Publishing information: Kindle
Publisher: Tor Books; 6 May 2014
ISBN: 978-0765337511
ASIN: B00HTJ03YS
Series: Book #1
Copy: Provided by publisher
Reviewer: Tyson
Amazon
Synopsis: "In modern America, two soldiers will fight their way through the magical legacies of Poe and Hawthorne to destroy an undying evil—if they don’t kill each other first.
US Army Captain Dale Morton is a magician soldier—a “craftsman.” After a black-ops mission gone wrong, Dale is cursed by a Persian sorcerer and haunted by his good and evil ancestors. Major Michael Endicott, a Puritan craftsman, finds gruesome evidence that the evil Mortons, formerly led by the twins Roderick and Madeline, have returned, and that Dale might be one of them.
Dale uncovers treason in the Pentagon’s highest covert ranks. He hunts for his enemies before they can murder him and Scherie, a new friend who knows nothing of his magic.
Endicott pursues Dale, divided between his duty to capture a rogue soldier and his desire to protect Dale from his would-be assassins. They will discover that the demonic horrors that have corrupted American magic are not bound by family or even death itself.
In Tom Doyle's thrilling debut, American Craftsmen, Seal Team Six meets ancient magic--with the fate of the United States hanging in the balance . . . "
I'm a sucker for military fiction, add a little magic and you definitely have my attention. In American Craftsmen, you have two highly trained "craftsmen," or sorcerers that are enlisted in the US Army under a special branch that deals primarily with supernatural threats.
Dale Morton is a direct descendant of the Salem Mortons. One of the families involved in the Salem Witch Trials. He is brash, motivated and a force to be reckoned with. I found myself instantly familiar with Dale and wanted to see how things worked out for him.
Michael Endicott is also from a historical family with magical ties. He is tasked with monitoring Morton and insuring that he will eliminate Dale if he becomes a threat. He is the straight-edge, disciplined soldier. While there is a lot of background on Endicott, I would have liked to have learned more about him.
One of the major reasons for enjoying this book was the history lesson that Doyle created for his world and characters. Doyle does an amazing job of taking little events in American history and wrapping them around his characters and the military department they are apart of. It was the little things that really added to the authenticity of the world we find ourselves in.
The only issue I had was that the story had a massive build up and the ending wasn't quite as cut and dry as I thought we would come to, it makes for a bit of a cliffhanger that should continue into the next book in the series but I was hoping after everything Dale had been put through he could finally write off that chapter in his life.
American Craftsmen is a well-written debut that should have fans of military fiction and urban fantasy salivating for more. Doyle has himself a gift for fight scenes and pacing, which will keep you reading far longer than you planned. American Craftsmen is highly recommended and out now.
Overall 8/10
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