In a realm where wizards rule, the ambitious contend for thrones that grant the power of a god. How can one defeat a god? Jerrell Landish is a thief, clever, creative, and conniving to the extreme. His legendary exploits force him to use the name Jace just to remain inconspicuous. When he accepts a contract to acquire a secret, enchanted amulet, he discovers the item has already been stolen. To … To satisfy the leader of the Thieves’ Guild, he must track down the amulet and complete the ultimate objective:Assassinate Wizard Lord Taladain, a man with the power of a god. Rhoa is an acrobat, diminutive, agile, and daring. Armed with the Eye of Obscurance, she sets out to accomplish the unthinkable. Haunted by a troubled past, she cannot escape a single, all-consuming desire.She would risk anything to see Lord Taladain dead. Taladain’s daughter, Narine, is a princess who recently graduated as a master wizardess. However, her father and brother seek nothing but power – one would use her to strengthen his position, the other views her as a threat to his future. Can she navigate troubled waters with danger lurking at every turn?
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A journey of intrigue, revenge, magic and complex characters through a world that supports this story and further. Truly a story to rival the tales told by Salvon.
A great audiobook, I love the narrator. The story itself is interesting but there is a lot more background and world building then action and adventure. I still really enjoyed the story to continue onto the next book/audio on the series.
What a great book! Jace, Rhoa, Rawk and Saldon are fabulous characters. Their journey brings them together unexpectedly and they share in a life altering adventure full of action. For Rhoa it’s revenge. For Jace is money. For Rawk it’s friendship. For Saldon is love of the orphan girl he saved. Can’t wait to read the next book in the series.
Jeffrey Kohanek – Fate of Wizardoms Bk 1 – Eye of Obscurance – Reviewed 3/21/20 – Read 3/17-19/20
When you mix a thief, an acrobat, a storyteller, a dwarf, and a mad wizard, things can go wrong fast!
As a very young girl, Rhoa witnesses her parents being taken to the Lord Wizards castle to be sacrificed. But, she was saved by a very special storyteller that happen to be near her when the guards took them. This leads her to a life as an acrobatic member of the menagerie with special skills. Over the next 8 years, they perform all over the area. But during all this time, Rhoa had not lost sight of her goal, to kill the Lord Wizard responsible for the death of her parents.
Jace, a legendary thief has also accepted a contract to do just the very thing that Roha has set her mind to. With the security of the castle and the guards posted all around the Lord Wizard, it will take a special team to accomplish the task. As the two meet, the sparks fly, and Rhoa out steals from the thief the very enchanted item that would help them in both of their objectives. Thus the story begins….
What did I like? OMG, this is a fast-paced book that does not start dull, in fact, the action starts on page one and it sure does not end till the final page. Two very strong personalities that lead the storyline. I loved the interaction between the two, with humor and lots of exciting things going on for both of them. Looking forward to the next adventure for these two amazing characters.
What will you like? Action with a capital A, emotional with both sadness and humor, the mystery that is intricately woven around the amazing lead individuals, so many supporting characters with lots of backgrounds that will take you into the world of magic. As I said above the two main persons are compelling, beautifully well developed and carry the book as it progresses. The storyline is very strong and shows the imagination of the author off beautifully. The intrigue is absolutely astounding, with so many facets happening at once that you have to be careful to know what is going on, but keep in mind that it is worth the extra time as the story unfolds. Now hold on to your hats as it also continues to book two, three and four. Balance of Magic, Temple of the Oracle, and finally, Objects of Power. Add the Fate of Wizardoms series to your Reading List today.
@ddeegott
• File Size: 4387 KB
• Print Length: 300 pages
• Publication Date: October 1, 2019
• ASIN: B07XQFRTB7
• Genre: Teen & Young Adult Royalty Fairy Tales & Folklore, Classic Fantasy, Teen & Young Adulty Wizards & Witches Fantasy
Jeffrey L. Kohanek is a new author for me, but I enjoyed Eye of Obscurance (Fate of Wizardoms Book 1) so much that this is something I clearly need to remedy. This was a totally fun book. Well written, with a neatly complex plot full of action, a well-crafted cast from Jerrell (Jace) and Rhoa on down and really excellent world-building. Definitely recommended.
Overall, a well thought out, well written book. While some parts of this book drove me a little mad, other parts of it made me think of Eragon (i.e. Everyone hates the man on the throne of Ghealdor – he’s a murderer and other obnoxious qualities – and he’s been on it way too long!). Jace’s view of women is slightly disturbing, to say the least. I understand that he is enchanted with a woman’s form, but I’m hoping the next books won’t mention it 90% of the time he lays eyes on one. Aside from that, it was a good story. Rhoa, Jace, Rawk and a few others along the way are well thought out characters and the story moves along at a good pace. The world seems large and I can’t wait to see if we get to explore more of it in the coming installments. The end of the book left me with the taste of conspiracy and I’m eager to see how it plays out.
Fast-paced and exciting! It was hard to put this book down. I really enjoyed the characters and loved seeing how their lives were interconnected. There was plenty of magic and mayhem in this first book of the series and I can’t wait to see what’s in store for our fearless characters next.
Jerrell(Jace) has a job to do, but someone beats him to it. Rhoa is part of a traveling menagerie and also has a mission of her own to complete. Along the way she makes a few new friends and even agrees to work with Jace. There is so much going on in this book, and I was surprised a couple of times. I am very interested to see how things go for this growing group.
The characters are well thought out and have growth and depth. Each person is very different from the rest. Rhoa is a performer for the menagerie. Jace makes his living as a thief and a gambler. He takes on contracts. They are both after an amulet. They get some help for their ultimate goal from friends of Rhoa’s. When she was very young, she became friends with Salvon the great. She has not seen him since her youth. He turns up just when she needs him. Rhoa also befriends a young man named Rawk who is a dwarf and has never had a friend before. Narine is a young mage and the daughter of the ruler. This book has a lot of characters. The plot moves along at a fast pace and is very entertaining. This is a very good story and I look forward to reading the next book.
When the male MC enters the story dressed as a woman, all in the name of his shady trade (and without batting an eyelid, of course), you know it’s going to be good! There are no limits when planning a heist!
Eye of Obscurance, the first book of the Fate of Wizardoms, features fantastic world-building, an interesting magic system, and even mythological creatures, all described to the perfect amount!
The story centres around an entertaining cast of characters. Rhoa – a small girl with a big heart and full of fierceness; Jace – a snarky, slightly abrasive but hilarious thief (grapefruits, lol!); Narine – a soft but daring wizardess; Rawk – an innocent, compassionate and loyal maker, and MORE!
Yes, there are more! And I loved every single one of them! The characters are fleshed-out and beautifully written, with clearly defined voices of their own, and they all have a role to play as the story runs its course through Eye of Obscurance.
It is easy to get lost in the tale because of its engaging nature, and you find yourself wanting to dig back in as soon as you are forced to put the book down. It’s a real page-turner, exciting from cover to cover, action-packed, high-paced and utterly fabulous!
Eye of Obscurance is a great start to what seems an exciting series, and I look forward to reading the rest. I recommend this to everyone who enjoys epic fantasy because this is the genre at its best!
Note: I have listened to the audiobook version, and the narrator, Travis Baldree, does a great job at bringing the characters to life, and he keeps you at the edge of your seat as the magic (and action) happens!
I won a free copy of the audiobook and was excited to get to finally meet the characters I’ve heard so much about. I was not disappointed.
It was a very creative cast: Jace, a thief/assassin/opportunist who had taken a contract to steal a magical artifact and kill a wizard lord; Rhoa, an acrobat set on avenging the unjust deaths of her parents; Rawk, a dwarf and stone carver; and Narine, princess and wizardess who was somehow kinder than her high-class status dictates. And of course Salvon, storyteller extraordinaire, wise man, and friend to children. Read as a standalone, this is a story of revenge, but hints throughout point to a deeper plot which I’m sure will be explored in the rest of the series.
The worldbuilding was very cool. Regions are controlled by wizard lords whose powers are enhanced by the gods they serve. These powers extend their lives so they often rule more than a century and give them the ability to heal their bodies if they are poisoned or wounded, which makes them quite difficult to kill. The gods show up physically every six months to receive their sacrifice (human sacrifice). And the people are required to participate in a ritual twice every day, offering “Devotion” to the wizard lords. This devotion somehow enhances their power or health. I pictured the Ori from Stargate when I was reading it.
I really enjoyed this book. It was easy to follow despite being told from the perspective of multiple characters. All of the characters were fascinating, not your typical fantasy cast but also not without its tropes. Rhoa’s backstory was explored the most in this book, but I look forward to getting to know the other characters better in the rest of the series. I also appreciated how the author balanced the levity of the topics. Despite hardships and failures and loss, each of the characters found something that drove them to persevere. It will be interesting to see what they are able to accomplish together in this series. There were a few twists that caught me off guard. I’m particularly curious about how long Jace will be able to keep his secrets and how Salvon became involved in the first place – it seems like more than luck, but we will see.
Overall, this was an excellent beginning to a series that has definitely hooked me. I highly recommend it to older teenagers and adults who love a good adventure into unknown lands.
I enjoyed reading this book. The story and characters are well written and developed. The storyline grabbed my interest from the beginning. I recommend reading. (I received this book as an arc and am leaving a voluntary honest review)
I offered to review this audiobook because I am such an an avid reader but also almost exclusively audio due to my schedule. Because of this, and the fact that a bad narrator can destroy a great series, I can be very critical of narrators. Especially when books have a single narrator required to speak with different voices for multiple characters. Most cannot do it without having some errors where they use the wrong ‘voice’ for the wrong character. Travis Baldree does a great job in narrating all voices this book. It was a very enjoyable listen and I didn’t have any issues distinguishing between characters.
As to the story, I am not one to give a lot of specific story details since I feel you should read the story for that. However, I will say that it is book 1 in a historical fiction series where some of the characters have magic. As with most such books, some choose to use it for good while others are greedy. It has great character development and story line that included several twists I didn’t see coming. You won’t be disappointed if you give it a try!
I received a free review copy of this audiobook and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Eye of Obscurance (Fate of Wizardoms #1). my sixth read from author Jeffrey L. Kohanek. Well-written with intricately developed characters you can invest heavily in and the storyline with its intricate twists & surprises as the tension & suspense ratchets up throughout the book’s length. 300 pages but reads even longer with the attention to detail written into the story. Kohanek’s fantasy worlds have become one of my favorite fantasy reads. I was impressed and enjoyed the vocal variety & inflections of narrator Travis Baldree . Owning both the Kindle & Audible editions I was able to follow along while being read to. I look forward to reading more in this series. I was given an Audible copy of this book & am voluntarily reviewing it. (RIP Marley January 20, 2014 – July 24, 2018).
The thief, The storyteller, and the dwarf all walkinto a pub but seriously this is a good read. This is your typical fantasy trope of a band of misfits set on a journey. Flashbacks of memories, no knowledge of what is to come. Foreshadowing on what their ultimate trial will be. Written well. If this is what you love, than absolutely read this book.
Jeffrey L. Kohanek’s books are wonderful and this new series Wizardoms: Eye of Obscurance (Fate of Wizardoms Book 1) is no exception. So much is happening at the beginning of Eye of Obscurance I had to reread several chapters to just to establish each character and their involvement in the story. Wow it starts off fast and doesn’t let up. The pace and action is exciting, the storyline is intricately woven with jealousy, mad wizards with god like powers and seemingly simple characters like a thief and an acrobat and old storyteller and a dwarf that play their parts oh so well. The wondrous magical tale of Wizardoms: Eye of Obscurance pulls you in and doesn’t let you go until the very end. That’s what I call a good book. Great great entertainment!
I was given a free copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
I received this book for free. I am voluntarily posting this review and any opinions expressed herein are my own.
This is an entertaining start to the series with captivating and well-rounded characters. As this is the first book, there is a lot of wonderful world-building but there is still plenty of action. In addition to all that, there are several instances of really good humor which at the very least will make you smile but will most certainly give you a chuckle or two. The ending [epilogue] does set up what will likely be the theme of the next book in this series.
The narrator, Travis Baldree, very capably did various voices for the characters infusing them with personality and allowing the listener to distinguish them. I have previously listened to other books narrated by Mr. Baldree and he is a favorite.
Eye of Obscurance by Jeffrey L. Kohanek has captivating characters, wonderful world-building, plenty of action, and is an entertaining read! I easily lose interest if there are too many people to follow, but this story held my attention and it was neat to see how they all fit into the climax. I’m definitely going to read the next book in the series!
I received an ARC. This is my honest and voluntary review.
In general, I liked the story. Where I struggled was with some of the details. I found on more than one occasion, I got a bit lost when jumping between the character plot lines. I stuck with it and was able to get back on track. By the end, everything came together for me.
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and I have voluntarily left this review.