Review of The Magician's Secret
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Vivek D
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Review of The Magician's Secret
[Following is a volunteer review of "The Magician's Secret" by Charles Townsend.]
“The Magician’s Secret” is an entertaining mash of magic and mayhem, involving Delvin, a witless yet brilliant illusionist doomed to be convicted of murder.” He finds himself an actor in this narrative, trying to make his name clear in a crowded world full of political machinations and where rival magicians are everywhere. Townsend’s tale is as much self-discovery as it is fantastical elements of his setting, and Townsend crafts it well.
The pacing is one of the book's greatest strengths. Townsend treads a line between exhilarating (albeit often bloody) action and quieter character moments that all keep readers in touch. One example is Delvin newly arriving in the bustling kingdom of Hengel, trying to make himself known as a magician and how the locals react in funny and sad ways. Without an anchor, these fantastical elements would feel like nothing as they lead us through the forest, but these scenes squarely land fantastical elements in relatable human experiences and affect when danger is close.
There are a lot of magical elements weaved into the plot, but mostly through the magician’s stone, which is able to manipulate thoughts. The moment Delvin uses the stone to manipulate a crowd is one of the strong standout moments. Not only does his action argue the ethical implications, but in turn it creates palpable tension. The morality and magic of this blend together to give the character depth and keep readers asking themselves what the price of power really is.
The book, however, is gripping but not flawless. Occasionally the character dialogues are clunkier, less natural-seeming than either the action or the dialogue of others on the stage. Furthermore, a few plot twists were certainly gimmicky, but also only happened at an accelerated pace and would have been enriched greatly with additional development. These are small things, but there are enough to take off a point or two in the rating.
In terms of editing, the text is really well-polished: no typographical errors were noticed, which implies that it’s mostly well-edited. While all of this is going on, “The Magician’s Secret” is a great read and an excellent blend of adventure with intrigue. On the imaginative plot, relatable characters but with moments of real potential tension—solid 4 out of 5 stars. While it has some minor missteps, the story is charming, and the author's skills of storytelling exist in such perfection that it passes as an enjoyable escapist to any fantasy fan.
******
The Magician's Secret
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes | on Smashwords
“The Magician’s Secret” is an entertaining mash of magic and mayhem, involving Delvin, a witless yet brilliant illusionist doomed to be convicted of murder.” He finds himself an actor in this narrative, trying to make his name clear in a crowded world full of political machinations and where rival magicians are everywhere. Townsend’s tale is as much self-discovery as it is fantastical elements of his setting, and Townsend crafts it well.
The pacing is one of the book's greatest strengths. Townsend treads a line between exhilarating (albeit often bloody) action and quieter character moments that all keep readers in touch. One example is Delvin newly arriving in the bustling kingdom of Hengel, trying to make himself known as a magician and how the locals react in funny and sad ways. Without an anchor, these fantastical elements would feel like nothing as they lead us through the forest, but these scenes squarely land fantastical elements in relatable human experiences and affect when danger is close.
There are a lot of magical elements weaved into the plot, but mostly through the magician’s stone, which is able to manipulate thoughts. The moment Delvin uses the stone to manipulate a crowd is one of the strong standout moments. Not only does his action argue the ethical implications, but in turn it creates palpable tension. The morality and magic of this blend together to give the character depth and keep readers asking themselves what the price of power really is.
The book, however, is gripping but not flawless. Occasionally the character dialogues are clunkier, less natural-seeming than either the action or the dialogue of others on the stage. Furthermore, a few plot twists were certainly gimmicky, but also only happened at an accelerated pace and would have been enriched greatly with additional development. These are small things, but there are enough to take off a point or two in the rating.
In terms of editing, the text is really well-polished: no typographical errors were noticed, which implies that it’s mostly well-edited. While all of this is going on, “The Magician’s Secret” is a great read and an excellent blend of adventure with intrigue. On the imaginative plot, relatable characters but with moments of real potential tension—solid 4 out of 5 stars. While it has some minor missteps, the story is charming, and the author's skills of storytelling exist in such perfection that it passes as an enjoyable escapist to any fantasy fan.
******
The Magician's Secret
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes | on Smashwords
Latest Review: Magic Bridge by Tom Wheeler
