A great international thriller. American Magic has all the ingredients to make this one of the best books I've read recently.

Synopsis:
When an enigmatic message uploaded to the dark web turns out to contain an ancient secret giving regular people the power to do impossible things, like levitate cars or make themselves invisible, American government officials panic. They know the demo videos on YouTube and instructions for incantations could turn from fantastical amusement to dangerous weapon at the drop of the hat, and they scramble to keep the information out of the wrong hands.

(See all of my Book Reviews) - Author Zach Fehst (https://www.zachfehst.com/) published the novel “American Magic” in 2019. He has published two novels.

I categorize this novel as “R” because it contains scenes of Violence and Mature Language. The story is set in the contemporary world.

One day magic begins to happen. Not everyone has the ability and strength varies, but there is suddenly magic in the world. The US government must find the cause and stop the spread of magic or chaos will reign across the world.

The CIA reaches out to former agent Ben Zolstra. Zolstra is not a team player and has had many confrontations with the CIA Director. He has resigned because of that. Now with great reluctance, he rejoins the agency.
Eila Mack is a young black woman who is amazed to discover that she has magical ability. One day she is showing off for her friends in the neighborhood. The next she is being held as a prisoner in a government safe house.

When the CIA Director relieves Zolstra of his post, Zolstra sees only one option. He decides to do what he does best, he takes the mission solo. He grabs Mack and they soon are on the trail of the source of magic. Of course, they are also being pursued by government agents. The two must find the source and stop it before the world falls into anarchy.

I enjoyed the 7.5 hours I spent reading this 320-page fantasy novel. This was an interesting plot with a mix of thriller and fantasy. I like the cover art for the novel, but I don't see how it relates to the story. I give this novel a 4 out of 5.

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I loved this book. Ben reminded me of a younger more tech savvy and sarcastic Jack Reacher to the point where it felt kind of like a mash-up a Reacher (by Lee Child) thriller with The Magicians (by Lev Grossman) His slightly reluctant partner Elia has as intriguing back story. I also loved the concept of “what if magic were real”,” and what impact it would have on national security.

*I received this book on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*
As a few other reviewers have pointed out this novel, a sci-fi thriller, has SO much potential to be a fantastic novel, however, I do not believe the author, Zach Fehst has managed to capture that. He does give a good thriller in this novel, as we watch our protagonists time and time again narrowly escape the villains. However, for the sci-fi aspect, I feel like more could have been done or explained better. Also, there were so many cliche elements such as the romance that seemingly develop between two characters. I was really excited to see that this book would involve the use of ancient magic in the modern age but the execution was not it for me. On the other hand, if you were to remove the magical aspect from this novel, I believe it would be one fantastic thriller.

American Magic starts with a novel and interesting premise: what would happen if magic were real and someone hopped online to share the secret with the whole word? It’s a fascinating thought experiment that new author Zach Fehst has translated into an incredibly interesting enjoyable and thrilling story.

The world is turned upside down when magic suddenly surfaces and it is only time before it is used as a weapon against America. The pacing in this story was way to quick. All of a sudden there is magic, and then the characters needed to capture this one girl who just happens to be really good at magic. How quick this all happened made me feel like I was missing a lot of back story and there as a disconnect with the characters. The story has a lot of potential, but I was left wanting more.

What if magic is real? But kept hidden by a group as mysterious, and rich, as the Illuminati? When one member turns rogue, the lid is off American Magic.

Okay, I admit it, the plot sounds lame—except when you are actually reading it. The author manages to do a Dan Brown on a seemingly absurd plot like The DaVinci Code and makes it believable. Once you are over that hurdle, the same one the main character surmounts, American Magic is an exhilarating thriller. If you don’t mind some magic, I highly recommend reading this DaVinci Code-like thriller. I can already envision which actors will play Ben and Mack on the big screen. 4 stars!

Thanks to Emily Bestler Books and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

If magic were possible, would you use it? American Magic is a story of magic gone wrong. A viral video shows some black magic and problems ensue. An ex-CIA agent is tasked with containing this new threat. It's a good action story with drama and secrets around every corner. The premise is unique and interesting. Although not my favorite, I did like the story. Thanks to NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

American Magic is an unusual mix of international thriller and fantasy with magic being at the very epicentre of the story, and for a debut, it's a solid read. Despite the somewhat stereotypical characters we meet there is a great plot and plenty of excitement to keep readers engaged throughout. Fehst has the potential to become one of the most interesting contemporary fantasy writers as he pens a story with perfect pacing, non-stop action and lots of unexpected surprises along the way. It pulls you in from the first page and I must admit I really didn't want it to end I was enjoying it that much. The fact that the unnerving dark web plays a substantial role in the plot makes it all the more creepy, dangerous and well, simply downright impossible to put down.

Based on the idea that one mysterious man who lurks in the shadows is releasing details on how magic actually works and the CIA and many squads are investing time and assets to shut this guy down once and for all. It's a far murkier world than you'd might think with deceit and betrayal around every corner and secret allegiances hidden from view. It's very well written, fun and highly entertaining, and as Former CIA Agent Ben Zolstra and co race around the world trying to contain the threat we are drawn into a high-stakes game of cat and mouse to stop the powerful magic from falling into the wrong hands. This is a fantastical, thrilling and epic adventure. My only criticism is the characterisation could've been better. Many thanks to Atria Books for an ARC.

When a video goes viral of an incantation that gives a normal person telepathic abilities a surge of magic using causes uprisings across the globe. The U. S. government calls on ex CIA agent Ben Zolstra to track down and uncover the secret society. From the US to Marrakesh, Ben and his team are fighting a race against time to find an unbinding that will stop the magic before society implodes. This fast paced thriller is a mix of Jason Bourne and Robert Langdon meets a grown up and evil Harry Potter. A curious compilation that kept me reading until it’s explosive ending.

Ben Zolstra left the CIA because he became disillusioned with their tactics in fighting terror. When he finds Mack-the woman in the video seen to float a car in the air and thinks her life may become in danger because of those same tactics he spirits her away and goes rogue. The two of them make for an unlikely partnership since he wants to stop magic, but Mack feels empowered for the first time in her life. The dichotomy of their race against time and their differing opinions cause an already tense plot to become just that little bit edgier. The government needs Mack to be on their side but is she really?

Their race around the world gave American Magic a Dan Brown feel and the secret society that was unveiled only confirmed that similar feel. That commonality allowed me to enjoy the ride because I kind of felt like I knew where I would land. Some might consider that a negative but I didn’t feel that way at all. There were enough differences that made American Magic stand on it’s own and I really enjoyed the exploration of how magic could change our reality.

❤️❤️❤️❣️

I received a free copy of this novel through NetGalley for my honest review and it was honest!

Ben Zolstra is just living his life post CIA when his old boss shows up and tells him they need him to help contain the biggest threat the world has ever known, magic. Ben is extremely skeptical until he sees a video featuring Eila Mack performing a spell. Ben and Eila, along with a disgraced professor, must race around the globe to try and contain the threat. I enjoyed this book. I wasn't totally invested in any of the characters but the action kept the story going. 3 stars.

American Magic is a fascinating read. Zach Fehst writes a convincing story combining two genres – thriller and science fiction.

Former CIA Agent Ben Zolstra needs to find Merlin, an individual who posted incantations on the dark web that some people have successfully used to perform real magic. Ben teams up with Elia Mack, one of the few who effectively uses the spells to levitate objects or become invisible. Their search for a way to stop the release of magic worldwide leads them to an Oxford scholar in mystical religion and occult studies, Dr. Heaton, who knows the history of magic and how it disappeared.

The trio seeks a spell that reverses the uncontrollable power of magic being released by Merlin. Fehst fabricates a compelling and complex adventure that is hard to put down – a well-conceived plot deftly told.

I am always looking for a fresh new take on a loved genre. American Magic meshes spy thriller to sci-fi/fantasy in a fun read.

When a message is uploaded to the dark web of the internet that gives people magical powers, ex-CIA agent, Ben Zolstra, leads the team to keep the magical information out of the wrong hands.

My description sounds simple, but the book is fast-paced and filled with action. The plot lacks the complexities that readers have come to expect in fantasy and thrillers and the characters need more development. The book is a fun and quick read. Not a huge time investment.

“...there was a time when what we call magic was simply a natural part of life. Something that humans could control as effortlessly as we now move our own limbs—and probably just as thoughtlessly. And that time has been collectively remembered as myth.””

I love reading all things magic, so American Magic grabbed me from the title. Light thriller elements, simple magic, and some globe-trotting adventures keep the story moving. An easy and pleasant read.

Title: American Magic

Publisher: Atria

Author: Zach Fehst

Pages: 320pp

Price: $27.00 (hc) / $12.99 (ebook)

Release Date: 20 August 2019

Ben Zolstra was once one of the CIA's top operatives. But when he grew disillusioned with the Agency's mission and leadership, he left in disgrace. Eila Mack is a former nurse, out of work due to her alcoholism and now trapped in an abusive relationship. Under normal circumstances, they would never have crossed paths. But these are not normal circumstances: someone is releasing magic spells on the dark web. Spells that actually work. Spells that Eila can cast. With each new spell, the world sinks further into chaos; governments panic, businesses shut down, militaries revolt, and assassinations and terrorist attacks become increasingly common. Their only chance to restore some semblance of peace and order is to track down the binding spell which will shut away all magic once and for all ....

I found an advance copy of American Magic on netgalley. Intrigued by the description, I downloaded and read it immediately. Overall, I found it to be an imaginative and entertaining read.

Zolstra and Mack are deeply sympathetic protagonists. Zolstra is an honorable man who does what needs to be done, but on his own terms. Mack is strong-willed and intelligent, but she has fallen so far down the hole of alcoholism and abuse that she has forgotten her own worth; whereas Zolstra sees magic as a threat, for Mack it is just what she needs to lift herself back up again.

Fehst does a great job of showing both the positives and negatives of magic suddenly being loosed on the world. In this case, magic has always existed -- but it has been the sole domain of a few families for thousands of years. Now one of them has turned traitor and, with the revelation of each additional spell, more and more ordinary people are discovering their inherent magical abilities. Some, like Mack, use their (new) abilities for self-defense or to help other people. But ... well ... there are soon headlines around the world about prison breaks, armed robberies, riots, and assassinations, all performed with magic. In a world in which telekinesis and invisibility are real, how can anyone feel safe?

While I liked Zolstra and Mack and enjoyed the world-building, the narrative did stumble in a few places. For one, the lone wolf agent who has to be called out of retirement/exile to save the world is an oft-used trope in political thrillers. It is used a lot. It would have been nice to see something different here. Additionally, Director Harris of the CIA is such an over-the-top, egocentric cartoon villain that I same to envision him as bald and chewing on a cigar like some sort of Lex Luthor wannabe. Finally, there was absolutely no reason for a romance to develop between Zolstra and Mack. While it was a background element to the larger story, I still found it distracting.

Despite those stumbles, I very much enjoyed American Magic. It's exciting and fast-paced, filled with cool magic and narrow escapes, and the two protagonists at the heart of the narrative are sympathetic and utterly relatable.

Recommended to fans of the Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews, Clara Coulson's Frost Arcana series, Gretchen Galway's Dead Witch on a Bridge, and Helen Harper's City of Magic series.

American Magic by Zach Fehst, an intriguing idea, well written and fun to read. Magic exists, its simply been hidden away from the rest of the world and one madman has decided to let the world in on the secret of how it all works...

American Magic is a great Summer read! Zach Fehst has managed to blend together the occult with a suspense thriller and the end result is superb!

I am very grateful to this talented author, the publisher, and Netgalley for the opportunity to download and read an ARC of this amazing book. I was drawn in from the first page. The idea seems simple: what if magic - real magic - really existed? In this story, some people, if they have the correct ancient words and are talented or gifted the same way some extraordinary basketball players are gifted, can perform outrageous feats of actual magic: telekinesis, the ability to make themselves or others or things disappear, and do other astounding things. But this isn't one of those fantasy books about a group of witches or even one person's talent (like Firestarter). This is a real international thriller, and the fact that most people all over the world can perform at least some of the newly discovered magic, only makes it more fun...and scarier! A former CIA agent, Ben, is pulled into the fray when a video of a young woman, Elia Mack, levitating a car appears online. If lots of people can do some of it, can brazen criminal gain and terrorism be far behind? And when Ben locates Elia, together they find out that members of an ancient society want them both dead. I can't wait for this to be a movie! Ben and Elia are searching for the member of the society known as Merlin because he is the one releasing the magic secrets onto the dark web. But they are also on the run from those who want them dead. This book, unbelievably the debut offering of an author new to us, has a terrifically original plot. The characters are very well drawn also, and the ending is perfect. We should all be watching for more from Zach Fehst!!

This was OK. The author shows promise. It has good pacing and an interesing plot, but just didn't have that "it" factor that made it great. If you're seeking a thriller with a little magic mixed in, you'll probably like this.

I really appreciate the complimentary copy for review!!

American Magic provides intense action, exciting paranormal ideas, and defined characters. The descriptive story gives enough detail to draw the reader in and propel them through the fast-paced story. The mix of character, story, and action offers intrigue and a solid tale. As a reader I enjoyed the mix of reality and magic. The epilogue provides the beginning of another tale.