Witchy Eye

Witchy Eye Series, Book 1

De: D. J. Butler

Narrado por: Courtney Patterson

A brilliant Americana flintlock fantasy novel set in a world of Appalachian magic that works.

Sarah Calhoun is the 15-year-old daughter of the Elector Andrew Calhoun, one of Appalachee's military heroes and one of the electors who gets to decide who will next ascend as the Emperor of the New World. None of that matters to Sarah. She has a natural talent for hexing and one bad eye, and all she wants is to be left alone - especially by outsiders.

But Sarah's world gets turned on its head at the Nashville Tobacco Fair when a Yankee wizard-priest tries to kidnap her. Sarah fights back with the aid of a mysterious monk named Thalanes, who is one of the not-quite-human Firstborn, the Moundbuilders of the Ohio. It is Thalanes who reveals to Sarah a secret heritage she never dreamed could be hers.

Now on a desperate quest with Thalanes to claim this heritage, she is hunted by the Emperor's bodyguard of elite dragoons, as well as by darker things - shapeshifting Mockers and undead Lazars, and behind them a power more sinister still. If Sarah cannot claim her heritage, it may mean the end to her, her family - and to the world where she is just beginning to find her place.

©2017 D. J. Butler (P)2020 Tantor

Great Historical Fantasy

Much like Tolkien re-enchanted England with LoTR, Butler brings the diverse and rich heritage of America to us. Religion, mysticism, occultism and history become one in Witchy Eye and you won’t be able to stop reading once you orient yourself in this reimagined land of the free.

Fantastic narration and story

I’ve lived in Appalachia, and the narrator nailed the accents. The story is really interesting and flows well. I look forward to reading more.

Fantasy Alternate History

This is a very odd book.

It is an alternate history fantasy set in North America. I do not recall hearing a specific date, but from the internal clues, it must be early in the 19th century. (It does seem unlikely that even poor people would still be using matchlock muskets in the early 19th century, though.)

Specific diversions from history include Martin Luther reconciling with the Catholic church and forming an order of monks that seem to be a replacement for the Inquisition (probably removing the 30 Years War, but this is only inferred, not stated). England has become an explicitly pagan country, though there seems to have been some colonization effort by English-speaking Christian settlers. Oliver Cromwell was a necromancer, and his New Model Army was necromantically raised. (My sense is that the author really dislikes anything that opposed or threatened the Catholic church; the specific diversions from history villainize every group of that persuasion.)

Most of what would have been the US in 1820 (or so) is now ruled by an elected monarch, and the electors are not just English settlers, but also French, Dutch, German, Cahokian (the mound builders have been defeated but not eliminated), and perhaps some native nations. There is also mention of the Igbo, which would imply there is an organized society of black immigrants (whether voluntary or forced, though we see no explicit slavery).

The protagonist is Appalachian (at least by upbringing, this involves a major early plot point that I won't spoil) and she is being sought by major powers in the land. And there are definitely major magical powers in the land.

This is a coming of age-ish, chosen one fantasy with a unique premise, and it rather feels like I should love it. Unfortunately, I don't. The background, while unique, doesn't hang together very well. The government is a bit too unlikely for verisimilitude. And many of the characters are too close to caricatures to really engage me.

The narrator generally does a good job, but near the end of the book, we get an attempt at a Dutch accent (with some Dutch words), that really doesn't work well if you have any background with the language. Absent that, the narrator does an excellent job.

I think this book would be really entertaining for some audiences, but the series doesn't really work well for me. I will probably be stopping here, but I hope the real audience for this book finds it.

It was ok not one I would spend a credit on book 2

It was ok, I could not really get into the story until the end.

tonally odd but fun

this book is tonally odd but fun it takes real history skews it adds magic and beast men associated with the areas mentioned u enjoyed it a lot but it was hard to get past the odd tone