The Sorcery Code: Volume 1

A Fantasy Novel of Magic, Romance, Danger, and Intrigue

By: Dima Zales, Anna Zaires

Narrated by: Emily Durante

Length: 7 hrs and 32 mins

Publisher's summary

Once a respected member of the Sorcerer Council and now an outcast, Blaise has spent the last year of his life working on a special magical object. The goal is to allow anyone to do magic, not just the sorcerer elite. The outcome of his quest is unlike anything he could've ever imagined - because, instead of an object, he creates Her.

She is Gala, and she is anything but inanimate. Born in the Spell Realm, she is beautiful and highly intelligent - and nobody knows what she's capable of. She will do anything to experience the world...even leave the man she is beginning to fall for.

Augusta, a powerful sorceress and Blaise's former fiance, sees Blaise's deed as the ultimate hubris and Gala as an abomination that must be destroyed. In her quest to save the human race, Augusta will forge new alliances, becoming tangled in a web of intrigue that stretches further than any of them suspect. She may even have to turn to her new lover Barson, a ruthless warrior who might have an agenda of his own...

©2013 Dima Zales (P)2013 Dima Zales

Great Story

Who was your favorite character and why?

I really loved Gala's character. She is so open-minded and made of pure curiosity. I find her to be a nice mix of an innocent child and a sharp minded grown adult. I enjoyed the evolution of her character and all the adventures she has gone through.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The scene at the battlefield and especially the moment after the massacre. It was so strong that I could feel the rain on my skin and the scent of blood in my mind. And all of a sudden the moment when Gala healed everything - pure magic.

Any additional comments?

I enjoyed this audio book very much and cannot wait for the second part. Looks like I'm becoming a fan of the work of Dima Zales.

great read

Would you consider the audio edition of The Sorcery Code: Volume 1 to be better than the print version?

i read the book and very much enjoyed listening to the audio book as well on my way to and from work.

What did you like best about this story?

entertaining. suspenseful.

What does Emily Durante bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

i'm not sure but i listened to other audio books and she is definitely one of the better narrators.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

battle scene. dont want to give anything away though. breath taking. i literally forgot to breath.

Any additional comments?

i see so much potential in the books to come. this book set the ground works for a really great sequel.

Intriguing World, Underwhelming Characters

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

I know a couple of friends where The Sorcery Code would be their particular cup of tea, so yes, I would.

Would you be willing to try another book from Dima Zales and Anna Zaires ? Why or why not?

Sure, I'm willing to try another.

Did the narration match the pace of the story?

The narration remained in the same pace throughout the story, a good thing on some chapters, but not particularly stellar on the more fast-paced, action chapters. I would have preferred if the narrator picked up on the tone of the story and read at a pace with more brevity.

Do you think The Sorcery Code: Volume 1 needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

The story itself, while it does have its conclusions, doesn't completely tie loose ends. The character Gala, in particular, is still a learning character, and it could be interesting to see where the authors go with the plot.

Any additional comments?

Unfortunately, I was not at all endeared by any of the POV characters in the story--save Augusta. Barsun struck me as one-dimensional and single-minded, Gala can be categorized as a bonafide Mary Sue (absolutely perfect in every way), and Blaise has a typical Pygmalion complex (I mean, come on, the guy practically gets obsessive over something he CREATES). It did not help that the first 10 or so chapters were delivered like a history lesson, and this went throughout a good portion of the narration for the characters.

However, when the action gets going, it really does, and that is The Sorcery Code's saving grace. Had the story been of Blaise's brother, of his struggles to bring sorcery to the common people, of the development of the magical items that were so lovingly mentioned and portrayed in the books, it would have been more interesting. Instead, there seemed to be a fight between the romance and the political conflict (of the peasants versus the sorcerers), and while romance is welcome within any story, I felt it didn't add much to the importance of the plot (other than give Gala a humanizing trait, though admittedly, she could have easily gained this in her compassion to the people she'd seen in the village, and not through her lovelust towards her creator).

Overall, though, I liked the worldbuilding, and I liked that magic has been set up as some sort of science. There is a means to its end, and there is a vast--and often violent--history in its course. So kudos to that.

A Great New Look at Sorcery

The story is enchanting - the characters act like real people - the concept of how to perform sorcery is novel, intriguing, and delightful. I will soon start Volume 2 and expect to be delighted again.

Just Okay

Gala is a bit annoying during the sections I did listen to. The book details describe her as highly intelligent. This is true intellectually but when it comes to her reasoning skills when she’s trying to be human and gain human experiences although she’s supposedly read an entire library of books including fictional novels she has no common sense and refuses to listen to others that try to warn her against actions that may lead to trouble. This is more of a YA conundrum to me. Been there done that... I prefer books that involve female leads that have a bit more sense than this. I was unable to finish the book as the rest of the plot was insufficient to maintain my attention.

An enchanting tale...

This book tells the story of a world in which sorcerers act as the ruling class over the peasantry- which is something Blaise, master sorcerer and former prominent member of the Sorcerers’ council, strives to change. To make magic more accessible to one and all, Blaise immerses himself into finding a way of bringing magic to the people- only it doesn’t exactly take the form he expects- the result? The beautiful and perfectly formed Gala- an inquisitive and intelligent woman that becomes subject to Blaise’s infatuation from their very first dramatic and revealing meeting. It soon becomes very apparent that Blaise’s creation is capable of far more than he could ever have imagined.
Blaise is instantly bewitched by his creation and seeks to find out the level of her magical abilities, however releases her into the world under the watchful care of trusted friends Esther and Maya in order to prevent the powerful and inexperienced Gala from drawing too much attention to herself and wreaking havoc. However is Gala ready for the world? And is the world ready for Gala? Obviously not, for as soon as Augusta (Blaise’s ex fiancée) gathers info on Gala’s existence she seeks to eliminate the ‘creature’ with the help of Barson (her lover) and the Sorcerers’ Council. However a web of deceit and manipulation begins to form as everyone ruthlessly seeks their own ambitions and intentions whilst trying to capture the “creature”. Will Augusta succeed in getting rid of Gala and all of her mysterious charm and increasing power and influence? You have to read and find out.
From beginning to end this book is extremely intriguing and captivating. Gala’s character is mysterious and seductive, the combination of innocence and incredible power makes for a very interesting read. The interaction between the characters’ story lines are also very interesting and is written in a excellent way that conveys all the tensions and emotions between them. A very cleverly written book!

Fantasy Masterpiece

I love fantasy and this is a great book! The story is well written with great characters and the performance is great too! I highly recommend this book!

Held captive to the end

Would you consider the audio edition of The Sorcery Code: Volume 1 to be better than the print version?

I'm a big fan of print books but the audio version was very well done

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Sorcery Code: Volume 1?

The mystery of Gala’s origins is intriguing. Blaise is a likeable hero. Augusta seems to be the spoiled, jilted woman. She plays off well to Gala’s naivety and façade of innocence with a touch of petulance.

What does Emily Durante bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

While the characters may come off to some as one dimensional, they are really the embodiment of the classical character stereotype. They translate well on the page but the reading adds another dimension that I think is lost in print.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

The story sweeps you along from the very start. It was a great read and the ending only makes you want to grab the next book and fast.

Any additional comments?

The story is a simple one but well said. This isn’t the classic good versus evil battle. The message isn’t subtle but it’s well placed. This is really a story of class wars. Who has the privilege and who is resigned to the outer edges of polite society, the typical clash of the social classes. The overt story is one of science and magic.

The Sorcery Code is a Winner in My book.

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes, of course. See below!

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes!

Any additional comments?

The Sorcery Code by Dima Zales and Anna Zaires is a must read that needs to be added to your list for 2014. Emily Durante is an excellent narrator who is able to capture the right tone for the book by giving a unique inflection for each character that totally works. As a fan of fantasy and romance, the authors lured me in and kept my attention from chapter one.The characters step off the page, and lodge themselves fully in your mind as you get deeper into the book. The writing style adds to this as it keeps the reader’s attention by creating a high tension effect from alternating characters. Each chapter is from a different character’s viewpoint, which gives the book a cliffhanger feel at the end of every chapter where you want to get back to the events that were just revealed. It is the perfect way to get a reader addicted to wanting to know what is going to happen next to the characters as the story unfolds. This is a true page-turner that had me not wanting to hit pause for anything.The fantasy elements blend wonderfully with the story and do not take away from the plotline as some fantasies seem more interested in the world it is set in and lets the characters take a more secondary role. That is certainly not true for this story as you find you really connect with the characters. Each character’s purpose and reason for acting the way they do in the book is clear to see and adds to how the reader feels for them. You can feel for Augusta’s rage when she first confronts Blaise, and for Blaise’s growing feelings. Without giving away any spoilers, I’ll tell you this: I’m eagerly awaiting the next book in the series and checking out the other series by this author duo!

Immersive and very entertaining listening.

What made the experience of listening to The Sorcery Code: Volume 1 the most enjoyable?

The opportunity to get into every character and every story in the book. Every chapter made me imagine exactly each scenario in which the story unfolded. I closed my eyes and I could feel transporting me to very enchanted places. The words used also gave me a sense of being in another century. It was an involving storytelling.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Definitely my favorite character of the entire book was Gala. Her personality it was captivating, sensual, innocence but yet very intelligent and adventurous, the perfect personality for a woman. So much better personality than Augusta’s.

Which character – as performed by Emily Durante – was your favorite?

Gala again. She define throughout the book Gala’s voice very precise when she was unfolding in the scenes and it was going along all the time with her attitudes. I also liked Blaise personality. They were my favorite characters.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Of course I wanted to listen to this book in one sitting. Unfortunately my schedule didn’t let me listen to more than an hour per day but that had some pros at the end. I was able to be more intrigued and excited of what was going to happen in the next chapter.

Any additional comments?

It makes me feel like at the expectation for the sequel because I love fantasy-oriented and mythical stories such as Harry Potter or The Lord of the Rings and The Sorcery Code can compare to the big ones.