I wasn’t able to finish this book because I struggled to connect with both the characters and the world-building. One major issue for me was the age gap between the main character, who is around 40, and his missing wife, who is about half his age. The teacher-student dynamic added another uncomfortable layer to the story, making it feel off-putting.

What really made it hard to keep reading was the portrayal of the female characters. They felt objectified and lacked depth, which was frustrating and painful to get through. The flat writing of these characters made it impossible for me to continue reading.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for a review.

Usually books that are about magic schools are usually from the student's poverty but this one was from the teacher's pot, which I think is one of the few things that make this book unique. I liked that the writing was very descriptive and metaphoric. But talking about the book as a whole, I did not enjoy it very much.

The book had a slow start and despite the mentions of war and magic fights, there weren't any action scenes. Most of the book was just descriptions and a lot of talking, which is something I really hate about a book.

The book was aiming for being a plot-driven book, but it actually wasn't. It wasn't a hard-to-read book for me, but it was so agonisingly boring at times that it doesn't make me want to read the next book in the series.

ARC review
"The indivisible and the Void" by D.M. Wozniak
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Prose: very nicely written, understandable language, first person POV.
Storyline: I think our MC was a tad too naive, and didn't think too far ahead, which makes him questionable, and also raises the question of how he got his station.
Wordlbuilding/magic system: I found this world very interesting, and the scientific approach to magic went really well with the story, even if I had a hard time understanding it. I have lots of questions about the axion, and would probably need a whole thesis to understand the whole history of the axion, but hopefully that will be revealed in the next book (which I also have an arc of).
.
I highly recommend reading this story, it was very enjoyable and a moderately paced read, new premises, adventure, open mindedness and some mind bending science behind it.
Thank you @netgalley for providing this ARC.

"The Indivisible and the Void" by D.M. Wozniak is a stunning debut novel that deftly blends science fiction, philosophy, and poetry. Wozniak's prose is both poetic and precise, creating a rich and immersive world that feels both familiar and alien. The novel explores themes of identity, free will, and the nature of reality in a way that is both thought-provoking and emotionally resonant.

Overall, "The Indivisible and the Void" is a masterful work of speculative fiction that will appeal to fans of the genre and literary fiction alike. Wozniak is a talented writer with a unique voice, and this novel is a must-read for anyone who loves thought-provoking and immersive storytelling.

he protagonist of the story, MC Dem, wakes up one morning to find that his wife has left him for another man. However, as he embarks on a journey to uncover the truth, he meets a holy man, an ex-soldier named Il-Colu, and a woman named Chimeline from the king's harem who join him on his quest.

While the story utilizes common fantasy tropes, such as a group of outcasts going on a quest and a magical school, the author cleverly subverts them by presenting the perspective of one of the teachers rather than a student. This unique approach provides readers with a fresh and refreshing perspective on the genre.

One of the standout elements of the book is Dem's struggle between faith and logic, which adds depth and complexity to his character. The world-building is also well-done, with the details unfolding subtly and naturally throughout the story.

The magic system, which involves magical stones and necklaces that tap into the power of the void, is well-explained and easy to visualize. However, while the book excels in many areas, some readers may find themselves wanting more from the character of Chimeline, whose past is teased but not fully explored.

Despite some predictable plot points, the author's overall writing style is dark, imaginative, and thought-provoking, making it a 4-star read for many. Overall, If you enjoy a compelling story with a unique perspective and well-developed characters, this book is well worth your time.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Thank you NetGalley.

I don't often enjoy this trope / genre of book to be honest. I wanted to give it a fair shot, and I've been trying to branch off a bit and try new reads. I'm glad I did.
The author is truly talented. The character development was amazing. I found myself liking almost every character, even the lesser known side ones. The world building? Beautiful.
Even if sci-fi/fantasy isn't your cup of tea, you'll be drawn into this storyline so easily.

I adored this book, more than I thought I would. And i'll definitely recommend it to others!

What intrigued me about The Indivisible And The Void was the hook of a broadly medieval fantasy on the cusp of science. That is in here, but its charms are eventually more human. In particular, our viewpoint character Master Voider Democryos is a character who starts off as stuffy as his name. The head of magic for his warring kingdom, whose wife has just left him, is set in his ways and full of righteous fury, which seems to have much more to do with his pride than his wife. It is an engagingly spiky first-person perspective, he's basically picked a stubborn pompous University Professor as his lead, and the language he uses shows very much that he sees his wife as a possession rather than a lover. What follows is a picaresque hero's journey, albeit mainly one of unlearning what he thought he knew about the world and his assumptions. The book is episodic, and he picks up companions along the way (there is a feel of a D&D campaign here, not least as it manages more successfully than most to find a decent reason why he might have a cleric in his party).

The simplicity of the one viewpoint and journey narrative was quite refreshing after a lot of multi-viewpoint books, and this is certainly YA adjacent (if YA adjacent allows a fifty-something protagonist). The magic system at the heart of the book is interesting, it initially feels like a play on an atomic system (the world is divided between the indivisible and the void, and magicians can work with the void), though there is a big swing in the last third which turns this into a very different kind of fantasy novel. The book also teases for a long time the mysterious identity of its villain, which does turn out to be a bit of a disappointment when he is finally unmasked. But there is a propulsive narrative here that got me past some of the clunkier parts (there is an addiction subplot that never really works). What is more, the book ends with a massive tease for a very different kind of story, our medieval fantasy is about to be plunged into what appears to be a space opera, and that is really rather intriguing.

"The Indivisible and the Void" is a rather interesting book. The only major issues I have with it is the characterization of the main character and its rather slow start. To be honest, the start is a little bit too slow. However, the worldbuilding makes up for it.

“For when you hold a voidstone, everything changes.You no longer see the world. You see what the world is made of, moving around the ferocity of creation. You see the indivisible and the void.”

This story really left me speechless. How unique, imaginative and intense it was, with mystery and many twists and turns. The tension on every chapter made me want to read the next one right away!

The story follows Democryos, an extremely powerful voider who can enter into the void state by manipulating the molecules and atoms using the voidstone. But this powerful ability can be extremely dangerous and could lead to the voideath.

Democryos is married with another powerful voider, younger than him, and their relationship is intense and special, until one night his wife disappears and it is made to seem like she left him to run away with another man. Democryos feeling betrayed and angry will do everything to find where his wife is and along the way he will see that something dark and mysterious is hiding behind this disappearance. As the mystery deepens he finds other powerful and very interesting people who are willing to help him while he discovers that his power is stronger than he thought..

If you love fantasy, mystery and suspenseful page turning stories then you should definitely read this one!!

I can’t wait to read more of D.M. Wozniak’s books!! His imagination is phenomenal!!

Thank you NetGalley and D.M. Wozniak for providing this free e-book copy!

This book started off slowly. To slowly for me. I read one-third of the book and it didn't hook me in.
The scenery and the inner thoughts were described in detail; I really disliked the priester (as I should). However, the story is so slow, I dragged myself through it.

I must say that this was a genuine surprise for me never having heard of the author or the series I took a read of the blurb and found it piqued my interest a little and thought well I've nothing to lose by giving it a go.
I'm really glad I did firstly the protagonist Master Voider Democryos is interesting his motivation for his behaviour is pretty clear but there were small flashes of a darker side to his personality that worked well otherwise he'd have been too "goody" for my liking.
I recommend others to give this a try I'm moving onto book 2 right after finishing this which I don't do too often certainly not on the same night at midnight. Lol.
But I want more of the weird and wonderful world of Democryos.
4.5/5

Let me say, I genuinely enjoyed the world building and type of magic in this book. That being said, the main character is the most insufferable person. I couldn't stand him. I would read for a bit and them be in a bad mood because I hate him so much.

Not the book for me, and I would honestly judge anyone who identified with the main character.

The Indivisible and the Void was a dense book. Packed with plot and adventures, also rich world building that keep expanding as the story kept going. The writing style took a while to get used too, but the whole reading experience was great.

4.0 Stars. Thank you Net Galley for giving me an ARC for this. This was unique and nit what I was expecting and will definitely be sending it along to friends looking for some sci-fantasy that delivers!

The Indivisible and the Void is an adventure into a new universe where "the magic of voidance is the gift of a few elites; where technology is somewhat distant and society has a world in which science and religion are on two opposing tracks. We follow the story through the eyes of the the Master of Voidance, Democryos, or Dem for short. His wife has left him for another man; not just a man but another gifted practioner of Voidance.. Dem is on a quest to find his wayward wife, discover who this other man's identity and while at it check in on students he sent to help remote villages.
Dem is accompanied by one the King's women from his harem and later by a maimed soldier and a priest who has a different view of voidance.
The ride is a wild one, the characters present unexpected dramas and the best part.....this is the first of a series.
If you love science fiction, a well written story and quirky characters, you are going to love this book. This reader is eagerly awaiting the second in the series.

Not the book for me. I found it to be dragging throughout, full of characters I didn’t feel anything towards. The book is long and due to the slow pace I had to force myself to finish it.

I thought this book was really well written! It’s not exactly the type of book I would reach for, but like they say, don’t trust a book by it’s cover. I think people who liked Ender’s Game or honestly, Stranger Things, would like this. It’s got right enough sci-fi and a mystery-esque sense to keep you turning the pages.

A world of magic from a different perspective, yet a familiar feel. One of the better fantasy books I have read in a while. Limited magic accessibility, a magic academy from the teachers perspective rather than the student or those new to magic, and plot twists throughout.

Great read.

The cover was very stunning.
So i was dragged in, but the story was meh for me. It i just did not work for me. I did not care about the characters.

Overview:

Title: The Indivisible and the Void
Author: D.M Wozniak
Page: 443

Magic, War and the life destroyed by love gone bad.

Unfortunately, this book was not for me. I do believe it was me instead of the book. I just found myself uninterested and not captivated. But I was also reading this book during a time of heavy stress and it definitely had an influence.

But I did enjoy the writing and the premise of the book is absolutely enchanting. I wish I had the opportunity to try and read this book again, because I belive given a second chance I will adore this book.