Spellsmith & Carver: Magicians' Rivalry

By: H. L. Burke

Narrated by: Bridger Conklin

An estranged son. An adopted heir. A magical attack that forces them to work together.

The disappearance of Auric Spellsmith’s mother has strained his relationship with his father to the breaking point. Now, after five years away at the Magicians’ Academy, Auric returns home, determined to prove himself to his father and claim his birthright.

Apprentice Jericho Carver has held Spellsmith Manor together in Auric’s absence. Now, his master’s son is back, and if he can’t get rid of Auric, Jericho will forfeit his career and lose all hope of wooing the master’s enchanting daughter.

Neither man intends to back down.

But then, Master Spellsmith vanishes into the mysterious Fey Lands. With Fey magic threatening the mortal realm, Auric and Jericho must work together to save the man they both see as father.

©2017 H. L. Burke (P)2018 H. L. Burke

Fantasy for younger readers

This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review.

I must admit I expected more from this book. On the positive side, the idea behind the plot was interesting and the author's magic system was both innovative and it helped to create interesting plot situations. However, I found the twists in the story predictable and the character development both predictable and somewhat superficial. The greatest flaw, however, was that it felt like a series of short stories tacked together, as the heroes jumped from one situation to another.

This book would work best if target at younger readers, who might not yet be familiar with the tropes and conventions of fantasy. The lack of violence and sex also point at a younger audience.

I loved the narrator. His calm and soothing voice kept the story going and added to the fantastic and magical mood.

Rivals having to put rivalry aside

I would give this 4.5 stars if I could. Definitely an interesting story of a son whose relationship with his father had been strain coming home from school to discover another working with his father and also have a thing for his sister. Many arguments come up and he feels he made the wrong choice to come home until his father turns up missing and having to work with his rival. Main thing I would change is to make his sister a tad bit stronger there are times she comes out like a door mat and not because she feels she has to keep the peace between her brother and father other than that it was a very lovely book.

Enjoyable story

This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. Occasionally I felt like Conklin's rhythm and inflection didn't match what was happening in the story and I could have done with a little more differentiation between some character voices. Aside from that I thought he did a good job.

The story manages to pack a lot in. I wish certain parts were expanded on more but because I was curious and intrigued by them, not because the story seemed lacking.

a magical way to find your family

this book was very good and very interesting the way the characters did was very interesting and very nice I liked this book quite much a very enjoyable book
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

YA Fantasy

I liked this book more then I expected. There was something about it that had me listening to it. I thought the pace was good and it was intriguing. The narrator did a great job at voicing the characters.
I would highly recommend it. Suitable for all since there is no profanity or sexual content and a little violence but not graphic.

Not Quite Spellbound

This is the second author I was introduced to via a children’s book first, then a YA - and felt let down.

H.L. had two very different MG books I had enjoyed. The characters were fun, lively, and developed with the story. I expected this genre to have more depth and complex characters. Yet I found the characters to be childish and ... not likable. This comment is about each character directly; the relationship and problems were more believable.
The dialogue and writing didn’t flow and lacked passion or emotion. I went into this book with higher hopes of a magical adventure and characters I would fall in love with, but it didn’t happen. It’s like although the characters were older, it was still written for a younger audience with its juvenile simplicity, sentence structure, and vocabulary. It contained the telling not showing that dominates an elementary reader/listener.
I really liked the spells and magic system. I liked how it was explained and added to the world building.
I would love for this book/series to be rewritten and developed with more TLC and for an older audience.
As it stands, the book/story is a 2.75; the narrator would bump the audiobook to a 3 overall, but the book would be a 2, unfortunately.

Adventurous and Wildly Entertaining

I was provided this review copy audiobook at no charge by the author, publisher, and/or narrator.

I really enjoyed this book. Magicians' Rivalry is adventurous and magical as two young men must traverse the unknown to find their father and mentor. I loved the use of magic and spells and the unique way it was used in their society. It was very cool that barriers would open to the Fey world and that wards had to be set up to protect them from magical beings.

I liked all the characters. Especially the rivalry that quickly ensued between Auric and Jericho. They each had their own ambitions, but soon their goals become one when they set out to save Auric's father together. I loved reading about their time in the Fey Land and all the creatures they came across. It was fascinating to see how both boys worked their spells as attacks and defense against danger. It was very entertaining and action f
packed. There were some great twists that I didn't expect, which made this book all the more entertaining and hard to put down.

The narration was really good. Although I did think his voice was a little too deep for the characters, I still enjoyed listening to him. He did a great job voicing all the characters and I was thoroughly entertained.

This is a very enjoyable story. I can't wait to read the rest of the series and see what else is in store for Auric and Jericho.

Fantastic YA Fantasy Adventure!

This is a fun, entertaining YA magical adventure. That means no graphic violence and no sex. I didn't miss either. I didn’t really care for Jericho at first, but I understood that he didn’t want to lose what he had worked so hard for just because the Master’s son returned. I really kind of felt that Auric had the high ground, mainly because Jericho was so unfriendly and rude. I started to feel more kindly towards Jerricho when he insisted on a level playing field and wanting to “win” his place fairly based on his skill and merit and was brave enough to admit that he was the one who first started training Rill. That the two rivals had to work together, and ended up fast friends really made the story. I would readily read the next book in the series, but I want to emphasize that this audiobook stands alone. Even if you stop listening after just this one, you will still have a satisfactory experience. There is a reasonable end to this part of the story. The story has a good plot and is well-written. The rivalry and snarky comments between Auric and Jericho are highly entertaining, and the story itself is an enjoyable action adventure. There is some danger and drama, but overall it’s a pretty low angst level.

The narration took a little getting used to. It seemed a little dry to me at first, but once I got into the story, it flowed, and I definitely had no trouble discerning between the different characters’ voices.

I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

What a grat story!

I am finding I really like H. L. Burke's style. This book did not disappoint! Her worlds are familiar, yet seem to have a twist that make you know they are different from our own. Her characters are often quirky, sometimes exasperating, and always engaging. This story line kept me reading lost past when I should have stopped. If you like well grounded fantasy that has a touch of the familiar, this is for you. Geared toward young adults and adults, there is some mild romance in this story, but no teen angst. Overall a very enjoyable tale, I am happy I have volume two already!

a magical bromance is born

When Auric Spellsmith reruns home, the last thing he expected to find was that he had been replaced.

When Jericho Carver learns that the true son is home, he is afraid his usefulness is over.

what starts as a battle of Will's over who will inherit a simple magic shop, quickly escalates to a dangerous rescue mission into the heart of Faerie land.

I love H. L. Burke stories, they are full of wonder and snark. Spellsmith and Carver is no exception. The biting remarks that these two frenemies sling at each other are masterpieces of wordplay.

And its all perfectly narrated by Bridger Conklin. He does voice variation to some degree, but his true talent is with the timing. H.L. Burke characters require a narrator who can keep up a quick back and forth in dialogue. Conklin does just that, even though he's only talking to himself.