Confessions of a Literary Addict

This review is spoiler-free!

The Black Prism by Brent Weeks
Series: Lightbringer #1
Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy
Release Date: August 25th 2010
Format: Paperback, 661 pages
Rating: ★★★☆☆
Find it here: Goodreads

I’m torn on whether or not I’ll enjoy this series as a whole. I love the magic system well enough to push through and see where the story takes me, but I’m not sold on the characters or the plot. The three (point five) stars I gave this first book are all for the magic system (which is AWESOME) and for Liv, who I love with my whole being. After 600+ pages, though, that doesn’t really seem like a good thing. If Liv goes out, I might also have to go out.

(Maybe. I’m bad at putting series down, even if I don’t like them. It’s a problem.)

So, the frontrunning plot (because there’s more than one plot happening). VERY convoluted, in my opinion, over something that kind of seems simpler than needed for all the mayhem happening? No spoilers, but there was a whole lot of drama over something that kind of paled in the face of something else also happening. I didn’t really see WHY this had to be the focal point, other than the fact the two main characters are the ones the plot point is about. Maybe I was just vastly more interested in the other things happening, like the bomb ass magic, than I was in, uh. Personal matters. And maybe that’s just because I didn’t like Gavin.

There. That’s what it is. I don’t like Gavin. Or Karris, for that matter. Kip is pretty cool, for a fifteen year old boy, but he doesn’t really make me interested in the problem he’s having with Gavin and Karris.

(Sorry, that’s kind of confusing. It’s harder than I thought it would be writing a spoiler-free review for such a big book, but I digress…)

The other plot(s), though? I’m invested, at least for now. I could do without the constant, overly-detailed gore and battle scenes, but that’s just me. I love the magic system and the way it’s explained as its used, and if that has to be during battle scenes and whatnot, then fine. I’ll take them. Especially if they come with more Liv.

You can also clearly tell Weeks intended this to be a looooong series. Judging by the length of the upcoming books, I’m a little nervous as to what I’ve gotten myself into, but, hey. I’m here. I’m mostly ready for it. I might need a recap here and there if the detail gets as complicated as it did in this first book, but I’m here!

I do want to say that I listened to an audio version of this book after reading the first few chapters for myself, and I picked up the dramatic audio rather than they standard audiobook. BOY was there a difference. It took some getting used to, all the sounds and different narrators and lack of announced chapters, but I think in the end I liked it much more than I would have with just the normal audiobook.

The next one supposedly takes place in a school setting, which is my JAM, so I have a feeling I’ll like the next one more. I’m eager to find out!

Thanks for reading!