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Journey to Chaos #1
A Mage's Power
Winner of Reader's Favorite Five Star Award
"I am Tasio the Trickster and I am here to help you."
Due to 'help' from a mischievous trickster, Eric is stranded in a world where monsters and magic are as common as homework and hotdogs. While he struggles to adjust, he receives an offer to join a mercenary guild. Between training and missions, he's unaware of the forces at work in his life. All of them have a stake in his quest to acquire A Mage's Power.
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A Mage's Power is Brian Wilkerson's debut novel. After swallowing his newbie pride, he had it professionally edited. The sixth edition was published on July 10, 2016.
"I am Tasio the Trickster and I am here to help you."
Due to 'help' from a mischievous trickster, Eric is stranded in a world where monsters and magic are as common as homework and hotdogs. While he struggles to adjust, he receives an offer to join a mercenary guild. Between training and missions, he's unaware of the forces at work in his life. All of them have a stake in his quest to acquire A Mage's Power.
--------
A Mage's Power is Brian Wilkerson's debut novel. After swallowing his newbie pride, he had it professionally edited. The sixth edition was published on July 10, 2016.
478 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 31, 2012
51 people are currently reading
309 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
March 17, 2014
A fabulous YA fantasy adventure! Wilkerson masterfully combines threads reminiscent of Manga/ Anime hits Naruto, Fairy Tail, with bits of Bleach tossed in for fun.
Read full review in the 2014 March issue of InD’tale Magazine.
Read full review in the 2014 March issue of InD’tale Magazine.
March 15, 2013
The plot of A Mage's Power involves a young man named Eric, a down-on-his-luck loser that just sucks at life and everything goes wrong for him. His life takes an “interesting” turn when he’s met by Tasio – a Trickster from the Fantasy world of Tariatla (think of him as the equivalent of Loki from Norse Mythology – or even the Thor comics). Deciding to take it upon himself to “help” Eric, he sends him to the world of Tariatla.
Now, the first thing that struck me is that the world of Tariatla is as somewhat “deconstructed” (as Brian says on his blog) world. As well as having traditional Fantasy elements like magic, monsters, elves, orcs, etc – there are also real world elements, like a job centre, diners, television, even an X-Factor type reality show for wizards! It kind of feels like Earth if it suddenly got invaded by Fantasy monsters. Now, the idea of combining Fantasy with real world is an idea that has been done and in this book it mainly works. But sometimes, the ideas seem to clash with each other and it’s almost like it can’t make up its mind as to whether the world wants to be Fantasy or not. For the most part it works, but there are times when it felt like the suspension of disbelief was stretched.
Trapped in this strange world, Eric tries to adapt to his new surroundings and eventually gets recruited into the Dragon’s Lair as a mercenary, learning to use magic and make money. His team consists of Nolien (who’s like the resident bookworm and slightly socially awkward member) and Tiza (the tough, take no prisoners kick ass chick). For the most part, I actually quite liked them – even though I wanted to slap Tiza in a few places! But Balisard, their leader, I thought was pretty awesome. He kinda reminded me of Master Splinter in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, albeit with a bit more attitude and wit.
The crux of the story involved Eric and his mercenary group going on missions to collect money, learning teamwork along the way. It’s the same sort of theme that we’ve seen in shows like Naruto and the like, but it works well. In actual fact, there isn’t really one set plot – but a number of stories. The book actually reads like a cartoon series on Toonami (which Brian admits on his blog that the shows he watches are a major influence), with each part of the book feeling like another episode in the series, or maybe a better example would be like an RPG game and every part of the book is another quest they must complete. The problem with this is that sometimes the story feels a little undirected and at times doesn’t know in what direction to go in. At other times, the story just seems to shift from one action to the next without any natural progression – which can be a little jarring at times.
Luckily, all these threads do come together in the end – but I won’t give any spoilers. The final scene with the villain is a little “James Bond” like, where the villain gives away his master plan, but I won’t be too hard on this as it does explain what could have potentially been some holes in the plot. But I do have to the honest, the ending I felt was like a slap in the face after everything Eric went through.
With all the above being said, I will say that this is certainly a fresh new look on the Fantasy genre and gives it a whole new look. It takes elements from other Fantasy stories and tries to do something different with them – so you don’t feel like you’re reading the same story over and over again. And it is well written, with plenty of humour and action to keep the reader interested. There were a few typos in my copy, but I’ve heard that has since been corrected so I won’t give too much of a hard time on this one.
A Mage's Power is a book that you will need to really give a chance. It takes time to get going, and you will need to have an open mind with the Fantasy world it’s set in – but if you settle into it, I think you’ll find an exciting Fantasy adventure that’s just waiting to be read. I’ll definitely be waiting to read any other books in this series when they come out.
Now, the first thing that struck me is that the world of Tariatla is as somewhat “deconstructed” (as Brian says on his blog) world. As well as having traditional Fantasy elements like magic, monsters, elves, orcs, etc – there are also real world elements, like a job centre, diners, television, even an X-Factor type reality show for wizards! It kind of feels like Earth if it suddenly got invaded by Fantasy monsters. Now, the idea of combining Fantasy with real world is an idea that has been done and in this book it mainly works. But sometimes, the ideas seem to clash with each other and it’s almost like it can’t make up its mind as to whether the world wants to be Fantasy or not. For the most part it works, but there are times when it felt like the suspension of disbelief was stretched.
Trapped in this strange world, Eric tries to adapt to his new surroundings and eventually gets recruited into the Dragon’s Lair as a mercenary, learning to use magic and make money. His team consists of Nolien (who’s like the resident bookworm and slightly socially awkward member) and Tiza (the tough, take no prisoners kick ass chick). For the most part, I actually quite liked them – even though I wanted to slap Tiza in a few places! But Balisard, their leader, I thought was pretty awesome. He kinda reminded me of Master Splinter in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, albeit with a bit more attitude and wit.
The crux of the story involved Eric and his mercenary group going on missions to collect money, learning teamwork along the way. It’s the same sort of theme that we’ve seen in shows like Naruto and the like, but it works well. In actual fact, there isn’t really one set plot – but a number of stories. The book actually reads like a cartoon series on Toonami (which Brian admits on his blog that the shows he watches are a major influence), with each part of the book feeling like another episode in the series, or maybe a better example would be like an RPG game and every part of the book is another quest they must complete. The problem with this is that sometimes the story feels a little undirected and at times doesn’t know in what direction to go in. At other times, the story just seems to shift from one action to the next without any natural progression – which can be a little jarring at times.
Luckily, all these threads do come together in the end – but I won’t give any spoilers. The final scene with the villain is a little “James Bond” like, where the villain gives away his master plan, but I won’t be too hard on this as it does explain what could have potentially been some holes in the plot. But I do have to the honest, the ending I felt was like a slap in the face after everything Eric went through.
With all the above being said, I will say that this is certainly a fresh new look on the Fantasy genre and gives it a whole new look. It takes elements from other Fantasy stories and tries to do something different with them – so you don’t feel like you’re reading the same story over and over again. And it is well written, with plenty of humour and action to keep the reader interested. There were a few typos in my copy, but I’ve heard that has since been corrected so I won’t give too much of a hard time on this one.
A Mage's Power is a book that you will need to really give a chance. It takes time to get going, and you will need to have an open mind with the Fantasy world it’s set in – but if you settle into it, I think you’ll find an exciting Fantasy adventure that’s just waiting to be read. I’ll definitely be waiting to read any other books in this series when they come out.
May 4, 2016
I first read this book the year it was first published. Or rather I tried to read it, I couldn't find it interesting enough and dropped it at about a quarter. I rated it 1 (I rarely rate books so low) and forgot about it.
Here is the thing: I'm a regular visitor of TVTropes. I can get lost for hours exploring all the various tropes. And time and time again this book showed up in several tropes I like.
I then checked on goodreads, and the majority of the reviews rate it as good/great.
Deciding I must have been wrong the first time, I gave it a second chance.
Sigh. It took more than one week to finish this thing! I consider myself a fast reader but this was so bad I kept dropping the story and doing anything else so I could escape. And I kept coming back again because I felt like it would certainly get better.
Well, it didn't get much better. Tasio disappeared at some point which was a big plus, because the character annoyed me, but the rest of the book was very disappointing.
The quality of the writing in general was subpar. While I didn't encounter many typos, which is always nice in an indie work, I think it still needs a good editor.
The world Mr Wilkinson imagined is relatively original, but I was never certain if it was intended as a parody or not. As a parody, I never laughed or even smiled. As more serious fantasy, many things felt too childish or just too weird for my tastes.
Various elements of the story were too derivative of animes. Many things were taken directly from Naruto (come on, the mentor always reading erotica when his students train?). Inspiration from other works is usually fine by me. I really liked The Traveler's Gate trilogy by Will Wight for example which is also inspired by anime, but this one felt cheap.
All the characters' personalities irked me. The protagonist lacks confidence. Fine, it drives the plot, but it was overdone and his bouts of whining and self-pity were a bore to read. He's also an idiot and never gets the various obvious clues that something bad is happening. The female fighter and her tomboyish antics were extremely tiring.
Many events felt unrealistic, just a way to put the protagonist in his role as a hero. There might be a valid reason, revealed later on, but this still stands: the plot was amateurish.
In conclusion, I was right the first time and should be more confident in my judgement (just like the morale of this very book!).
My rating: Still 1! I won't bother to read the rest of the series.
Here is the thing: I'm a regular visitor of TVTropes. I can get lost for hours exploring all the various tropes. And time and time again this book showed up in several tropes I like.
I then checked on goodreads, and the majority of the reviews rate it as good/great.
Deciding I must have been wrong the first time, I gave it a second chance.
Sigh. It took more than one week to finish this thing! I consider myself a fast reader but this was so bad I kept dropping the story and doing anything else so I could escape. And I kept coming back again because I felt like it would certainly get better.
Well, it didn't get much better. Tasio disappeared at some point which was a big plus, because the character annoyed me, but the rest of the book was very disappointing.
The quality of the writing in general was subpar. While I didn't encounter many typos, which is always nice in an indie work, I think it still needs a good editor.
The world Mr Wilkinson imagined is relatively original, but I was never certain if it was intended as a parody or not. As a parody, I never laughed or even smiled. As more serious fantasy, many things felt too childish or just too weird for my tastes.
Various elements of the story were too derivative of animes. Many things were taken directly from Naruto (come on, the mentor always reading erotica when his students train?). Inspiration from other works is usually fine by me. I really liked The Traveler's Gate trilogy by Will Wight for example which is also inspired by anime, but this one felt cheap.
All the characters' personalities irked me. The protagonist lacks confidence. Fine, it drives the plot, but it was overdone and his bouts of whining and self-pity were a bore to read. He's also an idiot and never gets the various obvious clues that something bad is happening. The female fighter and her tomboyish antics were extremely tiring.
Many events felt unrealistic, just a way to put the protagonist in his role as a hero. There might be a valid reason, revealed later on, but this still stands: the plot was amateurish.
In conclusion, I was right the first time and should be more confident in my judgement (just like the morale of this very book!).
My rating: Still 1! I won't bother to read the rest of the series.
January 9, 2016
BOOK REVIEW COURTESY OF KMJ BOOK REVEALS
Hey ya'll,
So as always I promise to tell the truth in my reviews of books that I receive. And the Looming Chaos series really wasn't my cup of tea. I initially did a review of this series and I deleted it shortly after so that I could reread this story along with the second installment to see if it would appeal to me more—It did not.
I believe that both of Wilkerson's novels are truly imaginative! They really immerse you into the fictional world of Tariatla. There were no grammatical errors or anything that didn't allow me to smoothly read both books. However, each of the novels were both lacking passion and the characters were too juvenile which made their tone of voices blend together.
Don't get me wrong this book is very detailed! Maybe I am not mature enough to appreciate the descriptiveness of these novels. However, due to the fact that I am a young adult I tend to like books that are appropriately descriptive, but also give me something to root for and I was missing that element in Wilkerson's series. This book in my opinion lacked heart.
The Journey to Chaos series reminds me of The Hobbit franchise in many ways. However, in the Hobbit franchise I can see the characters emotion because it's on screen, but with the Journey to Chaos series I am left to grasp the characters emotions by what the author is telling me and that's where this series fell short.
I felt like the whole magic element he incorporated was fairly unique. A lot of times authors tend to mimic J.K.Rowling when using magic because they believe that's what all readers want when readers like myself are really just looking for a different stance on magic that is still entertaining.
Though this story surrounded Eric, a man who is tuned back into a teenager, I really found Tasio to be the highlight of my urge to read this franchise. This is definitely the first story where I kind of love everything about it, but at the same time it's as if I have to reread a part of Wilkerson's novels to make sure my love is genuine for this series.
I will most definitely revisit this series later on in 2016, but as for now I will give Wilkerson's novel two different ratings.....
Description & Grammar: *****
Heart & Entertainment: **
P.S. The first book in my opinion is better than the second installment of this series.
Have you read this book? If so, what did you think? I want to hear what you have to say!
Until Next Time ;*
Hey ya'll,
So as always I promise to tell the truth in my reviews of books that I receive. And the Looming Chaos series really wasn't my cup of tea. I initially did a review of this series and I deleted it shortly after so that I could reread this story along with the second installment to see if it would appeal to me more—It did not.
I believe that both of Wilkerson's novels are truly imaginative! They really immerse you into the fictional world of Tariatla. There were no grammatical errors or anything that didn't allow me to smoothly read both books. However, each of the novels were both lacking passion and the characters were too juvenile which made their tone of voices blend together.
Don't get me wrong this book is very detailed! Maybe I am not mature enough to appreciate the descriptiveness of these novels. However, due to the fact that I am a young adult I tend to like books that are appropriately descriptive, but also give me something to root for and I was missing that element in Wilkerson's series. This book in my opinion lacked heart.
The Journey to Chaos series reminds me of The Hobbit franchise in many ways. However, in the Hobbit franchise I can see the characters emotion because it's on screen, but with the Journey to Chaos series I am left to grasp the characters emotions by what the author is telling me and that's where this series fell short.
I felt like the whole magic element he incorporated was fairly unique. A lot of times authors tend to mimic J.K.Rowling when using magic because they believe that's what all readers want when readers like myself are really just looking for a different stance on magic that is still entertaining.
Though this story surrounded Eric, a man who is tuned back into a teenager, I really found Tasio to be the highlight of my urge to read this franchise. This is definitely the first story where I kind of love everything about it, but at the same time it's as if I have to reread a part of Wilkerson's novels to make sure my love is genuine for this series.
I will most definitely revisit this series later on in 2016, but as for now I will give Wilkerson's novel two different ratings.....
Description & Grammar: *****
Heart & Entertainment: **
P.S. The first book in my opinion is better than the second installment of this series.
Have you read this book? If so, what did you think? I want to hear what you have to say!
Until Next Time ;*
May 25, 2016
An apparent underdog, twenty-one-year-old Eric Watley hates his life. His boss maybe despises him. The girl he likes, of course, likes someone else. His only friend is a moocher of a neighbor. He's got no social life to speak of - until the day he asks for help to right a report.
His life is suddenly thrown out of balance when he meets Tasio, a Trickster, who transports him into another world where ancient magecraft meets modern headphones and soda - Wait, what?
Brian Wilkerson's "A Mage's Power" is a fun read, especially for fans of Dungeons & Dragons and other role-playing games set in a world of orcs, elves, mages, kidnapped princesses, and power-hungry nobles.
The novel's strength is in its "otherworldliness". With the many guilds and commanders littering the pages, readers will wish for a separate annex on the world of Tariatla and its characters. Eric befriends a boy with white hair, a girl with pink hair, a lizard, a captain who's a frustrated scientist, and even a large orc.
The dialogues can be funny and witty. A doddering old man has lived for three thousand years. The reason? Apparently, he's very dedicated to his job. Reminiscent of Anime shows, too, are Eric's friends who are humanoid lizards and felines.
Although Eric inevitably finds his inner hero, the transformation from zero to hero is underdeveloped. The story needs more introspection into Eric's personality. At times he sounds like he's swallowed an encyclopedia. It also seems like the story could use more genuine emotions of sadness or loss.
I find it quite difficult to empathize with a character who rarely shows genuine confusion when he suddenly finds himself turned into a fifteen-year-old. The many characters in the novel are, sadly, not optimized well. Most of them appear for a scant few lines or scenes only to disappear when Eric moves up the Guild ladder.
Overall, the story is very interesting. Hopefully in the second book, the world of Tariatla will expand and its characters will be more than just ink on paper. Judging by the scenes of the second adventure in the sneak-peek, it would seem that things will get more serious and intriguing in the world of mana magic.
His life is suddenly thrown out of balance when he meets Tasio, a Trickster, who transports him into another world where ancient magecraft meets modern headphones and soda - Wait, what?
Brian Wilkerson's "A Mage's Power" is a fun read, especially for fans of Dungeons & Dragons and other role-playing games set in a world of orcs, elves, mages, kidnapped princesses, and power-hungry nobles.
The novel's strength is in its "otherworldliness". With the many guilds and commanders littering the pages, readers will wish for a separate annex on the world of Tariatla and its characters. Eric befriends a boy with white hair, a girl with pink hair, a lizard, a captain who's a frustrated scientist, and even a large orc.
The dialogues can be funny and witty. A doddering old man has lived for three thousand years. The reason? Apparently, he's very dedicated to his job. Reminiscent of Anime shows, too, are Eric's friends who are humanoid lizards and felines.
Although Eric inevitably finds his inner hero, the transformation from zero to hero is underdeveloped. The story needs more introspection into Eric's personality. At times he sounds like he's swallowed an encyclopedia. It also seems like the story could use more genuine emotions of sadness or loss.
I find it quite difficult to empathize with a character who rarely shows genuine confusion when he suddenly finds himself turned into a fifteen-year-old. The many characters in the novel are, sadly, not optimized well. Most of them appear for a scant few lines or scenes only to disappear when Eric moves up the Guild ladder.
Overall, the story is very interesting. Hopefully in the second book, the world of Tariatla will expand and its characters will be more than just ink on paper. Judging by the scenes of the second adventure in the sneak-peek, it would seem that things will get more serious and intriguing in the world of mana magic.
April 26, 2013
This review is for the newly updated and professionally edited version of A MAGE'S POWER.
I had a little trouble getting through the first few chapters, but once I hit Chapter 3 things started to pick up, and I got fairly absorbed in the world.
I really liked the world-building Brian put into A MAGE'S POWER. The rules made sense within the confines of the universe, the magic system was unique, and I loved the characters and the various challenges they faced. Not to mention the camaraderie. "All of them talked together, ate together, and occasionally farted together."
Brian is very knowledgeable with the tropes of the fantasy genre, and it shows in his work. While reading, I could sense a trope coming along, but Brian would turn around and flip that trope on its head, and something unexpected would happen instead. He even calls out one of the more common tropes in the genre, having a character tell another that he would have been devastated if a "Deus ex Machina" resolved everything. So kudos for defying genre conventions and giving us something unexpected, Brian.
This version was professionally edited, however I still found the word usage a bit odd at times, mostly with Brian's choice of metaphors. An example of one that didn't work for me: "Eric woke up feeling as though he'd been pushed through a tube of toothpaste." Metaphors like that felt a little out of place, and distracted me from the fictive dream.
Overall, I rather enjoyed this Young Adult title, and I thought it was a great start for Brian. I look forward to reading more from him.
4 stars out of 5.
I had a little trouble getting through the first few chapters, but once I hit Chapter 3 things started to pick up, and I got fairly absorbed in the world.
I really liked the world-building Brian put into A MAGE'S POWER. The rules made sense within the confines of the universe, the magic system was unique, and I loved the characters and the various challenges they faced. Not to mention the camaraderie. "All of them talked together, ate together, and occasionally farted together."
Brian is very knowledgeable with the tropes of the fantasy genre, and it shows in his work. While reading, I could sense a trope coming along, but Brian would turn around and flip that trope on its head, and something unexpected would happen instead. He even calls out one of the more common tropes in the genre, having a character tell another that he would have been devastated if a "Deus ex Machina" resolved everything. So kudos for defying genre conventions and giving us something unexpected, Brian.
This version was professionally edited, however I still found the word usage a bit odd at times, mostly with Brian's choice of metaphors. An example of one that didn't work for me: "Eric woke up feeling as though he'd been pushed through a tube of toothpaste." Metaphors like that felt a little out of place, and distracted me from the fictive dream.
Overall, I rather enjoyed this Young Adult title, and I thought it was a great start for Brian. I look forward to reading more from him.
4 stars out of 5.
April 29, 2013
While the writing is a little rough around the edges and I occasionally got mixed up with some of the characters, the 'world' and plot are both very interesting, and well worth the read.
A 'loser' is taken from the 'real world' and transplanted into a teenage body in a world where magic is common. Most of the characters are typical D&D-type characters - mages, fighters, clerics, etc. This is by no means Forgotten Realms - the world is totally different.
I put the book away a few times while reading it - distracted by other books - but when I finished it at 2AM last night I immediately wanted to start any sequels. The book definitely stands a lone - the story in DONE. But I want more about this 'loser' who learns to assert himself and live up to his potential.
A 'loser' is taken from the 'real world' and transplanted into a teenage body in a world where magic is common. Most of the characters are typical D&D-type characters - mages, fighters, clerics, etc. This is by no means Forgotten Realms - the world is totally different.
I put the book away a few times while reading it - distracted by other books - but when I finished it at 2AM last night I immediately wanted to start any sequels. The book definitely stands a lone - the story in DONE. But I want more about this 'loser' who learns to assert himself and live up to his potential.
November 21, 2015
The powers waging in Eric’s life have a claim on his mission to obtain A Mage's Power. Scary creatures and enchantment are the norm in the realm where he is stuck, and it’s the doing of a sneaky trickster. Erik is so busy with assignments and preparation that he isn’t even aware of the forces at work all around him. The influences have a prerogative and they won't rest until they acquire ‘A Mage's Power’. This is a fun story with a combination of make-believe and reality escapades. Laced with unforeseen twists and wonderful original characters, it is creative and vastly engaging. I truly enjoyed this read.
July 7, 2013
Tasio was most annoying. He pissed me off before I got 4 pages into the story. It may have been wonderful 3 pages later, but I am not interested in pursuing it.
I am sure there are others that like this character, and I wish the author well.
I am sure there are others that like this character, and I wish the author well.
July 17, 2016
I don't think this book was as much a bad one as it was wrong one.
This book is quite unapologetic level-up story in a world that seems to be built giving homage to Japanese spin of Western fantasy stories. It's not really for me, but I could see that at one time, it could have been.
This book is quite unapologetic level-up story in a world that seems to be built giving homage to Japanese spin of Western fantasy stories. It's not really for me, but I could see that at one time, it could have been.
January 19, 2013
Great book, can't wait for book 2! Basically about a "wimp" who asks for help, and gets more than he could wish for! Lots of things going on with good character development.
February 3, 2020
Disclaimer: I was asked to review this book honestly. So I am.
A Mage’s Power is a fantasy story, initially set in the real world before moving into a fantastical one. The protagonist is one Eric Watley, a chap with low self-esteem and a bit out of a down-and-out. He encounters a cosmic trickster, whose blend of help/annoyance soon propels Eric off Earth and into a strange new realm.
Clearly influenced by classic fantasy RPGs, the plot sees Eric enter the world of Tariatla and he discovers a penchant for magic. After a spell in school, he becomes a mage and a mercenary with the Dragon’s Lair. Although there are a series of almost self-contained story arcs, Eric is always at the centre as our protagonist and there are some interesting twists, particularly towards the end when he finds himself confronted with political intrigue and some characters of dubious loyalties.
The style is a bit lighter/more young adult than what I usually go for, and a little more grit would’ve been my preference. The setting’s interesting, mixing together ye olde swords and spears with magic and (effectively) technology powered by magic. It’s a bit reminiscent of some Final Fantasy worlds, and it all fits together nicely. There’s a nice pace to the story and some interesting twists and turns. Because of the tone, the peril/adversity seems a little on the low side, but that’s a choice the author’s made rather than a failure to execute anything else, so more of a style point than a criticism. The upside of that is that the story’s fun and the character interactions, particularly Tiza and Nolien’s bickering, work well.
There was some head-hopping which could’ve been handled better, and sometimes it was unclear which dialogue came from which character. It does take a little while to get rolling, although later on I did end up reading more than intended on numerous occasions (my reading time is pretty short right now).
If you’re after a fun story with an easy to read style, then I’d suggest downloading a sample and giving it a look.
Thaddeus
A Mage’s Power is a fantasy story, initially set in the real world before moving into a fantastical one. The protagonist is one Eric Watley, a chap with low self-esteem and a bit out of a down-and-out. He encounters a cosmic trickster, whose blend of help/annoyance soon propels Eric off Earth and into a strange new realm.
Clearly influenced by classic fantasy RPGs, the plot sees Eric enter the world of Tariatla and he discovers a penchant for magic. After a spell in school, he becomes a mage and a mercenary with the Dragon’s Lair. Although there are a series of almost self-contained story arcs, Eric is always at the centre as our protagonist and there are some interesting twists, particularly towards the end when he finds himself confronted with political intrigue and some characters of dubious loyalties.
The style is a bit lighter/more young adult than what I usually go for, and a little more grit would’ve been my preference. The setting’s interesting, mixing together ye olde swords and spears with magic and (effectively) technology powered by magic. It’s a bit reminiscent of some Final Fantasy worlds, and it all fits together nicely. There’s a nice pace to the story and some interesting twists and turns. Because of the tone, the peril/adversity seems a little on the low side, but that’s a choice the author’s made rather than a failure to execute anything else, so more of a style point than a criticism. The upside of that is that the story’s fun and the character interactions, particularly Tiza and Nolien’s bickering, work well.
There was some head-hopping which could’ve been handled better, and sometimes it was unclear which dialogue came from which character. It does take a little while to get rolling, although later on I did end up reading more than intended on numerous occasions (my reading time is pretty short right now).
If you’re after a fun story with an easy to read style, then I’d suggest downloading a sample and giving it a look.
Thaddeus
September 4, 2016
This is yet another new(ish) genre for me, I’ve never read the fantasy world of Dungeons & Dragons or anime & others similar to this, I have however read Lord of the Rings albeit, a long time ago and A Mage’s Power took me to another level as I wandered through a minefield of magic, wizardry and fantasy creatures. However; it doesn’t start off within the fantasy element but in this world which is reminiscent of The Never Ending Story just without the book to ‘escape into’.
We firstly meet Eric the 21yr old who is despondent, shy and lacking in courage & isn’t portrayed as what I view typical 21yr old, full of life, energetic and a passion for his work, Eric is struggling to cope and asks for help, the only one listening is Tasio a little elf like Trickster with a scraggily face (that’s how my mind has created him). However; a trickster is just that a trickster what he says and what he does do not necessarily have the same outcome.
Only Eric can see Tasio and this is because Eric has asked for help, however I’m assuming the route taken for Eric wasn’t the ‘help’ he had in mind.
After agreeing to the help Eric holds Tasio’s hand and is transported through a tunnel of bright light whilst the light courses through Eric taking him to the awaiting world of magic.
The magic begins immediately with a talking Hawks being the first sight for Eric who clearly thinks he’s having a mental breakdown. Father and son (the hawks) refer to Eric as being an Otherworlder, after this we still see ‘this worlds’ items beavers, alley cats, centars & venus flytraps but with a magical twist they all have a voice of sorts. The Hawks lead Eric to a ‘safe zone’ where other humans and creatures not used to this world are housed, here he finds out he is no longer 21 but has been transported to his 15yr old self and still in search of a job (although this is thrown upon him).
Throughout the book Wilkerson manages to combine the normal stresses and strains of life with the beauty surrounding us; albeit he has taken us to a new world to appreciate what we have here.
Eric’s confidence begins to increase almost immediately as he receives compliments on his ability to complete tasks and interpret sayings.
Next we see friendships develop and although it’s with beasts, creatures and humans it reminds me of a ‘normal’ school so many different individuals all working towards one goal being taught by a teacher, maybe this is what Wilkerson is anticipating, transporting the reader back to their own school days just highlighting it in a unique way.
Eric gets an after school job which again you can relate to everyday mundane tasks all whilst being trained in school to become a mercenary, I’m not sure if the writer intended to show this military style, school work and national enrolment within the army but that’s what I envisage. We also have the undertones of romance ‘a girl in every port’, while working as a team.
Eric’s friendship with his roommate Aio is complex, on the surface they are both studying and sharing a room but underneath 2 different agendas; however, they align and even though the outcome may be different friendships last and they are always there when needed, even after Aoi is no longer a roommate and dies in Erics arms, showing friendship overcomes everything or does it,
Eric becomes a hero of sorts and helps to remove a powerful entity in the process, fight for what he believes in and get the girl… Eric wants to stay in this magical world but as usual the trickster has other ideas; we find him at the keyboard writing a report . Was it all a dream? No the mercenary world is real and has allowed Eric to cope in the ‘real’ world and even gets his girl.
Wilkerson’s writes as only a true lover of fantasy would, he has an eloquent style and easy to read, I’m not sure if the underlining issues I mentioned throughout the book were intentional or not but even with the magic it resonated real with me, our everyday teenage struggles, trying to find yourself whilst working in unison with others, the ‘elders’ always looking out for you even if you don’t understand the reasoning reminds me of a typical day at high school and with adults who you so want to argue with but have yet to find your voice. Yet true courage and a willingness to learn and grow allows you to become the individual you were always meant to be, mistakes and all; it’s not a book I would normally choose to read however I’m so glad I have read the book and think everyone should take the opportunity to read it. I give this book 4.5 out of 5.
We firstly meet Eric the 21yr old who is despondent, shy and lacking in courage & isn’t portrayed as what I view typical 21yr old, full of life, energetic and a passion for his work, Eric is struggling to cope and asks for help, the only one listening is Tasio a little elf like Trickster with a scraggily face (that’s how my mind has created him). However; a trickster is just that a trickster what he says and what he does do not necessarily have the same outcome.
Only Eric can see Tasio and this is because Eric has asked for help, however I’m assuming the route taken for Eric wasn’t the ‘help’ he had in mind.
After agreeing to the help Eric holds Tasio’s hand and is transported through a tunnel of bright light whilst the light courses through Eric taking him to the awaiting world of magic.
The magic begins immediately with a talking Hawks being the first sight for Eric who clearly thinks he’s having a mental breakdown. Father and son (the hawks) refer to Eric as being an Otherworlder, after this we still see ‘this worlds’ items beavers, alley cats, centars & venus flytraps but with a magical twist they all have a voice of sorts. The Hawks lead Eric to a ‘safe zone’ where other humans and creatures not used to this world are housed, here he finds out he is no longer 21 but has been transported to his 15yr old self and still in search of a job (although this is thrown upon him).
Throughout the book Wilkerson manages to combine the normal stresses and strains of life with the beauty surrounding us; albeit he has taken us to a new world to appreciate what we have here.
Eric’s confidence begins to increase almost immediately as he receives compliments on his ability to complete tasks and interpret sayings.
Next we see friendships develop and although it’s with beasts, creatures and humans it reminds me of a ‘normal’ school so many different individuals all working towards one goal being taught by a teacher, maybe this is what Wilkerson is anticipating, transporting the reader back to their own school days just highlighting it in a unique way.
Eric gets an after school job which again you can relate to everyday mundane tasks all whilst being trained in school to become a mercenary, I’m not sure if the writer intended to show this military style, school work and national enrolment within the army but that’s what I envisage. We also have the undertones of romance ‘a girl in every port’, while working as a team.
Eric’s friendship with his roommate Aio is complex, on the surface they are both studying and sharing a room but underneath 2 different agendas; however, they align and even though the outcome may be different friendships last and they are always there when needed, even after Aoi is no longer a roommate and dies in Erics arms, showing friendship overcomes everything or does it,
Eric becomes a hero of sorts and helps to remove a powerful entity in the process, fight for what he believes in and get the girl… Eric wants to stay in this magical world but as usual the trickster has other ideas; we find him at the keyboard writing a report . Was it all a dream? No the mercenary world is real and has allowed Eric to cope in the ‘real’ world and even gets his girl.
Wilkerson’s writes as only a true lover of fantasy would, he has an eloquent style and easy to read, I’m not sure if the underlining issues I mentioned throughout the book were intentional or not but even with the magic it resonated real with me, our everyday teenage struggles, trying to find yourself whilst working in unison with others, the ‘elders’ always looking out for you even if you don’t understand the reasoning reminds me of a typical day at high school and with adults who you so want to argue with but have yet to find your voice. Yet true courage and a willingness to learn and grow allows you to become the individual you were always meant to be, mistakes and all; it’s not a book I would normally choose to read however I’m so glad I have read the book and think everyone should take the opportunity to read it. I give this book 4.5 out of 5.
October 29, 2018
Sadly, as someone who is not insignificantly interested in the anime and manga this book is so clearly inspired by, this really wasn’t my thing.
Upon reading this book it was immediately obvious that it was heavily influenced by certain genres of anime (the protagonist randomly seeming to shout for no reason was a big hint here) and generally the entire thing seems like a mishmash of things from the catalogue of Toonami and the like. My suspicions were confirmed on this matter when I found out that the author lists these things as passions of his somewhere in this book, although I honestly have no desire to go back and check where.
Now don’t get me wrong, liking anime is not bad (I mean, I do). Enjoying it so much you write things clearly influenced by it is not necessarily bad, either, although when I started to find habits of prose that seemed to me to be picked up from overly-literally translated Japanese, it was a bit jarring. However, my main problem here is that this book does nothing new or interesting with the tropes and themes picked up from what are in my view at least somewhat superior works, if for no other reason than that they were marginally more original. There is no obvious story structure, the main character almost has no character to him until nearly the very end, anyone he becomes friends with seems to be automatically considered “good” without question by the narrative (the guild especially), the magic system is undefined and illogical - I could go on for hours here.
If this hadn’t read like a second-rate badly-translated Japanese light novel (of which there are numerous better examples out there than this), it might have been better, but ultimately the homages (if they can be called that) detracted from the story and only made me think of how unoriginal it was being.
But what’s really disappointing here is that this isn’t a terrible book. It’s kind of incoherent, annoying at times and honestly is about three times as long as it should be without some sense of overarching narrative beyond “a god did this for shits and giggles”, but the things it’s trying to emulate are things that I mostly enjoy, and this could have been a whole lot better. I’m giving this two stars which by my personal scale is an “okay”, and I have no interest in reading any further in this series.
Upon reading this book it was immediately obvious that it was heavily influenced by certain genres of anime (the protagonist randomly seeming to shout for no reason was a big hint here) and generally the entire thing seems like a mishmash of things from the catalogue of Toonami and the like. My suspicions were confirmed on this matter when I found out that the author lists these things as passions of his somewhere in this book, although I honestly have no desire to go back and check where.
Now don’t get me wrong, liking anime is not bad (I mean, I do). Enjoying it so much you write things clearly influenced by it is not necessarily bad, either, although when I started to find habits of prose that seemed to me to be picked up from overly-literally translated Japanese, it was a bit jarring. However, my main problem here is that this book does nothing new or interesting with the tropes and themes picked up from what are in my view at least somewhat superior works, if for no other reason than that they were marginally more original. There is no obvious story structure, the main character almost has no character to him until nearly the very end, anyone he becomes friends with seems to be automatically considered “good” without question by the narrative (the guild especially), the magic system is undefined and illogical - I could go on for hours here.
If this hadn’t read like a second-rate badly-translated Japanese light novel (of which there are numerous better examples out there than this), it might have been better, but ultimately the homages (if they can be called that) detracted from the story and only made me think of how unoriginal it was being.
But what’s really disappointing here is that this isn’t a terrible book. It’s kind of incoherent, annoying at times and honestly is about three times as long as it should be without some sense of overarching narrative beyond “a god did this for shits and giggles”, but the things it’s trying to emulate are things that I mostly enjoy, and this could have been a whole lot better. I’m giving this two stars which by my personal scale is an “okay”, and I have no interest in reading any further in this series.
December 24, 2014
So A Mage’s Power follows the life of Eric, a twenty something drone worker who it at the end of his abilities, he is having issues with a next door neighbor, with a boss, with life in general. With one more chance to prove himself or lose everything he asks for help. Who comes to his aid, yes, none other than Tasio a trickster. In this book think imp figure that has the power to do wonderful things. You will learn more about him later.
The land that Eric is transported to is medieval as well as technically advanced so an entirely different concept than I have read previously, which is interesting. This aspect actually kept me reading as I wanted to know more about the land and the people, especially those animals that have become not only self aware but fully humanized. People say that they humanize animals and that it is not a good thing, well this book has completely humanized animals and it is a good thing.
I am a fan of Naruto and one MAJOR issue with me is that this book intentionally or unintentionally is very similar. There are three students and a leader. The leader looking back is a lot like Kakashi, even reading smut while the three “students”. There is an outcast, a girl, and another guy. Yes I know that no story is unique and I understand that, but the more I think about it, the most similarities there are.
I am interested in the next book, but from the preview at the end of the first one, it does not appear that Eric is part of it. Same world, same trickster, but different characters. This could be a good thing, or a bad thing because I as the reader really started to understand the small group. We shall see with the next one.
The land that Eric is transported to is medieval as well as technically advanced so an entirely different concept than I have read previously, which is interesting. This aspect actually kept me reading as I wanted to know more about the land and the people, especially those animals that have become not only self aware but fully humanized. People say that they humanize animals and that it is not a good thing, well this book has completely humanized animals and it is a good thing.
I am a fan of Naruto and one MAJOR issue with me is that this book intentionally or unintentionally is very similar. There are three students and a leader. The leader looking back is a lot like Kakashi, even reading smut while the three “students”. There is an outcast, a girl, and another guy. Yes I know that no story is unique and I understand that, but the more I think about it, the most similarities there are.
I am interested in the next book, but from the preview at the end of the first one, it does not appear that Eric is part of it. Same world, same trickster, but different characters. This could be a good thing, or a bad thing because I as the reader really started to understand the small group. We shall see with the next one.
February 22, 2015
I enjoyed this story and am looking forward to reading the next book. Unlike most series, this book does not leave you with a cliffhanger.
There is all the background story you need and you clearly understand everything that happens by the end.
It was enjoyable to read about Eric and Tasio (the trickster). Eric is at a dead end and needs some serious help. Tasio has waited for Eric to ask for help and is overjoyed when Eric finally asks. Eric doesn't realize what he just asked for. The next thing he knows he is in another world. Even more surprising, he is a teenager again, and there is magic and so much around him he never knew exsisted. In this story you will join Eric as he learns to become a battle mage for the mercenary guild, learns about confidence and true friendship.
By the end of this book I was looking forward to reading so much more as I was sucked in completely! I will be diving into book 2 immediately. Thank you so very much Mr. Wilkerson and please keep up the great work!
There is all the background story you need and you clearly understand everything that happens by the end.
It was enjoyable to read about Eric and Tasio (the trickster). Eric is at a dead end and needs some serious help. Tasio has waited for Eric to ask for help and is overjoyed when Eric finally asks. Eric doesn't realize what he just asked for. The next thing he knows he is in another world. Even more surprising, he is a teenager again, and there is magic and so much around him he never knew exsisted. In this story you will join Eric as he learns to become a battle mage for the mercenary guild, learns about confidence and true friendship.
By the end of this book I was looking forward to reading so much more as I was sucked in completely! I will be diving into book 2 immediately. Thank you so very much Mr. Wilkerson and please keep up the great work!
July 29, 2013
A strong debut
Brian Wilkerson requested that I read this work for an honest review.
A Mage’s Power begin a little confusing for me as the main character is drug along through a maze of blurring situations, thanks to Tasio, the trickster. However, once Mr. Wilkerson got past the folly’s of Tasio attempting to trip up our hero and entered into a more fantastical world where such things could be more believed, the story really started for me. It was simply getting past that first initial chapter.
What followed was a fantastical tale of magic filled with likable characters and unlikable characters, which were meant to be unlikable. Mr.s Wilkerson did an excellent job building up the companion ship between his characters, which only added to their wholesome realness.
Overall, I enjoyed the book and it is beyond a doubt a good start.
Brian Wilkerson requested that I read this work for an honest review.
A Mage’s Power begin a little confusing for me as the main character is drug along through a maze of blurring situations, thanks to Tasio, the trickster. However, once Mr. Wilkerson got past the folly’s of Tasio attempting to trip up our hero and entered into a more fantastical world where such things could be more believed, the story really started for me. It was simply getting past that first initial chapter.
What followed was a fantastical tale of magic filled with likable characters and unlikable characters, which were meant to be unlikable. Mr.s Wilkerson did an excellent job building up the companion ship between his characters, which only added to their wholesome realness.
Overall, I enjoyed the book and it is beyond a doubt a good start.
December 1, 2016
This was a great YA read about a wimpy guy who got stuck into a real-life RPG world. I didn't think I would like it that much at first, but I quickly got attached to the main character and loved how the action never stopped and how Eric overcame all the challenges set in his path. It was enjoyable to read and escape from everyday reality, and it kept me turning pages. The end was just as fun and rewarding. It's a pretty clean book -- very little swearing and only a few allusions to sex, and the heroes are teenagers, so it is appropriate for people 15 and up.
August 3, 2013
The author Brian Wilkerson did an excellent job in bringing you into a world that is similar to ours so we could relate but different enough to feel like your in a fantasy world. The book was filled with spell casting, intrigue, subplots and adventures. Peppered with humor the main characters were believable. I look forward to reading more of his books.
dnf
August 5, 2014Leaving this as a DNF for now.... couldnt get into it, the start was just way to weird....
Read
September 11, 2014I loved it
February 20, 2015
Fascinating adventure.
April 21, 2017
Proofread please
Gr8 story line but there were so many grammatical and spelling errors that I quickly got frustrated 😞. Hopefully the other books will be better but I won't be reading any more.
Gr8 story line but there were so many grammatical and spelling errors that I quickly got frustrated 😞. Hopefully the other books will be better but I won't be reading any more.
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