Book picks similar to
The Gift of Magic by P.J. Sobol
fantasy
i-think-ive-read
magic
urban-fantasy
Shadow at College
Jan Stryvant - 2020
This short story is the beginning of Shadow's. It tells of the events that lead Sean to meeting his mentor, the man who trained Sean to be a better fighter and gave him a rigid code and set of ethics to live by. Who taught Sean that the gift he had been given was meant to be used. Whose teachings brought Sean a sense of peace and acceptance, being the first person to whom Sean had ever told the truth about him and his past. This short story takes place before Sean became Shadow, back when he was known more simply as 'The Jersey Devil', a mysterious killer who left no clues and was never caught. Warning: While there is no sex in this story, there is a fair amount of violence and what some may find to be troubling ethics.
The Fire In My Eyes
Christopher Nelson - 2014
When Kevin Parker heads to an elite institution in upstate New York, he learns more than he had bargained for. As he falls into the midst of paranormal competition and conspiracy, he has to balance his new found powers with his personal life.
First Sight
Boyd Craven - 2017
I’ve been on the run from the Council of Mages for as long as I can remember. You’d have to ask the Council why, because I have a long memory and don’t know what I or my parents did wrong. I had everything figured out at one point. Then, I broke one of my own rules. I had drinks and there was this woman – my main rule is no women, connections and entanglements – it makes for a lonely existence. Now I’m running for my life from the world’s foremost assassin. He is thought to be immortal, which would make killing him a little tougher than I’d hoped. My nomadic existence has led me to my becoming a prepper. A mage prepper. I can inscribe runes into ordinary objects to give them extraordinary power. I can also see up to five seconds into the future, which comes in handy when you challenge a young rogue alpha werewolf. That scrape was worth it. Not only was I granted my own accorded pack territory, but rescuing that fairy from the Alpha earned me one of my closest friends. When she’s not spewing pop culture references, there are glitter bombs and snark. Another close friend is the Sheriff, and just thinking about her has me wanting to break my own rules. Topping my “to do” list, though, are divining the future to stay alive and solving my parents’ murder. Maybe some payback, though the chips are stacked against me.
The Becoming
William D. Latoria - 2012
At sixteen-years-old, he knows only rudimentary spells, mostly for performing work, none of the power he seeks. He seeks more power and responsibility from his mentor and renowned magician Isidor. Follow along the beginning of Tartum’s incredible journey as he discovers his fate.
Microbrewer Alchemist
Jon Svenson - 2021
After his parents died in a horrific car crash, he uses the inheritance money to start a brewery and gets married.Happiness doesn't last very long. The brewery is struggling, and his marriage is rocky. Still, he has his team at work supporting him. Until he doesn't.Microbrewer Alchemist is the story of a man who stumbles upon a secret that he is still trying to understand while turning his life around at the same time. There are no intimate scenes or harems, but there is a bit of swearing.
Sages Of The Underpass
Aaron Michael Ritchey - 2019
Thanks to his damaged core and crazy family, he never stood a chance anyway. With money, fame, and untold power on the line, the corporations decide who wins. End of story.But when a mysterious group, calling themselves the Sages of the Underpass, threaten to upend the entire system with their unorthodox training and cultivation methods, Niko soon learns that what was once a handicap might be his greatest asset. The only thing standing in his way is a bitter, hard-hearted veteran, who would like nothing more than to see Niko stay in his place. Right at the bottom.Rocky meets Dragon Ball Z in this underdog redemption story from Dragon Award Finalist Aaron Michael Ritchey. Sages of the Underpass is an epic blend of Urban Fantasy, Cultivation, and Magical MMA that captures the passion, the power, and the perseverance it takes to follow your dreams—no matter what kind of artist you are.
Branded
Rob Cornell - 2016
With control over the elements, he can burn through bounties almost as fast as the Ministry can issue them—much to the chagrin of the Motor City’s other hunters. But after a group of vampires taints him with their blood in an effort to turn him, collecting bounties is the least of his worries. News of Sebastian’s vampire infection spreads through the city like Hellfire. Now he has a contract on his own head, and his rivals see an opportunity to take out their biggest competition. He can expend magical energy to keep the infection from blazing through him, but fending off constant attacks at the same time requires more power than even he can muster. Weakening daily and hunted wherever he goes, Sebastian scrambles to find a cure—before this fight for his life leaves him undead.
Message Bearer
M.S. Dobing - 2015
I can see it. You are Latent.’ For reasons unknown, Seb is constantly drawn to random places without meaning, following an instinct he doesn't understand. One night that instinct lands him in trouble when he encounters Sarah, a young woman hunted by a fiend that can only be described as the stuff of nightmares. Against his better judgement Seb attempts to intervene, only to nearly get himself killed in the process. Before she passes, Sarah transfers something to him, an arcane knowledge that gets buried deep into his subconscious. Rescued by the Brotherhood warrior Cade, Seb's life takes on an unexpected turn when he is told he is a Latent, able to manipulate the very energies of reality to his own devices. He is brought into a world within our own where the Magistry and its allies engage with the demonic Sheol in a timeless conflict that has traversed entire universes. A world where he, and he alone, carries the message that could change the course of the conflict forever.
Initiate
Jon Auerbach - 2018
[Author's note: If you're visiting this page looking for Guild of Tokens, entered in SPFBO5, go here instead: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4...Initiate was released last year and only contains the first section of the book.]
Crystal Beach
Tom Larcombe - 2014
So he's making it up as he goes along. An old flame has contacted him looking for a place to go. She teaches at the only school for wizards on the continent and took responsibility for several of the students when the school was evacuated. The country is falling apart, the Board's still punishing him for actions taken in his teens, and now they're showing a renewed unhealthy interest in him. Michael needs to be able to offer a safe haven to Rynn and the students, but he can't bring himself to ignore the problems of those around him, either. There are always more things to do than time to do them in and, of course, a man with a gun can pose a serious problem, even to a wizard.
Shade of Honor
Taki Drake - 2017
Survival was a constant battle for the Russian Witches. Despised by other witches for their rigid focus on contracts, they were without a moral compass, honorless. That was not good enough for some. For the young witch, Zhanna, life was not worth living without honor – or her magic. Could she find both in her homeland? Would her desire and drive be enough to locate her shade of honor?
Healer's Ruin
Chris O'Mara - 2015
As the Ten Plains King lays siege to the mysterious kingdom of the Riln, the Healer realises that if he is to survive, he has to think and fight like a soldier. But Chalos isn't a soldier. He doesn't even own a sword. To make matters worse, the famed Wielder of Aphazail, a mage of extraordinary power, has come to the aid of the Riln... and is slaughtering the invaders in droves. Empires clash, gods walk, kingdoms tremble and sorcery carves a bright and blazing path across an ancient and mysterious land... a path that leads to HEALER'S RUIN.
Clearwater Witches Box Set, Books 1-3: Crystal Magic, Wild Magic, & Circle Magic
Madeline Freeman - 2015
(Approximately 250,000 words.) Books Included:1. Crystal Magic2. Wild Magic3. Circle MagicCrystal MagicWhen tragedy forces Kristyl Barnette to move to the small town of Clearwater with her estranged aunt Jodi, Kristyl tries to leave her past behind. She catches the attention of Owen Marsh, who accepts her without question and who may be able to understand her better than anyone.But Owen isn't the only one who notices her. The mysteriously alluring Fox Holloway draws Kristyl's eye whenever he's around. And Clearwater High's chief mean-girl, Crystal Jamison, has her sights set on Kristyl and will stop at nothing to prove what Kristyl really is.A witch.Magic can be as dangerous as fire, and Aunt Jodi wants Kristyl to have nothing to do with it. But when a mysterious illness threatens her aunt's life, Kristyl will do anything to cure her. Enlisting the help of witches could save Jodi, but is dealing in magic worth the consequences?Wild MagicKristyl Barnette's life was finally coming together. But one spell changed everything.When people begin dying mysteriously, Kristyl must form new alliances with old friends in order to prevent more deaths--and to save the circle from destruction.Power comes at a price. Will Kristyl be able to pay it before it's too late?Circle MagicIt's only a matter of time before everything Krissa Barnette knows and loves is destroyed.Her father, absent for five years, returns to reveal the reason he left was to learn how to defeat a dangerous foe. His mysterious companion, Anya, possesses a wealth of knowledge about the fight but conceals many secrets.But Krissa has secrets, too, including the reason why she and Owen Marsh have a connection. And it's difficult to keep the truth from Fox Holloway now that the three of them are linked by a binding ritual.It's a race against time to enact the spell that will rid the world of Seth once and for all, but with threats coming from all angles, will Krissa and her friends succeed?
Occult Assassin: Dark Missions
William Massa - 2019
Two men, united by tragedy, with one goal - to keep the world save from black magic occult threats. Their chilling missions will take them across the globe and pit them against apocalyptic cults, cursed relics and supernatural terrorists bent on world destruction. The box set omnibus edition includes the first three books plus a bonus novella. Experience a series that readers are describing as a perfect mix of action-adventure and paranormal horror. DAMNATION CODE (BOOK 1) After a decade spent fighting the enemy abroad and keeping his country safe, Delta Force Operator Mark Talon is ready to settle down with the love of his life. But Talon's world crumbles when his fiancée becomes the victim of a murderous cult. The military man now has a new foe in his crosshairs, and this promises to be a very different war. The person responsible for his beloved's death is a Silicon Valley tycoon allied with the forces of darkness. Fusing cutting-edge computer technology with an ancient evil, the enemy here cannot be stopped by bullets alone. If Talon is to be victorious in his mission of vengeance, he will need to master a new method of warfare -- the arcane arts! He must become... the Occult Assassin. APOCALYPSE SOLDIER (BOOK 2) At age 15, Nicole Robertson was possessed by a demonic entity. She survived this ordeal, thanks to a successful exorcism. Now, 8 years later, Nicole is still haunted by the memory of the demon. But the nightmare isn't over. She is about to become the target of an apocalyptic cult led by a former elite soldier with a chilling plan for her future. Only one man can save Nicole from a fate worse than death. Only one man stands between her and the apocalypse. His name is Mark Talon. And he is about to go up against his most dangerous enemy yet. < ICE SHADOWS (Book 3) Talon heads to Norway to stop a Black Metal musician who plans on using an ancient Norse ritual to trigger a frozen cataclysm. PRAISE FOR THE SERIES: "James Bond meets the Punisher versus the forces of darkness."
-- Amazon reviewer.
"Occult Assassin moves like a bullet exploding from Talon's 9mm Glock."
-- Nicholas Sansbury Smith, best-selling author of EXTINCTION HORIZON/ORBS.
"Good mix of the supernatural and action/thriller."
-- Mark Lukens, best-selling author of ANCIENT ENEMY.
Sarah's Inheritance
Katherine Kim - 2018
Sarah’s Inheritance is the first book in the Spirits of Los Gatos series. If you like Andre Norten and Jaymim Eve, you’ll enjoy this tale of one woman finding out what she actually wants from life. Buy Sarah’s Inheritance now and see what secrets Los Gatos is hiding. Special discounted price during launch, price will rise on 2/4!