The Tower's Alchemist (The Gray Tower Trilogy, #1) [Kindle Edition]

Alesha Escobar (Author)

Book Description

Wizard Vs. Nazi Warlock Vampires.

It's a very different World War II.

The Nazis have unleashed occult forces throughout Europe and the Allies are forced to recruit and employ wizards to counter their attacks. Among them is the battle weary spy, Isabella George, a Gray Tower dropout trained in Alchemy. Longing for retirement and a life of peace, she accepts one final job-extract a deadly warlock from Nazi occupied France and prevent him from unleashing an alchemical weapon that will devour the continent.

But France is crawling with the Cruenti, vampiric warlocks who feed off other wizards. When things don't go according to plan, one Cruenti sets his deadly eyes on her.

Betrayal is everywhere. Even some of her closest allies cannot be fully trusted. Worse still, she finds, she can't even trust herself. She becomes a woman torn between her charismatic spy lover who offers her what she desires most, and one of her closest confidants, whose soft seductive eyes hold deadly secrets about her past, and the Gray Tower itself.

Plans within plans. Plots versus counter plots. Heists gone wrong, sword-wielding Catholic priests, and the greatest manipulation of history that has ever been seen, is just a taste of what Isabella George is in for, in her final mission.

Editorial Reviews

Review

#1 Historical Fantasy

#6 Fantasy Fiction

TOP 100 for Genre Fiction

~Sept. 11, 2012 Amazon.com

Top 100 Historical Fiction (Kindle Store)

~Nov. 30, 2012

"Escobar's attention to detail, to bringing an era long past to life in an urban fantasy is wonderful." -Open Book Society

About the Author

Alesha Escobar writes fantasy and urban fantasy stories to support her chocolate habit. She holds a B.A. in English Writing and a Master of Science in Education. She enjoys reading, watching movies, and crafts. She is currently working on DARK RIFT, #2 of The Gray Tower Trilogy (available October 2012). Connect with her online for updates and discussions at aleshaescobar.com

Product Details

• File Size: 444 KB
• Print Length: 322 pages
• Page Numbers Source ISBN: 146105060X
• Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B005QSFXC6
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Not Enabled
• Lending: Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #6,332 Free in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Free in Kindle Store)
  • #42 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Fantasy > Historical

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Waiting for the Sequel January 20, 2012

By pat1360

Format:Kindle Edition

I have run into the idea of Hitler using occult magic before, so I was curious to see how Ms. Escobar handled the concept. I was very pleased with the result. The alternate reality presented in The Tower's Alchemist "feels" real. There is lots of action as our heroine Isabella is an undercover agent for British SOE and spends most of the book in occupied France. Isabella is a sympathetic character, in part because she is the narrator of the book. Her character has added depth from the mystery of her father's disappearence and her conflicted relationship with the Grey Tower of wizards. I also enjoyed many of the supporting characters, and hope to see more of the surviving ones in the sequels. And there are plenty of loose ends and mysteries left for the next volume. I look forward to the rest of the trilogy. I received a complimentary copy of this book in order to review it.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Historical Fantasy Fun November 29, 2012

By C. Lagonick-Weitzel

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

On the heels of the release of Dark Rift, the second book in this series, I have decided to write a much needed, and long overdue review of The Tower's Alchemist.

First, I have 3 main things that initially interested me in the book, based upon the summary information:
Nazi Warlock Vampires
Nazi Warlock Vampires
and just so the idea really hits you NAZI WARLOCK VAMPIRES.

The only thing that could have attracted me more would have been the phrase Nazi Warlock Vampire Zombies!

OK, now to the real review.

Spoiler-Free Plot Review:

The story is about Isabella George, who is working for a British espionage group during World War 2. Isabella has a unique set of skills, magical powers, and has been trained at the famed organization The Gray Tower as an Alchemist, a magician/warlock trained in manipulating the elements. However, Nazi Germany has it's magical beings as well, vampiric warlocks called the Crueti and Dark Wolves, creatures so overtaken by evil that they become beasts.

Isabella needs to thwart the Nazi's magically enforced germ warfare program while facing mounting evidence that past life events are about to catch up to her, in a very deep way. Along the way she meets several allies, including a priest with magical abilities and they forge friendships working toward the common good. But, will it be enough, and what does Isabella's haunted past have to do with all of it?

Review:

I can't emphasize enough what really attracted me to this book, Nazi Warlock Vampires. That being said, I enjoy a good fantasy/fiction/sci-fi book and when I saw the information about the book on Facebook, I had to pick it up and read it.

The story starts off a bit slowly, in order to give some background and to set the mood. It was a bit slower than I personally like, but, had enough bits of action to keep the story moving forward. However, once a reader hits the middle of the book, it becomes a very fast-paced and entertaining read.

The characters were well-written and enjoyable in their roles. The antagonists were dark, scary and really emphasize the evil that they have chosen to serve for the reader.

The sub-characters are also well-developed. Even though they might only have a short role in the story, they have deep significance and the reader feels almost as emotionally involved and connected to them as they are to the main characters.

The story itself is intriguing and unique. It has action, love, suspense, and everything else that makes up a great fantasy story. The settings are realistic to their historical times and the reader can really see this having the potential to have happened, albeit in a fictional universe.

So, despite the slow pace at times, The Tower's Alchemist is a great read. I would recommend it to lovers of fiction and fantasy and look forward to reading Dark Rift.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Engaging January 27, 2012

By E. Marion

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

I'll first say that I found it a little bit difficult to get into the story at first. Mainly because I felt like the pieces of background offered were a bit fragmented. However, it was definitely worth the read because once I started putting things together, I was able to connect better with Isabella as a character. I was gripped by the suspense and intrigued by this alternate-reality world where wizards are used on both sides. I thought that Isabella's desire for a normal life made her a sympathetic character. The secondary characters were colorful and engaging. I was entertained and left looking forward to the second book in this trilogy!

More About the Author

Welcome to my author page!

Who am I? I'm a lover of good stories, of biting sarcasm and chocolate. I write fantasy and urban fantasy, with a dash of romance and humor mixed in.

"The Tower's Alchemist" is my debut novel, followed by "Dark Rift." The final book of the trilogy, "Circadian Circle," will be available late May 2013.

Please connect with me via Twitter, Facebook, and my website (www.aleshaescobar.com) to receive updates and access to special offers.