Dear Spellbook

Self-Published

Community Rating

Description

Volume 1 is now on Amazon and Audible!

Volume 2 is now on Amazon and Audible!

Volume 3 is now on Amazon and Audible!

Hello stranger, my name is Tal, and I’mnotan adventurer—those people are crazy. I’m just a sorcerer who is masquerading as a wizard. Oh, and I’m searching for answers about my parents’ mysterious deaths. Also monsters and other foes seem to show up wherever I go.…All right, I see it.My new traveling companionsareseasoned adventurers and are teaching me their ways—or at least they were before something happened to Time.The same day is repeating itself over and over, and I’m the only one aware of the resets. If I ever want to get past this day—and the horrific hangover it always starts with—I’ll need to find a way out by myself.It turns out there are mysteries aplenty to unravel in this remote forest town of Crossroads, where I’m living the same day over and over. But my most vital resource might already be in my possession. My previously useless Spellbook is starting to exhibit some very strange abilities, and they could be just what I need in my quest to escape this temporal prison.This is my story. My diary of sorts. Don’t judge too harshly, I had a rough day.

Information

Status: Ongoing
Year: 2022
Author: TK523

Royal Road Stats

Rating: 4.5/ 5.0
Followers: 1,848
Views: 223,158

Chapters(13 total)

Reviews

No reviews yet. Be the first to share your thoughts!

Community Reviews(10)

yggdrasil_dreamerRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
A sorcerer writing in a magical book recollections of his adventures with a group of quirky adventurers.
Then one day he finds himself in a time loop. The same day repeat itself again and again. Only him and his book keep their memories of previous iterations.
The journal mode this story is written in is a style that might not please everyone, but I like it. It helps that the grammar is really good, and the universe very well fleshed with a complex story about the creation of the world by the gods.
The others members of the adventurer group have only been superficially explored until now. Which is logical since the narrator has a lot of secrets to hyde. So he avoid being too close from other people. I hope that the time loop will help him to discover more about them.
I know this story is a rewrite, but I avoided looking at the first version. Even if there are more chapters, having read the beginning when it was first posted, I remember that it was quite different. I might take the time to read it again once this new version has reached the same size.
Give a chance to this story, you will be able to know after 5 or 10 chapters if it is for you :)
BearskinRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
This review is based on the whole of Book 1, being a loyal and faithful companion to Tal—not like that, a comrade in arms—he let me read that book he carrier around everywhere.
This story is not to my typical tastes but I enjoyed it, especially the parts I am in. There is action, but it is not the focus of the tale. Tal is smart and goes often goes down rabbit holes of explanations of magic, and history, which did not surprise me since he is always talking about those things in our travel
The book is written in Tal’s perspective as he recounts his adventures in his spellbook using the magically enhanced memory it grants to give him an accurate account of the events. I have not read a lot of books, Tal taught me to read, but this is definitely a unique take.
I could not give the story a 5, since I do not appear in all the chapters. You are not graced with my majestic presence for some time, and all the while Tal dangles my name before you, making you wonder. The other reason I have story a 4 and not a 5 is that I prefer more action-packed stories with content battle and conflict. This story is more slow-paced, and the conflicts are interspersed with studying and experiments, which I understand some people love but it is not my cup of tea. I think that is the expression, where I come from, we do not drink tea.
The gRammar is good, though I am not a good judge.
The characters in this story are fantastic. In the beginning, Tal writes mostly of Daulf and Trish, who I will admit are admirable warriors, even if their styles of combat differ from my own as much as their personalities do. Roland is fine, he is a valued companion in battle, but not one I wish to share my fire with. Tal seems to have a good understanding of himself as he journals in his book. He may call himself a scholar, or a wizard, or a sorcerer, or a “Theral” but he is a warrior at heart. I will make him a warrior in arms and legs someday if he keeps up his training. He is introspective and can see his fa
Combat LibrarianRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Dear Spellbook is a beautiful fantasy time loop with realistic and engaging characters, and a compelling narrative progression. The main character has believable flaws and strengths, and is not particularly enthusiastic about being stuck living the same day over and over again. Fortunately, he has his journal to keep him company. Excuse me, not a journal, a "spellbook." He has to keep up his disguise as a regular wizard after all. Otherwise, he runs the risk of getting caught up in all sorts of nasty "adventures," and what sensible person would want that?
Forgettable MinionRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
1/17/2022
I have previously read and reviewed the old version, this is the previous review with adjustments. Previous points still stand.
The story hooked me well enough with some humor in the earlier chapters. I may amend or add detail to the review as time progresses. I dislike time loops as a story concept, cardinal sin after Mother of Learning blew up I know, but I tried this story anyways and was not disappointed. Although I disliked Blessed Time, this story made me consider giving MoL another shot at some point in the future, even though initial chapters did not hook me. There's a decent amount of worldbuilding being done to distinguish the setting from a more generic medieval fantasy, which is always a plus. The eponymous (correct use of the word?) spellbook and the way our MC utilizes it keeps the story interesting as well. Even some of the functions which seem remarkably mundane to us readers really help Tal in the loops. The amount of exposition on both the magic system and the world's history are just about right, we're not left in the dark but not bombarded with info either.
Character and Story:
The main character fits a heroic mold done well. In spite of him being the only character in focus for the most part, the author manages to make the events surrounding him interesting enough to keep me engaged. Although the MC is in a tricky situation, there is always some humor injected in to balance out the drama. Fortunately humor and musings of the main character do not obstruct the author from keeping the plot moving along, some popular RR authors can't or deliberately choose not to...
MCs party members seem to fit very established archetypes and the personalities associated with them, but that is not always a bad thing. People might critique this, but we will see how it goes. I'm fine with it so far.
Style:
The diary entries and first person narration really work in this case. I love the worldbuilding done in the interludes. When I read progression fantasy,
toracRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
I previously read part of the original, and I’m now very much enjoying the rewrite.
As of Chapter 13 [Update: Chapter 25], this feels like a really solid, high-quality foundation for a story. The narrative is written as the slightly rambling diary entries of a young wizard-sorcerer. Despite that, nothing feels like filler. Every chapter feels like it is in service of the greater narrative. It always tells something new about the characters, the world, the plot…
The diary style is not only very well suited to the episodic nature of a serial webnovel, it also integrates with the story itself. In-universe, the act of writing itself has importance and can advance the plot, due to book’s special nature. Likewise, it flavours the whole narration in the main character’s voice. This neatly avoids the dryness of a more neutral perspective.
Of course, this only works if you can write in a voice. Luckily, everything is competently written, which incldes the grammar, the style, and the characters. The characters are different from another and all of them seem to have a certain depth. We have not learned a lot about some of them, but their personalities shine through every time they appear.
Lastly, the story itself. It feels a bit generic, so far. Intentionally and fully aware of it, but still. The MC has a mysterious (and tragic) backstroy. His parents might have been more than they seemed. There are mysterious robed enemies. He is part of a generic adventuring troupe, including a typical good-guy paladin, a trickster rogue, a weird ranger, and a (currently missing) barbarian. Now the MC must use his magical mcguffin (the book) to solve the mysterious time-loop they are trapped in…
If it was less well written, this would be a forgettable novel. However, it is written well, and enough nuance is added to all the generic elements, that I can recommend checking it out.
whydoIneedthisRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Really enjoyed this book. Its like like mother of learning, but different in many ways. The protaganist is nice, and found myself really enjoy their character and its progression. Likewise, the rationalisation of a lot of decisions throughout the book really made you emphathise with them. I am really excited to see where this goes next. The lore sections sprinkled throughout give the book a lot of contextualisation and make it more interesting.
Aaron Sofaer (aka Pastafarian)Royal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
I love this story.
Grammar, syntax, sentence structure, flow, etc, all the technical qualities of writing are present in spades. Not much to say about that.
The style is remarkably good. I say remarkably because I was kind of skeptical, initially; it's a journal story and a single-day timeloop, it's exactly the kind of in medias res that I'm least interested in (where you jump back for context). Doesn't matter, the style and prose are sufficiently good that it sucked me in and has me seriously interested.
I could be more interested in the characters. I like them, don't get me wrong; but we see so little of the other characters, due not only to the perspective of the character and the narrative device that structures the writing but also due to the amount of backstory and worldbuilding that the story has to do.
And here's the thing: Dear Spellbook does a fantastic job at that. It starts narrow, but with clear hooks for mysteries and problems. It then largely avoids touching on those hooks directly but spirals outwards in a sort of fractal of "here are interesting things about the world", and only after several chapters of largely adding questions does it come back around to really start answering them.
It's in medias res done exactly right, and I'm digging it.
Jack0fheartRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
In Dear Spellbook, Tal, who is not an adventurer, is forced to embark on a dangerous journey to find answers about his parents' murder. With the help of some seasoned warriors and his meagre magical abilities, he faces a new challenge of conquering the journey alone after waking up back in his bed... the night before.
Overall score 5/5: This is an enchanting and imaginative story that captivates readers with its unique and intricate world-building and captivating characters. This story blends action, adventure, and psychological elements seamlessly, creating a compelling read that leaves readers eagerly anticipating the next installment.
Style score 5/5: The writing style is engaging and immersive, pulling the reader into the world of magic and adventure. The author's use of descriptive language paints vivid images in the reader's mind, making the world feel alive and real. The pacing of the story is well-balanced, with enough action and intrigue to keep the reader hooked.
Story score 5/5: The story is rich with detail and depth, taking readers on a thrilling journey of discovery and adventure. The protagonist, Tal, is a fascinating character with a unique perspective on the world around them, and the mysteries and revelations uncovered throughout the story keep the reader on their toes.
Grammar score 5/5: The grammar is top-notch, with clear and concise writing that flows smoothly and without any errors. This makes for an enjoyable and easy reading experience that allows the reader to fully immerse themselves in the story.
Character score 5/5: The characters are well-developed and multi-dimensional, each with their own unique personalities and motivations. Tal is a likeable and compelling main character character. The supporting characters are also well-developed, with their own quirks and flaws that make them feel real and relatable.
In conclusion, Dear Spellbook is an immersive and captivating reading experience. I highly recommend this story to anyone wanting to
MetahariRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
I like the world building, and the characters and ahhh just finished book 1 and have so many questions (in a good way) .
Does Tal have a blessing?
Will our knight ever get another horse companion?
Just what is Spellbook hiding, anyway. ;)
I can't wait to learn what the heck is going on, keep up the great work .
PelhamdsRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
This is only a basic review for the moment.
Very enjoyable to read with a nice amount of details, worldbuilding and character depth. The reset mechanic is interesting, though as of reading not explained fully. With lots of further depth for expansion on what has been shown so far with the main character and the spellbook.
Would reccomend to read if you are interested in magic systems, details and decent characters.