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  • Secrets and Spellcraft

  • Art of the Adept, Book 2
  • Written by: Michael Manning
  • Narrated by: Tim Gerard Reynolds
  • Length: 21 hrs and 9 mins
  • 4.8 out of 5 stars (338 ratings)

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Secrets and Spellcraft

Written by: Michael Manning
Narrated by: Tim Gerard Reynolds
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Publisher's Summary

Now a student at Wurthaven, Will is confronted with the truth of the present.

The powerful magic embodied by wizards like his grandfather is but a distant memory. Though the practice of the current day is timid and uninspired, Will needs the knowledge that’s preserved and managed by the college. At every turn he finds that sorcery is supreme, while wizards are trained merely to assist and support those who hold the real power - a power based on an evil so deep that few who are living know the truth of its foundation.

As a student of wizardry, he’s expected to know his place and stay in it, but Will isn’t like the other students. His grandfather’s teaching has made him into something different, something forgotten - something they will learn to fear.

If he can grow into his power, with every choice, every refusal to submit, Will creates more enemies, enemies who aren’t content to let him live in peace. Without friends or support, Will must survive the knives in the dark, for Cerria is no place for those who refuse to follow the rules.

©2019 Michael G. Manning (P)2020 Podium Audio

What listeners say about Secrets and Spellcraft

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    3 out of 5 stars
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I'm out.

SPOILERS

The main character actually is an idiot and this second book makes that abundantly clear. Despite his seemingly prodigious capacity to learn and practice forgotten magics, he can barely use them when it counts and makes blatantly stupid decisions, one upon another.

Romance, if you can call it that, takes over the plot and leads to a rushed and tedious tale of immaturity and foolishness without the necessary believability to justify the motives behind the critical consequences of this 'love' arch, one driven by a sensibility that seems to consider the obvious consequences of itself as inconvenient to its very existence and thus, simply ignores them.

Luckily for the main character, the author keeps this character's stupidity from taking its natural course and ending the story at any of the multiple times it probably should have, all while dropping focus from most of the character traits and development the first book built up other than a devotion to the female lead that feels so forced I question if the entire universe has the exponentially required turine(sp?) left to lift a jar of troll piss.

The vitriol above would not be possible without caring enough about the book, the world, the story and the characters, to be so disappointed, which is a credit to the engagement the author's first book in this series was capable of.

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4 people found this helpful

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    1 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

16h 43min I’m done…

This story was very well written, enjoyed the first book and couldn’t put this one down: There was always something to keep me hooked and on the edge of my seat.

So anyway as I read through some portion of this book I had to ask myself WHAT IS THIS BLATANT DISPLAY OF IDIOCY AND BETRAYAL OF CHARACTER… and that’s about all I had to ask myself before making the statement… “I’m done reading this now… that was too far out”

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2 people found this helpful

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    2 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars

His is CG.

He is Chaotic Good, knowing law existed but doing any Simp thing that the want no matter what people wish. Which makes sense considering his friends.

This starts of with classical themes and continues with the same missplaced chivalry. Will is a farm boy type character from the outskirts of his nation but he does and says things a Prince charm type prince would. A total, break from the wizard type.

Spoiler:
At the beginning of the this book, even though he has a place and new possibilities for his future. He goes out of his way to do will things, which is disrespect everyone's wish, and do whatever he wants. He hasn't learned a single thing from the first book, I think he's actually dumber.

On a side, he know a spell that removes the vast majority of danger he or his family can face. He can survive everything now,Pretty easily.

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The Romance Ended it For Me

The romance just never worked for me. It was like the romance of stupid kids. Which they are. But it consumed so much of the book I just found myself losing interest. I finished it but won't be continuing on.

There is a lot of interesting concepts here but I just couldn't deal with the tropes. OP protagonist who, despite the grim tragedies of his life is perfectly fine and happy and all powerful and of course gets together with the princess.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Brilliant Story

The story and performance is amazing! I love this series, I plan on listening to them all!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

amazing story and narration!

waw I highly recommend! binge worthy! the narration puts the whole book to life, which in itself is brilliantly written! I wish there was an aragon story! with that narrator reading it! he's hilarious!

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Great story

This was a very good book, and seems to be on track to be a great series.

Worth the listening time for sure!

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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Author and Narrator Draw You In

Something about this book 2 drew me in and I wanted to listen to his whole journey! I didn't see the ending coming and had a very enjoyable experience listening to Will's escapades. While I was unprepared for the level of violence that was involved in all of Will's fights, I did feel like their world is very different from my own so the way they deal with problems would automatically be very different from what we would do in "civilized" and non-magical society now. I felt immersed into their world, and rooted for Will -- there's not a lot of character growth, but he does grow as a wizard and learns a lot of magic. Realistically that makes a lot sense, as a teenager he wouldn't suddenly become really wise and have a ton of introspective personal growth in a year haha. I am loving this series so far!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Brilliantly written story

I'm loving the story so far! It has a brilliantly written plot, well developed magic system, and, my personal favorite part, the main character's development is front and center with parts of his personality and convictions traceable to events in this or the first book.

I hope it keeps up this quality throughout the series!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Great read/listen

Loved the characters and the build up for the climax. The grandpa is the best character in all the books so far.

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  • O. F.
  • 2020-11-05

F-bombs in every other sentence

Warning every other sentence has an F-bomb or four letter expletives. The story line is passable but definitely not one of his best.

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12 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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  • Steelgator
  • 2020-10-15

Excellent Series!!!

This book is a great continuation of the series. Great magic system. The MC isn't over or under powered. It actually delves a little into the history of his grandfather which was sorely needed. The narrator is excellent . Just go ahead and buy this one if you liked the first.

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11 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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  • T Ginn
  • 2020-11-07

All you need to know about this book

“THE GODDAMN CAT” and the best character is still with us in a way 🤣🤣🤣 you’ll get it when you listen

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8 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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  • Andreas jonsson
  • 2020-11-03

To predictable

The first one had at least some mystery, but this one was way to predictable. It left nothing to the imagination, the moment the questions were asked or events happened, there was no "holy sh.."moment.

The MC is still the same blushing zero intelligence idiot, though he gets a bonus of IQ later on but barely,

The relationship he has feel to forced and awkward, It feels more like a check mark "must have" when writing a book.

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8 people found this helpful

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    2 out of 5 stars
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  • Stormingsmoke
  • 2021-05-09

My first Review.

Made me write a review, my first so take what you will.

MC makes consistent horrible choices and shows no development at all. A example would be him asking obvious questions or forgetting specific details as soon as possible for some quirky situation.

Another would be **SPOILER** when he decided to trade a unbound favour for information, when he was told by literally everyone including the Faye that he holds significant power over the accord and the lives of many. This is the part that broke it for me.

The story also overly focused on the romance between him and the princess, I don't mind romance but at the same time there is a whole world full of magic and adventure but instead they want to focus on some 18 year olds relationship.

Just frustrating to listen to.

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5 people found this helpful

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    3 out of 5 stars
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  • Black
  • 2020-11-27

Lacking ending

Story was great up until halfway I’d still give it a try if your into romance.

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  • Brandon
  • 2021-02-19

love it

I listen to this book all day. I don't want to go back to life after it's over.

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4 people found this helpful

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    2 out of 5 stars
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  • Anonymous User
  • 2020-12-16

Couldnt finish it.

Character does not grow at all. Quit being mad at how stupid his decisions are.

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  • Fred
  • 2020-11-10

Absolutely Wonderful

probably one of the most enjoyable sequels to a book series I have ever read. it never felt like it hit a valley it always kept me at a happy medium and then hit me with good highs even that points when I felt uncomfortable it brought right back around and made me keep listening.

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    2 out of 5 stars
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  • Kindle Customer
  • 2021-07-08

Plot driven by sheer stupidity

Stupidity is the only narrative device. The entire book is full of predictable played out tropes.

All the depth of character in the last book is GONE. The author fools you into thinking he has wised up and become better in the first quarter but it's all down hill in a rocket from there.

it's not just that the character made a bad choice. The author made a LAZY choice to set up his next point of reused drama in a way that pulls you out of the whole story. the exact same scenes could have been done better without making the MC's brain leave.

To top it off, the MCs behavior regarding violence and killing is completely arbitrary.
SPOILER: He does that thing where killing is only wrong if it's the main bad guy who is also a mass murdering monster.

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3 people found this helpful

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