author blends magic and technology in a world that just survived a meltdown.

[Harty Muli]

Quite a mesmerizing tale that I would want to be a part of - I wonder what I would do, look after my pregnant wife or go for the blade that is needed to prevent a cataclysmic event! Thanks for the wonderful review.

[Smmwallace]

This book sounds like an exciting read! I often wonder how I would handle these same situations, usually not very well. Ha. I may give it a go. Thank you for your good review!

[Samantha Simoneau]

I love the concept of the main character and his "found family" on a quest. Too bad the editing isn't better. Thanks for your insights!

[NetMassimo]

The novel contains an interesting mix of science fiction and fantasy element, too bad they don't seem to be properly developed. Maybe a professional editor might help the author. Thank you for your honest review!

[Rayah Raouf]

Thank you for the review. It's a shame about the errors. The book does sound promising though.

[Mbrooks2518]

Sounds like an interesting story with the mix of magic and technology and the search for the MacAlister blade. I might give it a try. Thanks for the great review!