I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own. 

A young warrior discovers a hidden yet frightful gift for magic, and must find a way to stop a powerful necromancer and prevent either one of them from triggering a firestorm that could decimate the city he calls his adopted home in author Susan Ann Walker’s “The Sorcerer and the Necromancer”, the third book in the “Tales from the City of Magic” series .

The Synopsis

A young swordsman with a threatening secret. A rogue mage with a forbidden power. When they do battle, will the city survive?

Daric came to ignore the slur of being called “blank.” Growing up without magic of his own in a remote enclave of wizards, he left as soon as he could to make his way with his sword and his wits. Then the seventeen-year-old bodyguard accidentally discovers he has a hidden Gift for sorcery, enabling him to drain mystical energy from others, and he is terrified that his suddenly-appearing talent places everyone around him in deadly peril.

Determined to master his new abilities, Daric finds a mentor to guide him and friends who support him, even though many fear him and demand his exile. But while he trains, a necromancer is killing elderly merchants and animating their corpses to rob them; and seers are dreaming of a devastating firestorm soon to come. As rumors swirl and panic mounts, the fledgling sorcerer realizes he may be the key to saving the place that’s become his adopted home—or the cause of its destruction.

Can Daric wield his dangerous skills to stop a madman from burning everything and everyone around him to ashes? Or will he lose control, and bring about the very disaster he is desperate to prevent?

The Sorcerer and the Necromancer is the third book in the “Tales from the City of Magic” sword and sorcery series. It can be read on its own, although there are some continuing characters from earlier books. If you enjoy stories of hidden powers, dark prophecies and found families, then you’ll love Susan Ann Walker’s exciting fantasy adventure.

Get The Sorcerer and the Necromancer to return to the City of Magic today!

The Review

Immediately, I was struck by the incredible world and character-building the author put into this story. As a fan of the show Heroes, I instantly thought of Peter Petreli and Sylar from the show when it came to the book’s antagonist and protagonist. Each sought to be someone special but took very different paths, and even the hero struggled with whether they were this story’s true villains. The emotional aspect of their journeys and the attention to detail that the author gave to each of them as their stories progressed allowed the reader to get lost in this narrative in the best way possible.

The mythology and the world itself were the shining stars of this narrative. Whether you are a newcomer to the series or a longtime fan, the author’s development of Torrenbeck, the city of magic, was engaging for a reader to dive into. The imagery in the author’s writing style allowed this city and the world around it to breathe and live on the page, which only served to elevate the magical system and the magical creatures that roamed this realm and made the entire world feel tangible and within reach to the reader.

The Verdict

Memorable, entertaining, and thrilling, author Susan Ann Walker’s “The Sorcerer and the Necromancer” is a must-read fantasy novel. The twists and turns in the story, along with the climactic final battle between the hero and villain, not only do an incredible job of wrapping up this particular story but also build enough mythos to return to these characters and the world itself in the future, a bonus for fans of this growing series. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

About the Author

Susan Ann Walker began writing professionally after retiring from her first career as an aerospace IT architect.

Susan’s novels are informed by her life as an admitted serial hobbyist. A former equestrian and martial artist, she knows first-hand how to ride a horse, throw a punch, and wield a katana. She has not yet managed to work database design or Lego set construction into a medieval fantasy, but she’s still trying.

Susan lives in Southern California with her husband and a variable number of fur persons.

susanannwalker.com