Bob the Wizard

<div>Bob the Wizard is an epic debut novel where the characters shine and the world building is top tier. I didn't know much about this book when I went in, but I am so happy I gave it a try and I can't wait to read more about Bob.<br><br>Bob quickly became one of my favorite fantasy protagonists. His laid-back demeanor and no-nonsense attitude mixed with past traumas and regrets made for a relatable protagonist I could empathize with and felt like a person I could know in real life. Character work is where Prindle shines brightest, and none more so than Bob. The author reveals elements of Bob's back story over the course of the novel in an elegant way so we never get an info dump of history and revelations hit the hardest. Before the book begins, Bob's wife and son were murdered and Bob sets off the avenge their death, eventually bringing him to Hub, the world where the story takes place. Bob initially comes off as a Punisher type character, hell bent on revenge. And while he does struggle with violence, we gradually get a picture of who Bob really is over the course of the novel. Bob, who was a garbage man on earth and a recovering alcoholic, believes he is trash and not worthy of love or praise. But as he interacts with the people of Hub, we begin to see Bob's true nature and as he sees how other people view him, his opinion of himself slowly starts to change as well. But this change isn't quick or complete, Bob still struggles at the end of the novel. Too much personal change is something I struggle with sometimes in books because I know how hard it is for a person to make huge changes in their lives, but the author handles it very well and I never felt like it was unrealistic.<br><br>There are plenty of other characters besides Bob that are truly wonderful. There are a variety of other species that live on Hub including: blue elves, faerae, giants, and half-giants. The elves, known as En’harae, have been mostly enslaved by the humans of Hub. They are reminiscent of many indigenous people of earth whose histories mirror that of the En’harae closely. Shortly after arriving, Bob is also enslaved and sent to the mines to labor with the En’harae. Over time he befriends some of them and they agree to help each other. I loved the culture of the En’harae, and how they interact with nature and the magic of Hub. The faerae Osivia is another favorite character of mine. The other faerae are reclusive but she want to explore and learn more. She sticks with Bob and becomes a voice of encouragement and reason when Bob needs it.<br><br>The magic on Hub is closely tied to nature. There are elemental spirts that a wizard can bond with and manipulate certain elements through that bond. It is a good mixture of hard and soft magic, we don't understand everything about it but we know enough of the magic and its limitations that it doesn't feel cheap when used to solve problems. The magic is also connected to the wider universe of the book, called the Astraverse. This is the universe of connected worlds that Bob has been chasing his family's killer through. Bob doesn't know much about it, but we learn some more through a human wizard on Hub who trains Bob. This is where there are sci-fi elements to this novel that I had no idea were coming before starting this book. People can travel through gates to other worlds in the Astraverse using ancient technology, and some worlds are more advanced than others. There is a lot more to the universe than it first appears but there is much more that is only hinted at, and I really want to see more adventures in this Astraverse.<br><br>The pace of the book was mostly quick but there are also times where the author slows the pace down when the story needed it. There are plenty of action scenes throughout the book that were intense and well written. But the action is not just there for a fast pace or thrills. We see a lot of character development in Bob by how he reacts to the violence. Bob goes to some dark places mentally because of his past and both the violence as well as the slow moments help explore his character.<br><br>I recommend this book highly for all fantasy readers. I had such a fun time reading this book, it has just enough of the typical fantasy vibes to make it feel familiar, while adding in a bunch of fresh takes and sci-fi elements to make it new and exciting. I don't know what the plans are for future books but I desperately want to read more about Bob and the Astraverse.</div>