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Codex Arcanum #1
Sorcery for Beginners
Five-hundred years ago, magic began to fade from the world. Combustion engines and computers took the place of enchanted plows and spell books. Sorcerers were hunted almost to extinction. Science became the primary system of belief, and the secrets of spell-casting were forgotten ... until now.
Written by arcane arts preservationist and elite mage Euphemia Whitmore (along with her ordinary civilian aide Matt Harry), Sorcery for Beginners is the true how-to manual for returning magic to an uninspired world. It's also the story of Owen Macready, a seemingly average 13-year-old who finds himself drawn into a centuries-long secret war when he uses this book to take on a school bully. But when Owen's spell casting draws the attention of a ruthless millionaire and a secret society of anti-magic mercenaries, he must decide how much he's willing to risk to keep magic alive in the world.
Written by arcane arts preservationist and elite mage Euphemia Whitmore (along with her ordinary civilian aide Matt Harry), Sorcery for Beginners is the true how-to manual for returning magic to an uninspired world. It's also the story of Owen Macready, a seemingly average 13-year-old who finds himself drawn into a centuries-long secret war when he uses this book to take on a school bully. But when Owen's spell casting draws the attention of a ruthless millionaire and a secret society of anti-magic mercenaries, he must decide how much he's willing to risk to keep magic alive in the world.
400 pages, Paperback
First published October 10, 2017
22 people are currently reading
3025 people want to read
About the author
Matt Harry
6 books78 followersMatt Harry received an MFA in Film Production from USC’s School of Cinematic Arts, and has worked as a filmmaker, editor, screenwriter, college professor, movie critic, and story consultant. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife and two sons.
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May 24, 2020
Many thanks to Inkshares for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review
i regret to inform you that the spells contained in this book do not work. i tried a couple of them and the only thing i accomplished was looking weird and throwing salt all over my room
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September 24, 2017
Pure fun! Matt Harry you have a real talent for imagination. Loved this story and I think middle-graders or really, any fan of Harry Potter, will love it. It's a magical adventure that kept me fascinated throughout. Owen ducked into a bookstore when he ran from some bullies. While there he purchases a book called Sorcery for Beginners and met Euphemia Whitmore who tells him about the war between practitioners of magic and the Euclideans who want to destroy it. Owen, through studying the book and learning spells, becomes embroiled in this war. I can feel more books coming continuing Owen's adventures - at least I hope so!
Thanks so much to Matt Harry and Inkshares through Netgalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
Thanks so much to Matt Harry and Inkshares through Netgalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
November 9, 2017
Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy:
It’s rare to find a book aimed at children, with a distinct voice to the narrator, that is also enjoyable as an adult. SORCERY FOR BEGINNERS is a surprisingly mature story that deals with bullying, social injustice, betrayal and yes, sorcery.
The book is set up both as the story of Owen discovering magic, and a guide for budding magicians. With full pages of spell instructions and lots of funny and interesting asides, SORCERY FOR BEGINNERS builds a world that is larger than just Owen’s story. It’s a world where magic speaks many languages and can have both delightful and horrifying consequences.
It’s refreshing to find a book about thirteen year olds that deals with real world issues: when the kids defend themselves against a bully and accidentally seal his eyes shut, the bully’s father comes after them. He’s got mafia ties and ends up tazing and threatening the kids with guns. Magic isn’t used as an answer to all problems; it doesn’t fix relationships, it doesn’t always make your life better, and it’s definitely a big responsibility. Owen grows as a character but not too quickly, and always in ways that are easy for younger readers to understand.
The end of SORCERY FOR BEGINNERS sets up what could be another book, but it feels just as satisfying on its own. With a varied cast of characters, extra bits of enchanting information and a dramatic final battle, this is a book that will appeal to readers young and old.
It’s rare to find a book aimed at children, with a distinct voice to the narrator, that is also enjoyable as an adult. SORCERY FOR BEGINNERS is a surprisingly mature story that deals with bullying, social injustice, betrayal and yes, sorcery.
The book is set up both as the story of Owen discovering magic, and a guide for budding magicians. With full pages of spell instructions and lots of funny and interesting asides, SORCERY FOR BEGINNERS builds a world that is larger than just Owen’s story. It’s a world where magic speaks many languages and can have both delightful and horrifying consequences.
It’s refreshing to find a book about thirteen year olds that deals with real world issues: when the kids defend themselves against a bully and accidentally seal his eyes shut, the bully’s father comes after them. He’s got mafia ties and ends up tazing and threatening the kids with guns. Magic isn’t used as an answer to all problems; it doesn’t fix relationships, it doesn’t always make your life better, and it’s definitely a big responsibility. Owen grows as a character but not too quickly, and always in ways that are easy for younger readers to understand.
The end of SORCERY FOR BEGINNERS sets up what could be another book, but it feels just as satisfying on its own. With a varied cast of characters, extra bits of enchanting information and a dramatic final battle, this is a book that will appeal to readers young and old.
Want to read
August 28, 2017ARC from Netgalley for a fair review
I'm kinda excited for this one :)
I'm kinda excited for this one :)
April 29, 2018
"We conversed for five minutes; now you wish for me to explain the meaning of your life? I am a bookseller."
*for pictures, view this review on my blog here: http://atlasrisingbooks.blogspot.co.u...
* * *
3 / 5
I always try to switch my reading genres up, to keep me on my toes. So I decided it was time for a more fun, children's novel. I was a big fan of Flanagan's Ranger's Apprentice series and Cresswell's How To Train A Dragon books, and Sorcery for Beginners looked like it provided a mix of the teenager's-journery-to-becoming-competant-ranger/magician and fun illustrations. This book makes fantastic use of layout but it drags on a bit too long and the ending is rather unsatisfying.
You see, Owen had learned in his thirteen years that being ordinary was far easier than being extraordinary
This book is set up in the form of a textbook (it's more fun than it sounds, I swear!) to teach a beginner magic, and it does so by conveying the story of young Owen Macready, sorcery initiate. The book uses textboxes and footnotes to add information, to avoid the story becoming too bogged-down in details, or fun little side points. For UK students, an apt comparison might be those CGP science revision guides that are hilarious. Owen is thirteen and his mother has left him and his dad to pursue wildlife conservation abroad; hurt and angry, Owen accepts a spellbook from a weird woman in a bookstore he can never find again on the promise that it will eventually teach him a spell to re-write history. But that's only if he can do all the spells before it and keep the book away from the Euclideans, a group which opposes magic in all forms.
Owen is having marvellous fun until he uses a spell of mending for a rather unintended use: sealing the eyes of a bully shut. Unfortunately, said bully's father is a sort of mafia-mob figure who makes Owen's life difficult in all sorts of normal, tricksy mortal ways. At least, until he teams up with the Euclideans so he can get hold of the spellbook and use it to train an army of children (for only children can learn magic, you see) to take over the world... All rather heinous and it's really quite amusing. Owen is a great character, a real thirteen year old boy and not really Harry Potter like at all, and his band of friends is varied and funny.
I was actually ready to rate this book four stars, but I got to about 85% and set the book down for a week. If you can be that close to the end and not be bothered to finish (I wasn't really busy), then clearly something is lacking. Yes, the book is clever and amusing and the illustrations are fantastic, but it also left me with a lot of unfinished questions for a standalone, particularly about this magical war, and there was no real sense of urgency because you knew exactly what was going to happen.
My thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for an ARC of this book
Read this review and more on my blog: https://atlasrisingbooks.wordpress.co...
*for pictures, view this review on my blog here: http://atlasrisingbooks.blogspot.co.u...
* * *
3 / 5
I always try to switch my reading genres up, to keep me on my toes. So I decided it was time for a more fun, children's novel. I was a big fan of Flanagan's Ranger's Apprentice series and Cresswell's How To Train A Dragon books, and Sorcery for Beginners looked like it provided a mix of the teenager's-journery-to-becoming-competant-ranger/magician and fun illustrations. This book makes fantastic use of layout but it drags on a bit too long and the ending is rather unsatisfying.
You see, Owen had learned in his thirteen years that being ordinary was far easier than being extraordinary
This book is set up in the form of a textbook (it's more fun than it sounds, I swear!) to teach a beginner magic, and it does so by conveying the story of young Owen Macready, sorcery initiate. The book uses textboxes and footnotes to add information, to avoid the story becoming too bogged-down in details, or fun little side points. For UK students, an apt comparison might be those CGP science revision guides that are hilarious. Owen is thirteen and his mother has left him and his dad to pursue wildlife conservation abroad; hurt and angry, Owen accepts a spellbook from a weird woman in a bookstore he can never find again on the promise that it will eventually teach him a spell to re-write history. But that's only if he can do all the spells before it and keep the book away from the Euclideans, a group which opposes magic in all forms.
Owen is having marvellous fun until he uses a spell of mending for a rather unintended use: sealing the eyes of a bully shut. Unfortunately, said bully's father is a sort of mafia-mob figure who makes Owen's life difficult in all sorts of normal, tricksy mortal ways. At least, until he teams up with the Euclideans so he can get hold of the spellbook and use it to train an army of children (for only children can learn magic, you see) to take over the world... All rather heinous and it's really quite amusing. Owen is a great character, a real thirteen year old boy and not really Harry Potter like at all, and his band of friends is varied and funny.
I was actually ready to rate this book four stars, but I got to about 85% and set the book down for a week. If you can be that close to the end and not be bothered to finish (I wasn't really busy), then clearly something is lacking. Yes, the book is clever and amusing and the illustrations are fantastic, but it also left me with a lot of unfinished questions for a standalone, particularly about this magical war, and there was no real sense of urgency because you knew exactly what was going to happen.
My thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for an ARC of this book
Read this review and more on my blog: https://atlasrisingbooks.wordpress.co...
February 1, 2018
A fan of Harry Potter or Percy Jackson? Looking for a great book to share with your preteen? Look no further!
SORCERY FOR BEGINNERS is a truly neat new take on the genre, acting as part novel, part instruction manual, the narrative is interspersed with step-by-step how-to diagrams showing how to to perform spells. Along the way, the reader is also treated to sidebars that cleverly tie the fictional events of the story into real-world places, people, and events.
A thrilling adventure that my nine-year-old son now says is his favorite book, Euphemia Whitmore (with a little help from Matt Harry) has devised an enchanting volume that will entrance readers of all ages.
SORCERY FOR BEGINNERS is a truly neat new take on the genre, acting as part novel, part instruction manual, the narrative is interspersed with step-by-step how-to diagrams showing how to to perform spells. Along the way, the reader is also treated to sidebars that cleverly tie the fictional events of the story into real-world places, people, and events.
A thrilling adventure that my nine-year-old son now says is his favorite book, Euphemia Whitmore (with a little help from Matt Harry) has devised an enchanting volume that will entrance readers of all ages.
June 16, 2018
I loved this book! It has the combined feel of
Harry Potter, Doctor Strange and Percy Jackson. It feels like it filled in several holes in my thirst for good literary experiences and now all I want is to be a sorceress!! :D :D
Read more in my blog: www.goodenoughforthedodo.wordpress.com
Harry Potter, Doctor Strange and Percy Jackson. It feels like it filled in several holes in my thirst for good literary experiences and now all I want is to be a sorceress!! :D :D
Read more in my blog: www.goodenoughforthedodo.wordpress.com
March 6, 2018
I really wish this book was around when I was younger!! This is everything my inner kid has been waiting for!! Really cool with facts, great research was done for the novel. Look out world little sorcerers will be out and about hopefully making the world a better place!
May 9, 2019
My eight year old son wrote this for the book:
Ryker Maulsby's Review of Sorcery For Beginners.
This book is a very good book if you like Harry Potter. It is about magic too.
My favorite part was when Owen did MAGIC. Owen did magic from the book. My favorite spell was the spell for INVISIBILITY!
I liked Owen because he was brave. I'll give this book 5 stars on a 5 star scale.
Ryker Maulsby's Review of Sorcery For Beginners.
This book is a very good book if you like Harry Potter. It is about magic too.
My favorite part was when Owen did MAGIC. Owen did magic from the book. My favorite spell was the spell for INVISIBILITY!
I liked Owen because he was brave. I'll give this book 5 stars on a 5 star scale.
August 14, 2018
Did you ever want to learn how to do magic? Well, it's too late, I am sorry to tell you. Adults aren't capable to learn it, you have to start at a much younger age. But if you happen to be a middle-grader or maybe you are a parent of one, then this book is for you!
'Sorcery for Beginners' is a new kind of textbook for teaching you magic in this modern age. You learn all the basics and more + it's not just a simple boring textbook, all the magic is brought to you by the story of young Owen Macready. The new boy at a school, no friends yet, facing bullying and having to deal with the break-up of his parents, one day he steps into Euphemia Whitmore's bookstore and his life is about to change forever...
Can we take the time to talk about the physical book, please? It is a really lovely and great edition with thick paper, deckled edges, a ton of beautifully done illustrations not only on the cover but also within the book. The story, textbook-elements and illustrations combined make this a really lovely book not only for (pre)teens but for everyone who loves quality books and magic ;)
This was a fun read full of magic and action and because I am easily bored with books that contain too many action scenes it was maybe more a 3-star-read for me but I also know that if I would have read this at a younger age I would have enjoyed it more. Also, at certain points, the book is lacking a bit of a moral. Not everything those kids do is okay and at one point or another, there should definitely be more consequences. But this original concept and the book itself definitely deserve 4 stars.
***This book was read as part of my 2018 O.W.L.s in the subject 'Ancient Runes' (book with a symbol on the cover)***
'Sorcery for Beginners' is a new kind of textbook for teaching you magic in this modern age. You learn all the basics and more + it's not just a simple boring textbook, all the magic is brought to you by the story of young Owen Macready. The new boy at a school, no friends yet, facing bullying and having to deal with the break-up of his parents, one day he steps into Euphemia Whitmore's bookstore and his life is about to change forever...
Can we take the time to talk about the physical book, please? It is a really lovely and great edition with thick paper, deckled edges, a ton of beautifully done illustrations not only on the cover but also within the book. The story, textbook-elements and illustrations combined make this a really lovely book not only for (pre)teens but for everyone who loves quality books and magic ;)
This was a fun read full of magic and action and because I am easily bored with books that contain too many action scenes it was maybe more a 3-star-read for me but I also know that if I would have read this at a younger age I would have enjoyed it more. Also, at certain points, the book is lacking a bit of a moral. Not everything those kids do is okay and at one point or another, there should definitely be more consequences. But this original concept and the book itself definitely deserve 4 stars.
***This book was read as part of my 2018 O.W.L.s in the subject 'Ancient Runes' (book with a symbol on the cover)***
July 11, 2018
I borrowed this book from the library because I was deperare for something to read, in a rush to get to the next place I had to be, and I thought the cover and title seemed pretty cool.
However, the book itself is not pretty cool. In fact, it is quite unenjoyable and poorly written.
For starters, the scene in the beginning with the bullies reminded me a bit too much of the bully scene in the Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's stone (towards the beginning, before Hogwarts). Additionally, the book itself is not written in a smooth way. I get that it's probably geared towards younger kids (10-12 yrs?) But I've read "middle grade" books that are very well written. In fact, Neil Gaiman's "The Graveyard Book" is one of my all time favorites.
Anyyywayyy, the writing is kinda choppy and possibly not fully thought out... at some points, it doesn't even seem like a book an adult or professional author would write. The syntax really isn't good.
Also, there are some really weird inconsistencies. For some reason, in just one chapter, Owen is referred to as the teenager, the young man, and the boy (in that order).
Furthermore, the way some of the characters are introduced is pretty weird: "korean American woman", "Indian American boy". These kinds of introductions aren't really necessary and just contribute to choppiness. And for some reason, the author, Matt Harry, goes on and on about what an attractive, stunning, etc old woman Euphemia Whitmore is. The book is "written" by her, but it is just weird and unnecessary.
However, the book itself is not pretty cool. In fact, it is quite unenjoyable and poorly written.
For starters, the scene in the beginning with the bullies reminded me a bit too much of the bully scene in the Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's stone (towards the beginning, before Hogwarts). Additionally, the book itself is not written in a smooth way. I get that it's probably geared towards younger kids (10-12 yrs?) But I've read "middle grade" books that are very well written. In fact, Neil Gaiman's "The Graveyard Book" is one of my all time favorites.
Anyyywayyy, the writing is kinda choppy and possibly not fully thought out... at some points, it doesn't even seem like a book an adult or professional author would write. The syntax really isn't good.
Also, there are some really weird inconsistencies. For some reason, in just one chapter, Owen is referred to as the teenager, the young man, and the boy (in that order).
Furthermore, the way some of the characters are introduced is pretty weird: "korean American woman", "Indian American boy". These kinds of introductions aren't really necessary and just contribute to choppiness. And for some reason, the author, Matt Harry, goes on and on about what an attractive, stunning, etc old woman Euphemia Whitmore is. The book is "written" by her, but it is just weird and unnecessary.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 14, 2017
Read an advance copy. It's a wonderful adventure that's a joy to read! Fans of Harry Potter will not be disappointed.
August 8, 2017
I could not put this book down. It was super entertaining from the very get go. Hopefully the author will expand on the universe. I would love to see where the characters grow into.
January 7, 2018
This was so funny and quirky and wonderful! I like this, ANOTHER!
January 21, 2019
13-year-old Owen Macready considers himself an average kid who gets average grades, has average looks and doesn't want to put forth the effort for sports. He's not brave or strong, but that's also perfectly fine with him because being average leaves him with plenty of time to play games on his computer. Recently, Owen's mom decided she wanted a challenge in her career as a veterinarian, so she moved to Sumatra to care for orangutans, and Owen and his dad moved to Las Vegas. Shortly after starting his new school, Owen tries to intervene when he sees a boy who's being bullied only to have the bully turn on him. Trying to find a place to hide, he runs into the nearest store, the Codex Arcanum. It's within this magic bookstore that he meets Euphemia Whitmore and purchases Sorcery for Beginners, a book designed to teach you how to perform magic. While skimming through the pages of his new book, Owen gets a glimpse of a spell that can rewrite history and believes that if he can learn how to cast this spell he can fix his family and bring his life back to the way it was before his mom left. Ms. Whitmore cautions him that the book comes with a few rules, he must follow the books directions to learn the spells in order, keep the book's existence a secret and defend it against their worst enemies, the Eculidean's, a secret society of mercenaries who for 500 years have been trying to get their hands on the book. If he's successful, Owen will be eligible to take a final exam and receive his Sorcery Learners Permit and be inducted into their society. Just as Owen starts getting closer to performing real magic, he not only attracts the attention of the Euclidean's, he also has a run in with the father of the bully he encountered before, a ruthless millionaire who wants to steal magic for himself. Owen is stuck battling the two sides while trying desperately to keep the Sorcery for Beginners from falling into the wrong hands.
Sorcery for Beginners is the combination of the fictional story of Owen Macready with a textbook/how to manual for performing magic. I really enjoyed the illustrations by Juliane Crump and especially the full page spread for each spell. Each intricate drawing included the hand or body movements needing to be performed, detailed step by step instructions, the materials or components required and the activation words to be spoken to cast the spell. The activation words included Latin, Greek, Latvian, Arabic or Icelandic words and came with the pronunciation for each word. Every few pages there were also sidebars providing tidbits of information, or defining the terms being used. Some I felt weren't overly necessary, like defining the word parchment or what knack meant. But others like explaining what the Key of Solomon or what a grimoire is, elaborated on details in the storyline or added some magical historical context to the story. In this way, it felt like you were learning right along with Owen.
In addition to the illustrations, I really liked the overall look of the book, everything from the visually appealing cover to the thick pieces of paper with their untrimmed or uncut edges making up the pages of the book (I've come to learn this is referred to as deckled edges). My favorite thing about the story is the way in which the book speaks to Owen, how it seems to read his thoughts and writes out what Owen needs to do in order to be successful. Owen can't just rush ahead to perform the spell he wants to perform, that he has to go through each of the steps to get to where he wants to be, while also learning that to undo an event may not be in his best interest after all. They make for a fun team. Overall the story is not only informative, full of fun facts and delightful illustrations, but it's also the kind of book I can easily see appealing to aspiring sorcerers or fans of magic. The story concludes with an Epilogue setting up the story for book two about Cryptozoology, but Sorcery for Beginners can easily be read as a stand-alone. I'm certainly looking forward to seeing what Matt Harry comes up with next.
*Review copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review*
Sorcery for Beginners is the combination of the fictional story of Owen Macready with a textbook/how to manual for performing magic. I really enjoyed the illustrations by Juliane Crump and especially the full page spread for each spell. Each intricate drawing included the hand or body movements needing to be performed, detailed step by step instructions, the materials or components required and the activation words to be spoken to cast the spell. The activation words included Latin, Greek, Latvian, Arabic or Icelandic words and came with the pronunciation for each word. Every few pages there were also sidebars providing tidbits of information, or defining the terms being used. Some I felt weren't overly necessary, like defining the word parchment or what knack meant. But others like explaining what the Key of Solomon or what a grimoire is, elaborated on details in the storyline or added some magical historical context to the story. In this way, it felt like you were learning right along with Owen.
In addition to the illustrations, I really liked the overall look of the book, everything from the visually appealing cover to the thick pieces of paper with their untrimmed or uncut edges making up the pages of the book (I've come to learn this is referred to as deckled edges). My favorite thing about the story is the way in which the book speaks to Owen, how it seems to read his thoughts and writes out what Owen needs to do in order to be successful. Owen can't just rush ahead to perform the spell he wants to perform, that he has to go through each of the steps to get to where he wants to be, while also learning that to undo an event may not be in his best interest after all. They make for a fun team. Overall the story is not only informative, full of fun facts and delightful illustrations, but it's also the kind of book I can easily see appealing to aspiring sorcerers or fans of magic. The story concludes with an Epilogue setting up the story for book two about Cryptozoology, but Sorcery for Beginners can easily be read as a stand-alone. I'm certainly looking forward to seeing what Matt Harry comes up with next.
*Review copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review*
May 16, 2018
Oh my gosh. This book was AMAZING. I picked it up on a whim from the new books pile from my library and I have zero regrets. I was pulled in because the book doesn't have a description, it just tells you congratulations you've been picked to fight in a secret war and it makes you feel like you're a part of the story from the start. This book is unique because it's like a literal book for sorcery beginners, but it's also written in this third person omniscient POV. The writing is also unique because it could be tailored for children, but it's also easily read by adults.
The characters are all well written, and the plot was very easy to follow. I liked that the book had little snippets about how to learn magic and magical history throughout in these little text boxes that kind of made it look like a textbook but in a good way. I also thought Owen was a really well-written character. He had complexity, and flaws much like any human person and I thought he was a cool kid. Perry is badass though.
I guess my only complaint I can't really talk about without spoiling the book, but it has to do with Owen and what he did towards the end of the novel.
This was so good. Can book 2 be here?
*unrelated to the book review note*
There was soo many linguistics references that a part of my soul died inside of happiness. Linguistics is so cool you guys, and if you can ever take a class on it, it's pretty unique stuff. I might be biased because my professor was pretty amazing, but that's irrelevant.
The characters are all well written, and the plot was very easy to follow. I liked that the book had little snippets about how to learn magic and magical history throughout in these little text boxes that kind of made it look like a textbook but in a good way. I also thought Owen was a really well-written character. He had complexity, and flaws much like any human person and I thought he was a cool kid. Perry is badass though.
I guess my only complaint I can't really talk about without spoiling the book, but it has to do with Owen and what he did towards the end of the novel.
This was so good. Can book 2 be here?
*unrelated to the book review note*
There was soo many linguistics references that a part of my soul died inside of happiness. Linguistics is so cool you guys, and if you can ever take a class on it, it's pretty unique stuff. I might be biased because my professor was pretty amazing, but that's irrelevant.
September 25, 2017
Thanks to NetGalley and to the editor. I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I had some problems with the layout of my copy, I do not know if it was a problem of my ereader or if it's not edited well, but it's an ARC so it's ok, I just hope that they would fix it in the regular copies if it's not a problem of mine.
Anyway, the idea of this book is great and also the format, the author chose to mix a fiction book and a textbook, and the result is good (layout problem not standing). And the story is entertaining and funny, I liked it, but I was hoping for something more. I think that a younger reader would enjoy this book a lot, because it's fun, entertaining and not demanding. And Owen is a good main character. He's a boy who thinks about himself like average, his grades are average, his look is average, he doesn't possess outstanding sports skill and so on... but every one of us is special, in a way or another, and this book helps us understand it. And it's also about friendship and about the importance of hard work to obtain results.
It's not a bad book, but I am not a younger reader and I was expecting more. Parental figures are almost nonexistent and there some things that are quite... unlikely, and that it's not ok for me.
Another thing that was bugging me during the reading was that the author calls the three kids that are the main characters of this story "the eight graders" a lot, and I mean a lot!
Anyway, it's not a bad reading, it's fun and entertaining.
I had some problems with the layout of my copy, I do not know if it was a problem of my ereader or if it's not edited well, but it's an ARC so it's ok, I just hope that they would fix it in the regular copies if it's not a problem of mine.
Anyway, the idea of this book is great and also the format, the author chose to mix a fiction book and a textbook, and the result is good (layout problem not standing). And the story is entertaining and funny, I liked it, but I was hoping for something more. I think that a younger reader would enjoy this book a lot, because it's fun, entertaining and not demanding. And Owen is a good main character. He's a boy who thinks about himself like average, his grades are average, his look is average, he doesn't possess outstanding sports skill and so on... but every one of us is special, in a way or another, and this book helps us understand it. And it's also about friendship and about the importance of hard work to obtain results.
It's not a bad book, but I am not a younger reader and I was expecting more. Parental figures are almost nonexistent and there some things that are quite... unlikely, and that it's not ok for me.
Another thing that was bugging me during the reading was that the author calls the three kids that are the main characters of this story "the eight graders" a lot, and I mean a lot!
Anyway, it's not a bad reading, it's fun and entertaining.
January 12, 2020
Huge thanks to InkShares and the author, Matt Harry, for this book! It was such a fun and enjoyable read!
Sorcery for Beginners brought me back to when I read the Harry Potter books for the first time - it’s a truly fun and nostalgic read that fans of Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, and The Sorcerer’s Apprentice (film) would enjoy. Additionally, even though this book reads as more middle grade rather than YA, it’s a read that I think anyone would enjoy. It’s a quick & easy read that’s filled with a lot of action and humor as well!
I really enjoyed the characters and their budding friendship in the face of bullies and typical school issues, alongside the appearance of a magical textbook. I’m really interested to see where things will go with book 2!
Sorcery for Beginners brought me back to when I read the Harry Potter books for the first time - it’s a truly fun and nostalgic read that fans of Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, and The Sorcerer’s Apprentice (film) would enjoy. Additionally, even though this book reads as more middle grade rather than YA, it’s a read that I think anyone would enjoy. It’s a quick & easy read that’s filled with a lot of action and humor as well!
I really enjoyed the characters and their budding friendship in the face of bullies and typical school issues, alongside the appearance of a magical textbook. I’m really interested to see where things will go with book 2!
February 13, 2018
I loved this book because it was amusing with it's fun little side notes, and it had a lot of action and an interesting approach to spellcasting.
August 25, 2019
Middle grade sorcery adventure. So much fun! Can't wait for book 2!
August 22, 2020
A fun book! Definitely a similar style to Percy Jackson or Harry Potter, but this time following Owen Macready and friends as they learn sorcery. I loved the integration of the spell guides mixed in with the story!
October 6, 2019
I absolutely loved this book!! I am wanting to read the second book, "Cryptozoology for Beginners".
October 8, 2017
Where was this book in my childhood??
I recieved this book from NetGalley in exchange for an open and honest review
This book was AWESOME! It's been a while since my last middle-grade book, so I admit, it took me a while to get into the proper mindset for it. Once I hit that point, however, I flew through this book in one sitting.
A mostly accurate summary:
The adventures of five D&D playing middle schoolers and one average 13-year-old boy as they discover a book on sorcery.
A slightly longer summary:
The story begins with Owen Macready, a Perfectly Average 13-year-old whose parents have recently divorced. To restart, Owen and his father move to Las Vegas. One day, after rescuing a boy from bullies after school and consequently, getting chased by them, Owen finds himself in front of Codex Arcanum Bookstore as he searches for a place to hide. He ends up purchasing Sorcery for Beginners, a guide to magic and is thrust into a world of sorcerers and their mortal enemies, the Euclideans, a pro-technology group dedicated to wiping out sorcery. Initially, I was worried that with this premise, the conflict of this book would strictly be technology vs magic. I was pleasantly surprised to be proved wrong and both sides come up with very creative ways to mix magic and science together.
I like the direction Sorcery for Beginners took with its characters. As an adult reading a middle-grade book, it's evident that not all these characters are realistic depictions of middle schoolers. Perry has a larger vocabulary than most college students, Trish has an inhumanly high CON stat, Owen couldn't possibly be out-pacing a car on a bike, etc. But taking into account the target audience of this book, these exaggerations work. They give middle schoolers a sense of empowerment that only books can. I can say with confidence that had I read this book as a child, Perry would have definitely encouraged me to spend the next couple hours reading a dictionary, attempting to increase my own vocabulary. I also appreciated the diversity in the characters. Of Owen's friends, Perry is black, Trish is Korean-American, and Ravi is Indian. Even the one of the bullies (or Cro-Magnons), Abu, is likely not white. While the race of these characters never impacted the story, it was nice to see the representation.
The most unique aspect of this book is its format. This book is written as a textbook, introducing the reader to sorcery through the story of Owen & friends. Similar to most introductory textbooks, this book comes with illustrations, boxes offering snarky tidbits of the objects mentioned in the story, and most importantly, pages instructing spell casting! This includes any necessary materials, verbal components, step by step instructions, and most importantly, hand gestures. You can bet I was gesturing along to each spell I ran into as I read. The verbal components are pulled from a variety of different languages, but there are helpful pronunciation guides for those of us who aren't polyglots.
The only part I disliked was the use of slang. Often times it felt very out of place and, especially with the intentionally misspelled text messages, cringey. Granted, as someone who is not a middle schooler, I'm not up-to-date with current middle-schooler slang.
Overall, I rate this book a 5/5. Sorcery for Beginners was a fun read and I look forward to the sequel!
One final question for the author. Since the field of transmutation was brought up and used in this book, I must ask: Could one transmute antimatter?
I recieved this book from NetGalley in exchange for an open and honest review
This book was AWESOME! It's been a while since my last middle-grade book, so I admit, it took me a while to get into the proper mindset for it. Once I hit that point, however, I flew through this book in one sitting.
A mostly accurate summary:
The adventures of five D&D playing middle schoolers and one average 13-year-old boy as they discover a book on sorcery.
A slightly longer summary:
The story begins with Owen Macready, a Perfectly Average 13-year-old whose parents have recently divorced. To restart, Owen and his father move to Las Vegas. One day, after rescuing a boy from bullies after school and consequently, getting chased by them, Owen finds himself in front of Codex Arcanum Bookstore as he searches for a place to hide. He ends up purchasing Sorcery for Beginners, a guide to magic and is thrust into a world of sorcerers and their mortal enemies, the Euclideans, a pro-technology group dedicated to wiping out sorcery. Initially, I was worried that with this premise, the conflict of this book would strictly be technology vs magic. I was pleasantly surprised to be proved wrong and both sides come up with very creative ways to mix magic and science together.
I like the direction Sorcery for Beginners took with its characters. As an adult reading a middle-grade book, it's evident that not all these characters are realistic depictions of middle schoolers. Perry has a larger vocabulary than most college students, Trish has an inhumanly high CON stat, Owen couldn't possibly be out-pacing a car on a bike, etc. But taking into account the target audience of this book, these exaggerations work. They give middle schoolers a sense of empowerment that only books can. I can say with confidence that had I read this book as a child, Perry would have definitely encouraged me to spend the next couple hours reading a dictionary, attempting to increase my own vocabulary. I also appreciated the diversity in the characters. Of Owen's friends, Perry is black, Trish is Korean-American, and Ravi is Indian. Even the one of the bullies (or Cro-Magnons), Abu, is likely not white. While the race of these characters never impacted the story, it was nice to see the representation.
The most unique aspect of this book is its format. This book is written as a textbook, introducing the reader to sorcery through the story of Owen & friends. Similar to most introductory textbooks, this book comes with illustrations, boxes offering snarky tidbits of the objects mentioned in the story, and most importantly, pages instructing spell casting! This includes any necessary materials, verbal components, step by step instructions, and most importantly, hand gestures. You can bet I was gesturing along to each spell I ran into as I read. The verbal components are pulled from a variety of different languages, but there are helpful pronunciation guides for those of us who aren't polyglots.
The only part I disliked was the use of slang. Often times it felt very out of place and, especially with the intentionally misspelled text messages, cringey. Granted, as someone who is not a middle schooler, I'm not up-to-date with current middle-schooler slang.
Overall, I rate this book a 5/5. Sorcery for Beginners was a fun read and I look forward to the sequel!
One final question for the author. Since the field of transmutation was brought up and used in this book, I must ask: Could one transmute antimatter?
June 11, 2018
Owen is your average Middle Schooler: he’s ok at sports, he passes his classes, and he has a couple friends. But when his mom leaves to work in Sumatra and dad takes him to live in Las Vegas, Owen is sure life will never be the same.
Even then, he didn’t account for finding the Codex Arcanum bookstore and buying SORCERY FOR BEGINNERS. Now his life is *really* going to change.
SORCERY FOR BEGINNERS claims it’s what the title says: that this book will teach you, via story and real-life examples, how to become a sorcerer. You’ll follow Owen’s story as he buys the book after being promised the “Spell to Rewrite History” which Owen plans to use to revert to the time before his mom left.
But first, he’s got a lot of learning to do before he can do such a high-level spell. Along the way SORCERY FOR BEGINNERS provides footnotes about how sorcery works, enchanting details (used to help readers understand references, for example, in Chapter 6, “Invented in 1994, World of Warcraft is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game, or MMORPG. It currently boasts over 8 million members worldwide, and its addictive nature has led to the lowers GPAs of many a middle school student”), and information about sorcery’s enemy, the Euclideans. There’s also interspersed pages of the spells themselves with cheeky descriptions and instructions for use.
As would be expected from a middle schooler, Owen doesn’t always make the best choices when it comes to using magic. He’s given instructions by Euphemia Whitmore, the woman Owen met at the Codex Arcanum bookstore and who sold him the book, to not tell anyone about the reality of magic and to protect the book from enemies of sorcery. Of course the whole book is about how he doesn’t exactly follow those instructions and the life-threatening fallout that’s the result.
Along the way Owen meets new friends Perry and Trish, two girls from school who also like a little cosplay. Alec, a local show magician they try to get to help teach them. Of course there are baddies such as the Euclideans’ leader Kiraz and local crime boss Ferretti. Since the book is from Owen’s PoV we learn the most about him; it’s his character arc that’s most important, and fortunately he does experience growth. The other characters are relatively basic with enough detail so I don’t forget who is who, but I didn’t feel like it was much beyond that.
While the magic aspect isn’t something new, the author Matt Harry uses it consistently and with sufficient detail (along with the necessary limitations) to make it work with the story, along with the difficulties learning it to using it in a fight. While there are still questions at the end, this is only book 1 of a projected series, and I was satisfied that by the end I had a good handle on how it worked.
It’s a fun book. Nothing particularly groundbreaking, but it’s funny and exciting. If your middle schooler liked, for example, Sanderson’s ALCATRAZ VERSES THE EVIL LIBRARIANS this is only slightly less silly.
Recommended Age: 12+
Language: Minor but a few "d-bag" and the like
Violence: Peril and a few broken bones, death threats
Sex: Teen crushing
***Find this and other reviews at ElitistBookReviews.com***
Even then, he didn’t account for finding the Codex Arcanum bookstore and buying SORCERY FOR BEGINNERS. Now his life is *really* going to change.
SORCERY FOR BEGINNERS claims it’s what the title says: that this book will teach you, via story and real-life examples, how to become a sorcerer. You’ll follow Owen’s story as he buys the book after being promised the “Spell to Rewrite History” which Owen plans to use to revert to the time before his mom left.
But first, he’s got a lot of learning to do before he can do such a high-level spell. Along the way SORCERY FOR BEGINNERS provides footnotes about how sorcery works, enchanting details (used to help readers understand references, for example, in Chapter 6, “Invented in 1994, World of Warcraft is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game, or MMORPG. It currently boasts over 8 million members worldwide, and its addictive nature has led to the lowers GPAs of many a middle school student”), and information about sorcery’s enemy, the Euclideans. There’s also interspersed pages of the spells themselves with cheeky descriptions and instructions for use.
As would be expected from a middle schooler, Owen doesn’t always make the best choices when it comes to using magic. He’s given instructions by Euphemia Whitmore, the woman Owen met at the Codex Arcanum bookstore and who sold him the book, to not tell anyone about the reality of magic and to protect the book from enemies of sorcery. Of course the whole book is about how he doesn’t exactly follow those instructions and the life-threatening fallout that’s the result.
Along the way Owen meets new friends Perry and Trish, two girls from school who also like a little cosplay. Alec, a local show magician they try to get to help teach them. Of course there are baddies such as the Euclideans’ leader Kiraz and local crime boss Ferretti. Since the book is from Owen’s PoV we learn the most about him; it’s his character arc that’s most important, and fortunately he does experience growth. The other characters are relatively basic with enough detail so I don’t forget who is who, but I didn’t feel like it was much beyond that.
While the magic aspect isn’t something new, the author Matt Harry uses it consistently and with sufficient detail (along with the necessary limitations) to make it work with the story, along with the difficulties learning it to using it in a fight. While there are still questions at the end, this is only book 1 of a projected series, and I was satisfied that by the end I had a good handle on how it worked.
It’s a fun book. Nothing particularly groundbreaking, but it’s funny and exciting. If your middle schooler liked, for example, Sanderson’s ALCATRAZ VERSES THE EVIL LIBRARIANS this is only slightly less silly.
Recommended Age: 12+
Language: Minor but a few "d-bag" and the like
Violence: Peril and a few broken bones, death threats
Sex: Teen crushing
***Find this and other reviews at ElitistBookReviews.com***
October 7, 2017
A thank-you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC for a fair and honest review.
This was a quick and interesting read. A 13-year-old boy Owen is having a hard time after his parents' separation, and his mom leaving him, which results in him and his father having to move to Las Vegas. Troubles seem to end when Owen finds an unexpected solution in the form of a Spell to rewrite history in a magical book he bought, but unfortunately for him the troubles have just begun.
The most interesting thing for me is that this novel was actually made in the form of a textbook/guide to sorcery, with sidebars with additional "info" on magic, magical people and events. The plot was entertaining and easy to follow, but there were some things that bothered me and the result is a 3-star rating.
First of all, I know this is a middle-grade novel, and I knew that before reading, but it's too childish in some events. The kiddie slang may be interesting to kids (if they really talk like that today, yuck), but for me it lowered the plot's value. Second, the illustrations were ugly and anatomically incorrect. Being a children's book illustrator, I love to read children's books/comics, to keep myself up to date and to explore fresh ideas, and I know the differences between cartoons, caricatures and realistic drawings. The illustrator who did this has pretty low knowledge on anatomy, perspective and general appeal. If you're not well versed in anatomy, like myself, you should explore other styles of drawing which are less realistic. On the contrary, the spell and chapter pages were pretty nice. And my third and last remark is a technical one - on my kindle version many words overlapped, every "th" in each word was replaced with a tiny circle, the text went out of the frames in sidebars, and some other layout errors made this copy hard to read. I had a computer copy too, but I can't read on the computer.
This is supposed to be a 13-year-old girl
All in all, an interesting book, but aimed to kids only.
This was a quick and interesting read. A 13-year-old boy Owen is having a hard time after his parents' separation, and his mom leaving him, which results in him and his father having to move to Las Vegas. Troubles seem to end when Owen finds an unexpected solution in the form of a Spell to rewrite history in a magical book he bought, but unfortunately for him the troubles have just begun.
The most interesting thing for me is that this novel was actually made in the form of a textbook/guide to sorcery, with sidebars with additional "info" on magic, magical people and events. The plot was entertaining and easy to follow, but there were some things that bothered me and the result is a 3-star rating.
First of all, I know this is a middle-grade novel, and I knew that before reading, but it's too childish in some events. The kiddie slang may be interesting to kids (if they really talk like that today, yuck), but for me it lowered the plot's value. Second, the illustrations were ugly and anatomically incorrect. Being a children's book illustrator, I love to read children's books/comics, to keep myself up to date and to explore fresh ideas, and I know the differences between cartoons, caricatures and realistic drawings. The illustrator who did this has pretty low knowledge on anatomy, perspective and general appeal. If you're not well versed in anatomy, like myself, you should explore other styles of drawing which are less realistic. On the contrary, the spell and chapter pages were pretty nice. And my third and last remark is a technical one - on my kindle version many words overlapped, every "th" in each word was replaced with a tiny circle, the text went out of the frames in sidebars, and some other layout errors made this copy hard to read. I had a computer copy too, but I can't read on the computer.
This is supposed to be a 13-year-old girl
All in all, an interesting book, but aimed to kids only.
March 28, 2019
*4.5 magical cakes*
Sorcery for Beginners by Matt Harry is one of the best book I have read in quite a while. First time since a long time ago that I read a Middle Grade book, and the fact that I enjoyed it so much was surprised.
This book goes about a group of eight graders that, with the help of a magic book, learn how to do spells and magic and face a lot of troubles in the way of becoming fully sorcerers.
The plot is really creative and the plot twist kept me glued to the book, literary. And what I loved the most was the way the author intertwined humor in his writing style, the jokes, the puns, the references, everything made the read very light and enjoyable. Even when I enjoyed the illustrations and the information inside the box (I found it extremely original and even found myself trying to do some of the movements for the spells, haha) the format of my arc was a bit hard to read, some characters were substituted or the words were writing over other words. It was weird and that was what made me take a long time to read, but it was probably a problem with my ereader that is an old version of the Kindle Touch.
The characters were fully developed, an even when you only experience the story from Owens eyes, the writing allows you to see how each characters is evolving and how they confront their problems (my heart broke a bit for Owen, if I’m honest). I loved too how diverse the cast was; they were completely different but complemented each other in a spectacular way.
All the situations they go through and the creative way Trish, Perry and Owen had to find solutions everywhere. I won’t tell you more because it will be spoiler, but it’s really impressive the imagination of the kids! You will get all the feeling and find yourself laughing with them.
I recommend this book to everyone who wants a fun, creative and super interesting read!
*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
October 11, 2017
Owen is a fairly average thirteen-year-old. He thinks so too. When his parents separate and he moves to a new school, things start to get stressful. While escaping a bunch of bullies, Owen ends up in a book store and receives a guide to magic. It seems pretty hard—he has to actually practice and work up to things—but he's determined and is soon using spells for his own purpose. His goal is to get his parents back together. But things don't stay smooth, and soon he finds himself caught up in a magical war, where he and his new found friends must save the book and maybe the world.
This is a very clever dive into a magical tale. It's built up like a text book, but at the same time, reveals Owen's exciting story and experiences. There are footnotes and other notations, which add lovely little tidbits. . .some quite funny. . .which help avoid information dumps an insure that the reader receives the things they need to know. As Owen discovers magic, so does the reader. And it's exactly this format which is not only engaging but a delight to read.
Owen is average, and he sees himself that way too. He isn't exactly a hard worker, but when something is important enough to him (like find the right spell), he does put forth the effort. Readers will have no trouble sympathizing with him and will see some of themselves reflected in him. His friends are a sheer delight, each so different from the other. While Owen's story drives the main plot, his friends aren't forgotten and have their own problems which need to be solved. This gives the book just the right amount of depth, and several interesting layers as well. This group also makes sure that Owen does sit as the only capable character, but rather lets the balance of friendship and working together shine through.
Imagination fills this story as Owen discovers the world of magic. Some questions surrounding the magical world are left open, but most of the story wraps up in a lovely end. There's never a boring moment, but then, with the illustrations and other notations, there's always something to look forward to. Even the plot is not easy to predict and maintains a quick pace until the end.
Summed up, this is an entertaining read which is sure to grab the interest of young fantasy and magic friends.
I received a complimentary copy through the publisher and Netgalley, and found this book so fun and adventurous that I wanted to leave my honest thoughts.
This is a very clever dive into a magical tale. It's built up like a text book, but at the same time, reveals Owen's exciting story and experiences. There are footnotes and other notations, which add lovely little tidbits. . .some quite funny. . .which help avoid information dumps an insure that the reader receives the things they need to know. As Owen discovers magic, so does the reader. And it's exactly this format which is not only engaging but a delight to read.
Owen is average, and he sees himself that way too. He isn't exactly a hard worker, but when something is important enough to him (like find the right spell), he does put forth the effort. Readers will have no trouble sympathizing with him and will see some of themselves reflected in him. His friends are a sheer delight, each so different from the other. While Owen's story drives the main plot, his friends aren't forgotten and have their own problems which need to be solved. This gives the book just the right amount of depth, and several interesting layers as well. This group also makes sure that Owen does sit as the only capable character, but rather lets the balance of friendship and working together shine through.
Imagination fills this story as Owen discovers the world of magic. Some questions surrounding the magical world are left open, but most of the story wraps up in a lovely end. There's never a boring moment, but then, with the illustrations and other notations, there's always something to look forward to. Even the plot is not easy to predict and maintains a quick pace until the end.
Summed up, this is an entertaining read which is sure to grab the interest of young fantasy and magic friends.
I received a complimentary copy through the publisher and Netgalley, and found this book so fun and adventurous that I wanted to leave my honest thoughts.
October 23, 2017
I thought the concept of this book was pretty cool in general and enjoyed reading it. I felt this was a fun book for younger readers and would be enjoyed by many older readers as well. I thought the flow was good and the prose of the author was acceptable. The development of the main character was good and some of his companions were interesting. The antagonists of the story were pretty typical, but put together in a complex way.
*** Spoilers ***
Having to face the younger and the older Ferretti, as well as the ever present threat of the Euclideans at different points made the plot more interesting. It also allowed the story to flow along, even making it very easy for a sequel. I did wonder why when the first character we are brought in on is about to lose the book there is an intervention, but when Owen even actually loses it, it is all up to him to figure out. I felt like that was a little fishy, but didn't kill the plot. I thought the ending was a little soft, even the story points out Owen could have been caught by the Euclideans when he made the book invisible. He didn't have to make the hard choice and determine something he could erase from time. Perhaps he couldn't change his own timeline without harsh ramifications, but it felt like we were eluding to a more complex decision at the ending with Owen hopefully making a brilliant realization that solves the problem. Instead he backed his way into something that in all rights should not have worked and was very simple other than not telling the reader he succeeded in using the invisibility spell. Overall I thought this was a good YA book, I'd give it 4 stars. It might be more like 3.5 stars if you're an adult, but it's a fun read either way.
*** Spoilers ***
Having to face the younger and the older Ferretti, as well as the ever present threat of the Euclideans at different points made the plot more interesting. It also allowed the story to flow along, even making it very easy for a sequel. I did wonder why when the first character we are brought in on is about to lose the book there is an intervention, but when Owen even actually loses it, it is all up to him to figure out. I felt like that was a little fishy, but didn't kill the plot. I thought the ending was a little soft, even the story points out Owen could have been caught by the Euclideans when he made the book invisible. He didn't have to make the hard choice and determine something he could erase from time. Perhaps he couldn't change his own timeline without harsh ramifications, but it felt like we were eluding to a more complex decision at the ending with Owen hopefully making a brilliant realization that solves the problem. Instead he backed his way into something that in all rights should not have worked and was very simple other than not telling the reader he succeeded in using the invisibility spell. Overall I thought this was a good YA book, I'd give it 4 stars. It might be more like 3.5 stars if you're an adult, but it's a fun read either way.
September 13, 2017
Sorcery for Beginners is a very fascinating book that hooked me in from the beginning. The unique way in which it's written made it even more extraordinary. Owen Macready get his life scrambled when his mother leaves their family for a more exciting life and eight weeks later his father suddenly decides they're moving to Las Vegas from Cleveland. Owen has always been an average boy who hates stress but all that is about to change. Through a strange encounter, He gains a book titled Sorcery for Beginners that is weirdly connected to his thoughts and teaches magic. It's stressing for Owen because it requires lots and lots of concentration, But he NEEDED to do it because there is a spell in it that could make his family whole again. Owen gets into magic for his own personal gain but he slowly gets entrenched in a war that will mean the end of the quiet life he's always known. Sorcery for Beginners is an amazing book, Matt Harry has a unique way of writing that will draw you in and grab your attention from the beginning to the end. This book has action, magic, adventure, mystery and intrigue, and I happily recommend it to any Middle Grade (or otherwise) reader looking for a good book. I can't wait for more from this author.
August 15, 2017
** A copy of Sorcery for Beginners was provided by the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review **
It was roughly 500 years ago when magic began to fade from the world. Spell books, magical artifacts and sorcerers themselves becoming nearly extinct and along with them, the nuances and secrets of spell casting.
That is, until now.
Told through the case study of 13 year old Owen Macready's experience with Sorcery for Beginners - a how to manual on spell casting and returning magic to the world. Owen is not only trusted with the manual and tasked to learn the spells housed within, but drawn into a centuries old war for control over the power of magic. Is magic real? What can we do with it? And can Owen survive school bullies, powerful ruthless millionaires and an secret society to bring it back into the world safely...
This was so super fun and endearing! I'm such a sucker for books related to magic and this filled a sweet spot for me. I loved the way the story was peppered with spells and footnotes. It really lent to an immersive and interactive adventure along with Owen and his friends. I can see this quickly becoming a cult classic and I hope this becomes a series with more volumes to follow! (I couldn't find any info on that, but fingers crossed)
It was roughly 500 years ago when magic began to fade from the world. Spell books, magical artifacts and sorcerers themselves becoming nearly extinct and along with them, the nuances and secrets of spell casting.
That is, until now.
Told through the case study of 13 year old Owen Macready's experience with Sorcery for Beginners - a how to manual on spell casting and returning magic to the world. Owen is not only trusted with the manual and tasked to learn the spells housed within, but drawn into a centuries old war for control over the power of magic. Is magic real? What can we do with it? And can Owen survive school bullies, powerful ruthless millionaires and an secret society to bring it back into the world safely...
This was so super fun and endearing! I'm such a sucker for books related to magic and this filled a sweet spot for me. I loved the way the story was peppered with spells and footnotes. It really lent to an immersive and interactive adventure along with Owen and his friends. I can see this quickly becoming a cult classic and I hope this becomes a series with more volumes to follow! (I couldn't find any info on that, but fingers crossed)
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