What do you think?
Rate this book
Guild of Tokens #2
Guild of Magic
Joining the Guild was only the beginning. Now Jen's next quest could spell life or death.
Jen Jacobs thought she was in over her head when she first discovered the secret Quest Board and the world of alchemy and magic hiding just out of sight in New York City. But after a ghost from her mentor Beatrice Taylor's past nearly kills the two of them, Jen finds herself on the cusp of joining the fabled Guild. Except now Beatrice has gone missing, leaving Jen to face the shadowy organization and its 11 members by herself.
If that wasn’t enough, the Guild’s chairman forces Jen to complete yet another dangerous quest to prove that she belongs: stealing a long-lost vial of Dragon’s blood that is the key ingredient to recreating the legendary Philosopher’s Stone.
As Jen's past mistakes begin to catch up with her, she'll need to muster all of her ingenuity to survive in the cutthroat world of ancient Relics, magical dynasties, and a possible immortal secretly directing things from behind the scenes.
Jen Jacobs thought she was in over her head when she first discovered the secret Quest Board and the world of alchemy and magic hiding just out of sight in New York City. But after a ghost from her mentor Beatrice Taylor's past nearly kills the two of them, Jen finds herself on the cusp of joining the fabled Guild. Except now Beatrice has gone missing, leaving Jen to face the shadowy organization and its 11 members by herself.
If that wasn’t enough, the Guild’s chairman forces Jen to complete yet another dangerous quest to prove that she belongs: stealing a long-lost vial of Dragon’s blood that is the key ingredient to recreating the legendary Philosopher’s Stone.
As Jen's past mistakes begin to catch up with her, she'll need to muster all of her ingenuity to survive in the cutthroat world of ancient Relics, magical dynasties, and a possible immortal secretly directing things from behind the scenes.
- GenresFantasy
452 pages, Unknown Binding
First published June 20, 2023
1 person is currently reading
47 people want to read
About the author
Jon Auerbach
13 books45 followersJon Auerbach's love of fantasy began at the tender age of six, when his parents bought him the classic 1977 animated version of The Hobbit.
Jon hopes to pass on his stories to the next generation, including his kids, who have their own copy of The Hobbit that they lovingly call "the Bilbo book."
Sign up for Jon's newsletter at www.jonauerbach.com/newsletter to get two free short stories!
Jon hopes to pass on his stories to the next generation, including his kids, who have their own copy of The Hobbit that they lovingly call "the Bilbo book."
Sign up for Jon's newsletter at www.jonauerbach.com/newsletter to get two free short stories!
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
October 24, 2023
4.0 Stars
After reading and loving Guild of Tokens several years ago, I was excited to return to this world with a follow up novel. Given the gap in time since reading the first book, I appreciated the recap, but I didn't need it to fall back into this world.
I love the unique premise of building a progression into our world rather than transporting the reader into a secondary world. Since reading Guild of Tokens, I have read so many more progression fantasies but I still find this one to be one of my favourites. This second book did not disappoint. It brought me back into the same world, advancing the plot and growing the characters. I look forward to reading more soon.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the author.
After reading and loving Guild of Tokens several years ago, I was excited to return to this world with a follow up novel. Given the gap in time since reading the first book, I appreciated the recap, but I didn't need it to fall back into this world.
I love the unique premise of building a progression into our world rather than transporting the reader into a secondary world. Since reading Guild of Tokens, I have read so many more progression fantasies but I still find this one to be one of my favourites. This second book did not disappoint. It brought me back into the same world, advancing the plot and growing the characters. I look forward to reading more soon.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the author.
December 4, 2023
Huge thanks goes out to Jon Auerbach for the ecopy!
I am back to see how Jen Jacobs makes out in her quest to join the Guild.
Guild of Magic is just as fun as the first book. The story again, takes place in and around New York City (minus a few interludes to past events or other locations that help fill in history) and the bustle of the city lends to that fast-pace feel of the story, adding personality through its locations, and sometimes frustration on their behalf, when trying to speedily reach a destination in the city that never sleeps.
*
There is all the fun treasure hunting and item exchanging that I enjoyed so much in Guild of Tokens and some pretty trippy side-effects for some of the alchemy gummies, and other relic/items.
Jen is also dealing with the consequences of some of her choices in the first book. Her conscience won’t allow her to leave her long-time friends and ex, with the results that came of her “alchemy fix” to her past problems in Guild of Tokens. And let’s just say that I don’t think alchemy can be safely used for anything at this point, because most of it seems to be a big experiment and the results are very rarely great.
*
Through much of the first book, the dealings with the Guild were all done through Beatrice. And to be honest, I found at times her mental state was questionable, making me often wonder whether some of the stuff to do with the guild was a figment of her imagination. This time around though there are no doubts. That shadowy, in the background Guild is gone for good- as we explore its history, politics, and its purpose. They have their fingers in a lot of pies all over the world.
We also meet a few of its members as Jen’s qualification for membership comes before the board, and as part of her last step to gain her seat, she teams up with another member, Emma, on a job that goes slightly off the rails.
My favourite team-ups though, were still with Beatrice and Jen. There’s just something easy about their very rocky working relationship and I think their history (and ours with her) made it fun to see them partnered-up again. Beatrice may be a lunatic but she’s an endearing lunatic.
*
Guild of Magic is a quick-paced read. It’s full of humour and some really weird and interesting events- some of which are pretty much what you’d expect, if we got to experiment with a bit of magic in the here and now, without really understanding what the consequences would be.
I am back to see how Jen Jacobs makes out in her quest to join the Guild.
Guild of Magic is just as fun as the first book. The story again, takes place in and around New York City (minus a few interludes to past events or other locations that help fill in history) and the bustle of the city lends to that fast-pace feel of the story, adding personality through its locations, and sometimes frustration on their behalf, when trying to speedily reach a destination in the city that never sleeps.
*
There is all the fun treasure hunting and item exchanging that I enjoyed so much in Guild of Tokens and some pretty trippy side-effects for some of the alchemy gummies, and other relic/items.
Jen is also dealing with the consequences of some of her choices in the first book. Her conscience won’t allow her to leave her long-time friends and ex, with the results that came of her “alchemy fix” to her past problems in Guild of Tokens. And let’s just say that I don’t think alchemy can be safely used for anything at this point, because most of it seems to be a big experiment and the results are very rarely great.
*
Through much of the first book, the dealings with the Guild were all done through Beatrice. And to be honest, I found at times her mental state was questionable, making me often wonder whether some of the stuff to do with the guild was a figment of her imagination. This time around though there are no doubts. That shadowy, in the background Guild is gone for good- as we explore its history, politics, and its purpose. They have their fingers in a lot of pies all over the world.
We also meet a few of its members as Jen’s qualification for membership comes before the board, and as part of her last step to gain her seat, she teams up with another member, Emma, on a job that goes slightly off the rails.
My favourite team-ups though, were still with Beatrice and Jen. There’s just something easy about their very rocky working relationship and I think their history (and ours with her) made it fun to see them partnered-up again. Beatrice may be a lunatic but she’s an endearing lunatic.
*
Guild of Magic is a quick-paced read. It’s full of humour and some really weird and interesting events- some of which are pretty much what you’d expect, if we got to experiment with a bit of magic in the here and now, without really understanding what the consequences would be.
Read
June 20, 2023[June 20, 2023] Guild of Magic is out now on Amazon, Apple, Kobo, and Barnes & Noble. Get your copy here!
[May 23, 2023]: Guild of Magic is out now, exclusively from my online store! Get it a month before it hits retailers by going direct!
[May 2, 2023]: Guild of Magic has a wide release date, June 20, 2023! Retail pre-order will be up at the beginning of June, and if you sign-up for my newsletter, you'll be able to buy it directly from me in a few weeks!
[July 19, 2022]: The Guild of Magic Kickstarter campaign is now live through August 11! Back today and get your copy of the book before anyone else, plus awesome extras! Back the campaign here.
[May 24, 2022]: The Guild of Magic cover reveal just dropped! Take a behind-the-scenes look at how the cover was created and sign up to be notified when the Guild of Magic Kickstarter launches this summer!
[May 23, 2023]: Guild of Magic is out now, exclusively from my online store! Get it a month before it hits retailers by going direct!
[May 2, 2023]: Guild of Magic has a wide release date, June 20, 2023! Retail pre-order will be up at the beginning of June, and if you sign-up for my newsletter, you'll be able to buy it directly from me in a few weeks!
[July 19, 2022]: The Guild of Magic Kickstarter campaign is now live through August 11! Back today and get your copy of the book before anyone else, plus awesome extras! Back the campaign here.
[May 24, 2022]: The Guild of Magic cover reveal just dropped! Take a behind-the-scenes look at how the cover was created and sign up to be notified when the Guild of Magic Kickstarter launches this summer!
June 19, 2023
Guild of Magic is book 2 of the Guild of Tokens or NYC Questing Guild series -- a fun and fast-paced urban fantasy series set in modern-day New York City. In book 1, Guild of Tokens, our protagonist Jen Jacobs discovers the Questing Board -- a forum with retrieval and crafting quests like you’d expect in an RPG, but in real life. This leads her to discovering the Guild and magic and a whole world that exists invisibly right alongside the one we know. Now, Jen is fighting for a place on the Guild itself and being handed quests with higher stakes and potentially disastrous consequences to earn her seat. Guild of Magic is an adventurous and often tense reading experience that kept me reading just one more chapter to see if things could possibly get resolved.
World / Setting
The series is primarily set in contemporary New York City, though in this book we get to do a bit more travelling. And of course, this NYC contains a magical underground, with bars that serve alchemically-enhanced drinks, the Night Market for all your alchemical ingredients, and magical doorknobs that open doorways to all sorts of unexpected places. The fantasy elements woven throughout the book give the setting a depth and, well, magic.
Characters
Jen and her associates are definitely the sort of people that I’d categorize as morally grey. They are ambitious and have access to powers that can be wielded in wildly irresponsible ways. Jen is undeniably in over her head in all these events, always trying to catch up and scrape together just enough knowledge to keep up -- and never quite fully managing. In book 1, we had some very questionable uses of alchemy as a “solution” to Jen’s problems, and the consequences begin to catch up to her here. I liked that we saw these consequences, and it gave some weight to the use of alchemy -- establishing that this is a thing that has serious and sometimes permanent consequences. This book is definitely a book of reckoning for Jen, and one in which we get a lot of growth for her character. That said, my main complaint with the book was its characters: I struggled to actually like Jen or the people around her, and didn’t really want to root for them. They often feel erratic in their actions and interactions, which made it hard for me to feel I knew who they were as people and connect to them in a way that mattered.
Plot
Guild of Tokens saw Jen fulfilling simple quests and getting more deeply involved with alchemy and Guild ambitions without really knowing what she was getting herself into. Guild of Magic follows directly on from book 1 and sees Jen still very much in that position, but only digging herself deeper. She is tasked with stealing rare materials, tracking down old associates, working with a variety of new Guild members, and just generally always running ragged from one thing to the next. This is a fast and plot-driven narrative that moves its characters quickly across the board with no time for them to even sleep half the time. It is chaotic and reads quickly, and I think would appeal to fans of plot-driven urban fantasy.
Recommended Audience
Readers who enjoy morally grey characters and secret societies and pulling invisible strings in the world.
Readers who like a plot-driven, fast-paced adventure in which characters are in over their heads and just trying to keep up.
World / Setting
The series is primarily set in contemporary New York City, though in this book we get to do a bit more travelling. And of course, this NYC contains a magical underground, with bars that serve alchemically-enhanced drinks, the Night Market for all your alchemical ingredients, and magical doorknobs that open doorways to all sorts of unexpected places. The fantasy elements woven throughout the book give the setting a depth and, well, magic.
Characters
Jen and her associates are definitely the sort of people that I’d categorize as morally grey. They are ambitious and have access to powers that can be wielded in wildly irresponsible ways. Jen is undeniably in over her head in all these events, always trying to catch up and scrape together just enough knowledge to keep up -- and never quite fully managing. In book 1, we had some very questionable uses of alchemy as a “solution” to Jen’s problems, and the consequences begin to catch up to her here. I liked that we saw these consequences, and it gave some weight to the use of alchemy -- establishing that this is a thing that has serious and sometimes permanent consequences. This book is definitely a book of reckoning for Jen, and one in which we get a lot of growth for her character. That said, my main complaint with the book was its characters: I struggled to actually like Jen or the people around her, and didn’t really want to root for them. They often feel erratic in their actions and interactions, which made it hard for me to feel I knew who they were as people and connect to them in a way that mattered.
Plot
Guild of Tokens saw Jen fulfilling simple quests and getting more deeply involved with alchemy and Guild ambitions without really knowing what she was getting herself into. Guild of Magic follows directly on from book 1 and sees Jen still very much in that position, but only digging herself deeper. She is tasked with stealing rare materials, tracking down old associates, working with a variety of new Guild members, and just generally always running ragged from one thing to the next. This is a fast and plot-driven narrative that moves its characters quickly across the board with no time for them to even sleep half the time. It is chaotic and reads quickly, and I think would appeal to fans of plot-driven urban fantasy.
Recommended Audience
Readers who enjoy morally grey characters and secret societies and pulling invisible strings in the world.
Readers who like a plot-driven, fast-paced adventure in which characters are in over their heads and just trying to keep up.
October 5, 2023
Just like the first book, this one is a lot of fun.
That's really the best word to describe this series: fun. Auerbach injects his alt-history version of New York with such interesting worldbuilding and an interesting cast of characters, you want to keep turning the page to see what problems they get themselves into next and how in the hell they're gonna get out of them.
There's so much rich detail peppered through this world, it's clear Auerbach has put a lot of thought into this magical version of New York and its mysterious past. I'm excited to learn more about it, as well as seeing what the future holds for it.
That's really the best word to describe this series: fun. Auerbach injects his alt-history version of New York with such interesting worldbuilding and an interesting cast of characters, you want to keep turning the page to see what problems they get themselves into next and how in the hell they're gonna get out of them.
There's so much rich detail peppered through this world, it's clear Auerbach has put a lot of thought into this magical version of New York and its mysterious past. I'm excited to learn more about it, as well as seeing what the future holds for it.
September 2, 2023
I don't know why it took so long for me to read the Questing Guild books, especially when they've been on my Kindle since they were originally published. I loved "Guild of Tokens". And, while I liked "Guild of Magic", it's a choice to wait multiple chapters, too many to reintroduce Beatrice into the mix. The Jen/Beatrice pairing is what makes this series work. Unfortunately this book fails like so many 2nd books in a trilogy. There's no story payoff because it's only setting the scene for book 3.
May 23, 2023
Great to see Jen and the guild in action again love the way jon brings it all to life great read
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews