MobileRead Forums - View Single Post - Non-heroic fantasy?

GreenMonkey · 01-25-2012, 05:03 PM

I just recently read Karen Miller's "Blight of Mages" which is a prequel to her other books (which I haven't read). It's a story of how a nation of huge magical power collapses (it's kind of allegory for doing stuff with science you probably shouldn't do).

I don't want to spoil the story too much but it's about a pair of mages breaking the law, hubris, and what happens when you violate laws and principles that are there for a good reason. It doesn't end all that well.

The other one that comes to mind as more fitting the bill is "The Far Kingdoms" by Allan Cole and Chris Bunch.

It's a very different sort of fantasy - they write in the author's note that they were inspired by the not-so-nice guy explorers (I guess especially Sir Richard Francis Burton) who would speak dozens of languages and travel, make free with the ladies and push around the natives, etc.

01-25-2012, 05:03 PM	#34
GreenMonkey DRM hater Posts: 945 Karma: 2066176 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Michigan Device: Nook ST glow, Kindle Voyage	I just recently read Karen Miller's "Blight of Mages" which is a prequel to her other books (which I haven't read). It's a story of how a nation of huge magical power collapses (it's kind of allegory for doing stuff with science you probably shouldn't do). I don't want to spoil the story too much but it's about a pair of mages breaking the law, hubris, and what happens when you violate laws and principles that are there for a good reason. It doesn't end all that well. The other one that comes to mind as more fitting the bill is "The Far Kingdoms" by Allan Cole and Chris Bunch. It's a very different sort of fantasy - they write in the author's note that they were inspired by the not-so-nice guy explorers (I guess especially Sir Richard Francis Burton) who would speak dozens of languages and travel, make free with the ladies and push around the natives, etc. Last edited by GreenMonkey; 01-25-2012 at 05:21 PM.