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Magic Unleashed
For more than a thousand years, the arch mages have guarded the Rift…
… only, as they grew in wealth and power, some wanted more. By the use of arcane magic, the wizards of old managed to lure the Dark Goddess of Torture and Wind from the Rift and imprison her.
However, just as the Rift itself, the Goddess seemed to be growing stronger.
Should she escape, it would undoubtedly unite her most devoted worshippers: the vile and deadly Ember Dwarves.
In the wake of her bannermen, who labor tirelessly in the depths of the mountains, far below the snow-filled ground, isolated from the sun they so loathe, nothing but carnage and ruin will follow.
A damaged young man…
… who, despite having talents like no other in the arts of magic, decided to prematurely terminate his apprenticeship at the mage academy, happily settling for a life as a scholar, an existence where he can safely ignore the emotions he so fears to access when casting spells.
Raor doesn’t want to be a hero. He only cares about saving Rosaylyn from a deadly disease, but when he becomes a pawn in a game of revenge between immortals, he is forced to risk his life and take the test of magic inside the three most ancient towers: The Temple of the Arcane.
A once proud nation of elves…
… was left crippled after a distant—but hardly forgotten—devastating strife with the Ember Dwarves.
The defeat cut deep into the elven soul.
Since then, the slender-figured White Elves have kept in the shadows, watching for anyone who might shift the balance of the universe, making such individuals a target of the deadly elven Assassins Guild.
An unexpected ruler…
In a quest for prosperity, the Kingdom of Redron discovered how to extract the deadly crystal, aqualunite, from the desert and use it as fuel.
Redron has ever since been building an empire, yet when a trade with the Ember Dwarves results in the king going mad, the royal trader, Christiana, is forced to mobilize the army, while discovering that everything she thought was true about her life turns out to be the greatest lie of them all.
Authors Autumn M. Birt and Jesper Schmidt deliver an intriguing world filled with surprising twists and turns.
… only, as they grew in wealth and power, some wanted more. By the use of arcane magic, the wizards of old managed to lure the Dark Goddess of Torture and Wind from the Rift and imprison her.
However, just as the Rift itself, the Goddess seemed to be growing stronger.
Should she escape, it would undoubtedly unite her most devoted worshippers: the vile and deadly Ember Dwarves.
In the wake of her bannermen, who labor tirelessly in the depths of the mountains, far below the snow-filled ground, isolated from the sun they so loathe, nothing but carnage and ruin will follow.
A damaged young man…
… who, despite having talents like no other in the arts of magic, decided to prematurely terminate his apprenticeship at the mage academy, happily settling for a life as a scholar, an existence where he can safely ignore the emotions he so fears to access when casting spells.
Raor doesn’t want to be a hero. He only cares about saving Rosaylyn from a deadly disease, but when he becomes a pawn in a game of revenge between immortals, he is forced to risk his life and take the test of magic inside the three most ancient towers: The Temple of the Arcane.
A once proud nation of elves…
… was left crippled after a distant—but hardly forgotten—devastating strife with the Ember Dwarves.
The defeat cut deep into the elven soul.
Since then, the slender-figured White Elves have kept in the shadows, watching for anyone who might shift the balance of the universe, making such individuals a target of the deadly elven Assassins Guild.
An unexpected ruler…
In a quest for prosperity, the Kingdom of Redron discovered how to extract the deadly crystal, aqualunite, from the desert and use it as fuel.
Redron has ever since been building an empire, yet when a trade with the Ember Dwarves results in the king going mad, the royal trader, Christiana, is forced to mobilize the army, while discovering that everything she thought was true about her life turns out to be the greatest lie of them all.
Authors Autumn M. Birt and Jesper Schmidt deliver an intriguing world filled with surprising twists and turns.
- GenresFantasy
478 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 1, 2022
6 people are currently reading
11 people want to read
About the author
Autumn M. Birt
48 books141 followersAutumn is a bestselling author in fantasy, epic fantasy, and war - not all on the same series though!
She is the author of the epic fantasy, adventure trilogy on elemental magic, the Rise of the Fifth Order. Games of Fire is an epic continuation of the world and characters begun in the Rise of the Fifth Order and received tremendous critical reviews and book 2, Gates of Fire & Earth, is also a Fantasia Reviews 2017 Book of Year nominee.
She is also the author of Friends of my Enemy, a military dystopian/ dark fantasy tale laced with romance. Friends of my Enemy was released in full in 2015 and is quite the story full of strong characters, tight plots, and lots of action.
New stories are already emerging. Check out the Tainted Fae to be released in 2021 and soon followed by Black Throne/Black Blood along with a whole new world written with her writing partner, Jesper Schmidt.
In her real life, Autumn has traveled across North America in an old Land Cruiser. However, she currently lives in a tiny cabin in the woods of Vermont. Along with her for all her adventures are her husband and small cairn terrier, Ayashe. Check out her Instagram feed for lots of fun travel pics!
Expect a lot of great adventures, both real and fictional, coming soon!
You can learn more about Autumn’s book online at her website www.AutumnWriting.com including her latest work-in-progress.
She is the author of the epic fantasy, adventure trilogy on elemental magic, the Rise of the Fifth Order. Games of Fire is an epic continuation of the world and characters begun in the Rise of the Fifth Order and received tremendous critical reviews and book 2, Gates of Fire & Earth, is also a Fantasia Reviews 2017 Book of Year nominee.
She is also the author of Friends of my Enemy, a military dystopian/ dark fantasy tale laced with romance. Friends of my Enemy was released in full in 2015 and is quite the story full of strong characters, tight plots, and lots of action.
New stories are already emerging. Check out the Tainted Fae to be released in 2021 and soon followed by Black Throne/Black Blood along with a whole new world written with her writing partner, Jesper Schmidt.
In her real life, Autumn has traveled across North America in an old Land Cruiser. However, she currently lives in a tiny cabin in the woods of Vermont. Along with her for all her adventures are her husband and small cairn terrier, Ayashe. Check out her Instagram feed for lots of fun travel pics!
Expect a lot of great adventures, both real and fictional, coming soon!
You can learn more about Autumn’s book online at her website www.AutumnWriting.com including her latest work-in-progress.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
July 25, 2022
I received an ARC of this book from the authors. I’m a loyal fan of Autumn Birt so I was expecting great things, and I was not disappointed. To be honest, I didn’t love the prequel (?)to this book, The Rift and the Mage. I found it confusing. This one was so much better. Descriptions were clear, characters were complex and relatable, even if this takes place in a fantastical place, and the plot was intriguing.
One of the descriptions I loved was this one because it did such a great job of describing how I feel when I’m forced to wake up: “For a fleeting moment, his rise from heavy slumber weighted his head. The cool air of the room slipped underneath his bed covers. He shivered.”
I also loved this one: “Fear found him, whispering in his ear with an old cackle.”
Roar, the main character, is described as being on the autism spectrum. He doesn’t know how to interpret facial expressions and he avoids touching anyone. I found the authors’ depictions of Raor captivating and affecting. His unwillingness to experience any emotions is frustrating, yet understandable, as anyone who has ever been hurt can attest. The reader never really knows if he is the way he is because he was born that way or because he made himself that way to protect himself. He feels a strong connection with Rosalyn and will do anything to help her, but he cannot acknowledge that what he feels is love.
On his quest, he meets Koss Mal, an Ember Dwarf (universally despised by all other species), who is described as a being disgusting in every way imaginable. He smells, he looks greasy and gross, he grunts and dribbles while eating, and so on. However, he is loyal and becomes a reliable friend to Raor, despite Raor’s constant criticisms. Near the end of hte book, Koss says to Raor, “Do you know how difficult it be to fit in when you don’ know the people you are living amongst?” Raor yawned again before answering, “Believe it or not, I completely know what you mean.”
Another person who probably knew how they felt was Dramna, the White Elf sent to collect the Primer held by Raor, and by the way, also kill him. She is a blind assassin who wants nothing more than to go back to teaching young White Elves how to be assassins. The descriptions of her interactions with the world are fascinating. Without sight, she has more reliable perceptions of her surroundings than most with sight have. Even Raor makes the silent observation that without an ability to read peoples’ facial expressions, he feels as blind as Dramna.
So, we have three misfits. Roar, who may have ASD, Koss, who is an outcast because of his ancestors, and Dramna, who is blind. Each is a misfit, in slightly different ways, yet each manages to overcome their challenges. Although Dramna is not present at the end of the book, I suspect she will reappear in the next one.
This story is incomplete, but it’s not a horrible cliffhanger. It’s clear this is meant to be an ongoing saga, a long hero’s journey for Raor, and it would be unfair to expect it to conclude in one book. However, I won’t be tortured by images of Raor about to die, or experiencing some other significant challenge, as I wait for the next book in the series. I appreciate that. This book has the best kind of cliffhanger—really, the only acceptable kind of cliffhanger.
One of the descriptions I loved was this one because it did such a great job of describing how I feel when I’m forced to wake up: “For a fleeting moment, his rise from heavy slumber weighted his head. The cool air of the room slipped underneath his bed covers. He shivered.”
I also loved this one: “Fear found him, whispering in his ear with an old cackle.”
Roar, the main character, is described as being on the autism spectrum. He doesn’t know how to interpret facial expressions and he avoids touching anyone. I found the authors’ depictions of Raor captivating and affecting. His unwillingness to experience any emotions is frustrating, yet understandable, as anyone who has ever been hurt can attest. The reader never really knows if he is the way he is because he was born that way or because he made himself that way to protect himself. He feels a strong connection with Rosalyn and will do anything to help her, but he cannot acknowledge that what he feels is love.
On his quest, he meets Koss Mal, an Ember Dwarf (universally despised by all other species), who is described as a being disgusting in every way imaginable. He smells, he looks greasy and gross, he grunts and dribbles while eating, and so on. However, he is loyal and becomes a reliable friend to Raor, despite Raor’s constant criticisms. Near the end of hte book, Koss says to Raor, “Do you know how difficult it be to fit in when you don’ know the people you are living amongst?” Raor yawned again before answering, “Believe it or not, I completely know what you mean.”
Another person who probably knew how they felt was Dramna, the White Elf sent to collect the Primer held by Raor, and by the way, also kill him. She is a blind assassin who wants nothing more than to go back to teaching young White Elves how to be assassins. The descriptions of her interactions with the world are fascinating. Without sight, she has more reliable perceptions of her surroundings than most with sight have. Even Raor makes the silent observation that without an ability to read peoples’ facial expressions, he feels as blind as Dramna.
So, we have three misfits. Roar, who may have ASD, Koss, who is an outcast because of his ancestors, and Dramna, who is blind. Each is a misfit, in slightly different ways, yet each manages to overcome their challenges. Although Dramna is not present at the end of the book, I suspect she will reappear in the next one.
This story is incomplete, but it’s not a horrible cliffhanger. It’s clear this is meant to be an ongoing saga, a long hero’s journey for Raor, and it would be unfair to expect it to conclude in one book. However, I won’t be tortured by images of Raor about to die, or experiencing some other significant challenge, as I wait for the next book in the series. I appreciate that. This book has the best kind of cliffhanger—really, the only acceptable kind of cliffhanger.
December 11, 2022
In Magic Unleashed, two excellent writers have combined their skills to create the first book in a new fantasy saga set in the universe of Ylécium. And it is a very good beginning that will leave the reader anxious for book two. It is the perfect book for a reader that enjoys a long and intricate storyline full of exciting twists and turns.
What we learn in the beginning of the story is that a tear in reality called the Rift occupies and has occupied this universe for more than a thousand years and it has been guarded by the arch mages so that it will not destroy the world. Of course, at this point and with the use of very old magic, the Rift and the Goddess within are becoming much more powerful. Now we need a hero and we get one in Raor. This leads to another huge problem…Raor does not want to be a hero. He just wants to be left alone. He wants to save Rosaylyn from a deadly illness and lead his own life rather than developing his powers and being counted on and expected to save the world. While attempting to fulfill his own goals and deal with this magic world he is surrounded by many other characters such as Gods and Goddesses, his best friend Rosaylyn, white elves, ember dwarves, his mentor Afekius, and the cat and dwarf who are his best friends, to just name a few. As the reader, we are sucked into the realm and the characters’ lives very quickly and what follows is the beginning of an amazing ride.
This story starts out fabulous, and it just keeps getting better as it goes along. My only problem was that there were so many characters and so much going on all at once in this hugely complex story that at times I felt completely overwhelmed… and I say that in the best way possible. I loved it! It is easy to see that the authors have put a huge amount of work into creating these places and characters and it is done extremely well. There are so many things going on at one time and so many viewpoints and yet it all seems effortless. I highly commend the authors for this feat. This story keeps you involved, enthralled, and on the edge-of-your-seat from beginning to end. The characters are very well-developed which, in my opinion, is really saying something given how many there are.
I cannot wait to find out what is next for these characters, especially Raor, and this new world that has been created for us. I am certain this is the beginning of an amazing fantasy series that is incredible in print and, dare I say, would be even more incredible on a big screen. While the length and complexity of the story show how much time it has taken to put together a book like this, I can’t help but ask…. how quickly can we get our hands on book two? I cannot recommend Magic Unleashed by Jesper Schmidt and Autumn M. Birt highly enough to anyone who loves truly excellent fantasy reading. 5 stars!!
What we learn in the beginning of the story is that a tear in reality called the Rift occupies and has occupied this universe for more than a thousand years and it has been guarded by the arch mages so that it will not destroy the world. Of course, at this point and with the use of very old magic, the Rift and the Goddess within are becoming much more powerful. Now we need a hero and we get one in Raor. This leads to another huge problem…Raor does not want to be a hero. He just wants to be left alone. He wants to save Rosaylyn from a deadly illness and lead his own life rather than developing his powers and being counted on and expected to save the world. While attempting to fulfill his own goals and deal with this magic world he is surrounded by many other characters such as Gods and Goddesses, his best friend Rosaylyn, white elves, ember dwarves, his mentor Afekius, and the cat and dwarf who are his best friends, to just name a few. As the reader, we are sucked into the realm and the characters’ lives very quickly and what follows is the beginning of an amazing ride.
This story starts out fabulous, and it just keeps getting better as it goes along. My only problem was that there were so many characters and so much going on all at once in this hugely complex story that at times I felt completely overwhelmed… and I say that in the best way possible. I loved it! It is easy to see that the authors have put a huge amount of work into creating these places and characters and it is done extremely well. There are so many things going on at one time and so many viewpoints and yet it all seems effortless. I highly commend the authors for this feat. This story keeps you involved, enthralled, and on the edge-of-your-seat from beginning to end. The characters are very well-developed which, in my opinion, is really saying something given how many there are.
I cannot wait to find out what is next for these characters, especially Raor, and this new world that has been created for us. I am certain this is the beginning of an amazing fantasy series that is incredible in print and, dare I say, would be even more incredible on a big screen. While the length and complexity of the story show how much time it has taken to put together a book like this, I can’t help but ask…. how quickly can we get our hands on book two? I cannot recommend Magic Unleashed by Jesper Schmidt and Autumn M. Birt highly enough to anyone who loves truly excellent fantasy reading. 5 stars!!
June 23, 2023
This book was entered in The Wishing Shelf Book Awards. This is what our readers thought:
Title: Magic Unleashed
Author: Jesper Schmidt, Autumn M. Birt
Star Rating: 5 Stars
Number of Readers: 15
Stats
Editing: 9/10
Writing Style: 9/10
Content: 8/10
Cover: 5/5
Of the 15 readers:
15 would read another book by this author.
15 thought the cover was good or excellent.
12 felt it was easy to follow.
15 would recommend this book to another reader to try.
Of all the readers, 6 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘plotting a story’.
Of all the readers, 4 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘developing the characters’.
Of all the readers, 5 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘writing style’.
13 felt the pacing was good or excellent.
15 thought the author understood the readership and what they wanted.
Readers’ Comments
“Magic Unleashed is a cool fantasy adventure with lots of suspense. The authors are good writers and know how to put lots of suspense in a story.” Boy, aged 16
“I did find it a little difficult to follow as there were a lot of characters. But I still enjoyed it a lot. I loved the magical setting, and the magic was cool too. I think the authors spent a long time developing Ylécium.” Girl, aged 15
“The best character was Rosaylyn, the strongest skill of the writers was coming up with a cool fantasy world. If this is the first book then I’m looking forward to the second!” Girl, aged 15
“Lots of suspense and mystery from the beginning. I enjoyed this book over a week. The plot is sort of complicated for a YA novel, but I liked that the authors didn’t dumb it down. I think teenagers who enjoy complex fantasy with lots of amazing characters will love this book.” Boy, aged 16
To Sum It Up:
‘A superbly plotted YA fantasy with a strong cast of memorable characters. A FINALIST and highly recommended!’ The Wishing Shelf Book Awards
Title: Magic Unleashed
Author: Jesper Schmidt, Autumn M. Birt
Star Rating: 5 Stars
Number of Readers: 15
Stats
Editing: 9/10
Writing Style: 9/10
Content: 8/10
Cover: 5/5
Of the 15 readers:
15 would read another book by this author.
15 thought the cover was good or excellent.
12 felt it was easy to follow.
15 would recommend this book to another reader to try.
Of all the readers, 6 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘plotting a story’.
Of all the readers, 4 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘developing the characters’.
Of all the readers, 5 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘writing style’.
13 felt the pacing was good or excellent.
15 thought the author understood the readership and what they wanted.
Readers’ Comments
“Magic Unleashed is a cool fantasy adventure with lots of suspense. The authors are good writers and know how to put lots of suspense in a story.” Boy, aged 16
“I did find it a little difficult to follow as there were a lot of characters. But I still enjoyed it a lot. I loved the magical setting, and the magic was cool too. I think the authors spent a long time developing Ylécium.” Girl, aged 15
“The best character was Rosaylyn, the strongest skill of the writers was coming up with a cool fantasy world. If this is the first book then I’m looking forward to the second!” Girl, aged 15
“Lots of suspense and mystery from the beginning. I enjoyed this book over a week. The plot is sort of complicated for a YA novel, but I liked that the authors didn’t dumb it down. I think teenagers who enjoy complex fantasy with lots of amazing characters will love this book.” Boy, aged 16
To Sum It Up:
‘A superbly plotted YA fantasy with a strong cast of memorable characters. A FINALIST and highly recommended!’ The Wishing Shelf Book Awards
July 19, 2022
Poor Roar--oops Raor ( I kept reading his name as Roar) he Just wants to save Rosaylan the only person at the academy who gets him. He tends to have a temper so instead of doing the Mage apprenticeship he becomes a scholar. But Intrigue ,and politics force him to leave the academy to save his only friend. The dark Goddess has plans , the Rift has plans, The Council has plans. Poor Roar must decide on which path he will take ,will he become a puppet ? Will he save his friend ? what will become of his Family ? these are questions that will only be answered if you peruse this 1st in series book . I am an Honest ARC reviewer this was a good start to what looks to be an Epic Series...staying Tuned..
September 11, 2022
The start of the book was a little slow for me, but it picked up pretty quickly and I then I had a hard time setting it down. I love the multiple viewpoints and all the different characters. To me it brings more depth to the story. I found it to be a great read and one I want to read more of! I definitely want to continue Raor’s journey. If you like meaty epic fantasy stories, I would recommend this book.
Magic Unleashed is the first book in The Arcane Magic trilogy.
Final Rating: 5 Stars
Magic Unleashed is the first book in The Arcane Magic trilogy.
Final Rating: 5 Stars
September 7, 2022
I received an ARC copy of this book from the authors. Start of a new series that looks to grow better with each book. Written with multiple perspectives, it takes some time to get to know the characters and the world they live in. The author takes you on a winding journey drawing the various characters into a single story. Wonderful world building and fabulously complex characters. By the end of this book, you will be looking for the next in the series.
April 15, 2023
I really enjoyed reading it, though the ending left me longing for more. This is only the beginning of a longer story and I really can't wait to find out how it continues. I especially love how the authors gave me the feeling that I was looking through the eyes of the characters and saw the world from their very special perspective.
July 24, 2022
Raor and the supporting cast of characters are detailed and mysterious. The scenes flow wonderfully to keep you enthralled, but leave you wanting more with their mysteries just beyond your grasp. Wonderfully written and highly anticipating the following novels!
June 20, 2023
Excellent start that leaves you wanting more!!
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews