Doizemaster: Phantasm Creed

By: Madeline Erb

Doizemaster: Phantasm Creed is a detailed YA Fantasy full of intricate world building. Doizemaster is writer Tony M. Quintana’s debut book, and it does not disappoint. The characters are engaging, the action thrilling, and the world is complex and has multiple layers. There are parts of the book that I enjoyed less than others as the romance failed to grab my attention. Overall, however, this is an exciting adventure that will keep you turning pages.

Our hero Dashiel lives in Azahar, a town surrounded by a magic barrier created by a forest god. When robotic soldiers from the Zaphyrelian Empire break through the barrier and attack, Dashiel fights them off using an old weapon of his father’s, a baton called “Orphée.” A small squad of Covert Operatives take notice of Dashiel and recruit him to join the Cobalt Phantasms – a group of warriors and magic users who work against the Zaphyrelian Empire. Dashiel is gifted Orphée by his father – who reveals that it is a rare magical weapon called a “Doizemant.” Then, he leaves the safety of Azahar, travelling with another Cobalt Phantasm named Sylvain. He trains alongside other recruits and is mentored by a woman named Sofia, who initially detests him. Eventually, he will take his place as a full Cobalt Phantasm and protect the people of the Zaphyrelian Empire from the tyranny they face.

The best part of this book is the elaborate worldbuilding. The world of Doizemaster: Phantasm Creed lives and breathes. It’s complex enough that you could build a very satisfying tabletop roleplaying game out of it. Every piece of the worldbuilding connects fluidly and makes sense as a coherent world. As I mentioned, the romance in Doizemaster leaves something to be desired. The love between Dashiel and Athenai, a mysterious girl, occurs too quickly to feel real. It felt out of place in a book where so many other characters had realistic relationships. At three hundred and seventy-two pages, the book has room for this relationship to be more fleshed out and to move a little slower.

Tony M. Quintana’s writing is detailed and entertaining. For the most part, the characters feel fleshed out and their relationships real. The book combines magic and steampunk tech in charming ways. The combat, of which there is a lot of, is thrilling and fun. The plot twists, which are well-foreshadowed, are usually surprising and always sprung at exactly the right time. I’d recommend it to any fan of YA Fantasy and especially to those who enjoy steampunk.

Doizemaster: Phantasm Creed by Tony M. Quintana is out on November 19th.