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Severed Empire #1
Severed Empire: Wizard's Rise
A war is coming. There is no way to prevent it. The only thing for certain is that there will be one loser... and one winner. WIZARD'S RISE (A Severed Empire Novel) - For over two hundred years the Rye Empire enforced drastic measures outlawing the use of magic. To avoid capture a handful of remaining Wizards escaped royal persecution and made it into hiding. Shortly after the decree the empire crumbled, but the laws remained in place... The Mountain King's ambitions of becoming the next Emperor will be realized. With forced help from an enslaved sorceress, he will stop at nothing until he achieves his dreams. The easiest path to victory can be obtained by retrieving buried talismans. With those enchanted items in his possession he can summon the Wizards, steal, and harness their power. In an effort to save the Old Empire from a growing, sinister magic, seventeen-year-old farmboy Mykal and five friends begin a desperate journey. They must collect the talismans before the Mountain King. Their trek will force Mykal to face fears, and accept truths he'd never known existed. There isn't much time. A war is coming. Their chances of winning will depend on whether they succeed or not. If they fail, a terrible darkness will steal the light from the Grey Ashland Realm... forever.
- GenresFantasyYoung AdultAmazon
432 pages, Paperback
First published February 11, 2016
303 people are currently reading
1042 people want to read
About the author
Phillip Tomasso III
50 books179 followersPhillip Tomasso III is the award-winning author of many novels, including Before the Sun Sets and Amazon Best Selling memoir, Nothing Good Happens After Midnight.
He lives in Rochester, NY with his 3 kids, works full-time as a Fire Dispatcher for 9-1-1, and is always hard at work on his next story!
He lives in Rochester, NY with his 3 kids, works full-time as a Fire Dispatcher for 9-1-1, and is always hard at work on his next story!
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
June 6, 2022
Magic is forbidden throughout the kingdom, and wizards are hunted down and hung. Mykal has spent his life farming with his grandfather and dutifully attending the king's hangings. But when he unexplainedly survives combat with a deadly beast and encounters two mysterious females who have an interest in him, his life immediately begins to change. He learns that he may be a wizard and could be the only hope to save his land from a devastating war.
There wasn't much about this work that stood out to me. Magic is outlawed, a young boy finds out he has mysterious and "limitless" powers, he's the only one who can save the land by going on a quest to find some items, his parents aren't present in his life, etc. The whole work relied heavily on very standard and overutilized fantasy tropes. There were also several unexplained "coincidences" that just happened to work in the heroes' favor at opportune times.
There was nothing about the characters that made them unique or interesting. They also fell into traditional tropes and lacked any depth or emotional connection.
On a more technical note, there were several errors and typos throughout the work. The dialogue wasn't written very well, feeling stilted in many places. It was also overutilized for info dumping (there were several consecutive chapters of this that drastically slowed down the plot). The author also relied heavily on questions both in the dialogue and the exposition, which was frustrating. There was no showing in this work, only telling. It could use a heavy editing.
Unfortunately, this fantasy read was mediocre at best. I don't recommend this work.
There wasn't much about this work that stood out to me. Magic is outlawed, a young boy finds out he has mysterious and "limitless" powers, he's the only one who can save the land by going on a quest to find some items, his parents aren't present in his life, etc. The whole work relied heavily on very standard and overutilized fantasy tropes. There were also several unexplained "coincidences" that just happened to work in the heroes' favor at opportune times.
There was nothing about the characters that made them unique or interesting. They also fell into traditional tropes and lacked any depth or emotional connection.
On a more technical note, there were several errors and typos throughout the work. The dialogue wasn't written very well, feeling stilted in many places. It was also overutilized for info dumping (there were several consecutive chapters of this that drastically slowed down the plot). The author also relied heavily on questions both in the dialogue and the exposition, which was frustrating. There was no showing in this work, only telling. It could use a heavy editing.
Unfortunately, this fantasy read was mediocre at best. I don't recommend this work.
December 11, 2019
Tomasso introduces his reader to a world that is filled with magic, not only in its characters but its setting too. “Wizard’s Rise” is well titled, for it is about the rise of those with magical powers who have been forced into hiding for their inherent gifts. The story is not complicated, and yet it is rich with fantastical elements the reader doesn’t see coming. That is not to say the story is so strange one needs to be an expert in the fantasy genre to enjoy it. It is, in fact, light fantasy, and tells of Mykal’s coming of age, and coming into magic, essentially. I don’t want to reveal too much, but I cannot hesitate to commend Tomasso for writing some exciting action scenes, as well as developing a mixed bag of characters who end up being more of a family than a troop. But also the dialogue, which can often slow down a narrative, proves witty here and helps the reader get inside the characters’ minds while also showcasing the writer’s talent for moving a story forward without endless exposition. Bravo, I say.
Self-sacrifice and courage are themes in this fine start to a promising series, which leaves its reader with the hope that Mykal will forge ahead despite his losses, and continue to ward off evil and discover the powers within.
Self-sacrifice and courage are themes in this fine start to a promising series, which leaves its reader with the hope that Mykal will forge ahead despite his losses, and continue to ward off evil and discover the powers within.
September 4, 2016
For over two hundred years the Rye Empire enforced drastic measures outlawing the use of magic. To avoid capture a handful of remaining Wizards escaped royal persecution and made it into hiding. Shortly after the decree the empire crumbled, but the laws remained in place. . .The Mountain King's ambitions of becoming the next Emperor will be realized. With forced help from an enslaved sorceress, he will stop at nothing until he achieves his dreams. The easiest path to victory can be obtained by retrieving buried talismans. With those enchanted items in his possession he can summon the Wizards, steal, and harness their power. In an effort to save the Old Empire from a growing, sinister magic, seventeen-year-old farmboy Mykal and five friends begin a desperate journey. They must collect the talismans before the Mountain King. Their trek will force Mykal to face fears, and accept truths he'd never known existed. There isn't much time. A war is coming. Their chances of winning will depend on whether they succeed or not. If they fail, a terrible darkness will steal the light from the Grey Ashland Realm. . .forever.
I enjoyed this book and the different typed of characters. I was alittle disappointed at the end but that doesn't detract from the writting and story. You will enjoy this story. Good reading everyone!!!!!!
I enjoyed this book and the different typed of characters. I was alittle disappointed at the end but that doesn't detract from the writting and story. You will enjoy this story. Good reading everyone!!!!!!
February 25, 2016
I first encountered Phillip's writing with his Vaccination Trilogy, and having liked that a good deal, and knowing he had this coming out I asked him if I could read it, and write him a review.
Wizard's Rise is such a fun journey, watching Mykal grow into the magical skills that he so desperately needs as the war the Mountain King breaks loose. A fledgling mage, Mykal is dragged into the middle of the fray very early in the book, and he's forced to learn, toughen up, or be eradicated by the King in his devious plan to collect the power of the scant few Wizards left in the world.
I'd say that Wizard's Rise has more of a young adult feel to it than a darker fantasy, and has an appealing, clean voice. Phillip has a way with writing words and scenes that flow and are easy to understand, and younger readers will be able to devour this. Adults will enjoy it as well as a solid first book in a series by a terrific author.
If you're a fan of RA Salvatore, Weis/Hickman, Sanderson and any of the other great voices in fantasy give Wizard's Rise and Phillip a shot. You'll enjoy the time you give his work.
Wizard's Rise is such a fun journey, watching Mykal grow into the magical skills that he so desperately needs as the war the Mountain King breaks loose. A fledgling mage, Mykal is dragged into the middle of the fray very early in the book, and he's forced to learn, toughen up, or be eradicated by the King in his devious plan to collect the power of the scant few Wizards left in the world.
I'd say that Wizard's Rise has more of a young adult feel to it than a darker fantasy, and has an appealing, clean voice. Phillip has a way with writing words and scenes that flow and are easy to understand, and younger readers will be able to devour this. Adults will enjoy it as well as a solid first book in a series by a terrific author.
If you're a fan of RA Salvatore, Weis/Hickman, Sanderson and any of the other great voices in fantasy give Wizard's Rise and Phillip a shot. You'll enjoy the time you give his work.
September 19, 2016
Tomasso presents an easy read for any age. A fun adventure and great beginning to this series.
July 2, 2017
Seventeen-year-old Mykal, a farm boy from Gray Ashland, along with a few of his comrades are on a quest to save the Old Empire from the Mountain King, whose ambition is to become the next Emperor. If they fail, a terrible darkness will steal the light from their realm forever.
Wizard’s Rise by author Philip Tomasso was a decent beginning to a series. It did what it was supposed to do and introduced us to the characters we should know. When I began reading, it took quite a bit of turning the pages for me to get involved. There were a few actions scenes in the beginning that I enjoyed, other than that, I felt it dragging. However, later on, as it progressed, I became more eager to see what would happen next. I felt the plot grow, along with Mykal, our hero.
The dialogue didn't always bode well with me. I felt that it was trying too hard to be humorous and it just didn't seem to fit, although the humor was cutesy. I think it may have been due to who said certain phrases.
Nonetheless, I did enjoy the read the more I went on. The layout of the world was described extremely well. The characters could have had more depth but they still grew as they should have. By the end, it was a great beginning to Philip Tomasso’s fantasy series. Although any age of fantasy readers may enjoy Wizard’s Rise, I feel it would fit much better for young adults rather than adults. If you’re expecting and prefer a dark fantasy with a lot of grit, like I did, then prepare for more of a lighter read. I do look forward to the next installment.
For more book reviews, visit https://angelakaysbooks.com/book-revi...
Wizard’s Rise by author Philip Tomasso was a decent beginning to a series. It did what it was supposed to do and introduced us to the characters we should know. When I began reading, it took quite a bit of turning the pages for me to get involved. There were a few actions scenes in the beginning that I enjoyed, other than that, I felt it dragging. However, later on, as it progressed, I became more eager to see what would happen next. I felt the plot grow, along with Mykal, our hero.
The dialogue didn't always bode well with me. I felt that it was trying too hard to be humorous and it just didn't seem to fit, although the humor was cutesy. I think it may have been due to who said certain phrases.
Nonetheless, I did enjoy the read the more I went on. The layout of the world was described extremely well. The characters could have had more depth but they still grew as they should have. By the end, it was a great beginning to Philip Tomasso’s fantasy series. Although any age of fantasy readers may enjoy Wizard’s Rise, I feel it would fit much better for young adults rather than adults. If you’re expecting and prefer a dark fantasy with a lot of grit, like I did, then prepare for more of a lighter read. I do look forward to the next installment.
For more book reviews, visit https://angelakaysbooks.com/book-revi...
May 25, 2022
It would have gotten 3 stars if 60% through the MC mage could all of a sudden do all sorts of magic. Then he bested a fierce wildling fighter by -- boxing? Completely lost interest now that he's a Magic Sue.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 30, 2022
This series seems to get seriously mixed reviews, but I loved it! It's a pretty classic fantasy set up (magic has been outlawed, evil king, chosen one) but what made this story stand out to me was the villain. The Mountain King is so evil, and not just because he's the antagonist. His character is genuinely loathsome in a way that made me turn these pages fast waiting for the moment he would face the defeat he deserves. A strong take on classic fantasy tropes!
May 6, 2017
The Old Empire has fallen and the kingdoms have fractured. Due to a Mad King's decree, magic has been outlawed throughout the lands with those who practice it being persecuted and murdered. The Mountain King, however, wishes to recruit mages as his personal artillery against his enemies. Unfortunately, for him, Mykel the newest of the wizards has no interest in being a soldier of conquest and joins with a 200 year old sorceress to bring together the magic users of the world to escape his plans.
I very much enjoyed this novel and think it should be considered Young Adult Fantasy, which is hardly a bad thing since I cut my teeth on it with Dragonlance and Forgotten Realms in the Nineties. Mykel is a likable enough farm boy protagonist and his growth into a wizard is fairly organic. We also get a surprising bit of attention paid to him crossing the moment when he finally takes a human life.
Honestly, right up until he started committing atrocities left and right, I was on the Mountain King's side during all of this. His father was a scumbag and all of the kingdoms persecuting mages deserve to be conquered so they can stop. I suspect my Mage-neto view of the situation isn't what the author was going for, though. Despite this, there's a lot of interesting stories, not the least being how the hero's mentor screwed up the world in the first place.
This is a solid start to the series and I think definitely something someone should pick up if they want a relaxing read similar to the BBC's 2008 Merlin series starring Colin Morgan.
I very much enjoyed this novel and think it should be considered Young Adult Fantasy, which is hardly a bad thing since I cut my teeth on it with Dragonlance and Forgotten Realms in the Nineties. Mykel is a likable enough farm boy protagonist and his growth into a wizard is fairly organic. We also get a surprising bit of attention paid to him crossing the moment when he finally takes a human life.
Honestly, right up until he started committing atrocities left and right, I was on the Mountain King's side during all of this. His father was a scumbag and all of the kingdoms persecuting mages deserve to be conquered so they can stop. I suspect my Mage-neto view of the situation isn't what the author was going for, though. Despite this, there's a lot of interesting stories, not the least being how the hero's mentor screwed up the world in the first place.
This is a solid start to the series and I think definitely something someone should pick up if they want a relaxing read similar to the BBC's 2008 Merlin series starring Colin Morgan.
February 26, 2016
I received a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. This is in
no way reflected in my opinion of this book.
Wizard's Rise is a fun fantasy that will captivate both adults and younger readers alike. Reminescent of Terry Prachett's books or the Xanth series by Piers Anthony. The story started a bit slow for me but it wasn't long before I wanted to know what was going to happen next. The quest to find the talismans and stop the coming war that Mykal and his friends take is filled with interesting characters and magical adventure. I'm looking forward to the second part of this charming series. A fun and exciting 4 star read.
no way reflected in my opinion of this book.
Wizard's Rise is a fun fantasy that will captivate both adults and younger readers alike. Reminescent of Terry Prachett's books or the Xanth series by Piers Anthony. The story started a bit slow for me but it wasn't long before I wanted to know what was going to happen next. The quest to find the talismans and stop the coming war that Mykal and his friends take is filled with interesting characters and magical adventure. I'm looking forward to the second part of this charming series. A fun and exciting 4 star read.
March 31, 2016
Ahhh
Next book please. You can not leave a person hanging like that.. I like how the characters are not perfect. The story flows a little fast for me but it is good. Can't wait till the next book.
Next book please. You can not leave a person hanging like that.. I like how the characters are not perfect. The story flows a little fast for me but it is good. Can't wait till the next book.
May 26, 2022
hmmmm
The thing about fantasy novels that include a quest is that they are often so similar. This story has been done before, so many times, and has been don better. Boy is sent on a quest with a bunch of friends and some people they meet on the way. Boy meets girl on the way, learns magic on the way, becomes incredibly powerful on the way…. Blah blah blah. It’s not a bad book, the characters are done well, the world is well described…. But it is the same story written so many times, and often better. Sorry, if you have read one or two of these before pass on this and read Wheel of time, the Belgariad, or one of those better ones.
The thing about fantasy novels that include a quest is that they are often so similar. This story has been done before, so many times, and has been don better. Boy is sent on a quest with a bunch of friends and some people they meet on the way. Boy meets girl on the way, learns magic on the way, becomes incredibly powerful on the way…. Blah blah blah. It’s not a bad book, the characters are done well, the world is well described…. But it is the same story written so many times, and often better. Sorry, if you have read one or two of these before pass on this and read Wheel of time, the Belgariad, or one of those better ones.
June 5, 2022
Skimmed to about 60% because of all the positive reviews but did not stomach forcing myself to finish this god awful book. What are the reviews reading?? This book drowns in grammar errors and lack of editing. The character development is pitiful with major ones doing complete about faces midway through the book. The story is totally overused tropes that are done so much better almost everywhere else. I resent the reviews here for making me waste my time.
April 22, 2022
Good characters
Join a boy as he discovers his
Powers as a nature wizard. Good character development. Unexpected
ending. Some editing mistakes.
Join a boy as he discovers his
Powers as a nature wizard. Good character development. Unexpected
ending. Some editing mistakes.
May 29, 2022
great story
I love the characters & the story. The grammatical, punctuation, & spelling errors make the reading a little rough. Please hire a proofreader!
I love the characters & the story. The grammatical, punctuation, & spelling errors make the reading a little rough. Please hire a proofreader!
June 1, 2022
A good quick read. Might be a little young adult but an enjoyable read.
June 6, 2022
Very interesting book
Magical story, and very interesting. However, there are multiple typos and strange sentence arrangements. If you can just skip over them, the story is good.
Magical story, and very interesting. However, there are multiple typos and strange sentence arrangements. If you can just skip over them, the story is good.
June 17, 2022
Wizards rise
Well balanced with characters that have substance. Story flows nicely with good plot lines. Looking forward to reading book 2
Well balanced with characters that have substance. Story flows nicely with good plot lines. Looking forward to reading book 2
July 15, 2022
Must read
Very Captivating. Great characters.Hard to put it down. Can't wait to read the next book.Dont delay in reading this book.
Very Captivating. Great characters.Hard to put it down. Can't wait to read the next book.Dont delay in reading this book.
November 8, 2022
Good book would recommend
Was a worthy read and flowed pretty well. Would like to read the next one when I can get it.
Was a worthy read and flowed pretty well. Would like to read the next one when I can get it.
January 2, 2023
Good fantasy/mystery
I enjoyed this story a lot. Also as an added bonus pretty well edited. Very few typos. The characters are well developed.
I enjoyed this story a lot. Also as an added bonus pretty well edited. Very few typos. The characters are well developed.
April 22, 2023
I might like this book after a proofreading and editing. Until then I was disappointed.
January 4, 2024
This has the makings of an amazing series! The magic system is very interesting and I cannot wait to read more in this universe.
October 4, 2024
Just completed Vol 1 of The Severed Empire by Phillip Tomasso III. It was good. Not great! The characters were so so for me. I will not continue the series. 3 stars.
January 15, 2025
A very good story
It's unfortunate that no one proofread it. Amazon insists on 20 words so I will say it again: the book needed proofreading.
It's unfortunate that no one proofread it. Amazon insists on 20 words so I will say it again: the book needed proofreading.
September 9, 2025
Many mistakes
This book feels unfinished with all the mistakes in it. Storyline was ok though. Very fast paced and left a nice cliffhanger.
This book feels unfinished with all the mistakes in it. Storyline was ok though. Very fast paced and left a nice cliffhanger.
January 28, 2026
Awesome book full of magic!
A young man finds he is a wizard like his mom. He goes on an adventure to try to get the 4 wizards to help them fight an evil king.
A young man finds he is a wizard like his mom. He goes on an adventure to try to get the 4 wizards to help them fight an evil king.
June 29, 2022
Great book
This story is so good. I found the characters realistic and well thought out. I feel like I'm in the story as I follow along on the adventure Mykal is on. I can't wait to read book two. Guess I won't get any sleep tonight.
This story is so good. I found the characters realistic and well thought out. I feel like I'm in the story as I follow along on the adventure Mykal is on. I can't wait to read book two. Guess I won't get any sleep tonight.
December 15, 2022
I wasn't sure how many starts to give this book, honestly, three for the potential? Or two for the execution and the first part, which I found no merit to whatsoever?
There was a lot of potential to this book.
However...
First chapter left me confused at why I should care about a storm at sea. Next chapter left me confused as to why the stakes are so high when all he's doing is going to a simple hanging, which sounded pretty common.
Next fourth of the book we spend going in circles.
Which is when the book does improve. Things start happening. The stakes are high. Time's running out.
Still, I wished I cared more about the characters. Wished I understood why. Why it was happening now. Why anyone cared about what they were doing.
I wished I was given more reason to care about their quest and its high stakes. At first Mykal didn't seem to care about it, just wanting to finish and go home so Galacia would leave him alone. Then, suddenly he was blindly running forward to help this cause. But I never shifted with him.
Also, there was an awful lot of uncalled for graphic descriptions. From the describing a man wetting his pants before being hung, to the description of exactly how men died choking
So, though this book is filled with secrets, magical talents and an urgent quest, I don't think I'd add it to my list of recommended books.
There was a lot of potential to this book.
However...
First chapter left me confused at why I should care about a storm at sea. Next chapter left me confused as to why the stakes are so high when all he's doing is going to a simple hanging, which sounded pretty common.
Next fourth of the book we spend going in circles.
Which is when the book does improve. Things start happening. The stakes are high. Time's running out.
Still, I wished I cared more about the characters. Wished I understood why. Why it was happening now. Why anyone cared about what they were doing.
I wished I was given more reason to care about their quest and its high stakes. At first Mykal didn't seem to care about it, just wanting to finish and go home so Galacia would leave him alone. Then, suddenly he was blindly running forward to help this cause. But I never shifted with him.
Also, there was an awful lot of uncalled for graphic descriptions. From the describing a man wetting his pants before being hung, to the description of exactly how men died choking
So, though this book is filled with secrets, magical talents and an urgent quest, I don't think I'd add it to my list of recommended books.
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews