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Drawing the Circle (Blackstone #1)

by Jason Beineke (Goodreads Author)

4.0 of 5 stars 4.00 · rating details · 13 ratings · 7 reviews

Blackstone is a mercenary sorcerer who does not rule any valleys and has yet to be bound to another sorcerer. Undertaking work for the sorceress queen, Spiral, he finds himself the expendable pawn in an assassination mission. Turning against the queen he fights Spiral’s loyal sorcerers and finds himself tasked with the guardianship of the marked man’s son. As the two flee...more

Kindle Edition, 1st Edition, 320 pages

Published June 6th 2011 (first published January 2011)

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The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien

Medieval Fantasy Books

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Sep 04, 2011 Samantha Leighanne rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011-reads, reviewed-books, books-i-own, review-requests

'm a fantasy lover and this seemed like it was just up my alley. Plus there's werewolves and all kinds of neat things, right? It's a lot more than that.
As Blackstone and Hiroe set out on their journey you really get a sense of their bitterness towards each other and the distrust that Hiroe has towards all sorcerers. However, as the journey keeps going, you really see that relationship evolve, which was one of the things that I loved about this book.

Now, I'll go ahead and say that normally, I ca...more

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Dec 03, 2011 Maria Violante rated it 4 of 5 stars

Blackstone: Drawing the Circle (from here on referred to as BDTC) by Jason Beineke is one of those hit or miss novels. He does some things really well - incredibly well, even - but then other things are largely bunk. The first third of the novel for me was sort of like watching a really awesome movie with someone texting in the audience; while it didn't ruin it, per se, the errors that I noticed were definitely distracting.

But let's get on with specifics, starting with The Bad. My biggest compla...more

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Oct 19, 2011 Lyrical rated it 4 of 5 stars

I think high fantasy is one of those genres that can go epically wrong as well as epically right, it is the domain of extreme imagination and a big mistake is to think that all readers are going to get along with the writer’s imagination, with a completely new world. I am very happy to say that Jason Beineke’s book is one of those high fantasies that has gone epically right.

Often my big beef with high fantasies is that authors can lose their characters in their efforts to establish the world the...more I think high fantasy is one of those genres that can go epically wrong as well as epically right, it is the domain of extreme imagination and a big mistake is to think that all readers are going to get along with the writer’s imagination, with a completely new world. I am very happy to say that Jason Beineke’s book is one of those high fantasies that has gone epically right.

Often my big beef with high fantasies is that authors can lose their characters in their efforts to establish the world they have created but in Drawing the Circle, the characters are really at the forefront of the story. I’m not saying Jason has neglected his world-building, far from it. He has a really beautiful, lyrical way of drawing the reader through Blackstone’s world, creating vivid settings and fascinating cultures. Jason’s heroes are really complex and engaging. I love a band of misfits thrown together by fate, and these three really are on the peripheries of society: a mercenary sorcerer, an orphan of unknown potential and a werewolf. I’m particularly grateful to Jason for going back to the roots of lycanthropy, before changing into a wolf at the full moon became sexy. He creates a terrifying experience for readers and a real sense of pity for Loralune, forced to undergo this painful and hideous transformation at night. Hiroe and Blackstone’s relationship, I think, is the real cornerstone to this story. Two people who come together because they were fighting on opposite sides in a battle and then forced together by Hiroe’s slain father. Resenting each other’s presence to begin with, the growth in their relationship is really touching to read and is a real testament to the written character.

Beware, however, because within these pages you will encounter some of the most hideous evil forces that usually only inhabit the darkest parts of your worst nightmares. I’m a real advocate for the “bad guy” and Jason’s dark forces really turned my stomach, sitting vividly in my imagination not only whilst I was reading but also when I had put the book down. It’s a great test of an evil character if they stay with you long after you’ve finished the book!

I’m really glad Jason sent me his book to read as it really is the kind of book that keeps my faith in epic fantasy and leaves me wanting more. The characters are really strong and individual and as the story developed I became really attached to them, but it’s not as if the story itself was any less important. It’s a really gripping story line with a fantastic twist that has strange dreamlike qualities: you have an inkling that something isn’t quite right but you’re not sure if your suspicions are correct. It keeps you turning the pages, busting to know what is actually going on. And now I’m busting to read the next in the series!

Lyrical Reviews
@LyricalReviews
Goodreads Group: No Dark Romance Allowed (less)

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Oct 31, 2011 Jason rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: new-fiction, fantasy, horror

Blackstone: Drawing the Circle is an intense work of fantasy. The story and characters are set within a world of sorcerers and warriors but the book has the driving pace of a horror story or even an action-adventure novel. The unfolding is unconventional and bold, an approach that works well because it adds to the nature of the story. There is so much fascinating about Blackstone: Drawing the Circle. Yes, it is scary, some might find it very scary, and not in a "boo gotcha" kind of way. The char...more Blackstone: Drawing the Circle is an intense work of fantasy. The story and characters are set within a world of sorcerers and warriors but the book has the driving pace of a horror story or even an action-adventure novel. The unfolding is unconventional and bold, an approach that works well because it adds to the nature of the story. There is so much fascinating about Blackstone: Drawing the Circle. Yes, it is scary, some might find it very scary, and not in a "boo gotcha" kind of way. The characters and some of the events in this book are unnerving, perhaps even horrific. There were times when I was thinking the horror might be too much, but the author keeps the book from going too far. The good characters are not good in a silly and predictable way. They have unusual powers, which they sometimes must fight to control, and they also have some personal baggage. The characters are the strength of this story. I like them all, although as is often the case with complex characters, this develops along with the story.

Blackstone is a great character. He is a sorcerer. He is strong and deep, dark in a good manner. He has been wounded and his troubled persona and brooding strength suggest this early sorrow. It gives him his empathy, his humanity, and the author does an excellent job at bringing this out. Indeed, metaphor is used skillfully throughout the novel much to the pleasure of an attentive reader. Then there is Heroe who I think is my favorite. He is a young warrior in training without any special powers, but he is learning strength of character and presence. Many of us non-sorcerers might see the events of the book best through his eyes. Later in the book we meet Loralune. What an amazing character she is! Not one that is easily forgotten, the ultimate battle rages within her between her animal nature and her higher nature. As you might imagine, these three are quite a force to contend with and we get to see them in action fighting various nefarious forces. But perhaps even more interesting than their fighting scenes are their interactions with each other when not in battle. These characters are not superficial, they have some serious issues, but they find a place and solace in each other's company.

Let's not forget to mention the evil characters in this book and, boy, there are some great ones! Scary, nasty, don't want to mess with them--but Blackstone always does. He never runs from a fight. He tries to keep his cool during these unpleasant encounters and, he usually can, even if he must build up his courage to do so. What is very engaging about this story, I think, is that everything Blackstone tries does not always work, i.e. he sometimes seems in over his head. This makes for very believable, nail-biting action.

As with any good book, this one was more of an experience than a mere read. I am looking forward to the next in the series and I hope many of the characters from the first book will be in the second. I definitely recommend Blackstone: Drawing the Circle. Before you dare enter its pages be sure to have your obsidian sword at the ready!(less)

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Mar 04, 2013 ABookVacation rated it 4 of 5 stars

To see my full review:

http://bookvacations.wordpress.com/20...

Truth be told, lately I have found that I am all fantasized out. It’s been a very long time since I’ve picked up a fantasy novel, or a sci-fi one for that matter, that really drew me into the story and enveloped me with the characterization and plot line. But Drawing the Circle did just that, which was a real treat! Beineke has created a wonderful story that pulls readers into the text with its fantastical world filled with sorcery an...more

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Jan 09, 2012 Sylvia Ney rated it 4 of 5 stars

I absolutely loved the story and would rate the tale a #5, but the editing is a 3. There aren't much in the way of spelling errors, but there are a LOT of missing words. I'm not sure if this is the fault of the author or the distributor. There are enough errors to be irritating, but not enough to hinder understanding the story. EX: One word missing from the paragraph, such as "the", "we", "and" etc. I hope the author/distributor can get this cleaned up because I thoroughly enjoyed the tale and I...more

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Jan 22, 2013 Chris rated it 3 of 5 stars

Really enjoyed the first two thirds of the book. The last third of the book really slowed down and I had a hard time finishing it.

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About Jason Beineke

Born and raised in Northeast Nebraska. I was a bookworm from a very young age, having a particular love for Richard Scarry, then Lloyd Alexander and later Frank Herbert. My mother was a school teacher specializing in art, my father a cross-country truck driver before taking a position working at a farming cooperative. I did a lot of reading when traveling with my father, devouring many Star Trek...more

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Drawing the Circle (Blackstone #1)

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