Arcanist

So… Book 12, and we aren’t really any closer to an ending. If anything, the story just keeps getting bigger and bigger. And I for one couldn’t be happier. I’ve said this in previous Spellmonger reviews. These aren’t the kind of books that anyone can just pick up and know what’s going on. Yes, Mancour goes back over some of the VAST amounts of information we have absorbed over the past eleven full novels plus a few smaller ones, but that’s far more to stoke the fires of us long-haul reader’s memories than it is to inform newcomers. If you want to read/listened to this series, then you have to start at the beginning, and as such, I’m reviewing this book as if you have.

So, what’s Minalan gotten up to this time? Honestly, it’s not all that different from last time. The second of the three great Nemovorti lords is coming against his nascent Magelaw with a big old army of scruggs. Min and the other high magi plan a series of desperate defences, and carnage and heroism ensues. There aren’t really any nail-biting moments or massive gut punches to this book. Don’t get me wrong. There are some brilliant bits, and some truly awesome bits, but it’s nothing I haven’t come to expect from Mancour over the years as he’s churned out book after book of what I am now confident in saying is my current all-time favourite book series. I loved this book. Loved every second of it. I’ve just come off the back of the latest Stormlight Archive, which although wonderful, was a bit of a slog that took me weeks to get through. Then I had this and managed to shoot through the whole thing in a few days. Why? Because I love this universe. I love the people Mancour has created. I love the unimaginably deep yet utterly entertaining living, breathing society that he’s created, and I cannot get enough of it. It’s the little things that get me. Yes, there’s an apocalyptic war going on, but it’s all the tiny things that make these books so wonderful. I’m a history nerd, and learning more and more about how the new magelaw has been established and is using magic to improve upon every aspect of feudal life is wonderful. It’s clever, as ever. Taking logical conclusions from the new influx of magic and seeing how intelligent rulers would use it to better their subject’s day to day lives, not just see off the big nasty who threatens all. It’s great.

The book also had its moments. Nothing that stopped the old ticker in my chest, but enough keep plenty of life breathing into the series. Caswallon the Fox makes a series of appearances in this book, and he may be my single favourite side character from any fantasy series. Every time he was involved, I actually got excited to hear what blustering drivel the man would spout before rushing in an absolutely massacring the enemy. I love him. It’s such an overused trope to have a blowhard who’s all hot air and no steel, but to have one that is genuinely one of the greatest warriors in the land who, despite loving the sound of his own voice more than life itself, is the epitome of heroism and bravery on the battlefield, well, it’s just brilliant. There’s also a whole thing with a cow goddess which is rather hilarious. This book made me properly laugh multiple times, and not just one of the occasional half snorts that usually constitutes a giggle from a book.

In short, if you’ve not read/listened to ALL of the other Spellmonger books, then go back and do so before starting this one. But if you’ve stuck with the series this long, you know you like these books, even if they aren’t going to shake you to your foundations or leave you reeling in shock. Is it the best Spellmonger yet? No, but at this point I’m just seeing the series as one continuous epic. And it is the single best epic I have ever had the pleasure to come across.   

As for narration, John lee is on form once again. I couldn’t imagine anyone ever voicing any of these characters who wasn’t him, and frankly I don’t think anyone could do a better job. After voicing them for so long, his voices simply are the characters.

Personal Score: 4.5 Star   

Professional Score: 3 Star