Customer Reviews

Villenspell: City of Wizards: Book two of the Sojourn Chronicles

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Dale is a man in trouble, stranded, lost and seriously out of place - transported through a galactic space warp and marooned on Earth by means and enemies unknown! He is worried to discover that his sophisticated, technologically advanced tools and weaponry, normally capable of modifying and controlling the people and the environment around him are now undependable, inconsistent and frequently out of commission entirely. But the tools that he does have and his charismatic force of personality are sufficient to gather around him a ragtag collection of misfits that seem to have also lost their place in the world - a thief bent on reform and self-improvement, an "animal-whisperer" who dropped out of the local wizard's college, the spoiled son of a baron, a demon held in thrall by a sorcerer's spell who can't seem to stay out of trouble and the runaway pacifist son of a cutthroat murderer.

After a near encounter in the forest world of faerie, Dale and his fellowship reach Villenspell, the city of wizards, where they intend to enlist magical aid to help them and their recalcitrant technology survive an assault on the world by Gorgs. But, at this point, the story's plot stalls and Crystalwizard allows her characters to meander almost aimlessly from one encounter to another in the city. Most of this second novel in the series is dedicated to the accumulation of two more members of the fellowship - a failed assassin and a being created by a magical spell from some sort of primordial goo - and a near endless stereotyped shopping spree by the sole female member of the team intended to equip the group for the next leg of their quest.

While "Wizard's Bane", the opening novel in the series, cleverly straddled two worlds - fantasy and science fiction - "Villenspell" seems to have lost its direction and is much more uncomfortably stuck with a foot in two entirely different worlds - adult fantasy and children's literature. At one moment, the "boys will be boys" team is frolicking about town joking with one another like teenagers at a local hangout, bickering over nonsense, punching one another endlessly in the arm and sticking their tongues out at one another. In the next moment, to point out one specific example, a very troubled but entirely adult Dale agonizes over the death of his wife and child and anguishes over whether he can stand the emotional pain of giving himself up to love a second time.

That Crystalwizard is entirely capable of skillful story-telling in either world is not in doubt. Her dialogue continues to flow naturally. The magical teleportation of our group of travelers from Zvothra's storm-wracked valley kingdom to his sister Bethraven's poisonous fountain and the gifting of the magic they so desperately sought is absolutely breathtaking, for example.

But, choose she must. As the fellowship continues their march to the kingdom of Yaybar, where it seems the Gorg are planning the focus of their attack, Crystalwizard will have to decide which audience she is trying to reach if she intends to hold a reader's attention for four more novels through the balance of the series.

Paul Weiss

Dale and his motley crew continue on their journey in Crystalwizard's second book. They have traveled to the town of Villenspell to seek the aid of a wizard to help remove a spell on Jarl, who is bound to Dale. Once they reach the town however, they find that the wizard is away for a few days. After seeking council with the magister of the town, they find that their worst fears are founded. They believe there to be a threat against the world, and Magister Rommalt informs them they are correct. His brother, who all believed to be dead, is returning and seeking to destroy the world and all its contents.

The group realizes they must all band together and seek as much help as possible if they are to contain Rommalt's brother before it is too late. Though they lose a member of their group while in the town, through various exciting circumstances, a few more are added.

I loved this book! The chapters are really short so it didn't take me long at all to read it. Also it was so well-written and engrossing I couldn't put it down. The characters are vibrant and real. Also there are so many things that happen that are just mind-boggling. Crystalwizard is a genius with creativity and had me on the edge of my couch waiting to find out what would happen next. I loved the images that are painted of all the magical happenings. You can actually see in your mind what is happening, though in real life you could never imagine the concepts.

This book follows Crystalwizard's first one, Wizard's Bane. As soon as I started reading this book, I had to order Wizard's Bane because I simply have to find out what happened to my beloved crew before this book. Also I have wish listed Crystalwizard's third book, Wizards and Wanderers. Books 4-6 of the Sojourn Chronicles have been written, but the author states they will not be out in print for awhile.

Armchair Interviews says: If you love fantasy, you'll really love Crystalwizard's storytelling.

Villenspell is the city i'd like to visit!
Wizard school and strange cafeteria food!
Dale runs into monsters and outlaws and other
facinating creatures along with more people
to deal with.
I think the hardest one he has to deal with
is a woman!
The Gorg are on the way, and I want to read
the next book! I hear it's going to be
published soon, I can't wait!
MLM

Villenspell continues the tale started in Wizard's Bane, weaving a web of interest as I read, wanting to know more about the adventure and the people.

I enjoyed the second book in the series, but the sometimes childish behavior of young men, old enough to do more than stick out their tongues, distracted me a bit. However, the distraction was not enough to keep me from enjoying the book and wanting the next installment from Crystalwizard.

I was not disappointed. Just as good as Wizard's Bane. I was not expecting that twist. So well written that I forgot I was reading a book. Keep 'em comming!!!