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The Birr Elixir

(The Legend of the Gamesmen #1)

Jo Sparkes (Goodreads Author)

4.04 · Rating details · 98 ratings · 35 reviews

ISBNs moved to this edition
When a young apprentice makes a mysterious elixir from a recipe in an old book, she's suddenly the talisman for a daring Gamesman - and the weapon in the conspiracy against a prince.

Marra had never heard of Birr Elixir.

But when Drail of the Hand of Victory saw the words in an old book, she agreed to make it - even lacking the right ingredient. ...more

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Paperback, 196 pages

Published June 11th 2013 by Sparkes Production (first published May 31st 2013)

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Jul 05, 2019 Gina rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: adventure, fiction, magical-stuff, favorites, kindle-books, fantasy, witchy-stuff

This is one of those books that takes you on a wild ride through a world filled with fantasy, wonder, intrigue, magic, and mystical beings.

Marra is a young apprentice, studying the ways of potions under her beloved mentor, whose life is cut short leaving Marra without a complete education.

Without divulging spoilers, this is one that is hard to describe so I will do my best not to reveal too much.

Marra's life goes downhill quickly after the death of her mentor leaves her in the clutches of a ver ...more

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Jun 03, 2013 Nicua rated it really liked it

Marra, a young healer’s apprentice, finds herself the Brista (special potion maker) of a group of men who play a dangerous and hazardous sport. Drail, their leader, asks Marra for a special potion to give them extra strength and speed as they face the fearsome Skullan team – and Marra finds herself trying to make the secret Birr Elixir. Marra must overcome her doubt and believe in the hope of a new future.

Drail and his group of men save Marra from an unsavoury man who has bad intentions and at ...more

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Jun 15, 2013 Mommasaysread rated it it was amazing

By Momma on June 14, 2013
The-Birr-Elixir

The Birr Elixir is Jo Sparkes debut fantasy novel. I really enjoyed this book as will fantasy fans of all ages. There is something for everyone. While this book does have an awesome heroine it isn’t a “chick book”. There are big burly competitive men and none of them are clamoring for the girl! That is a refreshing twist. Although I can’t make any promises for the next book in the series, but there isn’t romance in this book. Only friendship and camarader ...more

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Sep 21, 2020 Brian Marshall rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Elixir? Indeed!

When I first downloaded Jo Sparkes’ “The Birr Elixir”, I was expecting a YA fantasy, a genre where the perceived sophistication of the target audience can sometimes serve as an excuse for the quality of the writing itself.

But whether you’re just out of diapers or signing up for Medicare, you’ll find this book an unqualified delight. Without a trace of condescension or any pretension on her part, Sparkes presents a rollicking tale in a world that’s fully imagined. Even more impres ...more

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Mar 12, 2015 Carolyn Young rated it really liked it

The Birr Elixir is a very engaging fantasy tale. The characters are well developed, the story is quite creative and well written, and it moves at a quick pace that makes you want to keep reading. The author is excellent at description, and I could visualize the places and people quite clearly. I can still close my eyes and visualize myself as Marra experiencing new places that I’ve never seen before!

The only criticism I have is that the ending lacked resolution and left many unanswered questions ...more

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May 10, 2017 Leigh Holland rated it really liked it

The Birr Elixir by Jo Sparkes, 196 pages, Oscar Press, May 31st, 2013, Genre: Young Adult/Fantasy/Adventure/Sword and Sorcery. Warning: May Contain Spoilers.
The Birr Elixir is a Young Adult Fantasy novella that has wider appeal. Jo Sparkes masterfully draws together elements of action, adventure, sports, fantasy, and sorcery in a likeable, exotic world. The Birr Elixir is the first installment in “The Legend of the Gamesmen” series. It is the winner of the Silver Ippy award and the BRAG Medall The Birr Elixir by Jo Sparkes, 196 pages, Oscar Press, May 31st, 2013, Genre: Young Adult/Fantasy/Adventure/Sword and Sorcery. Warning: May Contain Spoilers.
The Birr Elixir is a Young Adult Fantasy novella that has wider appeal. Jo Sparkes masterfully draws together elements of action, adventure, sports, fantasy, and sorcery in a likeable, exotic world. The Birr Elixir is the first installment in “The Legend of the Gamesmen” series. It is the winner of the Silver Ippy award and the BRAG Medallion.
Marra’s mentor recently passed away, leaving her a book containing potion recipes. When the sportsman Drail spies the recipe for the Birr Elixir in the book, he must have it. Marra makes a batch for Drail and his team. They win the Comet game against the Skullan team, a feat which has never been accomplished. The team takes Marra with them and they head to the main tournament at the port city. Marra awakens a stranger, Tryst, from an enchanted slumber. He, too, is anxious to get to the port city. As a master of the sport Comet, Tryst mentors the team. It will take more than magical elixirs to win the tournament: they’ll need skill, too. However, evil men offer Marra a rare herb she needs to make the Birr Elixir. In exchange, she must give another sleeping potion to Tryst and allow the men to recapture him. If she fails, they promise to harm her. What will Marra choose?
Jo Sparkes weaves timeless themes into this magical tale, such as good versus evil, the importance of loyalty, and refusing temptation for the greater good. My favorite character was Marra. She is quiet, keeping her thoughts and opinions to herself. Marra has lived a rough life, yet secretly dreams of being so much more. Marra feels affection for Drail; she regards him as the man who redeemed her from a life of near-slavery under a cruel shopkeeper. She is a genuinely good person at heart.
I enjoyed reading The Birr Elixir. I was whisked away to a land that was at once both imaginative and believable. The characters were interesting and unique. The plot is well designed and unfolds quickly while creating an atmosphere of suspense. The fictional sport Comet is dynamic, fun, and energetic, much like a Quidditch match. The Gamesmen storyline creates a mood much like the Heath Ledger film “A Knight’s Tale”. I’d recommend The Birr Elixir to readers who enjoy Fantasy and Action Adventure genres. ...more

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Jul 07, 2013 Gemma Feltham rated it really liked it

Summer has finally arrived and with it comes holidays lying on the beach with a good book or e-book. To start my summer get away early I escaped into the fictional world within The Birr Elixir, the first book in a series titled The Legend of The Gamesmen penned by Jo Sparkes.

First impressions are good, the prologue is strong and offers important detail for the rest of the novel rather than just being a large and unnecessary paragraph. Continuing onto the first chapter Sparkes sets a comfortable Summer has finally arrived and with it comes holidays lying on the beach with a good book or e-book. To start my summer get away early I escaped into the fictional world within The Birr Elixir, the first book in a series titled The Legend of The Gamesmen penned by Jo Sparkes.

First impressions are good, the prologue is strong and offers important detail for the rest of the novel rather than just being a large and unnecessary paragraph. Continuing onto the first chapter Sparkes sets a comfortable pace which is consistent throughout and an easy flow of events, revelations and character development. There appears to be some clumsiness in the sentence structure of this first chapter, but the further you read this is rectified and the writing becomes much stronger; subsequent chapters are much better.

As the plot thickens it becomes increasingly clear that there is much more to this novel than first appears- magic, adventure, action and a prince it’s got a bit of everything! On an aesthetic level I found the cover of this novel rather dark and foreboding- which made me think that the plot would be much darker than I found it to be.

Moving on, as the reader continues to read The Birr Elixir they will slowly get to grips with Sparkes’ characters. My favourite character name of course belongs to ‘Snark’, one of Sparkes’ villains, whose name I have taken to appreciate as a tribute to Lewis Carroll’s poem The Hunting of the Snark. In keeping with the style and pace of the novel, the development of key characters Marra and Drail is suitably consistent. Most interesting is how Sparkes patiently carves and depicts Marra’s life up until the present. Upon reaching the half-way point in the novel, a reader may find it difficult to determine whether or not Marra’s story so far is happy or sad. At this point, given the events thus far and the parts of her past which have already been revealed, I would say it is at a relatively happy medium- making her more relatable and believable in the minds of the reader, but she’s not so predictable as to run the risk of her becoming a boring and lesser character in subsequent titles.

Sparkes has successfully presented her readers with a well-balanced selection of characters with a variety of backgrounds and individual stories to tell. The focus on the sport featured in this book at first took me by surprise. Reminiscent of quidditch from the Harry Potter novels, rather than detracting from the novel it adds a further dimension to the characters and locations presented to the reader; and I have to say it is the most exciting sport I’ve read about in a piece of fiction since being introduced to quidditch. Sparkes also offers readers an intriguing and exotic setting for this fantasy novel. ‘The flats’ and desert lands are described in such a way that draws in the reader, as they are reminiscent of the lands of Ancient Egypt as seen in popular films like The Mummy and Indiana Jones.

Overall I thoroughly enjoyed this light-hearted fantasy. The writing is light and easy to read, the plot clear and easy to follow. I would definitely recommend to both young and old fantasy fans. I for one thoroughly look forward to reading the rest of books in The Legend of The Gamesmen series.

© Gemma Feltham 2nd August 2013 ...more

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Jun 23, 2013 Removed Removed rated it really liked it

Shelves: fantasy-adventure

Don’t you just love it when you take on a novel and author you’ve not read before and find a hidden gem. Thats what this novel should be all about. Jo Sparkes, has created a mythical realm where two races the Truemen and the Skullans co-exist, magic and potions are real, and the whole place is on the brink of a war. Its in the midst of all this, that we meet Marra, an apprentice in what can best be described as an apothecary shop.

When we first meet Marra, our first description of her is as follo Don’t you just love it when you take on a novel and author you’ve not read before and find a hidden gem. Thats what this novel should be all about. Jo Sparkes, has created a mythical realm where two races the Truemen and the Skullans co-exist, magic and potions are real, and the whole place is on the brink of a war. Its in the midst of all this, that we meet Marra, an apprentice in what can best be described as an apothecary shop.

When we first meet Marra, our first description of her is as follows…

Marra’s dark red hair was long, and she spent a lot of time brushing the sand out. Some thought she was vain, and perhaps she was about the one thing that proclaimed she wasn’t born in San Cris. But long hair was a strength, the strength of warriors. Ans for Marra, it made her feel safer.

Marra is wonderfully written throughout the novel as she overcomes her self doubt about her abilities, and finds she is much more capable and quick than she thought. Both her compassion and underlying strength make her delightful to read, Sparkes could not have made a better choice for a main character.

Also in this piece is Tryst, a crown prince who’s been abducted and put to sleep using some unknown means. It’s only when Marra manages to wake him, that we discover much about him, and most of that he keeps to himself, not allowing his secrets to be revealed to his fellow Gamesmen or Marra. A boy, who is getting his first taste of the world, and seeing much of what his father encouraged him to learn first hand.

You wish to rule the Skullan people without ever setting foot outside Missea? Without talking to them in their villages, standing beside them on their ships? You wish to decide the fate of Truemen without ever seeing who they are, how they live?

Tryst is equally well written and plays out well against the character of Marra.

Jo Sparkes has put a lot of thought into this piece, and the development of a whole realm, complete with sports, different races, history, and herbal potions, as well as a brilliantly written plot, could not have been a small undertaking. There is a lot packed into this piece, at only 175 (approximately) pages, I was worried there would not be space to pull it all together. But she did!!

If I were to nitpick at all, I would say my only struggle with this book, was that I felt I could not get my bearings for the first chapter or two, as it wasn’t readily clear where or when this book is set…My advice? Don’t worry about it, let the sand sweep you up into the story, and enjoy the ride. This one is good and will get you where you want to go.

This is one of those, sit back with your favorite herb tea, curl up in your favorite afghan, on a long cool evening at the cottage, and enjoy. Its length, almost allows it to be read in one sitting. It is just what it seems, a wonderfully written fantasy that will draw you into the story, and leave you with a smile on your face (unless you are as impatient to get to book two as I am). Let Jo take you on a magical adventure into her wonderfully created world and I’m betting she does not disappoint. ...more

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Jan 18, 2015 E.M. Cooper rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I was drawn to 'The Birr Elixir'(The Legend of the Gamesmen) by its striking cover. After a few chapters I was captivated by the storyline, characters and dialogue. Jo Sparkes has depicted the characters skilfully and their voices are distinct and recognisable.

Nineteen-year-old Prince Tryst from the Skullan race on the Great Continent sets out on his epourney or coming of age journey. After being betrayed, he is captured and carried over the ocean to the Waverley Continent by the villains of the ...more

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Mar 11, 2015 K.S. Ferguson rated it it was amazing

Author Sparkes has written an excellent short fantasy story. The plot has a recognizable beginning, middle, and end. Groundwork is begun for the trouble ahead in the next book. Characters change because of the action in the story.

And the characters are realistic, interesting, likeable, and flawed. They are well-differentiated from each other and definitely people I want to travel with in the future. The villains are perhaps a touch stereotyped, but we're only meeting the second-string henchmen ...more

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Apr 24, 2015 P.J. McDermott rated it really liked it

I enjoyed The Birr Elixir very much, and I am sure other fans of fantasy will enjoy it too. Jo Sparkes writes exceptionally well, providing clear descriptions, good dialogue and a well paced story that is very easy to read. My view is that the story (part one in a trilogy) might have been more richly developed in two ways - the desert setting and the backstory of the main character, Marra. She is intriguing and likeable and grows on you the further into the story you get. I am hoping in the next ...more

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Jul 27, 2014 Karen rated it really liked it · review of another edition

The book introduces you to Marra, a young apprentice in a herb shop. Drail, a comet player, asks for an energy potion. Her instructor, Britta, is dead, and she brews a potion similar to one in Britta’s Book. Drail’s team wins, and they rescue her from her new boss. It is a story of new beginnings, moral values, and belief in one’s capabilities.

With The Birr Elixir, Jo Sparkes has created a fantasy story of unusual travel companions, a global ball sport and important contests, rivalry between tw ...more

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Jun 06, 2014 T.A. Bratcher rated it it was amazing

The Burr Elixir a must read!

Finding a good fantasy novel is difficult, like digging for diamonds. Yet occasionally, just occasionally, you will find that rare diamond when you least expect it. The Burr Elixir is not merely a good read; a diamond of a book that you treasure forever. I highly recommend this book to my friends and fellow fantasy loving readers. I suggest keeping an eye out on what Jo Sparkes brings us next.

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Oct 14, 2013 Shivani rated it it was amazing

i wish i could win this book... i loveeee the plot and can't wait to read it... :D ...more

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Oct 01, 2019 Phil Matthews rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Pretty darn good

A new game is invented for this title. There is an interesting plot with strong characters. Interviewing Emmet "They're just dogs" Smith is nothing positive for me. ...more

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Mar 02, 2020 Gwynneth Ott rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

To prove yourself.

This is more than a tale of one hero, but a group trying to find out who they are and where they stand. A very quick read, but intensely satisfying.

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Dec 19, 2015 Colleen Chesebro rated it really liked it

*The author provided me with a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review which follows*

In the land of Missea – under Skullan rule

King Bactor’s son Tryst, must undertake his first epourney in order to become a man to fulfill his destiny of becoming the future King of the Skullan people and all Trumen. Since a prince’s epourney is undertaken with a best friend, Tryst leaves with three of his best friends, Baldar, Mauric, and Jason. When it is determined that Mauric is ill and cannot travel ...more

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Aug 08, 2013 Vaisakhi rated it really liked it

I will read it today!
Hell, I have so much work; I will surely read it tomorrow!
It has been a week!!! I am starting sure today.

And that today didn’t come for four more weeks. But when it finally came I skipped my lunch hour cause I didn’t want to leave the story unfinished. Not that I had to finish it, but I was scared that if I leave the book now and for some reason I can’t resume reading it soon it would drive me crazy. That was the power of “The Birr Elixir” by Jo Sparkes. A fellow blogger had I will read it today!
Hell, I have so much work; I will surely read it tomorrow!
It has been a week!!! I am starting sure today.

And that today didn’t come for four more weeks. But when it finally came I skipped my lunch hour cause I didn’t want to leave the story unfinished. Not that I had to finish it, but I was scared that if I leave the book now and for some reason I can’t resume reading it soon it would drive me crazy. That was the power of “The Birr Elixir” by Jo Sparkes. A fellow blogger had posted information about this book and after I read it I just needed the book. Thank you so much Jo for letting me review the book.

The Book begins with the Skullan Prince Tryst and his meeting with his father. He sets off on a journey to explore his lands and connect and understand his people. Around the same time a young girl named Marra is made to work in a small herb shop by the evil brother of her now deceased Mistress. She was the only apprentice her Mistress ever accepted and before she died she gave Marra her book of portions – A book she specifically asked Marra to keep away from her brother Stark.

Marra’s world transforms totally when Drail the Leader of the Hand of Victory asks her to brew a powerful portion to help them win a game called COMET and Marra brews the Birr’s Elixir. When Drail and his team achieve the unfathomable feat of defeating Skullans he decides to take Marra as his Brista. But when he comes to take Marra with him to the faraway lands they find an unconscious man in the shop and Drail decides to take the man along with them. The sleeping man is under an unnatural sleep spell that Marra manages to break with her skills during the journey. But who is this man? What is Marra going to do as she was just an apprentice and not a portions Mistress but now is Drail’s Brista? What will the journey change in Marra’s life, a girl who had never left her desert town. And who is this unconscious man?

The book is a total roller coaster ride of the world Jo has created. Also the mystery of Tryst and the fox boot person looms over the entire story. The narrative pulls you totally into the world of Marra and the description of the Comet game is very vivid. The fast pace of the book keeps you hooked till the very end and as this book is the first book of the series it leaves you yearning for more and leaves a lot of questions unanswered for the readers to torment their grey cells. The book covers everything from magic to adventure to drama. And the story of the characters is strong and not just happy or sad.

Pros:
The book is very fast paced and involving and Jo’s strong narrative keeps you totally engrossed in the book.
The description of the game Comet is just amazing and our imaginary horses can actually sketch the whole scenario while reading.
The Characters are strong and very well used. I particularly loved the character of Drail and Stark.
The way the plot thickens is very intriguing. Literally, loved every bit of it.

Cons:
The description of the areas they were travelling to could have been more. That would have made the land more authentic and readers could connect well.
The resemblances – Comet with Quidditch, Continents and lands with Game of thrones – Westeros. Though not the fault of the Author, avid fantasy readers would directly make the connection and may find that to be a negative point about the book.

Overall it is an amazing book, a four out of five. Light, fast paced, easy to follow fantasy. An enjoyable read for both the young and the old fantasy readers. And as far as I am concerned, the only thought I have right now is “When is the next book coming?” ...more

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Mar 07, 2015 Rubin Johnson rated it liked it

The Birr Elixir by Jo Sparkes is a short fantasy novel. In general, it's well edited with lots of interesting and colorful characters. A prologue introduces Prince Tryst. Chapter 1 brings in the female main character, Marra, and the skilled gamesman, Drail. The story starts on the day of a very important game for Drail. Marra has a role and the plot begins moving at a good pace that the novel maintains. Overall, my rating was between okay and like. I'm rounding up to like.

Several aspects of the The Birr Elixir by Jo Sparkes is a short fantasy novel. In general, it's well edited with lots of interesting and colorful characters. A prologue introduces Prince Tryst. Chapter 1 brings in the female main character, Marra, and the skilled gamesman, Drail. The story starts on the day of a very important game for Drail. Marra has a role and the plot begins moving at a good pace that the novel maintains. Overall, my rating was between okay and like. I'm rounding up to like.

Several aspects of the storytelling made it harder for me to enjoy the story. The first was the writer's choice of point of view. By switching the point of view character so often, it became harder to identify with any specific character. Additionally, there were a number of small elements that lessened my experience of this book. One race was the Skullan and the other was the Trumen, but sometimes it was Truman. It took me a while to understand it was a typo and not some designation of number, or something more subtle.

Unfortunately, for me, the story seemed incomplete. Perhaps, this is a set up for the next book, but I felt that there were too many questions left unanswered for a book sold separately. For much of the book we know something bad has happened to a main character but we never learn why, even though exposed to the point of view of a villain. I'm still unclear on the age of Marra as an apprentice could be as young as 12. This made it harder to evaluate the actions of several other characters as my evaluation would be different depending on Marra's age.

In my opinion, the best part of the story is the world building. I especially like the invented game Comet, a combination of lacrosse, soccer, and quidditch. The game required athleticism, skill, and strategy. The author describes multiple games, including the actions of the athletes as well as their mental machinations. Although this provided an opportunity to show the characters, it wasn't enough to make me connect with any of them. The game has aspects of chance. As realistic as that may be, it was less than satisfactory for me as a reader, when chance (as written by the author) decided various outcomes more than the actions of the characters.

Nagging doubts still cross my mind about the notion one can/should consume a supplement to enhance one's athletic performance. In today's world, those would be considered performance enhancing drugs, a cause for concern. Early in the book, I projected that in the final game it would become clear that the elixir had no real effect, and that it was indeed the player's raw skill and will that governed their performance. I was wrong. Read the story to see the writer's interesting twist.

I received a copy of this e-book in exchange for an honest review. ...more

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Sep 16, 2013 Michael O'Gara rated it liked it

This is a fun read for those who like fantasy. Jo Sparks is definitely a talented writer and The Birr Elixir is an entertaining story. The character development is solid, the story line is interesting, the book is well paced and the dialogue is good but this book does have a “fatal flaw” so read on.

Marra, the heroine, is an apprentice potion maker. Her mistress has died before Marra can complete her training. As a result of her mistress’s death, she is left in the care of Snark, her mistress’s ...more

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Jan 03, 2014 Emily rated it really liked it

Shelves: kindle, first-reads-arc-arr

The prologue drew me into this book right away and I finished it within a few hours because I literally could not put it down. With such a short synopsis, I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect, but it was enough to attract my interest and the cover was definitely intriguing.

While I was absorbed in the book, it took me a bit to understand the direction it was going. The game was much more important than I initially thought it would be. However, it all came together very nicely. There came a point ...more

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Sep 29, 2013 Vonnie rated it really liked it

This was a fun fantasy book. I was surprised on how much I ended up liking it. I was asked by the author to review her book and accepted after reading the interesting synopsis. I was not sure what to expect because I've had hits and misses with fantasy books. Luckily, this was a hit with me.

I quite enjoyed the story. I was immediately captivated with the world introduced to me in the beginning. I wanted to know more about being a potion maker and was intrigued with the popular game called "Come ...more

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Jul 29, 2013 Keely rated it really liked it

Shelves: reviewed

Review
It’s been a while since I’ve found myself absorbed in a good fantasy book, but this one broke that dry spell. I was a bit dubious at first as I didn’t really see where the story was going, however when the main plot line was introduced I couldn’t put the book down.
I would have liked to find out more about the individual characters/groups of people; there was a lack of backstory that made it really hard for me to actually care about the characters. This is the first book in a series though, ...more

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Jul 17, 2014 Ipublishedreviews rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: reviewed

The Birr Elixir is a well woven fantasy tale with enough realism to keep any reader involved. It follows the lives of three main characters, the chance meetings that change their lives, and their unexpected journey. Throughout this story you continually get swept up in the intense action of the Comet games (an extremely clever invention of the author); and pulled into the intrigue of strangers meeting, trust as yet unearned, and deception from assumed allies.

Marra is a poor and lonely apprentice ...more

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Jul 04, 2016 J C Steel rated it really liked it

The Birr Elixir is a near-legendary potion, which only the elite of herbalists are able to mix - or can find the ingredients for. So when the captain of the local Comet team, Hand of Victory, comes into the herb shop asking for an energy potion, Marra, a bare one year into her apprenticeship, makes the first energy recipe she sees in her dead mentor's recipe book, never realising the significance of the recipe. When that same potion helps the Hand of Victory team to achieve an impossible win, th ...more

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May 25, 2014 Rosie Amber rated it it was amazing

The Birr Elixir is book one in the Legend of Gamesmen series. It is a fantasy with several themes going on which will pan out further in later books. Tryst is a Prince who must set out on a coming of age journey into manhood called a epourney. He must travel the realm to learn about the people and the land before he can become their leader.

Marra works in a potions shop. Sadly Mistress Britta died before her studies were complete, but she can still learn from Britta's book. Treated badly by Britt ...more

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Feb 17, 2015 Katy Haye rated it really liked it

I loved the world-building in The Birr Elixir – I was really there feeling the dust and sand under my feet. There were some great characters – Marra was very easy to identify with and I enjoyed watching her blossom from a down-trodden start into a capable young woman. The Hand of Victory team were also an engaging bunch, and there were several mysteries to keep me guessing. Oh, and I’m well aware of the old adage, but look at that cover, what a stunner!

Lively, entertaining and good humoured, Th ...more

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Oct 11, 2013 Fran rated it really liked it

After reading the Prologue, I can't wait to read what will happen to Marra, Tryst and Drail along the way!

This fantasy novel's detailed descriptions of the settings and characters make it easier for readers to connect through imagination. One can easily relate to the set of events and will surely look forward to the next. This is a key to make the readers to be more attached and to keep the interest on fire.

One who really loves fantasy and those who want to discover what fantasy novels can bri ...more

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Jul 07, 2014 Tony Riches rated it really liked it

Jo Sparkes has created an evocative world which draws on all the senses. Her first sentence. ‘It was a very dirty shop,’ draws you in to the life of Marra – a modern heroine who knows there must be more to life than the virtual slavery to her unsavoury master, Snark. Jo Sparkes’ background as a sports writer shines through in the ritual games of the ‘Comet Days,’ around which the plot develops at a fast pace.

Secret potions and magical books place this firmly in the fantasy genre and the gamesme ...more

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Jun 10, 2014 Annastew1144hotmail.com rated it it was amazing

A recommended read from BookViral I really enjoyed The Birr Elixir. I have found the fantasy genre a little stale lately and it is getting harder to find quality books, but this was certainly one of the most entertaining I have read in a while. The plot is excellent and there is a little levity which brings out the personalities of the main characters.

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Young Adult

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Fantasy > Magic

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About Jo Sparkes

Jo Sparkes

38 followers

A former member of the Pro Football Writer’s Association, Jo was the first to interview Emmitt Smith when he started with the Arizona Cardinals. She’s written commercials, done interviews, staffed on a local children’s television show, and taught screenwriting at the Film School at SCC. Her awards include the Kay Snow for best screenplay, three B.R.A.G. Medallions, and a silver IPPY.

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