Good Review for THE GODS’ MAGICIAN

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Utterly immersive and inventive character-driven sword and sorcery fantasy

Kelrik of Ebon Crossing is skilled in enchantments, but not quite a sorcerer; he can hold a blade, but isn’t an actual swordsman; he has sailed the Sapphire Sea, but isn’t entirely a pirate, and he can read ancient scrolls, but isn’t exactly a scholar. He is what he needs to be in order to support his thievery and outsmart whoever is after him long enough to sell his loot and enjoy the spoils. But this time, all the realm is after his loot, because Kel has stolen from a god.

While The Winter God is locked in an eternal war with an alien being from another dimension, Kel swipes a powerful talisman from under the god’s nose, intending to sell it to the sorcerer he promised it to and call it a day. But even the most meticulously planned heists have a way of going south, and thieves have no scruples about stealing from other thieves. Everybody wants the little trinket and the promise of life-changing power it holds.

The Winter God, his vengeful daughter Myrris and their army of spectral heroes want to retrieve the talisman before the rival interdimensional god and its hosts of demonic creatures get to it. Three nobles from Eryndon’s capital have set their eyes on the bauble, hoping it will help their scheme to topple the aging king and seize power. And the Thieves Collective would absolutely not mind capitalizing on a job they did not authorize or complete. In the midst of it all is Kel with his two allies who he isn’t sure he can even trust: beautiful and dangerous swordswoman Val and master picklock Par. Is money all the trio cares about, or can they see the bigger problems the realm is facing with so many sources of power colliding over the talisman?

The Gods’ Magician has it all: a flawed, morally grey hero who is easy to root for, magic, swordplay, political intrigue, scary monsters, angry and spoiled gods, corrupt nobles, thievery, betrayal, pirates and humorous banter. The pace is fast, but the story still holds enough depth to be immersive, with pieces of worldbuilding naturally settling into place and Kel’s backstory being gradually revealed. His morality is explored thoughtfully and realistically: he is not a hero, just very skilled at strategic planning, using his skills at the right moment, and diplomacy when the situation calls for it. But he always remembers who he is and what made him that way.

Telling the story from different perspectives, including the gods’ and the nobles’ is a brilliant way of adding depth and showing what the stakes are, and it’s very entertaining to see that they’re all portrayed as flawed and selfish in equal measure, which makes it easy to root for the charming thieves.

Reviewed by

Viktorija Blazheska (reviewer for Reedsy/Discovery)

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Published by Peter Blaisdell

I write modern fantasy novels that are hopefully both exciting and literate. These novels include an on-going series about a near-immortal magician who grew up in Camelot and grew famous in San Francisco's 'Summer of Love'. He's still having adventures to this day described in The Lords of the Summer Season, The Lords of Powder, and The Lords of Oblivion. The books can be read in any order. As author S Alessandro Martinez has stated about the series: "Lords of Oblivion A 1500-year-old wizard. A pair of savage druids raised from the dead. Modern day San Francisco. A wolf that takes no gruff. Blaisdell creates a fascinating world in this magical realism novel with smart writing, complex characters, and clever use of history and mythology. I was sucked in from the very beginning. I look forward to more of Bradan and Tintagel's mystical adventures. Lords of Powder Merlin's former apprentice, Bradan, is back! The 1500-year-old wizard, who is sometimes too smart for his own good, returns for another exciting adventure, this time in 70s Miami as he takes on the criminal world of drug trafficking. Blaisdell's smart, fast-paced writing and use of fascinating history and mythology keeps you on the edge of your seat as Bradan uses his wits, charm, and illusions to navigate the modern era and get himself into plenty of trouble. Lords of the Summer Season Being Merlin's former apprentice and living for 1500 years is bound to make you a few enemies. Travel back to the 60s with Bradan the wizard and his otherworldly wolf Tintagel. As Bradan juggles careers as a professor and musician, he must defend himself from his greatest threat yet: a literal god. Blaisdell continues with his clever, skillful, and imaginative writing that will keep readers eagerly turning the next page. My favorite of the Bradan books, Blaisdell dives deeper into the Arthur mythology, and brings the reader even more elements of magic and folklore, all the while weaving an entertaining tale of gods, wizards, ghosts, and 60s acid rock. Thoroughly enjoyable!" Besides the literary side of my life, my background includes membership on a scientific advisory board for a non-profit professional organization promoting the biomedical and digital health business community in the greater Los Angeles area. I’ve authored both basic research publications and business management articles focusing on the bio/pharma industry. My Ph.D. is in Biochemistry from the University of Minnesota where I also conducted post-doctoral research in microbiology. And my BS is from the University of Michigan (Ann Arbor) with a double major in chemistry and cell biology.

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