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buffyb's review against another edition
5.0
You can read about my thoughts about this book here:
http://storytimewithbuffy.wordpress.com/2013/09/15/a-blight-of-mages/
http://storytimewithbuffy.wordpress.com/2013/09/15/a-blight-of-mages/
tillybh's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
minervadashwood's review against another edition
1.0
Most of my complaints about this book have already been covered in other reviews. Additionally, I expected this book to start a series that focused on Barl, but I learned that it was simply a preamble to a series about two boys. When I learned this, I no longer wanted to overlook the problems I had with the book. It wasn't worth wading through the long-winded passages and repetitive dialogue.
I wish that both Barl and Morgan's storylines moved more quickly. Both of them had what seemed to be repetitive conversations with the family members. However, I did like that both of the leads were stubborn and determined. What also appealed to me was that, although their lives were very different, they both wanted to break free of expectations and constraints.
Some of the magic descriptions became tedious. Much like the conversations, they were repetitive. I quickly lost interest in how something happened, and it took entirely too long to get to what happened.
I also wish Morgan's political views had been established more quickly. It was hard to understand what benefits exactly he saw in the council. Furthermore the background characters, especially the council members, came off as caricatures or types simply used to further Morgan's part of the story. The lack of depth weakened the story because I never saw the rest of the council as a genuine threat.
I wish that both Barl and Morgan's storylines moved more quickly. Both of them had what seemed to be repetitive conversations with the family members. However, I did like that both of the leads were stubborn and determined. What also appealed to me was that, although their lives were very different, they both wanted to break free of expectations and constraints.
Some of the magic descriptions became tedious. Much like the conversations, they were repetitive. I quickly lost interest in how something happened, and it took entirely too long to get to what happened.
I also wish Morgan's political views had been established more quickly. It was hard to understand what benefits exactly he saw in the council. Furthermore the background characters, especially the council members, came off as caricatures or types simply used to further Morgan's part of the story. The lack of depth weakened the story because I never saw the rest of the council as a genuine threat.
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
reverie_the_reader'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'"