Court Wizard

Spellmonger, Book 8

By: Terry Mancour

Narrated by: John Lee

Length: 35 hrs and 56 mins

Publisher's summary

When Pentandra got married and took a new job, she knew it would be tough.

Ducal Court Wizard is supposed to be the cushiest of assignments for a mage, full of stipends, laboratories, and expense funds. But when you join the Orphan Duke’s expedition to reclaim, recapture, and restore his shattered realm to health, you have to expect things to be...less cushy.

With the south in full rebellion, the goblins stirring on the northern frontier, and the summer capital being run by a corrupt baron and a gang of thugs, things could be better. But those aren’t the worst of her problems: Pentandra is learning how to live with her new husband, Arborn, while the town is driven to distraction by an incarnate sex goddess who is organizing all of the whores, a mopey spellmonger, a nun addicted to gambling, a prude sent by the queen, undead skulking through the shadows, and a mysterious blind girl shows up in her office claiming to be her new apprentice!

It’s enough to drive any woman mad, but Pentandra is not just any woman...she’s the hope of the Alshari Wilderlands, the woman everyone knows as the Court Wizard!

©2018 Terry Mancour (P)2019 Podium Publishing

I get Depressed when Done

I think about writing a review after reading all of the Spellmonger series, but then move on. However, I have to at this point. Terry Mancour has to be the best author I have read, to date, in my life. He build believable worlds full of detail, both amazing and mundane, which allows his world to feel like an open sandbox instead of a linear shooter, if you get the reference. The story is compelling and the main character are not Mary Sues, have the time it looks like they are barely keeping up with the increasing darkness. Another awesome feature of this book series is watching the world build a magic society. Most stories have that in place at the beginning. This series start with a pale thin magic world that builds, grows, and deepens are the series continues due to the efforts and discoveries of the characters. Finally, one of the hardest things to find, for me, is decent empire building. I really enjoy watching an MC build a kingdom, world, etc.; this book not only has that happen in several books, but it allows you to watch different characters build there sections of the kingdom.

Side note, I don't think this book would flow as well with out the amazing talent of John Lee. He breaths life into the book.

To end this, like I stated in the heading, I get almost depressed when I finish one of the spellmonger series, because my other book in my queue, though great, never match in comparison to Terry's books. I usually take a day or two off of audible once I finish a book in his series. I honestly wish I could give this a 6 or 7 star vote across the board.

Terry Mancour needs to ask himself

Terry Mancour needs to ask himself if somethings are better off left out . I started this series on a spinoff ( the hawkmaiden) and thats a great way to expand on something without distracting too much from the main story . I like the world building don't get me wrong but I don't like needless filler . The world building to me comes second when I need to get more from the universe the main story takes place in . Id love seeing spin off books for penny and the apprentices. Even some of the spellmongers friends would be great too . But I expect to see that world building filler in spin off books not for the first 15 hours of a book . This is kind of 2 books in 1 and whoever told Terry its OK to do this well you are mistaken. The Penny world building part should be a separate book to be enjoyed later.

Pentandra!(Hope I spelled that right)

I'll admit at first I wasn't happy about going through Penny's perspective after the emotional ending the last book put me through. I just wanted more Min, but damn if this book didn't win me over. Fantastic

I loved pentandra's part, hated Ishi

great story, but Ishi's part almost made me stop, not because she is poorly written, but because she is near identical to my narcissistic ex, who nearly lead me to suicide. so it was like going through trauma again

Another great story

This was a different read and forked off to Pen and her trails, but the expert character building of Mancour and the favorite narrator Lee makes this a top on the list!

Start at Chapter 36

After reading the reviews, I decided to purchase this book, listen to the Prologue, and then skip until when the book lines up with end of the Enchanter. Even though I skipped most of the book, I don't feel like I missed too much. If you want to just get on with the plot, and not re-hash old territory albeit with a new perspective, start at Chapter 36.

Don’t skip this one.

I’ve seen a lot of people complaining or even saying they’ve skipped this book in the series. Don’t. It did start off slow. But by the end it’s just as good as any of them, and there are a lot of plot points you’ll miss.

awesome

I loved this book Can't wait for the next in the series it was great to see things from penny's point of view

John Lee is once again Bloody Brilliant!

Mancour is a skilled writer with a great facility for story telling. However it is John Lee whose versatility in portraying both masculine and feminine characters equally well despite his baritone voice that really makes this work in an audio Format. He is possibly better skilled in the art of narration that Stephan Rudnicki, and far superior to the very competent and skilled Scott Brick. Narration makes or breaks audiobooks. There are a ton of books I have read ( not hyperbole, my library weighs over 2000lb.) but few really good books are well narrated into audiobooks. This series so far is as magical as Sevendor itself.

Was okay

Was very repetitive with the last book but from a different perspective
Still good though