Judgement:

Take a good solid look at the photo contained within this post. It is said that we judge books by their covers. So, with that being said, looking at that photo (yes it is AI generated) would you purchase this book without knowing that it is a fantasy book centered around a fledgling mage who wants to bring magic to the masses?

Of ALL the two-thousand-four-hundred and ninety-three stories I have in my CardBuddy database, this cover has to be my favorite, hands down.

So, tell me, what would you do?

From the Back of the Book:

For centuries, the Armond family has lived in the shadows, guardians of an ancient and powerful secret. Their sprawling estate, hidden in the misty valleys of a remote mountain range, houses a vast underground laboratory where they craft potions capable of altering the very fabric of reality. Love, fortune, life, and health - all can be manipulated through their mystical elixirs. The family’s power comes at a price: an inviolable code of silence. For generations, the Armonds have sworn to keep magic hidden from the world, believing that its revelation would bring chaos and destruction. They operate through a network of trusted intermediaries, never revealing their true identities to their clients.

Kahknot Armond, a brilliant and idealistic young alchemist, chafes against these restrictions. She dreams of a world where magic can be used openly to benefit all of humanity. Her grandfather, Lias Armond, the stern patriarch of the family, vehemently opposes her views, leading to months of heated arguments that threaten to tear the family apart. Unbeknownst to Kahknot, her cousin and best friend Nykivi has been secretly recording their arguments and sharing them with a mysterious figure known only as The Seeker. Nykivi believes she’s protecting the family by exposing Kahknot’s dangerous ideas, but she’s unwittingly set in motion a chain of events that will change everything.

Kahknot, frustrated by her family’s refusal to see reason, makes a fateful decision. Using a newly developed potion that temporarily nullifies magical detection, she sneaks into the family vault and steals the Armond Grimoire, an ancient tome containing their most powerful recipes. With this knowledge, she launches Armond’s Elixirs publicly, revealing the existence of magic to the world. The reaction is immediate and intense. Wonder and excitement sweep across the globe as people rush to experience the miraculous potions. However, fear and suspicion quickly follow. Religious leaders decry the elixirs as heretical abominations. Governments scramble to regulate this new and potentially destabilizing force. Criminal organizations see an opportunity for immense profit and power.

As chaos engulfs the world, Kahknot finds an unexpected ally in Dr. Ermelia Vance, a renowned scientist who sees the potential for combining magic and technology. Together, they begin working on a revolutionary project to create a sustainable, ethical system for distributing magical benefits to all of humanity.

The sinister apothecary known as The Seeker is revealed to be Kahknot’s long-lost twin brother, Xaphoyr, who was stolen as an infant and raised by a rival magical family. Consumed by jealousy and a twisted desire for power, Xaphoyr kidnaps Kahknot, intending to extract her knowledge and destroy the Armond family. Nykivi, wracked with guilt over her unwitting role in Kahknot’s predicament, embarks on a perilous quest to save her cousin. She must navigate a world turned upside down by the revelation of magic, facing hostile government agents, religious zealots, and rival magical factions.

During her journey, Nykivi discovers an ancient prophecy hidden within the family’s genealogy. It speaks of twin Armond heirs who will either bring about a golden age of magical harmony or plunge the world into eternal darkness. The prophecy’s fulfillment hinges on a choice that must be made at the moment of greatest peril. Nykivi races against time, gathering allies and unlocking her own latent magical abilities. She eventually confronts Xaphoyr in a spectacular magical duel atop a crumbling skyscraper. As the battle reaches its climax, Kahknot breaks free of her bonds and is faced with an impossible choice: save her brother or protect the Armond Grimoire from falling into the wrong hands.

In a moment of clarity, Kahknot chooses compassion over power. She reaches out to Xaphoyr offering him forgiveness and a chance to reunite their fractured family. This act of love fulfills the positive aspect of the prophecy, causing a surge of magical energy that heals the rift between the siblings and stabilizes the chaotic magical energies threatening to tear the world apart.

In the aftermath, the Armond family, now including Xaphoyr, works with world leaders and Dr. Vance to establish a new global order. Magic is carefully integrated into society, with the Armonds serving as teachers and guardians rather than secretive puppet masters. Kahknot and Nykivi, their bond stronger than ever, lead the charge in creating a magical education system that emphasizes responsibility and ethics alongside power. The story ends with a glimpse of the future: a world where magic and technology coexist harmoniously, and the Armond family stands proud as protectors of this new age of wonder and possibility.

Questions:

  1. Would you purchase and read this novel if you saw it in a bookstore?
  2. Would you read this novel if it were given to you as a gift?
  3. How do you feel after having read the synopsis?
  4. What is your overall opinion of the genre?
  5. Have you ever read a low fantasy novel before?

Drop me a comment down below! I would love to hear your opinion.