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evan_c's review against another edition
slow-paced
jesslynh's review against another edition
3.0
I would have rated the book at 4 stars if not for the awful (awful) monologues about who, how and how little he cared about the women he slept with. Good god it was bad! If only the writer could go back an pull all of it out. It really bordered on misogyny.
Which is a shame, because I thoroughly enjoyed the rest of the story. Here's hoping Book #2 leaves out all of the sex magic bullshit.
Which is a shame, because I thoroughly enjoyed the rest of the story. Here's hoping Book #2 leaves out all of the sex magic bullshit.
ameserole's review against another edition
1.0
Spellmonger is about Minalan who gave up a promising career to live the quiet life of a village spellmonger. This remote village was in the mountain valley of Boval. Everything is completely fine in his life (he believes he has everything he could ever want) until the village he lives in is under attack. Minalan is forced to pick up his mageblade again (it has been an awfully long time) to defend his home from an army of goblins, called gurvani. Now he must figure out a way to protect the people that reside in the village and how to get rid of the goblins once and for all.
Now this sounds like a really awesome book, right?? Yes it did seem so but the more you get into the book the more you will get frustrated. At the start of the book you meet the main character, Minalan, and from there you realize that he is a pretty interesting guy and seems likeable; However, my opinion changed pretty quickly because he seemed more like a tool/douchebag and I just did not like him at all. I get it, he basically tries or has nailed every chick mentioned in the book.
Aside from him, the other characters are equally annoying and easily dislikable. The worst thing is that Minalan consistently objectifies the female characters in the book. Spellmonger pretty much had two female characters (because most weren't powerful enough or at all): 1) his girlfriend and 2) his ex-girlfriend. I wish they were re-written to become better characters. So his ex had magical powers but they were sex-magical (like she can only casts spells by doing the deed) and the girlfriend was basically a weak mundane and need Minalan to tell her what to do constantly. I hate when woman are written this way :(
I really wanted to start a new series but after this book I'm not going to even touch the second one. I'd rather read a book that empowers women. I need strong, smart, and independent female characters to read about or to even look up to--not weak-minded.
Now this sounds like a really awesome book, right?? Yes it did seem so but the more you get into the book the more you will get frustrated. At the start of the book you meet the main character, Minalan, and from there you realize that he is a pretty interesting guy and seems likeable; However, my opinion changed pretty quickly because he seemed more like a tool/douchebag and I just did not like him at all. I get it, he basically tries or has nailed every chick mentioned in the book.
Aside from him, the other characters are equally annoying and easily dislikable. The worst thing is that Minalan consistently objectifies the female characters in the book. Spellmonger pretty much had two female characters (because most weren't powerful enough or at all): 1) his girlfriend and 2) his ex-girlfriend. I wish they were re-written to become better characters. So his ex had magical powers but they were sex-magical (like she can only casts spells by doing the deed) and the girlfriend was basically a weak mundane and need Minalan to tell her what to do constantly. I hate when woman are written this way :(
I really wanted to start a new series but after this book I'm not going to even touch the second one. I'd rather read a book that empowers women. I need strong, smart, and independent female characters to read about or to even look up to--not weak-minded.
aslavata's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
emmalooz's review
2.0
Not what I was expecting. Spoiler alert: Wizard saves the day by having sex with (or as he puts it “nailing”) his ex girlfriend in front of everyone. I think it was supposed to be funny. God, I hope it was supposed to be funny. It wasn’t, but that at least is the most palatable explanation of why readers would be subjected to storyline.
k_cahoo's review against another edition
3.0
Great plot, awesome characters. So awesome in-fact that I hate the main character.
jaipal's review against another edition
4.0
This story is fun and enjoyable. Some of the characters are a bit stereotypical and there are scenes which are out of character for some of the main characters in this book.
The story is about a Minalan, a spellmonger in a small village. During a surprise raid by a warring party at the village, we quickly learn that Minalan was an academically trained warmage who wanted a quiet life after a lengthy and bloody campaign years ago.
After the raid, Minalan deduced this raid was just the start of a war campaign that will arrive shortly. He went about getting information and setting things up for a siege at the local Lord's castle nearby.
This story is about how Minalan used his experience as a warmage to defend the castle from the invaders.
It's an easy read and enjoyable.
The story is about a Minalan, a spellmonger in a small village. During a surprise raid by a warring party at the village, we quickly learn that Minalan was an academically trained warmage who wanted a quiet life after a lengthy and bloody campaign years ago.
After the raid, Minalan deduced this raid was just the start of a war campaign that will arrive shortly. He went about getting information and setting things up for a siege at the local Lord's castle nearby.
This story is about how Minalan used his experience as a warmage to defend the castle from the invaders.
It's an easy read and enjoyable.
bertdt's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
funny
mysterious
medium-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? Yes
5.0
glimnore's review against another edition
3.0
Your run-of-the-mill generic power-fantasy story set in a rather interesting world with a generic plot and a main character that is just too unlikeable and a bit frustrating. I surely hope this MC grows up a bit in the sequels. Not sure if I'll go back to Mancour's world again, but if I do, I'll have much higher expectations for sequel.
mdpistilli's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
tense
medium-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? It's complicated
4.0