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Inheritance of Magic #1
An Inheritance of Magic
The super-rich control everything—including magic—in this thrilling and brilliant, contemporary fantasy from the author of the Alex Verus novels.
The wealthy seem to exist in a different, glittering world from the rest of us. Almost as if by . . . magic.
Stephen Oakwood is a young man on the edge of this hidden world. He has talent and potential, but turning that potential into magical power takes money, opportunity, and training. All Stephen has is a minimum wage job and a cat.
But when a chance encounter with a member of House Ashford gets him noticed by the wrong people, Stephen is thrown in the deep end. For centuries, the vast corporations and aristocratic Houses of the magical world have grown impossibly rich and influential by hoarding their knowledge. To survive, Stephen will have to take his talent and build it up into something greater—for only then can he beat them at their own game.
* This audiobook edition includes a downloadable PDF containing the Glossary from the book.
The wealthy seem to exist in a different, glittering world from the rest of us. Almost as if by . . . magic.
Stephen Oakwood is a young man on the edge of this hidden world. He has talent and potential, but turning that potential into magical power takes money, opportunity, and training. All Stephen has is a minimum wage job and a cat.
But when a chance encounter with a member of House Ashford gets him noticed by the wrong people, Stephen is thrown in the deep end. For centuries, the vast corporations and aristocratic Houses of the magical world have grown impossibly rich and influential by hoarding their knowledge. To survive, Stephen will have to take his talent and build it up into something greater—for only then can he beat them at their own game.
* This audiobook edition includes a downloadable PDF containing the Glossary from the book.
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First published October 10, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 668 reviews
August 23, 2023
I keep writing and rewriting the first sentence of this reaction review because I’m so disappointed.
The Alex Verus series is one of my absolute favourites and I was hoping to love this just as much. But this is terrible. It’s childish, shallowly characterised, full of info dumps, and dull. Really, genuinely boring. On top of that, the magic system is called Drucraft for god’s sake. It sounds so stupid. Which I’m insanely annoyed about because it makes it seem like some Hobbycraft bullshit. I nearly had to put it down because of something to do with a cat and realised it was the cat and only the cat that kept me reading at all. I’d call it YA except that would be an insult to all good YA out there.
Somebody tell me what the hell I’m missing here.
The Alex Verus series is one of my absolute favourites and I was hoping to love this just as much. But this is terrible. It’s childish, shallowly characterised, full of info dumps, and dull. Really, genuinely boring. On top of that, the magic system is called Drucraft for god’s sake. It sounds so stupid. Which I’m insanely annoyed about because it makes it seem like some Hobbycraft bullshit. I nearly had to put it down because of something to do with a cat and realised it was the cat and only the cat that kept me reading at all. I’d call it YA except that would be an insult to all good YA out there.
Somebody tell me what the hell I’m missing here.
October 10, 2023
Thanks to Netgalley and Berkley for providing me with an early copy. Below you'll find my honest review.
I'm really struggling to review and rate this one, as there were so many pros but a few big cons as well, so bear with me.
First, the good things: I liked the main character. I could relate to his struggles and his feelings of isolation and inadequacy. I also liked some of the other characters, especially the cat and the priest. I also loved the uniqueness of the world-building and the magic system. I felt by the end that I had a good grasp on it. I also loved the first 10% and the last 15% of the book.
Unfortunately, there were quite a few big issues I had with the book. It was a lot of world building but not much character building. Most of the characters felt underdeveloped and lacking depth. I also felt like the explaining of the magic system was a little repetitive, and in addition, from the 10% mark to the 85% mark, very little actually happened. Go Well hunting, build/try a new sigl, comment about needing money, repeat.
You know how Patricia Briggs started her Alpha & Omega series with a novella that felt full and complete, but was edited well and still built the characters and the world appropriately? I feel like this story was all setup without much payoff.
All in all, I like the world and the magic system, and I'll definitely read the next one to see what happens next and if, now that the world is developed, we get more out of book two.
Three stars. Recommended to fans of urban fantasy who like unique magic systems and rooting for the underdog. Not recommended for readers who don't like slow burns and lots of world building/quasi-info dumping.
I'm really struggling to review and rate this one, as there were so many pros but a few big cons as well, so bear with me.
First, the good things: I liked the main character. I could relate to his struggles and his feelings of isolation and inadequacy. I also liked some of the other characters, especially the cat and the priest. I also loved the uniqueness of the world-building and the magic system. I felt by the end that I had a good grasp on it. I also loved the first 10% and the last 15% of the book.
Unfortunately, there were quite a few big issues I had with the book. It was a lot of world building but not much character building. Most of the characters felt underdeveloped and lacking depth. I also felt like the explaining of the magic system was a little repetitive, and in addition, from the 10% mark to the 85% mark, very little actually happened. Go Well hunting, build/try a new sigl, comment about needing money, repeat.
You know how Patricia Briggs started her Alpha & Omega series with a novella that felt full and complete, but was edited well and still built the characters and the world appropriately? I feel like this story was all setup without much payoff.
All in all, I like the world and the magic system, and I'll definitely read the next one to see what happens next and if, now that the world is developed, we get more out of book two.
Three stars. Recommended to fans of urban fantasy who like unique magic systems and rooting for the underdog. Not recommended for readers who don't like slow burns and lots of world building/quasi-info dumping.
October 26, 2023
An Inheritance of Magic is a starter to a new urban fantasy series by Benedict Jacka, the author of Alex Verus novels (I didn't read any of them), and good to see the author's note that this series is completely unrelated to his previous works and will continue for the next decade or so.
So what is this, you wonder if going to like it or not
Imagine this
What if Harry Potter didn't get to Hogwarts and somehow with his father's help alone, he found out about his power, Voldemort was more charming, Dumbledore in church, and you are not gonna believe it but there was a crazy Beatrix too...
Do you like it?!
Well, that wasn't bad, even fun for a start.
Stephen Oakwood inherited the natural talent of magic that causes enemies to follow him after his father disappears. Unwanted he finds out about the magical high society and gets in trouble with them.
AND now it's the time I give some spoilers that you should have to know, I would be glad if someone had told me,
Stephen has a cat, Hobbes instead of Hedwig, he got hurt and the description of his recovery was so terrifying. Happily, Hobbes will be okay, everything is fine, gosh I got a headache reading that part!
Overall, this was a fun and engaging read and I liked the storyline, Stephen and Hobbes. I am excited to see where the story will go.
I would like to thank Little, Brown Group UK via NetGalley for ARC. As always, my review is my honest opinion.
So what is this, you wonder if going to like it or not
Imagine this
What if Harry Potter didn't get to Hogwarts and somehow with his father's help alone, he found out about his power, Voldemort was more charming, Dumbledore in church, and you are not gonna believe it but there was a crazy Beatrix too...
Do you like it?!
Well, that wasn't bad, even fun for a start.
Stephen Oakwood inherited the natural talent of magic that causes enemies to follow him after his father disappears. Unwanted he finds out about the magical high society and gets in trouble with them.
AND now it's the time I give some spoilers that you should have to know, I would be glad if someone had told me,
Stephen has a cat, Hobbes instead of Hedwig, he got hurt and the description of his recovery was so terrifying. Happily, Hobbes will be okay, everything is fine, gosh I got a headache reading that part!
Overall, this was a fun and engaging read and I liked the storyline, Stephen and Hobbes. I am excited to see where the story will go.
I would like to thank Little, Brown Group UK via NetGalley for ARC. As always, my review is my honest opinion.
October 4, 2023
Absolutely loved this! I know some Jacka fans will find this a bit blasphemous but I definitely enjoyed it more than the first Alex Verus book! This is a whole new urban fantasy magic world with a new MC. I liked him as the underdog and I’m really looking forward to seeing this series pay out. This first book in the series is really just a showcase of the new world and a setting the scene for all that’s to come. I’m definitely *in* for the long haul! Many thanks to Netgalley for an arc of this book.
October 31, 2023
A very nice start to a new Magical series 👍😀!
October 3, 2023
4.5/5
I had a blast reading An Inheritance of Magic. It’s entertaining and immersive. All thanks to a relatable protagonist, his struggles, the accessible writing style, and, of course, his feline companion.
I would describe it as an urban fantasy with elements of progression fantasy. Much of the story revolves around protagonist’s efforts to become more capable and skilled. But let’s start at the beginning.
The story is narrated in the first person by Stephen Oakwood. He is a poor low-class kid from east London with a few (but loyal) friends and no family. His father disappeared, and his mother abandoned him when he was just a child. If something happens to him, no one will care. Why would anything happen to him? It turns out members of a rich family have an issue with some of Stephen’s skills and ancestry.
Stephen has been practicing Drucraft for years. With a moderate success; his Sigls (magically powered items) are as strong as a flashlight. Lacking formal education or funds to secure a tutor, he relies on his intuition and untapped potential. He embodies a classic underdog archetype and has to outsmart enemies that are wealthier, stronger, and more influential than him. And in London, the super-rich control everything, magic included.
Drucraft is no longer the domain of skilled practitioners; it has turned into a profitable industry, with corporations holding all the cards. Stephen’s assets include a low-wage job (fetching documents from the basement), a cat, and determination. With some luck, though, he makes do.
An Inheritance of Magic relies on familiar urban fantasy tropes and doesn’t break a new ground. Its strength lies in excellent execution, Jacka’s ability to write a likable protagonist and good pacing. The story feels deeply human; Stephen wants power to protect himself and Hobbes (cat) and live his life as he chooses. He wants to find his father and have a family again. He also tries to unlock the full potential of his Drucraft abilities.
Are there potential weaknesses? Indeed, there are. Drucraft is a well-researched magic system with lots of detailed rules. We learn about the rules, the world, and families alongside Stephen. This occasionally slows down the pacing. The same applies for Stephen’s “upgrading” and search for new Wells (places filled with Essentia) - it gets repetitive.
While I usually dislike hard magic systems, I liked Drucraft and the social commentary that comes with it. Anyone rich enough or with good connections can gain access to powerful magical abilities. Heck, they can literally order them out of a catalogue. Wealthy aristocratic families wield all the power. They also make sure the rich remain rich while those aspiring to improve their lives continue to struggle.
I’m genuinely intrigued and determined to read the sequel as soon as it becomes available.
I had a blast reading An Inheritance of Magic. It’s entertaining and immersive. All thanks to a relatable protagonist, his struggles, the accessible writing style, and, of course, his feline companion.
I would describe it as an urban fantasy with elements of progression fantasy. Much of the story revolves around protagonist’s efforts to become more capable and skilled. But let’s start at the beginning.
The story is narrated in the first person by Stephen Oakwood. He is a poor low-class kid from east London with a few (but loyal) friends and no family. His father disappeared, and his mother abandoned him when he was just a child. If something happens to him, no one will care. Why would anything happen to him? It turns out members of a rich family have an issue with some of Stephen’s skills and ancestry.
Stephen has been practicing Drucraft for years. With a moderate success; his Sigls (magically powered items) are as strong as a flashlight. Lacking formal education or funds to secure a tutor, he relies on his intuition and untapped potential. He embodies a classic underdog archetype and has to outsmart enemies that are wealthier, stronger, and more influential than him. And in London, the super-rich control everything, magic included.
Drucraft is no longer the domain of skilled practitioners; it has turned into a profitable industry, with corporations holding all the cards. Stephen’s assets include a low-wage job (fetching documents from the basement), a cat, and determination. With some luck, though, he makes do.
An Inheritance of Magic relies on familiar urban fantasy tropes and doesn’t break a new ground. Its strength lies in excellent execution, Jacka’s ability to write a likable protagonist and good pacing. The story feels deeply human; Stephen wants power to protect himself and Hobbes (cat) and live his life as he chooses. He wants to find his father and have a family again. He also tries to unlock the full potential of his Drucraft abilities.
Are there potential weaknesses? Indeed, there are. Drucraft is a well-researched magic system with lots of detailed rules. We learn about the rules, the world, and families alongside Stephen. This occasionally slows down the pacing. The same applies for Stephen’s “upgrading” and search for new Wells (places filled with Essentia) - it gets repetitive.
While I usually dislike hard magic systems, I liked Drucraft and the social commentary that comes with it. Anyone rich enough or with good connections can gain access to powerful magical abilities. Heck, they can literally order them out of a catalogue. Wealthy aristocratic families wield all the power. They also make sure the rich remain rich while those aspiring to improve their lives continue to struggle.
I’m genuinely intrigued and determined to read the sequel as soon as it becomes available.
May 7, 2024
Sale alert: 07May24 on sale at amazon for $2.99
After reading the Alex Verus series and enjoying it, I was so excited Benedict Jacka was starting an entirely new series, in a brand new world, with a brand new magic system.
Steven Oakwood has been orphaned, well sort of. He isn't actually sure either of his parents are dead just that his mother disappeared when he was very young and his father when he was almost eighteen. His mother, he doesn't believe is coming back, but his dad left a cryptic message and Steven has been looking for him ever since.
He is just a normal 20 something kid, trying to survive on his own with a few solid friends for back up and his Lithuanian roommates. Mostly he is just trying to get by, which gets harder when a few people claiming to be part of his mom's side of the family start showing up and bringing nothing but trouble with them. Now Steven is caught in the middle of some family feud between some siblings and cousins all trying to be named heir and he needs to up his magic game fast or get crushed as collateral damage.
This was a really great introductory book. We get to learn all about Drucraft (the magic), essentia (the stuff used to power the magic) and Wells (places different types of essentia pool) in our introductory journey. It is something that takes years and years dedication and practice to be able to use well. Steven used to be taught by his father, who made him master the fundamentals others in big houses might not focus on. Steven's journey into magic is believable and he isn't just super powerful and the chosen one in a day.
Great friends, terrible blood relatives, a super cat named Hobbs and a possible mentor to Steven make for a very interesting first book. Through Father Fawkes we learn that even besides the magic houses there might be something else that is playing a different long game as well. There are so many great directions to take this story and so many things to explore I look forward to continuing on is this world.
After reading the Alex Verus series and enjoying it, I was so excited Benedict Jacka was starting an entirely new series, in a brand new world, with a brand new magic system.
Steven Oakwood has been orphaned, well sort of. He isn't actually sure either of his parents are dead just that his mother disappeared when he was very young and his father when he was almost eighteen. His mother, he doesn't believe is coming back, but his dad left a cryptic message and Steven has been looking for him ever since.
He is just a normal 20 something kid, trying to survive on his own with a few solid friends for back up and his Lithuanian roommates. Mostly he is just trying to get by, which gets harder when a few people claiming to be part of his mom's side of the family start showing up and bringing nothing but trouble with them. Now Steven is caught in the middle of some family feud between some siblings and cousins all trying to be named heir and he needs to up his magic game fast or get crushed as collateral damage.
This was a really great introductory book. We get to learn all about Drucraft (the magic), essentia (the stuff used to power the magic) and Wells (places different types of essentia pool) in our introductory journey. It is something that takes years and years dedication and practice to be able to use well. Steven used to be taught by his father, who made him master the fundamentals others in big houses might not focus on. Steven's journey into magic is believable and he isn't just super powerful and the chosen one in a day.
Great friends, terrible blood relatives, a super cat named Hobbs and a possible mentor to Steven make for a very interesting first book. Through Father Fawkes we learn that even besides the magic houses there might be something else that is playing a different long game as well. There are so many great directions to take this story and so many things to explore I look forward to continuing on is this world.
October 17, 2023
4 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2023/10/16/...
As a fan of urban fantasy, I’ve been curious about Benedict Jacka’s hugely popular Alex Verus books, but as it is currently sitting at about a dozen installments, I’ve always felt a bit intimidated about getting into such a well-established series. However, when I learned that the author was kicking off a new project featuring a new world and characters, I seized upon the opportunity to jump on board.
An Inheritance of Magic introduces Stephen Oakwood, a young man at a crossroads and unsure about what to do with his future. All his friends are building careers, settling down, and making something of themselves while he is still hammering away at a temporary job and living in a rented room in London with his cat named Hobbes. No one understands that all that really matters to him is drucraft—or magic. Two years ago, an eighteen-year-old Stephen made a promise to his father, just before he disappeared, that he was going to do everything he could to keep practicing and improving his skills. Unfortunately, with no one to turn to, he’s had to figure out most of it for himself, and there is still a lot he does not know.
One day after work, Stephen returns home to find a mysterious young woman waiting at his door with a message. That night, he learns that he is a member of the powerful House Ashford and also makes some dangerous enemies. Things take a grave turn when he is attacked by a couple of goons jacked up on drucraft, and Hobbes is beaten badly and put in the hospital. Desperate to save his cat, Stephen has no choice but to seek outside help and unlock his magical potential. As excited as he is to finally learn more about the world of drucraft, he never asked to be a pawn in the Ashfords’ game, and if he is to survive being the target of his insanely rich and psychotic cousins, he’ll need to get stronger—and fast.
It’s been a while since I picked up an urban fantasy, and I was delighted that some of the themes from An Inheritance of Magic reminded me of the Rivers of London series. You begin with a protagonist who is considered an outsider to magic, watching him gradually hone his amateur skills to become more capable and powerful. The magic system is dynamic but also limited by rules—rules that may seem arbitrarily established at first but reveal an intricate design as the story unfolds. Built around the concept of magical items called Sigls, the effects of drucraft are determined by the properties of these extraordinary artifacts and the way they are created. But there is another layer of complexity to this system, one that involves social class and wealth.
For you see, drucraft has become a big money maker for individuals and corporations who control its products and resources, like the essentia wells that provide the fuel to power drucraft and create Sigls. Someone like Stephen who practically lives hand to mouth has almost no chance of breaking into the world of drucraft dominated by super-rich families like House Ashford, with our protagonist receiving a rude awakening when he realizes that even getting his foot in the door will require going further into debt.
Despite the intricacies of the magic system, I liked how I was eased into the world of drucraft alongside Stephen, who is also just now picking up on ins-and-outs as he learns on the fly. This does mean that huge chunks of the book are dedicated to simply throwing explanations at you, though to its credit, the narrative never blatantly resorts to info dumping, nor does the pacing ever truly suffer despite having to take care of some “housekeeping duties” that don’t pertain directly to the plot.
Like most urban fantasy series, I do expect we’ll have to go through a book or two before things really pick up, but I believe An Inheritance of Magic is a fantastic start that has a lot of potential. It’s also an entertaining but comfortable read if you’re a fan of the genre, meaning it won’t break too much new ground but at least you’ll have a lot of fun reading it. Stephen Oakwood is your everyman character—sympathetic and relatable in these harsh economic times—and I’m interested in finding out more about his life and his journey. Especially in light of the huge surprise the final page leaves us with, you can definitely count me in for the next book.
As a fan of urban fantasy, I’ve been curious about Benedict Jacka’s hugely popular Alex Verus books, but as it is currently sitting at about a dozen installments, I’ve always felt a bit intimidated about getting into such a well-established series. However, when I learned that the author was kicking off a new project featuring a new world and characters, I seized upon the opportunity to jump on board.
An Inheritance of Magic introduces Stephen Oakwood, a young man at a crossroads and unsure about what to do with his future. All his friends are building careers, settling down, and making something of themselves while he is still hammering away at a temporary job and living in a rented room in London with his cat named Hobbes. No one understands that all that really matters to him is drucraft—or magic. Two years ago, an eighteen-year-old Stephen made a promise to his father, just before he disappeared, that he was going to do everything he could to keep practicing and improving his skills. Unfortunately, with no one to turn to, he’s had to figure out most of it for himself, and there is still a lot he does not know.
One day after work, Stephen returns home to find a mysterious young woman waiting at his door with a message. That night, he learns that he is a member of the powerful House Ashford and also makes some dangerous enemies. Things take a grave turn when he is attacked by a couple of goons jacked up on drucraft, and Hobbes is beaten badly and put in the hospital. Desperate to save his cat, Stephen has no choice but to seek outside help and unlock his magical potential. As excited as he is to finally learn more about the world of drucraft, he never asked to be a pawn in the Ashfords’ game, and if he is to survive being the target of his insanely rich and psychotic cousins, he’ll need to get stronger—and fast.
It’s been a while since I picked up an urban fantasy, and I was delighted that some of the themes from An Inheritance of Magic reminded me of the Rivers of London series. You begin with a protagonist who is considered an outsider to magic, watching him gradually hone his amateur skills to become more capable and powerful. The magic system is dynamic but also limited by rules—rules that may seem arbitrarily established at first but reveal an intricate design as the story unfolds. Built around the concept of magical items called Sigls, the effects of drucraft are determined by the properties of these extraordinary artifacts and the way they are created. But there is another layer of complexity to this system, one that involves social class and wealth.
For you see, drucraft has become a big money maker for individuals and corporations who control its products and resources, like the essentia wells that provide the fuel to power drucraft and create Sigls. Someone like Stephen who practically lives hand to mouth has almost no chance of breaking into the world of drucraft dominated by super-rich families like House Ashford, with our protagonist receiving a rude awakening when he realizes that even getting his foot in the door will require going further into debt.
Despite the intricacies of the magic system, I liked how I was eased into the world of drucraft alongside Stephen, who is also just now picking up on ins-and-outs as he learns on the fly. This does mean that huge chunks of the book are dedicated to simply throwing explanations at you, though to its credit, the narrative never blatantly resorts to info dumping, nor does the pacing ever truly suffer despite having to take care of some “housekeeping duties” that don’t pertain directly to the plot.
Like most urban fantasy series, I do expect we’ll have to go through a book or two before things really pick up, but I believe An Inheritance of Magic is a fantastic start that has a lot of potential. It’s also an entertaining but comfortable read if you’re a fan of the genre, meaning it won’t break too much new ground but at least you’ll have a lot of fun reading it. Stephen Oakwood is your everyman character—sympathetic and relatable in these harsh economic times—and I’m interested in finding out more about his life and his journey. Especially in light of the huge surprise the final page leaves us with, you can definitely count me in for the next book.
July 3, 2023
Warning! This HAS to be the start to a new series because it doesn't resolve. It ends on a teaser (rather than a cliffhanger).
This was a ride from start to finish. I had so much fun and while it wasn't written as a comedy, I could not stop chuckling as I watched the protagonist learn and try to new things.
This was a really fun urban fantasy with a thought out magical system. There's the ordinary world and the magical world living side by side. Lots of players with various parts to play. Great tension and fabulous story movement.
I'm just sad that I won't get the next installment for who knows how long. This isn't labeled as a series but it really sets us up for a really good one!
While our hero gets lots of help from people, he's also very alone and lonely. He's been abandoned by so many. He has a set of close friends but we don't get a lot of time with them. The most frequent character that we get to see is his cat, who is very present.
Loved it and was so glad to have been given the ARC. Both ebook and audiobook should be coming October 2023!
This was a ride from start to finish. I had so much fun and while it wasn't written as a comedy, I could not stop chuckling as I watched the protagonist learn and try to new things.
This was a really fun urban fantasy with a thought out magical system. There's the ordinary world and the magical world living side by side. Lots of players with various parts to play. Great tension and fabulous story movement.
I'm just sad that I won't get the next installment for who knows how long. This isn't labeled as a series but it really sets us up for a really good one!
While our hero gets lots of help from people, he's also very alone and lonely. He's been abandoned by so many. He has a set of close friends but we don't get a lot of time with them. The most frequent character that we get to see is his cat, who is very present.
Loved it and was so glad to have been given the ARC. Both ebook and audiobook should be coming October 2023!
December 18, 2024
Absolutely loved this! I know some Jacka fans will find this a bit blasphemous but I definitely enjoyed it more than the first Alex Verus book! This is a whole new urban fantasy magic world with a new MC. I liked him as the underdog and I’m really looking forward to seeing this series pay out. This first book in the series is really just a showcase of the new world and a setting the scene for all that’s to come. I’m definitely *in* for the long haul! Many thanks to Netgalley for an arc of this book.
February 9, 2024
This one just really nails an inventive hard magic system in an urban fantasy setting.
July 10, 2024
A little disappointed with this one. A very long introduction that I don't think needed to be this drawn out. And some really upsetting choices.
CONTENT WARNING:
Things to love:
-Fun magic system. A little pat, but also nice to see something a bit more "hard magic" feeling.
-Good boy kitty. Love a good sidekick kitty.
-Lots of mystique. Definitely things I want to know more about!
Things I didn't love:
-Characterization. The evil folks are evil because they're evil, and they do really torqued things in great detail. I didn't care for that. I'm used to the cast of the Verus series, which I think are generally more complex and interesting in their own rights. Not so much here.
-A little young. This one reads more like it's aiming for the YA market, which is fine but YIKES on some of the content then.
-Overly drawn out. This one falls into the "but how will they know all about the cool stuff in my notes if I don't tell them every detail!" category. This book should have been a subplot in the next book.
I don't think I'll continue, and the bits that stick out to me do so in a not so positive way, so this is 2.5 rounded down.
CONTENT WARNING:
Things to love:
-Fun magic system. A little pat, but also nice to see something a bit more "hard magic" feeling.
-Good boy kitty. Love a good sidekick kitty.
-Lots of mystique. Definitely things I want to know more about!
Things I didn't love:
-Characterization. The evil folks are evil because they're evil, and they do really torqued things in great detail. I didn't care for that. I'm used to the cast of the Verus series, which I think are generally more complex and interesting in their own rights. Not so much here.
-A little young. This one reads more like it's aiming for the YA market, which is fine but YIKES on some of the content then.
-Overly drawn out. This one falls into the "but how will they know all about the cool stuff in my notes if I don't tell them every detail!" category. This book should have been a subplot in the next book.
I don't think I'll continue, and the bits that stick out to me do so in a not so positive way, so this is 2.5 rounded down.
October 14, 2024
DNF with 60 pages to go, because it was one long mansplain about magic systems interspersed with the MC getting punched and then dreaming up ways to punch back harder. Basically, it was a book written for my brother who still, at the age of 38, will offer me a disquisition on how he could ‘take out’ a man in the movie we’re watching. And I am not the audience for that. I can barely tolerate it from someone I’m closely related to; I definitely am not accepting it from a stranger.
May 26, 2024
Solid. Interesting new magic system and urban fantasy. Bad guy seriously crossed the line when they beat up the cat so hopefully Jacka doesn't plan any redemption arc, cause I ain't buying. Good characters and I will probably read the next one, if I remember when it comes out.
September 29, 2024
My first time reading (by audio) this author and I loved it! Characters and world building were wonderful.
Omg! Hobbs the Cat! I would've had a fit if things didn't turn out the way they did. Love that kitty!
Can't wait for the next one! I'll be reading it soon.
Omg! Hobbs the Cat! I would've had a fit if things didn't turn out the way they did. Love that kitty!
Can't wait for the next one! I'll be reading it soon.
May 2, 2024
This was about 3.5 stars for me, but in a way that was a great reminder to consider target audience. I finished this and immediately knew that it had to be a Christmas present for my dad-- it was a huge hit with him and my sister.
This is going to land better if you're an urban fantasy fan, someone who enjoys progression fantasy and/ or shounen anime, or a fan of scrappy underdogs in general. I casually enjoy all of that rather than loving it, so this was fun without being memorable. For all that I normally love details in a setting like this, I don't care much about magic systems or power levels specifically, so I found my attention wandering during some of the details about the levels of power in different magical wells and what flavor of Pokemon/element magic does what. That's all delivered gradually and not in massive infodumps, but I like a little more soft-edged mystery in my magic.
I'm not much of an action scene fan, but I think that the ones in this book are creative and don't wear out their welcome. Stephen doesn't have a lot of raw power, so he's building little sigls through trial and error and has to work out what's actually practical to carry into a fight. You can tell that he'll be doing plenty of arsenal upgrades in the future, which is always nice to prevent combat scenes from getting stale over the course of a series. I also appreciated that his self-taught methods result in plenty of failures and even sometimes injure him when something doesn't work as expected. Those moments of coming up short add a great touch of realism to the whole process. If you liked the early Dresden Files books, when Harry is using a handful of trusty spells and always feels like he's outclassed, this might be your cup of tea.
There's some deeper infrastructure exploration (commentary on how being a gig worker is awful even in a magical society, class issues, and so on) at times: if that had been in the spotlight, I'd be absolutely fixated on the sequels. Instead, it's good background content, and I think something that will affect the rest of the series. In another type of story, Stephen would just get to the top of the heap, reversing his fortune, but I suspect that this one will involve a deeper questioning of the system's failures and Stephen doing something like declining a comfortable position in the current hierarchy to push for major change. The question of whether to reject the system or change it from within is always interesting, and I'd love to see future books explore those paths.
Overall, an interesting read and a great gift pick, just not the best fit for my current reading tastes (except for Hobbes the cat, who seems delightful).
//
Somewhere around 3.5 stars for this one. In the beginning, it felt a little flat for me: there's a lot of explaining the magic system and establishing Stephen as a scrappy underdog who's fighting uphill, and that's all fine but not memorable. Somewhere around the half to two-thirds mark, though, the story takes a thoughtful turn into talking about how precarious it is to be a freelance gig worker, even in the magical community. Urban fantasy leads often wear being slightly broke as part of the outfit, just something to coax them into risky jobs, but you can really feel the way Stephen is watching his bank balance, or how he's so tired from dead-end jobs that it's hard to think about anything else. I enjoyed the surprise digressions into him having to theology reading in exchange for help on drucraft problems. Overall, an interesting time, and I do love Hobbes the cat. RTC.
(Audiobook people, help me out: how do you say "sigl"? Is it kind of like "sigil," or more like "sile" with a long i? More like the German way, which veers toward "seagull"? The word looks odd and I never settled on a mental pronunciation.)
This is going to land better if you're an urban fantasy fan, someone who enjoys progression fantasy and/ or shounen anime, or a fan of scrappy underdogs in general. I casually enjoy all of that rather than loving it, so this was fun without being memorable. For all that I normally love details in a setting like this, I don't care much about magic systems or power levels specifically, so I found my attention wandering during some of the details about the levels of power in different magical wells and what flavor of Pokemon/element magic does what. That's all delivered gradually and not in massive infodumps, but I like a little more soft-edged mystery in my magic.
I'm not much of an action scene fan, but I think that the ones in this book are creative and don't wear out their welcome. Stephen doesn't have a lot of raw power, so he's building little sigls through trial and error and has to work out what's actually practical to carry into a fight. You can tell that he'll be doing plenty of arsenal upgrades in the future, which is always nice to prevent combat scenes from getting stale over the course of a series. I also appreciated that his self-taught methods result in plenty of failures and even sometimes injure him when something doesn't work as expected. Those moments of coming up short add a great touch of realism to the whole process. If you liked the early Dresden Files books, when Harry is using a handful of trusty spells and always feels like he's outclassed, this might be your cup of tea.
There's some deeper infrastructure exploration (commentary on how being a gig worker is awful even in a magical society, class issues, and so on) at times: if that had been in the spotlight, I'd be absolutely fixated on the sequels. Instead, it's good background content, and I think something that will affect the rest of the series. In another type of story, Stephen would just get to the top of the heap, reversing his fortune, but I suspect that this one will involve a deeper questioning of the system's failures and Stephen doing something like declining a comfortable position in the current hierarchy to push for major change. The question of whether to reject the system or change it from within is always interesting, and I'd love to see future books explore those paths.
Overall, an interesting read and a great gift pick, just not the best fit for my current reading tastes (except for Hobbes the cat, who seems delightful).
//
Somewhere around 3.5 stars for this one. In the beginning, it felt a little flat for me: there's a lot of explaining the magic system and establishing Stephen as a scrappy underdog who's fighting uphill, and that's all fine but not memorable. Somewhere around the half to two-thirds mark, though, the story takes a thoughtful turn into talking about how precarious it is to be a freelance gig worker, even in the magical community. Urban fantasy leads often wear being slightly broke as part of the outfit, just something to coax them into risky jobs, but you can really feel the way Stephen is watching his bank balance, or how he's so tired from dead-end jobs that it's hard to think about anything else. I enjoyed the surprise digressions into him having to theology reading in exchange for help on drucraft problems. Overall, an interesting time, and I do love Hobbes the cat. RTC.
(Audiobook people, help me out: how do you say "sigl"? Is it kind of like "sigil," or more like "sile" with a long i? More like the German way, which veers toward "seagull"? The word looks odd and I never settled on a mental pronunciation.)
August 27, 2023
This was my first experience with the author Benedict Jacka, even though I had heard great praise about his previous works. This starts off with a hook that immediately pulled me and feel attached to the main character of Stephen Oakwood. I found him to be a very relatable character to me as the reader without him being overly explaining who he is as a person. The mystery of his parents is very well done and kept me interested in knowing more about the past as well as what he may do in order to discover what steps he would take. The magic was very visual and I really enjoyed the idea of utilizing it in a way that made it different and yet easy to comprehend.
The strength of the novel was definitely the main character of Stephen, as well as his cat. He is just trying to go about his life while deciding who he truly is. The cat seemed to have her own personality and it made a fun animal "companion" to Stephen. I think that there could be a lot more to be discovered in this area. The mundane world seems very normal, and yet the introduction of the magic felt natural, and yet mysterious at the same time. I did feel for the mention of the "wells" being rare and hard to find, they seemed plentiful and always exactly what the character seemed to need. I know that it was a characteristic that is expounded upon, but it did distract me from the narrative at times. Overall, this is a minor thing and the story is not harmed by it at all. I did feel that the disparity of the rich versus the poor wasn't really existent other than the fact that all of the other users seemed to have money besides Stephen. We see a brief glimpse of others, but it fades quickly into the background.
This is definitely an interesting start to what seems to be a promising series. I know that I look forward to discovering more about the hidden families and how they are dealing with the outside threats of what Mr. Oakwood is doing. It definitely made an impact and made me eager for the next installment. I recommend this book to those who are fans of urban fantasy, especially with a hidden world inside of ours, in a very interesting and satisfying way. I know that Stephen captured my attention. This could be a hidden "well" of a beginning, though it may take some patience for it fully fill up to it's promises. A definite slow burn that will keep a reader engaged and thinking for long after putting the book down.
Thank you for taking the time to read my review. As always, happy reading and Stay Great!!
Disclaimer: I did receive an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
The strength of the novel was definitely the main character of Stephen, as well as his cat. He is just trying to go about his life while deciding who he truly is. The cat seemed to have her own personality and it made a fun animal "companion" to Stephen. I think that there could be a lot more to be discovered in this area. The mundane world seems very normal, and yet the introduction of the magic felt natural, and yet mysterious at the same time. I did feel for the mention of the "wells" being rare and hard to find, they seemed plentiful and always exactly what the character seemed to need. I know that it was a characteristic that is expounded upon, but it did distract me from the narrative at times. Overall, this is a minor thing and the story is not harmed by it at all. I did feel that the disparity of the rich versus the poor wasn't really existent other than the fact that all of the other users seemed to have money besides Stephen. We see a brief glimpse of others, but it fades quickly into the background.
This is definitely an interesting start to what seems to be a promising series. I know that I look forward to discovering more about the hidden families and how they are dealing with the outside threats of what Mr. Oakwood is doing. It definitely made an impact and made me eager for the next installment. I recommend this book to those who are fans of urban fantasy, especially with a hidden world inside of ours, in a very interesting and satisfying way. I know that Stephen captured my attention. This could be a hidden "well" of a beginning, though it may take some patience for it fully fill up to it's promises. A definite slow burn that will keep a reader engaged and thinking for long after putting the book down.
Thank you for taking the time to read my review. As always, happy reading and Stay Great!!
Disclaimer: I did receive an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
November 11, 2023
5 stars! I loved this!
The magic system is super cool and specific, I'm so here for it. I love that Stephen is just discovering his powers and abilities. He also seems like a freaking drucraft prodigy, which is definitely going to be fun going forward.
This book is very much magical realism in tone and it's very believable. The world is vicid and the characters are complex yet with loads of room to develop. I think the priest, and the cat are my favourite so far.
Excited for book 2!
The magic system is super cool and specific, I'm so here for it. I love that Stephen is just discovering his powers and abilities. He also seems like a freaking drucraft prodigy, which is definitely going to be fun going forward.
This book is very much magical realism in tone and it's very believable. The world is vicid and the characters are complex yet with loads of room to develop. I think the priest, and the cat are my favourite so far.
Excited for book 2!
November 19, 2023
Well, Benedict Jacka returns with an intriguing series!!!
I have been a fan of Jacka's "Alex Verus" books. I first read it more than a decade ago with Fated, and I religiously followed the rest of the books until its final one. So when Jacka announced that he would start a new series, of course I was curious.
The world of An Inheritance of Magic feels more like our world in terms of, you know, the rich with their privileges. So it feels good of having a protagonist (a YOUNG one, since Stephen is only 20 years old) whom I believe will have his power grow and challenge all this privileged people. Stephen learned about ducraft from his father, but he didn't know much about how it worked (that there were even universities for ducrafters) because well, he came from the working-class, not having access to what were needed.
But Stephen also had special gift that made him able to channel his magic by himself (with a LOT of trials and errors). Yes, I definitely would continue this series to see his development. Not to mention to uncover the mystery surrounding Stephen's missing father, and his mother (not missing, but she left him all those years ago)
Content warning though, Stephen's cat, Hobbes, suffered from being beat up by one of the villain's henchmen. The result was written on page. I HATED that part. But at the same time, it also gave Stephen a motivation to ante up his power to save Hobbes. Still, I hated it.
I have been a fan of Jacka's "Alex Verus" books. I first read it more than a decade ago with Fated, and I religiously followed the rest of the books until its final one. So when Jacka announced that he would start a new series, of course I was curious.
The world of An Inheritance of Magic feels more like our world in terms of, you know, the rich with their privileges. So it feels good of having a protagonist (a YOUNG one, since Stephen is only 20 years old) whom I believe will have his power grow and challenge all this privileged people. Stephen learned about ducraft from his father, but he didn't know much about how it worked (that there were even universities for ducrafters) because well, he came from the working-class, not having access to what were needed.
But Stephen also had special gift that made him able to channel his magic by himself (with a LOT of trials and errors). Yes, I definitely would continue this series to see his development. Not to mention to uncover the mystery surrounding Stephen's missing father, and his mother (not missing, but she left him all those years ago)
Content warning though, Stephen's cat, Hobbes, suffered from being beat up by one of the villain's henchmen. The result was written on page. I HATED that part. But at the same time, it also gave Stephen a motivation to ante up his power to save Hobbes. Still, I hated it.
October 5, 2023
*This was sent to me from the publisher just before it was released*
I have to say, this book I knew nothing about, it just turned up in the post one day and I decided that it looked like it would be good fun to try. The story is a fairly adventure-based one following a young man who has lost his parents and also his way in the world. He wants to try and learn magic (Drucraft) but it's a pretty hard thing to learn without money and a teacher, so he's kind of just muddling his way through life and not got a very clear goal.
The story takes a turn early on when a young woman turns up and shifts his world, not only by showing him what magic can do (and the risks it can reveal) but also by revealing how he might fit into the world of magic. He's got a new mission and a new purpose after this, and learning magic is at the forefront of that journey.
The book is written in fairly colloquial and simple language which means it's easy to fly through the pages, and it's a London-setting. I do think that some of the characters say some questionable things at times, and it reads much like a Dresden files instalment at times. This isn't necessarily a 'bad' thing, but as urban fantasy goes I felt as if this wasn't fully my cup of tea with the actual writing.
There are some pretty dark moments in this and the story doesn't shy away from that, but it also never felt truly 'deep' to me on character. Stephen, our main character, just doesn't feel 'real' to me so I never fully connected with him or the dangers he faced.
In the end, the magic in this one felt a little bit like it was similar to the Arcane Ascension series in that it felt a little but LitRPG in theme with stats and levels and so on. The magic comes from magical 'Wells' of different kinds and there's a life to be made from spotting new Wells of magic and calling them in, but equally you can steal the magic for your own ends.
I think by the end of the book I really enjoyed the magic and the adventure is fun and engaging, but the writing and the characters haven't ticked all my personal boxes. I don't know yet if I will definitely continue, but I can see that this is the start of a fun series and I think there's potential here and many Urban fantasy readers will likely enjoy this.
3*s
I have to say, this book I knew nothing about, it just turned up in the post one day and I decided that it looked like it would be good fun to try. The story is a fairly adventure-based one following a young man who has lost his parents and also his way in the world. He wants to try and learn magic (Drucraft) but it's a pretty hard thing to learn without money and a teacher, so he's kind of just muddling his way through life and not got a very clear goal.
The story takes a turn early on when a young woman turns up and shifts his world, not only by showing him what magic can do (and the risks it can reveal) but also by revealing how he might fit into the world of magic. He's got a new mission and a new purpose after this, and learning magic is at the forefront of that journey.
The book is written in fairly colloquial and simple language which means it's easy to fly through the pages, and it's a London-setting. I do think that some of the characters say some questionable things at times, and it reads much like a Dresden files instalment at times. This isn't necessarily a 'bad' thing, but as urban fantasy goes I felt as if this wasn't fully my cup of tea with the actual writing.
There are some pretty dark moments in this and the story doesn't shy away from that, but it also never felt truly 'deep' to me on character. Stephen, our main character, just doesn't feel 'real' to me so I never fully connected with him or the dangers he faced.
In the end, the magic in this one felt a little bit like it was similar to the Arcane Ascension series in that it felt a little but LitRPG in theme with stats and levels and so on. The magic comes from magical 'Wells' of different kinds and there's a life to be made from spotting new Wells of magic and calling them in, but equally you can steal the magic for your own ends.
I think by the end of the book I really enjoyed the magic and the adventure is fun and engaging, but the writing and the characters haven't ticked all my personal boxes. I don't know yet if I will definitely continue, but I can see that this is the start of a fun series and I think there's potential here and many Urban fantasy readers will likely enjoy this.
3*s
April 23, 2024
⭐️ 2 stars
So you're telling me I read this 300+ page book only to find out that he finally learns his magic and that's all? Okay, the magic was interesting and I like Stephen (actually, I have sympathy for him) but other than that, it was so boring. Then I just spent reading a couple of chapters just to see Stephen's cat, Hobbes, get better. I'm beginning to think that he's the important part of this book (I love Hobbes). Other characters were so annoying I wish they didn't have conversations at all. Since I think this book is not my cup of tea, I'm not going to continue the series.
So you're telling me I read this 300+ page book only to find out that he finally learns his magic and that's all? Okay, the magic was interesting and I like Stephen (actually, I have sympathy for him) but other than that, it was so boring. Then I just spent reading a couple of chapters just to see Stephen's cat, Hobbes, get better. I'm beginning to think that he's the important part of this book (I love Hobbes). Other characters were so annoying I wish they didn't have conversations at all. Since I think this book is not my cup of tea, I'm not going to continue the series.
December 27, 2025
An Inheritance of Magic by Benedict Jacka
This is the first book in a new series, and because I really enjoyed the author’s Alex Verus books, I went in with high expectations. Thankfully, An Inheritance of Magic delivers, even if it asks for a little patience at the start.
The urban fantasy setting feels familiar, but the magic does not. Its rules are different, and at first, the way it fits into everyday life feels slightly off balance. As with many series openers, it took time before the magic began to feel organic and properly woven into the world. Once that clicked, the story opened up in a way that was both immersive and full of surprises.
The magic system itself is one of the book’s biggest strengths. It can be subtle or boldly flashy, depending on how it’s used, and part of the fun is discovering its limits and possibilities alongside the main character. There’s a real sense of experimentation and risk, and every choice carries weight. It’s carefully constructed, dangerous, and exciting, with just the right touch of darker stakes to keep you on edge without tipping into grimdark.
The main character’s voice is strong and engaging, carrying the story through the early setup. He initially comes across as younger than his age, adding a sense of vulnerability, but he learns fast and has moments of surprising competence. That balance between uncertainty and sudden capability works brilliantly, and those slightly overpowered moments are a lot of fun to read. I also liked the way he’s forced to think critically and wrestle with tricky questions, because sometimes clever strategy matters just as much as raw power.
The world-building around the powerful houses and their influence felt a bit rushed. It isn’t the amount of information, but how quickly the story jumps from ordinary life into full immersion in the hidden magical hierarchy. The contrast between normal people’s ignorance and the houses’ almost total control is fascinating, but I would have liked a slightly smoother transition to fully sell the scale.
An Inheritance of Magic is a sharp, thrilling start to a brand new series. The magic is inventive, the stakes are high, and power comes at a cost. With fast learning curves, a ruthless magical society, and a protagonist who must match wit with strength, this opener is tense, addictive, and impossible to ignore.
Trigger warning (animals):
This is the first book in a new series, and because I really enjoyed the author’s Alex Verus books, I went in with high expectations. Thankfully, An Inheritance of Magic delivers, even if it asks for a little patience at the start.
The urban fantasy setting feels familiar, but the magic does not. Its rules are different, and at first, the way it fits into everyday life feels slightly off balance. As with many series openers, it took time before the magic began to feel organic and properly woven into the world. Once that clicked, the story opened up in a way that was both immersive and full of surprises.
The magic system itself is one of the book’s biggest strengths. It can be subtle or boldly flashy, depending on how it’s used, and part of the fun is discovering its limits and possibilities alongside the main character. There’s a real sense of experimentation and risk, and every choice carries weight. It’s carefully constructed, dangerous, and exciting, with just the right touch of darker stakes to keep you on edge without tipping into grimdark.
The main character’s voice is strong and engaging, carrying the story through the early setup. He initially comes across as younger than his age, adding a sense of vulnerability, but he learns fast and has moments of surprising competence. That balance between uncertainty and sudden capability works brilliantly, and those slightly overpowered moments are a lot of fun to read. I also liked the way he’s forced to think critically and wrestle with tricky questions, because sometimes clever strategy matters just as much as raw power.
The world-building around the powerful houses and their influence felt a bit rushed. It isn’t the amount of information, but how quickly the story jumps from ordinary life into full immersion in the hidden magical hierarchy. The contrast between normal people’s ignorance and the houses’ almost total control is fascinating, but I would have liked a slightly smoother transition to fully sell the scale.
An Inheritance of Magic is a sharp, thrilling start to a brand new series. The magic is inventive, the stakes are high, and power comes at a cost. With fast learning curves, a ruthless magical society, and a protagonist who must match wit with strength, this opener is tense, addictive, and impossible to ignore.
Trigger warning (animals):
November 9, 2023
Review originally on
JamReads
An Inheritance of Magic is the first instalment on the urban fantasy series Stephen Oakwood, written by Benedict Jacka (also known by his Alex Verus series), and published by Orbit Books. We will be following Stephen Oakwood, a 22 years-olds young, which lives from paycheck to paycheck after the disappearance of his father, who promised to return, and asked him to continue practicing the rudiments of the magic he has informally taught to Stephen, drucraft.
As many in the working class, Stephen is just trying to improve his situation, constantly hustling, with the fear that a single accident/unexpected thing can wipe all the money he has saved; as part of his life, he continues working on his drucraft. His life changes after the visit of Lucella, another drucraft user that ends with him being kidnapped and almost killed; this reveals to Stephen the existence of a higher class, composed of rich families, and Stephen is no more than the dust they wipe easily from their shoes.
While not being the best way to have a first contact with this world, if we can say something about Stephen is that he's really stubborn; and despite putting himself and his cat companion Hobbes in danger (dear author, please, keep Hobbes safe), he continues working and learning about the drucraft, even getting some job in the world.
Stephen is the key piece on this role, and Jacka has made an excellent work at characterisation, making him a memorable person, and who at the same time, feels quite relatable, coming from the working class and living continuously looking for money that can allow him to enjoy his hobbies. Having a cat as companion and loving him, that's also a plus.
While the setting is mostly classic urban fantasy, Jacka's biggest hit is creating a magic world which is just a transposition of how capitalism and wealthiness works in the real world: starting close to the top is the easiest way to maintain yourself, while for the working class, those that struggle and get questionable jobs, ascending is almost impossible.
Personally, I think the pacing could have been faster, as we spend much time seeing how Stephen progresses on his powers, and while this is interesting to introduce us to the drucraft system, sometimes it drags to much, remembering more to a progression fantasy style.
Said all, An Inheritance of Magic is an excellent entry point to Benedict Jacka and to the Stephen Oakwood series. If you like urban fantasy, this book is absolutely great; and honestly, I can't wait to read the next instalments as we will have all the bases ready to create a great story.
An Inheritance of Magic is the first instalment on the urban fantasy series Stephen Oakwood, written by Benedict Jacka (also known by his Alex Verus series), and published by Orbit Books. We will be following Stephen Oakwood, a 22 years-olds young, which lives from paycheck to paycheck after the disappearance of his father, who promised to return, and asked him to continue practicing the rudiments of the magic he has informally taught to Stephen, drucraft.
As many in the working class, Stephen is just trying to improve his situation, constantly hustling, with the fear that a single accident/unexpected thing can wipe all the money he has saved; as part of his life, he continues working on his drucraft. His life changes after the visit of Lucella, another drucraft user that ends with him being kidnapped and almost killed; this reveals to Stephen the existence of a higher class, composed of rich families, and Stephen is no more than the dust they wipe easily from their shoes.
While not being the best way to have a first contact with this world, if we can say something about Stephen is that he's really stubborn; and despite putting himself and his cat companion Hobbes in danger (dear author, please, keep Hobbes safe), he continues working and learning about the drucraft, even getting some job in the world.
Stephen is the key piece on this role, and Jacka has made an excellent work at characterisation, making him a memorable person, and who at the same time, feels quite relatable, coming from the working class and living continuously looking for money that can allow him to enjoy his hobbies. Having a cat as companion and loving him, that's also a plus.
While the setting is mostly classic urban fantasy, Jacka's biggest hit is creating a magic world which is just a transposition of how capitalism and wealthiness works in the real world: starting close to the top is the easiest way to maintain yourself, while for the working class, those that struggle and get questionable jobs, ascending is almost impossible.
Personally, I think the pacing could have been faster, as we spend much time seeing how Stephen progresses on his powers, and while this is interesting to introduce us to the drucraft system, sometimes it drags to much, remembering more to a progression fantasy style.
Said all, An Inheritance of Magic is an excellent entry point to Benedict Jacka and to the Stephen Oakwood series. If you like urban fantasy, this book is absolutely great; and honestly, I can't wait to read the next instalments as we will have all the bases ready to create a great story.
October 14, 2023
𝗙𝗔𝗡𝗧𝗔𝗦𝗬 𝗙𝗥𝗜𝗗𝗔𝗬
Thank you #partner @berkleypub for my #gifted paperback and accompanying eARC 💓
𝗔𝗻 𝗜𝗻𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗠𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗰
𝗕𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗰𝘁 𝗝𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗮
⭐⭐⭐⭐💫 (rounded to 5)
✨FOLLOW ME ON BOOKSTAGRAM ✨
📖 When Stephen Oakwood, a 21-year-old Londoner with 'gifts', crosses paths with a long lost relative, his mundane life is about to explode into a glittering, magical, and dangerous world of politics, power, and resources he's only dreamed of!
💭 This urban fantasy was WONDERFUL, and exceeded every expectation. It's beautifully paced, action packed, and surprisingly accessible. I struggle with fantasy at times, but this was so easy to follow with a writing style I really meshed with. The story is clever, interesting, and engaging, and I found myself thinking about it when I wasn't reading. The author has set the groundwork for a fantastic series here, and I'm already looking forward to the next one.
🎧 I read the majority in print, but my audio loan via @libby.app came in and I wrapped it up in audio format. The talented Will Watt is exceptional and I wish I'd listened to the whole thing!
📌 Out now!
Thank you #partner @berkleypub for my #gifted paperback and accompanying eARC 💓
𝗔𝗻 𝗜𝗻𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗠𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗰
𝗕𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗰𝘁 𝗝𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗮
⭐⭐⭐⭐💫 (rounded to 5)
✨FOLLOW ME ON BOOKSTAGRAM ✨
📖 When Stephen Oakwood, a 21-year-old Londoner with 'gifts', crosses paths with a long lost relative, his mundane life is about to explode into a glittering, magical, and dangerous world of politics, power, and resources he's only dreamed of!
💭 This urban fantasy was WONDERFUL, and exceeded every expectation. It's beautifully paced, action packed, and surprisingly accessible. I struggle with fantasy at times, but this was so easy to follow with a writing style I really meshed with. The story is clever, interesting, and engaging, and I found myself thinking about it when I wasn't reading. The author has set the groundwork for a fantastic series here, and I'm already looking forward to the next one.
🎧 I read the majority in print, but my audio loan via @libby.app came in and I wrapped it up in audio format. The talented Will Watt is exceptional and I wish I'd listened to the whole thing!
📌 Out now!
October 4, 2023
There's was a OH-NO moment in this story that nearly made me stop read but even if you think something horrible is happening don't stop.
I loved Stephen, the hero of this story, Hobbes, and Colin's friends. A very gifted young man with a complex family story, a lovely cat (Hobbes) and a group of loyal friends. You never know what will happen when you discover a world of magic pratictioners, rivalries and powerful enemies.
It could be a YA but Stephen is more mature than a 18 yrs old and I thoroughly enjoy how he was able to deal with the problems and how he was able to learn.
The magic system is fascinating, there's some elements of ceremonial magic and some of alchemy.
London is is the perfect setting for this story.
I loved it and thoroughly enjoyed it but I cried buckets at the oh-no moment
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine
I loved Stephen, the hero of this story, Hobbes, and Colin's friends. A very gifted young man with a complex family story, a lovely cat (Hobbes) and a group of loyal friends. You never know what will happen when you discover a world of magic pratictioners, rivalries and powerful enemies.
It could be a YA but Stephen is more mature than a 18 yrs old and I thoroughly enjoy how he was able to deal with the problems and how he was able to learn.
The magic system is fascinating, there's some elements of ceremonial magic and some of alchemy.
London is is the perfect setting for this story.
I loved it and thoroughly enjoyed it but I cried buckets at the oh-no moment
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine
May 27, 2024
So I found out this was a specific style of fantasy (Lit RPG?) that wasn't going to be my thing from the start. Overly done explanations of the magic system, gradual progressions of getting better and better at his craft. Lots and LOTS of nothing happening. Er. I kept at this book because, well, I had dropped a few books lately and wanted to keep at one for once. And I genuinely LIKED the main character. sympathized with him and his deadend job, liked his commentary about how capitalism sucks the soul out of you and turns you into a compliant, brainless worker instead of helping you be a human being that innovates and connects with people. Love that shit. I love the divide that magic in this world drives people into, the rich who has all the resources to be good at magic, and those who are barely scraping by, being scammed by magic devices and having to pay just to make them work and make a living. Liked the commentary. I thought the beginning of this was genuinely interesting, with Stephen's confrontation w the Ashfords, meeting his crazy and narcissistic relatives, all of that. But then things take a turn and come to a SCREECHING halt and he's not meeting new people for pages, just talking to himself. I am not sharing in these victories with Stephen, when he is just doing nothing for months at a time. I am not as interested in him as I was in the beginning, because he's doing *nothing* but getting better at his craft. By the 90% portion things pick up again when he tries to prove to his friend that he's not crazy, that there really ARE people out there trying to get him. And I was just like....What, okay....So uninterested in the conflict on page. And that cliffhanger....don't get me started. Wholly unimpressed about this book as a whole, which is sad because it had promise. I liked the First Person POV quite a bit. But man I felt like I wasted my time w this one.
October 16, 2024
3 political stars.
Why political? Because it has solid strengths, but it failed to interest me on an emotional level and I struggled so much that I decided to abandon it at 50% because I was not invested enough to keep reading.
The uniqueness of this book is that it is an urban fantasy, set in London, with a hard magic system with its own rules, limits and price (because only rich people can afford it). The problem that I had here with was the huge amount of explanation (a bit like a videogame tutorial) about the magic system. It was like a waterfall of information that by the half of the book annoyed me to death. I would have loved to take these information in with spoons.
Stephen is our main character and was actually a relatable character, but I was never able to empathize with him. He is always too cool to feel real. The narration felt very immature to me. Basically, the writing and the character didn't really tick for me, but besides my unsatisfactory opinion, I believe it's a valid book that people who like hard magic systems, noble wizards, litRPG and progression fantasy elements would definitely enjoy a lot.
Thank you Netgalley and Orbit for providing me with an eARC of this book.
Why political? Because it has solid strengths, but it failed to interest me on an emotional level and I struggled so much that I decided to abandon it at 50% because I was not invested enough to keep reading.
The uniqueness of this book is that it is an urban fantasy, set in London, with a hard magic system with its own rules, limits and price (because only rich people can afford it). The problem that I had here with was the huge amount of explanation (a bit like a videogame tutorial) about the magic system. It was like a waterfall of information that by the half of the book annoyed me to death. I would have loved to take these information in with spoons.
Stephen is our main character and was actually a relatable character, but I was never able to empathize with him. He is always too cool to feel real. The narration felt very immature to me. Basically, the writing and the character didn't really tick for me, but besides my unsatisfactory opinion, I believe it's a valid book that people who like hard magic systems, noble wizards, litRPG and progression fantasy elements would definitely enjoy a lot.
Thank you Netgalley and Orbit for providing me with an eARC of this book.
July 29, 2024
An Inheritance of Magic has an incredible premise - a world where the wealthy have access to magical knowledge and resources, tucked away from the rest of society - so I went into this book with very high expectations. While I did enjoy this book, I don't think it lived up to its full potential. The world building and magic system was so refreshingly unique, and it was so fascinating to read about the main character's journey to learning how to navigate this magical world he's plunged into. Unfortunately, though, the middle section of the book felt very repetitive, and I thought the side characters' development could have been improved with more exploration of their personalities and motives.
I can see someone else loving this book, but I didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I would. 3 stars.
I can see someone else loving this book, but I didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I would. 3 stars.
dnf
November 25, 2023DNF 10%
I did not enjoy the writing style at all, so it's for the best not to continue a book I'm not enjoying.
My gratitude to the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy.
I did not enjoy the writing style at all, so it's for the best not to continue a book I'm not enjoying.
My gratitude to the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy.
October 6, 2023
★ ★ ★ ★ 1/2 (rounded up)
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
---
THIS IS HARD
I want to limit my comparisons between this new series and Jacka's previous series to just one section—but that's not going to happen. It makes sense, I suppose. It's Jacka's first non-Alex Verus book (other than the two hard-to-find children's novels), so comparisons are inevitable, but I don't want to turn this into an X vs. Y situation.
I will say at the outset, that if it wasn't for the name on the cover, I don't know that I'd have known they had the same author—so that tells you something about the comparisons. (except in quality—this is definitely up to the standards Jacka has established)
WHAT'S AN INHERITANCE OF MAGIC ABOUT?
This is tricky. The Author's Note at the beginning of the book tells us that this book is an introduction to the series. We are introduced to the world, the characters, the magic, and so on. Yes, there is a plot—a handful, actually—but the main point is for us to get oriented.
Basically, we meet Stephen—he's roughly 20 and is fairly aimless. He doesn't have the money (or, really, ambition) to go to University. He bounces from temp job to temp job, hangs out at his local with his friends regularly, takes care of his cat, and works on his magic in his spare time. It's his real passion, but he doesn't do much with it.
Then one day, some distant relatives that he's never heard of come into his life (it'd be too complicated to list the reasons they give, and I think they're half-truths at best, anyway). Suddenly, Stephen is thrown into a dangerous, high-stakes world of money and power—and he's just a pawn to be used in the games of his "family" (and by family, I mean people that 23andMe would identify as relatives, but he's never been in contact with or aware of for his entire existence). He's a relatively unimportant pawn at that. He's sort of grateful for that as he realizes it—but he'd have been happier if they never bothered him in the first place. Happier and with significantly fewer bruises.
However, through their machinations, he's introduced to new levels of magic society and ways that the magic in this world works. Best of all he finds ways that he can be employed and use his magic—the best of both worlds. Sure, his friends don't get it (not that he tells many of them, because he prefers that they think he's sane), but he's bringing in enough money to live and he's getting stronger and more capable.
THE WORLD AND ITS MAGIC SYSTEM
So, where the Alex Verus series was about one man and his friends/allies trying to navigate (and survive) the politics and power of the magical society in England (largely), at this point the Stephen Oakwood series appears to be about one man making his way (and hopefully surviving) the money and power of a different sort magical society—and it's intersection with the non-magical world. We're not just talking Econ 101 kind of stuff here—Stephen's family appears to be some of the 1% of the 1% and there are huge multi-national corporations involved here with defense contracts to governments all over the world.
Basically, Alex had an easier place to navigate.
Most of the magic that's used in this world comes from sigils—physical objects created from various kinds of energy wells (earth magic, life magic, light magic, and so on) to do particular tasks (shine a light, augment strength, heal minor wounds, etc.). There are likely bigger and better things along those lines (hence defense contracts), but that should give you an idea. The overwhelming number of these sigils are pumped out by some sort of industrial companies and are only good for a limited amount of time.
Stephen was taught (by his father, and by himself) to make sigils on his own—his are individualized, artisanal kinds of things. Think of a sweater you get from some hobbyist off of Etsy vs. the kind of thing you can get for much less at Walmart or on Wish—quality that lasts vs. cheap and disposable. He also reverse engineers almost all of his sigils—he sees something in a catalog (no, really, this is how people get their sigils for personal use) or in use and tries to figure out how such a thing will work and then sets out to create one.
I don't know where Jacka is going to go with all of this, obviously. But I love this setup.
ALEX AND STEPHEN
It wasn't until I was just about done with the book that I finally figured out what Alex and Stephen had in common—which is odd, it was staring me in the face for most of the novel. But before that, I really wouldn't have said they had much in common at all.
Stephen is our entry point to this world, and he only knows a little bit about it so as he learns, so does the reader. Alex pretty much knew everything that was going on in his world, so he had to catch the reader up—or he could help Luna understand something (and make it easier for the reader to learn that way). Stephen has to learn almost everything by getting someone to teach him, or through trial and error—either way, the reader is along for the ride and learns with him.
Similarly, Stephen's really just starting to get the knack of his abilities where Alex was already a pro—sure he had more to learn (and his power increased), but Stephen's not even a rookie, really when things get going.
Stephen had a loving and supportive father growing up, a strong group of friends, and experience outside the area of magic users—something we never got a strong idea that Alex ever had. Alex had trauma and hardships behind him—Stephen doesn't. So their personalities, outlooks, etc. are very different from the outset.
It's not really that shocking that the protagonists of two different series wouldn't be that similar. And yet...we've all read a second or third series from an author with a protagonist that's just a variation of their initial breakout character. So it's good to see that Jacka's able to make that transition between his two series—it gives you hope for what he's going to do in the future.
Oh, what did I finally realize the two characters shared? They watch and learn. Alex does it because that's essentially what his abilities were—he could sift through the various futures and decide what to do based on that. Stephen just doesn't know enough about anything so he has to sit and observe—and from there he can decide how to act. But where others will try to think first and act second, Stephen and Alex watch first—and for a long time—before they think and then act. It's something not enough characters (especially in Urban Fantasy) seem to spend much time doing. So I'm glad to see it.
SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT AN INHERITANCE OF MAGIC?
I am just so excited about this series. I didn't know how Jacka could successfully follow up the Verus series. I trusted he would, because he's earned that over the last decade—but, I didn't expect that I'd respond so positively so soon.
We need to start with Stephen's spunky attitude—with a little bit of a chip on his shoulder due to his circumstances in life (that grows to a degree as he learns how much he and his father missed out on and starts to guess why)—is a real winner. He's got a gritty (in an Angela Duckworth sense, not Raymond Chandler or William Gibson sense) outlook, is generally optimistic—and can even be funny—all the attributes you want in an underdog.
Then there's the world-building that I tried to sketch out above—and did a not-wholly-inadequate job of. I want to know more about it—and figure increased familiarity is just going to make me more curious.
I have so many questions about the family members who've inserted themselves in Stephen's life related to their motivations, trustworthiness (I suspect at least one will turn out to be an ally, however temporary), goals, and abilities. I have those questions about Stephen's guides and allies—and think at least one of them is going to turn on him in a devastating way (thankfully, he doesn't trust most of them completely). There's also this priest who keeps assigning him theological work to study. Some good theology, too. I don't fully know where this is going—but I'm dying to find out.
Are we going to get a Big Bad—or several—for Stephen to face off against? Or is this simply going to be about a series of obstacles Stephen has to overcome until he can carve out an okay existence for himself? Is this about Stephen becoming one of those 1% and the corruption of his character that will necessitate?
I'm not giving this a full 5 stars mostly because of the introductory nature of the book—also because I want to be able to say that book 2 or 3 is an improvement over this (which I fully expect). But that says more about me and my fussy standards than it does about this book. I loved it, and am filled with nothing but anticipation for the sequel/rest of the series. It's entirely likely that as this series wraps up that we're going to talk about the Alex Verus series as Jacka with his training wheels on.
I'm now in danger of over-hyping. Also, I'm going to just start repeating laudatory ideas. Urban Fantasy readers need to get on this now.
Disclaimer: I received this eARC from Berkley Publishing Group via NetGalley in exchange for this post—thanks to both for this.
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
---
THIS IS HARD
I want to limit my comparisons between this new series and Jacka's previous series to just one section—but that's not going to happen. It makes sense, I suppose. It's Jacka's first non-Alex Verus book (other than the two hard-to-find children's novels), so comparisons are inevitable, but I don't want to turn this into an X vs. Y situation.
I will say at the outset, that if it wasn't for the name on the cover, I don't know that I'd have known they had the same author—so that tells you something about the comparisons. (except in quality—this is definitely up to the standards Jacka has established)
WHAT'S AN INHERITANCE OF MAGIC ABOUT?
This is tricky. The Author's Note at the beginning of the book tells us that this book is an introduction to the series. We are introduced to the world, the characters, the magic, and so on. Yes, there is a plot—a handful, actually—but the main point is for us to get oriented.
Basically, we meet Stephen—he's roughly 20 and is fairly aimless. He doesn't have the money (or, really, ambition) to go to University. He bounces from temp job to temp job, hangs out at his local with his friends regularly, takes care of his cat, and works on his magic in his spare time. It's his real passion, but he doesn't do much with it.
Then one day, some distant relatives that he's never heard of come into his life (it'd be too complicated to list the reasons they give, and I think they're half-truths at best, anyway). Suddenly, Stephen is thrown into a dangerous, high-stakes world of money and power—and he's just a pawn to be used in the games of his "family" (and by family, I mean people that 23andMe would identify as relatives, but he's never been in contact with or aware of for his entire existence). He's a relatively unimportant pawn at that. He's sort of grateful for that as he realizes it—but he'd have been happier if they never bothered him in the first place. Happier and with significantly fewer bruises.
However, through their machinations, he's introduced to new levels of magic society and ways that the magic in this world works. Best of all he finds ways that he can be employed and use his magic—the best of both worlds. Sure, his friends don't get it (not that he tells many of them, because he prefers that they think he's sane), but he's bringing in enough money to live and he's getting stronger and more capable.
THE WORLD AND ITS MAGIC SYSTEM
So, where the Alex Verus series was about one man and his friends/allies trying to navigate (and survive) the politics and power of the magical society in England (largely), at this point the Stephen Oakwood series appears to be about one man making his way (and hopefully surviving) the money and power of a different sort magical society—and it's intersection with the non-magical world. We're not just talking Econ 101 kind of stuff here—Stephen's family appears to be some of the 1% of the 1% and there are huge multi-national corporations involved here with defense contracts to governments all over the world.
Basically, Alex had an easier place to navigate.
Most of the magic that's used in this world comes from sigils—physical objects created from various kinds of energy wells (earth magic, life magic, light magic, and so on) to do particular tasks (shine a light, augment strength, heal minor wounds, etc.). There are likely bigger and better things along those lines (hence defense contracts), but that should give you an idea. The overwhelming number of these sigils are pumped out by some sort of industrial companies and are only good for a limited amount of time.
Stephen was taught (by his father, and by himself) to make sigils on his own—his are individualized, artisanal kinds of things. Think of a sweater you get from some hobbyist off of Etsy vs. the kind of thing you can get for much less at Walmart or on Wish—quality that lasts vs. cheap and disposable. He also reverse engineers almost all of his sigils—he sees something in a catalog (no, really, this is how people get their sigils for personal use) or in use and tries to figure out how such a thing will work and then sets out to create one.
I don't know where Jacka is going to go with all of this, obviously. But I love this setup.
ALEX AND STEPHEN
It wasn't until I was just about done with the book that I finally figured out what Alex and Stephen had in common—which is odd, it was staring me in the face for most of the novel. But before that, I really wouldn't have said they had much in common at all.
Stephen is our entry point to this world, and he only knows a little bit about it so as he learns, so does the reader. Alex pretty much knew everything that was going on in his world, so he had to catch the reader up—or he could help Luna understand something (and make it easier for the reader to learn that way). Stephen has to learn almost everything by getting someone to teach him, or through trial and error—either way, the reader is along for the ride and learns with him.
Similarly, Stephen's really just starting to get the knack of his abilities where Alex was already a pro—sure he had more to learn (and his power increased), but Stephen's not even a rookie, really when things get going.
Stephen had a loving and supportive father growing up, a strong group of friends, and experience outside the area of magic users—something we never got a strong idea that Alex ever had. Alex had trauma and hardships behind him—Stephen doesn't. So their personalities, outlooks, etc. are very different from the outset.
It's not really that shocking that the protagonists of two different series wouldn't be that similar. And yet...we've all read a second or third series from an author with a protagonist that's just a variation of their initial breakout character. So it's good to see that Jacka's able to make that transition between his two series—it gives you hope for what he's going to do in the future.
Oh, what did I finally realize the two characters shared? They watch and learn. Alex does it because that's essentially what his abilities were—he could sift through the various futures and decide what to do based on that. Stephen just doesn't know enough about anything so he has to sit and observe—and from there he can decide how to act. But where others will try to think first and act second, Stephen and Alex watch first—and for a long time—before they think and then act. It's something not enough characters (especially in Urban Fantasy) seem to spend much time doing. So I'm glad to see it.
SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT AN INHERITANCE OF MAGIC?
I am just so excited about this series. I didn't know how Jacka could successfully follow up the Verus series. I trusted he would, because he's earned that over the last decade—but, I didn't expect that I'd respond so positively so soon.
We need to start with Stephen's spunky attitude—with a little bit of a chip on his shoulder due to his circumstances in life (that grows to a degree as he learns how much he and his father missed out on and starts to guess why)—is a real winner. He's got a gritty (in an Angela Duckworth sense, not Raymond Chandler or William Gibson sense) outlook, is generally optimistic—and can even be funny—all the attributes you want in an underdog.
Then there's the world-building that I tried to sketch out above—and did a not-wholly-inadequate job of. I want to know more about it—and figure increased familiarity is just going to make me more curious.
I have so many questions about the family members who've inserted themselves in Stephen's life related to their motivations, trustworthiness (I suspect at least one will turn out to be an ally, however temporary), goals, and abilities. I have those questions about Stephen's guides and allies—and think at least one of them is going to turn on him in a devastating way (thankfully, he doesn't trust most of them completely). There's also this priest who keeps assigning him theological work to study. Some good theology, too. I don't fully know where this is going—but I'm dying to find out.
Are we going to get a Big Bad—or several—for Stephen to face off against? Or is this simply going to be about a series of obstacles Stephen has to overcome until he can carve out an okay existence for himself? Is this about Stephen becoming one of those 1% and the corruption of his character that will necessitate?
I'm not giving this a full 5 stars mostly because of the introductory nature of the book—also because I want to be able to say that book 2 or 3 is an improvement over this (which I fully expect). But that says more about me and my fussy standards than it does about this book. I loved it, and am filled with nothing but anticipation for the sequel/rest of the series. It's entirely likely that as this series wraps up that we're going to talk about the Alex Verus series as Jacka with his training wheels on.
I'm now in danger of over-hyping. Also, I'm going to just start repeating laudatory ideas. Urban Fantasy readers need to get on this now.
Disclaimer: I received this eARC from Berkley Publishing Group via NetGalley in exchange for this post—thanks to both for this.
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