Review: Charming characters in a stereotypical fantasy world
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 05 11, 2014
You won't find anything original in the world building or overall plot. Teenage boy from remote mountain village discovers he had magic powers. A mentor happens to be near and he learns to wield magic super fast. (There is a clever explanation for his quick learning.) But the evil wizard (trapped in a mountain but able to influence the world through dreams) tries to recruit him--and attacks the village when refused. Even the manic system (music based) isn't new.But I gave this book four stars.First, have the maturity to look beyond the lame cover. Second, I love this classic plot. If you don't like this trope then you won't like this book. Third, the characters are wonderful. They aren't crazy unique but they're written with nuance and empathy and surprising depth. Finally, he sets up the rest of the series nicely. There are hints of larger and more original ideas to come. I have high hoped that now we've covered the standard opening the series will take off.