THE MAKER OF WORLDS by David Litwack is a stirring fantasy adventure that transports readers to a realm where magic is both a source of wonder and a force for transformation. The novel chronicles the journeys of Lucas and Mia, two world-weary travelers who stumble through a mysterious portal into an enchanted borderland. There, they discover their untapped potential to wield magic under the guidance of the enigmatic Lyra. As they venture into the wider enchanted lands, they find themselves mentored by a wise healer and pitted against corrupt sorcerers, ultimately discovering that the greatest magic may be the power of human connection.

Litwack’s world-building is meticulous and immersive. The author tries to avoid lengthy info-dumps and uses a more organic approach to worldbuilding: strategic placement of key details, which immerse the reader in the enchanted lands without resorting to heavy-handed exposition. This passage, for example, concisely explains the nature and purpose of the borderlands and establishes the rules and logic of this magical realm: “The borderland is not as you’ve seen it. It’s an illusion maintained by magic, a combination of the custodian’s skill and the whims of the travelers who enter. The result is a non-threatening transition where you can practice your newfound powers but not wish to stay too long.”

Meanwhile, the author’s descriptions evoke the uncanny beauty of the enchanted realms with a dreamlike lyricism, as demonstrated here: “A blinding light appeared before us, as if a flight of angels had descended through the dark to guide us. I could almost imagine their wings white as swans, and the whir of those wings making the air around me tremble.”

The novel’s pacing is assured, the story unfolding with the gentle rhythm of a parable that belies the simmering intensity of its underlying themes. THE MAKER OF WORLDS grapples with weighty existential questions—the quest for meaning in the face of loss, the cyclical nature of despair and hope, and the responsibility that comes with power—with a deftness that elevates it above a conventional fantasy quest.

The novel’s greatest strength lies in its sensitive, finely drawn characterizations. Lucas and Mia are nuanced, deeply sympathetic protagonists whose emotional wounds draw them together even as their flaws threaten to drive them apart. The novel tenderly charts their halting journey towards healing, culminating in hard-won self-knowledge: “The loss was not by your lake or at my ocean’s edge but within us,” Mia observes, “and will stay a part of us wherever we roam, but our time in the enchanted lands has changed us as well.”

Where THE MAKER OF WORLDS occasionally falters is in its uneven handling of its villains. The corrupted sorcerers tend towards one-dimensional caricature, with the notable exception of Malik—whose all-too-human weaknesses render him one of the novel’s most compelling figures. “In my old life, I did the bidding of others, working as a menial laborer, bending to their will,” he explains. “‘Malik, do this, and Malik, do that, and you’re too weak and clumsy.’ Here, I can be king.” It’s a rare moment of glimpsed humanity that leaves one wishing for a fuller exploration of the tyrant’s inner life.

THE MAKER OF WORLDS is a work of lucid and often luminous fantasy, an intimate epic that, at its core, is an achingly poignant love story—not just between its central couple but between two wounded souls and the act of creation that heals them. Like the maelstrom portal that draws Lucas and Mia into their destiny, Litwack’s novel pulls readers into an adventure that probes the darkest recesses of the human heart while never losing sight of the magical light that guides the way home. Though not without its flaws, THE MAKER OF WORLDS is that rarest of treasures: a fantasy novel that has the power to make us reflect upon the enchantment and pain of our own lives—and imagine ourselves anew.

David Litwack’s adventure THE MAKER OF WORLDS is a luminous portal fantasy, an intimate epic that tenderly chronicles two world-weary travelers’ quest for connection and meaning. Meticulous world-building and nuanced characterizations lift Litwack’s novel above generic fantasy fare.

~Edward Sung for IndieReader