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The Arinthian Line #1
Arcane
Nominated for the Epic Fantasy Fanatics Readers Choice Award
Orphan and former farm slave Augum dreams of becoming a warlock. But with a kingdom in chaos, that would take courage and aptitude he does not possess.
A vicious tyrant has overthrown the king in a quest for seven mythic artifacts—and Augum's mentor, the legendary Anna Atticus Stone, possesses one. Forced to take shelter in a mysterious castle with other aspirants, Augum must make fast friends and learn the basics of spellcraft from his mentor—before the tyrant finds them.
But not everything is as it seems, and when a sudden betrayal plunges the group into a terrifying ordeal, survival will hinge on Augum’s daring, his aptitude in the arcane arts . . . and on friendships forged in fire.
An enduring bestseller, Arcane is the beginning of an epic coming-of-age fantasy saga beloved by fans the world over.
Audiobooks narrated by Grammy and Hugo winner Stefan Rudnicki
Suitable for ages 10 to retiree
Orphan and former farm slave Augum dreams of becoming a warlock. But with a kingdom in chaos, that would take courage and aptitude he does not possess.
A vicious tyrant has overthrown the king in a quest for seven mythic artifacts—and Augum's mentor, the legendary Anna Atticus Stone, possesses one. Forced to take shelter in a mysterious castle with other aspirants, Augum must make fast friends and learn the basics of spellcraft from his mentor—before the tyrant finds them.
But not everything is as it seems, and when a sudden betrayal plunges the group into a terrifying ordeal, survival will hinge on Augum’s daring, his aptitude in the arcane arts . . . and on friendships forged in fire.
An enduring bestseller, Arcane is the beginning of an epic coming-of-age fantasy saga beloved by fans the world over.
Audiobooks narrated by Grammy and Hugo winner Stefan Rudnicki
Suitable for ages 10 to retiree
Unknown Binding
First published November 24, 2014
2127 people are currently reading
3253 people want to read
About the author
Sever Bronny
16 books425 followersSever Bronny has been a full-time fantasy author since 2015. He publishes one book a year and has three internationally bestselling fantasy series' to his name: The Arinthian Line, Fury of a Rising Dragon, and Chronicles of Anna Atticus Stone.
Prior to becoming an author, he released three albums with his industrial-rock music project Tribal Machine, including the full-length concept album The Orwellian Night. One of his songs can be heard in the feature-length film The Gene Generation.
Sever lives in British Columbia, Canada, with beloved wife, Tansy, and spritely house panther, Miso. Connect with him at his website or the fan-run Discord, where fans can mingle, discuss theories and world lore and spells, duel as arena warlocks, role-play within Bronny's world, get behind-the-scenes photos of the writing, meet the author, and much more.
Prior to becoming an author, he released three albums with his industrial-rock music project Tribal Machine, including the full-length concept album The Orwellian Night. One of his songs can be heard in the feature-length film The Gene Generation.
Sever lives in British Columbia, Canada, with beloved wife, Tansy, and spritely house panther, Miso. Connect with him at his website or the fan-run Discord, where fans can mingle, discuss theories and world lore and spells, duel as arena warlocks, role-play within Bronny's world, get behind-the-scenes photos of the writing, meet the author, and much more.
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August 5, 2022I wrote it, so I'm not going to say if it's any good--that's for you to decide. But if you didn't particularly like Narnia, Harry Potter, or Lord of the Rings, then Arcane is probably not for you. It's an adventure romp about friendship and survival. There's no cursing or sex or gore or anything. It's not grimdark, nor is it written with flowery prose that will make you swoon. Oh, and there's a happy ending. That kind of thing.
Anyway, let me give you a peek behind the curtain: Gallons and gallons of tea. Countless drafts. Countless more hours staring at the screen bug-eyed. Millions of keystrokes, wrists deteriorating with each one. A thousand questions aimed at my wife, her eyes rolling in exasperation. A binder full of research material. A shelf worth of reference books. One very well-worn delete key. Gazillions of chicken-scratched yellow sticky notes ...
And three years. Or was it four? UPDATE: The entire five-book Arinthian Line series is complete, as is its follow-up, the Fury of a Rising Dragon series, which continues the trio's adventures. And how you have come to love Augum, Bridget and Leera! I have been a full-time author now since 2015 because of these three rapscallions and your devotion to them. Thank you. Oh, and I've also published a book about Anna Atticus Stone, titled Prodigy of Thunder. You can sign up to my newsletter to keep tabs: http://eepurl.com/HIxzX
Questions about the book or series? Don't hesitate to msg me!
Thank you kindly.
Sever Bronny
Anyway, let me give you a peek behind the curtain: Gallons and gallons of tea. Countless drafts. Countless more hours staring at the screen bug-eyed. Millions of keystrokes, wrists deteriorating with each one. A thousand questions aimed at my wife, her eyes rolling in exasperation. A binder full of research material. A shelf worth of reference books. One very well-worn delete key. Gazillions of chicken-scratched yellow sticky notes ...
And three years. Or was it four? UPDATE: The entire five-book Arinthian Line series is complete, as is its follow-up, the Fury of a Rising Dragon series, which continues the trio's adventures. And how you have come to love Augum, Bridget and Leera! I have been a full-time author now since 2015 because of these three rapscallions and your devotion to them. Thank you. Oh, and I've also published a book about Anna Atticus Stone, titled Prodigy of Thunder. You can sign up to my newsletter to keep tabs: http://eepurl.com/HIxzX
Questions about the book or series? Don't hesitate to msg me!
Thank you kindly.
Sever Bronny
February 7, 2017
2.5 Stars. This is a long, harsh review because most of the other critical reviews don't go into very much depth. Some points are only nitpicks, but nitpicks add up.
I will say that I knew from the outset this book wouldn't fare well with me. I mainly got it because (1) the author is nice, (2) it was $0.99, and (3) the author said that this series allowed him to quit his job, which had me curious about the quality. I enjoy some middle grade fantasy, but from the start I knew that this book would not resonate well with me. Keep that in mind as you read my review.
The main problem with this book is that I kept asking myself the entire time, "Alright, when is the plot going to start?" Finally at 60% I thought the winds were changing and something interesting was happening, but no. Around 80% something exciting happens (talked about in the spoiler-marked section below), but that exciting thing just happened to have something happen, not to further the plot. The entire book I was unable to describe the characters' motives. We're learning magic! Great, why do I care? Learning magic does not make a story, or at least not in this case.
I didn't like Mrs. Stone. She talked multiple times about how she could only mentor someone who was kind-hearted, and then she treated the kids like crap. Like, b*tch, you even hear yoself? Some people will say that was for the good of their training, but you can work them hard and still be amiable. In the end, I don't care if she's mean to them, I just hate her hypocrisy.
The magic was unoriginal, which is a mark off for me (others may find it enjoyable still).
The prose was fine. It didn't get in the way, but it wasn't particularly inspiring. There were a couple mistakes that made me laugh, like one where it said ancestor instead of descendant (p. 124). The attempt at Early Modern English was a train wreck. "I canst." "I art." "Mine lord." "Thou hath." "As befits thou needs." Using "ye" to address a single person. Using "mine lady wouldst" in one paragraph and "mine lady would" in another. Literally almost every time this character talked it used incorrect grammar. Did absolutely no one proofread those parts of this book?
An orthographic nitpick: The author's tendency to end speech sections with an em dash and either a question mark or exclamation point like, "Found some—!" or "Mrs. Stone—?" What is the dash doing there between the word and the punctuation? It's not like the speaker got cut off, that's just some weird punctuation.
There was one part that outright confused me. About 62% of the way through the book, Augum is trying to learn a new type of magic. This was difficult to him because, "It required him to connect to his inner feelings, which was like trying to find a squirrel's stash of nuts." (p. 225) At no other point is this weakness mentioned. On the contrary, he often reflects on his feelings, e.g. his negative feelings of having no friends.
A nitpick: When fixing Sir Canes, it's described that there's blood on the bed (of course), floor (naturally), walls (oh...kay?), and people (what? even the ones who weren't helping?). The procedure was to remove an arrow. Now, I'm no surgeon, but I highly doubt that a single arrow wound would result in blood so far spread.
The author has a burning drive in himself that the story needs a slightly older boy to torment Augum and co. Any time that void opens through the death of the agitator, it's only a matter of pages until it's filled by another brat. Some may find this fulfilling. I did not.
The map is a thing that's constantly returned to. Why the pieces are scattered throughout the castle isn't explained (in this book at least). In my estimation, it was just to serve the plot and not for any real in-story purpose.
Finally at 86%, something starts to happen with the plot. A one-page eavesdropped conversation between Mrs. Stoneheart and Colonel Gallows. The stakes are upped. Real, meaningful conflict is introduced. This conflict is resolved in this book and isn't explored anymore though.
As a redeeming trait, I will say that I genuinely enjoyed the last 10% of the book. Things finally started to happen other than training and being antagonized by arrogant boys.
In conclusion, the characters lacked motives and the story lacked aim. Most of the conflict came from a hypocritical old woman or bratty teenage boys. Even at the end, the only conflict still going is that That doesn't sound promising enough to keep reading the series.
At the end, I still found myself unable to answer that same question that had been burning the whole time: what are the characters' motives? Beside , I can't think of any, and that's just not enough to keep me interested.
I will say that I knew from the outset this book wouldn't fare well with me. I mainly got it because (1) the author is nice, (2) it was $0.99, and (3) the author said that this series allowed him to quit his job, which had me curious about the quality. I enjoy some middle grade fantasy, but from the start I knew that this book would not resonate well with me. Keep that in mind as you read my review.
The main problem with this book is that I kept asking myself the entire time, "Alright, when is the plot going to start?" Finally at 60% I thought the winds were changing and something interesting was happening, but no. Around 80% something exciting happens (talked about in the spoiler-marked section below), but that exciting thing just happened to have something happen, not to further the plot. The entire book I was unable to describe the characters' motives. We're learning magic! Great, why do I care? Learning magic does not make a story, or at least not in this case.
I didn't like Mrs. Stone. She talked multiple times about how she could only mentor someone who was kind-hearted, and then she treated the kids like crap. Like, b*tch, you even hear yoself? Some people will say that was for the good of their training, but you can work them hard and still be amiable. In the end, I don't care if she's mean to them, I just hate her hypocrisy.
The magic was unoriginal, which is a mark off for me (others may find it enjoyable still).
The prose was fine. It didn't get in the way, but it wasn't particularly inspiring. There were a couple mistakes that made me laugh, like one where it said ancestor instead of descendant (p. 124). The attempt at Early Modern English was a train wreck. "I canst." "I art." "Mine lord." "Thou hath." "As befits thou needs." Using "ye" to address a single person. Using "mine lady wouldst" in one paragraph and "mine lady would" in another. Literally almost every time this character talked it used incorrect grammar. Did absolutely no one proofread those parts of this book?
An orthographic nitpick: The author's tendency to end speech sections with an em dash and either a question mark or exclamation point like, "Found some—!" or "Mrs. Stone—?" What is the dash doing there between the word and the punctuation? It's not like the speaker got cut off, that's just some weird punctuation.
There was one part that outright confused me. About 62% of the way through the book, Augum is trying to learn a new type of magic. This was difficult to him because, "It required him to connect to his inner feelings, which was like trying to find a squirrel's stash of nuts." (p. 225) At no other point is this weakness mentioned. On the contrary, he often reflects on his feelings, e.g. his negative feelings of having no friends.
A nitpick: When fixing Sir Canes, it's described that there's blood on the bed (of course), floor (naturally), walls (oh...kay?), and people (what? even the ones who weren't helping?). The procedure was to remove an arrow. Now, I'm no surgeon, but I highly doubt that a single arrow wound would result in blood so far spread.
The author has a burning drive in himself that the story needs a slightly older boy to torment Augum and co. Any time that void opens through the death of the agitator, it's only a matter of pages until it's filled by another brat. Some may find this fulfilling. I did not.
The map is a thing that's constantly returned to. Why the pieces are scattered throughout the castle isn't explained (in this book at least). In my estimation, it was just to serve the plot and not for any real in-story purpose.
Finally at 86%, something starts to happen with the plot. A one-page eavesdropped conversation between Mrs. Stoneheart and Colonel Gallows. The stakes are upped. Real, meaningful conflict is introduced. This conflict is resolved in this book and isn't explored anymore though.
As a redeeming trait, I will say that I genuinely enjoyed the last 10% of the book. Things finally started to happen other than training and being antagonized by arrogant boys.
In conclusion, the characters lacked motives and the story lacked aim. Most of the conflict came from a hypocritical old woman or bratty teenage boys. Even at the end, the only conflict still going is that That doesn't sound promising enough to keep reading the series.
At the end, I still found myself unable to answer that same question that had been burning the whole time: what are the characters' motives? Beside , I can't think of any, and that's just not enough to keep me interested.
March 17, 2022
1 Star
I feel bad for this rating, but I did not like this book at all. This rarely happens to me.
It was just so impossibly unimaginative. Like honestly: young orphan boy who is treated poorly from nearly everyone discovers very rare magical abilities after town is attacked by very evil wizard lord. He's most likely the only survivor. Later, he stumbels over some old lady who is, of course, the most badass and believed to be dead wizard ever and takes up his training. There's a lot of training. The magic is also pretty basic... So we still have the mystery of his parents left. Who could that possibly be? *looking at super evil wizard lord - yep, did not see that coming at all*
It's not just that the story is nothing special. The characters made this even more blunt and two-dimensional. Really everyone is an absolute stereotype. We have the power-hungry evil guy, the world-saving main character with a good heart and incredible magical talent, a grumpy old teacher, talking about the necessity to use your powers for good, some honorable knights, and even a spoiled arrogant prince.
Also the dialogues felt awkward to read, but maybe that was just my opsinion because I hated the speakers.
I did not care for anyone or anything that happened, I don't even know why I finished reading, but I will not continue the series.
I feel bad for this rating, but I did not like this book at all. This rarely happens to me.
It was just so impossibly unimaginative. Like honestly: young orphan boy who is treated poorly from nearly everyone discovers very rare magical abilities after town is attacked by very evil wizard lord. He's most likely the only survivor. Later, he stumbels over some old lady who is, of course, the most badass and believed to be dead wizard ever and takes up his training. There's a lot of training. The magic is also pretty basic... So we still have the mystery of his parents left. Who could that possibly be? *looking at super evil wizard lord - yep, did not see that coming at all*
It's not just that the story is nothing special. The characters made this even more blunt and two-dimensional. Really everyone is an absolute stereotype. We have the power-hungry evil guy, the world-saving main character with a good heart and incredible magical talent, a grumpy old teacher, talking about the necessity to use your powers for good, some honorable knights, and even a spoiled arrogant prince.
Also the dialogues felt awkward to read, but maybe that was just my opsinion because I hated the speakers.
I did not care for anyone or anything that happened, I don't even know why I finished reading, but I will not continue the series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 20, 2015
Finally, a good fantasy book for teens! It's The Hobbit mixed with Harry Potter... but set in Eragon... kinda. It's got great fantasy and adventure elements and is a great read for middle schoolers, high schoolers, hell, even adults!
Augum hasn't had a very exceptional life, as a fourteen year old orphan in the service of an old knight, he hasn't experienced much in the ways of the world. When the Legion comes to town murdering everyone and setting the village on fire, he flees for his life, only to be nearly killed in a massive storm. When he comes to, he is being cared by an old women, a warlock. Not only does magic (arcane) exist, he is to master it and help ward of the forces of evil. Mrs. Stone begins to teach him the ways of the arcane and soon he finds himself struggling to keep up with her teachings and reconcile his dark past. With the help of two new friends, Bridget and Leera, the trio begin the long journey of mastering the art of the arcane and trying to save the world from the iron grip of the Lord of the Legion.
Funny, insightful, and chock full of adventure, this story will resonate with readers. I can't wait for the next installment. I must know what happens!
I received this book for free from the author in return for my honest, unbiased opinion.
Augum hasn't had a very exceptional life, as a fourteen year old orphan in the service of an old knight, he hasn't experienced much in the ways of the world. When the Legion comes to town murdering everyone and setting the village on fire, he flees for his life, only to be nearly killed in a massive storm. When he comes to, he is being cared by an old women, a warlock. Not only does magic (arcane) exist, he is to master it and help ward of the forces of evil. Mrs. Stone begins to teach him the ways of the arcane and soon he finds himself struggling to keep up with her teachings and reconcile his dark past. With the help of two new friends, Bridget and Leera, the trio begin the long journey of mastering the art of the arcane and trying to save the world from the iron grip of the Lord of the Legion.
Funny, insightful, and chock full of adventure, this story will resonate with readers. I can't wait for the next installment. I must know what happens!
I received this book for free from the author in return for my honest, unbiased opinion.
December 9, 2019
It started off a little too close to comfort for me story/protagonist-wise: I thought that it was going to be cookie-cutter in terms of what the plot was, who the main character was, and what the themes were.
Boy was I wrong.
Not only was this a unique story with unique characters, motives, and backgrounds, it was SUPER REFRESHINGLY GOOD in terms of how majestically crafted it was.
This was an amazing kick-off to an incredible series, definitely one of my favorite book series ever.
(other contenders: Mistborn, Harry Potter, Fireblood, KingKiller Chronicles.)
Sever is great and did a good job with this. You owe it to yourself to at least give it a shot!
Boy was I wrong.
Not only was this a unique story with unique characters, motives, and backgrounds, it was SUPER REFRESHINGLY GOOD in terms of how majestically crafted it was.
This was an amazing kick-off to an incredible series, definitely one of my favorite book series ever.
(other contenders: Mistborn, Harry Potter, Fireblood, KingKiller Chronicles.)
Sever is great and did a good job with this. You owe it to yourself to at least give it a shot!
December 27, 2014
An Amazing Adventure!
This is an adventure that starts building right from the very first pages. The author gives a detailed base of the characters which is essential to the adventurous plot and provides the reader all the information they need to care for the main characters. The plot builds as the story moves along making the reader unable to put the book down. After the detailed beginning the book moves along with twists and turns that are very unsuspected. The characters grow stronger and the plot thickens which both keep the reader glued to the pages to find out what happens next. At about half way through the book I found the pace quicken and myself unable to let go. I am by no means experienced with writing reviews and apologize if I don't make sense. All in all I think Mr. Bronny does an excellent job with this first book. I think it deserves 5 stars and I cannot wait to read book 2! I dare say this is an amazing read! Please bring on book 2!!!
This is an adventure that starts building right from the very first pages. The author gives a detailed base of the characters which is essential to the adventurous plot and provides the reader all the information they need to care for the main characters. The plot builds as the story moves along making the reader unable to put the book down. After the detailed beginning the book moves along with twists and turns that are very unsuspected. The characters grow stronger and the plot thickens which both keep the reader glued to the pages to find out what happens next. At about half way through the book I found the pace quicken and myself unable to let go. I am by no means experienced with writing reviews and apologize if I don't make sense. All in all I think Mr. Bronny does an excellent job with this first book. I think it deserves 5 stars and I cannot wait to read book 2! I dare say this is an amazing read! Please bring on book 2!!!
October 26, 2016
Throw Fireballs in Arcane!
It all seems simple enough. You say some words, wave your wand, and poof! Something happens, a feather floats, or you are now at a rock in the middle of the ocean, or maybe that random fire went out. This is the world of magic that almost all of us see. Magic is just so easy it seems, there’s really no trial and error. You either get it, or you got something a little wrong, it’s as easy as that.
In the book Arcane, Sever Bronny has a completely new take on magic, where to be able to cast multiple spells, you have to choose ones that you have practiced before, ones that don't take a lot of your energy. Also: don't call it magic, because it’s “Arcane” or “Arcanery”
Before throwing some fireballs, there are a couple of things you have to decide. First off, what element do you want to attempt success in? The three main characters have chosen theirs. Agum has chosen lightning, Bridget has chosen the element earth, and Leera has chosen water. They all have some special spells to themselves Agum can shock people with his hand, Bridget can create a sound of a massive tree breaking, and Leera can… Make water glow. The characters are a little similar to the ones in Harry Potter, with Augum like Harry always trying to do the right thing, Bridget like Hermione knowing everything and coming up with her own ideas, and Leera like Ron, that third wheel right up until that one moment when she shines through.
This book had a lot of interesting takes on magic, and various spells both taught at schools and not. Almost of these spells had a spoken incantation, usually one or two odd words, and subtly came with practice. The first spell that Augum learned was telekinesis, the ability to move things with your mind. The way you progressed through magic was this: there were 2-3 non-elemental spells, and one elemental spell, depending on your element. After you've practiced these you get tested, and you either pass and get a elemental stripe, or you fail and have to retry. It’s a long and complicated process, but in the end it’s the only way to advance through the knowledge of Arcane.
This book is a great fiction-fantasy book, and anyone who likes that genre would easily like this book. What makes this book so good is the way the characters flourish, and the interesting take on magic. I personally was engaged through the whole book.
It all seems simple enough. You say some words, wave your wand, and poof! Something happens, a feather floats, or you are now at a rock in the middle of the ocean, or maybe that random fire went out. This is the world of magic that almost all of us see. Magic is just so easy it seems, there’s really no trial and error. You either get it, or you got something a little wrong, it’s as easy as that.
In the book Arcane, Sever Bronny has a completely new take on magic, where to be able to cast multiple spells, you have to choose ones that you have practiced before, ones that don't take a lot of your energy. Also: don't call it magic, because it’s “Arcane” or “Arcanery”
Before throwing some fireballs, there are a couple of things you have to decide. First off, what element do you want to attempt success in? The three main characters have chosen theirs. Agum has chosen lightning, Bridget has chosen the element earth, and Leera has chosen water. They all have some special spells to themselves Agum can shock people with his hand, Bridget can create a sound of a massive tree breaking, and Leera can… Make water glow. The characters are a little similar to the ones in Harry Potter, with Augum like Harry always trying to do the right thing, Bridget like Hermione knowing everything and coming up with her own ideas, and Leera like Ron, that third wheel right up until that one moment when she shines through.
This book had a lot of interesting takes on magic, and various spells both taught at schools and not. Almost of these spells had a spoken incantation, usually one or two odd words, and subtly came with practice. The first spell that Augum learned was telekinesis, the ability to move things with your mind. The way you progressed through magic was this: there were 2-3 non-elemental spells, and one elemental spell, depending on your element. After you've practiced these you get tested, and you either pass and get a elemental stripe, or you fail and have to retry. It’s a long and complicated process, but in the end it’s the only way to advance through the knowledge of Arcane.
This book is a great fiction-fantasy book, and anyone who likes that genre would easily like this book. What makes this book so good is the way the characters flourish, and the interesting take on magic. I personally was engaged through the whole book.
January 5, 2015
Only found this book by chance, it just poped up on my facebook. It's f***ing amazing can't put it down
June 10, 2019
Note following initial review: my 12-year-old son read this after I did and had none of the problems with the construction that I did. He enjoyed it, probably at a four star level.
O, the arcanery! So much potential that almost executed into a promising fantasy series. This book was touted for Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, and Narnia fans. While this series cannot hold a candle to these classics, the fans may find a pleasurable read here, in terms of plot.
However, I found many stylistic problems with this book that I could not get past. First, the setting lacked the clear development of its own reality that the excellent fantasy novels possess. It is kind of medieval, with castles, robes, swords, and roast chickens, but the dialogue maintained a modern feel (more on that later). It just never took on its own entity as a place with its own way of things. Attempts to clarify unique elements felt forced.
Second, I never really connected with the characters. Their development was stilted and unnatural—facing real tragedies (which lacked emotional punch) one moment, then merrily frolicking through a castle getting arcanery lessons the next. As an afterthought, from time to time, one of the girls would remember the tragic events they have endured and sniffle, then move back on with life. The result was a deep lack of sympathy. Plus, the blatant use of literary names was weird.
Third, the dialogue among the children did not feel natural, especially the attempts at banter. Not only did it contribute to the awkward character development but it created a discordance between the setting and the modern air of joking.
Several plot elements had fairly obvious earmarks from classic fantasy, which is always somehow disappointing.
All this together added up to the two star rating I gave it, noting, however, that the plot itself is going somewhere and does keep the story going. It’s too bad Bronny didn’t contact the editor-in-chief of Lefthandedwritings; not only would she have made sure all the periods were inside the quotation marks, but she could have strengthened the elements pointed out here. lefthandedwritings@gmail.com, just in case . . .
O, the arcanery! So much potential that almost executed into a promising fantasy series. This book was touted for Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, and Narnia fans. While this series cannot hold a candle to these classics, the fans may find a pleasurable read here, in terms of plot.
However, I found many stylistic problems with this book that I could not get past. First, the setting lacked the clear development of its own reality that the excellent fantasy novels possess. It is kind of medieval, with castles, robes, swords, and roast chickens, but the dialogue maintained a modern feel (more on that later). It just never took on its own entity as a place with its own way of things. Attempts to clarify unique elements felt forced.
Second, I never really connected with the characters. Their development was stilted and unnatural—facing real tragedies (which lacked emotional punch) one moment, then merrily frolicking through a castle getting arcanery lessons the next. As an afterthought, from time to time, one of the girls would remember the tragic events they have endured and sniffle, then move back on with life. The result was a deep lack of sympathy. Plus, the blatant use of literary names was weird.
Third, the dialogue among the children did not feel natural, especially the attempts at banter. Not only did it contribute to the awkward character development but it created a discordance between the setting and the modern air of joking.
Several plot elements had fairly obvious earmarks from classic fantasy, which is always somehow disappointing.
All this together added up to the two star rating I gave it, noting, however, that the plot itself is going somewhere and does keep the story going. It’s too bad Bronny didn’t contact the editor-in-chief of Lefthandedwritings; not only would she have made sure all the periods were inside the quotation marks, but she could have strengthened the elements pointed out here. lefthandedwritings@gmail.com, just in case . . .
March 15, 2018
This book is an exciting adventure with great characters, an intriguing plot, and good storytelling. I can see why it is compared to Harry Potter a bit because it has magic, friendship, and an evil super villain. Refreshing & an easy read, suitable for kids too.
February 1, 2015
Highly recommended
An entertaining and adventurous read, I highly recommend. You will enjoy the adventures in the arcane world! So, what are you waiting for, read it!
An entertaining and adventurous read, I highly recommend. You will enjoy the adventures in the arcane world! So, what are you waiting for, read it!
September 10, 2020
Enjoyed this clever, well written, smartly paced book one of a series I will finish. It is complete with an engaging trio of young friends brought together by immense shared tragedies and their trials and challenges faced. Enter a matronly woman warlock of unequaled power, to direct the three young warlocks in training and it quickly becomes a book I could not put down. Anna Atticus Stone is stern, determined and relentless in seeing the three of them mature and develop into adults. Strong captivating story, complete with unending possibilities, and what a journey! I am a fan, Thank you Sever Bronny.
May 8, 2025
This was a great adventure! If I’d read this when I was younger, I know it would’ve been one of my very favorites. I think I’ll continue the series, reading aloud to my son when he’s older.
August 26, 2024
Quite good!
April 20, 2018
It took me a while to finally read this, and I will admit I was rather skeptical, but I was pleasantly surprised by how good it was.
True there were mistakes, but they were very few and far between.
Would definitely recommend this!
For my clean readers:
Includes violence, slight gore, and mild language.
True there were mistakes, but they were very few and far between.
Would definitely recommend this!
For my clean readers:
Includes violence, slight gore, and mild language.
March 28, 2018
Why do you read? If you read to be transported to a fantastic world with engaging characters, unique systems of power, and non-stop excitement; then this is your next favorite book and book series. As an avid fan of the fantasy genre, I usually start a new series with some hesitation; Mr. Bronny took that hesitation and smashed it to bits. I devoured this series of book and am hungry for more. These are not your typical fantasy books, these stories have raised my expectation of what an author can and should do. Treat yourself to this wonderful world built by the hands of master artist, your "sleeve" is showing Mr. Bronny!
These books have endeared themselves to me quicker than most. Augum, Leera and Bridget feel like new friends that I can't wait to hear from again.
These books have endeared themselves to me quicker than most. Augum, Leera and Bridget feel like new friends that I can't wait to hear from again.
January 2, 2018
Wonderful. I can't wait to read the rest in the series.
February 22, 2018
4.25 Stars
January 3, 2022
I haven't read a book in a while, but this book was absolutely GREAT from beginning to end. I usually do not enjoy YA let alone rating 5 stars, but dang I couldn't put it down.
December 30, 2020
Awesome
This is an epic tale , honestly best story I read in a while that just swept me away. Look forward to the next one!
This is an epic tale , honestly best story I read in a while that just swept me away. Look forward to the next one!
Read
April 6, 20213.5 only because I'm not the right reader for this YA title. If those are your thing, this might be your type of book.
July 10, 2015
Augum is a fourteen year old boy who has had it a lot harder in life than most other kids around him. For as long as he can remember he has been an orphan. He's constantly being made fun of and mistreated because of it. Augum loses a lot throughout Arcane but he gains a lot when he befriends Bridget and Leera. Together the three friends are thrust into an epic journey of survival and self discovery.
I can't even describe how cool I thought Arcane was. I enjoyed it so much, I didn't want to put it down. Everything within the scenery, setting and dialect screamed medieval times, and I found that very refreshing. I've always been fascinated with that time period.
Sever Bronny did an amazing job with the character development, story progression and the story line. Within the first chapter I was invested with what happened with Augum. Sever wrote with such clarity that I was instantly transported to the world in which Arcane is centered around.
Augum was a really well developed character and I got attached to him fairly quick. I loved how despite everything that he has to go through he never gives up. Yeah, it may get him down but he still manages to keep persevering and manages to overcome every obstacle thrown at him. I really liked that even though he gets bullied he's determined to stand up for himself and others. Augum, because of being an orphan, has never had any friends until Bridget comes into the picture and I liked watching him learn what goes along with friendship and what it means to have friendships. You get a chance to see a lot of his backstory too, which gave the story that much more depth.
Mrs. Stone is something else. Her character has such depth. She's like 70 or 80 years old and can kick so major behind but she's also like a strict no nonsense grandmother. As the story develops you get a glimpse into her past and how she ended up where she is in life. I really enjoyed how Mrs. Stone took on the responsibility of being a guardian to the kids and being there for them when the needed it. I did find her teaching techniques a little odd but I guess whatever gets the job done.
Bridget was someone that you would instantly want as your friend. She's very kind, considerate, polite, and loyal. From the moment that Bridget was first introduced she's instantly likable.
Leera was so funny and she said what was on her mind the minuet that it popped into her head. She's also very loyal to her friends and instantly took up with Augum. I really enjoyed the repertoire that occurred when you got her together with Augum and Bridget, and the comments that were spoken whenever the prince would be in her presence.
I really enjoyed reading Arcane and following along with Augum's story. I felt that the pace was perfect and exactly how it should be for each particular part of the book. Everything is in there for a wonderful book, character development, pacing, action, heartache, discovery, growth, and many, many more things. Sever Bronny did an exceptional job with Arcane and I can't wait to get my hands on Riven, the second book in The Arinthian Line series.
I highly suggest giving Arcane a try, it's a very fun, fast and entertaining read. This is a book that I feel most ages could get into easily. Although it is intended for the teen years I see no reason why an adult wouldn't be able to enjoy this book, I know I absolutely LOVED it!! So go out right now and find a copy of Arcane by Sever Bronny!
I can't even describe how cool I thought Arcane was. I enjoyed it so much, I didn't want to put it down. Everything within the scenery, setting and dialect screamed medieval times, and I found that very refreshing. I've always been fascinated with that time period.
Sever Bronny did an amazing job with the character development, story progression and the story line. Within the first chapter I was invested with what happened with Augum. Sever wrote with such clarity that I was instantly transported to the world in which Arcane is centered around.
Augum was a really well developed character and I got attached to him fairly quick. I loved how despite everything that he has to go through he never gives up. Yeah, it may get him down but he still manages to keep persevering and manages to overcome every obstacle thrown at him. I really liked that even though he gets bullied he's determined to stand up for himself and others. Augum, because of being an orphan, has never had any friends until Bridget comes into the picture and I liked watching him learn what goes along with friendship and what it means to have friendships. You get a chance to see a lot of his backstory too, which gave the story that much more depth.
Mrs. Stone is something else. Her character has such depth. She's like 70 or 80 years old and can kick so major behind but she's also like a strict no nonsense grandmother. As the story develops you get a glimpse into her past and how she ended up where she is in life. I really enjoyed how Mrs. Stone took on the responsibility of being a guardian to the kids and being there for them when the needed it. I did find her teaching techniques a little odd but I guess whatever gets the job done.
Bridget was someone that you would instantly want as your friend. She's very kind, considerate, polite, and loyal. From the moment that Bridget was first introduced she's instantly likable.
Leera was so funny and she said what was on her mind the minuet that it popped into her head. She's also very loyal to her friends and instantly took up with Augum. I really enjoyed the repertoire that occurred when you got her together with Augum and Bridget, and the comments that were spoken whenever the prince would be in her presence.
I really enjoyed reading Arcane and following along with Augum's story. I felt that the pace was perfect and exactly how it should be for each particular part of the book. Everything is in there for a wonderful book, character development, pacing, action, heartache, discovery, growth, and many, many more things. Sever Bronny did an exceptional job with Arcane and I can't wait to get my hands on Riven, the second book in The Arinthian Line series.
I highly suggest giving Arcane a try, it's a very fun, fast and entertaining read. This is a book that I feel most ages could get into easily. Although it is intended for the teen years I see no reason why an adult wouldn't be able to enjoy this book, I know I absolutely LOVED it!! So go out right now and find a copy of Arcane by Sever Bronny!
December 25, 2018
Goes from an awkward start to an engaging read and an exciting finish.
I read this on Kindle unlimited and if the series is as good as the ending of this book I'm probably going to buy it if it's priced right. In all honesty this was going to be a 3 star book about a quarter of the way through but it it improved as it went to become a almost 5-star read.
It is a third person limited coming-of-age fantasy but feels like it could be something mors. Even though the male protagonist is 14 going on 15 years old I'm not sure how long he will remain the age throughout the series. The story is not packed full of violence but the scenes of violence that do occur are a little bit more graphic than would be appropriate for those 14 years or younger. I get the feeling that the series is going to get only more intense as there is a certain amount of realism in the violence and magic even though it's a fantasy book. Still there is no cursing within the story that I can recall nor sensuality but there is some blushing LOL. Not sure if he will jump age too much but would not surprise me if he's over 20 by the end of the book six book series. This might end up being a series that's more appropriate for those 16 years older, but so far it's a strong PG-13.
In the beginning I could see Sever Bronny's hand as he moved his character like he was making a checklist on how to make a perfect sympathetic but capable protagonist. The first chunk of the story has a lot of bad things happening in order to get our main protagonist in the situation that he is with the mentor and his friends. When the deaths occur in the first part of the story they really have no impact because we do not have the time to get to know anyone or feel for them.
That said so long as you can be a patient reader the rest of the story picks up quite well once we get to the part where the author really wanted to start the story. That comes about the 25% mark where the protagonist is with his mentor and Friends and they are being taught the beginnings of being warlocks. That's also around the time in which a few things are revealed that makes the beginning make more sense and feel less like perfect accidents. Let's just say near the start after a flashback hallucination our hero wakes up to something akin to "you're a wizard Harry" if you choose to be. That is why I cringed a bit through the beginning.
Overall the world building is a bit herky-jerky smooths out and makes me think that in future books it will be expanded upon it is something amazing. The characters are interesting but you sort of can tell who's going to survive because the author doesn't really spend time making all the characters come to life. The red shirts are fairly obvious. That said when the action happens even some of it is out there and almost random it is fascinating and a great page turner.
I read this on Kindle unlimited and if the series is as good as the ending of this book I'm probably going to buy it if it's priced right. In all honesty this was going to be a 3 star book about a quarter of the way through but it it improved as it went to become a almost 5-star read.
It is a third person limited coming-of-age fantasy but feels like it could be something mors. Even though the male protagonist is 14 going on 15 years old I'm not sure how long he will remain the age throughout the series. The story is not packed full of violence but the scenes of violence that do occur are a little bit more graphic than would be appropriate for those 14 years or younger. I get the feeling that the series is going to get only more intense as there is a certain amount of realism in the violence and magic even though it's a fantasy book. Still there is no cursing within the story that I can recall nor sensuality but there is some blushing LOL. Not sure if he will jump age too much but would not surprise me if he's over 20 by the end of the book six book series. This might end up being a series that's more appropriate for those 16 years older, but so far it's a strong PG-13.
In the beginning I could see Sever Bronny's hand as he moved his character like he was making a checklist on how to make a perfect sympathetic but capable protagonist. The first chunk of the story has a lot of bad things happening in order to get our main protagonist in the situation that he is with the mentor and his friends. When the deaths occur in the first part of the story they really have no impact because we do not have the time to get to know anyone or feel for them.
That said so long as you can be a patient reader the rest of the story picks up quite well once we get to the part where the author really wanted to start the story. That comes about the 25% mark where the protagonist is with his mentor and Friends and they are being taught the beginnings of being warlocks. That's also around the time in which a few things are revealed that makes the beginning make more sense and feel less like perfect accidents. Let's just say near the start after a flashback hallucination our hero wakes up to something akin to "you're a wizard Harry" if you choose to be. That is why I cringed a bit through the beginning.
Overall the world building is a bit herky-jerky smooths out and makes me think that in future books it will be expanded upon it is something amazing. The characters are interesting but you sort of can tell who's going to survive because the author doesn't really spend time making all the characters come to life. The red shirts are fairly obvious. That said when the action happens even some of it is out there and almost random it is fascinating and a great page turner.
February 17, 2017
I bought this book on a whim because it was cheap and I liked the story that the writer posted on Reddit when he finished the entire series.
When I read the first couple of pages, I wasn't immediately hooked. It all felt a bit forced, the language, the dialogues, even the magic felt like nothing special. I also hadn't realized that this was more of a YA story (yeah... don't know how I missed that either, as it's not exactly a secret).
I thought this would be a book that wouldn't get finished, and I still can't explain it, but as soon as the story picked up speed I was hooked and I couldn't let go anymore. When I reached 75% I bought Riven, the sequel.
All in all, this reads like Harry Potter in High Fantasy Land and it's a fun story that keeps you entertained right up until the end. Would recommend this to anyone who liked Harry Potter.
When I read the first couple of pages, I wasn't immediately hooked. It all felt a bit forced, the language, the dialogues, even the magic felt like nothing special. I also hadn't realized that this was more of a YA story (yeah... don't know how I missed that either, as it's not exactly a secret).
I thought this would be a book that wouldn't get finished, and I still can't explain it, but as soon as the story picked up speed I was hooked and I couldn't let go anymore. When I reached 75% I bought Riven, the sequel.
All in all, this reads like Harry Potter in High Fantasy Land and it's a fun story that keeps you entertained right up until the end. Would recommend this to anyone who liked Harry Potter.
January 18, 2015
I received a copy of this book from the author, through the Goodreads Group “YA Lovers” in exchange for and honest review. So first, I am going to say Thank you!
Augum; I really liked him. He had it tough as an abused orphan slave boy, until he ended up in the care of Sir Tobias Westwood. Westwood taught Augum to read, hunt, etc. and it is thanks in large part to Westwood that Augum survives to end up with Mrs Stone. Augum has spent all of his life ridiculed and beat up on for being a gutter born orphan and it is beautiful to see that turn around for him as he finds true friendship.
Mrs. Stone; the awesome elderly super powerful bad arse Mrs. Stone. I loved her. Go Grandma, Go, Go. I think it is probably the mother in me that loved her as the hero / saviour in this novel so much (I would be interested to see a teenage boy’s response to her character)
Bridget & Leera; Augum’s back up besties. I quite liked the girls and think that they balanced Augum out nicely. Leera got to kick some butt in the book alongside Augum and I hope that in the future books they get their chance to shine independently.
Prince Sydo; I have to mention him as, Sydo is nasty spoiled foul mouthed brat and I hated him. I think you are meant to hate him, but I found him really disrupting my enjoyment of the story at times. I hope he wakes up to himself in the next book.
The story follows 14-year-old Augum. I found the story a bit hard to get into at first and some of the chapters lagging early on and towards the middle as we are getting crammed with background information. There are some cool plot twist along the way and we get a new style of magic with the Arcane discipline. Once I got into the vibe of the book and stomached all the world building, I really started to enjoy the story, but I cannot really say too much about the story without giving all the twists away.
So I will just say the Last 20% of the book was a fantastical rush. The end of the book is an exciting frantic flurry of action, with a brilliant ending, bring on the next instalment Mr Bronny.
Augum; I really liked him. He had it tough as an abused orphan slave boy, until he ended up in the care of Sir Tobias Westwood. Westwood taught Augum to read, hunt, etc. and it is thanks in large part to Westwood that Augum survives to end up with Mrs Stone. Augum has spent all of his life ridiculed and beat up on for being a gutter born orphan and it is beautiful to see that turn around for him as he finds true friendship.
Mrs. Stone; the awesome elderly super powerful bad arse Mrs. Stone. I loved her. Go Grandma, Go, Go. I think it is probably the mother in me that loved her as the hero / saviour in this novel so much (I would be interested to see a teenage boy’s response to her character)
Bridget & Leera; Augum’s back up besties. I quite liked the girls and think that they balanced Augum out nicely. Leera got to kick some butt in the book alongside Augum and I hope that in the future books they get their chance to shine independently.
Prince Sydo; I have to mention him as, Sydo is nasty spoiled foul mouthed brat and I hated him. I think you are meant to hate him, but I found him really disrupting my enjoyment of the story at times. I hope he wakes up to himself in the next book.
The story follows 14-year-old Augum. I found the story a bit hard to get into at first and some of the chapters lagging early on and towards the middle as we are getting crammed with background information. There are some cool plot twist along the way and we get a new style of magic with the Arcane discipline. Once I got into the vibe of the book and stomached all the world building, I really started to enjoy the story, but I cannot really say too much about the story without giving all the twists away.
So I will just say the Last 20% of the book was a fantastical rush. The end of the book is an exciting frantic flurry of action, with a brilliant ending, bring on the next instalment Mr Bronny.
May 23, 2016
I wish I could give this a half-star, because it's really a bit better than 3, but not really a 4.
What would happen if Voldemort took over England and Dumbledore had to train Harry, Ron and Hermione while on the lam?
That's not exactly what this book is, but it's a good starting point.
The kingdom is in chaos. "The Legion" and its master, Lord Sparkstone, have deposed the king and are waging a vicious campaign of reprisals and suppression. Augum's home is burned to the ground, his knight-master/foster father is killed, and he's left homeless. After nearly dying in a storm, he's found by Mrs. Stone, a kind but stern old woman who takes him in. Before long he learns that she's an Arcanist, and that he has the potential to be one, too.
However, The Legion are after Mrs. Stone as well, and Augum, his new master, and two new friends have to run for their lives while trying to master enough magic to help keep themselves alive.
It was an enjoyable book, with some well cast characters. I particularly liked Mrs. Stone's dichotomy of merciless instructor and goodhearted caretaker. She takes her responsibilities to her charges very seriously, and even likes them; but she is Not Having Your Foolishness and will work you to the bone.
On the other hand, it did lean heavily on some tired tropes in certain spots, which was disappointing. The author's grasp of archaic English is also terrible, which made certain parts of the dialog and reading of old books/inscriptions cringe-worth.
All in all, though, a fun read. I'll probably end up finishing [i]The Arinthian Line[/i].
What would happen if Voldemort took over England and Dumbledore had to train Harry, Ron and Hermione while on the lam?
That's not exactly what this book is, but it's a good starting point.
The kingdom is in chaos. "The Legion" and its master, Lord Sparkstone, have deposed the king and are waging a vicious campaign of reprisals and suppression. Augum's home is burned to the ground, his knight-master/foster father is killed, and he's left homeless. After nearly dying in a storm, he's found by Mrs. Stone, a kind but stern old woman who takes him in. Before long he learns that she's an Arcanist, and that he has the potential to be one, too.
However, The Legion are after Mrs. Stone as well, and Augum, his new master, and two new friends have to run for their lives while trying to master enough magic to help keep themselves alive.
It was an enjoyable book, with some well cast characters. I particularly liked Mrs. Stone's dichotomy of merciless instructor and goodhearted caretaker. She takes her responsibilities to her charges very seriously, and even likes them; but she is Not Having Your Foolishness and will work you to the bone.
On the other hand, it did lean heavily on some tired tropes in certain spots, which was disappointing. The author's grasp of archaic English is also terrible, which made certain parts of the dialog and reading of old books/inscriptions cringe-worth.
All in all, though, a fun read. I'll probably end up finishing [i]The Arinthian Line[/i].
July 26, 2015
*This book was provided by the publisher/author for an honest review.
Arcane was a fast paced read for me. It did remind me slightly of Harry Potter, but only in the fashion of having young teens and a school for magic. Every character was well developed and I really felt for them through all the tests, tribulations and triumphs. The villains are wickedly evil. The author has created a fantasy world that pulled me in and captivated me. There were a few unexpected revelations I thought were going to go one way but ended up much differently than I anticipated. I thought the author did a fantastic job in making some of the more complicated arcane words easy to understand and read using the pretense of the students learning it themselves. This story started strong, stayed strong and ended leaving me wanting more immediately (without a cliffhanger ending).
***Review has been done in conjunction with Nerd Girl Official. For more information regarding our reviews please visit our Fan Site: www.facebook.com/NerdGirl.NG***
Arcane was a fast paced read for me. It did remind me slightly of Harry Potter, but only in the fashion of having young teens and a school for magic. Every character was well developed and I really felt for them through all the tests, tribulations and triumphs. The villains are wickedly evil. The author has created a fantasy world that pulled me in and captivated me. There were a few unexpected revelations I thought were going to go one way but ended up much differently than I anticipated. I thought the author did a fantastic job in making some of the more complicated arcane words easy to understand and read using the pretense of the students learning it themselves. This story started strong, stayed strong and ended leaving me wanting more immediately (without a cliffhanger ending).
***Review has been done in conjunction with Nerd Girl Official. For more information regarding our reviews please visit our Fan Site: www.facebook.com/NerdGirl.NG***
October 11, 2016
This is one of those cases where it's basically impossible to dumb it down to a single rating. But as this is exactly what I need to do, I decided to award 3.5 stars. (And I am of course fully aware that Goodreads doesn't allow me to do that. But anyway.)
I enjoyed the book, but there were a number of things that bugged me. For example, some of the dialogues were written to sound archaic, but to me they just sounded artificial and made me cringe (and in my opinion there was absolutely no need for choosing that kind of style). The characters also behaved or reacted in implausible ways in a number of scenes, and there was a general tendency to state the obvious.
Also, I like chapter titles that are more than just 'Chapter n', but here some of the titles give away too much of what will happen (e.g. 'Betrayed').
That being said, 'Arcane' was a very entertaining read from the outset, and I soon found myself wanting to know what happens next. So I will definitely read the next one in the series.
I enjoyed the book, but there were a number of things that bugged me. For example, some of the dialogues were written to sound archaic, but to me they just sounded artificial and made me cringe (and in my opinion there was absolutely no need for choosing that kind of style). The characters also behaved or reacted in implausible ways in a number of scenes, and there was a general tendency to state the obvious.
Also, I like chapter titles that are more than just 'Chapter n', but here some of the titles give away too much of what will happen (e.g. 'Betrayed').
That being said, 'Arcane' was a very entertaining read from the outset, and I soon found myself wanting to know what happens next. So I will definitely read the next one in the series.
January 19, 2015
This book was a fifty fifty split for me. While I enjoyed the authors' enthusiasm for his main character, I felt like the first half of his story suffered from inconsistent pacing. It wasn't until after Augum, the protagonist loses his home village and meets his new and mysterious tutor, and ultimately forms a few highly anticipated friendships that the author allows us to settle in to the story and actually get to know the characters. Up to this point everyone in the book felt like a rough sketch of a personification. However, after Augum meets his neighbors there was a definitive shift in the pacing and the story really comes into itself. All in all it's an enjoyable first book and I look forward to seeing what comes next.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 11, 2018
A great start to a magical adventure.
I am a big fan of magical fantasies series, such as Erec Rex, The Royal Institute of magic, The Tapestry, and Septemus Heap. I have been looking for a new series to get lost in and I was hooked by the first chapter of this book. It is well written with likeable main characters and an unlikable Prince, but I'm sure he will change his ways soon enough once Ms. Stone gets through with him. Anyway, I would recommend this book for anyone older than 10. I am a teacher who likes to recommend books to her students, and this will be one I will. Okay, I have to read the next book in the series and I will review it once I'm done.
I am a big fan of magical fantasies series, such as Erec Rex, The Royal Institute of magic, The Tapestry, and Septemus Heap. I have been looking for a new series to get lost in and I was hooked by the first chapter of this book. It is well written with likeable main characters and an unlikable Prince, but I'm sure he will change his ways soon enough once Ms. Stone gets through with him. Anyway, I would recommend this book for anyone older than 10. I am a teacher who likes to recommend books to her students, and this will be one I will. Okay, I have to read the next book in the series and I will review it once I'm done.
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