Reviews

The Wizard's Butler by Nathan Lowell

kzimm2024's review against another edition

4.0

This is a first book for me by Nathan Lowell and I was a little perplexed. 3.5 stars

No real drama, just an easy story of every day life in a man who has found his "home" and calling as a butler. It wasn't bad, in fact I usually like reading about the everyday motions, but usually it is building towards something climactic or romantic.

To me, the most exciting thing about this book was the fantasy of buying whatever car I wanted. And having pixies and fairies to care for my home and yard. Yes, the pixies for sure.

I kept waiting for something, like a romance to bloom, but it was just a gentle easy happy ending.

thecrazyfork's review against another edition

5.0

This book made me giggle watching the mischief pulled by the elderly wizard as he fooled his family into believing his senility. I adored the internal dynamics of the main character as he adapted to the unique chaos and stability of his new life, while still fiercely standing for his personal values and ethics. The author did a wonderful job of depicting the complicated, emotional and volatile disposition of humans, while introducing a sense of magic and wonder not just to his story, but to the reader. My only faulting is that the climax, for all it’s built up tension and anticipation, felt lack luster. Even so, it was still a satisfying and heart warming read.

joshhall13's review against another edition

3.0

Very competently written with a nice style. However however what a boring ass book.

ladyethyme's review against another edition

1.0

A really, really cool idea…unfortunately written by an extremely inexperienced writer, so that all the potential is absolutely squandered.
Instead of developing story, character, or relationships, the author spends 99% of thier time narrating every single step in every action of pointless minute. For example:
He went to the drawers. He pulled out the drawer. He saw a teaspoon. He reached for the teaspoon. He took out the teaspoon. He placed it on the tray.
You want to hear, in painstaking detail, every time he pulls a key out of the key cabinet? Or step by step follow a cable guy putting in internet cable and getting your signature or follow the woman installing internet? How many staples are out in a wall? Three pages on considering buying a flip chart?
How about reading word for word not only the conversations, but a narrated description of that boring board meeting you were forced to attend about economic progression theory on real estate? Yup, it’s all there. Just for you.
Honestly you could cut 90% and have a complete story. It’s pretty clear there wasn’t an editor on this whatsoever.
This is an extremely common issue with inexperienced writers…and it’s like that for almost every single action, as well as completely describing passing characters that have little to no actual presence in the story. It feels like it was written by a rather talented freshman in high school, who needs to take far more writing classes, and learn about story and structure, and my GOD learn story pacing. Listening to every tiny pointless action becomes excruciating; and this is the bulk of the book. Constantly repeated minute like making coffee and setting trays. There’s 500 pages of this.
Sure there’s ‘wizard’ in the title, but….no actual plot, magic, or real writing ability.
Usually when small things are painfully, excruciatingly narrated, it means something. There’s importance, whether for atmosphere or story. Nope, not here. Not at all. And the stilted, awkward conversation is…not compelling to read to say the least.
The ‘entitled niece’ is intolerable-which is fine for a villain, but…why not just get a restraining order? She forces he way into another person’s home whenever she feels like it, walking into their room, etc etc., and nobody bothers to ever actually enforce any kind of rules on her at all. I’d have the cops there the first time someone walked into my house uninvited, threatening my guests, refusing to accept any ground rules or even polite social niceties….she’s allowed because ‘plot’ requires her to.
And the idea that a young, ex military vet is baffled by the idea of a laptop is….

sunshine_dune's review against another edition

hopeful mysterious medium-paced

4.0

Very cute story. Only the description of one of the main women aka “villian” felt very objectifying and not in line with the overall vibe of the main character. 

ugh777's review against another edition

funny lighthearted mysterious relaxing fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I like it a lot. Listened non stop. 

schlawiner's review against another edition

lighthearted relaxing slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

weatherbee's review

hopeful lighthearted relaxing slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

bigcmat's review against another edition

adventurous funny lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

skyereadsthings's review against another edition

lighthearted mysterious relaxing slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.25

5 stars if used as a bedtime audiobook, which was my purposes!! Cozy fantasy has been a new fave for my sleep preparations, but are rarely books I would recommend reading physical copies of.

This is because the storylines are intentionally cozy and magical, but rarely riveting. This book met these needs with ease! Very wholesome and slow paced.