The White Tower: The Aldoran Chronicles, Book 1

THE WHITE TOWER is your first installment of a fantasy epic in the classic sense. Straight-forward, memorable characters, and headlong action that flows seamlessly with just enough plot twists that definitely kept my interest. There are enough surprises and inventive sequences to whet my impatient interest for the next volume.Quite impressed by the world Mr. Wisehart has created. The politics, culture, magic system, and background are well constructed and cohesive - well done.Supported by a bevy of solid characters, the world of Aldor feels natural and well-developed. Too many writers take these aspects for granted, and DO NOT take the time to develop the background and history - this is what separates the good writers from the wannabees. Mr. Wisehart has thoughtfully done his homework and given us a rich tapestry on which to enjoy the march of personalities you quickly get invested in.I’ll be upfront here - I was privileged to read the first beta version of this. The basic style then was solid. The rewrite took EVERYTHING to the next level. One of the questions he asked beta readers was - ‘Use 3 words to describe your impression’.My answer at the time? ‘Intriguing - character-driven - inventive’.Nothing’s changed for me - except the excitement of seeing the maturation of the finished product!My favorite character - Ferrin - has a wicked edge in his magical abilities. He has the potential to become an exceptional major character. Not just in The White Tower series - as a memorable character in the world of Classic Fantasy lore. Recently, Mr. Wisehart finished a ‘prequel’ story describing the events that landed Ferrin in the Tower where we find him in the novel. This story exposes one of Mr. Wisehart’s best talents - character development. I’m pumped. Mr. Wisehart had a few rough spots in the beta edition of The White Tower, but he smoothed those out exceptionally - the proof in the pudding that reveals the maturity in an author is when you get the beta for a follow up story/sequel - and find yourself at the end of it... with nothing to say except "Please, sir, may I have some more?" No edits required. THAT, my friends, is why the 5 Stars for this offering.This also gives me EXACTLY what I’d been waiting to hear - that the author is committed to the series and the characters in it. I'm a series junkie, and have no qualms admitting it in public. The White Tower delivers.As for the first installment here, the ending is a quintessential cliff hanger. Nicely timed and leaving us all wanting more. Don’t ever consider slowing down, Michael - you’ve got a winner here!For those of you who’ve been sitting the fence - hesitating to jump in - don’t let this one pass you by. Get in on the ground floor. Satisfaction isn’t easy to find. You’ll find it here.

When I read the first edition, I was decidedly less than impressed. Especially for a book with the awards backing this one, it had a lot of problems.I'm pleased to say that with the second edition release, this book is vastly improved!It still has a few problems, but with the changes and cuts made to the text the majority of my criticisms are gone, leaving this as an enjoyable story that doesn't take itself too seriously.As always, Tim Gerard Reynolds gives us an only slightly less than stellar audio performance. His voices are varied and distinct, his tempo shifts are impeccable, and his vocal inflections are 100% on point. My one critique is his oh-so-common problem of being unable to produce believable opposite-gender voices.Now, right off the bat we are introduced to Nialis, an aging wizard saving a child from a (presumably) horrific fate. These first few chapters are full of action and magic and battles and can't help but draw you in.Unfortunately, the next POV character we meet is 16 years later with no section break or other notification to tell us that. I think the Nialis chapters would be more accurately labeled as a prologue.Following is an introduction to numerous POV characters, and at times it does get tricky trying to keep them straight. Especially as we don't see the same character in a second chapter until about 4 hours into the audiobook.My major complaint about the POV switching from the first edition is still present: there are several (at least 5, by my count) characters who have just a single POV chapter and either aren't seen again or at the least don't get another POV chapter. And in my opinion, none of their chapters add anything vital to the story.Also, it's a little strange to see POV shifts being denoted by chapter breaks while still having consecutive chapters from the same character's POV. At a few points, there are a many as 3 or possibly 4 chapters without a POV shift.Secondarily, there is an issue with the various POVs feeling perhaps a bit too disparate. Yes, especially by the end, it's not too hard to see how these different stories interrelate, but earlier in the book those connection points are not so clear.That said, each character does feel distinct, with their own drives, goals, quirks, and mannerisms. Characterization is skillfully done, and I couldn't help caring for the fates of these characters.And blessedly, the over-emphasis on back story from the first edition was largely eliminated, allowing me to get to know these characters in the present of their stories without being bogged down by boring life stories.My favorite character, by leaps and bounds, is most definitely Ferrin. Just like in the prequel, Shackled, he has a fantastic sense of humor that I strongly identify with and I love the way his personality comes out throughout the story.The prose itself is quite good. Although there are still a number of cases of passive voice that felt unnecessary (and didn't add anything to the story), and a few POV violations (the author occasionally tells another character's thoughts or gives details the current POV character couldn't possibly know), in all other ways the writing is practically flawless.Without spoilers (particularly because I'm not 100% certain I'm right, I could be remembering incorrectly), there does seem to be a minor inconsistency regarding the nature of Kellen's father's magic.I've talked about this before, but I feel it bears repeating: I'm really not a fan of just one aspect of the magic system, that being the transferrals. I have major personal issues with magic being 99% reliant on an object. It might as well be that it isn't really the wielder who has magic, but rather the object (yes, that is addressed somewhat in the book, but it doesn't change how I feel about it).And yes, I have the same issue with the Harry Potter universe.In other regards, however, I love the magic system the author has created. My only real complaint, as other reviewers have noted, is that magic is supposed to be exceedingly rare, yet almost every character in the book is secretly a wielder.Now, the ending.Between the different storylines, there are several great twists and reversals. There are some awesome character moments, several cheer worthy victories and more than one heart-wrenching tragedy. It all comes together quite brilliantly.If the next book is as much of an improvement over this one as this edition was over the first, then Mr. Wisehart will have earned a lifelong fan.

This book is filled with great characters and adventure. Needless to say my imagination was stimulated by the writers creativity. Now I'm looking forward to starting book 2 of the series.

If you are looking for a read, in the fantasy genre, that doesn’t use vulgar language or incorporate descriptive physicality, this is it.The plot is great, the fight between good and evil is clear with characters well developed and believable.I found it to be refreshing and just plain entertaining. Looking forward to the rest of the series.

I have now read all nine books in this series from the first to the last and I enjoyed every moment of it. I couldn't put the books down, especially in the fighting parts. It has gripped me throughout each one and is cleverly written building the story through each book. I highly recommend these books if like me you enjoy science fantasy.

A great condition when I received it in a book box package.No damage at all.Thank you!!

All in the title.This is a fantastic book. Brilliant Adult Epic Fantasy. Keeps you turning pages, leaving you wanting more.I’ll be buying the next book straight away.Thankyou Micheal Wisehart!

Quite a few clichés in this book, but saved by the quality of the writing. I get the feeling that the story is well planned, looking forward to reading the rest of the series.