Mageborn: The Blacksmith's Son by Michael Manning

They all just run together after a while. They really REALLY do.

His parents are killed when he's just a baby. He's basically the last wizard. His love interest is a tad stupid. The book is quite short. The bad guy doesn't last very long. Seemed cut too short. There is a book two, which I might never read. Lack of setting detail. Lack of character depth. But decent. Lack of injustice.

I felt emotion when Dorian is attacking the bad guy whom just almost killed the hero.

Comparing to Daniel Abraham, it's got less character depth and setting detail. But at least the hero has an ace up his sleeve. Not enough injustice in this book. Basically except for finding out his real parents were murdered shortly after he was born and he's actually a wizard, not much really happens here. The bad guy is quite thin and thrown in. Perhaps like Rothfuss book two might be better. But moving on to other books. Now reading The Etched City which has more setting detail than I've read in a very long time, and just simply big words. Hooray for big words. Supposedly the plot wanders aimlessly. But thinking back to Gormenghast, I'd consider that a good thing right now. In fact Etched City is compared to Gormenghast, though it doesn't seem quite at that level.

Gormenghast has really improved in my memory. Interesting how I've managed to completely forget some books I've recently read, yet I didn't evn bother to read the third book of Gormenghast, and still the first two books have stuck with me (and in a "positive" way) so well.

The Long Price Quartet by Daniel Abraham
Books one and 65% of book two. Not quite enough world detail, although much better than most. Good detailed characters.

But, no hero with an ace up their sleeve. And the magic is a bit weak. And book two is basically a detective story. I think I will move on to something else after finishing book two.

(The magic is one single process per poet. The ability to remove the part that goes on-seedles and the ability to soften rocks are the only two bits of magic in book one and two.) Otah and Maati and main characters... Maati a poet. Otah refused to become one but might end up a king. Political intrigue from the Galts, etc.

The Long Price Quartet by Daniel Abraham. Only halfway into first book of this 4 part series. Just wanted to say I'm so happy to finally be reading something good. Has been too long. Finally some detail and character nuance. Finally found a new good writer, thank god.

The communicating by body positioning thing is interesting. I wonder what it adds as opposed to just describing emotion/facial expression, etc. Maybe it just makes it a bit easier for the writer. Will have to read books in other worlds by Abraham to compare.

He has a blog I'll have to make sure not to read.