The Last Trollid

The Sunset of Magic Book 1

Fiction - Fantasy - Epic
240 Pages
Reviewed on 11/17/2016
Buy on Amazon

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Author Biography

Alistair Potter writes Fantasy, Science Fiction, short stories and poetry. His work has been read on the BBC Radio4, Scottish Shorts series, and he is former recipient of a Scottish Arts Council New Writer's Bursary.

The Last Trollid started life as a writing group exercise that produced a scene between Ida and Bort, where Ida was trying to teach Bort how to cook pancakes. It just 'dropped out of the ether' onto the page. The characters were so much fun, I took it home and kept going until I'd written the book. It then became one of my 'apprentice pieces' - getting written and re-written to address all the usual 'beginner' problems most writers usually encounter. Sadly, in the rewrites, the 'pancake scene' was lost, as the story needed to start much later. I'll need to look it out and see how it stands as a short story!

    Book Review

Reviewed by Charles Remington for Readers' Favorite

An elderly wizard uses his awesome powers to open a world gate on the peaceful pastoral planet of Nephus and, as a result, enables an invading horde of reptilian aliens to pass through and launch a merciless attack on the mainly agricultural population. The Last Trollid (The Sunset of Magic – Book 1) by Alistair Potter chronicles how the unprepared and ill-equipped inhabitants fight a hopeless battle to try to save their planet. As the casualties mount, the operators of the field kitchen, one Ida Fairweather and her assistant, Bort, are enlisted to help with the wounded and transporting the unfortunate combatants to safety. But very quickly, they find themselves diverted and become a part of a small unlikely band which, almost by accident, becomes involved in a quest to find a fantastic hidden city and a fabled library, in which they hope to discover the means to save their embattled planet. The journey is arduous and fraught with danger, however, as a merciless enemy and a fabled dragon stalk their every step.

I had the privilege of reviewing The Box of Tricks by Alistair Potter some time ago, and, having found it an excellent book, was encouraged to take up The Last Trollid, and to my delight found it equally as good, if very different. Whereas The Box of Tricks was straightforward science fiction, The Last Trollid is straightforward fantasy. The pace is a little less frenetic, but it is lucid, full of interesting plot twists, and peopled with well-drawn, rounded characters set in an intricately imagined landscape. A fine example of the genre. I am pleased to note that there are more books in this particular series. Although I am not normally drawn to fantasy novels as such, I have become very fond of the planet Nephus and this set of rather interesting characters, so I will certainly make a point of reading the others. The Last Trollid is a cracking read and highly recommended.

Kathryn Bennett

The Last Trollid: The Sunset of Magic Book 1 by Alistair Potter throws you into a world of magic and dragons and all the battles, heroes and villains that can include. Moreover, what would any world of dragons and heroes be without wizards as well! Jump into a world that happily offers you a little bit of everything you could want in a grand, sweeping adventure story fit for a king.

From the moment I began reading this book, I knew I was in for a treat. The very first character that you meet is Wizard Dusswen and he caught my attention from the start. The first thing you will notice in the pages of this book is how rich and vivid a tapestry is going to be woven for you. Passages such as “Like parchment laid on glowing coals, the surface of the stone blackened and cracked, peeling back to expose smooth, white marble, and as the concealment fell away...” literally draw out the images before your eyes as you travel within this world. I don't want to give too much away. This is a beautiful and complex story with characters so rich that you will find yourself wishing that you could have a conversation with these characters, good or bad. I was honestly very sad when I reached the end of this story and its sweeping scenery, battles and love. The good news is - it's only the first book in the series! I can't wait to settle in and enjoy another chunk of time with the entire cast of this beautiful fantasy work.

Mamta Madhavan

The Last Trollid: Book 1 of the Sunset of Magic series by Alistair Potter is a fantasy story filled with interesting twists and turns in the plot, magical creatures, battles, memorable female characters, bravery, sacrifice, and a bit of romance. The story is about how the peace in the planet of Nephus is disrupted by a wizard who uses his powers to attack the inhabitants. They are not prepared to fight this battle and the story is about how they try to save their planet from the invaders. Ida Fairweather and Bort, her ward, are the ones entrusted with the responsibility of transporting the wounded soldiers to a safe place. They discover a hidden city in the process, which in turn helps them when it comes to saving Nephus.

The story is fast paced with its battles and readers end up being drawn to Nephus and the people who live there. The author sketches some female characters who make a strong statement, like Ida, Lineth, and Ephemia. The descriptions are so detailed and vivid that it makes the narrative very graphic for readers. Endor Caffri is another character in the story who makes an impact on readers. It is interesting to see how the author has taken some old ideas and inventions for several of the devices that are mentioned and used them deftly in the book. With all the excitement, fantasy, and adventure in this story, readers will be eagerly awaiting the next book.

Sefina Hawke

The Last Trollid by Alistair Potter is the first in The Sunset of Magic series; the book falls into the combined genres of fantasy, action, adventure, and romance. This is a story that takes place on numerous worlds, has aliens like the Harrowen, and magic wielding alien wizards like Dusswen. The book begins with Dusswen, a Harrowen wizard, escaping his home world of Mirt to rebuild the world gate to allow the invasion of Nephus to begin. Ida Fairweather and her ward Bort (the last Trollid) only joined the Silvermeadown militia as cook and assistant, and yet they too will be called upon to defend against the Harrowen invasion. Will one cook and her gentle giant of a ward be enough to turn the tide?

I personally enjoyed reading about the world that Alistair Potter created in The Last Trollid. I enjoyed the adventures, the well-developed characters, and the creatures that he created within the book. My favorite aspect of the story, however, would have to be the female characters. Alistair Potter did a spectacular job of creating strong female characters with unique personalities. I found Ida to be my favorite character; I just liked the way that she had a gentle personality with a center of strength underneath all of her gentleness.

Alistair Potter added a nice bit of romance to The Last Trollid, but he did it in such a way that the romance became a part of the story without overwhelming it or taking over the plot. I liked how none of the romance was love at first sight, but instead it was built upon a solid foundation which gave it a realistic feel. Overall, I really enjoyed reading The Last Trollid by Alistair Potter and I look forward to book two in this series!

Divine Zape

The Last Trollid by Alistair Potter is a spellbinding opening to The Sunset of Magic series, a fine blend of sci-fi and fantasy that features magic, battles, unusual creatures, and a quest. The planet Nephus, inhabited by agricultural and simple folk, is being invaded by reptilian aliens, thanks to the insidious magic of an old and cunning wizard. What can a people bereft of arms and the skills required for battle do? They become creative, they improvise, and fight! But the battles to save their planet are just a prelude to a more exhilarating adventure that will take the survivors on a quest to discover a hidden city and a legendary library. But could these provide the key to saving their planet?

Alistair Potter has created great entertainment in The Last Trollid with well-sculpted and solid characters like Peter Stamp, Ida, Bort, and a host of others. Nephus is an imaginary planet that is well-thought out and it is fantastic to escape to this astounding setting. The plot is excellent, fast-paced, and revealing of the author’s great imagination. There are many twists and surprises in this story, and just when the reader feels that the story is reaching its climax, the author introduces a new element to the intricate plot. There is a lot of action in this plot and the author struck a wonderful balance between the excellent use of descriptive prose, intelligent dialogue, and the awesome narrative. Apart from the intense action that permeates the entire story, the author has a gift for humor as well and readers will undoubtedly be hugely entertained throughout this tale.