Eye of the Wizard (Misfit Heroes, Book 1) [Kindle Edition]

Daniel Arenson (Author)

Book Description

They're misfits... but they're the only heroes around.

From the author of Song of Dragons comes Misfit Heroes -- a fantasy series about creepy monsters, underdog heroes, and epic adventure. For all ages.

BOOK ONE: EYE OF THE WIZARD

Shadows prowl the night. A dark warlock musters power. Evil lurks in every corner. The world needs heroes. What it gets... is a few misfits.

A couple failed squires. A jinxed wizard. A banished spirit of the forest. A childlike demon and her teddy bear. They are outcasts, failures, oddballs.  They might just save the world.


Wand of the Witch (Misfit Heroes, Book 2) -- now available!

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A great, fun little romp." -- Red Adept Reviews

"Wildly entertaining...a fun ride, with a band full of outcasts and misfits." -- KindleObsessed.com

About the Author

Daniel Arenson is an author of fantasy fiction, from epic to dark and surreal.

He began his career writing short stories. He sold his first story, "Worms Believe in God", in 1998. Since then, dozens of his stories and poems have appeared in various publications, among them Flesh & Blood, Chizine, and Orson Scott Card's Strong Verse.

Five Star Publishing, an imprint of Gale, published Arenson's fantasy novel Firefly Island in 2007. In 2010, he released two novels: Flaming Dove, the story of a half-demon lost on Earth, and The Gods of Dream, a fantasy about dreams and nightmares. A year later, he began writing two fantasy series: The darker Song of Dragons, an epic saga about people who can become dragons; and the lighter Misfit Heroes, a fantasy adventure.

Product Details

• File Size: 398 KB
• Print Length: 260 pages
• Page Numbers Source ISBN: B0085R1GWG
• Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B004LLIC3Q
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Enabled
• Lending: Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #64,712 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

41 of 45 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book, deceptive cover and synopsis February 4, 2011

By KindleQueen

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

I am about 3/4 through the book and really enjoying it but find the cover and synopsis deceptive. It starts out as all serious and dramatic yet takes a turn early on in the book and becomes very tongue-in-cheek and loaded with great humor.
I went into this book thinking it was a serious, straight forward young adults kill bad guy and save the world type of fantasy and I am sure it will end up that way but its a very entertaining story along the way.

I love the humor in the book and even the bad guy is likeable and funny in a lot of ways when he isn't being totally evil (I love the scene where he sees Cobweb, the spiderling for the first time...made me laugh out loud). The main characters are all very distinguishable from one another, all have their great moments in the book (The poodle scene is great)and all the siblings in the book act like every group of siblings I have ever met in that they bicker and argue amongst themselves but come to each other's aid when necessary.

I read Firefly Island by Daniel Arenson and liked enough to pick this up but I am enjoying this one so much more and plan on adding this to my Kindle favorites folder for re-reading in the future.
If you are looking for an epic fantasy involving extensive world building and generation upon generation of noble deeds and god-like characters, look elsewhere but if you are looking for a fun read with loveable characters and an entertaining story at a great price, this is a book worth looking at.

For me to give 5 stars is rare but in this case I felt that the entertainment to cost ratio made it 5 star worthy.

19 of 21 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Reviewed for Red Adept Reviews - 4 Stars March 10, 2011

By Kyrie

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

Plot/Storyline: 4 Stars

The story is fairly standard fantasy: evil warlock must be defeated by small group of heroes. At the same time, it's done in such a charming way that I found myself really pulling for the group. Several times I'd find myself laughing out loud at something that was said or done, and the whole romp just never really took itself all that seriously, but in a good way. Think Alan Rickman's performance in Robin Hood.

Another thing that I found interesting was the setting. As near as I can tell, it takes place in England, probably in the 1600s. It's a fairly small world setting (or at least the part that we get to see) - a handful of villages and a couple of actual cities. The smallness works for the story, though, as does the pseudo-realistic medieval world.

Characters: 3 1/2 Stars

The characters... on the one hand, they annoyed the bejeezus out of me. It was, after all, a group of teens, written as teens - "Don't make me pull this book over!" On the other hand, they still managed to retain charm and likeability. Part of what had me giggling (in a good way) throughout the whole book was the absurdity of some of the character flaws. One of the group is a beautiful spiderling (elf) who's a picture of perfection until she opens her mouth. That lisp of hers tends to cause some problems. Then there's Romy, a beautiful, yet child-like demon who decorates her pitchfork with ribbons. Add to that the three Thistle siblings, and you have a troupe of misfits. None are overly complex characters, but yet they still hold appeal.

Writing Style: 4 1/2 Stars

Daniel Arenson has a very smooth writing style - for the most part, the writing fades to the background. In almost all cases, that's a good thing. An exception I can think of would be Marjorie Liu whose writing is almost lyrical, but not everyone can, or even should, write that way. Overly elaborate writing can get in the way of the story, but a good writer won't let that happen. Thankfully, Arenson is a good writer. His story-telling was very comfortable, like curling up in a quilt while you read.

That said, I am going to take a moment to rant about one thing that bugged the ever-living daylights out of me. Romy the demon. Romy had hair of flame, and that hair did not burn like fire would, but was, instead, soft and warm. That's not what irritated me, though. What burned me (har, har) was the fact that almost every time Romy was mentioned, so was her hair. And every time her hair was mentioned it was also said that her hair was made of fire. Oh, and the part about it not burning. ARRRGH! I got it. Truly, I do. For the record, I liked Romy, I just was ready to shave her bald by the end of the book.

*********************************************

Eye of the Wizard is a quirky kind of book. There are a lot of "On the one hand..." type observations I have. Yet as a whole, it really comes together. If you're in the mood for a "serious" fantasy, I wouldn't suggest this. If, on the other hand, you want something fun and relaxing that will just let you kick back - grab this. I just finished up winter quarter at my university this week, and this was the book I chose to unwind with. It did not disappoint and was just a great, fun little romp.

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantasy run amok! February 9, 2011

By Stuffeshead

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

Danel Arenson's "Eye of the Wizard" turns traditional fantasy fiction on its head. The opening chapters appear to head down the obligatory paths of pulp novels, when Arenson begins weaving a tapestry of humor and absurdity worthy of Monty Python. At first blush, Romy (a befuddling demon) comes across trite and cliche. But after her introduction, the later chapters show how this imp fits neatly into the collective persona of the "Bullies for Bucks." But Romy isn't the only unique and entertaining character in this story. A jinxed warlock with an unfortunate habit of sprouting animal appendages, a brute who falls and squashes villains flat, an alluring elf-like creature with a speech impediment, and a waifish teenage girl trying to pass as a knight. And these are just the collective protagonist - the villians are worthy of a separate review! Perhaps the most interesting character is the collective "Bullies for Bucks", through which Arenson's carefully blended chemistry between the characters truly shines. Separately, each individual in the "good guys" team seems one- or two-dimensional. Upon merging as a team, the effect is... well... magical.

Arenson's writing is well-paced, clever and efficient. The humor is delivered with absolute precision (no small feat), and Arenson easily changes tone when a heavier one is required for the more dramatic sequences. One would be hard-pressed to make a critical comment about the book. If forced, a reader may quibble about the seemingly juvenile themes and dialog. Such critiques may be on point, but this reviewer feels that the childish tone is the writer's intentional method of making the characters more humorous and, at times, ridiculous. After all, the characters are young (the youngest is fifteen years), and the satirical prose only works on that level. All in all, readers should probably realize that the youthful exuberance (and occasional silliness) is part of the comedic effort and enjoy the ride.

"Eye of the Wizard" offers a delightful opportunty to get lost in an hilarious world where the reader's expectations of fantasy novels fade and are replaced with chuckles and giggles. Arenson displays consummate skills and timing from chapter to chapter, without fail. Five stars is a perfect rating for this work, and I was disappointed that my numerous clicks on the page failed to make a sixth star appear.

More About the Author

Daniel Arenson is a bestselling author of epic fantasy.

He began his career writing short stories. He sold his first story, "Worms Believe in God", in 1998. Since then, his work has appeared in various publications, among them Flesh & Blood, Chizine, and Orson Scott Card's Strong Verse.

In 2007, Daniel sold his first novel, Firefly Island, to Five Star Publishing. He's been writing fantasy novels since, including several standalones and three trilogies: Song of Dragons, Dragonlore, and The Dragon War.

At both Amazon and Barnes and Noble, Daniel's novels have hit the overall Top 100 bestsellers lists. In total, they've sold over 200,000 copies.

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