vms_lcsw's review against another edition
4.0
A great prequel. If you haven't read the other books this will be confusing and maybe even seem pointless. Well written. I cared abou the characters and what was happening to them. I cared about the story because I wanted to know how Morgan became Morg.
summonerwitch's review against another edition
4.0
Good read. Read it after Innocent Mage and Awakened Mage which meant I knew how the story would end. However, it also meant I could see the beginning of story threads that played out in those two novels. It was also great to see the "real" story after seeing how it had evolved by the time of the Innocent Mage. Barl is a very different character than history portrayed her.
jentrevellan's review against another edition
3.0
This was a slow starter. whilst it was very good to learn about Barl and Morgan and get to know them as people, there was far too much going on and yet nothing happening. When they journeyed to Lur towards the end, I was dismayed to find it gently passed over, even though this could've been a very tense and brilliant part of the book. I enjoyed the book, but i wanted so much more and felt the later 100 pages of the book should have had a slower pace. It is good how Miller changed the light on Barl and Morgan and how what they did started off innocently.
This is a short review simply because I am now starting the sequel to The Innocent Mage...
This is a short review simply because I am now starting the sequel to The Innocent Mage...
rebekah_b94's review against another edition
5.0
I picked this book up in water-stones randomly because I liked the title, and it seems to be the exception to rule 'don't judge a book by it's cover', because ultimately I found it to be excellent.
The world that Miller creates is almost seamless, from the first page I could envision Barl's world. The characterization however, is the real bread and butter of the book. I think I enjoyed it so much because Miller created such a empathetic character in Barl, maybe it was just me, but I could really relate to her. That is not to say she isn't flawed, quite horrendously so in fact, but despite the stupidity and arrogance of some of her decisions, I never quite stopped relating to her postion. I believe Miller set up something of a fable in the doomed romance of Barl and Morgan, not only in their love for each other, but to greater extent their mutual thirst for power. Their relationship is passionate and charged, as they seem to be two sides of the same coin, both powerful, both constrained and both far too arrogant for their own good. They are perfectly matched for each other, however not all matches produce a positive result, and their relationship is like combining fire and gasoline, leading to great destruction. Although at times the interaction between characters is a little contrived, I found that it always managed to tread the line between being entertaining fiction and being simply melodramatic, as the level of emotional drama correlates well with the level of catastrophe, which gives license for characters to act more than a little irate.
As much as I related to, and sympathized with Barl, I have to conclude that the book works so well in part, because she receives a fitting reward for her actions. Which ultimately is her death, but at the same time allows for some measure of redemption.
The moral of the story- 'Pride goes before a fall' and 'making demons probably isn't a good idea, even if you're the greatest mage in the universe'
The world that Miller creates is almost seamless, from the first page I could envision Barl's world. The characterization however, is the real bread and butter of the book. I think I enjoyed it so much because Miller created such a empathetic character in Barl, maybe it was just me, but I could really relate to her. That is not to say she isn't flawed, quite horrendously so in fact, but despite the stupidity and arrogance of some of her decisions, I never quite stopped relating to her postion. I believe Miller set up something of a fable in the doomed romance of Barl and Morgan, not only in their love for each other, but to greater extent their mutual thirst for power. Their relationship is passionate and charged, as they seem to be two sides of the same coin, both powerful, both constrained and both far too arrogant for their own good. They are perfectly matched for each other, however not all matches produce a positive result, and their relationship is like combining fire and gasoline, leading to great destruction. Although at times the interaction between characters is a little contrived, I found that it always managed to tread the line between being entertaining fiction and being simply melodramatic, as the level of emotional drama correlates well with the level of catastrophe, which gives license for characters to act more than a little irate.
As much as I related to, and sympathized with Barl, I have to conclude that the book works so well in part, because she receives a fitting reward for her actions. Which ultimately is her death, but at the same time allows for some measure of redemption.
The moral of the story- 'Pride goes before a fall' and 'making demons probably isn't a good idea, even if you're the greatest mage in the universe'
heather_dowell's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
vreadsmore's review against another edition
4.0
Had a hard time choosing between 3 and 4, but I think part of that is my inherent bias of prequels. I've gone with a 4 because I think it did what it needed to do overall. If you haven't read the other entries of the Kingmaker, King breaker series, I suggest you do that. The rest of this review will assume you've read the books in their release order with this being the last.
A Blight of Mages takes us through a year or so of the lives of Barl and Morg(Morgan at this point).
The good-
For the most part, I enjoyed that the characters were different from what we get of them in the other books. Instead of Barl the savior we have Barl the Brat. Instead of Morg the entity of evil, we have Morg the devoted son and council member.
It also did an excellent job of painting a picture of Dorana without venturing too far beyond Barl and Morg themselves. Between the two of them we get an idea of what it meant to be an unranked and ranked mage, respectively. These ranks are based on birth as opposed to talent or performance.
As far as I can recall (I read the last book a couple years ago) it didn't leave any loose ends from the original series as to how we got from where it was to where the innocent mage picks up.
The Bad- All of these things were doubled edged swords to me.
It was fun seeing the difference in the Barl and Morg, but Barl becoming the savior still feels undeserved by the end of it. Maybe that was the point, but if her actions matched up a bit more I would've felt better about it.
We get an idea of what things were like back then , which was great. But somehow it was less magical than the other books. Going into the book I was expecting epic displays of magic since it exclusively follows the magical Doranen in a time where the two greatest mages were alive. However, magic was mostly relagated to alchemy, a few uses of glimfire, clock making (there's like 100 pages about clock making uuugghhh) , and teleportation. This isn't inherently bad, but it's a negative for me in this case.
While there weren't any loose ends that I noticed, I think how everything was tied up was rushed. From our two protagonists doing what they were destined to do, to Jervale's preparations for the innocent mage, it just didn't quite work for me.
Unfortunately I felt a lot of time went to rehashing the same arguments. I really enjoyed the character, Lady Venette, but it got to the point where she'd just have the same conversation with Morg repeatedly. I just needed Asher to come in and tell these Doranen to "quit your branglin'"
A Blight of Mages takes us through a year or so of the lives of Barl and Morg(Morgan at this point).
The good-
For the most part, I enjoyed that the characters were different from what we get of them in the other books. Instead of Barl the savior we have Barl the Brat. Instead of Morg the entity of evil, we have Morg the devoted son and council member.
It also did an excellent job of painting a picture of Dorana without venturing too far beyond Barl and Morg themselves. Between the two of them we get an idea of what it meant to be an unranked and ranked mage, respectively. These ranks are based on birth as opposed to talent or performance.
As far as I can recall (I read the last book a couple years ago) it didn't leave any loose ends from the original series as to how we got from where it was to where the innocent mage picks up.
The Bad- All of these things were doubled edged swords to me.
It was fun seeing the difference in the Barl and Morg, but Barl becoming the savior still feels undeserved by the end of it. Maybe that was the point, but if her actions matched up a bit more I would've felt better about it.
We get an idea of what things were like back then , which was great. But somehow it was less magical than the other books. Going into the book I was expecting epic displays of magic since it exclusively follows the magical Doranen in a time where the two greatest mages were alive. However, magic was mostly relagated to alchemy, a few uses of glimfire, clock making (there's like 100 pages about clock making uuugghhh) , and teleportation. This isn't inherently bad, but it's a negative for me in this case.
While there weren't any loose ends that I noticed, I think how everything was tied up was rushed. From our two protagonists doing what they were destined to do, to Jervale's preparations for the innocent mage, it just didn't quite work for me.
Unfortunately I felt a lot of time went to rehashing the same arguments. I really enjoyed the character, Lady Venette, but it got to the point where she'd just have the same conversation with Morg repeatedly. I just needed Asher to come in and tell these Doranen to "quit your branglin'"
kricket's review against another edition
4.0
As a prequel this novel really tells the tragic and beautiful history behind Miller's Innocent Mage Series and Fisherman's Children. The story follows Barl, a brilliantly talented mage who is trapped in a cast system that doesn't allow her to be the mage she thinks she can be. She is arrogant and headstrong and in the end is forced to become a servant of Morgan, a councilmen as punishment, with he powers bound when she breaks a fundamental law. When he discovers her true brilliance he falls in desperate love and gets her to help him break every law of magic their country holds dear in his own quest for power.
Many of the reviews I have read have talked about the shallowness of the relationship between Morgan and Barl, but personally I feel she really captured the true essence of an emotionally abusive relationship. Barl is completely heads over heals in love with Morg, to the point she lets him change who she is. He takes full advantage of that for without her help he never would have been able to come into power. It isn't till later that she realizes all she has done and tries to redeem herself. I found it very realistic and very sad. All in all there is not a happy ending for Barl but she does redeem herself at least a little.
Many of the reviews I have read have talked about the shallowness of the relationship between Morgan and Barl, but personally I feel she really captured the true essence of an emotionally abusive relationship. Barl is completely heads over heals in love with Morg, to the point she lets him change who she is. He takes full advantage of that for without her help he never would have been able to come into power. It isn't till later that she realizes all she has done and tries to redeem herself. I found it very realistic and very sad. All in all there is not a happy ending for Barl but she does redeem herself at least a little.
happyocelot's review against another edition
3.0
I read this book after I read "The Innocent Mage" and "The Awakened Mage," so there was a lot of context in this prequel. I recommend that you don't read the books in chronological order because the prequel (this book) may not make as much sense without having read the other books in the series.
That being said, this book was pretty tragic. Having read the other books, I knew that it was going to end tragically. But, you wouldn't have been able to tell until about 4/5ths through the book. So, it will catch any reader unawares who is not familiar with the original story.
That being said, this book was pretty tragic. Having read the other books, I knew that it was going to end tragically. But, you wouldn't have been able to tell until about 4/5ths through the book. So, it will catch any reader unawares who is not familiar with the original story.
ladyofbooks's review against another edition
3.0
Two hundred pages in and I was bored. I liked the writing and the characters. I really did. But it seemed to be a slow build up fantasy and I have no interest waiting three hundred pages at the moment for *something* to happen.
I may continue this more later, perhaps. But for now? Onto the next chunky fantasy that's been languishing on my shelves!
I may continue this more later, perhaps. But for now? Onto the next chunky fantasy that's been languishing on my shelves!