Book One of the Sorcery Ascendant Sequence - A Crucible of Souls

This is a great piece of fantasy fiction. With unique ideas and we'll crafted characters. The story is well told, well written and unfolds in a manner that frequently sidesteps obvious story arcs and continually surprises the reader. I'm looking forward to the further chapters in this tale.

The story is a long one, but it never felt 'too long'. It did end a bit suddenly, but maybe I just feel that way because it actually ended. There were a few inconsistencies, and times I felt Caldan was a bit *too* nice/naive, but it's not my character, it's Mitchell's, and he's doing a fine job telling the story. I did get the feeling that some of the other 'main' characters were lacking in fleshing out, but I'm sure that'll be addressed as the story progresses. Other than this, it's a solid first novel, and I don't regret buying it at all.

I very much enjoyed reading this book and it kept me wanting more, so I rated it a 5. The unique "usage" of magic in the book really had me hooked and I am very excited to read the next installment in the series. I would recommend this book to anyone who is an avid fantasy reader but enjoys hedging their eyes opened to the wonders of others imaginations.

I must say this book kept me up all night finishing it. I am an avid reader and I thoroughly enjoyed the story. However some parts of the story just felt odd and unnecessary, though for the most part these spots were not so common.

I am looking forward to the next book in the series.

The good: interesting magic system, likable hero, some really good ideas

The bad: Legion

****SPOILERS*****

The cost was way too high for such a poor book

The opening sequence, pretty exciting with a swordsman making a last stand to protect his daughter, an enemy surviving in the body of a wolf. Can't wait to find out how this is connected, oh, sorry. It isn't. You will never learn of the sword-master arts referenced in the opening sequence "in the right mindset you will never be defeated" also, the bad guy wolf - disappears forever. Mom, who knows? the daughter they save, apparently turns out to be the protagonists grandma who we never meet or learn anything about. It just really bothered me that there was so little connection to this sequence. Isn't that the whole point of the dramatic opening?

What ever happened to the chess tournament that was being built up?

the whole alley sequence and injury deal was bizarre

ridiculous side plots and characters that had no connection to the main story line throughout, and never do.

The relationships, just a little weird. Wasn't feeling a connection to Miranda, the mentor figure was barely around long enough to feel bad about.

Overall kind of hard to get through, I started skimming past the caitlyn and truth guy stuff, whats this about a breeding program, did I step in to an epsidoe of x-files?

Not planning on going on. I just don't get all the 5 star reviews? Have you people read Raven's Shadow or The Name of the Wind - those are five star.

The main character can be annoying sometimes. In the you really don't know what's going on in the end. You just get the feeling that things are now just starting to happen. So progression is a little slow but its fine since he was flushing out the background story and paving the way for the next book. A good read overall. Just don't get the audio book. My friend brought it and it was terrible. It almost kept me from reading this book because I couldn't get that guys voice out of my head during the chapter I listened too.

The main character can be annoying sometimes. In the you really don't know what's going on in the end. You just get the feeling that things are now just starting to happen. So progression is a little slow but its fine since he was flushing out the background story and paving the way for the next book. A good read overall. Just don't get the audio book. My friend brought it and it was terrible. It almost kept me from reading this book because I couldn't get that guys voice out of my head during the chapter I listened too.

I really don't enjoy writing these reviews - but I felt this book deserved it (well, more the 5 star rating than this text - the value of which is dubious at best). On caveat - there is quite a bit of setup and bits left unexplained. It's a clean segue for a second book - so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that more in this series will, in fact, be delivered.

A wonderful read with a refreshing, well thought out magic system. Characters are enjoyable and the storyline is kept engaging. Looking forward to reading the next book and Mr. Hogan has made it into my list of authors to follow.

Crucible is an awesome read. Well developed characters, excellent story line, and very descriptive writing style make the reader feel that he or she is there with the characters. I can't wait for the next installment!

Let me say first, that I'm only in the middle of the book yet- started reading it yesterday. A captivating book that reminds me somewhat of Rothfuss "the Name of the wind". I really look forward to the second half. The only complaint I have is the side stories, but only because they distract me of finding out more about the main character as fast possible. To the autor: Well Done!

EDIT: Finished the book the same day I wrote this review. The book looses some drive in the second half, also it irked me that so little of the plot gets resolved. Reduced my Rating to 4 stars therefore. Still recommend to buy it though.

A well written fantasy novel that builds a easily understood world with well constructed characters. It is a nice blend of background story, relationship building and in the moment action. I couldn't put it down and am currently reading the second book of the series.

Good but quick read that approaches some classic fantasy elements from a new direction. Looking forward to the next installment.

The writing was clean and enjoyable with a story full of interesting and complex characters.

A well written fantasy novel that builds a easily understood world with well constructed characters. It is a nice blend of background story, relationship building and in the moment action. I couldn't put it down and am currently reading the second book of the series.

Good but quick read that approaches some classic fantasy elements from a new direction. Looking forward to the next installment.

The writing was clean and enjoyable with a story full of interesting and complex characters.

There are enough interesting things to the story to make me want to read the next book. It is very well written very much a page turner. Here's the but, BUT I'm a little worried that the author is just relying on those tantalizing bits and none of them will get resolved until the triumphant final installment. That would be annoying. So it's worth a try, I'm going to read the next book but if it becomes a massive string-along you will here about it.

Here is what I liked: typical troubled childhood but I actually believed the character's innocence; there are good guys and bad guys and the in between; the in between folks have variable in between ness; like the trinkets!

A very solid entry for a debut author. The novel is an interesting read with well developed characters, an interesting plot and proficient information about the laws of magic and sorcery that your not left confused;good world building without over detailing inconsequential things.

I have been reading fantasy fiction now for longer then I like to admit and with great enthusiasm place A crucible of souls up on my top shelf and can't wait for the next installment. Having been and still am a keen student of all things magical I find that the author has done a great job drawing together interesting characters,inventive magical concepts and a great story into what is a must read .I couldn't put it down.

I've been reading fantasy for very many years and have read many, many bad and mediocre books , I know how hard it is to get it right . This was a good read . I will be buying the next in the series

Did I just read the same work as the 5-star reviewers?

I was expecting a fresh bildungsroman along the lines of Blood Song or Name of the Wind, and instead I wound up with this book. Caldan, the main character, is the very definition of a Mary-Sue. Strong, attractive, brilliant. Oh, we're repeatedly told he's brilliant - told, never shown, as that would require skill on the part of the author. Whenever he's in a pinch, a new power or invention he built on the side, without proper elaboration for us to truly appreciate it, pops up to save the day. The story as a whole meanders about for about 2/3 of the book without any clear progression.

But, I can forgive all of that in a first work, especially as it's clearly the first installment of an epic fantasy series. What I can't forgive is the sentence structure aimed at a 6th grader's reading level, or the lack of eloquence in descriptions of the environment or characters, or the stunted dialogues, or the peppering of cliches whenever originality would require effort. The writing itself grated on me so much I wanted to drop the book after the first few dozen pages, but these 5-star reviews convinced me to bear with it... To my detriment.

This wasn't a terrible first work, and the second installment could improve dramatically with a decent editor. Here's to hoping it will.

I would give 3 1/2 but your system does not allow for it. The book is excellent for a debut and because of its very nature had some small failings according to my tastes. Excellent story, pace and very good characters. My only complaint is that in some instances, the language or writing style was a bit too simplistic, but these instances were minimal.

I thought this was a decent start to the series. It's a typical young boy finds he has talent and is driven along by events kind of start. I looked forward to the second book, but it was worse than this one.

It was a different story from others I have read. Most times I can figure out the storyline before I can get very far into the story I didn't have this one figured out till close to the end I like that it kept me interested

I stumbled upon this gem while searching for new fantasy novels. The price is high compared to the cost of other books by new authors but it was definitely worth it. I highly recommend anyone looking for a good, quality book to read.

I really enjoyed the story and the characters. I look forward to reading more books in this series. I wish the store had a way that you could flag authors or book series that you like and inform you when new installments were released.

Bought the book a bit ago and started reading Friday night, just finished and can't wait for the next.A Crucible of Souls (Book One of The Sorcery Ascendant Sequence) (Volume 1)

Great adult fantasy, a dark and disturbing coming of age story set in a future earth.

At times I felt it was almost too unsettling. Great resolutions unfold as the story progresses.

I am greatly looking forward to the sequel.

Good fantasy, characters motives except for the main are murky and are slowly coming out through their actions rather than being told. The magic system is unusual and so far no elves and orcs (not that there is anything wrong with those races). I am just enjoying what appears to be various human societies competing. Looking forward to the next book in the series, or indeed anything new from this author.

My guess is that those who like the technical aspects of world building, magic and somewhat complex story building will like this book. Based on the reviews my guess is they will like it a lot. The author goes into great detail it was just to much detail for me as it was at the expense of character development.

Lately it seems I like character development and relationship development. Even at the end of the book I felt ambivalent about almost all of the characters and the protagonist felt like he rarely appeared in the story until the end. The relationships were also less than intense. At one point in the book the protagonist tells of his loyalty to a group but nothing in the story explained why he felt the kinds of loyalty he professed.

The main character had potential but the character development was slow to non existent. I kept expecting him to grow and do something heroic but the only growth he shows is technical. He becomes more skilled but never seems to grow. He is much the same in the end as he was in the beginning and psychologically speaking the character is somewhat barren.

The storyline is also uninteresting in my mind. There are many subplots and while they come together in the end the characters were not compelling enough nor were the stories interesting enough to justify their length. I quickly lost interest and track.

I am probably the wrong reader for this book. It is just intended for a different audience and In my rush to get a book I chose this one.

The book is good and well written however nearly every other chapter is about someone other than the main character which i find extreamly annoying, however i would recommend the book for any who enjoy the magic fantasy types (if the constantly changing view point doesnt bother you)

Best first effort I have read. Great storyline and was compelling from the first page.

Can't wait for the next book in this series.

I'll definitely be keeping my eye out for works from this author.

I very much liked the possibilities of this opening book. However, there were just too many characters doing too many things for the story to have any semblance of flow. Admittedly, I gave up 2/3rds of the way thru, completely exhausted, waiting for something to come together. I assume it will at some point, but my level of energy for this work gave way under the weight of too much too late.

Honestly, I don't remember reading this book.

I read over the blurb again and it sparked some memories but nothing truly memorable, unlike some of the other books I have read that really stay with you throughout your life.

It was enjoyable, but not truly memorable.

I'm working through a number of fantasy books lately and while this book had some interesting ideas, the writing was tiresome at various points in the story, some of the characters were wooden, and the plot seemed disconnected. I went back to a previous author's work to finish off his series right after reading A Crucible of Souls and the change was very refreshing and much more satisfying (I speak of Kelly McCollough's Blade Reforged in the Fallen Blade series). There was a huge difference. I think this author has potential, but his craft isn't where it needs to be yet to be ranked among the best. In sum, there are other fantasy books for less money that will deliver the reader a better story.

This book doesn't really separate itself from all the other epic fantasy novels out there. This is not a bad, the writing is more than sufficient to make this a very enjoyable read into something familiar. The characters are the strong point with the magic system being very well implemented. Also, the theory behind said system is doled out in small doses so that the reader is not overwhelmed with so much information. I enjoy the elements of the story that are given to us slowly, almost like a mystery novel. I came into this novel looking for a new epic fantasy setting with good if not great characters, and I have found that here.

It was like a very long run on sentence. You just kinda followed along wondering when the plot would happen. Eventually it does happen but you wonder where it came from since you really didn't notice it. Then it goes away again and you just trail along behind.

I don't know how this book is rated so high. The main character is flat and to naive to be likeable, or even interesting, the supporting characters a little better. The world is not fleshed out, there always seems to be something you are missing. Not a series I'll be continuing.

This is a new author for me. Judging by this book I think he might become a favorite. We'll have to see what the rest of the series is like but it has all the ingredients and no sex or profanity which is a plus for me.

If you're looking for a deeply frustrating, poorly written fantasy pastiche, you should consider A Crucible of Souls (please note no Crucible appears in the book). If you're rather read something good, then look elsewhere.

The writing is amateurish, frequently leaving out important details and telling the reader things are true instead of showing evidence of them. The dialog reads like a bad 80s sitcom instead of a medieval world, complete with cliched modern phrases. The world itself is barely described, with only the most sparing details about the locations the characters are actually in, much less anywhere else, given.

All of that might be forgivable if the main character was interesting or likable. He is not. Instead, he actively strives to make you hate him, alternating between being outlandishly naive, arrogant, and cartoonishly honest. He repeats the pattern of dismissing warnings as foolish, immediately doing whatever he was warned not to and being hurt or nearly dying as a result, throughout the book. It would have been a useful element of character growth the first time or two it happened, but by the forth and fifth time he's done it, you begin hoping someone will warn him cutting of his own head is something he shouldn't try.

Almost all the characters suffer from similar plot-induced irrationality, trusting obviously untrustworthy people, distrusting people that could obviously help them, and throwing themselves into danger whenever the next scene requires something to happen.

(The best example of this is when someone is magically scanned as PURE EVIL, and the character scanning them decides to trust them with their life anyway. Twice.)

The plots sputter along at glacial speed, characters are introduced and then abandoned without serving any purpose, most of the first third of the book could have been condensed into a single chapter, the magic system is boring with a "conspiracy" surrounding it that should be obvious to every first year student in the magic school, and the entire thing ends in an unsatisfying cliffhanger for the next book.

There is nothing I can recommend about A Crucible of Souls other than avoiding it. It's not the worst fantasy I have ever read, but it comes very, very close.

The book starts off nicely, you may have read the books sample and thought this seems really interesting. Well.. For awhile the beginning is the high point. You have a fairly interesting and intense beginning then a fairly long time skip. That is when we meet the protagonist and where the story takes a nose dive. There is hardly any exciting events for most of the book.

Now not everything can be fights and action obviously, but usually you get something being explained more or maybe character development. The characters in this book are weak to say the least. You have Caldan and then a SMALL number of supporting characters that add almost nothing to the story. The magic is explained in bits and pieces throughout the book but is constantly vague. There are also other POV characters throughout the book that add nothing to the story in this book. The author seems to set things up for them to matter in subsequent books but I kept asking myself why I was reading about these people.

The book does pick up at the end but so what? I got to read 20 pages at the start and then 150 pages at the end and im willing to throw in 30 interesting pages in the middle in a book that it over 500 pages.

The story while interesting is unbalanced. The characters are bland and unimportant. The magic while having potential is vague and is at risk of being too powerful. In the end I just cant recommend this book.

I do not understand the rave reviews. Were they written by friends and family? Story took to long to get started, and I got tired of the prolonged suffering of the main character. Maybe the next book will carry on with a more interesting story. The first should be severley edited.

"A Crucible of Souls" is the debut fantasy adventure novel (and book one of the 'Sorcery Ascendant Sequence) by author Mitchell Hogan. This Kindle e-book was a 918 Kb download (approx. 558 printed pages) and sold for $7.99 at the time of writing this review.

Please Note: the author provided me with a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Spoilers (general theme)

Our young hero, Caldan, has a talent for 'crafting'... a arcane skill that allows those individuals who have the talent to shape metals and minerals into magical items. This book follows Caldan from the time of his expulsion (for fighting) at the Monk's school to the next major phase in his life where he's taken in by the Sorcery Guild... but only after they learn of some of his underlying, but as yet, unrefined abilities. This then is Caldan's tale and how his life is molded by events of the times and by the people he meets.

End Spoilers

Some Pros and Concerns...

The Pros:
1.) a well written and exciting tale.

2.) other than a couple of chapters (see Concerns below) the overall pace and timing was impeccable.

3.) descriptions of settings and surrounding was done with skill allowing the reader to sense the 'atmosphere' the author was trying to convey.

4.) battles, chase scenes and confrontations were exciting and very tense... hard to turn the pages fast enough in an attempt to see what happened next.

5.) some intriguing character development of several individuals.

6.) several important individuals can be seriously injured or killed. To me a major factor in believable within an adult style fantasy story.

7.) several side tales that are visited sequentially that are tied together as the ending approaches.

8.) an interesting use of magic to affect ingredients and their application to make 'special' items.

9.) a satisfying ending that leaves a host of loose ends for the sequel.

Some minor concerns...
1.) no map... a tale of some travel and side quests related to the main tale. A map would have provided a sense of direction, distances and topography to those reader that care about such things. (that would be me... lol)

2.) Caldan is young and naive, especially early on, making him unrealistically nice and reasonable... too willing to accept the blame for anything that's gone wrong if he's had the remotest of involvement. All this making for rather bland and very predictable opening segment. This trait seem to lessen (mercifully) as he matured a little during the course of the tale, especially as several situations became critical.

3.) there were some areas that seemed a bit long and drawn out. The chapter with Izak, Lady Felicienne and the Dominion game comes readily to mind. There were a couple other chapters as well... fortunately these were the exception rather that the rule.

4.) not sure I really understood the reason for the title of this work.

5.) a little pricey for a debut book... but in retrospect, worth it.

Some thoughts on "A Crucible of Souls"...

A very enjoyable, longish tale that featured writing that had (for the most part) a professional quality to it, resulting in an interesting and exciting tale that lent itself to an easy readability.

Overall, a novel of surprising quality for a debut book... maybe a combination of natural talent, a good editor and an exceptionally group of talented and honest beta readers.

I look forward to the second book.

As it is... 4 1/2 Stars.

Ray Nicholson
[email protected]
@ralannicholson

Caldan is raised on an island monastery after his entire family is brutally murdered. He doesn't remember much about it and has accepted the monastery as his home. He is shocked when the monks tell him his time there is finished after he gets into a fight with one of the wealthy students whose families money keeps the school going. Before he leaves, they tell Caldan what they know of his family and give him two trinkets that came to the island with him. Trinkets are incredibly rare, often magical and worth a fortune.

Caldan makes his way to the city of Anasoma. He searches about for a way to make a living and is finally accepted as an apprentice at the Sorcerers Guild. There his innate talent at crafting and magical spells moves him forward quickly. He also has a friend from his trip to the city, Miranda, who he sees when he can. He hopes to find out from the Sorcerers more about his family and the trinkets they passed down to him.

Those hopes are cut short when invaders take over Anasoma. The Indryalla practice a different sort of sorcery. Instead of working for good, their magic is coercive and used to conquer while pushing aside every obstacle they face. Their main goal in the city is the Sorcerers Guild as it contains the only people capable of mounting any kind of resistance. Can Caldan and his friends escape and can he find others who will band together to fight this evil?

Hogan has written a strong beginning novel in this fantasy tale. The world he has constructed depends on magic and the ever present battle between good and evil rages on. The reader is interested in learning the truth about Caldan and what will happen to him and his land. This book is recommended for fantasy readers.

*I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.*

A CRUCIBLE OF SOULS is the first book in the Sorcery Ascendant Sequence series by Mitchell Hogan.

POV: 3rd person, alternating

Tense: Past

Setting: the Mahruse Empire (fictional)

Sexual Content: none

A CRUCIBLE OF SOULS is a great fantasy read. If you haven’t read this one yet, I strongly suggest checking it out. Even though it is young adult (despite being promoted as fantasy), the story can be enjoyed by everyone. The main character, Caldran, is naive because he has been raised by monks. However, he isn’t foolish or immature. He’s a likable character who grows as the story progresses.

The story is about Caldran, a young man about to come of age. He has been raised by monks because his parents were killed when he was young. The beginning of the story is a little slow, because it shows Caldran in his normal environment and prepares him for his journey. This isn’t unusual for a fantasy. Once the inciting incident happens–Caldran is forced to leave the monastery because he accidentally injures a student–the story picks up. I’ll admit I was a little bored at the beginning, but it set a nice contrast for what was to come.

The author did a wonderful job of creating mystery and intrigue. Caldran himself is an enigma, because he is physically changing–into what we never learn. There is also a great deal of mystery about the evil sorcerers, Amerdan, and some other minor characters. Many questions remained unanswered at the end of the book, which is okay because I plan to read book two very soon.

Other strengths of this novel are: the rich setting descriptions, the interesting system of magic, and the development of the history of the sorcerers and protectors. Also, I thought the author did a good job of humanizing some of the villains; they weren’t all evil, which made them more believable.

The only complaints I have about the book are: a few minor inconsistencies in details, insufficient political and cultural worldbuilding, and (as I already mentioned) the fact that it is young adult but not marketed as such.

I don’t believe any of my complaints are significant to warrant taking points off my rating. I really did enjoy reading A CRUCIBLE OF SOULS. I’m looking forward to reading the next book, BLOOD OF INNOCENTS.

I give A CRUCIBLE OF SOULS five stars for a well-developed and likable main character, vivid descriptions, and solid plotting. If you like fantasy about sorcerers and young men finding their place in the world, you should definitely check this one out.

With the rise of self-publishing, it was perhaps inevitable that the best (and luckiest) of the lot would be picked up by traditional publishers. The Martian took the genre by storm and is now a major motion picture, as they say. The Red garnered similar attention and has now been picked up along with the rest of the trilogy to rave reviews. Is A Crucible of Souls the next in that line? As the late Robert Jordan was wont to say, read and find out.

What strikes me first and foremost about A Crucible of Souls, in a sub-genre that seems to have discarded its traditional trappings in favor of grimdark, flintlock fantasy, and silk road fantasy, is that A Crucible of Souls is evocative of an older model of epic fantasy. As much as I enjoy those sub-sub-genres, it is a welcome bit of conventionality. There is a callow youth destined for great things (much like Garion from the Belgariad or Rand al’Thor from The Wheel of Time). There is an intricate magic system (much like The Wheel of Time or anything by Brandon Sanderson) and a guild of sorcerers (much like Hogwarts from Harry Potter or the White Tower from The Wheel of Time, albeit a proper guild). There are powerful magical artifacts (much like the rings from Lord of the Rings or the ter’angreal and angreal from The Wheel of Time and literally called “trinkets”). There is a vague, foreign attacking force (much like the Draconians from Dragonlance or multiple examples from The Riftwar Cycle). There is a tangentially related prologue (much like The Eye of the World or A Game of Thrones). It’s comfortable and appealing for the same reasons that all of those books were appealing. That it garnered its initial success as a self-published work is interesting in that light—acquiring editors who are extremely well read in the genre should perhaps be wise to remember that the average reader is not so jaded. And in fact, it sometimes works well because of that. My narrative expectations have changed and once overused tropes now again surprise me.

Which is not to say that A Crucible of Souls is not without its significant flaws. Caldan gets the bulk of the attention and his character arc works very well, but the few other POV characters get short enough shrift that their arcs never develop and their subplots nigh incomprehensible. The naïve youth has long been a stock character in epic fantasy, but Caldan is often naïve to the point of foolishness. The pacing is glacial. You’ll enjoy it if you appreciate the tremendous worldbuilding and like (the very likeable) Caldan, but it is light on action. I’m critical of The Eye of the World for hewing too close to the plot of The Lord of the Rings, but that book moves forward at a feverish pace that A Crucible of Souls cannot begin to match. Very little of the mysteries hinted at are revealed by book end.

All in all, it’s a fun, albeit flawed, read that brings back fond memories.

Disclosure: The publisher sent me a(n unsolicited) copy of A Crucible of Souls.

Far out this book was stressful! My dreams were haunted by the characters – and I don’t mean either of those as a bad things.

From the synopsis I thought this book was going to be all about Caldan, but it’s much bigger than that. The prologue sucked me in straightaway; I didn’t know who these people were but I wanted them safe. Not too many pages in and we find out the prologue people were in fact Caldan Grandparents and Mother. It was obvious they had to be some sort of ancestors to Caldan as it was the perfect way to kick the story off, giving us a glimpse into the past. I will add that Grandma and Granddad were kickass powerful. In this first book we never find out exactly by who their killers were or why they were killed. But I’m sure that will be brought up in the second or third book as Caldan strives to find out the truth behind his heritage.

Extremely early on Caldan is forced to leave the monastery thanks to a kafuffle with one of the other students. We travel with Caldan from the sheltered monastery to big bad Anasoma. In Anasoma Caldan learns the ways of his new home the hard way when he gets mugged and receives a serious ass whooping when he accidently wanders into the slums. Never the less he makes some friends in Maranda, the love interest, and Master Simmon, who goes on to give him the unprecedented position of Apprentice Protector.

So we’ve gone through 100 pages following Caldan only to move onto another set of characters. At first I couldn’t figure out what was going on, but as Aidan’s chapters continued it became evident the importance of his actions and that we were being shown things that were going on in the background of Caldan’s world. We follow Caldan for a few more chapters then we get dropped someone new again, Amerdan, and again with, Vasile. Now following four story lines we really start to see the rich and complex world Mr Hogan has created. We meet so many intricate and important characters but the story still manages to flow well and remain easy to read/understand.

We spend most of the time with Caldan but every now and then check in with the others to keep a broad view of what is happening. In this book Caldan’s and Amerdan paths cross, Aidan and Vasile’s cross, but the four never end up together, it seems enviable that they will at some point during the series.

So while only Caldan is mentioned in the synopsis and yes we probably spend the biggest percentage of the book with him, the other three charters and their stories lines are extremely important to the world Hogan immaculately builds.

Towards the end of this book Caldan shows just how powerful he is and because of this I think he’s in a lot more danger then he realises. I am really on edge about the traveling party Caldan is with at the end of the book, in which Amerdan is included, it can only mean trouble. Poor Maranda is left brain dead from evil sorcery. And I was left questioning who the bad guys really were. There are a fair few things left open at the end of this book and it sets up some epic show downs and discoveries to come.

We meet Caldan while he is living in the Monastery and learning all he can about sorcery and crafting. He is actually quite lucky to be there in the first place, as usually the Monastery is only attended by the sons of wealthy nobles that can afford the tuition. Caldan has no money and no family, but is accepted by the monks whom are teaching him what they can.

Without giving too much away and spoiling the book for others, I’ll just say that after a series of unfortunate accidents, Caldan ends up in the city of Anasoma working with the Sorcer’s Guild. Little does he know that the city is about to be invaded by a force wielding sorcery that hasn’t been seen in the last 500 years. He must fight his way through the invaders to save his mentor and fight his way out of the city to save his friends.

This is a fast action packed book that will keep your imagination in overdrive. I picked up this series wanting to find something similar to “King Killer Chronicles” (since someone won’t finish the third book…. Rothfuss!), and I found this series to be an enjoyable substitute. The story line of both series starts out similarly, but that’s about as far as it goes. There are no slow or boring parts to this book at all. AND Mitch Hogan has actually finished his third book unlike Rothfuss!

While there are a few spelling/editing errors sprinkled throughout the book, this series is a must read for any fan of sorcery/magic no matter the age!

Well, nothing really new here, but it has all the pieces. Young man who has more power than other mages but doesn't know why. This is about as typical as you can get in the genre. Still, it is well edited and the story blends common elements well. There's some crafting, very minor romance, and some completely common enemies and plot lines. I won't read the other two books; mostly because they're not on Kindle Unlimited yet and I won't remember this book next week. I would never pay $8 for a book now that there are thousands of authors and new books every single day of the week. This book isn't special, but it isn't bad either.

I don't often rave about a new author, today I make an exception. Hogan is good! Ok, not good, GREAT! The story captivates from the beginning and holds you hostage to the end. An orphan discovers his parents were murdered and strives to find out why thorough epic changes to civilization as he knows it.

Caldan is likeable but flawed. The trauma of his youth contributes to his lack of self esteem. The status of orphan and charity case at an expensive institution of learning, no doubt, exacerbates his self pity. Regardless of that, you find yourself caught up in his excitement of being accepted, his acquiring of new friends and then the disasters that befall him.

Hogan created a believable society with solid structure and mysterious sub-cultures. His characters charm and bemuse you, some will utterly disgust you. This book moves at a very fast pace and keeps your interest high and your eyes wide open. I can't wait for the sequel.

I highly recommend it.

Could not force myself to go beyond the first twenty pages to see if the writing style improved. Possibly a good story, but I just could not endure the author's style... just my personal opinion. Download a sample before buying.

Disclaimer: I am writing this not having finished the book.

I dislike writing not-so-great reviews, however, I rely heavily on the reviews of others when selecting books to read (or listen to on Audible). So I wish to be honest and share my opinion, which is certainly not the norm here amongst the glowing reviews.

I have been toughing this one out to Chapter 15, just over five hours of listening, which appears to be about 1/4 of the book. The main character, unfortunately, is fairly inert. To this point anyway, his life is directed for him and he might have a few inner rumblings about fairness, but in my opinion he doesn't show much strength of character, which makes it really hard for me to care about him and be intrigued enough to know what happens next. He is also supposed to be pretty smart and see things others do not, yet at the same time is naive in the world and makes some awkward mistakes.

There is some jumping around to other characters and situations, I assume to build on things that will be relevant later, but I find it confusing.

I respect that writing a book is really hard work and I don't mean to be dismissive of that effort. I really wanted to like it, I am always looking for new, interesting books and series to dig into. This one has a rating of 4 point something on the store and Audible and perhaps it's just a really slow starter. But if so, I'm not sure I can make it to where it starts getting good. I do love the ideas of sorcery and see some possible exciting paths the story could take, just wish the character was more interesting and/or something interesting was happening by now.

Audible is usually great about refunds but I had forgotten about this book and bought it some time ago. If I still had the option, I would return it (take it off my device) and request the refund. I do not, so maybe I will try to give it a bit more time. Ultimately, if my mind is changed about it I will try to edit my review or otherwise update it in fairness to those who rely on the reviews.

I give it 4.5 stars, but I rounded it up. There is such a strong push for minimalist writing in the market place today that it has nearly ruined writing as an art itself. It was nice to see an author who took the time to create and describe a brand new world and culture in vivid detail. I dislike books that just mindlessly speed from one plot point to the next that leave me feeling like I've read a cliff note version of a story rather than an actual book. They're emblematic of society's ridiculously shortened attention span which relentlessly panders to consumerism. Epic tales should take you to a new place and time and let you live alongside the characters and this book accomplishes that.

I also dislike stories that don't put you into the main character's thought process. While I have to agree with some of the critics' points that Caldan is somewhat naive, it must be taken into account that he is an orphaned teenager raised in a sterile environment by monks. Why would he be world wary? He takes his bumps and bruises in the story which, quite frankly, makes him more believable than most of the characters weaving through today's fiction. It also displays the implicitly good-hearted nature that the monks would have obviously engendered within him. However, I can see that the author is moving Caldan’s general outlook as well as his demeanor in life. I suspect that both will probably be challenged in the upcoming sequels as Caldan moves into adulthood.

Another thing that irks me about the current market is the lack of attention many authors put into their battle scenes. After building you up to a big battle, they're then sped through for the sake of 'minimalism' and leave you with no satisfying feeling in the end. Kind of like, all build up with no climax. No climax leaves no one happy. ;) This was one of the few books that actually satisfied me in that regard. It ends rather abruptly, but satisfyingly enough with the promise of more to come.

It has the markings of a new and interesting epic in a previously unseen world that carries the weight of its classic predecessors. My only problem with this book was the ‘scene leaping’ to characters who were seemingly unrelated to Caldan. However, I soon began to see that the author was working to a larger plot for the overall series. At least I hope he is anyways.

With that said, the mystery behind young Caldan's growing strength and power advances methodically and kept me interested from beginning to end. The element I like the most about this story was the fact that you can see that this was a story formed from its inception to be an expansive love story epic, not just the normal 'get to the point' writing. This is not to say that I was bored at any time when I read it either. Crucible of Souls was also a surprisingly emotional novel and had a cast of strong, but believable characters. Any reader who wants a new epic that carries you into action-packed battles full of interesting tactics needs to pick it up today.

In a lot of ways, Crucible of Souls is a traditional Bildungsroman. Caldan's parents are murdered when he was a baby, (a pattern carrying forward from even earlier in his ancestry), and he was taken in by monks and taught the ways of sorcery. The monastery is very much his home and he has found a niche in it. However, as he gets older, it becomes apparent that there is no place for a young man with no family connections to trickle money into the monastery, and he is told that he will need to leave. When he is involved in a tragedy, Caldan is forced to leave earlier than he expected and quickly finds himself a little mouse in the big city. But he is not an entirely defenseless mouse. He just needs some training.

Caldan develops his understanding of the world as he works on survival, and eventually, an apprenticeship. He finds that, in addition to his decent and improving swordsmanship, Dominion play, and crafting abilities, he has a knack for making connections between ideas. There is also another ability happening in the background, however, that makes him much more capable and important than even he knows.

One aspect of this novel that I really enjoyed was the crafting. I liked how the system of magic involved in crafting magic-infused objects is developed and how Caldan learns from his mistakes and continues to make better craftings. He is good at crafting with paper, which is not particularly typical, and can make all kinds of nifty things using it. He also figures out some neat tricks for making mobile, longer-lasting automatons that engage in some important scenes.

We follow several other characters (all POV is limited third-person): Aidan, a special type of soldier who is finding himself in increasingly morally questionable situations; Vasile, a judge who can automatically detect if a person is lying, and who follows this skill into trouble; and Amerdan, a sinister, gifted serial-killer who might be linked to Caldan in some way (and is involved in a small but memorable scene involving pigs).

Behind all of this, there is a rising threat to the kingdom. We get bits and pieces of information until toward the end, when all hell breaks loose.

There are some minor pacing issues in this book, but certainly fewer than most other authors' first large-scale fantasy epics I've read in the past. The author does an excellent job of giving us only so much information, and generally only when we need it; I am okay with the fact that we don't know exactly how or why Caldan is who he is by the end of book one. We'll get there.

This book hit all the right notes for me- interesting characters that I cared about, enough backstory and world building to make it interesting, and good plot pacing to keep the story moving along. I don't like epic fantasy that bludgeons you with dozens of characters, 50 races of people, 30 kinds of animals, and 3000 years of back history....all in the first 100 pages :-). This author doesn't fall i to that trap, and instead writes an interesting and accessible story that drew me in and kept me there. On to book 2, Blood of Innocents.

I have been reading quite a bit of lit RPG lately and wanted something more along the lines of a traditional fantasy trilogy. I s started reading this book and couldn’t stop. In som3 regards it reminded me of the Patrick Rothfuss books...the writing is that good! The story is excellent, the pace moves right along.

There are many mysteries still unsolved at the end of the first book. I loved the magic system, it was unique and interesting. On to book two!

As a fantasy author, I'm extremely critical of other fantasy works. Rarely do I find works outside of Sanderson, Rothfuss, Ryan or Martin in this genre that intrigue me on an author's level. The magic system here is well thought out and I look forward to its depth increasing in future books. The main character, Caldan, is very likeable as is Moranda (sp?). I wanted more development of the Protector master, Simmins (sp?) but that's a minor thing.

One thing I give high praise to this story for is the side stories. In truth, I was just as intrigued, if not slightly more so, by several of those. They were expertly weaved into the main plot and I never felt like I wanted to just move on to get back to the main story. Trust me, this is a skill and something author's struggle with. Hogan does it well. I was very captivated by Lady Kaitlyn and Vacille's (sp?) stories especially.

Caldan definitely felt naive at first as a character, but guess what? He was! Others have pointed that out as a negative point, but it didn't bother me as I felt that was intentional. By the end of this first installment, he had grown and grown quickly.

I think there's just enough tying up of loose ends to satisfy any reader of the genre and leaves enough open to make me want to eagerly move on to the next book (which is out, thank goodness). Final note: this book is VERY light on foul language and contains almost no sensuality, only a few references. It is YA safe and something I value in books. Hogan, like some other well-known authors, prove again that you don't have to muck up a book with profanity and sex to be entertaining and captivating.

Truly, for a first book from a debut author, I am impressed. So will you be.

A Crucible of Souls is a fun read that dips into the darker motivations of humanity. The characters, even those that are clearly minor players, feel real because they combine a sense of purpose with the weakness to not always follow through.

The book does get bogged down occasionally with descriptions of the environment, mostly the city Anasoma, that don't seem to move the plot forward or add much sense of depth. That being said, Hogan keeps the plot moving and the tension high enough to make me eager to find out what happens next.

The ending skillfully brings together the separate character threads and sets up for the next installment nicely without creating a groan-inducing cliffhanger. I am definitely planning on reading Book 2 once it's published.

One of the most enthralling books that I’ve read. I literally couldn’t put this book down. Caldan and the people he meet are definitely unforgettable. I also found myself loving the journey that Caladan is on and the world that Mitchell Hogan has built. Plus the interweaving subplots are definitely interesting and play a much bigger part than what first appears.

The World Building

What I look for in a good book, especially a fantasy book is solid world building. This book definitely had a great world. I totally believe that this place could exist and does exist as far as the book goes. There is a lot of magic in the world, plus there is a class system. The class system is interesting. I also like how we get a few different locations in this world. Plus we learn that there are games played for money. Magic plays a huge part in this world. Also there are other characters that have their struggles as well. I also love how they make Caldan our window. Also the beginning scene of this book was so well written. I totally got hooked.

Magic and Life Outside, Sorcerer’s Guild

Magic plays a huge part of this book. I love books that have magic in them. Caldan has a gift, but he has lived in a monastery most of his life. So he has no idea what lies outside. So when something bad happens, he has to leave the only home he knows. He feels bad about leaving the monastery but he doesn’t have a choice. So when he’s aboard a ship he meets a young woman named Mirinda. The Monks gave him some money, but he realizes after talking to Mirinda, that he will need a job. Life isn’t going to be easy. When he gets to Asmoda he finds that life isn’t easy. He of course gets robbed after going to Dockside, despite being warned that it wasn’t safe. Caldan gets lucky and we realize that the Sorcerers Guild is going to play a huge part. The Sorcerer’s Guild gives him a place to be, a home, a job. Plus Caldan learns so much. Then there’s the fact that there’s a game called Dominion. Dominion is an interesting game. I like how it’s played.

The Subplots, Other Characters

The Subplots and The Other Characters were interesting. At first, I didn’t like them, but towards the end of this book, all the subplots and the other characters definitely have a role to play. There are other things going on in the empire and they have an importance. We don’t understand everything, but it will have an effect on what is going to come. Plus magic can be dangerous if used by those who have ill will. This is important. I think I really found myself investing in some of the other characters more than I thought I would.

The Crazy Twists, Caldan Abilities Evolve and We Learn More

One of the things that I really found myself was that Caldan’s abilities evolve and we learn that he can do more than he thought he could or was possible. There are things that we learn about Protectors and some of it was extremely mind blowing in a positive way. I also like that Caldan can smell things when a certain sorcerer is nearby. It smells like Lemon. I totally found the twists spellbinding and unexpected. They were unexpected because I never expected certain things to happen or for certain characters to take certain actions. Plus some secrets were revealed. Plus there was a like a big twist with the emperor. I wasn’t expecting him to show up at all in this first book, but his appearance means that something bigger is happening in the empire that we don’t know and he is willing to take matters in his own hands.

I totally loved this first book in this series.

Rating: 4.5 Hearts

A Crucible of Souls
Mitchell Hogan
Harper Voyager, Aug 18 2015, $25.99
ISBN: 9780062407245

Though he did his best to protect his loved ones from the bad men; in his last dying breaths Aldrich knows he failed to keep safe his mate Iselle and their child Nerissa. Realizing Aldich died to give them time to escape, Iselle quickly concludes they cannot; she tells Nerissa to run like the wind while she delays their enemy so her offspring can get away.

Years later, the Sorcery Guild recognizes Caldan possesses a very rare high level crafting talent not seen in anyone’s lifetime. Though not their usual student, nonetheless the orphan becomes an apprentice. As he learns the hard way to fight; Caldan remains obsessively steadfast to learn the truth re his family, especially why they were brutally murdered. Others, not inclined to train him, but rather use him have become aware of his existence.

The first Sorcery Ascendant Sequence is a thrilling coming of age epic fantasy with several additional subplots starring other key cast. Although the main storyline goes totally as expected and the protagonist seems initially overly trusting “Sweet and Innocent” (Donny Osmond), this is a fine opening act.

Harriet Klausner

After reading the more depressing fantasy fares we are fed these days, it is refreshing to find a tale that is not ashamed to follow conventions while telling an original story. The magic system while not completely new is interesting and keeps you engaged. The book is fast paced with characters that try to be 3 dimensional with varying levels of success. An excellent start to what I hope will be an illustrious career..

This was a OK read, main character is a little hard to believe, he's just Uber good at everything. Setting and magic is interesting. I am not interested in reading the next book. There just wasn't enough to grab me and want to read more.

I honestly like this book much more because it was free. The writing style and word choice is juvenile. The story content itself is not bad but I just can't get past the poor dialogue and narrative, which is frankly disappointing. At times I felt like it was turning around and picking back up but overall it felt as if I was reading a cheesy "chick-flick" type novel that should have been narrated by a woman living in NYC in her early thirty's who's learning how to balance a career and find love at the same time. That kind of pulpy romantic, "inspiring" fiction is just fine if that's what I'm in the mood to read, but when I'm looking for a good fantasy novel I don't want it to read like that kind of story line with those types of characters. That being said, I definitely read the entire book and would probably read the next installment just to indulge myself and follow the protagonist Caldan to completion.

I began reading this book just to read somethng. I was truly amazed at how good this was. A GREAT book and now a series that I hope will have the next books out soon. Mr. Hogan is an amazing new talent and with this effort will gain many fans and new readers who will fall in love with his writing skill and storytelling.

If you're considering reading this book, do it. If the sound of self-publishing scares you with editing and format errors, you're in luck. A Crucible of Souls has (at least for my copy) one error, on a random page during dialogue it appears the 'Enter' key was mistakenly pressed. So what, easy enough to ignore.

Some reviews say that this book is boring or slowed pace. Well, that's going to happen in any book. Take the popular A Song of Ice and Fire series for example. The first three were considered very action-y and A Feast for Crows was labeled the worst of the current five. A Feast for Crows was designed to explain and tell the plot and the story. There has to be some room to take a breather. A Crucible of Souls has slower chapters to develop the plot and story for different character arcs in the book.

For the story itself it has a slight coming-of-age feel, but author Mitchell Hogan gets a free pass because the people spouting coming-of-age are monks.

In my opinion I cannot wait until the next book in the Sorcery Ascendent Sequence. I will looking forward to Mitchell's other books (Sci-Fi and horror) in the future.

A fast and easy delightful read I did not want to put it down there is just enough as action to keep you hanging, excellent character builds with mysterious ties. I will definitely be reading the next book when it is released. An awesome beginning!

Being easy to read shouldn't be a book's primary virtue, but that's really what this one has going for it. I really wanted to like it but it reads more like upper-tier fanfic than a professional novel.

The dialogue is the worst part. It's clunky, unbelievable and bland, just like the speakers of said dialogue. None of the characters get much in the way of interesting dialogue and it remains explicitly expository throughout. The main character betrays almost no personality whatsoever beyond being rather pleasant in spite of the things that go on around him. He never conveys having a strong reaction to anything, even when the narrative says he is (point being there's an odd disconnect in the prose).

I believe the most accurate term for the protagonist is 'milquetoast.'

Aside from the few designated villains, everyone is also far too accommodating and gushingly reasonable with the main character. Sure they may stomp their foot but he always gets to explain himself and they always get to explain themselves and in the end, it just snapped my suspenders of disbelief too many times.

I write a bit recreationally and I know how hard this can be. I have to respect the author for what he's accomplished (more than I have). I just hope whoever edits his next book is willing to give him hard feedback.

It has a slow start. The main character is extremely naive and so trusting that it is a bit irritating. Some scenes were slow with a lot of explaining or dialogue. It is a conventional fantasy story and over all it was pretty good, but it isn't one that will stand out or be memorable. It was worth the sale price of $1.99 for the digital edition.

ONE of the better fantasy novels. The protagonist remains sympathetic despite his rather excessive gifts. The creative crafting logic is a major strength. Guessing how the supporting characters fit into the plot was fun. I read the entire book instead of scanning through large sections.

The author truly shows promise as a storyteller, but needs to shelve his 21st century, PC perspective, if he wishes to write believable fiction, unless he wishes to write only fiction set in the 21st century. All too often he mixes in post modern meanderings into the story which serves only to confuse the entire setting he seems to wish to create. Often I felt I was eavesdropping on the the musings of an American adolescent, rather than the thoughts of a young man set within an ancient age of sword fights, magic and quests. Consequently, there's a disconnect between the setting and the dialogue that spoils an otherwise interesting story.

A fast paced good read. it kept my attention and was a page turner. I didn't give it 5 stars because so far I felt it was kind of predictable. I still am going to read the second book. Hope it keeps up the character building

It's very rare that I don't finish a book, no matter how much I'm not enjoying it. However, for 'A Crucible of Souls' I made an exception. Nothing against the story itself, but the writing style is just terrible. Extremely child like and halting. The author feels the need to provide his description's in an annoyingly straight forward manner (as shown below). It's almost like he feels the need to try and force in the back story and explain emotions etc without really building it, he just throws it into his writing on a whim.

All in all the writing felt very child like and I found myself unable to continue reading.

"She clasped his hand with hers and led him over to the dance floor. Several people stared at them as they passed, no doubt offended by his prescence and startled by his companion. Unflattering comments were audible, no doubt pitched to be heard by those around them.
"never would have guesses..."
"...don't understand why she would lower heself..."
Ignoring the narrow minded people, Caldan tried to concentrate on having a good time, although trying to concentrate meant it was hard to relac. Then the music stopped.
....
....
A few songs later, Caldan realised he was having the best night of his life. An attractiuve girl wanted to dance with him, someon who , despite their differences, had become a firm friend."

I'm always thrilled to find a new series because it's enjoyable to read my way into other places in other whens where reality includes powers and mystic scenes. Mitchell Hogan has crafted one of these. I just finished the first book and will now move right in to the second. Coercive sorcery? An abomination!

I don't often rave about a new author, today I make an exception. Hogan is good! Ok, not good, GREAT! The story captivates from the beginning and holds you hostage to the end. An orphan discovers his parents were murdered and strives to find out why thorough epic changes to civilization as he knows it.

Caldan is likeable but flawed. The trauma of his youth contributes to his lack of self esteem. The status of orphan and charity case at an expensive institution of learning, no doubt, exacerbates his self pity. Regardless of that, you find yourself caught up in his excitement of being accepted, his acquiring of new friends and then the disasters that befall him.

Hogan created a believable society with solid structure and mysterious sub-cultures. His characters charm and bemuse you, some will utterly disgust you. This book moves at a very fast pace and keeps your interest high and your eyes wide open. I can't wait for the sequel.

I highly recommend it.

This book has some great characters and a good plot so I am slightly surprised to be giving it three stars but the truth is I didn't enjoy it as much as I had hoped, mainly because it has some annoying flaws.

The main flaw in the later parts of the book is that the dialog is often overly long and dull. The characters will be franticaly escaping some impending threat and then suddenly find they have time for a nice long repetitive chat. This tends to spoil the flow and slows things down quite a bit so I'm not sure why the author kept doing it.

Its doubly annoying because a lot of the book is quite slow so when things do start to happen near the end of the book you are expecting quite a lot and its failure to deliver thus seems doubly annoyng.

Its still a good book but I've read far better this year so whilst I would recommend it I wouldn't say its a classic.