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With a Single Spell
(Ethshar #2)
by
A SINGLE SPELL
Tobas had been lucky to find a wizard to take him on as apprentice. But then the wizard died suddenly and unexpectedly after teaching Tobas only a solitary spell, and the youth was too old to find a new master. How could he earn a living when all the magic he could do was light fires?
A DESTINY UNFOLDING
In the Small Kingdoms there were ...more
Tobas had been lucky to find a wizard to take him on as apprentice. But then the wizard died suddenly and unexpectedly after teaching Tobas only a solitary spell, and the youth was too old to find a new master. How could he earn a living when all the magic he could do was light fires?
A DESTINY UNFOLDING
In the Small Kingdoms there were ...more
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Paperback, 208 pages
Published
December 20th 2000
by Borgo Press
(first published 1987)
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Community Reviews
Showing 1-30
Start your review of With a Single Spell (Ethshar, #2)
Classic fantasy is the best label for this book. Young, apprentice wizard is forced to leave his home to discover his destiny, not to mention some more spells since one fire spell won't a career make. Along the way, he stumbles from one misadventure to another until finally being drawn into a quest to slay a dragon, so he can marry a princess and become wealthy beyond his dreams. However, the quest doesn't go exactly as intended, and more misadventures occur until finally our young wizard and a
...more
I discovered Lawrence Watt-Evans when i picked up the The Misenchanted Sword. I read it fairly close to the time it was published and I didn't realise that there was to be a whole series of stories set in the same world.
As the time 'The Misenchanted Sword' was one of the most original, funny (without being a parody) and interesting fantasy novels i had read. That is probably becuase at the time i was reading lots of epic fantasy series which were Tolkein inspired so this was a real palete ...more
As the time 'The Misenchanted Sword' was one of the most original, funny (without being a parody) and interesting fantasy novels i had read. That is probably becuase at the time i was reading lots of epic fantasy series which were Tolkein inspired so this was a real palete ...more
While not quite as good as The Misenchanted Sword, With a Single Spell is still a well-written entertaining novel. Set in the same world, Ethshar, as the Misenchanted Sword, this tale takes the reader on an adventure with a young wizard-in-training whose master dies after he has only learned one spell. Considered too old for another wizard to concern themselves with taking him on as an apprentice, Tobas must figure out what to do with his life and his one spell. At least that spell is a fairly u
...more
What a unique and creative take on a classic fantasy genre! I don't know if the book was supposed to be humorous, but I was constantly entertained by the misfortunate life experiences of this one wizard!
This was another one of my dads books, an oldie, but surprisingly ok one. The plot was ok in so much that it held my attention and I didn't want to throw it out the window which says a lot.
Reviews Of Unusual Size
Re: Tobas the wizard's apprentice knows one spell. He can light fires. That was all he learned before his master died, he accidentally blew up the house he lived in and he found himself wandering Ethshar. Without many options left, he joins up with a band headed to the Small Kingdoms to slay a dragon. If successful, he stands to gain a fat purse and a princess as his bride. Tobas is a clever young fellow, witty and fairly brave, but he's pretty unlucky. In the ...more
Re: Tobas the wizard's apprentice knows one spell. He can light fires. That was all he learned before his master died, he accidentally blew up the house he lived in and he found himself wandering Ethshar. Without many options left, he joins up with a band headed to the Small Kingdoms to slay a dragon. If successful, he stands to gain a fat purse and a princess as his bride. Tobas is a clever young fellow, witty and fairly brave, but he's pretty unlucky. In the ...more
Jan 02, 2012
Maria
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
science-fiction-fantasy
Although it took a while to really get into this (it seemed like Tobas was wandering all over the place for a long time), it finally got off the ground when the dragon showed up. The rest is delightful. I was really glad that Tobas didn't go the whole book with just a single spell and that his bad luck didn't last. After all, continued bad luck is just something one has if one is not willing to learn from one's mistakes. Another word for it might be experience, the hard way. Tobas does learn and
...more
This is one the Magic of Ethshar series of books. I recorded most of them, including this one, in 50-55 minute installments for my local Golden Hours radio service for blind or reading-impaired listeners. I also made CD copies for myself.
This one of the more lighthearted entries in the series, and I'm looking forward to the sequel The Spriggan Mirror; especially as the mischeiveous spriggan's appear in several other books in the series.
My favorite book in the series is Th ...more
This one of the more lighthearted entries in the series, and I'm looking forward to the sequel The Spriggan Mirror; especially as the mischeiveous spriggan's appear in several other books in the series.
My favorite book in the series is Th ...more
More interesting than I expected it to be, but I found the ending to be very unsatisfying. It seemed to cut off at what would otherwise have been the most interesting part. Also, the author has a tendency to indulge in over-description of the setting - if you even halved the amount of description in each sentence, the book would be less than a third as long as it is. There's more description than plot. It kept me busy for a few hours, but I doubt I'd pick up anything else in this series.
Another Ethshar novel, this one about a wizard's apprentice whose master dies after teaching him only one spell. Unable to find another master, he sets off on a princess-saving/dragon slaying mission and discovers that one spell plus ingenuity can get you somewhere. Never quite what you expect.
Nov 27, 2007
Elynn
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
fantasy,
personal-favorite
One of my favorite fantasy books.
A good simple yarn that kept me entertained the whole time. If you're looking for a good summer fantasy read that doesn't demand too much brainpower, this is a great place to start.
As with my review of the first Ethshar novel, these are stories of young men striving tooth and claw to live ordinary, boring lives in a fantasy world that has lots of places for people to do just that, but our protagonists have to have some unusual things happen to them first.
This second volume is a little more cynical than the first (and I supposed I should have mentioned that lack of faith in humanity as being part of Watt-Evans' Mundane Fantasy tales), and not quite as pleasant, ...more
This second volume is a little more cynical than the first (and I supposed I should have mentioned that lack of faith in humanity as being part of Watt-Evans' Mundane Fantasy tales), and not quite as pleasant, ...more
This next tale in the world of Ethshar introduces a young wizard-in-training whose master dies after having only trained his apprentice in one spell. Not considering the fact that the accident which killed the master MAY have been the apprentice's fault, and regardless of the community view of the property left behind, the no-longer-apprenticed wizard-to-be is considered too old to bond to another wizard. Therefore apprentice Tobas must now decide what to do with his life and his one spell.
...more
...more
'With a Single Spell' was maybe the third ever Lawrence Watt-Evans novel I have read. As a teenager, I read his excellent Misenchanted Sword (when everything was fresh and exciting to me) and maybe 20 years later The Cyborg And The Sorcerer, also pretty decent.
So to this one. As with my previous experience of his writing, it is uncomplicated and easily read. This doesn't mean bad, just that you can read it quickly enough. Some aspects of it I found pedestrian, some of it was extremel ...more
So to this one. As with my previous experience of his writing, it is uncomplicated and easily read. This doesn't mean bad, just that you can read it quickly enough. Some aspects of it I found pedestrian, some of it was extremel ...more
Tobas starts off at a low point of his life - and wanders around, hoping to get a better position. He felt like a joe everyman down on his luck - the only thing promising for him being his ability with one spell as a wizard.
This is the second book in a series of standalone novels, and is set 200+ years after the first book. This book touches on the lack of a safety net available to Tobas - not that he complains about it.
I left feeling that Tobas was just lucky - although ...more
This is the second book in a series of standalone novels, and is set 200+ years after the first book. This book touches on the lack of a safety net available to Tobas - not that he complains about it.
I left feeling that Tobas was just lucky - although ...more
3 and a half stars really.
Follows the mishap adventures of a mostly down-on-his-luck apprentice wizard who had been taught only a single spell before his master up and died on him. Without a clue, Tobas set out on a mission to earn his fortune with the least effort possible.
I remember reading this one when still in high school; it was worth the reread, though it did lose something since I'm far from the teenager I once was!
Follows the mishap adventures of a mostly down-on-his-luck apprentice wizard who had been taught only a single spell before his master up and died on him. Without a clue, Tobas set out on a mission to earn his fortune with the least effort possible.
I remember reading this one when still in high school; it was worth the reread, though it did lose something since I'm far from the teenager I once was!
A decent read. The main character, Tobas, is kind of unlikeable, but the more you read of his adventures, the more you come to empathize with him. I still can't say that I liked him by the end of the book, but I didn't actively dislike him either.
Altogether, I thought 'With a Single Spell' was an okay read. Not stellar. Just okay.
Altogether, I thought 'With a Single Spell' was an okay read. Not stellar. Just okay.
It's not the writing which was good.
It's not the premise which... was....
Oh wait. it was the premise.
Gods.
Jim Butcher school of writing once more.
Not so much a story as a laundry list of how to piss on a guys karma loosely stringed into a more or less (less) cohesive story.
Give it a wide berth.
It's not the premise which... was....
Oh wait. it was the premise.
Gods.
Jim Butcher school of writing once more.
Not so much a story as a laundry list of how to piss on a guys karma loosely stringed into a more or less (less) cohesive story.
Give it a wide berth.
If you've ever played Dungeons & Dragons or like that kind of fantasy, this is a fun little book. I would say the ending is a bit too neat, but hey. Whatever the opposite of grimdark is, this is kind of it.
Plot: fun
Characters: likeable
Style: nice
Setting: interesting
Plot: fun
Characters: likeable
Style: nice
Setting: interesting
I am in love with the World of Ethshar. I am also looking forward to a cameo in future books of Tobas of Telven.
Honestly, I did not like Tobas in the beginning. I love how he became a character I rooted for by the end. The book is playful, witty, and unpredictable. On to book 3!
Honestly, I did not like Tobas in the beginning. I love how he became a character I rooted for by the end. The book is playful, witty, and unpredictable. On to book 3!
Super easy to read and quick to get through. It's good, light, fun reading, nothing too serious, nothing world shattering, nice small scale fantasy with a touch of humour thrown in, and a bit of obligatory romance of course. Not quite as good as The Misenchanted Sword, but still pretty great. Perfect palate cleanser or reading slump preventer.
There is always a bit of room for improvement. The ending of this story could have easily began another?
Nice one and done adventure.
Honestly, I found it kind of boring. The part I liked the best was opening a jar.
A quick, fun read, which I did enjoy. Much more a liberating read than many fantasy stories.
With A Single Spell is nowhere near as good as Terry Pratchett's best, but it's still a fun comic fantasy. Tobas is an apprentice wizard who has only learned "Thrindle's Combustion", a spell to light any flammable material on fire before his master died. Wizards don't give up their secrets cheaply, and he's too old to find a new master. After accidentally burning down his cottage after reading the old wizard's spell book, Tobas has to make his own fortune.
Tobas sails to Eshthar, and ...more
Tobas sails to Eshthar, and ...more
Lawrence Watt-Evans' "With a Single Spell" is the second in his Ethshar series of books. Outside of a few historical names and places, it's essentially stand-alone (it appears this series consists of a set of books set in the same world and is not the continuing adventures of any set of characters). Like the first book in the series, "The Misenchanted Sword," this book is technically well-written. Since the scope of the book is very limited time-wise, it also doesn't suffer from the chronologica
...more
May 19, 2008
K. Axel
rated it
it was ok
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Ethshar fans
Shelves:
fantasy,
full-reviews
The Story...
With A Single Spell is an ethshar story about Tobas of Telven, a wizard's apprentice with, yes you guessed it... a single spell! When his master dies, it looks bleak for poor Tobas. Apparently the world doesn't have much use for a wizard with just one spell, even if it does involve fire. But wait, it gets even worse, when Tobas tries to read in his master's spellbook, he just happens to burn down the entire house. Granted, it wasn't much, but it was certainly better then nothing, which is what ...more
With A Single Spell is an ethshar story about Tobas of Telven, a wizard's apprentice with, yes you guessed it... a single spell! When his master dies, it looks bleak for poor Tobas. Apparently the world doesn't have much use for a wizard with just one spell, even if it does involve fire. But wait, it gets even worse, when Tobas tries to read in his master's spellbook, he just happens to burn down the entire house. Granted, it wasn't much, but it was certainly better then nothing, which is what ...more
Slow to start quick to end describes the tale With A Single Spell written by Lawrence. An enchanting story of Tobas a young apprentice who's master dies before teaching him anything worth while. Tobas wonders about for a large portion of the story, not only struggling to find his purpose but struggling to advance an interesting plot. When Tobas reluctantly signs his life away to become a Dragon slayer he stumbles upon a surprising enchanting story. Glad I was, when Tobas found mystical artifacts
...more
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