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lorddangernoodle's review against another edition
4.0
I really loved the world and history that Tom Doyle created. A reasonable magic system and a very neat twist on American history. It was so fun to read.
While I normally don't like military or action books I found the plot so engaging that it was an easy read for me. I can't wait to get a hold of the sequel
While I normally don't like military or action books I found the plot so engaging that it was an easy read for me. I can't wait to get a hold of the sequel
trike's review against another edition
4.0
I found this to be thoroughly entertaining. This is everything I had hoped the execrable [b:Control Point|11783484|Control Point (Shadow Ops, #1)|Myke Cole|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1309460843s/11783484.jpg|15964749] by Myke Cole would be. Wizards, warlocks, witches and weathermen working as black ops in the military, plenty of action and a cool Secret History angle utilizing magic. All of these magic-users are called "craftsmen" in Doyle's world, hence the title.
In the novel [b:Shoeless Joe|57736|Shoeless Joe|W.P. Kinsella|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1348958247s/57736.jpg|977324] by W.P. Kinsella (which was turned into the excellent fantasy movie Field of Dreams), Kinsella seamlessly incorporated J.D. Salinger into the story because Salinger once named a character Kinsella. In the terrific book [b:Maplecroft|20821288|Maplecroft (The Borden Dispatches #1)|Cherie Priest|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1394209050s/20821288.jpg|40167149], Cherie Priest delves into the "real" reason why Lizzie Borden killed her parents: they were being possessed by ancient Lovecraftian horrors. Doyle uses Nathaniel Hawthorne in a similar fashion, incorporating his writing into the secret world he's created to parallel our own.
The main character here is Captain Dale Morton, the descendant of a long line of Native American-and-British magic-wielders who primarily specialize in weather control but who have other skills. His rival is Major Michael Endicott, the scion of a Puritan family who likewise serve the country through the military. The Mortons and Endicotts have been rivals since white men first came to the New World. The Mortons believe in nature-based magic while the Endicotts place their faith in God as the source of their abilities. Naturally their families have been enemies for centuries.
Secondary characters have similar ties to history or literature. Morton and Endicott's CO is Colonel Elizabeth Hutchinson, whose ancestor was the model for Hesther Prynne from [b:The Scarlet Letter|12296|The Scarlet Letter|Nathaniel Hawthorne|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1404810944s/12296.jpg|4925227]. Calvin Attucks is a relative of Crispus Attucks, the first person killed in the American Revolution.
By far my favorite parts of the story incorporated real-life events and places with a supernatural half-twist to make them part of the Secret History of the world. The weather clearing over Normandy for the D-Day invasion, the reason why the Pentagon is in the shape of a pentagram, the Salem witch trials, other things major and minor.
One of the things I liked about the book was how Doyle shifted between first-person and third-person. It's an interesting stylistic choice that helps distinguish the infodumps, giving them distinct flavors. There are some passages which are slightly clunky, but it moves on to the next bit quickly enough that they didn't bother me.
Lots of action, a little romance, a deep-seated conspiracy in the US government, ghosts, zombies, and the undying struggle (in some cases literally undying) between the Mortons and Endicotts make for an entertaining adventure.
There's also a nice dollop of humor scattered throughout. Doyle employs the typical Fantasy trope of quotes to kick off sections of the book. Dale Morton and Mike Endicott are soldiers, each in their own way patriots, and they realize they've been used as pawns in a larger, older game and Doyle slyly adds the quote, "There's a craftsman in all of us. -- An advertisement for reliable American tools." I laughed out loud.
Yeah, I'm in for the sequel
In the novel [b:Shoeless Joe|57736|Shoeless Joe|W.P. Kinsella|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1348958247s/57736.jpg|977324] by W.P. Kinsella (which was turned into the excellent fantasy movie Field of Dreams), Kinsella seamlessly incorporated J.D. Salinger into the story because Salinger once named a character Kinsella. In the terrific book [b:Maplecroft|20821288|Maplecroft (The Borden Dispatches #1)|Cherie Priest|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1394209050s/20821288.jpg|40167149], Cherie Priest delves into the "real" reason why Lizzie Borden killed her parents: they were being possessed by ancient Lovecraftian horrors. Doyle uses Nathaniel Hawthorne in a similar fashion, incorporating his writing into the secret world he's created to parallel our own.
The main character here is Captain Dale Morton, the descendant of a long line of Native American-and-British magic-wielders who primarily specialize in weather control but who have other skills. His rival is Major Michael Endicott, the scion of a Puritan family who likewise serve the country through the military. The Mortons and Endicotts have been rivals since white men first came to the New World. The Mortons believe in nature-based magic while the Endicotts place their faith in God as the source of their abilities. Naturally their families have been enemies for centuries.
Secondary characters have similar ties to history or literature. Morton and Endicott's CO is Colonel Elizabeth Hutchinson, whose ancestor was the model for Hesther Prynne from [b:The Scarlet Letter|12296|The Scarlet Letter|Nathaniel Hawthorne|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1404810944s/12296.jpg|4925227]. Calvin Attucks is a relative of Crispus Attucks, the first person killed in the American Revolution.
By far my favorite parts of the story incorporated real-life events and places with a supernatural half-twist to make them part of the Secret History of the world. The weather clearing over Normandy for the D-Day invasion, the reason why the Pentagon is in the shape of a pentagram, the Salem witch trials, other things major and minor.
One of the things I liked about the book was how Doyle shifted between first-person and third-person. It's an interesting stylistic choice that helps distinguish the infodumps, giving them distinct flavors. There are some passages which are slightly clunky, but it moves on to the next bit quickly enough that they didn't bother me.
Lots of action, a little romance, a deep-seated conspiracy in the US government, ghosts, zombies, and the undying struggle (in some cases literally undying) between the Mortons and Endicotts make for an entertaining adventure.
There's also a nice dollop of humor scattered throughout. Doyle employs the typical Fantasy trope of quotes to kick off sections of the book. Dale Morton and Mike Endicott are soldiers, each in their own way patriots, and they realize they've been used as pawns in a larger, older game and Doyle slyly adds the quote, "There's a craftsman in all of us. -- An advertisement for reliable American tools." I laughed out loud.
Yeah, I'm in for the sequel
lanko's review against another edition
3.0
Never read a military fantasy, specially one set in the present day. The premise is really interesting: some of the oldest families that founded (?) the US were and are magic users and set up secret dynasties that serve the government. That are two rival families, the Mortons and Endicotts. Think of Gryffindor and Slytherin, but with soldiers, guns, secret ops and the like serving the British government.
I really liked the House here. It's the mansion where the Morton family lives, and it's actually a living house. Or a conscious ghost house. It has moods, traps, ghosts, etc. I think it was the most creative aspect of the book. And some other curious things like Gideon bibles used as trip wires.
I think characters could have used a little more polish as I felt I only got to know the surface.
The Dale-Scherie love relationship also felt a bit wonky and awkward. Specially how they coincidentally stumble upon each other and inevitably fall in love almost right away (despite some doubts later).
And also the fact she is an untrained civilian who Dale has no problems keeping around despite being against the US military magical department, no less. And then she just happens to have the right powers for the right situations at the right time.
The backstory of the antagonists was top notch. Imagine magic molding the outcomes of the Civil War, the Normandy landing, Hoover in the FBI and I can only imagine, of course, Richard Nixon.
Their fall to dark magic, specially one for of the antagonists, was pretty impressive.
Maybe seeing those historical events through the craftsmen magical approach would have been more cool or just my preference for darker stories, but at some point I wished that the antagonists were the protagonists.
Probably at some point the military theme of the story faded to the background as swords, staffs and magic became the main focus. I wished a bit more tactics, more guns (real guns) and technology involved and interacting with or boosted by the magic.
There are probably a lot of references to American culture or famous families inside. For example, Poe is often cited and his Red Death is actually a character in the story.
Overall, a creative approach and a combination of elements I haven't seen before.
I really liked the House here. It's the mansion where the Morton family lives, and it's actually a living house. Or a conscious ghost house. It has moods, traps, ghosts, etc. I think it was the most creative aspect of the book. And some other curious things like Gideon bibles used as trip wires.
I think characters could have used a little more polish as I felt I only got to know the surface.
The Dale-Scherie love relationship also felt a bit wonky and awkward. Specially how they coincidentally stumble upon each other and inevitably fall in love almost right away (despite some doubts later).
And also the fact she is an untrained civilian who Dale has no problems keeping around despite being against the US military magical department, no less. And then she just happens to have the right powers for the right situations at the right time.
The backstory of the antagonists was top notch. Imagine magic molding the outcomes of the Civil War, the Normandy landing, Hoover in the FBI and I can only imagine, of course, Richard Nixon.
Their fall to dark magic, specially one for of the antagonists, was pretty impressive.
Maybe seeing those historical events through the craftsmen magical approach would have been more cool or just my preference for darker stories, but at some point I wished that the antagonists were the protagonists.
Probably at some point the military theme of the story faded to the background as swords, staffs and magic became the main focus. I wished a bit more tactics, more guns (real guns) and technology involved and interacting with or boosted by the magic.
There are probably a lot of references to American culture or famous families inside. For example, Poe is often cited and his Red Death is actually a character in the story.
Overall, a creative approach and a combination of elements I haven't seen before.
larisa2021's review against another edition
5.0
This is the best debut, best series starter I've read in a couple years. The mix of military, magic, terrorism, war, politics and personalities (character!!) is very, very good. Then the author throws in a fabulous twist.
Best of all? At the end of this story I'm already impatient for the next book. Now, Please!
Best of all? At the end of this story I'm already impatient for the next book. Now, Please!
anonymousandrew's review
3.0
Tom Clancy has child with a wizard and the child goes on to be a B rated action Hollywood flick. Not bad, but feels like it was written as a movie.
athenalindia's review
3.0
This is an interesting concept, and the execution is, well, it's not great. It's not execrable, either. It's the kind of book that you don't mind reading, but really wish that it was about 30% better, and then it could get an enthusiastic recommendation as a good pulp read. I like good pulpy fun, but those books really have to embrace that aspect of themselves. This comes so close to being rollicking, but not quite, and at times, it tries a little too hard to be serious, and it's not that either.
Note: The rest of this review has been withheld due to the changes in Goodreads policy and enforcement. You can read why I came to this decision here.
In the meantime, you can read the entire review at Smorgasbook
Note: The rest of this review has been withheld due to the changes in Goodreads policy and enforcement. You can read why I came to this decision here.
In the meantime, you can read the entire review at Smorgasbook
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