What do you think?
Rate this book
Mage Errant #2
Jewel of the Endless Erg
After surviving Skyhold's deadly labyrinth, Hugh and his friends are looking forwards to an uneventful summer. Their teacher Alustin has chartered a sandship for a training expedition into the vast sea of sand known as the Endless Erg, aiming for the wealthy and powerful desert city of Theras Tel. Hugh's happier than he's been in a long, long time, and he's quite excited for the fresh air, sunshine, and quiet.
Of course, given Hugh's luck, their summer is going to be anything but quiet. They're about to be plunged into a morass of pirates, monsters, warring cults, flesh-tearing sandstorms, and a conspiracy against Indris Stormbreaker, the dragon queen of Theras Tel herself.
At least Hugh's going to get plenty of fresh air and sunshine.
Of course, given Hugh's luck, their summer is going to be anything but quiet. They're about to be plunged into a morass of pirates, monsters, warring cults, flesh-tearing sandstorms, and a conspiracy against Indris Stormbreaker, the dragon queen of Theras Tel herself.
At least Hugh's going to get plenty of fresh air and sunshine.
278 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 7, 2019
About the author
John Bierce
14 books1,104 followersJohn Bierce is a fantasy novelist, history and science buff, SFF fan, and general all-around dork. He is currently traveling the world as a digital nomad, but spends a lot more time observing the urban ecology of drainage ditches in other countries than visiting glamorous tourist destinations. (Did you know that Southeast Asia has freshwater crabs? Who are apparently fantastic parents, unlike basically every other crab species ever? It’s definitely surprising the first time you see a crab wandering around in a ditch hundreds of miles from the ocean.)
https://johnbierce.com/
https://johnbierce.com/
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 288 reviews
June 16, 2023
This sequel offers improved writing and tons of heart-stopping action scenes but I think I prefered the first book in terms of character development. The only thing I quite disliked were the romance scenes especially with Hugh. They are kind of unneccessary and don't contribute to the plot whatsoever. I'm just not a fan of superficial romance in fantasy books if it leads nowhere plotwise and is there just to fill up a few paragraphs.
But this series is just thoroughly enjoyable and fun to read and I can't predict how will the story further develop.
Reread: I still don't like Avah but I appreciate the intricate plot and interesting magic system. I'm really looking forward to the sequels.
But this series is just thoroughly enjoyable and fun to read and I can't predict how will the story further develop.
Reread: I still don't like Avah but I appreciate the intricate plot and interesting magic system. I'm really looking forward to the sequels.
April 30, 2021
A solid book, somewhere on the same level as the first one, maybe even a tiny bit better.
April 25, 2019
Intricacy seems to be John Bierce's wheelhouse, and it's on full display in Jewel of the Endless Erg, which is a marked improvement on the previous book and a fun new chapter in the Mage Errant series.
It's impressive how deep, rich, and detailed Bierce has made his world and magic system. We get glimpses of worldbuilding that hint at a larger history and culture that Bierce has clearly put a lot of thought into, while granting us interesting knowledge about the book's primary settings, the city Theras Tel and the Endless Erg, the desert that surrounds it. We learn of the different cults that are scattered throughout the country, focusing on the dragon cultists who worship Indris, the dragon queen of Theras Tel. I really enjoyed Bierce's take on dragons, which felt totally fresh and unique compared to others I've read before. I liked this take on them being intelligent beings, capable of speech and magic beyond just breathing (or spitting, rather) fire.
The magic system is similarly intricate, though this has both its advantages and disadvantages. Sometimes explanations about what magic casters were doing could read a little dry, and on occasion their methods just flew over my head because I'm an idiot. But it's obvious that Bierce has put a ton of thought into how this system works, peeling back more layers and details about the system than we learned in the previous book while our gang of apprentices become more attuned with their attunements. Even if it was slightly too technical for my tastes at times, it was always fascinating seeing these hard rules at play and finding out how the characters deal with the systems Bierce has in place.
The plot also has its intricacies as well, with several elements of the first book tying into these events as well as the group's adventure in Theras Tel clearly leading to something bigger, as hinted at in the final chapter. I'm excited to see what the bigger picture is and how Alustin, Hugh, Kanderon, and the others will play into it. I also appreciate that, like Into the Labyrinth, this book tells its own complete story while still tying into the larger narrative and setting up threads for the following book.
That being said, the intricacy did have one downside for me in the end: I wanted to know more! Not that I wanted a big info dump, but I would've appreciated the story slowing down a bit to give us more time on the ship riding across the desert, as well as the heroes' time in Theras Tel before the story kicks into high gear. As it stands, the plot moves at a very brisk, engaging pace, but I wouldn't mind taking some time to slow things down to help get a better feel of the setting as well as further development of character relationships, seeing them in calmer moments (as fun as it is seeing them reacting and assisting each other in battle).
Overall, this is a great entry in the series and certainly a step up from the previous book. The world Bierce has crafted is rich and interesting, and the plot being set up is intriguing and compelling.
It's impressive how deep, rich, and detailed Bierce has made his world and magic system. We get glimpses of worldbuilding that hint at a larger history and culture that Bierce has clearly put a lot of thought into, while granting us interesting knowledge about the book's primary settings, the city Theras Tel and the Endless Erg, the desert that surrounds it. We learn of the different cults that are scattered throughout the country, focusing on the dragon cultists who worship Indris, the dragon queen of Theras Tel. I really enjoyed Bierce's take on dragons, which felt totally fresh and unique compared to others I've read before. I liked this take on them being intelligent beings, capable of speech and magic beyond just breathing (or spitting, rather) fire.
The magic system is similarly intricate, though this has both its advantages and disadvantages. Sometimes explanations about what magic casters were doing could read a little dry, and on occasion their methods just flew over my head because I'm an idiot. But it's obvious that Bierce has put a ton of thought into how this system works, peeling back more layers and details about the system than we learned in the previous book while our gang of apprentices become more attuned with their attunements. Even if it was slightly too technical for my tastes at times, it was always fascinating seeing these hard rules at play and finding out how the characters deal with the systems Bierce has in place.
The plot also has its intricacies as well, with several elements of the first book tying into these events as well as the group's adventure in Theras Tel clearly leading to something bigger, as hinted at in the final chapter. I'm excited to see what the bigger picture is and how Alustin, Hugh, Kanderon, and the others will play into it. I also appreciate that, like Into the Labyrinth, this book tells its own complete story while still tying into the larger narrative and setting up threads for the following book.
That being said, the intricacy did have one downside for me in the end: I wanted to know more! Not that I wanted a big info dump, but I would've appreciated the story slowing down a bit to give us more time on the ship riding across the desert, as well as the heroes' time in Theras Tel before the story kicks into high gear. As it stands, the plot moves at a very brisk, engaging pace, but I wouldn't mind taking some time to slow things down to help get a better feel of the setting as well as further development of character relationships, seeing them in calmer moments (as fun as it is seeing them reacting and assisting each other in battle).
Overall, this is a great entry in the series and certainly a step up from the previous book. The world Bierce has crafted is rich and interesting, and the plot being set up is intriguing and compelling.
June 25, 2022
En este segundo volumen, Hugh, Talia y Sabae, los tres aprendices del bibliotecario errante Alustin, además de su amigo Godrick, se embarcan en un viaje a través del desierto Endless Erg, hacia la ciudad de Theral Tel. Mientras dura el viaje, los cuatro alumnos siguen las clases de magia con sus afinidades, clases que imparten Alustin y, especialmente para Hugh, la esfinge Kanderon. El autor da mucha importancia a esto, ya que sirve para profundizar en el sistema de magia. Durante el viaje sucederán diversas aventuras, pero la trama importante deviene al llegar a la fabulosa Theras Thel, que abastece de agua a buena parte de la población, y que está gobernada por la dragona Indris y sus hijos.
Divertida historia, con barcos de arena, dragones, sistemas de magia interesantes y un desarrollo de personajes adecuado.
Divertida historia, con barcos de arena, dragones, sistemas de magia interesantes y un desarrollo de personajes adecuado.
December 11, 2023
ratings:- 4 stars 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑
September 28, 2019
A massive improvement on its predecessor almost in every way. The writing quality seems to have skyrocketed exponentially in this installment and the author is definitely showing rapid signs of growth. I'll write a longer and better review when I get a minute.
January 29, 2021
KU read.
Meh. That kind of sums this one up. Nothing wrong with it - I did like the world building and descriptions of the magic system. Just couldn't connect with the characters - they totally fell flat for me
Meh. That kind of sums this one up. Nothing wrong with it - I did like the world building and descriptions of the magic system. Just couldn't connect with the characters - they totally fell flat for me
September 24, 2020
Plot: Ragtag bunch of librarian mages go on a field trip on a sandship across a big-ass desert and into a city ruled by a dragon. Unrest ensues.
1. I continue to absolutely love the magic system in this book. It's so varied and complex and has so many variations that seeing innovative uses of it is one of the parts I really like.
2. The characterizations are more or less the same as the last book- nobody really grows or go through particularly evident changes. Which is fine, really- they are interesting enough to sustain interest in a story that's mostly plot and concept driven. Alustin and Kanderon in particular continue to the excellent. The apprentices mostly continue to be exactly as they were before.
3. While I do appreciate the in-universe acknowledgement that first relationships are often shallow and short term, said relationship getting any screentime at all did nothing for my enjoyment. Especially since And okay so I do get how Hugh coming out of his shell is a necessary plot element, but the romance felt really underdeveloped. And even in universe acknowledgement can't make that completely go away.
4. I'm usually more fond of static location narratives than I'm of quest narratives and I had been hoping to see a lot more of Skyhold and its weird library-labyrinth structure. Alas no such luck. BUT most of the book took place in Theras Tell a giant desert city ruled by a Mama dragon and her brood so... Yeah. It's wasn't uninteresting, to say the least.
5. I think the lack of truly dynamic character arcs will eventually catch up with me and lessen my enjoyment of the series but it's holding up pretty well so far.
6. There were a lot of really innovative uses of magic in here, even if Alustins battle capabilities occasionally strain my suspension of disbelief. That though? That was very, very good. I'm still happy about that revelation.
7. The final pages hint at a growing worldwide conflict or something and I'm not sure if I want it to be part of the main storyline or not. The lack of character arcs rearing it's head again, I suspect. But, like I said, there's excellent worldbuilding and a very fun magic system so this book will do for now.
1. I continue to absolutely love the magic system in this book. It's so varied and complex and has so many variations that seeing innovative uses of it is one of the parts I really like.
2. The characterizations are more or less the same as the last book- nobody really grows or go through particularly evident changes. Which is fine, really- they are interesting enough to sustain interest in a story that's mostly plot and concept driven. Alustin and Kanderon in particular continue to the excellent. The apprentices mostly continue to be exactly as they were before.
3. While I do appreciate the in-universe acknowledgement that first relationships are often shallow and short term, said relationship getting any screentime at all did nothing for my enjoyment. Especially since And okay so I do get how Hugh coming out of his shell is a necessary plot element, but the romance felt really underdeveloped. And even in universe acknowledgement can't make that completely go away.
4. I'm usually more fond of static location narratives than I'm of quest narratives and I had been hoping to see a lot more of Skyhold and its weird library-labyrinth structure. Alas no such luck. BUT most of the book took place in Theras Tell a giant desert city ruled by a Mama dragon and her brood so... Yeah. It's wasn't uninteresting, to say the least.
5. I think the lack of truly dynamic character arcs will eventually catch up with me and lessen my enjoyment of the series but it's holding up pretty well so far.
6. There were a lot of really innovative uses of magic in here, even if Alustins battle capabilities occasionally strain my suspension of disbelief. That though? That was very, very good. I'm still happy about that revelation.
7. The final pages hint at a growing worldwide conflict or something and I'm not sure if I want it to be part of the main storyline or not. The lack of character arcs rearing it's head again, I suspect. But, like I said, there's excellent worldbuilding and a very fun magic system so this book will do for now.
February 12, 2019
I found this book very frustrating as i liked Hugh's development and enjoyed the story but hated the romance. To explain romance is normally something i like but here we had the kind that makes me avoid YA sometimes where the romance is basically just she is good looking so i like her. This is more annoying because we never get much more then that from the love interest.
She looks good, Hugh likes good looks therefore Hugh likes. Teenagers can be stupid but the idea that Hugh only values looks doesn't really hold with the rest of his character, instead it reads as if the author made a generic bimbo character to progress plot and other characters development.
Annoyingly i couldn't even tell what the love interest personally was beyond shallow but i can't tell if she's meant to be like that cause Hugh is clearly also shallow here...
Honestly thought the book was better then the first plot wise and if i just viewed the love interest as just a plot device and not a character the book was good, thus i am torn on if i think this is a good book or not.
Worth it if you liked the first one would be my conclusion.
She looks good, Hugh likes good looks therefore Hugh likes. Teenagers can be stupid but the idea that Hugh only values looks doesn't really hold with the rest of his character, instead it reads as if the author made a generic bimbo character to progress plot and other characters development.
Annoyingly i couldn't even tell what the love interest personally was beyond shallow but i can't tell if she's meant to be like that cause Hugh is clearly also shallow here...
Honestly thought the book was better then the first plot wise and if i just viewed the love interest as just a plot device and not a character the book was good, thus i am torn on if i think this is a good book or not.
Worth it if you liked the first one would be my conclusion.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 10, 2019
Enjoyable but rushed
Bierce seems to have created a wonderfully rich fantasy world, unfortunately, he doesn't seem to want to take the time to share it with his readers.
The lack of time spent on exploring the world and how the apprentices magic develops made the book feel very shallow and more like an action movie than an epic fantasy novel.
It was still a very enjoyable read, but hopefully in future Bierce will slow down and take the time needed to develop his characters and world.
Bierce seems to have created a wonderfully rich fantasy world, unfortunately, he doesn't seem to want to take the time to share it with his readers.
The lack of time spent on exploring the world and how the apprentices magic develops made the book feel very shallow and more like an action movie than an epic fantasy novel.
It was still a very enjoyable read, but hopefully in future Bierce will slow down and take the time needed to develop his characters and world.
September 16, 2023
3.5/5
A lot better than the first. I thought the start of this book was a tad slow, however it picked up pace rather quickly. Some short term romantic relationships were formed. Personally I think Hugh will end up with Talia, but lets see what happens. Goddrick likes dudes, didn't see that coming. But I guess it makes sense after he rejected Avah lol. Can't wait for the next book!
A lot better than the first. I thought the start of this book was a tad slow, however it picked up pace rather quickly. Some short term romantic relationships were formed. Personally I think Hugh will end up with Talia, but lets see what happens. Goddrick likes dudes, didn't see that coming. But I guess it makes sense after he rejected Avah lol. Can't wait for the next book!
August 8, 2019
Series has taken a turn for the worse, I shan't continue onwards.
July 29, 2020
Unessesary gay side character.
To please the SWJ crowd one of the side characters was suddenly made gay.
Adds nothing to the story or the character development.
To please the SWJ crowd one of the side characters was suddenly made gay.
Adds nothing to the story or the character development.
April 2, 2021
Another great book!
Have literally read the first two books in two days. The stories are compelling and interesting, the magic system is deep, variable, and rewarding to learn about. The characters are growing in new and interesting ways, and the overall plot is interesting and intriguing. Cant wait for the next!
Have literally read the first two books in two days. The stories are compelling and interesting, the magic system is deep, variable, and rewarding to learn about. The characters are growing in new and interesting ways, and the overall plot is interesting and intriguing. Cant wait for the next!
July 6, 2022
3.5/5 not sure how I feel about this series. There are some aspects I really enjoy. However with this title I spent a good 40% of this book feeling rather whelmed.
I have been told the series ramps up after this so I will be reading book before I decide where I sit with the series as a whole.
I have been told the series ramps up after this so I will be reading book before I decide where I sit with the series as a whole.
December 30, 2021
This was so fun.
September 16, 2021
A solid second entry in this series, with nice character growth for the entire cast and some really expansive worldbuilding.
The plot of this novel was a bit more convoluted, with a central mystery eventually introduced that was a bit unsatisfying all the way through. The explanation that was finally offered made sense, and in hindsight the events all line up, but it felt more like only getting part of the story than really dealing with a proper mystery.
Recommended for anyone who enjoyed the first book.
The plot of this novel was a bit more convoluted, with a central mystery eventually introduced that was a bit unsatisfying all the way through. The explanation that was finally offered made sense, and in hindsight the events all line up, but it felt more like only getting part of the story than really dealing with a proper mystery.
Recommended for anyone who enjoyed the first book.
February 17, 2024
Writing style has definitely improved compared to the first book, the magic system is super unique and interesting. Excited to start the next one.
July 5, 2024
Another mediocre book that feels the need to pander to the alphabet people. Hard pass
June 25, 2019
Excellent
What started out in book one explodes in book two, with far more plot and action than you might have thought you were in for. There’s good character progression, tons of new characters and places, and a complex and adventurous plot that leaves you grinning. Can’t wait to see the next book. Highly recommended for all ages.
What started out in book one explodes in book two, with far more plot and action than you might have thought you were in for. There’s good character progression, tons of new characters and places, and a complex and adventurous plot that leaves you grinning. Can’t wait to see the next book. Highly recommended for all ages.
May 6, 2021
Dissapointed
The book was a good read until Godrick turns out to be gay. I will not purchase the remaining books because I do not want to read that kind of stuff.
The book was a good read until Godrick turns out to be gay. I will not purchase the remaining books because I do not want to read that kind of stuff.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 24, 2021
Mr. Bierce your geologist is showing.....
This second book in the series was, again, a total blast, and a big improvement in pretty much all aspects over the first (which was itself still great). We get to learn more about the magic system through the characters' ongoing magical education, as well as through their increasing opportunities for real-world problem-solving and butt-kicking. Plus, the world-building for this new desert setting is excellent.
The start of the book is a little slow while they take a few weeks to cross an ocean of sand, but the pacing picks up pretty soon after arriving in the city, and it doesn't let up until the end. The tone, despite plenty of serious plot points and situations, remains light and readable, but there are little colloquial quirks of the writing style, here and there, that sometimes pull me out of the story when I notice them - for example, a bit too liberal use of the word "absurd" and phrases like "very, very". It comes across like how I tend to talk when I teach undergrads 10 years younger than me and I want them to think I'm cool so sometimes I say "shit" unnecessarily. Definitely not at the level of a "How do you do, fellow kids?" tone, but I think the language could expand its repertoire of synonyms just a little bit at no loss to its accessibility for a younger audience.
Overall though, the writing and dialogue are much tighter than in the first book, and I found myself genuinely rooting for and caring about the characters. In Into the Labyrinth , character exposition felt a little rushed, like the author couldn't wait to tell you all about these cool kids and all the cool stuff they could do and what their awesome backstories were. Here though, character development is much more natural, as they are now fully fleshed out people with distinct views and reactions to events. The positivity and creativity of the apprentices in even the most dire situations (which I think can be attributed to Bierce's personality shining through) is refreshing. Nothing is taken too seriously, even when things are very serious. Everyone makes logical decisions that are explained well, but without getting too heady, and the plot never felt convoluted. In other words, exactly what a good YA SFF novel should be.
I'm very much looking forward to reading the rest of the series, which would happen much sooner if only I could get over my hatred of e-readers and love of killing trees...
This second book in the series was, again, a total blast, and a big improvement in pretty much all aspects over the first (which was itself still great). We get to learn more about the magic system through the characters' ongoing magical education, as well as through their increasing opportunities for real-world problem-solving and butt-kicking. Plus, the world-building for this new desert setting is excellent.
The start of the book is a little slow while they take a few weeks to cross an ocean of sand, but the pacing picks up pretty soon after arriving in the city, and it doesn't let up until the end. The tone, despite plenty of serious plot points and situations, remains light and readable, but there are little colloquial quirks of the writing style, here and there, that sometimes pull me out of the story when I notice them - for example, a bit too liberal use of the word "absurd" and phrases like "very, very". It comes across like how I tend to talk when I teach undergrads 10 years younger than me and I want them to think I'm cool so sometimes I say "shit" unnecessarily. Definitely not at the level of a "How do you do, fellow kids?" tone, but I think the language could expand its repertoire of synonyms just a little bit at no loss to its accessibility for a younger audience.
Overall though, the writing and dialogue are much tighter than in the first book, and I found myself genuinely rooting for and caring about the characters. In Into the Labyrinth , character exposition felt a little rushed, like the author couldn't wait to tell you all about these cool kids and all the cool stuff they could do and what their awesome backstories were. Here though, character development is much more natural, as they are now fully fleshed out people with distinct views and reactions to events. The positivity and creativity of the apprentices in even the most dire situations (which I think can be attributed to Bierce's personality shining through) is refreshing. Nothing is taken too seriously, even when things are very serious. Everyone makes logical decisions that are explained well, but without getting too heady, and the plot never felt convoluted. In other words, exactly what a good YA SFF novel should be.
I'm very much looking forward to reading the rest of the series, which would happen much sooner if only I could get over my hatred of e-readers and love of killing trees...
September 4, 2019
(Warning: it's not really possible to avoid spoiling part of
Into the Labyrinth
when discussing this book.)
The second installment of the Mage Errant series picks up not long after the first one ends. Hugh's magical troubles are far from over, despite becoming a warlock and contracting with a powerful entity in the first book. For one, he is having trouble getting comfortable with his new affinities, and for another, he's strictly forbidden to use 2/3 of them.
This doesn't stop Alustin from taking Hugh, Sabae, Talia and Godrick on a field trip/vacation/mission to the Jewel of the Endless Erg, Theras Tel. Much of the book is spent aboard a sand ship, and then exploring a new place.
There's a lot of progress in this book. Hugh grows as a mage and a person, as do the others. We learn more about Alustin and what he does. The relationships and politics between the Great Powers come more to the fore. The idea that the three misfit mages will actually be battle mages one day becomes less farfetched as we see what they can accomplish with ingenious applications of their limited skill sets. Godrick continues to be the equivalent of a magic St. Bernard, all good natured protectiveness until riled. We do learn more about him and what makes him tick, but there's not as much evidence of his growth as the other 3.
The Labyrinths play very little role in this book, which was a bit odd considering how important the one under Skyhold was in the first book, but there are some glimpses of things to come.
A notable absence from the first book was a paper-thin antagonist. I was pleased to see this aspect had improved. The antagonists of this book were more fully fleshed, and even the less present ones had a well established and believable motive. For the most part, though, the conflicts in this book were of the "humans vs. environment" and "humans vs. self" variety.
All in all, a great follow up and I look forward to book 3.
The second installment of the Mage Errant series picks up not long after the first one ends. Hugh's magical troubles are far from over, despite becoming a warlock and contracting with a powerful entity in the first book. For one, he is having trouble getting comfortable with his new affinities, and for another, he's strictly forbidden to use 2/3 of them.
This doesn't stop Alustin from taking Hugh, Sabae, Talia and Godrick on a field trip/vacation/mission to the Jewel of the Endless Erg, Theras Tel. Much of the book is spent aboard a sand ship, and then exploring a new place.
There's a lot of progress in this book. Hugh grows as a mage and a person, as do the others. We learn more about Alustin and what he does. The relationships and politics between the Great Powers come more to the fore. The idea that the three misfit mages will actually be battle mages one day becomes less farfetched as we see what they can accomplish with ingenious applications of their limited skill sets. Godrick continues to be the equivalent of a magic St. Bernard, all good natured protectiveness until riled. We do learn more about him and what makes him tick, but there's not as much evidence of his growth as the other 3.
The Labyrinths play very little role in this book, which was a bit odd considering how important the one under Skyhold was in the first book, but there are some glimpses of things to come.
A notable absence from the first book was a paper-thin antagonist. I was pleased to see this aspect had improved. The antagonists of this book were more fully fleshed, and even the less present ones had a well established and believable motive. For the most part, though, the conflicts in this book were of the "humans vs. environment" and "humans vs. self" variety.
All in all, a great follow up and I look forward to book 3.
April 17, 2021
Find my reviews at Feminist Quill
Synopsis: Hugh, Sabae, Talia and Alustin embark on a voyage across the Endless Erg (a desert) to reach a city ruled over by a massive dragon. Shenanigans that border on the boring ensue.
Jewel of the Endless Erg is plagued by the same issues with the writing style as Into the Labyrinth. Even though the plot is describing fantastic events, they are written in such a lackluster manner that the reader is constantly pulled out of the book’s universe by annoyance.
Cut Price Eithan Arelius Library Mage and overall quirky weirdo Alustair does get some comedy time. He proceeds to overuse this time with just so many weakly set up and obvious jokes that you very much want to lob a dragon egg at his head.
So much time is wasted (again) in describing random theoretical aspects of spellwork and giving play-by-play accounts of actions taken by the characters. Editing is nowhere to be seen, even for spelling and grammar. As a result, much of the sentence construction ends up being incomplete and makes the book confusing to read in parts.
The parts of the book that involved teenage shenanigans and awkward teens trying to date each other are stronger – the kids are adorable and believable here.
It’s not that their powers aren’t believable as far as the rest of the book is concerned. The writing style just makes it difficult to care. 2.5 stars for something that basically resembles a plot and for the cute teen romance.
P.S.: The names in this book are awful. ALUSTIN? SABAE KAEN DAS? The Radhans? Uggggh none of it rolls off the tongue. 👅
Synopsis: Hugh, Sabae, Talia and Alustin embark on a voyage across the Endless Erg (a desert) to reach a city ruled over by a massive dragon. Shenanigans that border on the boring ensue.
Jewel of the Endless Erg is plagued by the same issues with the writing style as Into the Labyrinth. Even though the plot is describing fantastic events, they are written in such a lackluster manner that the reader is constantly pulled out of the book’s universe by annoyance.
So much time is wasted (again) in describing random theoretical aspects of spellwork and giving play-by-play accounts of actions taken by the characters. Editing is nowhere to be seen, even for spelling and grammar. As a result, much of the sentence construction ends up being incomplete and makes the book confusing to read in parts.
The parts of the book that involved teenage shenanigans and awkward teens trying to date each other are stronger – the kids are adorable and believable here.
It’s not that their powers aren’t believable as far as the rest of the book is concerned. The writing style just makes it difficult to care. 2.5 stars for something that basically resembles a plot and for the cute teen romance.
P.S.: The names in this book are awful. ALUSTIN? SABAE KAEN DAS? The Radhans? Uggggh none of it rolls off the tongue. 👅
August 6, 2021
4.1/5
A great continuation of Into the Labyrinth.
During the summer break, Hugh and his friends accompanied Alustin on a trip to the desert city Theras Tel in the middle of the Endless Erg desert. Supposedly, Alustin was on a mission to retrieve a book for his master Kanderon. However, the group was quickly caught in a conflict between different cultists and the ruler of the city, the dragon Indris Stormbreaker.
I think this book has a great contained plot while hinting at the bigger future threads. As usual, John Bierce throws the reader into a world of magic and wonders, while pulling clever plot threads and twists.
On the flip side, the book does read a bit like save-the-day YA fantasy where a group of highly competent teenagers do a series of amazing feats. However, I must say that those are done well here. There are hinted limitations of what these kids can or cannot do, and they don't exactly face threats that are several magnitudes higher than their current skills. That role is given to Alustin, and in this book, we get to see what a Librarian Errant is fully capable of.
A great continuation of Into the Labyrinth.
During the summer break, Hugh and his friends accompanied Alustin on a trip to the desert city Theras Tel in the middle of the Endless Erg desert. Supposedly, Alustin was on a mission to retrieve a book for his master Kanderon. However, the group was quickly caught in a conflict between different cultists and the ruler of the city, the dragon Indris Stormbreaker.
I think this book has a great contained plot while hinting at the bigger future threads. As usual, John Bierce throws the reader into a world of magic and wonders, while pulling clever plot threads and twists.
On the flip side, the book does read a bit like save-the-day YA fantasy where a group of highly competent teenagers do a series of amazing feats. However, I must say that those are done well here. There are hinted limitations of what these kids can or cannot do, and they don't exactly face threats that are several magnitudes higher than their current skills. That role is given to Alustin, and in this book, we get to see what a Librarian Errant is fully capable of.
November 5, 2023
As far as this story goes, it's about the same as before. Not the training part but the overall feeling. Such as the characters not really that engaging, the plot was simple (not in a bad way). But still, its spell crafting is one of its greatest highlights. I did enjoy that there were sandships to track across the vast desert; that was fun.
But here comes the big complete that I must get off my chest. The dragons in this book are not dragons; they are far worse than dragons. Seriously, what kind of dragons die to trees and paper? These are not dragons, and I refuse to call them such. I've never seen a dragon lose so easily in a fantasy series. They had a guy in the first book titled "Dragon Slayer," so I thought that dragons would be hard to kill or at least a challenge. But no, these kids were able to kill one relatively easily. Then, the paper cutting through the membrane of the dragon's wing. No, that a DRAGON paper should not be effective like that. Oh, also a tree, a dragon died by a tree. Broke its back somehow. I'm just saying these dragons are so weak that they shouldn't be a threat.
Okay, that was my rant; overall, the book is alright. I am hesitant about continuing the adventure. But, from my experience, sometimes, the author's whole vision is worth it.
But here comes the big complete that I must get off my chest. The dragons in this book are not dragons; they are far worse than dragons. Seriously, what kind of dragons die to trees and paper? These are not dragons, and I refuse to call them such. I've never seen a dragon lose so easily in a fantasy series. They had a guy in the first book titled "Dragon Slayer," so I thought that dragons would be hard to kill or at least a challenge. But no, these kids were able to kill one relatively easily. Then, the paper cutting through the membrane of the dragon's wing. No, that a DRAGON paper should not be effective like that. Oh, also a tree, a dragon died by a tree. Broke its back somehow. I'm just saying these dragons are so weak that they shouldn't be a threat.
Okay, that was my rant; overall, the book is alright. I am hesitant about continuing the adventure. But, from my experience, sometimes, the author's whole vision is worth it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 1, 2020
5 out of 5.
This is my 50th book this year, and I cannot expect a better book to mark the completion of 2020 reading challenge.
5/5 is not for the brilliance in story crafting or prose, but Im giving it my all for continually delivering the same amount of happiness which was oozing out from the first book.
I cant peculiarly point out the reasons for recommending this book. It may be because I love coming of age fantasy.
Here, the protagonist is not the ever strong and dominating hero, but he has talent and strives hard to negate his shortcomings.
I loved the way friendship is narrated, and how the protagonist is sheltered and cared by his friends.
The plot is excellent to my taste.
This book turns out that something big may turn out in the further series.
I finished this book in one go and will love to read the rest of the series.
This is my 50th book this year, and I cannot expect a better book to mark the completion of 2020 reading challenge.
5/5 is not for the brilliance in story crafting or prose, but Im giving it my all for continually delivering the same amount of happiness which was oozing out from the first book.
I cant peculiarly point out the reasons for recommending this book. It may be because I love coming of age fantasy.
Here, the protagonist is not the ever strong and dominating hero, but he has talent and strives hard to negate his shortcomings.
I loved the way friendship is narrated, and how the protagonist is sheltered and cared by his friends.
The plot is excellent to my taste.
This book turns out that something big may turn out in the further series.
I finished this book in one go and will love to read the rest of the series.
February 18, 2023
Inhaltlich eigentlich drei Sterne. Das Pacing ist bis ins letzte Drittel eher gemächlich, ebenso die Charakterzeichnung. Das Setting ist diesmal was es ist, ich bin leider kein Freund von Wüsten und Wüstenstäden. Dennoch gelingt es dem Autor im letzten Drittel die Defizite wieder auszugleichen. Vor allem die Charakterentwicklung und das Worldbuildiung (vor allem die Hintergründe von Charaktern und Orten) werden ausgebaut, sodass man mit Vorfreude auf den dritten Band blickt. Langsam wendet sich nämlich mit dem zweiten Band endlich der Blick von der kleinen Welt der Protagonisten und deren Ausbildung und öffnet sich in das Geflecht aus Beziehungen zur weiten Welt. Und weite Welt trifft es hier wirklich in Bezug auf wichtige Charaktere.
Alles in allem also gerade noch die Kurve gekratzt und vier Sterne für leichte, aber sehr spannende Lektüre.
Alles in allem also gerade noch die Kurve gekratzt und vier Sterne für leichte, aber sehr spannende Lektüre.
December 1, 2022
Book 2 was a hell of a lot better. The prose is so much easier on the eyes and since the first book helps you get attached to the characters, it doesn't have that duty hanging around it's neck.
Now, as far as negatives go, I'm still a bit iffy on the conflict resolution and it usually feels like they Deus ex machina their way to a solution, but it's not nearly as much of a problem as it was in the first book.
I so wish that Goodreads has a 3.5 that I could give it, but you gotta make do with what you're given and this is a lot closer to a 4 than it is to a 3, and so it will be judged.
Now, as far as negatives go, I'm still a bit iffy on the conflict resolution and it usually feels like they Deus ex machina their way to a solution, but it's not nearly as much of a problem as it was in the first book.
I so wish that Goodreads has a 3.5 that I could give it, but you gotta make do with what you're given and this is a lot closer to a 4 than it is to a 3, and so it will be judged.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 288 reviews