Review: Interesting
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 02 17, 2012
As a general rule, I don't enjoy "previews" or "teasers."  This was an exception.  It's kind of like as mix of Harry Potter, and X-Men with a heavy dollop ofJonathan Strange and Mr Norrell.  In 1801, a young member of the English Aristocracy reveals he has magical abilities.  Since these aren't considered appropriate for members of his class, he is sent to a de-magicing school and discovers an underground of well-born magic users there.  This sets the scene for the author's full-length novel (a preview is included with this story).While this doesn't totally succeed in standing alone, it is an interesting read.  I wasn't a big fan of it being told in diary form (it created awkward asides, as when the narrator noted the incongruity of what the English call "public schools" - how would a young English man in 1801 even note that incongruity and why would he note it in his journal - it would just be part of his world.  It was obviously an assistance thrown to American readers of the story, handled in a clumsy way).Based on the strength of the story, I would be interested in reading the full length novel.  The idea of magic users fighting Napoleon isn't exactly original, but the way it is handled in this book seems like an interesting set-up.