My review of Ignatius and the Swords of Nostaw, a fantasy by D.A. Mucci
Ignatius and the Swords of Nostaw is a coming-of-age story about teenager Ignatius who finds himself transported to a medieval world filled with magic, where he develops special powers and accomplishes quests in an effort to find his way home, defeating the evildoers along the way. While the genre is fantasy and the setting includes magic, mythological creatures, celestial races, and different lands being traveled to, action-adventure is the undercurrent of the writing style, unveiling clues and surprises as the plot unfolds.
Review of Ignatius and the Sword of Nostaw
As the description says, there is no shortage of action in this book. Ignatius faces foe after foe and danger after danger in a strange land where pretty much everyone wants him dead for one reason or another. As a result, he’s forced to grow up fast, and his character growth is impressive, even if he still needs to develop some more muscles.
While I found the overall premise interesting, I was continuously struck by the thought that I’d read this before. I hadn’t, but I have read my fair share of fantasy that is very similar in many ways. I enjoyed the character interactions and the unique locations in this book, but it didn’t really jump out at me as anything new or exciting. Now, I would call myself a veteran fantasy reader—it’s the genre I’m read most widely in. So I’m coming at this from an angle of experience. For those newer to fantasy, this might inspire the new and exciting feelings. I’d say it’s a good intro to the genre, especially for reluctant young-adult readers.
I did see most of the plot twists coming, but again, this may be more to do with the amount of fantasy I’ve read. The ending wrapped things up while leaving room for a sequel but also while introducing some new elements with only pages to go. It felt like there was a lot tossed at me at once. All this said, I do recommend this book, especially, as I said, to readers new to fantasy.
About D.A. Mucci
As an Emergency Room physician for nearly 40 years, D.A. Mucci found that the pandemic brought new horrors into the ER. Writing fantasy fiction became an enjoyable escape for him from what was happening in the real world. Now he invites readers to journey with him into the uncharted reaches of the Kingdom of Skye with his YA fantasy debut, Ignatius and the Swords of Nostaw.
Mucci calls both Connecticut and Florida home, and with his wife Jeanne by his side, he’s constantly dreaming up new, fantastical creatures, daring escapades, and witty one-liners. He looks forward to writing more adventures for Iggy in this series, and hopes they provide readers the same delightful escape it brought him. Learn more about the author and get excited for more adventures at damucci.com.
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