Last updated on October 2, 2026
One retired inventor, three unlikely apprentices, and a magical internet spun from spider silk.
Zaquocorin Flickerwhizzle has the vision but not the materials. Newly retired from Mysti Messages, he finally has time to build his masterpiece: a magical messaging system better than anything his old employer ever made. All he needs is to be left alone to do it.
Then a cute, chubby young gnome interrupts his dinner to beg him to take her on as an apprentice. To Zaq’s own astonishment, he says yes to her and two others.
However, mentorship is a two-way street, and opening up is hard after you’ve been betrayed. Zaq’s reckless decision to send the group out of Ryefeld on a quest to get materials may have dire consequences. Dangers may lurk in the wild woods and dark caves. There could be unimaginable horrors—or even spiders.
But if this mismatched band of fire-forged friends can learn to trust one another, they might build something none of them could have made alone—something that could change all of Aberterrene.
Social Sorcery returns to the world of Distilled Magic for a low-stakes, standalone cozy fantasy of harvest festival fun, steampunk-flavored artificery, a giant beaver, one very inconvenient black cat, and a sweet rivals-to-lovers romance. Opening your heart, it turns out, is the first step toward changing the world.
About the series:
Welcome to Aberterrene, a cozy fantasy world made up of standalone novels, each filled with warmth, whimsy, and a little bit of magic.
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What Are People Saying?
Social Sorcery by Alex Peachy is an absolute delight—equal parts hilarious, heartfelt, and wildly inventive. This cozy fantasy adventure takes everything readers love about offbeat magic, unlikely mentorships, and ragtag adventuring parties and weaves it into a story brimming with personality and soul. – Leigha Lennon, 5 Stars
It’s whimsical, it’s soft, and it’s full of those small but powerful reminders about trust, mentorship, and letting others in. More than anything, it left me feeling lighter, like I’d spent time in a safe space where kindness and care truly mattered. – Tales with Atticus, 5 Stars
This was such a great cozy comfort read! Anyone who owns a cat will giggle about the cat in this because it’s beyond relatable. I love that unlikely people come together become friends and work together to make invent things and be creative. This was beautifully written and all of the representations in this book were so great to see! – Susan Vanderlaan, 5 Stars
About the Author
Alex Peachy lives in the Pacific Northwest, and to stave off the cold and lack of sun, he writes cozy fantasy novels full of warmth, whimsy, and magic. The stories Alex creates explore identity, community, and personal growth themes. He shares his home with his wife, son, and their three adorable cats. His favorite cat considers Alex her human and often demands to be held. You can find him writing and sipping on a glass of good whisky in the evenings. Alex encourages you to take the time to slow down and relax. Grab a cozy book from Alex or another of your favorite authors and escape into a world of magic and adventure.
AI was not used in generating the text of Social Sorcery, the cover art, or the character art. Alex Peachy does not craft his stories with AI.
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