Sufficiently Advanced Magic

Arcane Ascension, Book 1

By: Andrew Rowe

Narrated by: Nick Podehl

Five years ago Corin Cadence's brother entered the Serpent Spire - a colossal tower with ever-shifting rooms, traps, and monsters. Those who survive the spire's trials return home with an attunement: a mark granting the bearer magical powers. According to legend, those few who reach the top of the tower will be granted a boon by the spire's goddess.

He never returned.

Now it's Corin's turn. He's headed to the top floor, on a mission to meet the goddess.

If he can survive the trials, Corin will earn an attunement, but that won't be sufficient to survive the dangers on the upper levels. For that he's going to need training, allies, and a lot of ingenuity.

The journey won't be easy, but Corin won't stop until he gets his brother back.

©2017 Andrew Rowe (P)2017 Podium Audio

Great beginning to a series

This was such a fantastic book. It took certain things I don't normally care for in a story and made them interesting and good. I like the idea of DnD style challenges and puzzles. And I absolutely love the concept of getting new powers items and abilities thus changing the fundamental capabilities of different characters. I can't wait to read more of the series and see where it all goes.

Good story; MC orientation seemed forced.

Loves the narration, world, and magic system. Enjoyed following the MC development as a magic user, and the two different environments of dungeon and school.

MC's asexual orientation, with romantic/dating interests seemingly not gender-specific, being awkwardly revealed 3/4 the way though the book, never to really be referenced again, seemed very out of place and forced, with little to no value to the story. And, really, feels like the author projecting a forced stance of acceptance very late in the story and character development, for seemingly no real reason related to the actual plot.

Past that, everything else was very enjoyable.

Good enough for fluff

Excellent narration, the plot holes could get a bit frustrating , and the author relies on the crutch of making the main character painfully stupid too often for a 5 star review, but for a lighthearted fluffy read it was enjoyable. Dont expect anything more and you wont be disappointed.

Wonderful from start to finish

I'm not here to tell you this is the greatest fantasy novel of the year, but it is a wonderful, succinct imagination of a kind of universe that fantasy fans can relate to. Rowe creates a world that many fans of fantasy have always wanted. A calculable magic world with measurable power and vast unknowns that makes you want a dozen more stories set in the same plane of existence. The book throws a lot of information at you early on, but doesn't expect that you'll get it all right there, which is why Podehl's narration enhanced the book in my opinion. My only criticism is that for whatever reason every female character seems to have a slight Scottish or Irish accent, where all the male characters sound very "American" which I don't mean to be entirely negative, just remarkable and somewhat funny.

I was sad to have finished the book, I craved more and am excitedly awaiting the sequel. It's the kind of world that would facilitate great fan fiction. It's exciting to imagine the continuation possibilities, and as far as I am concerned, that makes it a great fantasy series already.

Lastly, I wouldn't be doing the author justice if I didn't acknowledge his comfortable and positive criticism of social normality which the protagonist experiences. Rowe presents these ideals without malice and for that he should be applauded.

surprisingly entertaining

pick this on a whim and really enjoyed every minute of it slow to start but once it picks up it doesn't stop very good listen it reminds me of playing an RPG on Old School PlayStation back in the day as a kid really good nostalgia