A Young Man Without Magic

by Lawrence Watt-Evans

Paper Book, 2009

Status

Available

Call number

Fic SF Watt-Evans

Series

Fall of the Sorcerers (1)

Tags

Fic, SF, @ReadFrom:LibraryAF

Genres

Collection

Read

Publication

New York : Tor, c2009.

Description

Lawrence Watt-Evans, author of the acclaimed Legends of Ethshar and Worlds of Shadows novels, invites readers to embark on a rollicking journey inA Young Man Without Magic. Anrel Murneau is a scholar, a young man with no magical ability, even though he is the son of two powerful sorcerers. Anrel's lack of talent bars him from the ruling classes, but he is content to be a simple clerk. Upon returning to his childhood home after years of study in the capital, Anrel finds his friends and family held under the thumb of the corrupt local lord. When this lord murders Anrel's dear friend, Anrel discovers that even though he's not a sorcerer, he is not without other means to demand justice. If he can survive life on the run. Carrying only his sword, a few coins, and his wit, Anrel must leave behind everything he has ever known, trust himself to unexpected allies, and outmaneuver leagues of enemies who will stop at nothing to keep his dangerous ideas from ever being heard. Magic and intrigue collide in a swashbuckling tale of daring escapes, beautiful witches, and one quiet young man's rise to hero--or traitor.… (more)

User reviews

LibraryThing member guy-montag
A solid book about a young man of noble blood growing up in a land where one's nobility depends on one's ability to do magic. And he is bereft of magic, though not skill. The old political order is entrenched and cruel and it'd take but one match to start a riot. Guess who provides that match,
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 almost entirely by accident?

The novel follows from there in a humorous and interesting fashion, if in a slow manner (though never a boring one). I'm certainly looking forward to the next novel in the series. Well written characters, interesting plot, interesting world, can't go wrong in picking this one up!
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2 more
LibraryThing member jjmcgaffey
Um. Not much to it - basically the entire book is setting him up for the next one. This is the back-story for why and how he tries to overthrow the empire, I presume - he certainly can't go back to his old life after the events of this book, so he more or less has to go forward. It's also rather
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 unconvincing - he spends the first couple chapters telling his friend not to fight the Landgrave because it's pointless - then starts fighting him himself when his friend dies. It's never clear why - his plan is rather pointless but he pursues it ferociously. Every time he's asked directly what he'd do, he says he has no intention of fighting - and then immediately goes on to the next stage of the fight. If I were Allutar, I'd have stopped believing him a long time ago. The romance is equally unbelievable - he says (to himself) that he's been keeping things calm so as not to cause trouble when he leaves, and shortly thereafter he's thinking of her as the woman he wants to spend his life with. Without changing anything in the way they interact, in the meantime. Weak. And he keeps messing up and leaving riots in his wake, without achieving his aim - yeah. As I said, it's the backstory for the rebel and agitator he'll be in the next book. Which means I read this entire book and got no real payoff - certainly nothing resembling closure or even much of a climax. Pfff. Maybe I'll read the next one, or not. Not much interested. It does make me want to read Sabatini - ah, it's Scaramouche it's related to.
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LibraryThing member timothyl33
A very interesting beginning to a new series by veteran fantasy author, Lawrence Watt-Evans.

Though an interesting read, with an interesting character, readers might be disappointed with the fact that this is more of the beginnings of a book, instead of a standalone novel, as the end seems not to
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 conclude as much as just hint of further things to come.
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Language

English

Physical description

348 p.; 25 cm

ISBN

9780765322791

Local notes

Fall of the Sorcerers, 1

DDC/MDS

Fic SF Watt-Evans

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Rating

½ (20 ratings; 3.6)

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