We’re part of Dima’s blog tour so there’s a giveaway at the end of the post!
Thanks, Dima!
THE SORCERY CODE first grabbed my attention with its original premise. The thought of reading a fantasy novel where magic is an intellectual skill, was very intriguing. For a fantasy novel, it's quite short but very satisfying nonetheless. The author must of thought a lot about his fictional world of Koldun because not only is the world well developed, but the magical elements are also numerous.
In this world, magic is extremely hard to learn and even if one becomes a master, it isn't done with a snap of the fingers or saying a couple of words. To master the craft, one has to be very intelligent, must be good in mathematics and other sciences, and must also be quick thinking. Not everyone has the patience, the intelligence, or the status to learn magic which makes sorcerers think themselves special and above magic-less commoners. To actually use magic one has to speak in a complicated language or use a translator of sort called the Interpreter Stone. Because wielding magic is so complicated, the main character of the novel, Blaise, was trying create an object that would make magic accessible to everyone and make magic easier to use even for sorcerers. However, Blaise didn't realize that in wanting this object to be intelligent and able to understand human speech and emotion, he would in fact be creating a being that's very human looking, and very attractive on top of that.
Gala is what (who?) he ends up creating, a very beautiful and intelligent girl that pops out of the Spell Realm and ends up captivating his heart. Because Blaise knows the other sorcerers would see Gala as an abomination, he entrusts her well being with two ladies who promise to keep her safe. As the three of them flee, Gala, who is new to the world and curious about everything, sees this as an opportunity to see the world and learn everything about it. Personally, I think her childish innocence is taken a little to the extreme and it got on my nerves quite a bit. If it weren't for this, I think Gala would be my favorite character, but as it is, reading her point of view got annoying from time to time.
Blaise, on the other hand, has an intellectual mind which makes him oblivious to some aspects of the world. I wouldn't call it innocence because he's actually faced some pretty hard things in his life but I believe he is so dedicated to his work that it sometimes blinds him from certain truths. That being said, I think these two characters make an excellent pair and despite them being apart for most of the book, I think it's the anticipation for their reunion that makes it fast to read.
The antagonists are also well developed, and while I'm usually not a fan of shifting point of views in novels, I really enjoyed reading the point of view of these antagonists. Actually, I wouldn't necessarily categorize them as antagonists, but more as flawed individuals that have a hard time seeing the big picture, and only think of themselves. More power is what some of these sorcerers wish for and Gala would be a great asset for this, while other others see Gala as an abomination and believe she should be terminated on the spot. The novel isn't just about the game of magic, but it's also about the game of politics. Secrets are everywhere in this book and the intrigue is constant, since as readers, we don't necessarily know what is truth and what is lies.
A good attempt at a magical fantasy, I believe the story, the characters and the world was well thought out but at times, I had a hard time with the writing. For some reason, the writing felt too literal, and there was a lot of repetition, especially when it came to spell casting. It felt like the descriptions to create spells was always the same and instead of elaborating on it, the author kept repeating the same thing. Magic, in this case, isn't something that happens in the blink of an eye but needs a lot of thought and time to be created. How those spells came to be created is still a mystery and I think, as intelligent readers, it would have been useful for the flow of the story.
Overall, a great mix of magic, political intrigue and romance makes this a fun and entertaining adventure.
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About the author
Dima Zales is a full-time science fiction and fantasy author residing in Palm Coast, Florida. Prior to becoming a writer, he worked in the software development industry in New York as both a programmer and an executive. From high-frequency trading software for big banks to mobile apps for popular magazines, Dima has done it all. In 2013, he left the software industry in order to concentrate on his writing career.Dima holds a Master’s degree in Computer Science from NYU and a dual undergraduate degree in Computer Science / Psychology from Brooklyn College. He also has a number of hobbies and interests, the most unusual of which might be professional-level mentalism. He simulates mind-reading on stage and close-up, and has done shows for corporations, wealthy individuals, and friends.
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Thanks for the giveaway! Looks like a great book.
ReplyDeleteAwesome review, Stephanie! I love multiple POVs but I do seem to be in the minority >.< It has to be done right, though, but when it is I feel like you can really get a 360 of the story. I don't read a lot of fantasy books but this one sounds like it was a pretty fun one!
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like an fun book with magic being complicated to use. It's not something one sees a lot in the market nowadays. Lovely review, Stephanie!
ReplyDeleteThank you very much! I really enjoyed your thoughtful review!
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