Wielder’s Awakening is a fantasy novel by T. B. Christensen and the first in the Wielder Trilogy.Unbeknownst to eighteen-year-old Traven, there is a formidable wielder of magic positioning himself for conquering a people who have forgotten that magic even exists, a King is looking to fight an army and save his kingdom, and a stunning princess is seeking love and adventure with a spirit of determination.
All Traven knows is that it’s his first time away from home.
He’s traveling to reach a school where his future lies. He’ll become more than just a woodcutter in a small village. His loving grandparents have saved for years to make it so. His previously ridiculous-sounding dreams now feel more reachable.
But maybe he was never meant to be a simple woodcutter anyway. And maybe Traven is not meant to go to school either.
His fate lies in saving the world…
Wielder’s Awakening represents itself as high fantasy, taking place in medieval-like times with an unsuspecting hero in Traven.
Unfortunately, I had a very difficult time trying to become engaged in the story.
There is a straightforward simplicity to the writing that will appeal to many, I’m sure – but, for me, it came across as dry and tedious and didn’t really ever improve. There’s great detail and build-up for the readers who will respond to Wielder’s Awakening – and a setup for epic magical battles.
Sadly, the charm, thrill, or magnetism never pulled at me. The prose, personally, was excessively descriptive and oftentimes repetitive. I saw a lot of chances for Christensen’s tremendous imagination to take off and create an epic tale – yet I could never grasp investment in the novice Traven or the various minor and major plots in the large, obviously thought-out and beloved world.
Now, as I always say, you can’t just take my word for it. Just looking at the Amazon.com reviews, I see varying opinions – some of which absolutely adore Wielder’s Awakening. So, if lots of adventure, plot twists, classic-like quest tone, beautiful ladies, sword fights, some legitimately creepy villains, and intrigue sounds like an awesome read to you (it does to me to, on paper) – try Wielder’s Awakening and form your own opinion!
On my end, I saw a novel that could have profited greatly from a good bit of editing. I also felt a swifter, tighter, more focused plot would have benefited Wielder’s Awakening and – this is only personal opinion here – maybe a first-person narration to give us a better opportunity to know and care about Travern as a character.
I myself could not call myself a fan of Wielder’s Awakening – but I respect the fact that there are those that will. And I don’t want to dissuade any of you from seeing if you will be one!!
By the way, if you do end up being a fan of Wielder’s Awakening, you’ll be happy to know that T. B. Christensen has recently published the second novel in the trilogy – Wielder’s Rising!
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