Book Review: Andrew Auseon – Spellbinders: The Not-So-Chosen One
A middle-grade fantasy novel by Andrew Auseon focused on a young creative named Ben who finds himself in a world filled with adventure, mystery, danger, and everything else he thought he wanted from life. As he meets new friends and allies, while also facing new fears and challenges, he learns there is a lot more to being a hero than role-playing.
This is my first book and intro to Andrew Auseon. The cover caught my eye in a local bookstore and the blurb on the back of the book had my attention. While there were things in the story that may not have been my cup of tea, this was a fun, playful, and good read.
Plot
The plot of Spellbinders: The Not-So-Chosen One is whimsical and unique. There were many parts of the plot that I could relate to as a creative individual, especially if I read this when I was younger. Andrew Auseon was able to capture a good amount of what it feels like handling change, new places, and old friends. He has a clear grasp of role-playing, gaming, and the imaginations of young readers. The plot was refreshing and yet familiar. Blending our wants of D&D and escapism into a middle-grade book.
Characters
- While of course the book was revolved around the main character, I don’t think he was my favorite part. It’s not that he was an annoying character, in fact, I think he had some great and real feeling characteristics. However, I found him a bit unbalanced as a character from chapter to chapter.
- The secondary characters in the book were excellent! I would love to see more of these characters in future stories. They were diverse, and fun, and helped fill out the story to feel more like an adventuring party.
- There were a good amount of antagonists in the story. Everything from your classically silly D&D bad guy (not a bad type of silly) to your main character getting in his own way. I believe the antagonists were well enough written to do what they needed to do. However, I personally felt the antagonists were written a little short and could have had a little more life brought to them.
World-Building
Something I really liked was how I could tell the author had a great time building this world. It seemed like he would think of an idea, and then ask himself how to make it just a bit more goofy, and I really appreciated this. It resonated with me and how I play tabletop games. The main component of the world and how the author built it allows him to really create anything and everything his imagination could ever want, which means the readers could be in for a wild ride throughout the series.
Prose
The writing throughout the book was pretty solid. There wasn’t much I was ever confused about as he was able to convey his scenes and actions pretty clearly. You never really felt bored in the story, or lost in the details. The speed of the story was mostly consistent throughout the entire book. However, I will say the final act felt like it went quicker than some of the action scenes in the earlier parts of the book, and I would have liked the end to be more of a challenge. It also left some things unanswered that I hope will be covered in the second book.
Other Items To Note
My biggest concerns about the book were some inconsistencies around details.
- There were some noticeable editing errors when it came to the description of items. An item would be described as looking one way, and then being completely different in the next paragraph. Along with some spacing/formatting errors that I feel would have been hard to miss with a proofread.
- There was also a bit of inconstancy in the world itself and its inner workings. This one isn’t as much of a concern, but I think they could have been addressed a bit more with another edit.
Now, I know EVERY book has areas that are missed in edits and aren’t found until they’re published. This is no reflection on the author as a writer, as I believe the author is incredibly talented and I am already following their career. Rather, this is feedback to the editorial process of the publishing house.
Conclusion
At the end of the day, while Spellbinders: The Not-So-Chosen One may not be at the top of my list, I did enjoy the read and strongly believe that Andrew Auseon is a strong storyteller and will gain a fantastic fanbase with this delightfully whimsical middle-grade fantasy novel.
***This is not a paid review. This review is my own personal opinion and thoughts. However, please note that links in this this site contains product affiliate links. I may receive a commission if you make a purchase after clicking on one of these links.
