Tuesday, December 5, 2023

Epic high fantasy

 


The Mourning of Lost Magics
SW Strackbein

Sisyphus Triumphant Publishing, November 17, 2023, 400 pp.
Science Fiction Fantasy
Ebook $3.99
Print $16.99
Buy

About the Book:
Who are we if not for our memories?

Left for dead in a mysterious cave, Guilder Rayne awakens into a world of magic and monsters he has little knowledge of. With the help of some…complicated friends, Guilder begins to discover his own prowess for magic while uncovering the troublesome past of the alleged Butcher Prince. As his journeys take him into the dark recesses of his world, Guilder must hone his newfound abilities before an ancient power becomes bent on destroying magic itself. One reluctant sorcerer would sacrifice all to restore what once was. The other, willing to sacrifice himself to save what has become. Can Guilder and his friends stop this ancient power before it erases all magic as well as their very existence?

 My review:
Two sorcerers, both reluctant to use their developing powers for different reasons, have very different goals. In this dystopian picture of our world after a terrible decision by a delusional scientist, a prince learns of a power that could save his world from the madness of the immortal Lord Iks, the lone survivor of a former age, who is determined to return the world to its former state. Prince Guilder survives curse after curse while he seeks reclusive inhabitants for the help he and his friends need to overpower the insane Iks. The help comes at a horrific price, however, leaving Guilder to wonder at the future of the kingdom he is left to rule.

Strackbein’s world of magic is filled with those who control the elements, and creatures morphed into the marvelous and profane in a setting familiar but transformed. Guilder is a sympathetic and memorable hero in need of the personality transplant inflicted on him by a Memory Eater. The venom doesn’t last forever, and Guilder is deeply troubled by the state of warring kingdoms and the role his family has played in bringing about chaos. Fae folk, zombies, changelings, a touch of steam punk and magic keep this twisty tale ever moving. Betrayals lurk around every corner where one must be very careful about the exact wording of promises made and kept. Guilder surrounds himself with a quartet of friends who control different aspects of nature, air, water, metal, and fire. Together, they learn how powerful they can be as they unravel the terrible mystery of Luna and the secret of a prophecy that will either save or destroy the world they know. Told through multiple viewpoints in a fast-moving adventure, readers of high fantasy will enjoy The Mourning of Lost Magics.

About the Author
SW Strackbein has been writing fiction since 2006. A US Army veteran, he is currently a psychotherapist. Born and raised in rural Wisconsin, he appreciates the simplicity of the Midwest, Green Bay Packer’s football, and all four seasons. He and his wife Tanya live in a semi-rural town with their dogs Amber and Jax, both young-at-heart rescues. He loves to cook, travel, and dreams about retiring in Hawaii.


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