The Source of Strife Review
Author: Alex Arch
Rating: 8.0 GREAT
What’s it About?
Energy can neither be created nor destroyed. Only stolen. Mages feed on catalysts like Dinnie to enhance their spells, and since she’s the most formidable weapon alive, they will stop at nothing to control her. Even her parents, leaders of warring realms, wage a battle for her custody, imprisoning her to prevent the other from gaining the upper hand.
No more.
For the first time, Dinnie isn’t alone. With the help of Ghost, a glum deserter shackled to his past, she intends to flee this madness. But as they witness the horrors unleashed to retrieve her, one thing becomes clear: Her parents will never abandon their claim.
The Review
The Source of Strife by Alex Arch is a fantasy western that caught my attention due to it’s unique magic system and promise of intense action. I then began bracing myself for the impending gunslinging violence. I had no idea what awaited me would strike me like a Source blast to the gut. The Source of Strife is as a heartfelt journey of soul searching that resonated in my core. The author took a simple premise and deftly weaved chaos throughout. It’s all anchored by a compelling cast of characters, rich lore, and a magic system that’s a blast to read.
“It diffused from her like an expanding bubble on which she had no control. She could sway its course, but it slipped from her grasp like a fistful of water.”
The character banter and informal tones used told a story in itself. You get the sense that there’s a rich history to this world and its inhabitants. Sometimes its an untold story just hinted at through nicknames and jests. More is slowly revealed and unraveled in a torrent of engaging dialogue and meaningful interactions. The main protagonists are all brimming with personality. The author gives bits and pieces of their intriguing backstories. It was always just enough and at the perfect time. The more I read, the more I cared. Even the most badass characters are deeply damaged, insecure, and broken. You see their past trauma through every trembling hand and nervous tick. These vulnerabilities had me reminiscing on my own past, making each character feel so real. So if you like gun and magic wielding badasses that you’ll actually care about, this book is for you. The conflict between the main band of protagonists, often fueled by regret and self-loathing, grounded them in a way that felt realistic. The only issue I had with these beloved characters is that the level of introspection never matched their maturity level. Don’t get me wrong, the deep dives into their personal struggles were engaging. But the amount of emotional maturity needed to look deep within oneself was at odds with many of the actions and dialogue throughout the book. Some of the dialogue and self reflection came off a bit too moody and whiny for my taste at times. That being said, I don’t personally know the author, but it feels like they poured their own personal experiences into these characters. I hope I’m not off on that assessment but that’s how real and genuine the characters felt to me.
The magic system in The Source of Strife is without a doubt the highlight of the book. Teamwork and a skilled hand are paramount in controlling and manipulating the magic called Source in this world. This delicate give-and-take balance was so much fun to read and lead to some truly memorable moments that I won’t soon forget. The dynamics of the magic system forced together with the character’s struggles forced many conflicting emotions. It spurred themes of trust, morality and personal autonomy that I thought was brilliantly conceived.
The main plot is simple, which I found quite refreshing. It starts at a quick pace and never lets up. The interesting thing about Arch’s writing is that there’s ample down time, but never feels slow in pace. The dialogue and scene-setting created such vivid images in my mind that made the slower moments fly by. I often hesitate to use the word “page turner,” because I feel like it can sometimes infer a simplicity to the writing. Arch’s writing is deep where it needs to be, creating my ideal version of a “page turner.” I expected mindless gunslinging and violence for spectacle. Instead, what’s here is purposeful, meaningful, and messy. When the violence hits, it packs a punch. Details regarding the evil that’s unleashed are sparse in the early goings. But when it was finally revealed, it gave me chills. The chaos that ensued, coupled with the interplay of the magic system was a site to behold. I do think the author could have done a bit better with the descriptions within some of the action scenes. At times, I got a bit lost inside of the action. Perhaps this was due to the intricate magic system that I loved so much. Alex Arch really knows the audience and shut down plot holes before they even had a chance to creep in. This made the narrative more engaging and shows how much thought and respect went into creating the world. One issue I had with the writing is that I feel like Arch should trust the reader more. There were many redundancies that pulled me out of the story. There’s a lot of emotion flowing throughout the story and I think there could have been a better balance. Some things are better left unsaid. I wanted to be shown a little more than told in these situations.
The Source of Strife was sold to me as John Wick meets Red Dead Redemption. While I certainly saw more Red Dead Redemption than John Wick, these creations include large production teams of writers, actors, and designers, etc, all working towards a common goal. The Source of Strife however, is one persons thoughts, ambitions, triumphs, and failures on the page. I feel like there’s something to be said about one author putting everything they have on paper. It’s something special and something that other entertainment mediums can’t replicate in my opinion. The Source of Strife is a sterling example of this. It’s a passionately written story that I felt invested in. With genuine characters and magic system that steals the show the Source of Strife by Alex Arch is a great fantasy western that I recommend.