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Robert J Power
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Spark City (The Spark City Cycle Book 1) Kindle Edition

by Robert J Power (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 1,791 ratings
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Erroh has a plan. A simple plan. It’ll never work.

He’s a young warrior destined for a life of duty and tradition. By birth-right, the mysterious trials of The Cull await him; a chance to win the greatest prize Spark City can offer. However, he’d rather spend his days drinking, gambling and travelling the roads as a solitary wanderer.

But war is on the horizon and although he doesn’t know it yet, Erroh is standing in the way of the first wave.

Across great distances and facing brutal obstacles, he will call upon the warrior within to hunt down those who endanger the world he once rejected.

And he won’t be alone.

Spark City is the first book in Power's #1 bestselling coming of age fantasy adventure, perfect for fans of David Gemmell, Scott Lynch and Joe Abercrombie.

The Spark City Cycle
Spark City
The March of Magnus
The Outcasts
The Actions of Gods

Previous page
  1. Book 1 of 4
    The Spark City Cycle
  2. Print length
    714 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  5. Publication date
    March 1, 2018
  6. File size
    3499 KB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  10. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

What readers are saying:
★★★★★"Intensely satisfying and emotionally complex. The best writing I've encountered in a long time."
★★★★★ "It pushed my emotional button's, satisfied my blood lust and told a beautiful love story"
★★★★★ "An epic series that slowly grabs your attention and then won't let go."
★★★★★ "Some of the best character development I've ever seen"
★★★★★ "A fantasy book that has it all- action, emotion, drama and humour"
★★★★★ "Think Mark Lawrence and Anthony Ryan with a touch of Guy Gavriel Kay, Miles Cameron and Nicholas Eames thrown in the mix"
★★★★★ "An incredible story with unique characters, energising fighting sequences and descriptive scenery."
★★★★★ "If you are looking for a new fantasy to read this is it"

From the Back Cover

Erroh has a plan.A simple plan.It'll never work.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B07B611KQK
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ DePaor Press (March 1, 2018)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ March 1, 2018
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 3499 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 714 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 1,791 ratings

About the author

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Robert J Power

Robert J Power

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Robert J Power is the fantasy author of the Amazon bestselling series, The Spark City Cycle and The Dellerin Tales. When not locked in a dark room with only the daunting laptop screen as a source of light, he fronts Irish rock band, Army of Ed, despite their many attempts to fire him.

Robert lives in Wicklow, Ireland with his wife Jan, 2 rescue dogs and a cat that detests his very existence. Before he found a career in writing, he enjoyed various occupations such as a terrible pizza chef, a video store manager (ask your grandparents), and an irresponsible camp counselor. Thankfully, none of them stuck.

If you wish to learn of Robert’s latest releases, his feelings on The Elder Scrolls, or just how many coffees he consumes a day before the palpitations kick in, visit his website at www.RobertJPower.com where you can join his reader’s club. You might even receive some free goodies, hopefully some writing updates, and probably a few nonsensical ramblings.

www.RobertJPower.com

www.facebook.com/authorrobertjpower

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
1,791 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

ml
5.0 out of 5 stars Breath of fresh air - focuses on a story between a hero and heroine who bond over strife
Reviewed in the United States on February 1, 2021
Verified Purchase
For those reading the sample -- the first few chapters of the book are not representative of the book.

Only after getting past the first few chapters, the book shines. It avoids tropes of deus ex machina, weak+strong pairings, and individuals getting along "just because."

Reading back, I think the semi-meandering nature of the first chapters added a lot to the rest of the book. They set the backdrop well by letting me experience the world and society the characters live in, vs having it described to me. After those chapters, I think it made it easier to empathize and understand the frame of mind of the characters, especially the main, Erroh.

Without spoiling it, the heroine come later in the story-- it's written in a way where you're not sure, and I found that equally fun to try and guess. Also no characters are filler, as in the next book, you learn more of their stories and journeys.

Lastly, this is a violent, gritty, book meant for older audiences. So for me that was a great plus. I've also read the 2nd book, and if you like character-driven stories, I highly recommend this series.
5 people found this helpful
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4.0 out of 5 stars Well developed apocalyptic fantasy
Reviewed in the United States on March 22, 2020
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I read Spark City as part of an attempt to go through and review all 10 finalists of SPFBO 5 since I am thinking of entering myself in the next round. I didn’t manage to make myself read all of them, not surprisingly, but Spark City, I read to the end. The ride wasn’t without bumps, mostly because of bad editing, which is why I can only give it 4 stars. But more on that later. Let’s first focus on its strong points.
Spark City is a fantasy set in a distant future after some apocalyptic disaster which is so vaguely hinted at that the world for all intents and purposes behaves like a classic medieval fantasy setting. The theme is about growing up and finding your place in a society which holds a lot of things secret and taboo. It is nicely developed through two characters being elaborately selected as each other's mates and partners for life and then sent out on a fool's errand. The amount of thought and space dedicated to describing the awkward and immature emotions of two youngsters brought together for the purpose of successful reproduction is refreshing, especially as a contrast to how often in fantasy and sci-fi romantic emotions are portrayed as if we all were in an American High School.
Otherwise, the book delivers a nice, if not masterfully developed plot of growing suspense and of having to fight seemingly insurmountable odds in a hostile and mysterious world. The pacing of events with all its twists and turns is engaging, and the many action scenes are well written. I liked both main characters. They are given enough complexity and emotional depth to not just be stand-ins for the readers daydreaming of being a semi-superhuman elite warrior, even if those fantasies are definitely catered for. The world seems rich at first, but then as I neared the end of the story, I have to admit I started to suspect that a lot of what I took for mysterious delays was probably nothing more than indecision on part of the writer. Even so, Spark City was mostly enjoyable and a fun read.
Only mostly, and I’m sorry to say, it could easily have been much better. I say easily because all it lacks is a good run through or two by an honest and stern editor. When I say that the book needs an editor, I don’t mean to criticise the language it is written in. Its English is, at least as far as I can tell, mostly without flaws. But the literary craft is hampering behind.
There are so many small but annoying mistakes in the book, that it seriously detracts from the flow of the story. The worst is a constant jumping and switching of POW without following any foreseeable rules or structure. When you for the umpteenth time has to re-read a passage to figure out who said and then thought what, especially in the many otherwise interesting relationship quarrels between the main characters, it is hard to keep your focus in the text, and not on it. There are plenty of other, small idiosyncrasies that a good editor would help correct too, but the none-use of basic perspective consistency is the biggest problem.
If I thought that the writer might read this review (which, given that it is an indie publication, he might very well do), I would seriously recommend him to get an editor to read and correct his book for him. Spark City is fundamentally decent, and the problems lie mostly on the surface, but sadly enough, they are big enough to often mask the underlying qualities. It’s a bit like if you cooked a lovely meat stew but then forgot to salt it. What a shame really. And if, which I know to be the case for many indie writers, myself included, the money to pay a professional editor just isn’t there, I would warmly recommend a good self-editing handbook, like for example Self-Editing for Fiction Writers by Renni Browne and Dave King. I know it helped me a lot.
28 people found this helpful
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Jonathan Hart
5.0 out of 5 stars A Teaching Journey
Reviewed in the United States on April 11, 2024
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If my tears were not all spent long ago, I could have cried a river for my hero Erroh and his dearest Lea.

An an aspiring writer, I found this book at just the right time. It answered many questions for me about fantasy writing. It was a deeply immersive read and I loved learning through this journey.

A writing skill of Power’s that I found to be uniquely effective in earning my emotion and engagement was how assuredly he would convince me that something was set in stone… and then flip the script when I thought all hope was lost.

The world building and character/relationship development are incredible and they brought back memories of my own young love, jealousy and anger. Thank you, Robert J Power, your writing has helped me become a better writer!
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Graydon Yingling
5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing First Book!!!
Reviewed in the United States on December 3, 2022
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Not only is it the first in the Spark City cycle, it’s my first real read ever, and I’m not disappointed in the slightest. It took me a while to figure out what kind of books I might be interested in reading but then I realized how much I’m into fantasy. This book was absolutely glorious and boasted the ability to make you feel so many emotions back and forth and keep you reading forever. I could’ve finished this is a day if I wanted to. I cannot wait to read the next two books and then the 4th one eventually. Just an amazing novel all around and I have no complaints. There are a few touchy subjects but they weren’t too much of a bother at all. And also some of the spellings were a little strange to me but I’m just guessing that it’s just another Europe-America disagreement lol.
3 people found this helpful
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Cory Barbour
5.0 out of 5 stars Great book!
Reviewed in the United States on February 4, 2024
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This is an amazing read! The World is well thought out and the characters are brought to life. You feel for and with them in their laughter and sorrow.
One person found this helpful
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D. Jason McWhorter
4.0 out of 5 stars interesting read
Reviewed in the United States on December 11, 2023
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It was slow to start but it picked up the pace. I didn’t think I would like it at first but it grew on me and I am looking forward to read the next installment.
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Hollie Lace
5.0 out of 5 stars READ THEM ALL! SO GOOD, SO FUN, SO MOVING!
Reviewed in the United States on November 12, 2022
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At first I wasn’t sure about these works of fantasy fiction, but I am SO HAPPY to have a) discovered them b) stuck through the minor concerns and judgements I had offhand and c) finished them. This series is fun, moving, endearing, heart wrenching, infuriating, inspiring, and will stick with you long after the read. I’m fell in love with so many characters. Do yourself a favor and read them. :)
4 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Phil
5.0 out of 5 stars This author just made my top 5 list !
Reviewed in Canada on December 10, 2020
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I never write reviews but after reading spark city I felt like I had to tell everyone they must read this book ! Great storyline , you’ll have a hard time putting the book down because you’ll want to know what happens next. I was only half way through and I was already ordering the next book.
2 people found this helpful
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MsMarl
5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing!
Reviewed in Germany on December 29, 2021
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What a great and epic book. I barely put it down, inhaling these 700 action-packed pages in just two days. At first I needed to get used to the writing style, it’s great but a bit unusual. But the story sucks you right in. I loved the tale so far, it’s quite original, and managed to surprise me at every other page turn. Great main character with just the right mix of strength and emotion, power and sensitivity. Side characters could be a bit more diverse in character and depth. But this is really just minor criticism. Additionally, the story managed really well without involving any superpower magic in the world building so far. And yes, there is also a pinch of nice romance to spice up the warmongering action but it’s not too overpowering for the book to appeal to a broad fantasy loving audience. Amazing book!
One person found this helpful
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Lord rascal
5.0 out of 5 stars An amazing journey, a fight to survive against all costs and love
Reviewed in India on April 8, 2021
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This was an amazingly fresh read.

It's not the destination, it's the journey. And I am happy to have been a part of this journey with lea and erroh and the people they met.

It was full of battles, and plans and wit. Especially lea' plan for erroh. Especially that. I assumed it be something like what Hollywood puts out. But oh no..it was not. And I am glad for that. Just that alone.

On to the next one.

One gripe I have is there should be more maps. I love maps. Beautiful maps. Maps of cities.. makes it easier to follow and imagine and dream.
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Mr. Ken Pimlott
5.0 out of 5 stars A thoroughly enjoyable read with great characters
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 16, 2020
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This book is now officially one of my all time favourites. I've been an avid book reader for close on 55 years and some books I keep returning to and some books I bin as soon as I've read them. This is a recent addition to my library and yet I've reread it at least 4 times, when the second book March of Magnus came out I had to reread it yet again just so I could enjoy the second book even more.
I don't want to bore you with descriptions of what happens, how the main characters are etc, they are people here doing a far better job of that than I can, however the 2 main characters are some of the best I've ever read. Their interaction is lovely to read about, it really reminded me about how myself and my wife were right at the start of our marriage. There are people who don't seem to like the romance part of this story but it was one of the more enjoyable parts of the book for me, the characters are FUNNY, their flaws are actually amusing, you can relate to them. The action scenes are great and Errol the lead part is just fantastic, for someone so skilled with the sword but who doesn't really want to fight is a refreshing change.
The author reminds me of David Gemmell, an author sadly missed by this reviewer, there are morals aplenty in both authors and at last I've found someone who can replace David now he's no longer with us.

Can't wait for the third book and yes that will mean I'll have to reread both books again, which I looking forward too if I'm honest.

Love the books Robert, keep em coming pal.
7 people found this helpful
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Chiara
5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing character development
Reviewed in Italy on July 3, 2019
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I gave this book five stars mainly because I loved Erroh's growth. This is the story of him changing from boy, to man, to hero, to something undefinable. It was a pleasure to witness.
The World is really interesting and quite brutal to be truthful, but it has tender heart warming moments too.
This book has some amazing fighting scenes and it will make your blood boil and long for real life action.
Also it's been a pleasure to see Erroh baffled time and time again by the incomprehensible nature of the girls he meets through his journey.
The romance is really nice. All the awkwardness and misunderstandings that define every relationship between man and woman, especially of a couple so young, come across brutally true.
It's a shame that some parts of couple's growth were narrated instead of being told through dialogue.
Still, If they had been rendered through speech, the book would be a a hundred pages longer than it is and might have lost some of it's rhythm, which would have been a real shame. The pacing this book has is insane, it's a page turner.
All things considered I recommend this book because it is very human and true in it's description of the character's minds and actions and it's so action packed that you will find yourself wishing it would never end.
Watch out for the ending part, it was a thing of beauty.
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