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Wasteland #1
Wizard of the Wasteland
Abel wanders the wastes, scratching out a meagre existence until he finds something incredible...the Wizard of the Wasteland.
Terrified of being alone with his demons, Abel joins the travelling showman, passing off pre-apocalypse technology as objects of magic and intrigue.
When they stumble upon a group of children, enslaved by the brutal drug gang The Family, Abel must risk everything he has to save them. But having the wizard at his side might not be enough...
Terrified of being alone with his demons, Abel joins the travelling showman, passing off pre-apocalypse technology as objects of magic and intrigue.
When they stumble upon a group of children, enslaved by the brutal drug gang The Family, Abel must risk everything he has to save them. But having the wizard at his side might not be enough...
250 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 20, 2017
406 people are currently reading
343 people want to read
About the author
Jon Cronshaw
103 books138 followersJon Cronshaw is a British science fiction and fantasy author based in the north of England, just south of the wall.
As a freelance features writer, he has had work published in local and national newspapers across the UK, including the Yorkshire Post and the Guardian.
He earned his PhD in history of art from the University of Leeds in 2011, focusing on the life and work of Anglo-American sculptor, Jacob Epstein (1880-1959).
He's a voracious reader, guide dog owner, ex-gamer, and wrestling fan.
As a freelance features writer, he has had work published in local and national newspapers across the UK, including the Yorkshire Post and the Guardian.
He earned his PhD in history of art from the University of Leeds in 2011, focusing on the life and work of Anglo-American sculptor, Jacob Epstein (1880-1959).
He's a voracious reader, guide dog owner, ex-gamer, and wrestling fan.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
June 28, 2023
TW// animal death/murder (including dogs, frogs, and more), drug addiction (including children being addicted), slavery, murder, incest, suicidal ideation, mention of cannibalism, sexism
I really enjoy post-apcolopytic stories, so I was looking forward to this one, but I ended up feeling extremely disappointed with the story. I’m surprised that Wizard of the Wasteland has such a high average star rating on Goodreads. It is quite simply a boring, pointless tale with lackluster characters.
This book should’ve been an epic adventure to rescue some drug addicted kids from slavery, but the execution was done poorly. Most of this book follows the main character as he loots for objects to trade. This looting was extremely repetitive and it went on for chapters at a time without even bringing up the main conflict in the story (the slavery).
The title of the book and the synopsis made it seem like this book would center around a man called the wizard, but the wizard wasn’t the main focus of the story. It felt like clickbait to pitch this story about being about a wizard then to not make him a vital part of the book. His parts in the story weren’t even super strong. The wizard was just this guy who happened to be near the main character at a couple points in the story, so they traveled together for a tiny bit. The wizard also had different desires and motivations than the main character, so it wasn’t even clear to me why they would travel with each other at all.
Speaking of the characters, all of them were extremely bland. There was nothing that held my attention about any of the characters. A lot of the characters were way too similair to each other as well. When the wizard and Abel were traveling with each other, I had to keep rereading pages because Abel and the wizard are so similair that it was impossible to tell who was saying what unless there was a clear dialogue tag like “Abel said.”
The world wasn’t explained well in this story. There was supposedly chemical rain that would leave small craters in the earth and irritate skin. There was no rhyme or reason why this rain would happen. The craters were also extremely confusing because sometimes there would be large craters for some reason? But the rain was only described as making small craters when it was falling down. It seemed like the whole crater idea wasn’t well thought out. Then there was the biggest plothole in the book: the drinkability of the water. All water in this book comes from the rain. However, the chemical elements to the rain makes the water undrinkable and unsafe to touch. However, Abel randomly finds a stream outside that isn’t poisonous. He immediately starts bathing himself in it and drinking out of it. This doesn’t make sense though as the stream would’ve been contaminated by the chemical rain. The only water in this book that should’ve been safe were water that was drawn from a well that had an air tight lid over the top to avoid the chemical rain splashing in and water that was boiled to get rid of the chemicals (if that could even work with the specific chemicals that were in the rainwater).
I despised every moment of the inbred town in the story. The inbred characters all had ridiculous names, they didn’t talk in ways that seemed realistic, and they were sexist. The sexism was a huge issue for me because the story didn’t handle the sexism well. It just casually mentioned that all the women were basically locked up and forced to do “womenly” duties. It was awful yet the story didn’t even do a deep dive into that disturbing sexism.
I could rant about this book a lot more, but I’ll try to hold myself back and end my review with one final criticism: how this book dealt with one of the dead dogs was really gross and disturbing. I won’t spoil exactly what happened, but I will say that the dog was not buried or cremated for a very long time. The poor dog needed to be put to rest, but its body couldn’t catch a break.
I obviously hated this book and I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone because of how many issues it had.
I really enjoy post-apcolopytic stories, so I was looking forward to this one, but I ended up feeling extremely disappointed with the story. I’m surprised that Wizard of the Wasteland has such a high average star rating on Goodreads. It is quite simply a boring, pointless tale with lackluster characters.
This book should’ve been an epic adventure to rescue some drug addicted kids from slavery, but the execution was done poorly. Most of this book follows the main character as he loots for objects to trade. This looting was extremely repetitive and it went on for chapters at a time without even bringing up the main conflict in the story (the slavery).
The title of the book and the synopsis made it seem like this book would center around a man called the wizard, but the wizard wasn’t the main focus of the story. It felt like clickbait to pitch this story about being about a wizard then to not make him a vital part of the book. His parts in the story weren’t even super strong. The wizard was just this guy who happened to be near the main character at a couple points in the story, so they traveled together for a tiny bit. The wizard also had different desires and motivations than the main character, so it wasn’t even clear to me why they would travel with each other at all.
Speaking of the characters, all of them were extremely bland. There was nothing that held my attention about any of the characters. A lot of the characters were way too similair to each other as well. When the wizard and Abel were traveling with each other, I had to keep rereading pages because Abel and the wizard are so similair that it was impossible to tell who was saying what unless there was a clear dialogue tag like “Abel said.”
The world wasn’t explained well in this story. There was supposedly chemical rain that would leave small craters in the earth and irritate skin. There was no rhyme or reason why this rain would happen. The craters were also extremely confusing because sometimes there would be large craters for some reason? But the rain was only described as making small craters when it was falling down. It seemed like the whole crater idea wasn’t well thought out. Then there was the biggest plothole in the book: the drinkability of the water. All water in this book comes from the rain. However, the chemical elements to the rain makes the water undrinkable and unsafe to touch. However, Abel randomly finds a stream outside that isn’t poisonous. He immediately starts bathing himself in it and drinking out of it. This doesn’t make sense though as the stream would’ve been contaminated by the chemical rain. The only water in this book that should’ve been safe were water that was drawn from a well that had an air tight lid over the top to avoid the chemical rain splashing in and water that was boiled to get rid of the chemicals (if that could even work with the specific chemicals that were in the rainwater).
I despised every moment of the inbred town in the story. The inbred characters all had ridiculous names, they didn’t talk in ways that seemed realistic, and they were sexist. The sexism was a huge issue for me because the story didn’t handle the sexism well. It just casually mentioned that all the women were basically locked up and forced to do “womenly” duties. It was awful yet the story didn’t even do a deep dive into that disturbing sexism.
I could rant about this book a lot more, but I’ll try to hold myself back and end my review with one final criticism: how this book dealt with one of the dead dogs was really gross and disturbing. I won’t spoil exactly what happened, but I will say that the dog was not buried or cremated for a very long time. The poor dog needed to be put to rest, but its body couldn’t catch a break.
I obviously hated this book and I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone because of how many issues it had.
June 15, 2017
6/15/2017
WIZARD OF THE WASTELAND
Jon Cronshaw
A generation past the end of the world as we know it finds Alan and his dog Pip ranging the country trading pre-apocalyptic trash and such for food and a means to survive. One day he meets the “Wizard of the Wasteland” and both their life changes. They decide to combine their talents and travel together.
This reminds me a little of a cross between THE ROAD and THE STAND. If you like action, emotion and stories of survival you will love this book. It will hold your interest from the first word and I dare you to put it down before the last word. I loved it and would recommend this book to anyone.
WIZARD OF THE WASTELAND
Jon Cronshaw
A generation past the end of the world as we know it finds Alan and his dog Pip ranging the country trading pre-apocalyptic trash and such for food and a means to survive. One day he meets the “Wizard of the Wasteland” and both their life changes. They decide to combine their talents and travel together.
This reminds me a little of a cross between THE ROAD and THE STAND. If you like action, emotion and stories of survival you will love this book. It will hold your interest from the first word and I dare you to put it down before the last word. I loved it and would recommend this book to anyone.
September 16, 2017
( Format : Audiobook )
"You got a plan?"
Set in a post apocalyptic time when society's remnants have settled into a new rhythm of life, the old magic of technology is mostly forgotten and the Wizard trades on this, making a living revealing to the new generations the magic of forgotten arts, like electricity. A young man, Abel, and his faithful dog, Pip, leave the security of the Trinity community to join with the Wizard and, hopefully, travel in company with him.This is the story of their travels.
This is not the often frequently told post apocalyptic tale of vicious fighting for survival in a world disintegrating. Time has moved on. Not too many had survived. But it is not a tale of sweetness and light, either. There are small enclaves of habitation but also 'loners', too, and the rules are what anyone can make them. So this is not a journey of peaceful transition. But it is one of pain, tentative friendship, fear - and discovery.
Told in the present tense with short, snappy sentences, there is a feeling of meticulous concentration to all that is happening and, from very early in the text there is a growing sense of tension. And the steady narration of Ian Coleman matches the pace and the hard emotions felt by Abel perfectly. His voicings of the various other protagonists is similarly appropriate and distinct. The whole is both disturbing, bleak but also hopeful. People are different and this story reflects this.
I received a complementary copy of The Wizard of the Wasteland, at my request, from the rights holder, via Audiobook Boom. My thanks for that. I found this to be a story which really insinuated it's way under my skin, the main characters in particular becoming very real to me, and I both feared for them and rejoiced in their small achievements. Strangely, a sense of calm seemed to flow from the pages and there was, for me, a sadness when the book ended.
A different type of story and one I certainly recommend.
"You got a plan?"
Set in a post apocalyptic time when society's remnants have settled into a new rhythm of life, the old magic of technology is mostly forgotten and the Wizard trades on this, making a living revealing to the new generations the magic of forgotten arts, like electricity. A young man, Abel, and his faithful dog, Pip, leave the security of the Trinity community to join with the Wizard and, hopefully, travel in company with him.This is the story of their travels.
This is not the often frequently told post apocalyptic tale of vicious fighting for survival in a world disintegrating. Time has moved on. Not too many had survived. But it is not a tale of sweetness and light, either. There are small enclaves of habitation but also 'loners', too, and the rules are what anyone can make them. So this is not a journey of peaceful transition. But it is one of pain, tentative friendship, fear - and discovery.
Told in the present tense with short, snappy sentences, there is a feeling of meticulous concentration to all that is happening and, from very early in the text there is a growing sense of tension. And the steady narration of Ian Coleman matches the pace and the hard emotions felt by Abel perfectly. His voicings of the various other protagonists is similarly appropriate and distinct. The whole is both disturbing, bleak but also hopeful. People are different and this story reflects this.
I received a complementary copy of The Wizard of the Wasteland, at my request, from the rights holder, via Audiobook Boom. My thanks for that. I found this to be a story which really insinuated it's way under my skin, the main characters in particular becoming very real to me, and I both feared for them and rejoiced in their small achievements. Strangely, a sense of calm seemed to flow from the pages and there was, for me, a sadness when the book ended.
A different type of story and one I certainly recommend.
November 22, 2017
There's a sameness to almost all post-apocalyptic worlds that could definitely be seen in this book, but the characters and the plot were unique enough that it kept me interested. Abel's imperfect backstory made him a sympathetic character even though I wished more time has been spent on his personal development and struggles. His relationship with the Wizard was interesting and I liked reading about how Abel interacted with all the different people he came in contact with.
The only reason I gave this book 4 stars instead of 5 was a lot of prolonged descriptions of searching abandoned areas and scavenging that really didn't add anything to the plot. I understand it was important to show how Abel (and the people of that world) live, but repeated descriptions of him searching desk drawers and collecting pencils weren't really needed. If come of that had been tightened up/cut out, this would have been a 5-star book.
The only reason I gave this book 4 stars instead of 5 was a lot of prolonged descriptions of searching abandoned areas and scavenging that really didn't add anything to the plot. I understand it was important to show how Abel (and the people of that world) live, but repeated descriptions of him searching desk drawers and collecting pencils weren't really needed. If come of that had been tightened up/cut out, this would have been a 5-star book.
August 11, 2022
Really enjoyed this post-apoc piece. It has the elements I love - the breakdown of society and humans creating, finding new ways to live. It also has none of the things I dislike - no zombies and no aliens!
It's a fast and interesting enough read, I look forward to seeing the characters & world develop.
It's a fast and interesting enough read, I look forward to seeing the characters & world develop.
March 19, 2018
This book was a really good read. I enjoyed the main character, Abel, and the people that he interacts with. Set in a fully developed world where most people have forgotten how to read and there appears to only be one domesticated dog, Abel meets with the Wizard of the Wasteland, a showman who has harvested technology from the before time. Together the two embark on a journey that brings them into conflict with a child-enslaving drug-peddling gang known as the Family. If you like post-apocalyptic fiction then I suggest that you give this book a read. Even if you aren't a fan, the characters in this book are so well-written that I think people who appreciate a good story will enjoy this as well.
April 15, 2018
A Hero for Beyond the Ages
Abel and his dog Pip travel through apocalyptic wastelands, scavenging whatever he thinks he might be able to trade for necessities. Along the way we learn more of his backstory, and it is a tough one: he is a recovering addict, has no family or close friends except for his loyal pup, Pip, and a couple of folks who run a Christ-centered camp. When he meets a traveling "wizard" who amazes folks with "magic" made from small pieces of the old world's technology. I won't spoil the rest of the story--it's too good. This book promises to become a real favorite, and to be read and recommended for years to come. I am looking forward to more volumes of Abel's saga. I am sure you will become a fan, too. A+ Bravo!
Abel and his dog Pip travel through apocalyptic wastelands, scavenging whatever he thinks he might be able to trade for necessities. Along the way we learn more of his backstory, and it is a tough one: he is a recovering addict, has no family or close friends except for his loyal pup, Pip, and a couple of folks who run a Christ-centered camp. When he meets a traveling "wizard" who amazes folks with "magic" made from small pieces of the old world's technology. I won't spoil the rest of the story--it's too good. This book promises to become a real favorite, and to be read and recommended for years to come. I am looking forward to more volumes of Abel's saga. I am sure you will become a fan, too. A+ Bravo!
November 7, 2019
This was a well written and edited book, but the story was a little too dark for my taste. I read for entertainment, to be moved to another time and place for a while. This felt depressingly similar to today's world. Not a wasteland but not without serious problems.
Anyway, Abel is an ex addict who makes his living wandering the post nuclear war world, scavenging for anything useful or unique he can trade for food, clothing or shelter. Small enclaves have developed who share beliefs and protection from the many outlaws. It seems to be strictly hunter / gathers, no farmers or herders. Very few people can read and no education or medicine is taught. Life is just survival. A few light touches along the way help lighten the story but still very dark.
Anyway, Abel is an ex addict who makes his living wandering the post nuclear war world, scavenging for anything useful or unique he can trade for food, clothing or shelter. Small enclaves have developed who share beliefs and protection from the many outlaws. It seems to be strictly hunter / gathers, no farmers or herders. Very few people can read and no education or medicine is taught. Life is just survival. A few light touches along the way help lighten the story but still very dark.
June 17, 2017
A boy and his dog in a post-apocalyptic world meet a wizard.
A very original post-apocalyptic tale about a boy recovering form his drug addiction, his dog and the Wizard. The adventures of these three in the wasteland are addictive to say the least.
If you enjoy post-apocalyptic stories then you should give this a shot because it is told from a different perspective. I will certainly be reading Jon Cronshaw's future stories.
I received an advance reader copy of this book from the author and voluntarily chose to write a review.
A very original post-apocalyptic tale about a boy recovering form his drug addiction, his dog and the Wizard. The adventures of these three in the wasteland are addictive to say the least.
If you enjoy post-apocalyptic stories then you should give this a shot because it is told from a different perspective. I will certainly be reading Jon Cronshaw's future stories.
I received an advance reader copy of this book from the author and voluntarily chose to write a review.
June 19, 2017
What a cool addicting story that hooked from after the first chapter. It is the story of Able and his dog Pip meeting the Wizard and traveling together in a post-apocalyptic world. It was interesting read about what they found in abandoned cars, towns, and random houses. It was full of good guys, bad guys, and Abel trying to survive. It made me think and really appreciate plumbing and grocery stores. My honest review is - A very addicting story of a young man who recovered from addiction and tries to be good in a crazy world and not give up in the face of trials.
September 29, 2017
I love a post-apocalyptic story, and I love it even more when I find a great book by an author who is new. This book was an excellent read. The main character grabbed me, and I love how realistically he was written. Bonus points for a story with a dog that isn't too super sappy. This was definitely an interesting, solid book, and I would recommend it.
I received a free copy of this audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left my honest review. The free copy did not influence my review in any way.
I received a free copy of this audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left my honest review. The free copy did not influence my review in any way.
September 11, 2017
My review is based on the Audiobook. Wizard of the wasteland held me captivated. I became quickly invested in the characters. The Author did a wonderful job at world building and character development. The pace was pretty even and Ian Coleman did a good job as narrator bringing the story and characters to life. I am defintely interested in reading more of this series!
October 29, 2017
Remarkable Book
I am so very glad to have discovered this author's work! Enjoyed the Wasteland series up to and including Wizard of the Wasteland, and just downloaded the next one. Very, very good reading! Thank you Jon Cronshaw! Hope you write many more stories for us in the years to come!!!
I am so very glad to have discovered this author's work! Enjoyed the Wasteland series up to and including Wizard of the Wasteland, and just downloaded the next one. Very, very good reading! Thank you Jon Cronshaw! Hope you write many more stories for us in the years to come!!!
June 22, 2017
4 Stars
A great post-apocalyptic story that hooks you right from the beginning. A former addict, Abel is working on conquering his addiction and his demons. The Wizard is a unique and quirky character that you will grow to love.
June 24, 2017
A fabulous post apocalyptic book. I thoroughly enjoyed this one as the characters gave their back stories. Completely gripping
March 26, 2025
3/26/25 (Update): I am going to do something here that I hardly ever do and revise a review. I'm leaving my extremely generous original review below so you can see what I changed. After reading other reviews and allowing them to "sink in" upon finishing the first book, and after beginning the second book and getting a better feeling for where the story is going, and after stewing over the ending a few days I have changed my opinion. I have lowered my rating from 4 stars to 3 stars for the callous and unnecessary ending. I'm still not going to spoil the ending, but suffice it to say the author should read the collected works of Kyla Stone for lessons on how to successfully handle animal companions in post-apoc fiction. And, the character of the wizard was completely unnecessary for the story and he shouldn't have been in the book much less had the story named after him. Finally, why make such a big deal about "flood waters," and carry it into future books, if you aren't going to explain what caused the flood? The narrative simply could have been that an old city was underwater. A flood could even have been mentioned once without explanation (but why do that?). But to go on and on about the flood waters with no explanation just drives me crazy for some reason. Did a dam get breached during the war? Or, is the city in fact New Orleans and the levies gave out? Or, did climate change melt the glaciers and push the oceans into the cities? I just feel like leaving this unexplained shows a lack of imagination.
3/20/25 (Original review): I love wasteland stories although I prefer my wastelands to have a little more waste to comb through. I was a bit surprised the Wizard in a book called "Wizard of the Wasteland" didn't play a larger role. But, the plot was interesting with twists like a society hooked on highly addictive drugs, a cartel called "The Family" that enslaves children to do their dirty work, feral dogs waiting in the woods, and a town populated by people who are so inbred they all look alike and have lost almost all ability to speak. Near the end the author commits what I consider one of the cardinal sins of authorship. I can't describe it without spoiling the plot. Suffice it to say I would still recommend the book but I disagree with his decision. However, its his book and he can end it however he wants and it doesn't matter if anyone else agrees with him. I took off one star for the ending.
3/20/25 (Original review): I love wasteland stories although I prefer my wastelands to have a little more waste to comb through. I was a bit surprised the Wizard in a book called "Wizard of the Wasteland" didn't play a larger role. But, the plot was interesting with twists like a society hooked on highly addictive drugs, a cartel called "The Family" that enslaves children to do their dirty work, feral dogs waiting in the woods, and a town populated by people who are so inbred they all look alike and have lost almost all ability to speak. Near the end the author commits what I consider one of the cardinal sins of authorship. I can't describe it without spoiling the plot. Suffice it to say I would still recommend the book but I disagree with his decision. However, its his book and he can end it however he wants and it doesn't matter if anyone else agrees with him. I took off one star for the ending.
February 12, 2022
Spoiler: Dog dies
I knew in my gut the dog was going to die. As soon as I knew there was a dog. You get a sense for these things. I was hoping I was wrong but...
The story itself was...it was hard to get a sense of what was going on at times. It also wasn't always clear why Abel was doing what he was doing. The motivation wasn't clear in other words.
The concept of the wizard made me smile. I haven't actually actively played Technomancer but I like the term and I feel like it kind of applies in a way to the wizard whose name I've already forgotten because that's what he gets referred go as but he does have a name.
I also like the active scavving thing. And the beans. I feel like it's an inside joke with the author but I was down with it. It's always my favorite part of video games like this, sticking my nose into places where they probably don't belong and collecting stuff to get whatever form of currency the game uses, so I appreciated the scavving parts.
The world building was interesting. I'm deeply curious to know how the world got to this state. Is it the entire world? Is it just this area? Why the post-apocalyse? The cool thing is that I don't think Abel would ever get to know and since the story is focused on him, that means we don't get to know. But this is like total collapse of society and I am here for it. So yeah, I am down with the world building. That was probably the most well-done part of the book. There were a couple of things that made my brain twitch a little bit environmentally but because I don't know what happened to the world, I can't say whether there actually is a problem going on.
I'm really worried about Abel in the future.
So, full disclosure, this book was an easy three stars and it would have stayed that way, despite my guilt for it because that's what it deserved. But the inclusion of the first chapter of the next book, which obviously I read because you don't just stop reading when the story is over. You read every page. There was a sentence fragment in there but I'm going to leave it there. I don't want to deal with repairing the sentences. Anyway, the inclusion of the first chapter of the next book and the added author's note made me feel better about the whole thing and I feel like the first chapter of the next one works really well as the final chapter of this one. It makes this one not work so well as a standalone but after the dog dies, I need a real high note to end on and the book as is doesn't end that way. But if I consider that first chapter as the final one, it gives the book an extra half a star which, rounded up, bumps it to four stars. I'm opting to err on the side of generosity.
It wasn't a bad book for the original three stars. I just wish that the book had been slightly less...bleak. The Town helps. And I want Abel to be okay badly enough that I want to read the next one.
I knew in my gut the dog was going to die. As soon as I knew there was a dog. You get a sense for these things. I was hoping I was wrong but...
The story itself was...it was hard to get a sense of what was going on at times. It also wasn't always clear why Abel was doing what he was doing. The motivation wasn't clear in other words.
The concept of the wizard made me smile. I haven't actually actively played Technomancer but I like the term and I feel like it kind of applies in a way to the wizard whose name I've already forgotten because that's what he gets referred go as but he does have a name.
I also like the active scavving thing. And the beans. I feel like it's an inside joke with the author but I was down with it. It's always my favorite part of video games like this, sticking my nose into places where they probably don't belong and collecting stuff to get whatever form of currency the game uses, so I appreciated the scavving parts.
The world building was interesting. I'm deeply curious to know how the world got to this state. Is it the entire world? Is it just this area? Why the post-apocalyse? The cool thing is that I don't think Abel would ever get to know and since the story is focused on him, that means we don't get to know. But this is like total collapse of society and I am here for it. So yeah, I am down with the world building. That was probably the most well-done part of the book. There were a couple of things that made my brain twitch a little bit environmentally but because I don't know what happened to the world, I can't say whether there actually is a problem going on.
I'm really worried about Abel in the future.
So, full disclosure, this book was an easy three stars and it would have stayed that way, despite my guilt for it because that's what it deserved. But the inclusion of the first chapter of the next book, which obviously I read because you don't just stop reading when the story is over. You read every page. There was a sentence fragment in there but I'm going to leave it there. I don't want to deal with repairing the sentences. Anyway, the inclusion of the first chapter of the next book and the added author's note made me feel better about the whole thing and I feel like the first chapter of the next one works really well as the final chapter of this one. It makes this one not work so well as a standalone but after the dog dies, I need a real high note to end on and the book as is doesn't end that way. But if I consider that first chapter as the final one, it gives the book an extra half a star which, rounded up, bumps it to four stars. I'm opting to err on the side of generosity.
It wasn't a bad book for the original three stars. I just wish that the book had been slightly less...bleak. The Town helps. And I want Abel to be okay badly enough that I want to read the next one.
October 21, 2017
Review originally published at: http://www.lomeraniel.com/audiobookre...
In an post-apocalyptic world where technology is seen as magic, Alfonso, the great Wizard of the Wasteland travels from town to town to share a piece of his magic. At one of the towns he visits, he meets Abel, which decides to join the Wizard, and together they will try to save some enslaved children.
I usually enjoy post-apocalyptic stories, and this one had great premises, but I found the execution quite poor. It felt disjointed and confusing at times. The characters were one-dimensional, and it is still a mystery to me why Abel decided to join the Wizard.
I am usually very curious about what happened to trigger the change in the world, but in this case I just didn’t care. I also found strange that some people seemed to remember technology and others didn’t, and that very few people knew how to read. Reading and writing is something that has been among us from very distant times, and it is not something especially tied to civilization or electricity. It is just very difficult for me to believe that this situation could happen one day.
Even with these setbacks, my main problem with the book were the characters. They were mere drafts, with no depth. I also found the dialogs forced and awkward at times.
Ian Coleman’s narration did not help. He delivered a narration without technical issues, and distinctive voices for the characters, but the general tone of the narration was monotone, and I had to force myself to pay attention, which I found difficult. The dialogs were just okay, and I would recommend Coleman to work on his interpretation skills.
This was just an okay book, entertaining, but far from compelling.
I received a copy of this book in audio format from the author in exchange for an honest review.
In an post-apocalyptic world where technology is seen as magic, Alfonso, the great Wizard of the Wasteland travels from town to town to share a piece of his magic. At one of the towns he visits, he meets Abel, which decides to join the Wizard, and together they will try to save some enslaved children.
I usually enjoy post-apocalyptic stories, and this one had great premises, but I found the execution quite poor. It felt disjointed and confusing at times. The characters were one-dimensional, and it is still a mystery to me why Abel decided to join the Wizard.
I am usually very curious about what happened to trigger the change in the world, but in this case I just didn’t care. I also found strange that some people seemed to remember technology and others didn’t, and that very few people knew how to read. Reading and writing is something that has been among us from very distant times, and it is not something especially tied to civilization or electricity. It is just very difficult for me to believe that this situation could happen one day.
Even with these setbacks, my main problem with the book were the characters. They were mere drafts, with no depth. I also found the dialogs forced and awkward at times.
Ian Coleman’s narration did not help. He delivered a narration without technical issues, and distinctive voices for the characters, but the general tone of the narration was monotone, and I had to force myself to pay attention, which I found difficult. The dialogs were just okay, and I would recommend Coleman to work on his interpretation skills.
This was just an okay book, entertaining, but far from compelling.
I received a copy of this book in audio format from the author in exchange for an honest review.
May 20, 2023
DNF at 24%.
A rather bizarre, naive and flat story similar to the much better "Book of Eli" story. Best suited for teenagers..
A rather bizarre, naive and flat story similar to the much better "Book of Eli" story. Best suited for teenagers..
September 17, 2017
I received a complimentary copy of the audiobook via the author. There were positives to this story: it has good dystopian world-building, and its biggest strength is the character of Abel. Jon Cronshaw does a very good job of gradually revealing the kind of person he is over the course of the story, and doing so purely through what he says and does rather than going into his head and describing his thoughts or memories.
However, I found the story suffered from inconsistent pacing: outside from the main plot of Abel trying to save some children from slavers, we get a lot of scenes - or even entire chapters - of him going about day-to-day business like finding supplies, cooking food, or playing with his dog. A lot of the time, these scenes don't add anything, and occasionally are repeats of things we've already seen. I often felt bored listening to these. I also felt the narration of the audiobook was quite poor.
However, I found the story suffered from inconsistent pacing: outside from the main plot of Abel trying to save some children from slavers, we get a lot of scenes - or even entire chapters - of him going about day-to-day business like finding supplies, cooking food, or playing with his dog. A lot of the time, these scenes don't add anything, and occasionally are repeats of things we've already seen. I often felt bored listening to these. I also felt the narration of the audiobook was quite poor.
September 14, 2021
Wizard of the Wasteland - a review by Rosemary Kenny
Jon Cronshaw has created a wonderful new fantasy based in a dystopian future world, where technology has been destroyed.
The eponymous Wizard, the so-called Great Alfonso, comes into a desolate town and stages a 'magic' act on his wagon, (as in medieval times), using an old television with a small generator and an 'abracadabra' patter that he's developed, with 'props' collected/salvaged in various places.
On his travels across the Wasteland heading towards the next 'stop' in Trinity, Alfonso meets up with Abel, whose dog, Pip, catches rabbits etc.
The two continue a journey across the Wasteland, having run-ins with some people and keeping an eye out for each other.
An original, entertaining story, with great characters and world-building, Wizard of the Wasteland by Jon Cronshaw will whisk you away to a quasi mediaeval, survivalist world, of adventure and Post-Apocalyptic Survival thrills.
Get it today!
Jon Cronshaw has created a wonderful new fantasy based in a dystopian future world, where technology has been destroyed.
The eponymous Wizard, the so-called Great Alfonso, comes into a desolate town and stages a 'magic' act on his wagon, (as in medieval times), using an old television with a small generator and an 'abracadabra' patter that he's developed, with 'props' collected/salvaged in various places.
On his travels across the Wasteland heading towards the next 'stop' in Trinity, Alfonso meets up with Abel, whose dog, Pip, catches rabbits etc.
The two continue a journey across the Wasteland, having run-ins with some people and keeping an eye out for each other.
An original, entertaining story, with great characters and world-building, Wizard of the Wasteland by Jon Cronshaw will whisk you away to a quasi mediaeval, survivalist world, of adventure and Post-Apocalyptic Survival thrills.
Get it today!
April 22, 2020
I got this based on the positive reviews and my opinion now I've read it are very mixed. I really struggled with the writing style at first. It reminded me of an old text based computer game ..."Able is in a barn, he turns right, he is in a room" ....there is very little depth to the writing. It is short, punchy, to the point, gives you the basic information. No more. No long descriptions. Characters appear and disappear with no time taken to describe them. I tend to read 1000 page space operas and like to take my time...as soon as I realised I was reading this wrong, I enjoyed it a lot more. Don't look for the backstory, don't look for the character development, read it quick, blast through it and it's quite enjoyable...put your brain into rest mode and just go along for the ride.
August 18, 2020
It's a well written book with flawed characters that takes place in an apocalyptic world. I enjoyed reading it though it might be a little bit too dark for some readers. The world is really sad and it's not discussed what caused the end of society as well know it or how long ago that it happened. The main character is Abel and his dog. Abel was a drug addict, but was taken in by a religious community and helped to become clean. His dog is his support. He meets a man called the Wizard who travels from community to community showing technology from before the apocalypse and passing it on as magic. Abel decides to travel with him for a while. It's from their travels that one sees more of the world, and it's not a pretty world and sometimes cruel.
November 5, 2021
I have the box set of this series and 'Wizard' was a great introduction to many of the characters and the formidable world in which they survive.
There was certainly a melancholy sense to the writing that reminded me a little of John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men. I loved Pip. Abel was an intriguing, if depressing character, however, his strengths, weakness and flaws are quickly highlighted - hope lingers. His actions, thoughts and feelings make for a compelling read. The wizard was a complex character and not totally likeable, yet the pair were a perfect foil for each other.
Some disturbing themes and thought-provoking at the very least.
It will be interesting to see where it all leads.
Highly recommended.
There was certainly a melancholy sense to the writing that reminded me a little of John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men. I loved Pip. Abel was an intriguing, if depressing character, however, his strengths, weakness and flaws are quickly highlighted - hope lingers. His actions, thoughts and feelings make for a compelling read. The wizard was a complex character and not totally likeable, yet the pair were a perfect foil for each other.
Some disturbing themes and thought-provoking at the very least.
It will be interesting to see where it all leads.
Highly recommended.
January 12, 2022
This dystopian/post-apocalyptic novel portrays a world that has undergone a cataclysmic event and survival is a struggle. The protagonist, Abel, has suffered much and his struggle is a daily uphill battle. I became invested Abel’s life in the prequel to this series which caused me to want more regarding his life and the events surrounding him. I enjoyed reading book 1 very much and I already have the next one.
Read via Kindle Unlimited
Read via Kindle Unlimited
March 21, 2021
Why did you kill the dog?
You killed the dog. This book was so good but you had to kill the dog.And it wasn't enough with this book but you had to start the grief with the next book. One star because like I said this was a good book. One star because I am going to read the next book after I quit crying. Took away three stars because you killed the dog.
You killed the dog. This book was so good but you had to kill the dog.And it wasn't enough with this book but you had to start the grief with the next book. One star because like I said this was a good book. One star because I am going to read the next book after I quit crying. Took away three stars because you killed the dog.
August 14, 2021
Life is still a full time struggle but Abel has made progress to overcome his addiction.
He sets himself some goals whilst remaining dubious of his abilities, this makes him a sort of anti-hero.
Aided by the Wizard and his own companion dog events become intense but remain engaging.
Some nice twists to keep the reader engaged.
He sets himself some goals whilst remaining dubious of his abilities, this makes him a sort of anti-hero.
Aided by the Wizard and his own companion dog events become intense but remain engaging.
Some nice twists to keep the reader engaged.
January 29, 2023
Interesting
This is an interesting and different type of post apocalyptic story. Traveling around trying to make a difference in people's lives trading pre-apocalyptic things that are salvaged from a lost world. This story has great characters and I love the relationship between man and dog.
This is an interesting and different type of post apocalyptic story. Traveling around trying to make a difference in people's lives trading pre-apocalyptic things that are salvaged from a lost world. This story has great characters and I love the relationship between man and dog.
April 11, 2018
Not bad
This book left me wanting some thing more. Certainly I am no expert on this created world but at times I felt the other just threw ideas at the wall to see if they stick. It wasn't until the end that I could see both a deep development of the main character and storyline.
This book left me wanting some thing more. Certainly I am no expert on this created world but at times I felt the other just threw ideas at the wall to see if they stick. It wasn't until the end that I could see both a deep development of the main character and storyline.
September 1, 2018
No good
This book has an ok storyline but it's a long and drawn out book!!! Very slow read. I forced myself to read through chapter 4 and it did not get any better. At all. I'm deleting from my library and I do not recommend this book to anyone.
This book has an ok storyline but it's a long and drawn out book!!! Very slow read. I forced myself to read through chapter 4 and it did not get any better. At all. I'm deleting from my library and I do not recommend this book to anyone.
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