The Master Arcanist

Self-Published

Community Rating

Description

An evil empire has conquered the North! Villages are burned, innocents are enslaved and darkness is spreading across the land.Who cares?Not Charlot the Archmage. Secluded in his Crimson Citadel, the cantankerous old arcanist has spurned the world for a hermit’s life of tinkering with magical artifacts and reading dusty old tomes. Yet the world has not forgotten him. When a brazen young thief comes begging to learn magic, Charlot cannot resist the call to sally forth for one final adventure.

Information

Status: Hiatus
Year: 2024
Author: Zakzyz

Royal Road Stats

Rating: 4.5/ 5.0
Followers: 191
Views: 41,489

Chapters(43 total)

Reviews

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

Community Reviews(9)

900Royal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
The story that takes place in the world that the archmage charlot lives in has many levels to it, with rich characters and details that most would never think to add. A world you most explore to hear it's history and where magic can sometimes have a life of it's own. Like painting a vivid picture one stroke at a time the author shows us the story from the aged eyes of one of the best wizards on royal road. To really appreciate the story you must read it yourself and learn how magic should be writing.
ImJustAnotherRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
It is so refreshing to read a story from the perspective of someone like Charlot, a powerful, grumpy, aching archmage, rather than the usual naive 15-year-old protagonist. The dynamic between him, the 'tame' silverpaw Korak, and his reluctant apprentices is absolute gold. You have built a world that feels very real and grounded, and the magic actually feels earned. It breaks my heart to see the story stop just as he was getting started with training the children and confronting the rival wizard Ytrios.
This story has so much soul and wit. I am craving to see how Charlot’s legacy plays out (and if he ever fixes his eyesight). Please, if you ever find the time or inspiration, know that there are readers eagerly waiting to return to the Arc. This is a gem that deserves a finish!
Moonlit DragonRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Forenote: for those worried about the time since last update, what is currently uploaded serves as a book in and of itself and I would reccomend reading it anyway.
The author has also mentioned he hasnt dropped the book etc but is writing some of his other books so thats why this one isnt updating.
Review:
Overall I really reccomend you give this book a read, it offers a really interesting fresh take into fantasy from a mc far outside the norm. You can tell how much effort and thought went into writing this book.
Style: The author is well expierenced and has a good writing style which really draws you in, especially considering how intricaite the world is and how much though went into it.
Story: The mc differing from the norms and being a wisened old archmage provided a really unique opportunity for a story, which the author has not put to waste. It is at all times compelling and has a very good overarching narrative with a well set out adventure, goals, enemies and foreshadowing etc.
Grammar: Writer is a established writer who has written many other books, obviouslly no issues here.
Character: The mc is a really interesting character, and seeing things from his view gives us insights we wouldnt normally have. The surrounding characters are all peak to, having unique personalities, well thought out and structured reasoning goals and actions. None of them fall flat or feel 2d. They all tend to contribute quite nicely to the narrative.
Ps: anyone complaining about the author using old or uncommon words will be fed to the Kraken.
NarraRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Loved the story. Grounded and realistic, while also not oppressive and gloomy. Perfectly captures whimsiness of magic while not discounting it's power and consequences. There are many light hearted moments, funny moments and serious and grave moments as well. Fully captures all aspects of human experience.
MC is non standard and follows a grumpy old man with big ego. Very likeable character. And side characters also have great depth to them.
Also features animal characters, which I usually dislike because in other media they are represented basically as humans in different form or as comic relief. But here they were done extremely well. They have personality while also being distinctly not human.
The worldbuilding was top notch. Saw a lot of unique or underrepresented concepts. Author is very creative. And also a professional writer, so the quality is top notch.
Author is great at revealing just enough about the world to make you interested, but leaving enough mystery to keep you that way.
Overall story is not finished, but the current story arc is finished at a satisfying place. It is not abandoned, but apparently just taking a while.
As a fan of well crafted realistic fantasy stories and creative worldbuilding this gets a big thumbs up from me. Can't wait for more.
The OxRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
The Master Arcanist is fundamentally about the character of Charlot the Archmage. An ancient and supremely powerful wizard who's facing the downward decline as his body succumbs to inevitable mortality. Wizards live long, but not forever.
As we meet Charlot, he has just fundamentally admitted to himself that he is old and no longer what he once was. The book appears to be primarily about an ancient and powerful old man, confronting his own demise. Sometimes with defiance, sometimes tired acceptance, but always with the unique perspective of a man who has been almost everywhere, seen almost everything, including planes and dimensions both sacred and unholy, eldritch and profound.
We also see him confront his past, and his regrets. Admit that he may not be able to achieve all the things he'd hoped to, including getting the vengeance which had driven him to become a mage to make possible in the first place. He's grown old, and tired, and distracted. So many of his hopes set aside for a moment, never to be picked up again.
He's also achieved that childish, petulant selfishness that only an old man of a certain age and personality can sink to. No toddler without his binky can throw such tantrums as Charlot, the ancient sage. He's also not a nice person. His hands are soaked in blood, and he's proud of it. Not all of his actions were remotely honorable or moral, or even close. He cheerfully sets up wards around his home that slaughter every being that crosses them, from insect to bird to man. Charlot doesn't care. Best not let your children play near Charlot's tower, they'll be puddles of ooze in no time, and Charlot wouldn't bat an eye. He's a grouchy cantankerous old bastard and he's as safe to be around as an uncontained reactor core.
What a magnificent character Zakzyz has created. There's not a lot to criticize about this story so far. But I'll do it anyway.
The author has a tendency to indulge in florid prose from time to time, with an especial affect
Vulgyas101Royal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Charlot the wizard's is a testament to the power of wisdom and perseverance. From his early days as a humble orphan to his rise as a revered figure in the magical world, Charlot’s journey is nothing short of extraordinary. His ultimate achievements in arcane knowledge and his dedication to mentoring younger wizards reflect a lifetime devoted to the craft. His legacy, filled with legendary spells and profound insights, continues to inspire and guide those who seek to delve into the mysteries of magic. Charlot’s life embodies the essence of true mastery and enduring influence.
Anyway love the story it's kinda comedic at times
fizzgiggRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Suspect author is actually a master arcanist who lives in a tower surrounded by a moat that is filled with all manner of dangerous creature, it was so well-written.
The story is an intimate glimpse at the interests and demons, both personal and professional, of an elderly wizard who is finally having to face the spectre of a huge magical problem and his own increasingly likely demise.
Giving it a go as I have ordered a couple of this author's books and found them engrossing and unique sci-fi and fantasy stories. Will update once story completed.
giant_snarkRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
It's rare for a wizard story to grapple so seriously with the toll that centuries of struggle and tragedy would take. This ancient wizard still has a growth arc ahead of him in becoming the sort of person he really wants to be and reclaiming his shattered dreams. Beneath his paranoia and cold pragmatism is a better man and wizard longing to be free. I'm rooting for him!
The world of the story feels more alive and real and old than almost any other I've read. Tolkien is the closest comparison I can make, and I mean that in the best way. Thank you for writing this story, and I'm looking forward to it's completion!
rejndzer87Royal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
This is not a high-school kid who discovered magic 3 minutes ago and is already bitch-slaping gods into submission. The numbers do NOT go brrrrrrr
The MC is one of the old, powerful monsters. But, unlike pretty much all such characters you can find here, he is not a simple caricature in yet another dog-eats-dog cultivation universe where everyone is scheming and without a shred of compassion.
This is instead a true fantasy setting, and an expertly crafted one at that. And probably the best thing about that world building is the way it is presented: the MC is a true wizard, with all the burning, insatiable curiosity, and a depth of knowledge that that word should imply.
But ultimately, this is not a story of what awesome or insane battles and accomplishments this wizars gets involved in. it is not a power trip. This instead explores what such power, wielded over such a long lifespan, in a world that actually feels alive, will do to a man. And there are no cheap cop-outs - no system skills or secret techniques or divine origins that contrive to protect the MC from feeling all the grief, heartache, pain and bone-deep exhaustion such a life must cause. The MC remains fully human, with all that it entails, down to pangs of regret over bygone loves, shyness over a woman, and achy bones and failing eyes of old age. The author takes great pain to deal with all this with great sensitivity and realism. All of the developed characters receive obvious care and attention, and there aren't any 2D cardboard cutouts that I could notice.
The pacing is very relaxed, and the true challenges aren't really the enemies that the MC encounters, but his own character, his flaws, and the impedance of old age and routines against growth and change. The main question and tension is if an old dog will dare to dream of learning some new tricks, and if a weary heart will find the courage to reach out again.
It is a lovely story, and has my full recommendation.