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The Woern Saga #1
A Wizard's Forge
Wizards are forged, not born.
Victoria of Ourtown lived through a nightmare to become the ruthless soldier known as Vic the Blade. Once she wished to explore the world settled by her spacefaring ancestors; now she thinks only of revenge.
Prince Ashel’s carefree days are filled with music, revels, and dreams of a life with Vic. Those hopes die when the thrust of an assassin’s knife drives him to war.
The target of Vic’s and Ashel’s wrath is Lornk Korng, a tyrant whose schemes stretch across a continent and a lifetime.
A mysterious alien race holds the key to a legendary—and lethal—power. Whoever possesses this power will hold the world in their hands. Will they save it, or doom it?
A gripping tale of empowerment and revenge plays out against a breathtaking backdrop of dark fantasy and science fiction.
Finalist, 2017 Next Generation Indie Book Awards
Honorable Mention, 2017 Reader's Favorite Book Awards
Victoria of Ourtown lived through a nightmare to become the ruthless soldier known as Vic the Blade. Once she wished to explore the world settled by her spacefaring ancestors; now she thinks only of revenge.
Prince Ashel’s carefree days are filled with music, revels, and dreams of a life with Vic. Those hopes die when the thrust of an assassin’s knife drives him to war.
The target of Vic’s and Ashel’s wrath is Lornk Korng, a tyrant whose schemes stretch across a continent and a lifetime.
A mysterious alien race holds the key to a legendary—and lethal—power. Whoever possesses this power will hold the world in their hands. Will they save it, or doom it?
A gripping tale of empowerment and revenge plays out against a breathtaking backdrop of dark fantasy and science fiction.
Finalist, 2017 Next Generation Indie Book Awards
Honorable Mention, 2017 Reader's Favorite Book Awards
326 pages, ebook
First published September 1, 2016
About the author
A.M. Justice
15 books166 followersI’m a Brooklyn-based author, lover of science and wit, sporadic scuba diver, and once and future tango dancer. My characters live only in my head, but they’re real, and I put them through hell.
Winner, First Place, Science Fiction/Fantasy, 2016 Writers Digest Popular Fiction Awards
Finalist, Science Fiction, 2017 Next Generation Indie Book Awards & 2021 Next Generation Indie Book Awards
Honorable Mention, 2017 Reader's Favorite Book Awards
Winner, First Place, Science Fiction/Fantasy, 2016 Writers Digest Popular Fiction Awards
Finalist, Science Fiction, 2017 Next Generation Indie Book Awards & 2021 Next Generation Indie Book Awards
Honorable Mention, 2017 Reader's Favorite Book Awards
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 125 reviews
October 9, 2016
3.5 stars. I admit that I wasn't sure I would enjoy this story at first. It goes into some pretty sensitive subjects, including sexual forms of torture, sexual abuse, psychological abuse and more and in a way that you are sort of caught off guard. Vic's psyche remains a mystery to the reader until she starts to figure out some things for herself and even then it leaves you with more questions than answers. The world the author created was interesting but a little difficult to follow. There are things that didn't make sense to me at all and things that I could deduce based on assumption. I think a softer introduction into the world elements would have made a huge impact. There was definite growth in Vic as she became the Blade. Her involuntary relationship with Lornk, brought some interesting elements to the story. After what she went through, her confusion was palatable as she faced a possible resolution to that situation. Her relationship with Earnk was complicated and, I believe, wrought through circumstance. I liked what he was able to represent for her in a time when she needed it. Ashel seems to be the most genuine. He experiences growth and shows complexity as he deals with loss, love, and captivity. All in all an interesting but complicated read. It does end with a cliffy so no resolution in this one. It definitely grabbed my attention but I warn that it might be difficult for some readers with triggers. Safety: There is sexual torture and sexual abuse with no vaginal penetration. Psychological abuse. Physical abuse. h has two love interests at different stages in the story but not at the same time.
ARC received in exchange for an honest review.
ARC received in exchange for an honest review.
August 22, 2018
Actual rating: 3.5/5
SPFBO 2018 is in full swing. Stakes are high. I try to keep up and read books from all batches. A Wizard's Forge hooked me with an attractive cover and intriguing synopsis.
It's not a classic fantasy as the story happens in the future on a planet far from Earth. Advanced technology of ancestors is long gone, and their descendants fight a decades-long war. Shy scholar Victoria knows nothing of this conflict until pirates kidnap and sell her as a sexual slave to the sadistic tyrant - Lornk Korng.
Lornk subjects her to months of psychological torture and abuse. When she manages to escape, Vic joins the army (I totally oversimplify things) that fights her former master. The prey becomes the predator, but in this case, the newborn predator is still deeply traumatised.
Vic is a chilling example of a Stockholm syndrome victim. She suffers both the physical abuse of imprisonment and the severe emotional manipulation that locks her in place when Lornk is involved. Vic's coping with the trauma is the essence of the story. It influences her behaviour, choices and relationships.
There's a lot to like about this story. It touches delicate subjects (sexual slavery and abuse, trauma) and handles them with care. Bad things happen but there's no gratuitous violence or scenes that serve to shock the reader. I appreciate it as way too many contemporary fantasy books try to hide thin plot and weak characterization underneath layers of gore.
Vic and Ashel are two enticingly complex characters, and their chemistry is obvious from the get-go. Vic is still coping with her trauma, which makes it hard for her to start a healthy relationship. Achel, meanwhile, keeps convincing himself his feelings aren't that serious, and just when he comes to terms with the reality, a tragedy that will change things forever happens. Watching these two come to grips with reality is emotionally satisfying.
A well-rounded supporting cast includes despicable, but complex villain and traitor, trusty allies, and a princess who is no damsel-in-distress by any means. Every character shapes the story in his or her own unique way, and there are some inventive twists and turns to freshen things up when the storytelling starts to drag.
The world in which A Wizard's Forge takes place is nicely fleshed out and nuanced, with historical and esoteric details rendered in a skillful, but sometimes too detailed way. Having a race of sentient insectoids (Kragnashians) is another creative touch, and Justice’s description of the species and their role in forging Vic's titular destiny is impressive.
The world feels medieval although airships are mentioned and the inhabitants of the planet are descendants of marooned space-travellers. Some sci-fi elements, like the Device (a transporter machine that allows an individual to travel instantly between one Device platform and another) are included in the story. There's also a Slotaen - a gel-like substance distilled by Kragnashians from their own blood that has both anesthetic and antibiotic properties. It seems creating a wizard involves infecting a candidate with parasites. Exciting stuff.
Unfortunately, there’s a lot crowded into this narrative—some of it interesting and some of it unnecessary. This creates an unwieldy read with erratic pacing throughout. Some of the descriptions and internal monologues were too long and tiring to me. There's also an unexpected time-jump that happens in the first half of the book. I can understand it, but it felt jarring.
Overall, though, it was a satisfying book to read. A scientific fantasy that feels fresh and manages to handle difficult topics well. It's a slower book than the average fantasy, but it offers both - a unique setting and a tale that focuses on character's inner dramas.
SPFBO 2018 is in full swing. Stakes are high. I try to keep up and read books from all batches. A Wizard's Forge hooked me with an attractive cover and intriguing synopsis.
It's not a classic fantasy as the story happens in the future on a planet far from Earth. Advanced technology of ancestors is long gone, and their descendants fight a decades-long war. Shy scholar Victoria knows nothing of this conflict until pirates kidnap and sell her as a sexual slave to the sadistic tyrant - Lornk Korng.
Lornk subjects her to months of psychological torture and abuse. When she manages to escape, Vic joins the army (I totally oversimplify things) that fights her former master. The prey becomes the predator, but in this case, the newborn predator is still deeply traumatised.
Vic is a chilling example of a Stockholm syndrome victim. She suffers both the physical abuse of imprisonment and the severe emotional manipulation that locks her in place when Lornk is involved. Vic's coping with the trauma is the essence of the story. It influences her behaviour, choices and relationships.
There's a lot to like about this story. It touches delicate subjects (sexual slavery and abuse, trauma) and handles them with care. Bad things happen but there's no gratuitous violence or scenes that serve to shock the reader. I appreciate it as way too many contemporary fantasy books try to hide thin plot and weak characterization underneath layers of gore.
Vic and Ashel are two enticingly complex characters, and their chemistry is obvious from the get-go. Vic is still coping with her trauma, which makes it hard for her to start a healthy relationship. Achel, meanwhile, keeps convincing himself his feelings aren't that serious, and just when he comes to terms with the reality, a tragedy that will change things forever happens. Watching these two come to grips with reality is emotionally satisfying.
A well-rounded supporting cast includes despicable, but complex villain and traitor, trusty allies, and a princess who is no damsel-in-distress by any means. Every character shapes the story in his or her own unique way, and there are some inventive twists and turns to freshen things up when the storytelling starts to drag.
The world in which A Wizard's Forge takes place is nicely fleshed out and nuanced, with historical and esoteric details rendered in a skillful, but sometimes too detailed way. Having a race of sentient insectoids (Kragnashians) is another creative touch, and Justice’s description of the species and their role in forging Vic's titular destiny is impressive.
The world feels medieval although airships are mentioned and the inhabitants of the planet are descendants of marooned space-travellers. Some sci-fi elements, like the Device (a transporter machine that allows an individual to travel instantly between one Device platform and another) are included in the story. There's also a Slotaen - a gel-like substance distilled by Kragnashians from their own blood that has both anesthetic and antibiotic properties. It seems creating a wizard involves infecting a candidate with parasites. Exciting stuff.
Unfortunately, there’s a lot crowded into this narrative—some of it interesting and some of it unnecessary. This creates an unwieldy read with erratic pacing throughout. Some of the descriptions and internal monologues were too long and tiring to me. There's also an unexpected time-jump that happens in the first half of the book. I can understand it, but it felt jarring.
Overall, though, it was a satisfying book to read. A scientific fantasy that feels fresh and manages to handle difficult topics well. It's a slower book than the average fantasy, but it offers both - a unique setting and a tale that focuses on character's inner dramas.
August 29, 2018
When she heads out on her first trip as the youngest ever Logkeeper, Victoria expects to be tested. But instead of the questioning and doubtfulness she anticipated, she is taken captive and eventually sold into slavery to a nobleman who intends to break her will to his own.
The character of Victoria is the core of the novel and she goes through quite the evolution before the finale. Beginning as a precocious teenager, her relatively sheltered upbringing is thrown into sharp relief when she is captured, sold and comes into the possession of Lornk Korng. Rather than just putting her to work for him or something similar, his approach is much more insidious.
This is what I believe is the most disturbing aspects of the book, and also the best handled. Korng uses Victoria's physical reactions to him in an attempt to make her both desire him and become dependant on him. This experience forms a combination of Stockholm Syndrome and PTSD which continues to haunt her long after her escape. It also adds impetus to her future career as a soldier but not without causing some problems. The degree to which this mixture of feelings is explored without falling into triteness is exemplary.
Another of the elements that I particularly enjoyed is the history of this world. While the majority of the novel stays within traditional fantasy outlines, there is also some sci-fi trappings underlying them. Rather than be native inhabitants, the human civilizations are descended from the crew of a starship and some, like Victoria's people, have been waiting for the day they can rejoin their people, while others treat it as nothing more than legend. There is some evidence of the remnants of that technology, such as machines that allow instantaneous transport from one location to another and an intelligent insectoid species that makes an appearance in the latter third of the novel, but for the most part, most of this remains in the background of the world.
If I had one reservation about A Wizard's Forge, it was that the ending seemed a bit abrupt to me. But, since this is the first book, that may be less of an issue once I can get my hands on the second. In any case, that's not enough to stop me recommending it wholeheartedly.
The character of Victoria is the core of the novel and she goes through quite the evolution before the finale. Beginning as a precocious teenager, her relatively sheltered upbringing is thrown into sharp relief when she is captured, sold and comes into the possession of Lornk Korng. Rather than just putting her to work for him or something similar, his approach is much more insidious.
This is what I believe is the most disturbing aspects of the book, and also the best handled. Korng uses Victoria's physical reactions to him in an attempt to make her both desire him and become dependant on him. This experience forms a combination of Stockholm Syndrome and PTSD which continues to haunt her long after her escape. It also adds impetus to her future career as a soldier but not without causing some problems. The degree to which this mixture of feelings is explored without falling into triteness is exemplary.
Another of the elements that I particularly enjoyed is the history of this world. While the majority of the novel stays within traditional fantasy outlines, there is also some sci-fi trappings underlying them. Rather than be native inhabitants, the human civilizations are descended from the crew of a starship and some, like Victoria's people, have been waiting for the day they can rejoin their people, while others treat it as nothing more than legend. There is some evidence of the remnants of that technology, such as machines that allow instantaneous transport from one location to another and an intelligent insectoid species that makes an appearance in the latter third of the novel, but for the most part, most of this remains in the background of the world.
If I had one reservation about A Wizard's Forge, it was that the ending seemed a bit abrupt to me. But, since this is the first book, that may be less of an issue once I can get my hands on the second. In any case, that's not enough to stop me recommending it wholeheartedly.
October 5, 2020
A Wizard’s Forge: Book One of the Woern Saga is SciFantasy that explores belief, brutality, and an unknown race that begets power upon a young woman who has been forged first by teaching, then by slavery, then a war between kingdoms.
What becomes of us when we are shaped by events? There isn’t always a scar visible to show we have walked through hell and fire. Having your mind and identity taken from you bit by bit until you become someone else is a terrifying thought for most of us. Those that have suffered slavery of both body and mind may look like ordinary on the outside, they are anything but on the inside. This is the story of the lost people of Knownearth, one woman, two kingdoms, mysterious magic power, and the fate of an entire planet.
A Wizard’s Forge is a complex story about exactly how people can be forged into becoming an entirely different person. The condition we know as Stockholm syndrome. Stockholm syndrome is not merely a condition developed in victims of kidnappings or hostage instances. It can also be applied to a wider variety of situations, afflicting victims of domestic or child abuse, human trafficking, and incest. Prisoners of war, political terrorism, cult members, concentration camp prisoners, slaves, and prostitutes also fall prey to Stockholm syndrome. It is believed that women are especially subject to develop the condition.
We first meet Victoria from Ourtown and learn how her education shaped her beliefs, learning the logs from the starship Elesandar. handed down from generation to generation was her calling in life. She becomes the youngest logkeeper in history and begins to travel from town to town along the isolated northern coastal towns where those that once were miners have settled. They sought the materials to repair their space transport, but failed and settled the region they had travelled to, widely cut off from the rest of the population that settled elsewhere on the continent.
Taught from childhood that she and her people came from the stars 3000 years earlier and that preserving the knowledge in the logs could be the key to their origins and even possibly returning to their home world one day, she can see the shuttle Elesendar shining like a star, orbiting the planet in the night sky. Her abduction by pirate slavers changes her sheltered world and she begins to question everything she has ever known. Violently abducted and sold as a mistress slave to a misogynistic and cruel megalomaniac, the Relmlord, Lornk Korng in the city of Traine, she endures months of abuse, while he changes her name and destroys her identity of herself with patience and cunning under the guise of affection. Vic fights with all her will to retain her identity. To resist the temptation to love that which is false, as a possession, an object, and to fight for the will to regain her freedom.
This is a novel about the ways that our lives and our loves forge us. It can be wrought by cruelty and kindness in turns, demanding and desperate, or lying subconscious, waiting for trust to allow it to grow again anew. It is about the forging of a deadly assassin, the strange gift of power to a mind not prepared to receive it, and the forging of a wizard. A wizard that wants revenge, who wants to save the man she loves, but cannot trust her own heart because of the twisted feelings of want and revulsion that still reside within her.
Victoria’s initial ignorance of the power many people possess, such as the ability of mindspeech, a type of telepathic communication prevalent on the planet in some peoples, and her first encounters with it leave her feeling bewildered, and helpless. Escape from that which destroyed her sense of self is no respite, as Vic must reforge herself. She becomes a soldier. She becomes a weapon. But whose weapon is she? The Queen of Latha for whom she fights? The Relmlord who made her Kara? The strange insectoid race of the Kragnashians with their waters of power? Or will she claim the power to become master of herself again?
The possession by the Relmlord, is a sexually based mental violation. Coveted by one man who will stop at nothing to reclaim his creation, confused by her feelings for another, she forsakes her adoptive family, and possibly, her true love, to pursue a course of defeating both her inner demons, and the man who created them. Along the way, the truth of unlocking the power Vic possesses lies with the strange insectoid race, the Kragnashians, that have an ulterior motive in unleashing Vic upon the world which they share with humanity.
The story itself is unique and captivating. Good prose, dialouge and characters with depth. Many aspects of this book may make this an emotionally difficult read for some. There are no gaps in pacing, although by comparison, the beginning of the book is tranquil and the end is a small holocaust. There is plenty of action and political intrigue, alongside rape and murder. The world building is tightly focused and character driven.
I would recommend this to readers that enjoy good prose with a strong character voices, in a story that deals with multiple adult themes. The end, while not a cliffhanger, was chaotic and very fast paced, leaving the reader as beleaugered as the survivors. The path is open for Vic to either become someone to be feared, or someone whose knowledge and power could now change the destiny of the people on her world. We shall have to wait for book two, A Wizard’s Sacrifice, to find out.
What becomes of us when we are shaped by events? There isn’t always a scar visible to show we have walked through hell and fire. Having your mind and identity taken from you bit by bit until you become someone else is a terrifying thought for most of us. Those that have suffered slavery of both body and mind may look like ordinary on the outside, they are anything but on the inside. This is the story of the lost people of Knownearth, one woman, two kingdoms, mysterious magic power, and the fate of an entire planet.
A Wizard’s Forge is a complex story about exactly how people can be forged into becoming an entirely different person. The condition we know as Stockholm syndrome. Stockholm syndrome is not merely a condition developed in victims of kidnappings or hostage instances. It can also be applied to a wider variety of situations, afflicting victims of domestic or child abuse, human trafficking, and incest. Prisoners of war, political terrorism, cult members, concentration camp prisoners, slaves, and prostitutes also fall prey to Stockholm syndrome. It is believed that women are especially subject to develop the condition.
We first meet Victoria from Ourtown and learn how her education shaped her beliefs, learning the logs from the starship Elesandar. handed down from generation to generation was her calling in life. She becomes the youngest logkeeper in history and begins to travel from town to town along the isolated northern coastal towns where those that once were miners have settled. They sought the materials to repair their space transport, but failed and settled the region they had travelled to, widely cut off from the rest of the population that settled elsewhere on the continent.
Taught from childhood that she and her people came from the stars 3000 years earlier and that preserving the knowledge in the logs could be the key to their origins and even possibly returning to their home world one day, she can see the shuttle Elesendar shining like a star, orbiting the planet in the night sky. Her abduction by pirate slavers changes her sheltered world and she begins to question everything she has ever known. Violently abducted and sold as a mistress slave to a misogynistic and cruel megalomaniac, the Relmlord, Lornk Korng in the city of Traine, she endures months of abuse, while he changes her name and destroys her identity of herself with patience and cunning under the guise of affection. Vic fights with all her will to retain her identity. To resist the temptation to love that which is false, as a possession, an object, and to fight for the will to regain her freedom.
This is a novel about the ways that our lives and our loves forge us. It can be wrought by cruelty and kindness in turns, demanding and desperate, or lying subconscious, waiting for trust to allow it to grow again anew. It is about the forging of a deadly assassin, the strange gift of power to a mind not prepared to receive it, and the forging of a wizard. A wizard that wants revenge, who wants to save the man she loves, but cannot trust her own heart because of the twisted feelings of want and revulsion that still reside within her.
Victoria’s initial ignorance of the power many people possess, such as the ability of mindspeech, a type of telepathic communication prevalent on the planet in some peoples, and her first encounters with it leave her feeling bewildered, and helpless. Escape from that which destroyed her sense of self is no respite, as Vic must reforge herself. She becomes a soldier. She becomes a weapon. But whose weapon is she? The Queen of Latha for whom she fights? The Relmlord who made her Kara? The strange insectoid race of the Kragnashians with their waters of power? Or will she claim the power to become master of herself again?
The possession by the Relmlord, is a sexually based mental violation. Coveted by one man who will stop at nothing to reclaim his creation, confused by her feelings for another, she forsakes her adoptive family, and possibly, her true love, to pursue a course of defeating both her inner demons, and the man who created them. Along the way, the truth of unlocking the power Vic possesses lies with the strange insectoid race, the Kragnashians, that have an ulterior motive in unleashing Vic upon the world which they share with humanity.
The story itself is unique and captivating. Good prose, dialouge and characters with depth. Many aspects of this book may make this an emotionally difficult read for some. There are no gaps in pacing, although by comparison, the beginning of the book is tranquil and the end is a small holocaust. There is plenty of action and political intrigue, alongside rape and murder. The world building is tightly focused and character driven.
I would recommend this to readers that enjoy good prose with a strong character voices, in a story that deals with multiple adult themes. The end, while not a cliffhanger, was chaotic and very fast paced, leaving the reader as beleaugered as the survivors. The path is open for Vic to either become someone to be feared, or someone whose knowledge and power could now change the destiny of the people on her world. We shall have to wait for book two, A Wizard’s Sacrifice, to find out.
September 7, 2016
I received this book for free from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Let me start off by saying that this book is in a genre I generally tend to avoid. I do not enjoy fantasy. Yet at the end of this novel I found myself sitting on the floor like a petulant child, too upset for words and ignoring those around me completely in favor of replaying the ending in my head. Had it been a physical copy and not on my Kindle I would have thrown it across the room. Because that's what I do to books that do this to me. And I mean that in a good way.
The Good:
A.M. Justice is, first of all, an amazing writer. I loved her choice of words, and the way her writing style flows across the page, I loved the world she created and plopped me right into the center of, and I loved the Kragnashians (you'll have to read to find out who they are, and why my love of them is so strange). Many, many times I found myself reading with the intent of breezing through a few pages. But next thing I knew I would look up and an hour had passed. I couldn't put it down. And that truly baffles me, because I did not expect to enjoy this book at all, it being outside my preferred genre of science fiction. A.M. Justice took worldbuilding and plot and wove them together in a way that left me craving the book when it was not in reach. Not many books do that to me. And I loved many of the supporting characters. But that also brings me to...
The Thought-Provoking:
In my first review of this book I bashed the author's writing of the main character, Vic. But after finishing the novel I continued to think about her and even went back to read certain parts that had angered me, and I realized something. I don't believe Vic's trauma has been accurately portrayed in the world. It's as though, in books and movies, women always get raped and then turn around wanting to kill their rapists, and there are few effects other than a pretty lackluster aversion to men (which they quickly get over upon meeting "prince charming.") But A.M. Justice wrote about these things as they probably happen. As in, it lingers far after the event and colors every single decision.
I saw Vic as being whiney or weak. I wondered why she wasn't moving on and getting on with her life. Why she was doing the same things over and over and why she wouldn't be with Ashel. But it slowly hit me, why she couldn't. And now I'm a little ashamed, because that's what we're dealing with as women now. The inability to be taken seriously because people think we're "overreacting" or because it's no big deal and we need to get over it. The book was very, very real. And as women some of us have never seen what that realness looks like. I was upset about it before, but I now really appreciate the author's effort to make us as readers see how these situations go when accurately portrayed. No sappy, ridiculous love stories here. This is real life. I mean, it's fantasy, but it's as real as it gets, emotion-wise. And I love it.
Final Thoughts
The first time I reviewed this I felt a little disappointed by it (and I gave it four stars), but it took me some thinking to feel that it's one of the better books I've read in a while. It felt real, despite being fantasy. It wasn't trying to cater to our needs of having a happy ending or everything being fixed. And it left tons of room for character growth and plot thickening. Fantasy isn't my preferred genre, and I found some of the character building/character motivation lacking. Just telling the truth. But in a way, this is to be expected. It's book one, and we're meant to connect with the characters and see them grow more through the series. I'm looking forward to seeing how Vic and Ashel evolve now that one one their biggest obstacles is out of the way (well, kinda). It's only if they stay the same in book two, I think, that I could really be upset about it.
And as I said at the start, when I finished the book I was upset because neither the MC nor the villain got what they deserved, and one of my favorite supporting characters was injured beyond belief. Yet all I wanted was to continue. In my opinion, that makes this book worth five stars. No book is perfect and something will always be lacking. But if I want to read the next book, and you make me think far past THE END, you've earned my respect and admiration. I love being forced to think about why I feel certain ways. I can't wait to read book two!
Let me start off by saying that this book is in a genre I generally tend to avoid. I do not enjoy fantasy. Yet at the end of this novel I found myself sitting on the floor like a petulant child, too upset for words and ignoring those around me completely in favor of replaying the ending in my head. Had it been a physical copy and not on my Kindle I would have thrown it across the room. Because that's what I do to books that do this to me. And I mean that in a good way.
The Good:
A.M. Justice is, first of all, an amazing writer. I loved her choice of words, and the way her writing style flows across the page, I loved the world she created and plopped me right into the center of, and I loved the Kragnashians (you'll have to read to find out who they are, and why my love of them is so strange). Many, many times I found myself reading with the intent of breezing through a few pages. But next thing I knew I would look up and an hour had passed. I couldn't put it down. And that truly baffles me, because I did not expect to enjoy this book at all, it being outside my preferred genre of science fiction. A.M. Justice took worldbuilding and plot and wove them together in a way that left me craving the book when it was not in reach. Not many books do that to me. And I loved many of the supporting characters. But that also brings me to...
The Thought-Provoking:
In my first review of this book I bashed the author's writing of the main character, Vic. But after finishing the novel I continued to think about her and even went back to read certain parts that had angered me, and I realized something. I don't believe Vic's trauma has been accurately portrayed in the world. It's as though, in books and movies, women always get raped and then turn around wanting to kill their rapists, and there are few effects other than a pretty lackluster aversion to men (which they quickly get over upon meeting "prince charming.") But A.M. Justice wrote about these things as they probably happen. As in, it lingers far after the event and colors every single decision.
I saw Vic as being whiney or weak. I wondered why she wasn't moving on and getting on with her life. Why she was doing the same things over and over and why she wouldn't be with Ashel. But it slowly hit me, why she couldn't. And now I'm a little ashamed, because that's what we're dealing with as women now. The inability to be taken seriously because people think we're "overreacting" or because it's no big deal and we need to get over it. The book was very, very real. And as women some of us have never seen what that realness looks like. I was upset about it before, but I now really appreciate the author's effort to make us as readers see how these situations go when accurately portrayed. No sappy, ridiculous love stories here. This is real life. I mean, it's fantasy, but it's as real as it gets, emotion-wise. And I love it.
Final Thoughts
The first time I reviewed this I felt a little disappointed by it (and I gave it four stars), but it took me some thinking to feel that it's one of the better books I've read in a while. It felt real, despite being fantasy. It wasn't trying to cater to our needs of having a happy ending or everything being fixed. And it left tons of room for character growth and plot thickening. Fantasy isn't my preferred genre, and I found some of the character building/character motivation lacking. Just telling the truth. But in a way, this is to be expected. It's book one, and we're meant to connect with the characters and see them grow more through the series. I'm looking forward to seeing how Vic and Ashel evolve now that one one their biggest obstacles is out of the way (well, kinda). It's only if they stay the same in book two, I think, that I could really be upset about it.
And as I said at the start, when I finished the book I was upset because neither the MC nor the villain got what they deserved, and one of my favorite supporting characters was injured beyond belief. Yet all I wanted was to continue. In my opinion, that makes this book worth five stars. No book is perfect and something will always be lacking. But if I want to read the next book, and you make me think far past THE END, you've earned my respect and admiration. I love being forced to think about why I feel certain ways. I can't wait to read book two!
February 16, 2017
This story has an entertaining plot, dark themes and well written realistic characters. One of my main issues was when the pace slowed down I felt like the story dragged a little bit. This never lasted long but it did happen often. I dont like overly descriptive scenes and this book had a few of them but not a huge amount, thankfully.
I knew this was mostly a scifi going into it so my expectations werent let down like other readers who believed this was a fantasy. The covers amazing but the title might give the impression its more of a fantasy than it actually is. Although the telepathy and wizard concept was a great addition.I appreciated the author incorporating important themes to this story.
I felt like the traumatising relationship Vic had with her master Lornk when she was captured and sold as a slave was an accurate portrayal of what goes on in the victims mind during and after an abusive relationship. Its not that easy to move on and "just get over it" when you have PTSD. It takes a certain degree of empathy to understand Vic if you havent been through an abusive relationship. Sex slavery isnt anything to belittle and this story really demonstrates the effects it can have.
I loved the idea of this story being set on a different planet but it would have been even better if it didnt resemble earth so much. Make the ocean water yellow, the tree leaves blue and the sky red with two suns and three moons. Ok maybe not all that but you get my point. Its a totally different planet and an opportunity to create something extraordinary. The world was still interesting and I was able to tell a lot of thought went into the different cultures and beliefs.
I also really appreciated the diverse characters. I questioned some of the characters actions but overall this story had a lot of fascinating secondary characters, like Geram and the Princess. I liked the main character Victoria even though she had some flaws and did morally questionable things. Her reaction to the sex slavery she endured made a lot of sense and she still slowly develops into a stronger character.
Her three love interests left something to be desired. Ashel was the one I liked the most but he still had quite a few flaws. In a sense that makes him more realistic so I cant be to upset with his flaws. Lornk was vile and despicable but he made a great antagonist. His son who was the other love interest was caring but still too controlling.
I think its a good start to a series. If your looking for a Scifi with a touch of fantasy and a lot of substance Id recommend giving this book a try. The girl not only saves herself in this one but she also goes on a journey to save the Prince.
*Received review copy via Netgalley*
I knew this was mostly a scifi going into it so my expectations werent let down like other readers who believed this was a fantasy. The covers amazing but the title might give the impression its more of a fantasy than it actually is. Although the telepathy and wizard concept was a great addition.I appreciated the author incorporating important themes to this story.
I felt like the traumatising relationship Vic had with her master Lornk when she was captured and sold as a slave was an accurate portrayal of what goes on in the victims mind during and after an abusive relationship. Its not that easy to move on and "just get over it" when you have PTSD. It takes a certain degree of empathy to understand Vic if you havent been through an abusive relationship. Sex slavery isnt anything to belittle and this story really demonstrates the effects it can have.
I loved the idea of this story being set on a different planet but it would have been even better if it didnt resemble earth so much. Make the ocean water yellow, the tree leaves blue and the sky red with two suns and three moons. Ok maybe not all that but you get my point. Its a totally different planet and an opportunity to create something extraordinary. The world was still interesting and I was able to tell a lot of thought went into the different cultures and beliefs.
I also really appreciated the diverse characters. I questioned some of the characters actions but overall this story had a lot of fascinating secondary characters, like Geram and the Princess. I liked the main character Victoria even though she had some flaws and did morally questionable things. Her reaction to the sex slavery she endured made a lot of sense and she still slowly develops into a stronger character.
Her three love interests left something to be desired. Ashel was the one I liked the most but he still had quite a few flaws. In a sense that makes him more realistic so I cant be to upset with his flaws. Lornk was vile and despicable but he made a great antagonist. His son who was the other love interest was caring but still too controlling.
I think its a good start to a series. If your looking for a Scifi with a touch of fantasy and a lot of substance Id recommend giving this book a try. The girl not only saves herself in this one but she also goes on a journey to save the Prince.
*Received review copy via Netgalley*
April 18, 2018
This book was an unexpected pleasure and I am going to recommend it highly. It's not going to be for everyone because it deals with some very dark subject matter. However, it's a story that I think benefits from dealing with different things than you normally see in a Young Adult fantasy novel. These include slavery, sexual assault, and Stockholm Syndrome.
Vic is the Logkeeper for her village in the far future where humanity has colonized a world after a starship crashlanded on it. Humanity has mostly forgotten this fact and embraced a local religion as well as superstition (except it's not nearly so superstitious as Vic believes). Vic and her friends are kidnapped by slavers early on before the depressingly realistic outcome of her never seeing them again. Worse, Vic is made into a slave.
A sex slave.
Its treated almost entirely psychologically and is handled offscreen. However, the consequences for the act reverberate throughout Vic's life from that point on. Really, I would have appreciated more insight into this period because seeing Vic try to keep her sanity under the conditions she lives is in fascinating.
The rest of the novel is somewhat more conventional with her escape leading to her being adopted by a nearby royal family as a ward, taking up the art of war, and learning that wizardry is a thing. Despite being in the title, Vic doesn't do much magic and doesn't even learn magic is real until the end of the novel.
The book is interesting because it deals with its dark subject matter while squarely feeling like a Young Adult novel. Vic is a skinny and low self-esteem suffering woman who, nevertheless, attracts multiple Princes as well as other men to her side. She's also someone who eventually rises to be a chosen one. Seeing such a character deal with the struggle of being brainwashed as well as fighting those elements puts an interesting spin on it.
The book is full of excellent worldbuilding, action, and likable characters. I am interested in the sequel and where it goes.
9/10
Vic is the Logkeeper for her village in the far future where humanity has colonized a world after a starship crashlanded on it. Humanity has mostly forgotten this fact and embraced a local religion as well as superstition (except it's not nearly so superstitious as Vic believes). Vic and her friends are kidnapped by slavers early on before the depressingly realistic outcome of her never seeing them again. Worse, Vic is made into a slave.
A sex slave.
Its treated almost entirely psychologically and is handled offscreen. However, the consequences for the act reverberate throughout Vic's life from that point on. Really, I would have appreciated more insight into this period because seeing Vic try to keep her sanity under the conditions she lives is in fascinating.
The rest of the novel is somewhat more conventional with her escape leading to her being adopted by a nearby royal family as a ward, taking up the art of war, and learning that wizardry is a thing. Despite being in the title, Vic doesn't do much magic and doesn't even learn magic is real until the end of the novel.
The book is interesting because it deals with its dark subject matter while squarely feeling like a Young Adult novel. Vic is a skinny and low self-esteem suffering woman who, nevertheless, attracts multiple Princes as well as other men to her side. She's also someone who eventually rises to be a chosen one. Seeing such a character deal with the struggle of being brainwashed as well as fighting those elements puts an interesting spin on it.
The book is full of excellent worldbuilding, action, and likable characters. I am interested in the sequel and where it goes.
9/10
December 31, 2020
Thank you so much to Storytellers On Tour for having me on the tour for A Wizard’s Forge! While this was originally published in 2016, we are featuring the book to generate buzz for the sequel, A Wizard’s Sacrifice, which released on October 6th.
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Book Tour Stop and Giveaway! A Wizard’s Forge by A.M. Justice
Post authorBy Athena C
Post dateOctober 4, 2020
7 Commentson Book Tour Stop and Giveaway! A Wizard’s Forge by A.M. Justice

Thank you so much to Storytellers On Tour for having me on the tour for A Wizard’s Forge! Please check out the links at the bottom for the giveaway and other tour hosts! While this was published in 2016, we are featuring the book to generate buzz for the upcoming sequel, A Wizard’s Sacrifice, coming on October 6th

Quick Facts:
Title: A Wizard’s Forge
Series: The Woern Saga, #1
Author: A.M. Justice
Published: Wise Ink Creative Publishing – September 2016
Length: 326 pages
Rate & Recommend:  with caution
Here is the synopsis:
Wizards are forged, not born.
Victoria of Ourtown lived through a nightmare to become the ruthless soldier known as Vic the Blade. Once she wished to explore the world settled by her spacefaring ancestors; now she thinks only of revenge.
Prince Ashel’s carefree days are filled with music, revels, and dreams of a life with Vic. Those hopes die when the thrust of an assassin’s knife drives him to war.
The target of Vic’s and Ashel’s wrath is Lornk Korng, a tyrant whose schemes stretch across a continent and a lifetime.
A mysterious alien race holds the key to a legendary—and lethal—power. Whoever possesses this power will hold the world in their hands. Will they save it, or doom it?
A gripping tale of empowerment and revenge plays out against a breathtaking backdrop of dark fantasy and science fiction.
I have strong mixed feelings about the book but ended up at a 3 star rating. Let me talk about the good things and then come back to the bad things, and end on a good note again.
I liked the plot in general quite a bit. A girl is captured as a young teen and sent to be essentially a sex slave to a realm lord. She ends up escaped and in the hands of the Royal family of his enemy country, then in the military, and eventually obviously discovers magical prowess. Whatever other misgivings I had, the book stayed interesting.
The only power that seems to exist in the land is mind speech and Listening, which is frustrating for those who don’t have it and interesting if not complicated for those who do. Other than this telekinesis, only the wizard(s) have any magical prowess involving air/matter manipulation and the ability is guarded by a strange race of desert people.
The characters are a true mixed bag but there were a few highlights, including the manipulative Queen Elekia, Prince Ashel, and quite a few of the soldiers within Vic’s military circle.
The world building is pretty well done including religious descriptions that differ but are all based off of the Legend (or reality depending on who you ask) of the space ship Elesendar that originally brought humans to the world.
And now I branch into my many digressions. I feel like the space ship had to be real because you can’t just create warp drives and captains logs, but it’s totally irrelevant to the entire story, world, book, etc. One other sci-fi element exists but the world denizens don’t even have electricity or firearms or anything, it’s very much a world of horses and swords WHERE a random network teleportation device exists. Ummm…?
As far as content, Vic’s entire world rotates around her lasting feelings for her captor, who tortured and stripped and humiliated her while constantly assaulting her. Now Vic was only 14 at first so it’s like grooming a child but with torture. But then in the weirdest situations, even while intent on killing him years and years later she kept remembering his fingers doing things to her and getting aroused and there were some pretty graphic descriptions. Even with that she was just going to hop in bed with his son too. And she never gets past it, or seems very hard to try to. I thought this was written by a guy that has never interacted with a female and was a little surprised when I went back and reminded myself who was writing it.
Additionally, there were so many times where random names and places were thrown in and never mentioned before. Development between characters was hardly there – one minute they just met, then the book fast forwards and everyone is close friends without anything in between. This occurred with skills too, Vic became a pretty pro wizard in about ten minutes and then a day or two later was capable of huge feats. Plot forwarding is a plus but development in general is a hard no in this book. This is why I didn’t list any of the main characters as favorites, it was impossible to connect to them. There are also a huge number of times where characters jump out of character and their actions make little sense.
There is one stylistic thing that kept popping up where chapters or breaks would begin in the middle of action, then we had to backtrack to learn what was going on. To me this was just confusing and jarring every time because I thought I missed something, then learned to roll with it. The other thing related to this is that especially with major revelations or with action happening, I think the author was trying to connect dots in the readers head by being vague and cryptic but I frankly just didn’t get it at times and wish the information had been spelled out.
Also Woern, as far as I remember, was never mentioned so I’m curious about the name of the series.
Ok deep breath, let’s pull this back to the positives.
I read the entire thing without skimming, no matter how frustrating it got. I saw a LOT of really hard but sensible criticism for this book and I think the author probably took some of it into consideration for the next book, which I at least do want to read at some point.
Do I recommend this book? Honestly I have mixed feelings but the plot itself isn’t terrible and I think there are plenty of people who will enjoy it.
Home | One Reading Nurse
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Book Tour Stop and Giveaway! A Wizard’s Forge by A.M. Justice
Post authorBy Athena C
Post dateOctober 4, 2020
7 Commentson Book Tour Stop and Giveaway! A Wizard’s Forge by A.M. Justice

Thank you so much to Storytellers On Tour for having me on the tour for A Wizard’s Forge! Please check out the links at the bottom for the giveaway and other tour hosts! While this was published in 2016, we are featuring the book to generate buzz for the upcoming sequel, A Wizard’s Sacrifice, coming on October 6th

Quick Facts:
Title: A Wizard’s Forge
Series: The Woern Saga, #1
Author: A.M. Justice
Published: Wise Ink Creative Publishing – September 2016
Length: 326 pages
Rate & Recommend:  with caution
Here is the synopsis:
Wizards are forged, not born.
Victoria of Ourtown lived through a nightmare to become the ruthless soldier known as Vic the Blade. Once she wished to explore the world settled by her spacefaring ancestors; now she thinks only of revenge.
Prince Ashel’s carefree days are filled with music, revels, and dreams of a life with Vic. Those hopes die when the thrust of an assassin’s knife drives him to war.
The target of Vic’s and Ashel’s wrath is Lornk Korng, a tyrant whose schemes stretch across a continent and a lifetime.
A mysterious alien race holds the key to a legendary—and lethal—power. Whoever possesses this power will hold the world in their hands. Will they save it, or doom it?
A gripping tale of empowerment and revenge plays out against a breathtaking backdrop of dark fantasy and science fiction.
I have strong mixed feelings about the book but ended up at a 3 star rating. Let me talk about the good things and then come back to the bad things, and end on a good note again.
I liked the plot in general quite a bit. A girl is captured as a young teen and sent to be essentially a sex slave to a realm lord. She ends up escaped and in the hands of the Royal family of his enemy country, then in the military, and eventually obviously discovers magical prowess. Whatever other misgivings I had, the book stayed interesting.
The only power that seems to exist in the land is mind speech and Listening, which is frustrating for those who don’t have it and interesting if not complicated for those who do. Other than this telekinesis, only the wizard(s) have any magical prowess involving air/matter manipulation and the ability is guarded by a strange race of desert people.
The characters are a true mixed bag but there were a few highlights, including the manipulative Queen Elekia, Prince Ashel, and quite a few of the soldiers within Vic’s military circle.
The world building is pretty well done including religious descriptions that differ but are all based off of the Legend (or reality depending on who you ask) of the space ship Elesendar that originally brought humans to the world.
And now I branch into my many digressions. I feel like the space ship had to be real because you can’t just create warp drives and captains logs, but it’s totally irrelevant to the entire story, world, book, etc. One other sci-fi element exists but the world denizens don’t even have electricity or firearms or anything, it’s very much a world of horses and swords WHERE a random network teleportation device exists. Ummm…?
As far as content, Vic’s entire world rotates around her lasting feelings for her captor, who tortured and stripped and humiliated her while constantly assaulting her. Now Vic was only 14 at first so it’s like grooming a child but with torture. But then in the weirdest situations, even while intent on killing him years and years later she kept remembering his fingers doing things to her and getting aroused and there were some pretty graphic descriptions. Even with that she was just going to hop in bed with his son too. And she never gets past it, or seems very hard to try to. I thought this was written by a guy that has never interacted with a female and was a little surprised when I went back and reminded myself who was writing it.
Additionally, there were so many times where random names and places were thrown in and never mentioned before. Development between characters was hardly there – one minute they just met, then the book fast forwards and everyone is close friends without anything in between. This occurred with skills too, Vic became a pretty pro wizard in about ten minutes and then a day or two later was capable of huge feats. Plot forwarding is a plus but development in general is a hard no in this book. This is why I didn’t list any of the main characters as favorites, it was impossible to connect to them. There are also a huge number of times where characters jump out of character and their actions make little sense.
There is one stylistic thing that kept popping up where chapters or breaks would begin in the middle of action, then we had to backtrack to learn what was going on. To me this was just confusing and jarring every time because I thought I missed something, then learned to roll with it. The other thing related to this is that especially with major revelations or with action happening, I think the author was trying to connect dots in the readers head by being vague and cryptic but I frankly just didn’t get it at times and wish the information had been spelled out.
Also Woern, as far as I remember, was never mentioned so I’m curious about the name of the series.
Ok deep breath, let’s pull this back to the positives.
I read the entire thing without skimming, no matter how frustrating it got. I saw a LOT of really hard but sensible criticism for this book and I think the author probably took some of it into consideration for the next book, which I at least do want to read at some point.
Do I recommend this book? Honestly I have mixed feelings but the plot itself isn’t terrible and I think there are plenty of people who will enjoy it.
February 7, 2017
I loved this book!
It's about a girl that start's a as a logkeeper (logkeepers maintain the logs that is something like books that hide the history of the world) and then her life completely change.
What I liked the most about the main character Victoria, is that she knows who she is, there is no in the beginning. She is a logkeeper and she likes her job and then something happens that completely changes the situations and the environment. Victoria adjusts and changes as a character but also succeeds to stay true to her self. I enjoyed it a lot that I couldn't predict what would happened next.
The side characters were very intriguing too, the villain was complex the best kind.
I will definitely read the next one of this series and I recommend it!!!
*My thanks to Netgalley and Wise Ink Creative Publishing for this e-arc*
It's about a girl that start's a as a logkeeper (logkeepers maintain the logs that is something like books that hide the history of the world) and then her life completely change.
What I liked the most about the main character Victoria, is that she knows who she is, there is no in the beginning. She is a logkeeper and she likes her job and then something happens that completely changes the situations and the environment. Victoria adjusts and changes as a character but also succeeds to stay true to her self. I enjoyed it a lot that I couldn't predict what would happened next.
The side characters were very intriguing too, the villain was complex the best kind.
I will definitely read the next one of this series and I recommend it!!!
*My thanks to Netgalley and Wise Ink Creative Publishing for this e-arc*
July 20, 2016
Received an ARC from Netgalley for an honest review. Epic medieval fantasy. Victoria is the youngest Logkeeper ever. Traveling to the other villages to teach, she is captured by pirates and sold into slavery to the sadistic Relmlord. Psychologically bending her to his will through seduction and deprivation, she escapes to the land he is at war with. The royals of Lathan embrace her as their ward, and slowly she heals. Joining the Lathan army, she advances in the ranks. They call her the Blade, her unit , the best. Lornk's hold on her, still, is crippling her. When he captures the prince of Lathan, she uses her newly awakened powers as a wizard to free him and try to kill Lornk. Betrayal, war & magic made this an action packed read in book 1 of The Woern Saga.
July 28, 2016
Review incoming soon....
May 15, 2019
Read review over at Fantasy Book Critic
Overall rating = 3.5 stars
OVERVIEW/ANALYSIS: A Wizard's Forge is a debut that intrigued me with its mix of SF and fantasy. Very few books have done so, and one of the most underrated ones out there is the Coldfire trilogy by C. S. Friedman.
A Wizard's Forge begins with with Vic, a young woman who becomes the youngest logkeeper. A logkeeper is a person who are charged with the preservation of the log records of the spaceship that brought the human populace to the planet known as Knownearth. Vic is a person whose youth hides her brilliant mind and the author really showcases her mental aptitude. Vic however is captured by slavers who take her to the city of Traine. Wherein she’s forced to be a mistress to the lord of the region Lornk Korng. Over the next few months, she suffers psychologically and physically. But soon events arise wherein she gets a chance to truly fulfill her potential and the plot truly thickens.
Besides Vic, we get a POV from prince Ashel and it’s a solidly different approach with his story. The story is strengthened by the presence of both of its POV characters as well as the rest of the character cast including Lornk and his son Earnk, Ashel’s sibling and his parents as well as the soldiers that Vic works with. Amanda M. Justice really nails down the characters and starting with Vic who’ undergoes some horribic abuse of the sexual and psychological kind. The author never goes into the actual events but through Vic’s recollections as well her internal monologue, the readers get a proper idea about what it is and how much of a sadistic prick Lornk is.
With Ashel’s POV, we get to see things from his privileged status. While he doesn’t do anything terrible, we get to see things from a person who doesn’t have to endure indignities as the same as those taken by the slavers. I liked this dual perspective and another thing that the author truly highlights is the diverse nature of the world. There’s quite a few races as well as a magic system that is perhaps not quite entirely explored in this story.
I loved the backstory of this world and it reminded me quite a bit of the Coldfire trilogy by C. S. Friedman. The essential common bit being that mankind travelled from Earth and now descendants barely remember their Origins. This is where the similarity ends as in the Coldfire trilogy, the world and its inhabitants are hostile to mankind whereas in Amanda’s Knownearth. Humanity has been able to successfully transplant itself while coming up with some new origin stories. I would have loved to read about the backstory and how and why the inhabitants survived. But with this being volume one, I think I can wait to see how Amanda Justice illuminates the past.
There were a couple of drawbacks with this book for me. Namely the pace of the story which really isn’t the quicksilver kind. Perhaps this was intentionally done as the author slowly and surely raised the stakes and gives us a very emotionally resonant climax. The second point was that the magic system isn’t quite properly explained. Sure Vic is able to do things as are a few others but its cloaked in secrecy (especially the forest sequences in Latha). I would have liked to know more the forests and trees as well as how the world affected mankind. Maybe it will be revealed in the sequels.
CONCLUSION: Amanda M. Justice’s debut is a particularly solid effort that is dark and refreshingly unique. With characters that resonate and a prose style that is spartan but conveys the truth effectively. A Wizard’s Forge is a SPFBO debut that missed out on the finals but makes sure that the sequels will be worth checking out.
July 31, 2018
A.M. Justice has created a unique and interesting world. The origin is that humans crash landed on the planet thousands of years ago and settled in. By now, some cultures keep the history, even though they were unable to preserve the technology, and in some cultures it's morphed into a religion that worships the Landing as that of a god and the origin of their people.
The science fiction element is in the framework of the history—the setting of Vic's life is heavily fantasy in nature. It's mainly low fantasy at that. Her use of magic develops late in the story. Wizardry is actually a nearly extinct art.
Victoria of Ourtown, or Vic the Blade as she comes to be known, is a smart and determined woman. Her bright future full of potential is stolen from her when she's captured into slavery and sold as a "mistress", which is basically a personal sex slave to a Lord. Trapped in a hopeless situation, she eventually finds allies and a way to rebuild her self-esteem and her future.
There are at times other point of view characters to fill in more plot developments, but it's very much Vic's story. She's haunted by her experiences as a slave and fights not only to survive but thrive. Heroic at times and tormented at others, Vic is a complex character who struggles to empower herself, sometimes with success and sometimes at a cost.
I really felt like I was in this world; the experience was quite immersive for me. Vic didn't always do what I wanted her to do but I found her easy to root for. So many complications arise during the main conflict, even at it's climax, and I'm interested to see where the series goes.
The science fiction element is in the framework of the history—the setting of Vic's life is heavily fantasy in nature. It's mainly low fantasy at that. Her use of magic develops late in the story. Wizardry is actually a nearly extinct art.
Victoria of Ourtown, or Vic the Blade as she comes to be known, is a smart and determined woman. Her bright future full of potential is stolen from her when she's captured into slavery and sold as a "mistress", which is basically a personal sex slave to a Lord. Trapped in a hopeless situation, she eventually finds allies and a way to rebuild her self-esteem and her future.
There are at times other point of view characters to fill in more plot developments, but it's very much Vic's story. She's haunted by her experiences as a slave and fights not only to survive but thrive. Heroic at times and tormented at others, Vic is a complex character who struggles to empower herself, sometimes with success and sometimes at a cost.
I really felt like I was in this world; the experience was quite immersive for me. Vic didn't always do what I wanted her to do but I found her easy to root for. So many complications arise during the main conflict, even at it's climax, and I'm interested to see where the series goes.
July 5, 2018
A mix of SciFi and fantasy. A starship with colonists has gone off course, had some sort of difficulty, and its passengers have gone down to colonize a livable planet, but not the one they sought. There is an uncomfortable discovery – there seems to be little or no metal ore on this planet, so over the generations their society descends to what is little better than the stone age. They start wars with bow and arrow, and stone daggers (but no slings). Victoria is just becoming a woman, and becomes a logkeeper, a person who is recording history and looking after books, etc, in the hope they will eventually restart the growth of technology, but she is captured by slavers, and sold as a sex slave to Lornk, the Relmlord, who seems devoted to conquering all. Victoria escapes, and . . .
There is the residue of ancient technology, but there is also magic. There are some reasonable action scenes, some fairly gruesome scenes, and the overall picture would be dark. The world building is excellent, as are the descriptions of the terrain. The characters are reasonably well-drawn, except I had a problem with Victoria, who seemingly could not make up her mind who she hated. I also felt that some of the characters really acted out of their quite well-drawn character at times, which led to problems, so I felt some of the crises were somewhat contrived. Overall, I felt that once the characters were fairly well established, they did not really follow what you would expect of those character traits. I can't explain that without spoiling, so I won't, but if you are deeply into character behaviour, this may not be for you. However, the story flowed well. Another point that I did not like is the book is seemingly the first in a series, and it ended with a cliff-hanger, with nothing resolved. Overall, good light reading.
There is the residue of ancient technology, but there is also magic. There are some reasonable action scenes, some fairly gruesome scenes, and the overall picture would be dark. The world building is excellent, as are the descriptions of the terrain. The characters are reasonably well-drawn, except I had a problem with Victoria, who seemingly could not make up her mind who she hated. I also felt that some of the characters really acted out of their quite well-drawn character at times, which led to problems, so I felt some of the crises were somewhat contrived. Overall, I felt that once the characters were fairly well established, they did not really follow what you would expect of those character traits. I can't explain that without spoiling, so I won't, but if you are deeply into character behaviour, this may not be for you. However, the story flowed well. Another point that I did not like is the book is seemingly the first in a series, and it ended with a cliff-hanger, with nothing resolved. Overall, good light reading.
September 20, 2016
Disclaimer: I received a free ebook of this novel from the author in exchange for an honest review.
It’s no surprise that I was drawn to this book immediately, considering it’s fusion of fantasy and science-fiction elements, it’s excellent world-building, and its awesome protagonist named Vic (short for Victoria). But I’ve been burned by free ARCs before. I’m so pleased to report that this novel met all expectations, and in many cases, far exceeded them.
The world of A Wizard’s Forge is a high fantasy setting solidly rooted in science-fiction. The concept of a planet inhabited by people thousands of years past colonization is used to great effect by the author. The main character, an oral historian for her people, is viewed as a heretic by people in another part of the world where history has entered the realm of mythology. At one point later in the book, I even had a few moments of wondering whether Vic’s certainty regarding the past was real or not, despite the logic of a colony ship vastly outweighing the origin belief of magic trees.
Which leads me to the next thing I loved about this novel. An author who makes me question the logic of their world-building hasn’t done a very good job. An author who makes me question philosophical elements of their world-building as if I’m a member of that world, on the other hand, truly impresses me. The main character in this novel is raised with one religion (very rooted in science), which contrasts deeply with that of other characters she meets (which is much more fantastical). About halfway through the novel, I was stunned to realize that I’d started to drift into the realm of the fantastical interpretation, even beginning to question the main character’s beliefs! In this way, both the world and the characters of The Woern Saga are incredibly three-dimensional and well thought out.
All of the secondary characters in this novel shine, both allies and villains. But Vic truly deserves to be the star of this show. While I’d love to at some point take a more in-depth look at some of the other characters, I never once thought “I’d rather be reading about them right now, instead.” In many ways, Vic follows the traditional hero’s journey in this book, but the author takes it in some surprising directions. Though I was consistently surprised, Vic’s actions never ventured into unbelievable territory for me. Another excellent balancing act by the author.
On a final note, some readers may be turned off early in the text by some of the tribulations Vic goes through. “Oh great, another female character whose entire motivation for character development is based in sexual assault.” Yes… and no. That is a shallow reading of a what eventually becomes a very nuanced experience that informs much of Vic’s character and actions throughout the rest of the novel, and probably the trilogy as a whole.
A Wizard’s Forge is a fantastic ride, and I hope lots of readers give it a shot and join me for the rest of the story.
It’s no surprise that I was drawn to this book immediately, considering it’s fusion of fantasy and science-fiction elements, it’s excellent world-building, and its awesome protagonist named Vic (short for Victoria). But I’ve been burned by free ARCs before. I’m so pleased to report that this novel met all expectations, and in many cases, far exceeded them.
The world of A Wizard’s Forge is a high fantasy setting solidly rooted in science-fiction. The concept of a planet inhabited by people thousands of years past colonization is used to great effect by the author. The main character, an oral historian for her people, is viewed as a heretic by people in another part of the world where history has entered the realm of mythology. At one point later in the book, I even had a few moments of wondering whether Vic’s certainty regarding the past was real or not, despite the logic of a colony ship vastly outweighing the origin belief of magic trees.
Which leads me to the next thing I loved about this novel. An author who makes me question the logic of their world-building hasn’t done a very good job. An author who makes me question philosophical elements of their world-building as if I’m a member of that world, on the other hand, truly impresses me. The main character in this novel is raised with one religion (very rooted in science), which contrasts deeply with that of other characters she meets (which is much more fantastical). About halfway through the novel, I was stunned to realize that I’d started to drift into the realm of the fantastical interpretation, even beginning to question the main character’s beliefs! In this way, both the world and the characters of The Woern Saga are incredibly three-dimensional and well thought out.
All of the secondary characters in this novel shine, both allies and villains. But Vic truly deserves to be the star of this show. While I’d love to at some point take a more in-depth look at some of the other characters, I never once thought “I’d rather be reading about them right now, instead.” In many ways, Vic follows the traditional hero’s journey in this book, but the author takes it in some surprising directions. Though I was consistently surprised, Vic’s actions never ventured into unbelievable territory for me. Another excellent balancing act by the author.
On a final note, some readers may be turned off early in the text by some of the tribulations Vic goes through. “Oh great, another female character whose entire motivation for character development is based in sexual assault.” Yes… and no. That is a shallow reading of a what eventually becomes a very nuanced experience that informs much of Vic’s character and actions throughout the rest of the novel, and probably the trilogy as a whole.
A Wizard’s Forge is a fantastic ride, and I hope lots of readers give it a shot and join me for the rest of the story.
August 30, 2016
The scope, imagination, and intrigue in this book were absolutely phenomenal. This is probably the first time that I've ever read a book that deals with any kind of sexual abuse. For that reason I wasn't entirely sure how much I'd like it. I think it was how the main character deals with it, the journey through which she grapples with her independence, her identity, her powers vs. weaknesses that made this book both epic and humble. For all of this I really must give my kudos to A.M. Justice for a fantastic tale!
Some notes that are a reflection more of me as a reader than the quality of the book itself:
1) Sometimes I had difficulty figuring out what was going on when details were glossed over in the storyline and time progressed faster than normal. There were then recollections (I'm thinking I think of her time trapped with Lornk for example) that revealed more of the story later.
2) I think I found it difficult to follow, identify, and remember such a large cast of characters. This probably led to me feeling less attached to any one character than I would have otherwise.
3) The ‘factual’ foundational story of the book (how humanity got to another planet) comes and goes really quickly at the beginning of the book, and then is referred to very seldomly thereafter. I had to read the author’s website to remind myself, and then go back to the beginning to verify that I had indeed read and forgot it!! I thought it was cool how A.M. Justice takes the foundational story of how humanity was born and carves out other beliefs about the phenomenon for other people. Very appropriate given the nature of storytelling itself!
4) I enjoyed the exclamations, such as ‘Elesendar’, ‘Shrine’, ‘Shrinejump’. These sorts of things are cute and go far toward marking a culture/belief system different from our own.
5) Apart from those linguistic differences and the obvious premium put on metals, it was quite easy to forget that this story is supposed to take place on a completely different world. Perhaps the biggest reminder were the descriptions of the Kragnashians, bug-like aliens that they are!
Some notes that are a reflection more of me as a reader than the quality of the book itself:
1) Sometimes I had difficulty figuring out what was going on when details were glossed over in the storyline and time progressed faster than normal. There were then recollections (I'm thinking I think of her time trapped with Lornk for example) that revealed more of the story later.
2) I think I found it difficult to follow, identify, and remember such a large cast of characters. This probably led to me feeling less attached to any one character than I would have otherwise.
3) The ‘factual’ foundational story of the book (how humanity got to another planet) comes and goes really quickly at the beginning of the book, and then is referred to very seldomly thereafter. I had to read the author’s website to remind myself, and then go back to the beginning to verify that I had indeed read and forgot it!! I thought it was cool how A.M. Justice takes the foundational story of how humanity was born and carves out other beliefs about the phenomenon for other people. Very appropriate given the nature of storytelling itself!
4) I enjoyed the exclamations, such as ‘Elesendar’, ‘Shrine’, ‘Shrinejump’. These sorts of things are cute and go far toward marking a culture/belief system different from our own.
5) Apart from those linguistic differences and the obvious premium put on metals, it was quite easy to forget that this story is supposed to take place on a completely different world. Perhaps the biggest reminder were the descriptions of the Kragnashians, bug-like aliens that they are!
October 16, 2017
THE RUNDOWN
“Scholar. Slave. Warrior. Wizard.”
Vic is the youngest log keeper in generations. This means that she memorizes the last recordings of the spaceship Elesendar, a craft from Earth that was stranded on her planet thousands of years ago. The people of this planet have descended from those left on the surface. What survives is a diverse culture spread across the surface of Knownearth.
But when Vic is captured and sold into sex slavery, things take a drastic turn. She is the mistress of the Remlord, Lornk Korng, held against her will and abused at his hand. He strips her of her name, her clothes and her dignity. But when the brutal master leaves, his son flips the script, allowing Vic to roam the house and regain her dignity. He shows her a portal that eventually saves her life. But the life on the other side of the world, won’t be so easy either. In the new city and culture, Vic will once again remake herself and become the warrior that can take on her former master.
THE RECOMMENDATION
This book has to be one of the best books I’ve read in the genre in a long time. The author is extremely skilled in all areas that make for a compelling story. The characters are realistic, likable (except for the evil Korng which is the point) and sympathetic. The plot is fast paced, with no lag where I wanted to stop reading. The world building is very well done, coloring in all the areas that make each new setting feel real. Finally, her craft is excellent. Justice is obviously a skilled master with many years of writing under her belt, and a good editor. Anyone who likes reading in the adult fantasy genre will appreciate this book. I do want to warn however: anyone sensitive to sexual abuse should avoid reading this book. They might find Vic’s treatment very disturbing and upsetting. The situation doesn’t last that long and is necessary to build the character, but could upset some readers who find that sort of thing unreadable.
“Scholar. Slave. Warrior. Wizard.”
Vic is the youngest log keeper in generations. This means that she memorizes the last recordings of the spaceship Elesendar, a craft from Earth that was stranded on her planet thousands of years ago. The people of this planet have descended from those left on the surface. What survives is a diverse culture spread across the surface of Knownearth.
But when Vic is captured and sold into sex slavery, things take a drastic turn. She is the mistress of the Remlord, Lornk Korng, held against her will and abused at his hand. He strips her of her name, her clothes and her dignity. But when the brutal master leaves, his son flips the script, allowing Vic to roam the house and regain her dignity. He shows her a portal that eventually saves her life. But the life on the other side of the world, won’t be so easy either. In the new city and culture, Vic will once again remake herself and become the warrior that can take on her former master.
THE RECOMMENDATION
This book has to be one of the best books I’ve read in the genre in a long time. The author is extremely skilled in all areas that make for a compelling story. The characters are realistic, likable (except for the evil Korng which is the point) and sympathetic. The plot is fast paced, with no lag where I wanted to stop reading. The world building is very well done, coloring in all the areas that make each new setting feel real. Finally, her craft is excellent. Justice is obviously a skilled master with many years of writing under her belt, and a good editor. Anyone who likes reading in the adult fantasy genre will appreciate this book. I do want to warn however: anyone sensitive to sexual abuse should avoid reading this book. They might find Vic’s treatment very disturbing and upsetting. The situation doesn’t last that long and is necessary to build the character, but could upset some readers who find that sort of thing unreadable.
August 14, 2016
Is the Relmlord Dead?
A broken young girl, ripped away from a life she only just begun to live and forced into a painful life of untold horror and misery without any hope of the path she was raised to follow. The very abrupt and catchy opening storyline is a good firm base for a tale of hell and heroism, love and loss, sometimes from those we expect it from and often those we don’t. The plot is not about a forge with a fire and hammer in a real life situation, but a metaphor for a young girl with no hope, who, as a risen phoenix, takes life by the collar, gives it a good shake and stands up to be counted, not letting anything or anyone get in her way. The storyline is fast paced and clips right along and while leaving no stone unturned, it’s not clunky or too heavy, but takes the reader on a whirlwind path to follow a wizard forged into many guises. Well written and so easy to read, I finished very very late evening or more so, I should say, early the following morning. This appears to be the beginning of a very good epic story, so I will be hanging around waiting impatiently for the next episode (of hopefully many more) in our heroine’s life.
A review copy was provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
A broken young girl, ripped away from a life she only just begun to live and forced into a painful life of untold horror and misery without any hope of the path she was raised to follow. The very abrupt and catchy opening storyline is a good firm base for a tale of hell and heroism, love and loss, sometimes from those we expect it from and often those we don’t. The plot is not about a forge with a fire and hammer in a real life situation, but a metaphor for a young girl with no hope, who, as a risen phoenix, takes life by the collar, gives it a good shake and stands up to be counted, not letting anything or anyone get in her way. The storyline is fast paced and clips right along and while leaving no stone unturned, it’s not clunky or too heavy, but takes the reader on a whirlwind path to follow a wizard forged into many guises. Well written and so easy to read, I finished very very late evening or more so, I should say, early the following morning. This appears to be the beginning of a very good epic story, so I will be hanging around waiting impatiently for the next episode (of hopefully many more) in our heroine’s life.
A review copy was provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
November 8, 2016
This is how an amazing, captivating book looks like!
This book is about Vic, a girl who is going through hell and worse trying to find her true self. She goes through a lot of changes in the course of the book. At first, she is a Logkeeper, entrusted with her people's history. Then she is being held captive and becomes the mistress of the vicious Remlord, but she manages to escape his estate and flee to Latha, the state enemy of Rem, where she becomes a fierce warrior. And finally she discovers she is a creature of lore- a wizard.
Who is she? Is she a teacher, the Remlord's puppet or a tool in the hands of the queen of Latha? We follow Vic's journey as she tries to understand herself and overcome the strings that hold her back.
But let the reader be warned: there are some dark themes in this book, such as sexual abuse, violence, bloodshed, that many may find uncomfortable.
This book is about Vic, a girl who is going through hell and worse trying to find her true self. She goes through a lot of changes in the course of the book. At first, she is a Logkeeper, entrusted with her people's history. Then she is being held captive and becomes the mistress of the vicious Remlord, but she manages to escape his estate and flee to Latha, the state enemy of Rem, where she becomes a fierce warrior. And finally she discovers she is a creature of lore- a wizard.
Who is she? Is she a teacher, the Remlord's puppet or a tool in the hands of the queen of Latha? We follow Vic's journey as she tries to understand herself and overcome the strings that hold her back.
But let the reader be warned: there are some dark themes in this book, such as sexual abuse, violence, bloodshed, that many may find uncomfortable.
July 28, 2016
For me I would rate this book as a solid 4 stars. There were times were I was sucked into the book and anticipating the next moment and there were times that seemed to drag on forever. I really loved the main character Victoria, she was a very strong lead Heroine, to counteract the vile antagonist Lornk. Speaking of characters there were a ton to many for me to keep up. I also struggled to understand the lure/ world this took place in at times. I read in the book club questions that this is a loose retelling of Rapunzel as told by the Grimm brothers which is very interesting, I will have to pick up the story to compare. I overall liked the book enough to read the whole way through and would read the next in the series..
I received this copy for review from Netgally :)
I received this copy for review from Netgally :)
June 23, 2018
A Wizard’s Forge: Book One of the Woern Saga is SciFantasy that explores belief, brutality, and an unknown race that begets power upon a young woman who has been forged first by teaching, then by slavery, then a war between kingdoms.
What becomes of us when we are shaped by events? There isn’t always a scar visible to show we have walked through hell and fire. Having your mind and identity taken from you bit by bit until you become someone else is a terrifying thought for most of us. Those that have suffered slavery of both body and mind may look like ordinary on the outside, they are anything but on the inside. This is the story of the lost people of Knownearth, one woman, two kingdoms, mysterious magic power, and the fate of an entire planet.
A Wizard’s Forge is a complex story about exactly how people can be forged into becoming an entirely different person. The condition we know as Stockholm syndrome. Stockholm syndrome is not merely a condition developed in victims of kidnappings or hostage instances. It can also be applied to a wider variety of situations, afflicting victims of domestic or child abuse, human trafficking, and incest. Prisoners of war, political terrorism, cult members, concentration camp prisoners, slaves, and prostitutes also fall prey to Stockholm syndrome. It is believed that women are especially subject to develop the condition.
We first meet Victoria from Ourtown and learn how her education shaped her beliefs, learning the logs from the starship Elesandar. handed down from generation to generation was her calling in life. She becomes the youngest logkeeper in history and begins to travel from town to town along the isolated northern coastal towns known where those that once were miners have settled. They sought the materials to repair their space transport, but failed and settled the region they had travelled to, widely cut off from the rest of the population that settled elsewhere on the continent.
Taught from childhood that she and her people came from the stars 3000 years earlier and that preserving the knowledge in the logs could be the key to their origins and even possibly returning to their home world one day, she can see the shuttle Elesendar shining like a star, orbiting the planet in the night sky. Her abduction by pirate slavers changes her sheltered world and she begins to question everything she has ever known. Violently abducted and sold as a mistress slave to a misogynistic and cruel megalomaniac, the Relmlord, Lornk Korng in the city of Traine, she endures months of abuse, while he changes her name and destroys her identity of herself with patience and cunning under the guise of affection. Vic fights with all her will to retain her identity. To resist the temptation to love that which is false, as a possession, an object, and to fight for the will to regain her freedom.
This is a novel about the ways that our lives and our loves forge us. It can be wrought by cruelty and kindness in turns, demanding and desperate, or lying subconscious, waiting for trust to allow it to grow again anew. It is about the forging of a deadly assassin, the strange gift of power to a mind not prepared to receive it, and the forging of a wizard. A wizard that wants revenge, who wants to save the man she loves, but cannot trust her own heart because of the twisted feelings of want and revulsion that still reside within her.
Victoria’s initial ignorance of the power many people possess, such as the ability of mindspeech, a type of telepathic communication prevalent on the planet in some peoples, and her first encounters with it leave her bewildered, helpless, then hell-bent on revenge. She becomes a soldier. She becomes a weapon. But whose weapon is she? The Queen of Latha for whom she fights? The Relmlord who made her Kara? The strange insectoid race of the Kragnashians with their waters of power? Or will she claim the power to become master of herself again?
The possession by the Relmlord, is a sexually based and mental violation. Coveted by one man who will stop at nothing to reclaim his creation, confused by her feelings for another, she forsakes her adoptive family, and possibly, her true love, to pursue a course of defeating both her inner demons, and the man who created them. Along the way, the truth of unlocking the power Vic possesses lies with the strange insectoid race, the Kragnashians, that have an ulterior motive in unleashing Vic upon the world which they share with humanity.
The story itself is unique and captivating in its own way. Good prose, dialouge and characters with depth. Many aspects of this book may make this an emotionally difficult read for some. There are no gaps in pacing, although by comparison, the beginning of the book is tranquil and the end is a small holocaust. There is plenty of action and political intrigue, alongside rape and murder. The world building is tightly focused and character driven.
I would recommend this to readers that enjoy good prose with a strong character voices, in a story that deals with multiple adult themes. The end, while not a cliffhanger, was chaotic and very fast paced, leaving the reader as beleaugered as the survivors. The path is open for Vic to either become someone to be feared, or someone whose knowledge and power could now change the destiny of the people on her world. We shall have to wait for book two, A Wizard’s Sacrifice, to find out.
What becomes of us when we are shaped by events? There isn’t always a scar visible to show we have walked through hell and fire. Having your mind and identity taken from you bit by bit until you become someone else is a terrifying thought for most of us. Those that have suffered slavery of both body and mind may look like ordinary on the outside, they are anything but on the inside. This is the story of the lost people of Knownearth, one woman, two kingdoms, mysterious magic power, and the fate of an entire planet.
A Wizard’s Forge is a complex story about exactly how people can be forged into becoming an entirely different person. The condition we know as Stockholm syndrome. Stockholm syndrome is not merely a condition developed in victims of kidnappings or hostage instances. It can also be applied to a wider variety of situations, afflicting victims of domestic or child abuse, human trafficking, and incest. Prisoners of war, political terrorism, cult members, concentration camp prisoners, slaves, and prostitutes also fall prey to Stockholm syndrome. It is believed that women are especially subject to develop the condition.
We first meet Victoria from Ourtown and learn how her education shaped her beliefs, learning the logs from the starship Elesandar. handed down from generation to generation was her calling in life. She becomes the youngest logkeeper in history and begins to travel from town to town along the isolated northern coastal towns known where those that once were miners have settled. They sought the materials to repair their space transport, but failed and settled the region they had travelled to, widely cut off from the rest of the population that settled elsewhere on the continent.
Taught from childhood that she and her people came from the stars 3000 years earlier and that preserving the knowledge in the logs could be the key to their origins and even possibly returning to their home world one day, she can see the shuttle Elesendar shining like a star, orbiting the planet in the night sky. Her abduction by pirate slavers changes her sheltered world and she begins to question everything she has ever known. Violently abducted and sold as a mistress slave to a misogynistic and cruel megalomaniac, the Relmlord, Lornk Korng in the city of Traine, she endures months of abuse, while he changes her name and destroys her identity of herself with patience and cunning under the guise of affection. Vic fights with all her will to retain her identity. To resist the temptation to love that which is false, as a possession, an object, and to fight for the will to regain her freedom.
This is a novel about the ways that our lives and our loves forge us. It can be wrought by cruelty and kindness in turns, demanding and desperate, or lying subconscious, waiting for trust to allow it to grow again anew. It is about the forging of a deadly assassin, the strange gift of power to a mind not prepared to receive it, and the forging of a wizard. A wizard that wants revenge, who wants to save the man she loves, but cannot trust her own heart because of the twisted feelings of want and revulsion that still reside within her.
Victoria’s initial ignorance of the power many people possess, such as the ability of mindspeech, a type of telepathic communication prevalent on the planet in some peoples, and her first encounters with it leave her bewildered, helpless, then hell-bent on revenge. She becomes a soldier. She becomes a weapon. But whose weapon is she? The Queen of Latha for whom she fights? The Relmlord who made her Kara? The strange insectoid race of the Kragnashians with their waters of power? Or will she claim the power to become master of herself again?
The possession by the Relmlord, is a sexually based and mental violation. Coveted by one man who will stop at nothing to reclaim his creation, confused by her feelings for another, she forsakes her adoptive family, and possibly, her true love, to pursue a course of defeating both her inner demons, and the man who created them. Along the way, the truth of unlocking the power Vic possesses lies with the strange insectoid race, the Kragnashians, that have an ulterior motive in unleashing Vic upon the world which they share with humanity.
The story itself is unique and captivating in its own way. Good prose, dialouge and characters with depth. Many aspects of this book may make this an emotionally difficult read for some. There are no gaps in pacing, although by comparison, the beginning of the book is tranquil and the end is a small holocaust. There is plenty of action and political intrigue, alongside rape and murder. The world building is tightly focused and character driven.
I would recommend this to readers that enjoy good prose with a strong character voices, in a story that deals with multiple adult themes. The end, while not a cliffhanger, was chaotic and very fast paced, leaving the reader as beleaugered as the survivors. The path is open for Vic to either become someone to be feared, or someone whose knowledge and power could now change the destiny of the people on her world. We shall have to wait for book two, A Wizard’s Sacrifice, to find out.
August 4, 2016
I received a free copy via Netgalley in exchange for a honest review.
This was a thoroughly entertaining fantasy.
The main characters were very strong and the world was very believable.
My only negative would be that there were a few too many characters which at times made the story difficult to follow.
This was a thoroughly entertaining fantasy.
The main characters were very strong and the world was very believable.
My only negative would be that there were a few too many characters which at times made the story difficult to follow.
July 23, 2016
One of the best fantasy noels I have read in a long time. Brilliant plot, outstanding writing and enthralling from start to finish. Highly recommend!
July 16, 2018
Wow what and amazing story! This was an extraordinary story. This story is so completely well written and thought through.
This Victoria or rather Vic’s story. She is so strong, but lost even through it all she forges ahead. She is strong, but afraid as she is kidnapped and sold into sex slavery, things take a drastic turn. She is held against her will and abused at his hand of Lornk Korng. He strips her of her name, her clothes and her dignity. But when he leaves, his son takes over. He is so different from his father and he allows Vic to roam the house and regain her dignity. He even shows her a portal that eventually is her way out. But the life on the other side of the world won’t be so easy either. In the new city Vic will need to remake herself and become the warrior that can take on Lornk Korng. I can't wait for the next book.
Now before I ruin this for you I will leave off. I hope you enjoy this book as much as I did. If you do like this book, please consider leaving a review. The Authors really like it when you do; they value your opinions too.
This Victoria or rather Vic’s story. She is so strong, but lost even through it all she forges ahead. She is strong, but afraid as she is kidnapped and sold into sex slavery, things take a drastic turn. She is held against her will and abused at his hand of Lornk Korng. He strips her of her name, her clothes and her dignity. But when he leaves, his son takes over. He is so different from his father and he allows Vic to roam the house and regain her dignity. He even shows her a portal that eventually is her way out. But the life on the other side of the world won’t be so easy either. In the new city Vic will need to remake herself and become the warrior that can take on Lornk Korng. I can't wait for the next book.
Now before I ruin this for you I will leave off. I hope you enjoy this book as much as I did. If you do like this book, please consider leaving a review. The Authors really like it when you do; they value your opinions too.
August 29, 2018
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, from the first sentence to the last. It is, in essence, the story of a young woman's journey from intellectual prodigy to sexual slave, then legendary warrior and, finally, well...I don't want to spoil it for you. There is plenty of action, along with a great cast of characters, one of whom is the best, most three-dimensional villain this side of Game of Thrones. There's also a fascinating blending of science fiction and fantasy that I totally accepted. Lastly, the novel also features a number of worthy themes -- the nature of family, loyalty, gender roles and more. If you're looking for some darkish fantasy that isn't just bash-and-smash, you've found the right novel!
August 20, 2019
A solid dark fantasy yarn. Review here - https://www.alwroteabook.com/2019/08/...
September 24, 2016
**3.5 Stars **
Whew! This one took a while to get through, but I did enjoy it overall!
The book follows a sixteen-year-old girl, Vic, who is kidnapped and sold as a sex slave to one of the most powerful men in the realm. Not only does he physically abuse her, but he also submits her to intense psychological torture to make her believe that she is "his". Once she finally escapes, Vic embarks on a dark journey for revenge, doing whatever it takes to enact her revenge.
Before I begin this review, there are a few things that I want to note to make sure that people are aware of:
1) This is not smut. While there is the whole sex slave theme at the beginning of the book, this book is about overcoming sexual abuse, not a BDSM relationship. So if that is what you are looking for, this is not the book for you.
2) This book is dark . There are no details spared on some of the more serious themes and scenes of the book. While the scenes are certainly well done, I just want to prepare you for that in case you aren't expecting it. I certainly wasn't and it caught me by surprise.
3) Some people feel that this was more a sci fi than a fantasy. I would argue it's a good 50/50 mix of both. It takes place in another world after space travellers crashed so you could say that plus the actual world created is sci fi. But I do think the themes of being able to read minds, wizardry, and some other aspects of the worlds are fantasy.
With that squared away, I really did like this book! I agree with fellow reviewers that it did feel slow at times, but I was mostly okay with that because Ms. Justice spent some of that time doing amazing world building. I really felt like I was able to see and experience the world that I was reading about. Particularly at the end of the book... but I won't say anything to risk giving anything away! It was also kind of slow because there were so many fight scenes, but that's probably because I don't care about that in books usually. I was in this book for the other themes so I kind of just skimmed those parts and was able to enjoy the rest just fine by doing so!
As I said in my disclaimer, this book is DARK. While I did not expect that when I read the summary, I really enjoyed it in this book. The characters were super complex and their actions were never black and white - a characteristic of books that I adore . I love when there is no clear right and wrong. I eat that shit up. So Vic struggling with how to handle her abuse and everyone around her struggling with how to treat her was perfect for me. So well done in this book.
Overall, if you like fantasy/sci fi adventure and complex characters this books should be at the top of your to read list.
Happy reading!
I received this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review
Whew! This one took a while to get through, but I did enjoy it overall!
The book follows a sixteen-year-old girl, Vic, who is kidnapped and sold as a sex slave to one of the most powerful men in the realm. Not only does he physically abuse her, but he also submits her to intense psychological torture to make her believe that she is "his". Once she finally escapes, Vic embarks on a dark journey for revenge, doing whatever it takes to enact her revenge.
Before I begin this review, there are a few things that I want to note to make sure that people are aware of:
1) This is not smut. While there is the whole sex slave theme at the beginning of the book, this book is about overcoming sexual abuse, not a BDSM relationship. So if that is what you are looking for, this is not the book for you.
2) This book is dark . There are no details spared on some of the more serious themes and scenes of the book. While the scenes are certainly well done, I just want to prepare you for that in case you aren't expecting it. I certainly wasn't and it caught me by surprise.
3) Some people feel that this was more a sci fi than a fantasy. I would argue it's a good 50/50 mix of both. It takes place in another world after space travellers crashed so you could say that plus the actual world created is sci fi. But I do think the themes of being able to read minds, wizardry, and some other aspects of the worlds are fantasy.
With that squared away, I really did like this book! I agree with fellow reviewers that it did feel slow at times, but I was mostly okay with that because Ms. Justice spent some of that time doing amazing world building. I really felt like I was able to see and experience the world that I was reading about. Particularly at the end of the book... but I won't say anything to risk giving anything away! It was also kind of slow because there were so many fight scenes, but that's probably because I don't care about that in books usually. I was in this book for the other themes so I kind of just skimmed those parts and was able to enjoy the rest just fine by doing so!
As I said in my disclaimer, this book is DARK. While I did not expect that when I read the summary, I really enjoyed it in this book. The characters were super complex and their actions were never black and white - a characteristic of books that I adore . I love when there is no clear right and wrong. I eat that shit up. So Vic struggling with how to handle her abuse and everyone around her struggling with how to treat her was perfect for me. So well done in this book.
Overall, if you like fantasy/sci fi adventure and complex characters this books should be at the top of your to read list.
Happy reading!
I received this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review
July 5, 2016
I enjoyed this book. It brings many different themes into the story: love, trust, betrayal, hope, overcoming fears. It is about a girl named Vic, who lives in her village and becomes a Logseeker, the youngest ever. She continues this job until she is kidnapped and sold to a man named Lornke. He is an older man, and renames her "Kara". He breaks down Vic emotionally, mentally, and physically, leaving her to only depend on him. She is able to escape through a device and is transported to Latha. She becomes a ward of the king and queen, but has reservations about the queen. She meets their son, Ashel, who she had met in Traine before she escaped. They become friends but eventually Ashel wants more than friendship. Vic joins the army and becomes a captain, but people in Latha believe she used her "wiles" to become a captain since she was considered "Relm's whore". She returns after 4 years away and becomes the Blade, with her group known as the Dagger. She still does not have a handle over her "relationship" with Lornk since he considers her his. Vic is able to eventually overcome this and when she is travelling to save Ashel, who was kidnapped, she drinks this water and the Kragnashians believe Vic will bring back order. This water makes her become a wizard, where she man manipulate air, similar to what the queen of Latha can do. Vic is able to rescue Ashel and realizes she cares very deeply for him. I cannot wait to read the next book to see where Vic's destiny leads her, Vic's relationship with Ashel, and this affects all the kingdoms. If you enjoy lots of plot twists, adventure, magic, and becoming more than anyone expects you to be, this is a novel for you.
I received this book from netgalley for an honest review. Thank you!!
I received this book from netgalley for an honest review. Thank you!!
September 17, 2016
***I would like to thank Netgalley and Wise Ink Creative Publishing for providing me with “A Wizard's Forge” for free, in exchange for a honest review***
A. M. Justice carved out a jewel from her work in A Wizard's Forge. This story is a twist of Anne Rice's Sleeping Beauty works and Anne McCaffrey’s Pern works. We get darkest from certain characters; however, they don't believe what they are doing is wrong. When things get to hard it moves to a lighter topic.
Victoria but Vic to her friends is a strong female character you are rooting for from the start. Everything that is thrown at her just makes her stronger. This book kept me wanting to know more. I couldn't get enough of it. Even at the end, cliffhanger that it was, I wanted to read it again just because I could. It comes out today buy links are below!
A. M. Justice carved out a jewel from her work in A Wizard's Forge. This story is a twist of Anne Rice's Sleeping Beauty works and Anne McCaffrey’s Pern works. We get darkest from certain characters; however, they don't believe what they are doing is wrong. When things get to hard it moves to a lighter topic.
Victoria but Vic to her friends is a strong female character you are rooting for from the start. Everything that is thrown at her just makes her stronger. This book kept me wanting to know more. I couldn't get enough of it. Even at the end, cliffhanger that it was, I wanted to read it again just because I could. It comes out today buy links are below!
September 20, 2016
The first chapters of this book didn’t particularly hook me, but while reading, I got somehow attached to the story and the characters.
A. M . Justice created an amazing world, with different countries, cultures and languages, exotic names and lifestyles and curious characters. The worldbuilding was highly detailed and the author’s writing allowed us to get to know the characters and places even better!
READ FULL REVIEW HERE
A. M . Justice created an amazing world, with different countries, cultures and languages, exotic names and lifestyles and curious characters. The worldbuilding was highly detailed and the author’s writing allowed us to get to know the characters and places even better!
READ FULL REVIEW HERE
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