September 19, 2016
A Wizard’s Forge
Additional Info for Reviewers & Staff
As an indie author, I can carve out my own niche with a book that is a cross-genre mix of science fiction and dark fantasy and so is a square peg that doesn't fit into most agents' and publishers' round holes.
The manuscript underwent 2 extensive revisions after beta reader comments and a substantive edit by a professional editor. During the revisions, I tightened up the prose, excised scenes that didn't advance the plot, and wrote new scenes to fill plot holes. The finished manuscript was roughly 35,000 words shorter than the original.
AWF was chosen as a Finalist in the 2017 Next Generation Indie Awards.
I hope you enjoy the book!
Editing, Production, Marketing & Sales
Edited by Amanda Rutter
Cover design by Steven Meyer-Rassow
Published Through Wise Ink Creative Publishing
Reviewed at NetGalley
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“Scholar. Slave. Warrior. Wizard.”
Vic is the youngest log keeper in generations. This means that she memorizes the last recordings of the spaceship Elesendar, a craft from Earth that was stranded on her planet thousands of years ago. The people of this planet have descended from those left on the surface. What survives is a diverse culture spread across the surface of Knownearth.
But when Vic is captured and sold into sex slavery, things take a drastic turn. She is the mistress of the Remlord, Lornk Korng, held against her will and abused at his hand. He strips her of her name, her clothes, and her dignity. But when the brutal master leaves, his son flips the script, allowing Vic to roam the house and regain her dignity. He shows her a portal that eventually saves her life. But the life on the other side of the world, won’t be so easy either. In the new city and culture, Vic will once again remake herself and become the warrior that can take on her former master.
This book has to be one of the best books I’ve read in the genre in a long time. The author is extremely skilled in all areas that make for a compelling story. The characters are realistic, likable (except for the evil Korng which is the point) and sympathetic. The plot is fast-paced, with no lag where I wanted to stop reading. The world building is very well done, coloring in all the areas that make each new setting feel real. Finally, her craft is excellent. Justice is obviously a skilled master with many years of writing under her belt and a good editor. Anyone who likes reading in the adult fantasy genre will appreciate this book. I do want to warn readers, however: anyone sensitive to sexual abuse should avoid reading this book. They might find Vic’s treatment very disturbing and upsetting. The situation doesn’t last that long and is necessary to build the character, but could upset some readers who find that sort of thing unreadable.
The Rundown
“Scholar. Slave. Warrior. Wizard.”
Vic is the youngest log keeper in generations. This means that she memorizes the last recordings of the spaceship Elesendar, a craft from Earth that was stranded on her planet thousands of years ago. The people of this planet have descended from those left on the surface. What survives is a diverse culture spread across the surface of Knownearth.
But when Vic is captured and sold into sex slavery, things take a drastic turn. She is the mistress of the Remlord, Lornk Korng, held against her will and abused at his hand. He strips her of her name, her clothes, and her dignity. But when the brutal master leaves, his son flips the script, allowing Vic to roam the house and regain her dignity. He shows her a portal that eventually saves her life. But the life on the other side of the world, won’t be so easy either. In the new city and culture, Vic will once again remake herself and become the warrior that can take on her former master.
The Recommendation
This book has to be one of the best books I’ve read in the genre in a long time. The author is extremely skilled in all areas that make for a compelling story. The characters are realistic, likable (except for the evil Korng which is the point) and sympathetic. The plot is fast-paced, with no lag where I wanted to stop reading. The world building is very well done, coloring in all the areas that make each new setting feel real. Finally, her craft is excellent. Justice is obviously a skilled master with many years of writing under her belt and a good editor. Anyone who likes reading in the adult fantasy genre will appreciate this book. I do want to warn readers, however: anyone sensitive to sexual abuse should avoid reading this book. They might find Vic’s treatment very disturbing and upsetting. The situation doesn’t last that long and is necessary to build the character, but could upset some readers who find that sort of thing unreadable.
The Rating
5 Stars (out of 5): Highly recommended. This book did exactly what it set out to do, with originality, style, and maybe even a twist. It stands out next to popular, traditionally published novels in its genre.
The Pros & Cons
Pros: Characterization, Emotional, Strong World-BuildingCons: Extreme Violence
The Comparisons
For readers who liked these books and authors: A Game of ThronesAuthor’s Summary
Scholar. Slave. Warrior. Wizard.
Mysterious aliens hold the secret to unbridled power and a young woman’s destiny, but Victoria the Blade will defy fate to seek revenge.
On a planet far from Earth, descendants of marooned space travelers fight a decades-long war. Shy scholar Victoria knows nothing of this conflict until pirates kidnap and sell her to the sadistic tyrant behind it. He keeps her naked and locked in a tower, subjecting her to months of psychological torture. After seizing an opportunity to escape, Vic enlists in the war against her former master and gains bloody satisfaction raiding his forces. Yet her ordeal haunts her, alternately feeding and thwarting her hunger for vengeance.
As long as Prince Ashel can remember, his nation has fought the tyrant, but he’s always known his gifts are better suited to the music hall than the battlefield. When the press calls him a coward, he finds an unlikely ally in Vic. Their friendship turns toward romance, but Vic’s troubled memories stand in the way. Calamity and murder change everything, launching him on his own vengeful quest that leads to capture and imprisonment. Trapped in the tyrant’s dungeons, Ashel must summon the nobility he has long squandered.
Leading Ashel’s rescue mission, Vic discovers her mysterious destiny. Surviving by wits and will, Ashel learns an ugly truth. Death follows Vic’s footsteps as she goes to confront their enemy, but to defeat him, she must free herself of the past.
Short Description
Mysterious aliens hold the secret to unbridled power and a young woman’s destiny, but Victoria the Blade will defy fate to seek revenge.
Catchphrase
Wizards are forged, not born.You might also like...
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