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A lifelong explorer of life's experiences and unending surprises, Billy Ironcrane was raised in inner city Philadelphia during the 1950's and 60's. There he partook in the revolutionary currents of change, protest, activism, and idealism which characterized the era. While a teen, he spent summers on the Jersey coast hawking newspapers, tossing burgers and exploring places like Atlantic City where he encountered flea circuses, Gene Krupa hanging between sets at the Steel Pier, petrified mermaids and the fabulously wealthy promenading the boardwalk at night flashing mink stoles, diamonds, tuxes and studded canes. Atlantic City dubbed itself, “The World’s Playground.” All the stuff of dreams as he returned to Mrs. J’s boarding house where he slept for ten bucks a week, sharing space with his grandfather, Polish immigrants working the summer trade, and the ever present legion of cats.
He departed the inner city pushing blindly into the unknown never to return. To be static would have been terminal, as it proved to be for many of his mates. In the decades following, he pursued new awarenesses, trekked mountains, explored Zen, became a soldier, raised a family, bridged the corporate jungle, then lived on wits and ingenuity until the muse of the 60's again tapped his shoulder, ordering, "Time to shift gears, Billy."
His stories re-visit ancient times, extracting from their myths and legends new reckonings and insights into a modern world where many of the same challenges seem to have become our norm.
Reviewed by K.C. Finn for Readers' Favorite
The Wizard's Testament: An Unexpected Challenge is a work of fiction in the epic fantasy and adventure subgenres. It is intended for the general adult reading audience and was penned by author Billy Ironcrane. Taking its primary inspiration from Chinese mythology, folklore, and combat styles, this sprawling fantasy tale introduces us to a small band of central figures, through whose unique viewpoints we witness the tensions of major states at war and the collapse of an entire dynasty. But when a unique opportunity presents itself in the form of an archery contest, a spark of hope ignites as past and present coalesce to lead those brave enough to follow into a brighter future.
Author Billy Ironcrane has crafted a fantastic story of a war-torn nation and its unique fighters, one that will keep fantasy and action fans on the edge of their seats all the way through a truly epic reading experience. I really admired the pacing and timeline of events in the work, which seems disparate and slow-burning at first, but builds and combines in the most wonderful and unexpected ways as the intricate strands of the plot come together. I also thought that the combat and violent scenes were well-handled to create exciting imagery, but without ever going too far so that it became gratuitous. The story also inspired a deeper interest for me in real Chinese history and culture, which I think is always the mark of a well-researched story. Overall, I would definitely recommend The Wizard's Testament to any reader seeking a talented fantasy author to follow.
