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3.87 AVERAGE
3.87 AVERAGE
I didn't really get any MtG references other than Innistrad, but I'm a pretty casual player (with a *terrible* memory for card names). Fwiw, it felt very D&D-ish.
“Hmm?” Davriel said, sipping the tea. “Oh. Willia Verlasen killed her parents by accident, after reclaiming the power locked in the catacombs. She returned here, intending to confess—then lost her faith when she
found out you’d murdered her god. She instead began gathering the power of the Bog and, enthralled by its promises, started to pull the souls out of the people of Verlasen.” The god is a dead angel, the Nameless, who went insane, and was murdered and storied in the priory crypt. Willia's twin sister, Tacenda, consolidate's the Entity of the Bog to defeat her sister, and the presumably, takes the power to travel to another plane. Davriel (the Man in the Manor) stays in Innistrad, but assumes that others will hear of this and come after him.
https://mtg.fandom.com/wiki/Davriel_Cane
Spoiler
Conveniently, Davriel tldr's the plot to the prioress:“Hmm?” Davriel said, sipping the tea. “Oh. Willia Verlasen killed her parents by accident, after reclaiming the power locked in the catacombs. She returned here, intending to confess—then lost her faith when she
found out you’d murdered her god. She instead began gathering the power of the Bog and, enthralled by its promises, started to pull the souls out of the people of Verlasen.” The god is a dead angel, the Nameless, who went insane, and was murdered and storied in the priory crypt. Willia's twin sister, Tacenda, consolidate's the Entity of the Bog to defeat her sister, and the presumably, takes the power to travel to another plane. Davriel (the Man in the Manor) stays in Innistrad, but assumes that others will hear of this and come after him.
https://mtg.fandom.com/wiki/Davriel_Cane
adventurous
dark
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Was thrilled to discover it, enjoyed Sanderson prose but ultimately ended up disappointed 😞
‘Armored Saint’ is the closest comparison, based on the mood and style. But plotting (in both cases) I did not find to my liking :/
‘Armored Saint’ is the closest comparison, based on the mood and style. But plotting (in both cases) I did not find to my liking :/
As of yet, this has been the best magic story I've read. Sanderson really shows he's a good author. However, this story isn'ylt one of his best works I must say. The overal plot was compelling as were the characters (mostly at least).
It reads slightly like it was a bit of a rushed job however. The characters are more cliché than the other novels I've read from him and the dialogue sontimes seems to be forced towards certain conclusion.
It reads slightly like it was a bit of a rushed job however. The characters are more cliché than the other novels I've read from him and the dialogue sontimes seems to be forced towards certain conclusion.
3,5*
I am one of the "I read it because it's written by Sanderson" crowd, but honestly, I started reading it and it sounded approachable and it picked my curiosity right away which is exactly what I want when I have shorter work in front of me. So, if you are not sure whether to pick it because:
-you have no idea what MTG is, have no worries. As the man himself explained, it was a project imagined to be both a further exploration of lore and introductory piece for newbies. It's just a a fun story inside an imagined world which seems immensely vast and rich. But the story gives you enough for it be easy to follow and not feel lost. + it's free!
-you love MTG, but have a bad experience with novelizations and companion works for games, I feel you (AC pains). As Sanderson said, he decided to use one of the MTG settings, but make completely new story with new characters. I honestly feel like books like these most of the time suck because they are too confined by storylines and characters arc in a medium they are enhancing, so this was a great choice, considering it's such a big and complex world anyway. +it's free!
-you love MTG, but have no idea who this guy Sanderson is. Well, he is just one of the best fantasy authors working today with a huge following. He also has a good record of writing in world somebody else created as he finished the Wheel of Time series by the late Robert Jordan and he did with all the respect and love fans wanted. So, fear not, this is one of the best genre has to offer. + It's free!
So, my first take on this was that with that initial introduction from Tacenda's pov, where she talks about her curse/gift and a great misfortune the Approaches, her village went through, I had a feeling it's a story fans of [b:Uprooted|22544764|Uprooted|Naomi Novik|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1480121122s/22544764.jpg|41876730] and [b:The Bear and the Nightingale|25489134|The Bear and the Nightingale (Winternight Trilogy, #1)|Katherine Arden|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1470731420s/25489134.jpg|45268929] would like. But, with the introduction of Man of the Manor, Davriel Cane and figuring out that his only motivation for action and reason to address this thing is tea, it became a fun story that only kept adding on the action and suspense. Sanderson made the world very approachable for newbies and even if you are not interested at all in MTG while you read or after, Davriel's bickering with his demons was still worth my time because it was funny considering the themes and the reveal behind the villain and some subtly weaved complexities of religion and conflicting views on it. Hence I would say that the novella would appeal to someone who liked Netflix's Castlevania adaptations.
I am kind of hard to like novellas, because I either think it's too rushed because of the format or I just need more... but this was in a word, wholesome.
Fantasy in small bites, dark, but funny, full of action pieces and some detailed magic explanation as it befits Sanderson book.
I enjoyed it a great deal.
I am one of the "I read it because it's written by Sanderson" crowd, but honestly, I started reading it and it sounded approachable and it picked my curiosity right away which is exactly what I want when I have shorter work in front of me. So, if you are not sure whether to pick it because:
-you have no idea what MTG is, have no worries. As the man himself explained, it was a project imagined to be both a further exploration of lore and introductory piece for newbies. It's just a a fun story inside an imagined world which seems immensely vast and rich. But the story gives you enough for it be easy to follow and not feel lost. + it's free!
-you love MTG, but have a bad experience with novelizations and companion works for games, I feel you (AC pains). As Sanderson said, he decided to use one of the MTG settings, but make completely new story with new characters. I honestly feel like books like these most of the time suck because they are too confined by storylines and characters arc in a medium they are enhancing, so this was a great choice, considering it's such a big and complex world anyway. +it's free!
-you love MTG, but have no idea who this guy Sanderson is. Well, he is just one of the best fantasy authors working today with a huge following. He also has a good record of writing in world somebody else created as he finished the Wheel of Time series by the late Robert Jordan and he did with all the respect and love fans wanted. So, fear not, this is one of the best genre has to offer. + It's free!
So, my first take on this was that with that initial introduction from Tacenda's pov, where she talks about her curse/gift and a great misfortune the Approaches, her village went through, I had a feeling it's a story fans of [b:Uprooted|22544764|Uprooted|Naomi Novik|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1480121122s/22544764.jpg|41876730] and [b:The Bear and the Nightingale|25489134|The Bear and the Nightingale (Winternight Trilogy, #1)|Katherine Arden|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1470731420s/25489134.jpg|45268929] would like. But, with the introduction of Man of the Manor, Davriel Cane and figuring out that his only motivation for action and reason to address this thing is tea, it became a fun story that only kept adding on the action and suspense. Sanderson made the world very approachable for newbies and even if you are not interested at all in MTG while you read or after, Davriel's bickering with his demons was still worth my time because it was funny considering the themes and the reveal behind the villain and some subtly weaved complexities of religion and conflicting views on it. Hence I would say that the novella would appeal to someone who liked Netflix's Castlevania adaptations.
I am kind of hard to like novellas, because I either think it's too rushed because of the format or I just need more... but this was in a word, wholesome.
Fantasy in small bites, dark, but funny, full of action pieces and some detailed magic explanation as it befits Sanderson book.
I enjoyed it a great deal.
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
It was so hard to find warmth in the darkness. But when the night grew cold and the darkness came for you, that was when you needed to light a fire. And make your own light.
Closer to 3.5 stars
I know a bit about the MTG story (specifically the storyline that intersects with this one) but you 100% could read this and have never heard of MTG in your life. So in that way it both worked and didn't work for me - I wish a MTG book had felt more...MTG-y but I also appreciated that this was basically just a Sanderson story set in a place he didn't need to do all the world building for.
I know a bit about the MTG story (specifically the storyline that intersects with this one) but you 100% could read this and have never heard of MTG in your life. So in that way it both worked and didn't work for me - I wish a MTG book had felt more...MTG-y but I also appreciated that this was basically just a Sanderson story set in a place he didn't need to do all the world building for.
This novella is a lot of fun and you don't need to know anything about Magic in order to enjoy it.