The Black Prism (Lightbringer, #1) in Beyond Reality

Sep 08, 2010 Jeffrey rated it it was amazing

Shelves: fantasy, read-in-2010

A terrific book. Imaginative, action packed with great characters, an interesting plot, a unique magic system, based on the manipulation of light. Throw in a war, a revolt, duplicity, love, and a boy, mix it all together and the palette is unforgettable.

After a bunch of relativly uninspiring books, this book was just a great fun read.

run to the book store, download it on your kindle, or just take it out ofthe library, like me. You will not be disappointed.

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Dec 02, 2012 Oni rated it really liked it

Shelves: fantasy

A superb book, a very promising beginning from a new author. I haven't read his first series (The Night Angel Trilogy), this is the first book of his second series, The Light Bringer.

The story is set in an unknown world, where magic is "technology". Every means of life is conducted through magic, like engineering nowadays. And main character is Kip, a nobody, until he finds out that he is actually a pivot point of a monumental change in his realm.

The magic system in original; it is based on seve A superb book, a very promising beginning from a new author. I haven't read his first series (The Night Angel Trilogy), this is the first book of his second series, The Light Bringer.

The story is set in an unknown world, where magic is "technology". Every means of life is conducted through magic, like engineering nowadays. And main character is Kip, a nobody, until he finds out that he is actually a pivot point of a monumental change in his realm.

The magic system in original; it is based on seven spectrum of light. Each spectrum has its own usefulness, and its own tendency. The author did not rush to tell everything in the beginning, he took his time by unraveling it bit by bit, to let us figure out by ourselves. The world design is good, but not as good a the magic system. And the story revolves mainly on the Prism figure, much like the Pope, the Pontiff, equivalent of our world. He does not have the executive power, but still highly regarded by the people, because he is the intercessor between the people and Orloham (the God).

The character design is good, even though not very exceptional. But I like especially the main character, Kip. His character grew through out the book, from a bullied boy, into a war hero, without straining our credulity too much.

The best part of the book, I think is the plot. It has lots of twist and turn. It keeps you guessing until the end. And in the end, you are still not sure, which make the whole story very interesting, without falling into absurdity. The weak part, it has some repetitions. If the editor can cut that out, it will be much better.

Anyhow, Brent Weeks is, I think, one of the best young fantasy writer. Given time, he can be a very good fantasy writer in our era.
I will give this book a 4.5. Not yet a five. It still lack the "eery" or "grandeur" or you might say "goose-bump". He already reach that actually in the final part of this book, during the battle scene. Believe me, the battle is REALLY GOOD! Read it by yourself, I am not going to give any spoiler! But the beginning still lack of something. It should be opened with a drum and trumpet, or a very eery omen, for a story this good. ...more

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Jan 07, 2013 Nick rated it liked it

Shelves: fantasy

I don't usually read this kind of fantasy. But I've been wanting to branch out and read something like this for a while now -- lenghty chronicle of magic-obsessed kingdon with sword-and-sorcery background, but no fey. This was a good choice -- it was much better than I thought anything like this would be. I believed in the characters, and I halfway was convinced of the magic system's validity. And it wasn't just a 700 page chase scene. ...more

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