When apprentice Tad opted to undertake his apprenticeship at the great house of Harrold and Harrold he never expected the mundane and tiresome work; much less being granted the embarrassing nickname “Tadpole” by his colleagues. But everything changes when Jack Harrold, the late Jonathan Harrold’s son, and nephew to his brother Joseph Harrold, enlists him for a vital job; to save their dying house in the wake of modern, big-name firms. After trying to solve the mystery of their client’s request to fix their spell demon, it becomes clear that something is afoot. Something sinister is attacking the house of Harrold. Can Tad, Jack, his cousin Daphne, and the other spellbinders work together to solve the mystery?

Open Sorcery is a creative and sharp fantasy novel steeped in an intriguing world where magic is the norm, and even glamorous, and spells are the name of the game. We follow apprentice Tad’s journey as he is forced to team up with Jack Harrold to complete a job that may very well save the house of Harrold and Harrold. Though not all is what it seems, and there is more to this job than meets the eye. Imminent danger threatens the brave spellbinders and their livelihoods.

I was enthralled with the enchanting and rich world that author Rob Sheely has created. It feels like a mix of Luke Arnold’s The Last Smile in Sunder City and Jim Butcher’s Harry Dresden series. This is a world that I can see being explored further in future novels as I felt like we are only scratching the surface of the world’s lore in this book.

Tad was a likable and adorable character with an awkward personality that will make you smile while simultaneously impressing you with his intelligence and tenacity. I liked the romance between him and Daphne Harrold, who is a smart and assertive character that you can’t help but respect. The rest of the characters were just as compelling and fleshed out with their own unique strengths and weaknesses. This is most evident with Jack Harrold, an ambitious and reckless young man that is eager to prove himself worthy of the Harrold name. I particularly enjoyed reading about the Harrold brothers and how the guild came to be.

While I would have enjoyed a speedier pace I think that the story is entertaining from start to finish. Fans of fantasy mystery novels will revel in Open Sorcery‘s magical world and the fascinating details of the magical elements.

Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2022/11/21/open-sorcery/