Arcane Savant

Black Sand Storm, Book 1

By: Brad McDowell

Narrated by: Maxine Lennon

Shasha and Percy had no reason to be friends, but a day saved brought them together. Now Percy's ambition brings about more trouble than either of them can handle alone. Best effort and good intentions go miles but only as a pair can they face the troubles to come. Without magic, weapon, or common sense Percy has nothing but Chutzpah to attempt to keep Shasha by his side to save both their hides from a threat that has followed them from the first.

This is the first book in the Arcane Savant series. I wanted to tell an organic story as if it was just you and I sitting down and talking. A story that flowed and dipped into the history that has been built up. I do hope you enjoy this first short book as I plan for there to be many more to come yet still!

©2014 Bradley Clarke McDowell (P)2014 Bradley Clarke McDowell

A Smart Fantasy

A pleasing mixture of fantastic magic and quasi-scientific steampunk told with a light hearted mood. Like many debut fantasies, the story is sometimes blogged down with exposition and explanations. However, the overall tale is worth it. Clever, fun, and inventive.

Wonderful storytelling!!!

Would you listen to Arcane Savant again? Why?

Loved listening to the story and will probably listen again when the next book in the series comes out. The narrator had a beautiful Irish accent and was excellent at telling the tale.

What did you like best about this story?

I enjoyed the fact that it was a mix of Harry Potter magic mixed with Steam-punk in a world that is pure fantasy. Also liked the idea of a young hero who is far from perfect, still mustering through his countless dilemma's to come out on top.

Which scene was your favorite?

My favorite scene was probably when the magic shop exploded and the main character makes his escape through the city. I felt as though I could almost see this like a movie in my mind.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

There was lots of humor in this rollicking adventure that kept me wanting more. The writer has done an excellent job of reeling the reader in and making them care about the young hero and the girl he loves.

Good story

Story and plot was excellent, world building was amazing. No serious complaints, overall a decent book. Not sure what else to say, really.

A refreshingly written story of an unlikely hero.

I enjoyed this story for many reasons, the first being my love of rooting for underdogs. This story was woven in such a way as to keep me engaged and eager to see what happens next for not only the misunderstood protagonist but also the companions who came along the journey with him. The lore of the world and the magic system is interesting and relatable, especially so for me, and some very good wisdom is woven into it. Please write more!

A lot of telling with not enough showing

What would have made Arcane Savant better?

The premise and characters are interesting but there is no real character development beyond some minimal development of the main character. Also it was more like someone telling me what happened rather than making me see it.

Has Arcane Savant turned you off from other books in this genre?

No. I love fantasy and while not the best book it did have some entertainment value. It seems like there could be a lot more from the author, a lot of potential, that isn't realized in this book.

How could the performance have been better?

I liked the narrators voice. I just had a hard time with a woman doing a male voice. Usually not an issue for me but I think maybe, because in some ways, the main character wasn't particularly masculine I kept getting confused as to who was talking.

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

Disappointment, there is potential it just isn't realized.

Any additional comments?

I would be curious about future work from this author but this initial stab was a bit disappointing. There are some neat ideas, the premise of the characters background is pretty interesting.