The Wand-Maker's Debate

Feb 23, 2012 S.J. Wist rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy-cookie-read, favorite-covers

***Update***

I just had to add that I love the new cover!

***

When a peace treaty signing is violently brought to a stop by a fatal explosion, Osric makes it out alive just barely by the saving grace of a unicorn.

Now with the threat of war erupting on account of their enemies conspiring against them from the shadows, Osric and his companions must set out to uncover the perpetrators, all the while learning how to use their gifts and magic, in their world where magic is widely used, yet still shroud...more

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Jan 28, 2012 Na Deela rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, fantasy-other

I don't even know where to begin! I don't want to spoil the story for anyone who hasn't read it so I'll try to write this review without spoilers. No promises :-P. First, I need to say that I really really hope there is a sequel coming! I kept looking for more pages when there were none left. Second, I need to say that the creativity it had to have taken to write this story really has me flaberghasted. This is, by my experience, a truely original story with unexpected twists about every other pa...more

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Sep 01, 2011 Sammy Smith rated it 3 of 5 stars

I read this book today in several hours and initially found it a little hard on the reading. The authors do a great job of describing the scene, but perhaps the descriptions are a little *too* in depth, as an avid reader sometimes I like to imagine structures and scenes using my own imagination and I found constantly changing my own interpretation in my mind to fit the descriptions supplied exhausting ... But I digress ...

I love how the book is pitched to appeal to a varied range of ages, this b...more

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Nov 18, 2012 Eric rated it 5 of 5 stars

Readability: I found the chapter to be very readable. It was well written and I was able to follow everything.

Hook: There is definitely a hook to the chapter that left me wanting to turn the page and move on through the book. There was a great action sequence that built up to it and it was well presented.

Editing: I did not find any flaws in the editing.

Characters: the characters are very well-defined and described. You get a feel for the personalities from the interactions between them and from...more Readability: I found the chapter to be very readable. It was well written and I was able to follow everything.

Hook: There is definitely a hook to the chapter that left me wanting to turn the page and move on through the book. There was a great action sequence that built up to it and it was well presented.

Editing: I did not find any flaws in the editing.

Characters: the characters are very well-defined and described. You get a feel for the personalities from the interactions between them and from their descriptions.

Understandable: I got a good grasp of what was going on from reading the chapter

Visuals: I would have liked a little more scenery description but otherwise the visuals were excellent. From the smells emanating from the food to the actions performed by the characters while talking it was a very visual read and I could picture the details in my head.

Relatable: The history and description of Osric made him very relatable as you felt you knew him very well already before the first chapter was over.

Fun: Osric's Wand fun to read. There was a lot of history and narrative which has potential to be dry but it is evenly interlaced with interactions which liven it up.

Overall: This was an excellent read and I would suggest to anyone looking for a book to pick it up.

Synopsis: This is a magic endowed world where man and beast live in a respectful peace. Osric lost has worked and fought hard to work his way up to being a leader in the guard. He has a major responsibility in the security of a peace accord a thousand years in the making that will bring the races of the world together and end the wars of the world. Osric is helped along with his duties with his own magical ability as a portentist which gives him the ability to sense when something momentous or bad is going to happen.

Favorite line: Osric looked down in embarrassment and lifted his foot off the tail of an angry squirrel. It took a swig from a thimble of mead and staggered away, obviously intoxicated.

Favorite character: Gordyn is a gruff old soul that hides a friendly interior and I liked his interactions with Osric and then in turn with his trainee.
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Jun 16, 2012 aobibliophile™ rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

“What matters is not the length of the wand, but the magic in the stick” - Anonymous

what would have been a peaceful treaty signing ends in tragedy and Archana is on the brink of war. as Vigile Contege, Osric must do everything he can to avert further disaster and find out what or who was behind the heinous act.
authors Jack D. Albrecht Jr. and Ashley Delay deliver a fantasy adventure novel filled with mythical creatures, intrigue, deception and loads of magic.
there is so much to love about this...more

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Jun 05, 2012 Your Need To Read rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: stephanie

Full review here http://yourneedtoread.blogspot.com/20...

This is a promising start of a new fantasy series. I wish I had connected with it more.

Osric is a leader of the troops at a village called Stanton. The opening of the book has Osric and his men preparing for a big gathering at the palace which includes ambassadors from the different races in this world called Archana. Security is of great importance, and as most people in this world possess magic, magical means are also employed to secure...more Full review here http://yourneedtoread.blogspot.com/20...

This is a promising start of a new fantasy series. I wish I had connected with it more.

Osric is a leader of the troops at a village called Stanton. The opening of the book has Osric and his men preparing for a big gathering at the palace which includes ambassadors from the different races in this world called Archana. Security is of great importance, and as most people in this world possess magic, magical means are also employed to secure the meeting. Osric is using his Portentist gift (he can discern when something dangerous or momentous is coming) and knows that something isn't right. Unfortunatley he's too late to do anything because a huge explosion happens that destroys most of the palace and traps many of the attendees.

After being rescued, Osric's first desire is to discover the culprit behind the bombing. Time is of the essence because the different attendees are accusing one another of planning the bombing and the escalating tensions will quickly lead to an all out war.

Osric also needs to know why his wand is acting strangely. He was able to do some pretty heavy duty magic while trapped in the bombed out palace and he's really confused as to the reason why. After crossing paths with Gus, a master wand maker, he's still no closer to answers but Gus ends up joining the group that is going to travel across Archana in hopes of catching the palace bomber.

The story is mainly about the trip that Osric and his group takes. Unfortunately a series of events sidetracks them from their goal. Instead they uncover more about Osric's strange magical ablilities and also a huge conspiracy regarding the dragons that the citizens of Archana use for transportation.

I liked Osric's character. He is a good leader and geuninely cares about his troops, his friends and his country. He is kind and wants to help anyone he meets. He's a good friend and a brave champion of worthwhile causes.

I wasn't wild about many of the other characters, however. Some were too abrasive (like Gus) and some quite annoying (like Pebbles) and others weren't developed enough for my liking (Bridget). Additionally, the plot was a bit confusing to me. I wanted to get sucked into this fantasy world from page one. But the "world-building" was seriously lacking. I didn't know too much about the inhabitants of Archana and I kept thinking that the main plot was to find the palace bomber. That was never really solved and instead the focus seemed to be on Osric's wand and magical abilities. I wanted to get caught up in that, but things seemed to jump around too much and I struggled to keep up.

I would be interested to read book 2 as I do like Osric and would like to see how things turn out with him, especially now that he's fully sure of his new abilities. Again, I wish that I had connected more with the story overall but it was good read.(less)

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Apr 10, 2012 Alana Woods rated it 5 of 5 stars

Pure delight

I opened this book with some hesitation because although I’m not a huge reader of fantasy a lot of what I have read recently has been pretty forgettable and ho-hum, if not downright bad. For me, good fantasy is Alice in wonderland, The hobbit, Lord of the rings—that kind of quality read.

A few pages in I was starting to relax. A few more pages I was thinking ‘This is good’. By the end I had come to the opinion that this book could stand alongside Alice and The hobbit.

I could find no f...more

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Mar 04, 2012 Franz McLaren rated it 5 of 5 stars

In Osric’s Wand the authors have created a truly delightful world inhabited by humanity and creatures as equals. Although this is a book that will appeal to fantasy lovers of all ages, it is not a cutesy fairy tale. This tale is packed with swords, sorcery, magical creatures, and intrigue. All of it driven by believable characters with distinct personalities.

Within the first few pages, I was drawn into a world where someone is out to destroy a world peace effort. Osric, along with a delightful...more

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Jan 26, 2012 Marie Borthwick rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: harry potter fans, fantasy fans, sci-fi fans

Most books I like well enough; sometimes there are few I don't care for, even fewer that I outright dislike, less than those that I hate and even less than those that I hate .... are the books that just WOW me. What wow'ed me the most about this book is that it was written not by one but by TWO people (Jack D. Albrecht, Jr. & Ashley Delay).

I must confess before, I continue, I used Osric's Wand as the initial guinea pig on an experiment of mine. When it came across my "desk", I was intrigued...more Most books I like well enough; sometimes there are few I don't care for, even fewer that I outright dislike, less than those that I hate and even less than those that I hate .... are the books that just WOW me. What wow'ed me the most about this book is that it was written not by one but by TWO people (Jack D. Albrecht, Jr. & Ashley Delay).

I must confess before, I continue, I used Osric's Wand as the initial guinea pig on an experiment of mine. When it came across my "desk", I was intrigued by the cover and I thought - I wonder how my opinion will differ if I just start reading without looking at the synopsis until after I finish the book? Will the cover hold the same intrigue? Will the cover do the book justice? When I read the synopsis, after I have read the book, will I think it was an accurate hook or could it have done better?

First, to the cover. It illustrates things you will most certainly find in the book - a wand, a book, a short sword and a vial - each time you come across these things for the first time in the story, your mind will flick (perhaps subconsciously) to the cover and you are able to picture these elements all the more clearer. To be fair, its a good cover ... but it's not GREAT and this book deserves the latter more than the former.

I would liken the cover to a genie's lamp - when you "discover" it, it holds a certain intrigue but for whatever reason it appears dull. Something pulls at you though, compelling you to "rub" (open the book) the lamp and much to your surprise the mere lamp (unassuming book) holds untold treasures.

Stepping into Archana was a trip, it pulled at me and had me fighting the sleep I normally treasure because I just had to finish it. I found the ease with which the characters were written (by a pair of authors instead of the usual one!) fascinating. In the beginning as the characters were brought to the forefront - I was continuously caught off guard, I found myself making assumptions (normal and understandable ones) only to be knocked back a few sentences or paragraphs later that challenged me, as if to say "stop trying so hard to figure things out and just read".

The depth at which the characters are painted with each word is unique and colorful to say the least. I didn't have to imagine myself in Osric's shoes at the peace treaty signing when his world came to a screeching halt - it felt like I was standing right next to him. I wanted to smack Gus, I laughed and delighted in Pebble's childish glee and found myself wishing for Brigett's empathy and Ero's stoicism. I wanted to take up the cause of Greyback and her kind. I had a grudging respect for Kenneth, Machai and all others on the side of Archana. I hated the treacherous - Aran, Thom, others I don't care to name and those I know are still hidden in the shadows of the story.

I have to applaud the authors for their strong relationship, it must be strong otherwise I don't think the story of Archana would have been written so seamlessly. While I am sure that one could have written Osric's Wand without the others help and it would have been a good book - I am confident in saying I do not think it would have been as thrilling or enchanting had they not come together as a team. (less)

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Mar 14, 2012 Mireille Chester rated it 5 of 5 stars

First of all, I have to say there is nothing quite like a well written fantasy story to get my pulse pumping. It's my favorite genre and here's why. Absolutely anything and everything goes. So when I find an author who takes advantage of this rule and lets it all out, I fall in love. In this case, we're taking about two authors.

Osric's Wand blew my mind. It had magic of every kind, talking animals, wizards, hunters, dragons, dwarves, unicorns, maidens... you name it, Jack and Ashley wrote it in...more

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May 28, 2013 Daniel J. Weber rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, author-gift, blog-review

The Good:
I was drawn into this book right from the start. A mystery is afoot and though not a lot happens at first, the author draws you in by describing the world and the character's thereof. Now, this is not the type of dry description you would see as a caption on a painting, but the description of the painting itself. A picture is worth 1,000 words, and though the author does not use that many (though I never counted them, so if there is a 1,000 word description, don't hold it against me) th...more The Good:
I was drawn into this book right from the start. A mystery is afoot and though not a lot happens at first, the author draws you in by describing the world and the character's thereof. Now, this is not the type of dry description you would see as a caption on a painting, but the description of the painting itself. A picture is worth 1,000 words, and though the author does not use that many (though I never counted them, so if there is a 1,000 word description, don't hold it against me) the world feels full of life. This is what made me fall in love with the book right from the start, because the writing within me surges with passion and is humbled in respect of an author who can describe something so vividly that I am pulled into the world to a point where I don't want to leave.

If the description is what sold me, the dialogue is what kept me reading. I have seen (and written, sadly) enough slap-stick dialogue to notice good writing in between the ""s when I see it. The author uses humour fabulously as the characters foil off of each other that will keep you engaged and interested in what they have to say. A number of times I caught myself laughing without realizing it and my wife had to ask me what was so funny. If a work of art gets me laughing or crying (or illicits any other strong emotion, I guess) I give it two +s, or thumbs up. Whichever you prefer.

I enjoyed the author's use of the third-person omniscient POV. It have seen this done very poorly in the past, and this was a beautiful refresher. Though it was told from such a perspective, I still felt like I was engaged in the story-telling, and not reading as if engaged in an out-of-body experience.

The Bad:
"Why is there any bad, Daniel? If you gave this book 5 stars, shouldn't it be perfect?"
While this is a good question, I also have a good answer (well, at least I think it's good). I have never before rated a book 5 stars because of this very question. The problem is that I can be cynical enough that there is always room for improvement. Unless I would rather read the book through in its entirety than eat, work, and any other business that is required of my body, I don't know if it truly deserves a 5 star review. That being said, I was torn for a while in deciding whether to rate this 4 or 5 stars.

Now for my reasoning (finally, I know. Get to the point already, eh?) It is better than most books that I have rated 4 stars. (Yes, all that build up for such a simple reason.) Though it has some faults I believe it is an exceptional book.

The first fault it has is probably also what I liked the best about this book. Sometimes the descriptions and world-building elements can be lengthy enough that it breaks up the action quite a bit. This happens less and less as the story progresses, but this is probably due to the fact that more "action" is happening. This bring me to my second problem with this book. Not a lot happens. Yes there is some action and fighting and stuffs, but that doesn't make it an action driven tale. The backbone of this story is not the story itself but the world-building. The plot doesn't jump all over the place, but it isn't as it seems. The story starts out telling you it will be about a guy trying to prevent a war, and then its about some mysterious wand... but that's not actually the plot of the book. A lot of this is set up (I presume) for the second book, but the plot is actually about dragons (say no more to prevent spoilers). The reader only finds out about the plot about halfway through the book, and the action doesn't pick up until the final quarter.

This plot/action issue has its good and bad points. I was not initially impressed by the "I'm going to save the world" plot and was almost happy to see that, in the end, that is not what this book was about. I also though, given the length of the book, that this plot would have to be rushed in order to get through it by the end. Because of this it is almost better that the plot is not as it first appears, but instead there is a single conflict that is resolved nicely by the end.

Conclusion:
This book is beautifully written and despite the minor plot disruptions, it is one of my favourites. It is full of colourful description, humorous dialogue, and some great concepts when dealing with magic and its various elements. Oh, also talking animals. That's a thing.(less)

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Mar 26, 2013 Kat rated it 3 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. To be honest, I didn't particularly like this book. However, this book wasn't bad, truth betold. It was just me that didn't find some things in the book agreeable.

Formatting, typset, and such were brilliant on the Kindle version of the book, so it was very pleasant to the eyes when reading this book.

In this fantasy world, people have "gifts", that gives them special abilities. Say a "Hunter gift" gives you the ability to aim and shoot (hunt) very well. Apart from these "gifts", magic is also an...more

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Feb 27, 2012 E B Taylor rated it 5 of 5 stars

So this post will be a little different. I am going to do a review on a book by a couple of authors named Jack D. Albrecht and Ashley Delay. The name of their book is Osric’s Wand: The Wand-Maker’s Debate.

I went into reading this with no expectations; I was going to give it an honest look with no preconceptions. I’m going to talk about the overall setting first.

I’m not sure what expectations the authors had for the setting in this book, but let me put it simply; the world they created for this...more So this post will be a little different. I am going to do a review on a book by a couple of authors named Jack D. Albrecht and Ashley Delay. The name of their book is Osric’s Wand: The Wand-Maker’s Debate.

I went into reading this with no expectations; I was going to give it an honest look with no preconceptions. I’m going to talk about the overall setting first.

I’m not sure what expectations the authors had for the setting in this book, but let me put it simply; the world they created for this book was spectacular. The way that magic was approached was really intriguing. The ways that the various races of people interacted was great, and there are a lot of races of people, more than I expected. The world itself, was vibrant and full of life. It was easy for me to picture, in my head, the places that were described, and let me tell you, I’ve got a crowded head!

The characters I like a lot, especially a prairie dog named Gus and a dwarf named Machai. These characters’ sarcasm made me smile, which I suppose gives a little away about my personality. The rest of the characters were equally interesting. I genuinely cared about the characters for the most part.

The plot revolves around Osric, and his efforts to stop a war that may break out after an attack on a treaty signing. Along the way he is accompanied by Gus, and prairie dog wand-maker, his son Pebble, whose innocence I loved, Bridgett, a young woman who spent years living among unicorns, Kenneth, Osric’s right-hand-man and a grumpy dwarf (big surprise) Machai. Of course, things get a lot more difficult for Osric very quickly, when he discovers an old plot concerning the dragons, he must deal with also. I’m not going to say any more about the plot, I don’t want to give it away, but trust me, it’s good.
The story line was excellent and it was easy to follow. The story flowed well for me and there was very little if any, “down time” as I call it, in the plot. The way that the different subplots blended in together was great. I really hope there are more of these books coming, or maybe they are out there and I’m not smart enough to find them. I’d love to follow these character’s more, and see where their adventure takes them.

To put it simply, I loved this book. It was easy to read and quite enjoyable. I found myself caring about the characters, especially Gus and Machai. I was always interested to see what was going to happen next. In short if you like a good novel, give this one a look, you will not be disappointed.

I do feel I should say one more thing. This is my first book review, so if seems kind of choppy and amateurish, well that’s because I am an amateur, but this is my honest opinion!
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Apr 24, 2012 Stephanie Cowart rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: for-review

I received a copy of this book from the author for review.
It is a promising start for a new fantasy series. I wish I had connected with it more.
Osric is a leader over the troops at a village called Stanton. The opening of the book has he and his men preparing for a big gathering at the palace which includes ambassadors from the different races in this world called Archana. Security is of great importance and as most people in this world possess magic, magical means are also employed to secure t...more I received a copy of this book from the author for review.
It is a promising start for a new fantasy series. I wish I had connected with it more.
Osric is a leader over the troops at a village called Stanton. The opening of the book has he and his men preparing for a big gathering at the palace which includes ambassadors from the different races in this world called Archana. Security is of great importance and as most people in this world possess magic, magical means are also employed to secure the meeting. Osric is using his Portentist gift (he can discern when something dangerour or momentous is coming) and knows that something isn't right. Unfortunatley he's too late to do anything because a huge explosion happens that destroys most of the palace and traps many of the attendees.
After being rescued, Osric's first desire is to discover the culprit behind the bombing. Time if of the essence because the different attendees are accusing one another of planning the bombing and the escalating tensions will quickly lead to an all out war.
Osric also needs to know why his wand is acting strangely. He was able to do some pretty heavy duty magic while trapped in the bombed out palace and he's really confused as to the reason why. After crossing paths with Gus, a master wand maker, he's still no closer to answers but Gus ends up joining the group who are going to travel across Archana in hopes of catching the palace bomber.
The story is mainly about the trip that Osric and his group takes. Unfortunately a series of events side tracks them from their goal. Instead they uncover more about Osric's strange magical ablilities and also a huge conspiracy regarding the dragons that the citizens of Archana use for transportation.
I liked Osric's character. He is a good leader and geuninely cares about his troops, his friends and his country. He is kind and wants to help anyone he meets. He's a good friend and a brave champion of worthwhile causes.
I wasn't wild about many of the other characters, however. Some were too abrasive (like Gus) and some quite annoying (like Pebbles) and others weren't developed enough for my liking (Bridget).
Additionally, the plot was a bit confusing to me. I wanted to get sucked into this fantasy world from page one. But the "world-building" was seriously lacking. I didn't know too much about the inhabitants of Archana and I kept thinking that the main plot was to find the palace bomber. That was never really solved and instead the focus seemed to be on Osric's wand and magical abilities. I wanted to get caught up in that but things seemed to jump around too much and I struggled to keep up.
I would be interested to read book 2 as I do like Osric and would like to see how things turn out with him, especially now that he's fully sure of his new abilities. Again, I wish that I had connected more with the story overall but it was good read.(less)

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Apr 03, 2013 Susan rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I wasn't sure what to expect with Osric's Wand Book One, but what I found was an exciting tale full of adventure, intrigue, magic, and fantasy. The book begins with a conference for the signing for peace when the conference is attacked. Osric needs to find out what is going on and finds help from some unlikely friends. The author does a great job of developing the Osric character throughout the story by allowing him to become more confident in not just his newfound abilities but in himself as we...more

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Jan 10, 2013 David Teachout rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, kindle

In many ways like an adult version of Harry Potter, the emphasis on wands and a prophecy of a chosen one gets a little old but not so much that the reader completely stops caring, just enough to be annoyed at times and want to get to the end. The characters are at times interesting, other times flat, though the combination of talking animals with humans and all other fantasy creatures is interesting and certainly different than the norm. A quick read, one begins to wonder just how powerful the c...more

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Feb 05, 2012 Nigel rated it 5 of 5 stars

i spend a lot of my spare time reading and not just fantasy books but any book that draws my attention with just one chapter and believe me when i say that this book had my captivated from page one to finish with the witty humor of some characters or the suspenseful sequences within the adventure of osric and his companions.

of the books of read in the last three years i would have to say this is one of the most creative books i have read and i would have to put it in my top 3.

you can tell just b...more

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Jul 04, 2012 Ashley (Nose Graze) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

As posted on booknook - YA and Fantasy book reviews

This book is perfect for fans of epic fantasy books like Eragon and Harry Potter!

The Wand-Maker's Debate starts off introducing us to an incredible world of magic, dwarves, dragons, and talking animals ("talking animals" sounds so childish when you say it like that, but it's actually awesome) in a land called Archana. Everyone is born with magic, but wands are used to channel and enhance that magic. The level of someone's magical ability is judg...more As posted on booknook - YA and Fantasy book reviews

This book is perfect for fans of epic fantasy books like Eragon and Harry Potter!

The Wand-Maker's Debate starts off introducing us to an incredible world of magic, dwarves, dragons, and talking animals ("talking animals" sounds so childish when you say it like that, but it's actually awesome) in a land called Archana. Everyone is born with magic, but wands are used to channel and enhance that magic. The level of someone's magical ability is judged through a combination of skill and the quality of their wand.

After a brief intro to this fantasy world, we learn that several nations have gathered together to sign a peace treaty. Unfortunately, an act of terrorism destroys the palace in which the treaty is being signed, while the world leaders are gathered inside. Osric, a leader of the city's security forces and a wizard, is lucky enough to survive the tragedy, and he makes it his duty to get to the bottom of it. He wants to know who was responsible for the attack, why some mysterious unicorns rushed to his rescue, and why his new wand is acting strangely. So, with his best friend, a wand-maker, and a Maiden of the Unicorn, Osric embarks on a journey to find answers and help keep the peace.

Along the way, we learn about the incredible history of magic, the difference between spoken spells vs. spells using a wand, the story behind the dragons' role in the world, and much more. There are dark secrets to be uncovered, conspiracies to be torn open, and adventures to embark on.

Anyone who loves a good magic story will love this book! It almost reminded me of a more extensive version of The Deathly Hallows — more specifically, concentrating on The Elder Wand. I mean the stories are really different, but that's just what I thought of when I was reading it. The story really digs deep into the technical aspects of magic and the different ways you can use it. Osric is clearly a gifted wizard, but has only begun to discover his abilities, and the mysteries behind his powerful new wand and abilities.

But all that being said, the dragons are really what drew me in, and they play a huge role in the story. At first, I didn't like the dragons. They're basically used by humans as transportation. They do get paid for their services but they were a little too polite and they just seemed more like taxis than epic, fearsome dragons. But just as soon as it was starting to bug me, we learn that there's a dark reason behind the dragons' behaviour! I don't want to reveal too much, so I'll just say that they only act like that because they have to. It's an awesome story that had me hooked in and totally cheering for the dragons.

Sometimes I struggled between liking Osric and disliking him. For one thing, he usually spoke really formally, which was a bit odd to me. But my biggest issue with him was how sure of himself he became. As he unlocked his new abilities he was a little overconfident and not sensitive to other peoples' lesser abilities. He assumed that since things were easy for him, they should be easy for everybody. What's funny is that one of the characters, Gus, had very similar thoughts. He and Osric never got along and he constantly viewed Osric as an overeager, disobedient child. And I guess often he was. But Osric was definitely a kind-hearted and ambitious hero. He fought for the right reasons, and at least when he was being overconfident, it was with good intentions. He built up crazy ideas about how he could do x, y, and z, but they were all noble and worthy goals to accomplish.

That's why it was really interesting to see the different characters struggle with Osric the same way I did. They saw his flaws and analyzed them. Sometimes they saw him being reckless, but sometimes they also insisted that "there is much more to him than his foolhardy antics. He has the potential to be the greatest wizard ever born, and there is much at stake in his learning to use his new abilities."

The Wand-Maker's Debate is a refreshing and compelling new fantasy story. It's not the kind of book that just has magic casually thrown in; instead, this book is about magic. It's about how magic makes up the world, how it can be harnessed, and the different ways it can be used. It almost takes magic and puts a technical spin on it, which is super interesting and great to read about. This book is full fo so many interesting characters, creatures, and histories. This book will appeal to a wide variety of readers because it includes so many different elements, such as magic, fantasy, politics, conspiracy, war, and freedom.

I'm eagerly awaiting the next book in the series, which was recently revealed as: The High Wizard's Hunt!

"Ye'r wand be on the ground, and I be dangling in mid-air. I must admit, it be perplexing."

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Mar 12, 2012 Mimi Barbour rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: finished-and-liked

Sci-Fi fantasy type novels don't generally keep my interest, but I have to admit, this story did. And I attribute it solely to the talent of the author. Creative writing joined with a great imagination can't be beat, and when a new world opens up full of wonderful descriptive creatures communicating with each other by magic and with a hero such as Osric, how could I put the book down? With his special companions, he fights the good fight and I cheered him on all the way. Loved this story and hig...more

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Mar 03, 2012 Yolanda Washington rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I really found this book to be a pretty good read. I enjoyed the journey of Osric and his companions through their world to try and avert a world war. Jack and Ashley did a great job transporting the reader to the fictional world of Archana.

Imagine living your life following a quiet plan and finding out that you are so much more? This is a tale of growth, redemption, forgiveness, treachery and true companionship. And I fell in love with little Pebble.

I would have preferred a little less back sto...more

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Sep 03, 2012 Emily rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2012

If Goodreads allowed half stars, I'm afraid this book would be a 1.5 for me... it's not the worst of the worst, but honestly it was really tough to get through.

I wanted to like it, I really did. I'll save the summary, because everyone else writes a summary as if they can't scroll up and read the book's own description. So, you know what the book is about. Here are the problems:

1) The writing style. First and foremost, the writing style is amateurish at best. The onslaught of writing cliches an...more If Goodreads allowed half stars, I'm afraid this book would be a 1.5 for me... it's not the worst of the worst, but honestly it was really tough to get through.

I wanted to like it, I really did. I'll save the summary, because everyone else writes a summary as if they can't scroll up and read the book's own description. So, you know what the book is about. Here are the problems:

1) The writing style. First and foremost, the writing style is amateurish at best. The onslaught of writing cliches and lazy descriptions either gets worse as the book continues, or just grates more. Characters "shake their heads" to clear their minds or jump up and "whoop" and cheer... people don't do that in real life, just cartoons do. There are a lot of "processing" descriptions too. The main character tries to "process" what he has just learned, and goes forth to repeat what we've already read and raise questions the authors don't seem to think the readers were smart enough to be asking themselves. Also, there are lots of examples of the characters "laughing uproariously" at something that isn't funny at all. Either it's an inside joke and the characters retell a boring story to each other and start laughing hilariously for no reason, or the authors simply say "and then this character said something hilarious and everyone laughed uproariously" and we're left in the corner waiting for them to get over themselves because of course we're not in on the joke, nor is anything the characters ever say or do funny. Many things were also written as if the authors imagined it as a movie instead of a book, describing things in "slow motion" and exaggerated movements and sounds. On top of this, there were multiple grammatical errors. The dialogue is flat and generic, too.

2) Childish concepts. Honestly, some of the ideas in this book felt like a middle school student writing his or her first fantasy. "Let's have a woman who is like an ambassador to the Unicorns... and let's call her... "MAIDEN OF THE UNICORNS". There are generic "races" that not only conveniently stick to their race, but others make racist comments and that's okay. "Oh, well you know those _____, they are sly and liars". And it's a completely made up race so it's not "racist" in the offensive way it would be if it were about an actual, real race of people... but it's just very conveniently written so that everyone in an entire race is the same and they can make broad generalizations because it's simpler. The path of the story is also simplified and convenient. It starts off going one direction but then veers off to something else. They discover some horrible secret that has been going on for hundreds of years and no one has known about it... except that conveniently multiple groups of people find out about it in completely different parts of the world all at the same time even though it's been hidden for hundreds of years. Of course.

3) No women. Literally the only female character in the ENTIRE book is the MAIDEN OF THE UNICORNS. Other women are completely absent, so much so that it seems really, really obvious. And of course she's the empath, the "FEELINGS" one, she doesn't actually do anything except understand feelings and cry when she screws up. All the merchants, the warriors, the magicians, the wandmakers, the children, the members of gov't groups, every single other person is just by default male for no reason.

4) No character growth or depth. Each character has his "thing" and doesn't deviate from that. They all seem like cardboard cutouts with their roles, and none of them are particularly unique. Gus is downright hateable and obnoxious and again sounds like he was created by a child who wanted to write the mean grouchy antagonist who always says the same kinds of exaggerated, mean grouchy things over and over for no reason -- again, like a cartoon. None of them change or grow, nor do they have anything particularly interesting to say either. You don't really care about any of them. The main character is so generic he doesn't even feel like a character. The only introspection he has seems to be "Osric couldn't believe what was happening" or "Osric tried to process what he was told" or "Osric still couldn't wrap his head around _____" as an excuse to rehash what already happened. Gus's son Pebble is the worst -- he has a Jersey accent mixed with child's poor grammar for some reason and is really annoying. Everyone says how funny and adorable he is, but he is neither of those things. You want to kick him in the face and it's really obnoxious how much time is spent with the characters laughing at his antics or feeling bad for him when he's almost as hateable as Gus.

5) Bad pacing. The book starts off with lots of action then grinds to a halt and then picks up again and then slams to a stop again... over and over. The authors seem overly concerned with the logistics of how really boring things happen and spend far too many pages on it. For example, when a group is deciding to fly on a month long trip somewhere, they spend over 5 pages working out which merchant the food is going to come from, and the list of the things they need, and who he will stay in touch with, and what kind of food it should be, and how will they pack things, etc etc. NO ONE CARES, and it never actually mattered later.

6) Generic dialogue. The dialogue was just painful. Again, it felt very amateurish. It's clunky and, well, generic. Everyone sounds the same (except for Gus who says exaggerated generic grouchy things) and there is absolutely no realism or art to it. It feels like recycled words and sentences that you have read 100 times before and therefore are completely shallow, flat and forgettable.

On a separate note, the Kindle file itself was very poorly made. I downloaded it from Amazon and had nothing but trouble. The text was absolutely miniscule and I had to have it on the maximum text size to even read it. Every three pages half the page would be blank as if it were the end of the chapter, and I'd have to go forward and back a couple of times to make the missing text appear. 5 times, the "rating" box would pop up as if it were the end of the book and not let me move forward and I'd have to restart my Kindle for it to let me keep reading.

The whole thing was kind of a mess and I'll definitely not be continuing with the series.
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May 05, 2012 Lynxie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 4-star-review, indie-review-copies

**I received a copy of this book from the author in return for a review.**

I enjoyed Osric's Wand. It was a light-hearted romp through a very magic infused world. All the big mythical creatures came out to play (unicorns and dragons etc).

I got a little lost with all the terms/names that were introduced at the beginning with only a little explanation... this could be a little clearer.

I felt that it was written for a little younger audience than I am, but I still enjoyed it. My favourite character...more

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Jun 05, 2012 Steph at Starry Night Book Reviews rated it 4 of 5 stars

What a great adventure, if you like dragons, magic, unicorns and other mythical creatures you will love this book. It was a nice easy read and the way that the various races of people interacted was great, the story flowed nicely I think the only thing I’d like to see more of is action but I get why you needed the back story. I loved Pebble He is just so cute and sweet and the way he finds trouble. I loved these characters sarcasm, as a sarcastic person myself I found it really funny at times.

T...more

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Jun 18, 2012 Airicka Phoenix rated it 4 of 5 stars

While the world leaders of Archana gather for an unprecedented peace treaty signing, tragedy strikes, and rumors spread of war. Osric; a young, untested leader, is thrust into the chaos and must journey far with his unlikely companions to stop the inevitable world war. Circumstance brought them together, but prophecy has entwined their fates.

Now, the young Vigile Contege, the world’s greatest Wand-Maker, and a beautiful Maiden of the Unicorn must put aside their differences and work together, or...more

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May 26, 2012 Robert rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Osric's Wand: The Wand-Maker's Debate is a very enjoyable fantasy tale with magic, talking beasts, wizards, and dragons. For those who have a love of stories such as The Chronicles of Narnia and Eragon, I believe Osric's Wand will not disappoint! I loved the main characters in this book, and I particularly enjoyed Gus, the talking prairie dog with attitude. This creature's sarcasm and grumpy demeanor kept me smiling throughout.

I won't give away any spoilers by detailing any specifics from the bo...more

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Apr 21, 2012 Josh rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: kindle

Mixed feelings on this book. Relatively unique take on magic, but what was more interesting was talking animals but in a more gritty way than the classic Narnia way. Characters seemed a little one dimensional and the main protagonist soon morphs into the typical unstoppable fantasy hero. Everything comes together way to pat in the end. Having said that the novel left me strangely wanting more of the author's world.

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May 10, 2013 Susan rated it 5 of 5 stars

This was an awesome book! I thoroughly enjoyed it! Well, except for one little thing. New chapters jump to unrelated scenes sometimes, leaving the previous chapter on a cliff-hanger. I simply remedied that by skipping that chapter and going back to it later, after the previous chapter was resolved.

But it was worth that small inconvenience. It was totally a fun ride into a new world.

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Feb 02, 2012 Charlotte Abel marked it as to-read

I can't wait to dig into this book. Talking prairie dogs are worth at least 4 stars. Add in elves and humans living side by side with all sorts of sentient and vocal critters and it has to be a winner.

I'll edit this with an actual review after I read the book ;-)

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May 01, 2012 ReadingDiva rated it 5 of 5 stars

Harry Potter meets Narnia, The Osric’s Wand Debate is a great story of magic & adventure. If you are a fan of magic, dragons, and amazing creatures with awesome powers then this is the book for you.
This story has great characters, excellent plot and a story that brings you into a world that will keep your imagination going wild. This book is great for young adults and adults alike.

Looking forward to reading more of this magical world!

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Apr 05, 2012 Nancy rated it 5 of 5 stars

I thought this book was amazing. I really liked the main characters. When I started reading this book I could'nt put it down because I could wait to see what happened next. I think this book would make a great movie.

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topics	posts	views	last activity
Favorite charactors, and the mystery surrounding the wand	2	8	May 31, 2012 11:49pm
Creative Reviews: on bended knee, battin my puppydog eyes for a review	1	21	Jan 27, 2012 07:30pm

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The Wand-Maker's Debate (Osric's Wand #1)

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