For this post here on the blog and over on Instagram, I’m joining Storytellers on Tour for a book tour. Today is my day, but here’s the schedule for the past week and you can check out other reviewers thoughts on the book we’re currently featuring, A Wizard’s Forge by A.M. Justice.

The Blurb

Wizards are forged, not born.

Victoria of Ourtown lived through a nightmare to become the ruthless soldier known as Vic the Blade. Once she wished to explore the world settled by her spacefaring ancestors; now she thinks only of revenge.

Prince Ashel’s carefree days are filled with music, revels, and dreams of a life with Vic. Those hopes die when the thrust of an assassin’s knife drives him to war.

The target of Vic’s and Ashel’s wrath is Lornk Korng, a tyrant whose schemes stretch across a continent and a lifetime.

A mysterious alien race holds the key to a legendary—and lethal—power. Whoever possesses this power will hold the world in their hands. Will they save it, or doom it?

A gripping tale of empowerment and revenge plays out against a breathtaking backdrop of dark fantasy and science fiction.

My thoughts

For a 423 page book, it felt longer…in a good way! When I think to where Vic, the main character, starts out to where she ended and everything that happened in the middle, so much happened. Not only in terms of events and the story but also in character development. Vic starts out from what I perceived to be a mild manner historian to a deadly soldier bent on revenge. At the beginning of the book she is sold as a sex slave and this along with the mind games and psychological manipulation have left her with some PTSD and hefty thirst for revenge. So much happens to her throughout the book you can’t help but become somewhat attached to her character.

Although this book is classified as fantasy, there are still tid bits of science fiction sprinkled into the background history of this world. Vic comes from a group of people, Oreseekers, who believe they are descended from the crew of the ship Elesendar which came from Earth. They work to preserve the logs of the crew and the knowledge of a futuristic technology they no longer possess. Other believe the logs to be metaphorical and believe in wizards, magic and Elesendar is more a god-like being.

There’s a mysterious link to Vic herself and this world’s past, as there is reference in this world’s mythology to a wizard with her name who fought an epic battle. I think there might be some foreshadowing there for the next book.

I won’t say more, just that if you’re looking to try something new in fantasy give this a try!

*Content warning* This book depicts sexual slavery, torture and psychological manipulation.

GIVEAWAY

Book 2, A Wizard’s Sacrifice will be released October 6th and to celebrate it’s release Storytellers on Tour is hosting a giveaway for a chance to win a grand prize of signed paperback copies (US only)of Book 1 and Book 2. International participants will win eBook versions. Enter below using the widget and don’t forget to check out their blog post for more info on the tour. To enter the GIVEAWAY click the image below!

For more on A.M. Justice books, check out her website https://www.amjusticeauthor.com/