This ARC was provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Indivisible and the Void was a book that instantly intrigued me. The title alone made me want to dive into but then the cover and synopsis really won me over. It's a shame that it took me so long to dive into it and then to really get into everything as well. In it, you will meet Dem - it's a pretty interesting beginning to the book because his wife is missing. Well, not missing - she left him for another guy (ouch!).

Along his journey, he meets a couple of interesting characters - especially Climeline. Ugh, I loved her character so much but I still feel like something was missing or off about her. Maybe it was just one teeny tiny element from her that made me love her even more. It doesn't matter though because she was just an overall likable character. Hopefully we will get more from her or about her in the next book?

Overall, it was an okay book. I was expecting a bit more from it since it was a fantasy book. Still enjoyable but will take time to actually start liking it. At least for me.

One of the best fantasy novels I've read in awhile! It starts off slow, but it is very much worthwhile to get through the early pages as it soon become an engrossing and inventive tale. Very imaginative and I'll certainly be looking for the next book in this series. If you like fantasy adventures, I'm sure you will enjoy this one.

The magic in the novel lies in stones that give certain people unique abilities. There are only so many of these stones so the number of people who can wield them is few. There is also a religious backdrop to the story. Dem, the main character is the master teacher of those who have the stones. All of the students each year are sent to war, except for one per year that Dem chooses to send into the countryside to help the communities. Only things don't work out like he expected. Quite an adventure!

Thanks to D. M. Wozniak through Netgalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Good world building, and some really interesting ideas. But the bad female characters (stereotypes and flat) made it hared to stay with.. The end was sloppy, like it had been forced or rushed.

Fat fantasy novels usually take me a few sittings to get into and several weeks to finish. I write this having raced through the book in less than 6 days.
Far more thoughtful and engaging than I expected it to be, the story took several left turns where I would have expected it to go elsewhere. That's not to say that it was entirely nontraditional, but that it struck a nice balance between what you might hope for in a fantasy novel and surprises.
Right from the start I was gripped and had to keep going, constantly wanting to know what would happen next. It was a thrilling ride and one I will not forget in a hurry. Great plotting, pace and excellent characterisation. I only wish that the second volume was available now!

I was pleasantly surprised by this book. I have been having a really hard time getting into fantasy books lately, which is really strange for me as that is my go-to but this book really got me out of that funk. The author has an incredible imagination!

Huge Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this opportunity!

I loved this book! For some reason the title and the blurb made me feel like it would be a different kind of story, but it turned out much better. The void is like the space between atoms or maybe molecules, which are the indivisibles. Voiders can enter the space between atoms and manipulate them when they hold a certain kind of stone. The kinds of things they can do are pretty creative, like constructing an air bubble around themselves underwater or entering the bloodstream to destroy harmful cells. When the head of the voider university learns his wife has left him for another man, he drops everything and pursues her, determined to know why she left. This has the potential for being a very sad story, but it's not. He realizes pretty immediately that he and his wife shared a very superficial and mostly lustful type of love. He really just seems compelled to know why she suddenly left, and as he starts searching for her he uncovers some big surprises and strange things. He meets several people along the way who enable him to solve the mystery of his wife leaving, but also the larger mystery of how the manipulation of the indivisibles in the void is possible, and where the void stones come from. Our protagonist is both endearingly naive and extremely powerful, and it's great to see him start to figure things out and change his mind about some really big issues.

This was an incredible tale of intrigue, self discovery and ideas as well as magic set in a very well mapped out world with fleshed out characters and situation, highly recommend and look forward to future sequels.

I found this book magical.. I love the sci-fi/fantasy genre, but found it really interesting with the addition of religion. This book really surprised me and would highly recommend to readers. I will definitely be looking out for any more books published by D.M Wozniak in the future.

The Indivisible and The Void by D.M. Wozniak:

“Each year, Democryos sends his brightest student into the war-torn countryside to work magic. But when his wife leaves him for a mysterious stranger, he finds his own life ravaged.

Forsaking the comfort of the citadel, he searches for her, traveling through the same forgotten lands where he sent his students. Along the way, he befriends an elusive member of the king’s harem, a holy man harboring guilt, and a maimed soldier. Together, they stumble upon a key—not only to the war, but to understanding the magic of voidance itself.”

“A lie is just another form of ownership.”
★★★★★

I was amazed by this book, even if it constantly reminded me of V.E. Schwab’s books, it didn’t felt like a copy of anything I’ve read. The story was original, the diversity of characters was original. Even when there were a lot of names, places, and concepts to remember the book didn’t felt like heavy read.
The development of the characters was actually one of the things that I appreciated most in this story. Their changes are understandable and even reliable making the feel real. You could actually separate characters within the dialog without the need of a reminder of who was saying what because each character had their own voice and personality imprinted on their way to talk and think.
Surprises and plot twist were just a turn of the page on this, so the story had always a bit of extra tension on every chapter, in that way the plot became less predictable every time. The author also explained a little from the past of the main character making the reader understand more about his concerns, his personal life and why he reacted in certain ways on specific event.
Even when there were flashbacks the lot remained in a logical way, not confusing the reader at all on what was happening. The way the author describes the world isn’t overwhelming so it makes it easier to add up a clear image of the scenes even when there were a lot twists and turns along the story.
The book ended on a cliff hanger but still managed to conclude the story it begins with. That make me even more exited to read the next one (comes out in 2020). I’m joyous to continue to unravel the mysteries the void keeps and to return to read such marvelous characters.
I would recumbent this book to people in general that love magic, diverse cultures and points of views, mystery and love. Specially teenagers, young adults.

This was a great literary fiction book that mixes sci-fi, fantasy and religion. Very enjoyable, and the tone and pitch were just right. I enjoyed it so much that I'm now looking for the books following it, and will be talking about it on my blog in many ways in the coming months. It made a real impression on me.
**Disclaimer: I was given an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.**

This is a skillfully delineated world where there is a form of magic based upon the use of 'voidstones', a mineral which allows practitioners to manipulate the world at the molecular level. Ability to do this is hereditary.

Also hereditary is a certain type of cultist who preach that use of the stones is completely evil; these cultists, known as Effulgents, are completely hairless and their offspring, if also hairless, must join them.

When the Master Voider's wife suddenly leaves him, the king of his realm also reveals that Democryos has not been putting enough enthusiasm into the war effort against neighboring kingdom Xi. As he traces his wife's flight away from the capital, he comes across another voidance lab than this own at the university-- one he didn't know existed but filled with his own inventions. One of his students is a traitor! But they are weapons of war, which means the king must know...

The mystery deepens as he and the harem girl assigned him by the king as 'consolation' continue their journey of discovering and revealing treachery, which leads to the very edge of their familiar world. Could those wacky Effulgents have been partly right?

Excellent read, with insights into human hearts as well as particle physics.

I didn't know what to expect from this novel, but it drew me in and I couldn't stop reading it. Want a story that calls to you to keep reading? This is it. The world is well created, and it is really great to see a magic system which has a cost, without the wielder just being able to do whatever they want. Of course, intrinsic to the plot is that the cost is even more than anticipated...

Magic, questions of religion and belief, a mystery, a journey, a villain, even aliens - a well-crafted novel without any of the pieces seeming to be out of place. The main characters are well written and developed and the storyline is enthralling. The only thing that was missing from this novel was a strong, well developed female character. The two featured females were a little too 'damsel in distress'/love interest only in order to be compelling characters. Despite this, I was disappointed when I reached the end! I definitely look forward to the next one.

“Everything in our creation is built out of infinitesimal building blocks, called the indivisible. There is nothing else, besides the indivisible and the void.” – Master Voider Democryos

The story begins in medias res with Democryos receiving a letter from his wife, explaining that she has left him for another man. Dem, who had believed her to be his one true love, is shocked and hurt and angry. After inspecting her bedroom, he finds out more about her infidelity and some clues as to where she could be headed. So he goes on a quest to find his wife, fight for her, and win her back seek vengeance on the man who is the reason for her betrayal.

Democryos is the Master Voider of the Northern Kingdom, living in a citadel and teaching other voiders at the university. With the help of so-called void stones, voiders able to see the smallest units of matter and alter them. But the power of the stones surpasses the human ability to wield it. Too much exposure and the voider risks voideath.

In this pre-industrial age, Democryos is one of the most powerful people in the country, second only to King Andrej X. And when the king learns of Dem’s situation, he insists on cheering him up by sending him home with Chimeline, a woman from his harem. But Chimeline is not who she seems to be and soon she and Dem find themselves on the road together, searching for the “veiled” man. While travelling the country, they are joined by a holy man with a dark secret and a soldier from enemy territory. In addition to learning more about the veiled man’s identity and facing dangers on their journey, they learn about the true nature of voidance from unexpected sources, and each is confronted with their own past and challenged in their world view.

The world building happens gradually and follows the natural progression of the story through which we discover interesting new places with even more interesting, complex and fully fleshed out side characters. But the main cast was amazing. All four characters (Democryos, Chimeline, the effulgent, and il-Colu) have a lot of depth. They are clearly flawed yet very likable and absolutely unforgettable. The story is driven by both, the characters and the plot: The convincing relationship dynamics, the justified tension and the required trust between the protagonists, was compelling and felt very real. And while I was reading, I had no idea what would happen next. And the big showdown has everything one could ask for: action scenes, unexpected elements, and a lot of suspense.

This book was SUPERB! I expected a lot when I saw all the 4- and 5-star reviews. And this book did not disappoint. Entering this beautifully imaginative world was a wonderful experience. And this was one of those rare reads that I did not want to put down. And every time I had to, I kept thinking about it all day, waiting to finally pick it up again.

In addition to the wonderful cast and incredible world, part of what made this read so sweet was the beautiful writing that never resorted to the use of pseudo-epic cliché phrases. And do you remember those books where the protagonist and the lover throw caution in the wind, forget about saving the world, and just focus on their love for each other? You will not have to go through that here. Instead, Wozniak gives us mature characters full of inner strength who are able to say, “There are more urgent things in this world than repairing a broken heart.”
It is a rare blend of literary speculative fiction, although I personally would put it in the category of science fiction and fantasy.

And – last but not least – look at this stunner of a cover!!!

I can’t wait to read Wozniak’s other books while I am expectantly waiting for the sequel.

Thank you NetGalley and D.M. Wozniak for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

So I was really pleasantly surprised by this one! The blurb isn’t too descriptive or intriguing, and I have to say I was a bit hesitant about the quality of the novel when I first started it. My suspicions seemed to be confirmed in the first half of the book, but then it started picking up and heading in an unexpected direction.

In this book we follow Democryos, a teacher and master voider at a prestigious university for voidance. His character is particularly interesting because we get to see this world’s magic system from the perspective of a master rather than a novice. Though not as fleshed-out with rules as I would have liked, the magic system gained a lot of depth from this perspective. It is explained pretty seamlessly through Dem’s thoughts and actions. I thought it was extremely unique and creative, and its central position in the story holds more depth than is revealed at first glance.

Another aspect that made Dem interesting was how unlikely of a protagonist he was for a fantasy-type novel–he’s short-tempered, privileged, and egotistical. He is adamant that his view of logic and reason is correct, and much of the novel centers around his selfishness. Fortunately, glimpses of morality begin shining through his rough exterior, and he undergoes some pretty satisfying character development. I really enjoyed seeing how his views and actions subtly changed throughout the story.

Perhaps what I found most interesting about the book was the central theme of reason versus faith–something that is still debated vehemently today. Wozniak did an excellent job of showing the extremities of each side through Dem, the scientist, and Blythe, a priest. He highlights how silly it is that neither seem to be able to compromise, both refusing to accept that anything but their own belief is correct. The way that the two end up entangling is refreshing, and maybe gives a little hope that the two sides can live in harmony.

The book had some issues with plot and pacing, and the world-building felt a bit jarring. I’m overlooking that because I thought the characters were excellent and it was a refreshingly creative take on speculative fiction– it doesn’t follow conventional paths and tropes. It is a bit difficult to get into, but I promise it will lead you in a completely unexpected direction (a good one!).

It ends on a cliffhanger, and I definitely want to continue the series.

This book was received as an ARC from D.M. Wozniak in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

What was once a quest o use magic for good, turns into a quest for survival and for the future. The Indivisible and the void tells the story of Democryos and his students at the citadel who later finds out that his wife left him for a mysterious stranger, he finds himself in a bind that for him is very tough to get out of. Risking it all, he goes on the quest to search for his wife and this stranger and what her disappearance was all about. He finds in his travels in the same land where he sends his students and finds that it doesn't only take magic to save this land. He later discovers what really is missing and what the true meaning of the magic of voidance and why he was meant to be there. I do have to say honestly at first, it took me a while to completely understand the plot and concept of this book. There were a lot of sections at first that did not make sense and had a little too much magical impact than realistic features. However, I did enjoy the characters and the concept of the forgotten lands which made me finish the book. However, I think our readers will have difficulty grasping on to the concept of this book compared to other books in this genre.

We will consider this book for our Sci Fi collection but there were parts that were confusing and tough to follow along. That is why we only give this book 3.5 stars.

"Like how a child in the womb must be to an expectant father -- priceless, yet unshaped. A paradox of the unknown and of certainty."

I was pleasantly surprised with Wozniak's The Indivisible and the Void. The tale opens with Master Voider Dem's discovery that his wife has left him for a mysterious gentlemen, and thus, Dem starts out on an epic quest to find her and figure out what the what happened. He picks up a cast of characters along the way, including an unnamed effulgent (aka The Religious Dude), Colu (aka The Tough Dude), and Chimeline (aka The Token Woman).

The plot, writing style, world building, and character development* are all very well done. The plot is action packed and sucks the reader in from the very beginning. It moved along at a steady clip, and it kept me guessing as to what would happen next. Wozniak did not throw in random fight scenes "just because" - every plot point served a purpose. Also, Wozniak's writing style serves the fantasy genre well. He doesn't use overly pretty nor flowery words, but I found myself highlighting well written passages more often than I expected. Although the plot and writing were well done, my favorite aspect of this book is the world building. Wozniak creates this society where you've got voiders - a subset of inhabitants who have magical powers that are granted to them via voidstones - and effulgents - a religious sect who "follow the way of the unwanting" and view possessing anything as bad news. Since the story is told from the viewpoint of the voider Dem, the reader (or at least I) initially found the effulgents to be irritating in a holier-than-thou kind of way. But as the story progresses and it's revealed why the effulgents are so adamant about sticking to their ideals... well, it turns the story on its head.

And did I say the character development was well done... with an asterisk? That's because the character development was only well done for the male characters. Not one but BOTH of the female main characters in this tale wound up being damsels in distress. It was quite the turnoff for an otherwise well written gem of a book. I mean, I know it takes place in some indeterminate year that may be in the distant past, but come on, it was published in 2019. Here's to hoping Wozniak can redeem himself on this front in the second installment.

This is a talented author. Much smarter people than I have reviewed this so I'll just say I enjoyed the crisp writing and interesting plot very much. Recommended! Looking forward to his future work.

I really appreciate the advanced copy for review!!

The indivisible and the void is a dark new fantasy about Master Voider Democryos (DEM) who is searching for his wife and works for King Andrej X, training individuals in using voidstones to manipulate matter in an indivisible realm. His student and wife leaves him for another mysterious voider and suffering from the loss he sets out to confront her.

Great descriptions, fantastic characters and enough plots and subplots to keep it all intriguing. There magic, adventure and a little bit of romance. If you like slightly different, well-written fantasy novels this is the one to pick up!

I just couldn't get into this book. I didn't care much about the characters, the world, or the magic. The start didn't really draw me in.

I still am giving the book three stars because I did skim to the end and there are some nice twists, etc., in the book. The author has a great imagination, it just didn't pull me in.

Thanks Netgalley for a free e-ARC.

DM Wozniak establishes mood and atmosphere in a book that is sure to appeal to readers of the science fiction genre. Wozniak renders this world with skill.