A. Christopher Drown

The Gods must clearly smile is a very well constructed anthology : Fourteen short stories embark the readers into close and distant time and space adventures and a captivating journey through wishes and nightmares, love and murder, war and magic, and the occasional dalliance with destin.

I was impressed by how deep the stories are. Aaron Christopher Drown knows how to construct a very particular atmosphere, slowly increasing the experience until the final word . All stories begin the same way : it is a normal day, the characters are happy, or unhappy about something, but really nothing strange at first sight. And then boom ! The climax changes as a new unexpected element is introduced to the narrative.

Of course, there are favorites among these fourteen short stories, but I found all of them interesting in one way or another. Aaron Christopher Drown plays beautifully with words, visiting Fantasy and Science Fiction universes. It is definitely a very pleasant reading experience, whether you are, or not, a fan of short story collections.… (altro)

Set in a world of magic and mystery, Christpher Drown’s A Mage Of None Magic is a tale of powerful deeds and misdeeds built onto a well-timed and well-told creation mythology. Two threads intertwine in this story, one of apprentice Neil seeking to save the world, and the other of a mythically powerful Uhniethl bent destroying it in the past. But good and evil are no simple concepts in this novel, and the characters aren’t simple either, as the author reveals with perfectly timed surprises.

A Mage of None Magic is a long story, complete enough in itself but clearly the beginning of more. The world-building has a nice blend of natural and fantastic, allowing the reader to see through its characters’ eyes. And the myth-building is pleasingly intriguing. I’d certainly love to read more.

Disclosure: I was given an ecopy and I offer my honest review.… (altro)