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Magic Ex Libris #2
Codex Born
Isaac Vainio’s life was almost perfect. He should have known it couldn’t last.
Living and working as a part-time librarian in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, Isaac had finally earned the magical research position he dreamed of with Die Zwelf Portenære, better known as the Porters. He was seeing a smart, fun, gorgeous dryad named Lena Greenwood. He had been cleared by Johannes Gutenberg to do libriomancy once again, to reach into books and create whatever he chose from their pages. Best of all, it had been more than two months since anything tried to kill him.
And then Isaac, Lena, and Porter psychiatrist Nidhi Shah are called to the small mining town of Tamarack, Michigan, where a pair of septuagenarian werewolves have discovered the brutally murdered body of a wendigo.
What begins as a simple monster-slaying leads to deeper mysteries and the discovery of an organization thought to have been wiped out more than five centuries ago by Gutenberg himself. Their magic rips through Isaac’s with ease, and their next target is Lena Greenwood.
They know Lena’s history, her strengths and her weaknesses. Born decades ago from the pages of a pulp fantasy novel, she was created to be the ultimate fantasy woman, shaped by the needs and desires of her companions. Her powers are unique, and Gutenberg’s enemies mean to use her to destroy everything he and the Porters have built. But their plan could unleash a far darker power, an army of entropy and chaos, bent on devouring all it touches.
The Upper Peninsula is about to become ground zero in a magical war like nothing the world has seen in more than five hundred years. But the more Isaac learns about Gutenberg and the Porters, the more he questions whether he’s fighting for the right cause.
One way or another, Isaac must find a way to stop a power he doesn’t fully understand. And even if he succeeds, the outcome will forever change him, the Porters, and the whole world.
Living and working as a part-time librarian in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, Isaac had finally earned the magical research position he dreamed of with Die Zwelf Portenære, better known as the Porters. He was seeing a smart, fun, gorgeous dryad named Lena Greenwood. He had been cleared by Johannes Gutenberg to do libriomancy once again, to reach into books and create whatever he chose from their pages. Best of all, it had been more than two months since anything tried to kill him.
And then Isaac, Lena, and Porter psychiatrist Nidhi Shah are called to the small mining town of Tamarack, Michigan, where a pair of septuagenarian werewolves have discovered the brutally murdered body of a wendigo.
What begins as a simple monster-slaying leads to deeper mysteries and the discovery of an organization thought to have been wiped out more than five centuries ago by Gutenberg himself. Their magic rips through Isaac’s with ease, and their next target is Lena Greenwood.
They know Lena’s history, her strengths and her weaknesses. Born decades ago from the pages of a pulp fantasy novel, she was created to be the ultimate fantasy woman, shaped by the needs and desires of her companions. Her powers are unique, and Gutenberg’s enemies mean to use her to destroy everything he and the Porters have built. But their plan could unleash a far darker power, an army of entropy and chaos, bent on devouring all it touches.
The Upper Peninsula is about to become ground zero in a magical war like nothing the world has seen in more than five hundred years. But the more Isaac learns about Gutenberg and the Porters, the more he questions whether he’s fighting for the right cause.
One way or another, Isaac must find a way to stop a power he doesn’t fully understand. And even if he succeeds, the outcome will forever change him, the Porters, and the whole world.
326 pages, Hardcover
First published August 6, 2013
144 people are currently reading
2,636 people want to read
About the author
Jim C. Hines
96Ìýbooks2,335ÌýfollowersJim C. Hines began his writing career with a trilogy about the irrepressible Jig the goblin, which actor and author Wil Wheaton described as "too f***ing cool for words." He went on to deconstruct fairy tales in his four-book Princess series, made all the world's literature a grimoire in the Magic ex Libris series, and explored the heroic side of spacecraft sanitation in his Janitors of the Post Apocalypse trilogy. His short fiction has appeared in more than fifty magazines and anthologies. Jim has been outspoken about topics like sexism and harassment, and was the editor of the Invisible series—three collections of personal essays about representation in sf/f. He received the Hugo Award for Best Fan Writer in 2012. Jim currently lives in mid-Michigan.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 532 reviews
August 12, 2013
When I read the first book in this series a while back (Libriomancer) I loved it with a powerful love. It surprised me and kept me up late at night. It had everything I wanted in a book: interesting premise, clever execution, good cosmology, and solid writing.
It even had a few after market extras. Things that I don't *need* from a book, but when they show up, they fill me with a warm joy. Specifically, there was humor, nods to geek culture, and a delightfully non-standard romance.
So when I picked up Codex Born, I was a little nervous. I'm well aware that second books are tricky things. We've all been disappointed by sophomore slumps....
Here's the thing, I'm hyper critical. Not by choice, it just seems to be the way I am. When I watch a movie or read a book, I tend to pick it apart. I tend to focus on the bad stuff.
And when I'm in the midst of my own revisions it much worse. Much, much worse. When I'm in the midst of my own revisions, giving me a book is like throwing it into a woodchipper. My critical gearage is so revved up that I'm likely to destroy a book for no good reason at all. I'll fixate on every microscopic flaw....
But to my delight and surprise, that didn't happen with Codex Born. I read through the whole thing and simply enjoyed it.
I realize that "There was nothing that bothered me" might sound like an odd thing to say about a book as a compliment. But trust me, if you'd ever been to a movie with me, you'd know this is a big deal...
So yeah. Highly recommended. You should absolutely check this out.
But read the first book first, okay? Because starting with book two in a series is just wrong....
It even had a few after market extras. Things that I don't *need* from a book, but when they show up, they fill me with a warm joy. Specifically, there was humor, nods to geek culture, and a delightfully non-standard romance.
So when I picked up Codex Born, I was a little nervous. I'm well aware that second books are tricky things. We've all been disappointed by sophomore slumps....
Here's the thing, I'm hyper critical. Not by choice, it just seems to be the way I am. When I watch a movie or read a book, I tend to pick it apart. I tend to focus on the bad stuff.
And when I'm in the midst of my own revisions it much worse. Much, much worse. When I'm in the midst of my own revisions, giving me a book is like throwing it into a woodchipper. My critical gearage is so revved up that I'm likely to destroy a book for no good reason at all. I'll fixate on every microscopic flaw....
But to my delight and surprise, that didn't happen with Codex Born. I read through the whole thing and simply enjoyed it.
I realize that "There was nothing that bothered me" might sound like an odd thing to say about a book as a compliment. But trust me, if you'd ever been to a movie with me, you'd know this is a big deal...
So yeah. Highly recommended. You should absolutely check this out.
But read the first book first, okay? Because starting with book two in a series is just wrong....
October 4, 2018
Following on from this sequel further develops the very cool concept of libriomancy, the magic ability to pull items out of books. Isaac Vainio is a librarian and libriomancer who is now working as a researcher. However, when strange creatures are killed near his town he becomes drawn in to a plot by an ancient society who want to destroy the libriomancers.
As the second book in a series, this was just as much fun as the first. Fast paced with lots of strange happenings, werewolves, vampires (of the sparkly kind) and metal bugs. Lena, Isaac's Dryad lover features again and we learn more of her backstory and origins. Readers will love Hines' inventive ways of pulling magic out of sf and fantasy books to use in fighting off the bad guys and there is plenty of action with enough plot twists to keep the plot moving along.
As the second book in a series, this was just as much fun as the first. Fast paced with lots of strange happenings, werewolves, vampires (of the sparkly kind) and metal bugs. Lena, Isaac's Dryad lover features again and we learn more of her backstory and origins. Readers will love Hines' inventive ways of pulling magic out of sf and fantasy books to use in fighting off the bad guys and there is plenty of action with enough plot twists to keep the plot moving along.
September 16, 2014
Two and a half stars
All I can think of is the Goblin King in Labyrinth: “Such a pity.� Creative ideas, a streamlined plot, a love of books–all are fabulous ideas, and all undermined by cumbersome execution. I really want to like this series–I like Jim Hines� public persona, I really do--particularly his willingness to be an advocate against rape and rape culture. I haven’t yet read his Goblin King series, but I suspect his strength might be in the YA genre (as well as non-fiction, given his blogging and journalism), because barring a detailed sex scene, this would be satisfactory young adult fare. As an adult genre book, I was too bothered by a lack of polish and sophistication to enjoy it.
*
The rest of my review is pure crankiness, followed by bitter cover analysis. Because Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ will delete it if someone gets their undies in a bunch, I keep my full reviews at Wordpress and Booklikes:
All I can think of is the Goblin King in Labyrinth: “Such a pity.� Creative ideas, a streamlined plot, a love of books–all are fabulous ideas, and all undermined by cumbersome execution. I really want to like this series–I like Jim Hines� public persona, I really do--particularly his willingness to be an advocate against rape and rape culture. I haven’t yet read his Goblin King series, but I suspect his strength might be in the YA genre (as well as non-fiction, given his blogging and journalism), because barring a detailed sex scene, this would be satisfactory young adult fare. As an adult genre book, I was too bothered by a lack of polish and sophistication to enjoy it.
*
The rest of my review is pure crankiness, followed by bitter cover analysis. Because Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ will delete it if someone gets their undies in a bunch, I keep my full reviews at Wordpress and Booklikes:
August 10, 2015
This is the second in the Magi ex Libris series where the main character is a wizard who produces his magic out of books. Literally. He actually puts his hand into a book and pulls the magic out. A fascinating idea and also a very good story line! I really enjoyed the first book in this series and was happy that this one did not fall prey to second book syndrome. It was really very exciting and action packed and ended in a quite amazing way. I am very keen to get on to the next book to find out if Isaac is going to be okay:)
December 7, 2020
En este libro continúan las historias del libromante Isaac Vainio. Pero aquà se intensifica la acción y la adrenalina.
En este segundo tomo, el punto de partida es el brutal asesinato de una criatura en tierras de los hombres lobos, lo que desata una investigación que derivará en el descubrimiento de algo terrible.
Un ejército aterrador está agazapado en los confines de la magia libromántica y espera su oportunidad para abalanzarse sobre el mundo. Las acciones de un hombre herido por la muerte de un hijo pueden precipitar la apertura de ciertos portales.
En este libro también se descubren algunos secretos de Gutemberg, el lÃder de los Centinelas y se reconstruye en primera persona la biografÃa de Lena, la drÃada que acompañó a Isaac a lo largo de sus aventuras.
Puedo decir que me encontré con una obra ágil, entretenida y disfrutable desde sus primeras páginas.
En este segundo tomo, el punto de partida es el brutal asesinato de una criatura en tierras de los hombres lobos, lo que desata una investigación que derivará en el descubrimiento de algo terrible.
Un ejército aterrador está agazapado en los confines de la magia libromántica y espera su oportunidad para abalanzarse sobre el mundo. Las acciones de un hombre herido por la muerte de un hijo pueden precipitar la apertura de ciertos portales.
En este libro también se descubren algunos secretos de Gutemberg, el lÃder de los Centinelas y se reconstruye en primera persona la biografÃa de Lena, la drÃada que acompañó a Isaac a lo largo de sus aventuras.
Puedo decir que me encontré con una obra ágil, entretenida y disfrutable desde sus primeras páginas.
September 18, 2016
Esto se está poniendo intenso.
Me gustó leer la perspeciva de Lena, es muy profunda y sentida.
El ritmo y desarrollo me parecieron mejor que en el primero.
Me gustó leer la perspeciva de Lena, es muy profunda y sentida.
El ritmo y desarrollo me parecieron mejor que en el primero.
August 15, 2013
I had judged the first book in this series based on the assumption that it was the writer's first novel, however I now understand that he has previously published several books.
He still has a dynamite concept on his hands--magicians with the power to draw objects from fictional books to use in the real world--but the series still is populated by weakly drawn (if bland even) characters.
In both the first and second books of this series there is precious little about the main character's unique qualifications to do what he does. Why is he succeeding? Why does he keep becoming the center of huge world-shattering plots? I don't mean that he needs the cliche of a prophecy or a destiny, I just mean something trait that makes him better than the ostensibly more powerful people around him. I would like to think that he's merely more obsessed with books than the others, a sci-fi and fantasy geek who understands the potential of his genre for fighting evil, but it's barely incorporated into the book and it makes Isaac a little flatter than he should be.
I was also a little confused by the central plot of the second book being a tangent from a very early plotpoint from the first book. It made for a strange flow between the two books. Instead of building on the first book and moving forward, I feel like the plot steps backward.
His Dryad sidekick/girlfriend that he shares with his psychiatrist gets the most character treatment in the form of first-person italicized prologues to each chapter. They are fine, they are interesting, but they are only tenuously tied to the current events of Codex Born to the point that they're almost a distraction. I think Hines could have done a better job at integrating them together.
Perhaps I'm overly harsh on this book because I want so very badly for it to be awesome. Libriomancy is still a great concept, but the main character remains a bit of a dud. I will still read the next volume in the series so maybe Hines has done all he needs to in my case. :)
June 2, 2017
2016 Book Awards
Runner Up: Best Male POV 2016 (awarded to Isaac Vainio)
(more information about these awards on my blog)
This felt a lot slower to begin with than the first book did. Might be because the storyline didn't feel as clear and because of that each chapter started with a page or so from Lena's POV - which was explained in the final chapter but I still found it a bit confusing. About halfway through the book the tempo picked up and I was able to get fully immersed in this world with its characters and magic.
This second book really continues the line of of "Gutenberg's not the ultimate hero" and delves into the past of book printing. Gutenberg is certainly seen as the father of printing in the western world, but what about in Asia? And, in this world where Gutenberg's invention led to magic, what happened to those who had invented similar things? And what happened to those?
Once you get to the point in this story where this is discussed the history geek in me was really ecstatic, because it's always the winner who writes the story. Nowadays we might be able to get multiple views on a situation thanks to the internet, but back in the day that was not the thing; the winner was depicted as the great hero, the loser as a monster whose allies should be eliminated even after the war had ended. And this is what Isaac discovers with Gutenberg's past; there were people from China able to use the magic of books before he could, but they were fewer as their printing press technique was less refined than Gutenberg's. The fact that they were fewer, however, doesn't mean that they vanished completely.
This story shows the return of an old enemy, the realization that everything about the Libriomancers aren't perfect, and that Gutenberg will do anything to stay in power. Isaac? He does what he usually does; quotes fantasy and sci-fi books/TV-shows/movies (and explains why no one's pulled The Doctor's sonic screwdriver from a book so far) and dives headlong into things without a proper plan. Can I marry this guy?
Runner Up: Best Male POV 2016 (awarded to Isaac Vainio)
(more information about these awards on my blog)
This felt a lot slower to begin with than the first book did. Might be because the storyline didn't feel as clear and because of that each chapter started with a page or so from Lena's POV - which was explained in the final chapter but I still found it a bit confusing. About halfway through the book the tempo picked up and I was able to get fully immersed in this world with its characters and magic.
This second book really continues the line of of "Gutenberg's not the ultimate hero" and delves into the past of book printing. Gutenberg is certainly seen as the father of printing in the western world, but what about in Asia? And, in this world where Gutenberg's invention led to magic, what happened to those who had invented similar things? And what happened to those?
Once you get to the point in this story where this is discussed the history geek in me was really ecstatic, because it's always the winner who writes the story. Nowadays we might be able to get multiple views on a situation thanks to the internet, but back in the day that was not the thing; the winner was depicted as the great hero, the loser as a monster whose allies should be eliminated even after the war had ended. And this is what Isaac discovers with Gutenberg's past; there were people from China able to use the magic of books before he could, but they were fewer as their printing press technique was less refined than Gutenberg's. The fact that they were fewer, however, doesn't mean that they vanished completely.
This story shows the return of an old enemy, the realization that everything about the Libriomancers aren't perfect, and that Gutenberg will do anything to stay in power. Isaac? He does what he usually does; quotes fantasy and sci-fi books/TV-shows/movies (and explains why no one's pulled The Doctor's sonic screwdriver from a book so far) and dives headlong into things without a proper plan. Can I marry this guy?
May 6, 2015
Story. Belief. It’s power isn’t it? All belief is, you get people to believe you can get them to do just about anything, history teaches us this. And it is this idea that Jim C. Hines uses in this book. The Libromancers in this book have the power, the magical power, of drawing things from the book into the real world, provided the book has enough readers who believe.
Yet there is something else out there, a devourer and then these other books that the Libromancers can’t quite figure out what is going with them,
And there is the most wonderful bench in the world. I want one.
This installment finds our hero Isaac getting use to his non-traditional threesome (no, not quite that way). Like most urban fantasy, the plot is one of those ends of the world things, but there are no vampire politics. This makes me happy. I am so tired of vampire politics, just stake them already.
Plus Hines has very cool vampires. Even the sparkly ones are interesting.
Ook
I’m getting there, just hold on. I got bananas.
Ook!
So anyway, sparkly vampires. But they are not problem, though who ever would have thought about sparkly vampires and pot.
Ook?>
Not type of part, the other. So there is this plot that involves bugs and Lena Greenwood’s book, and whether or not Guttenberg . . .
Ook?
Yes, that Guttenberg was telling the truth. And to be honest, in many ways some of the plot points have been used before. Like many good authors, Hines inverts or twists them to make them his own and the book special. But the aspect of the book that stands out the most to me is the fact that unlike a great many urban fantasy novels that never show the impact of those end of world battles on the non-magical people � say like the non-Buffy posse residents of Sunnydale. Hines does, and when he does, it is quite a powerful piece of writing.
Ook
My learned friend would like me to point out that the reader finds out much more about Lena Greenwood as well as her struggle to define herself, her very real human desire to tell her own story. How this plot point is woven into the main thrust of the novel and what the purpose of the story is, well it remains us of Pratchett’s Science of Discworld series, to be honest.
Which brings me to this point. If you don’t understand the inclusion of the word Ook in the above, follow the instructions below.
1. Go to a bookstore.
2. Pick up a copy of this book.
3. While in store read the introduction to this book, including the footnotes.
4. Follow the instructions revealed in the introduction.
5. Write a thank you note to Jim C. Hines.
Yet there is something else out there, a devourer and then these other books that the Libromancers can’t quite figure out what is going with them,
And there is the most wonderful bench in the world. I want one.
This installment finds our hero Isaac getting use to his non-traditional threesome (no, not quite that way). Like most urban fantasy, the plot is one of those ends of the world things, but there are no vampire politics. This makes me happy. I am so tired of vampire politics, just stake them already.
Plus Hines has very cool vampires. Even the sparkly ones are interesting.
Ook
I’m getting there, just hold on. I got bananas.
Ook!
So anyway, sparkly vampires. But they are not problem, though who ever would have thought about sparkly vampires and pot.
Ook?>
Not type of part, the other. So there is this plot that involves bugs and Lena Greenwood’s book, and whether or not Guttenberg . . .
Ook?
Yes, that Guttenberg was telling the truth. And to be honest, in many ways some of the plot points have been used before. Like many good authors, Hines inverts or twists them to make them his own and the book special. But the aspect of the book that stands out the most to me is the fact that unlike a great many urban fantasy novels that never show the impact of those end of world battles on the non-magical people � say like the non-Buffy posse residents of Sunnydale. Hines does, and when he does, it is quite a powerful piece of writing.
Ook
My learned friend would like me to point out that the reader finds out much more about Lena Greenwood as well as her struggle to define herself, her very real human desire to tell her own story. How this plot point is woven into the main thrust of the novel and what the purpose of the story is, well it remains us of Pratchett’s Science of Discworld series, to be honest.
Which brings me to this point. If you don’t understand the inclusion of the word Ook in the above, follow the instructions below.
1. Go to a bookstore.
2. Pick up a copy of this book.
3. While in store read the introduction to this book, including the footnotes.
4. Follow the instructions revealed in the introduction.
5. Write a thank you note to Jim C. Hines.
December 29, 2014
Bill's review: Codex Born is Jim Hines� follow-up to last year’s Libriomancer, his breezy love letter to fantasy and science fiction readers and writers. While the sequel didn’t charm me as much as its precursor, its quick pace, likable characters, and frequent allusions to some of my favorite authors, along with Hine’s trademark darkness underlying a lightly comical surface, meant that on balance I found more to enjoy than to dislike.
The series is set in a world where certain people � libriomancers � have the ability to magically pull objects, such as ray guns, rings of invisibility, etc., out of written works. For centuries, this magic has been regulated by a secret organization headed by the first Libriomancer (though that gets called into question in this novel), Johannes Gutenberg. Besides studying/regulating/restricting this book magic, Libriomancers also intervene when ... Read More:
Marion's review: Codex Born is the second book in Jim C. Hines’s MAGIC EX LIBRIS series, featuring the libriomancer Isaac Vainio. In the first book we learned about Hines’s delightful magical system in which gifted people can materialize objects out of books � mostly famous or well-beloved books. In the first book, Libriomancer, part of the pleasure was watching Hines name-check classic science fiction and fantasy books, and that joy continues in Codex Born.
This book also takes some time to develop the character of Lena Greenwood, a dryad who isn’t a real dryad. Each chapter opens with a section in Lena’s point of view, giving us scenes from her past. It’s helpful, and humanizes someone who was basically a magical sidekick in book one. These sections take the form of journal entries, and one of them, a poem, is ... Read More:
The series is set in a world where certain people � libriomancers � have the ability to magically pull objects, such as ray guns, rings of invisibility, etc., out of written works. For centuries, this magic has been regulated by a secret organization headed by the first Libriomancer (though that gets called into question in this novel), Johannes Gutenberg. Besides studying/regulating/restricting this book magic, Libriomancers also intervene when ... Read More:
Marion's review: Codex Born is the second book in Jim C. Hines’s MAGIC EX LIBRIS series, featuring the libriomancer Isaac Vainio. In the first book we learned about Hines’s delightful magical system in which gifted people can materialize objects out of books � mostly famous or well-beloved books. In the first book, Libriomancer, part of the pleasure was watching Hines name-check classic science fiction and fantasy books, and that joy continues in Codex Born.
This book also takes some time to develop the character of Lena Greenwood, a dryad who isn’t a real dryad. Each chapter opens with a section in Lena’s point of view, giving us scenes from her past. It’s helpful, and humanizes someone who was basically a magical sidekick in book one. These sections take the form of journal entries, and one of them, a poem, is ... Read More:
April 4, 2016
Codex Born is the second book of the Magic ex Libris series by American author, Jim C. Hines. Some months after receiving official permission, Isaac Vainio is enjoying his role as a magic researcher and investigating the intriguing possibility of Libriomancing from ebooks with a young student, Jeneta Aboderin. When he gets a call about a mutilated wendigo, he heads out to investigate this baffling murder. Magic allows him to return to the moment of the killing, and it looks like a rogue Libriomancer may be involved.
But Isaac and his dryad lover, Lena Greenwood, have more problems to deal with at home: something is attacking Lena’s oak tree, and all their skill and intellect are needed to overcome this threat. The source of the problem proves to be a surprise, and soon they begin to realise just how far-reaching the menace could be.
This is another fast-paced adventure that will delight fans. As well as a highly original plot with plenty of twists, Isaac’s arsenal of books and their potential weapons are a tribute to the fantasy genre. Hines gives the reader some interesting concepts: use of a chronoscope as a time viewer, a sort of reverse Midas touch effect that corrodes metals, some very different computer bugs, paper cuts of a rather dangerous kind, glasses of the babel fish variety, love potion as a weapon and the idea that reading a book in the middle of a battle could be just the right thing to do.
Each chapter is prefaced by a narrative that describes events in Lena’s life since the moment of her “birth�, thus developing her character in tandem with Isaac’s description of their current adventure. Readers who enjoy this instalment will be eager to dive into the next book of this brilliant series, Unbound.
But Isaac and his dryad lover, Lena Greenwood, have more problems to deal with at home: something is attacking Lena’s oak tree, and all their skill and intellect are needed to overcome this threat. The source of the problem proves to be a surprise, and soon they begin to realise just how far-reaching the menace could be.
This is another fast-paced adventure that will delight fans. As well as a highly original plot with plenty of twists, Isaac’s arsenal of books and their potential weapons are a tribute to the fantasy genre. Hines gives the reader some interesting concepts: use of a chronoscope as a time viewer, a sort of reverse Midas touch effect that corrodes metals, some very different computer bugs, paper cuts of a rather dangerous kind, glasses of the babel fish variety, love potion as a weapon and the idea that reading a book in the middle of a battle could be just the right thing to do.
Each chapter is prefaced by a narrative that describes events in Lena’s life since the moment of her “birth�, thus developing her character in tandem with Isaac’s description of their current adventure. Readers who enjoy this instalment will be eager to dive into the next book of this brilliant series, Unbound.
July 6, 2013
One of my favorite parts of the Magic Ex Libris series is how Jim Hines shows the importance of research in dealing with problems. This series began strongly and in the sequel went to unexpected places. I adore the premise of Magic Ex Libris, that books have a magic of their own and that certain people can manipulate it and that those people don't always fit the mold of what a classic hero might be. I appreciated how the characters are dealing with the question of how different are digital books than physical books and that various types of reads evoke other types of magic.
In the second book, Hines goes deeper into the idea of how having magic in the world changes everyone that interacts with it for good and bad. The plot focuses on family, trust and what's within books. I don't want to spoil anything just to say that this was an even stronger read than the first book. This is a series I would recommend to anyone who enjoys urban fantasy and one that I would love to give to a great many of my friends as it captures the magic of reading.
I picked up my copy of Codex Born from Jim Hines himself at ALA 2013 and he was kind enough to sign it for me.
In the second book, Hines goes deeper into the idea of how having magic in the world changes everyone that interacts with it for good and bad. The plot focuses on family, trust and what's within books. I don't want to spoil anything just to say that this was an even stronger read than the first book. This is a series I would recommend to anyone who enjoys urban fantasy and one that I would love to give to a great many of my friends as it captures the magic of reading.
I picked up my copy of Codex Born from Jim Hines himself at ALA 2013 and he was kind enough to sign it for me.
October 30, 2015
I loved the first book, Libriomancer, SO INCREDIBLY MUCH that I was kind of nervous about reading this book because I wasn't sure that ANYTHING could be as good as that first book was. Unfortunately, this sequel just didn't measure up to the first one. The things I loved about the first book -- the magical ability of libriomancy, the brilliant intra-plot surprises, the riveting character development, the exquisite pacing of the unfolding narrative -- just didn't happen in this one. I'll probably still read the next one to see if there's any chance it will be as good as that first one; I know there's more story to be told here!
August 28, 2013
First of all, as with the previous book, drop a star if you don't read sci-fi & fantasy regularly, because you'll miss the references.
This book picks up where the last one left off, introducing a new threat based on the incidents in .
I wasn't overly keen on the previous book and I read this one because I had read a blurb somewhere that indicated this one focused more on Lena, the dryad character. There is a lot revealed about Lena's backstory in segments at the beginning of each chapter, but the story itself is just another romp with Issac, and I don't actually like him very much. I realize now that I was reading it mostly just to get to the next reference, the next libriomantic example of Issac or one of the other Porters using something cool from a book I read or knew about. That was enjoyable for the most part, but I have trouble relating to protagonists who basically succeed by the force of their own moral superiority and luck, which it seems is what really keeps Issac around through most of his battles.
It looks like, based on the story, there might have been an intention to make the book about Lena, or from her point of view, but either someone or the author himself talked him out of it. As it is, it seems like the Lena summaries are superflouous, and it's just another story about Issac and the Porters where everyone is wrong except Issac.
I've read almost everything has written as far as novels. I keep going back to them because he has a gift for taking exiting ideas to the next level; he did a decent job making a farce out of standard fantasy with the Jig series, I really enjoyed his take on Fairy Tales in his previous series, and his Libriomancy here is very cool, but I'm realizing that I don't like most of the characters he creates himself. He had some constraints with the fairy tales series because he had characters with personalities that were constrained by the characters they had been, but with Jig and again with Issac I'm finding very little I really like about them (their primary advantage being moral superiority, as I said before). I'd say I'm going to drop the series at this point, but the reality is that I read so much I'll probably end up getting the book when it comes out because I'll need to read something and I'll know at least part of his book will be entertaining.
This book picks up where the last one left off, introducing a new threat based on the incidents in .
I wasn't overly keen on the previous book and I read this one because I had read a blurb somewhere that indicated this one focused more on Lena, the dryad character. There is a lot revealed about Lena's backstory in segments at the beginning of each chapter, but the story itself is just another romp with Issac, and I don't actually like him very much. I realize now that I was reading it mostly just to get to the next reference, the next libriomantic example of Issac or one of the other Porters using something cool from a book I read or knew about. That was enjoyable for the most part, but I have trouble relating to protagonists who basically succeed by the force of their own moral superiority and luck, which it seems is what really keeps Issac around through most of his battles.
It looks like, based on the story, there might have been an intention to make the book about Lena, or from her point of view, but either someone or the author himself talked him out of it. As it is, it seems like the Lena summaries are superflouous, and it's just another story about Issac and the Porters where everyone is wrong except Issac.
I've read almost everything has written as far as novels. I keep going back to them because he has a gift for taking exiting ideas to the next level; he did a decent job making a farce out of standard fantasy with the Jig series, I really enjoyed his take on Fairy Tales in his previous series, and his Libriomancy here is very cool, but I'm realizing that I don't like most of the characters he creates himself. He had some constraints with the fairy tales series because he had characters with personalities that were constrained by the characters they had been, but with Jig and again with Issac I'm finding very little I really like about them (their primary advantage being moral superiority, as I said before). I'd say I'm going to drop the series at this point, but the reality is that I read so much I'll probably end up getting the book when it comes out because I'll need to read something and I'll know at least part of his book will be entertaining.
August 13, 2013
I've been reading Jim Hines since the Goblin series of books - and full disclosure, I know and like him as a person as well. That said, liking someone has not kept me from writing a poor review of their work.
I'm glad to report that I have no such problems with Jim's work. *Codex Born* is the second book in the Magic Ex Libris series, and continues Jim's track record of continually improving his work. Not only does it continue to have the same fun and humor as the first book in this series (and really, in all of Jim's work), but he *realistically* deals with the problematic parts of urban fantasy and certain types of characters. And he does it all with compassion, caring, and an uncompromising honesty that left me wanting more.
Nothing is done just for giggles - even the parts that make you giggle. Nothing is *just* serious, even the parts that make you suddenly realize that you've been taken in by a character's act just like everyone else in the story.
Jim's style fits into the so-called "New Comprehensibles" strain - it's clean, lean, and effective without being ornate or verbose.
All this said, I would hesitate before recommending this book for extremely young (pre-teen) readers. While I appreciate Jim's method of addressing issues - including sex - while keeping the hot-and-steamy largely implied, the *issues* and how the characters deal with them are front-and-center. To put it in perspective, I'd happily give a copy to my sixteen year old, but would probably steer my girlfriend's seven-year-old daughter to the Goblin and Princess series for a few years yet.
That one caveat aside, I heartily and highly recommend this book as Jim's finest yet.
I'm glad to report that I have no such problems with Jim's work. *Codex Born* is the second book in the Magic Ex Libris series, and continues Jim's track record of continually improving his work. Not only does it continue to have the same fun and humor as the first book in this series (and really, in all of Jim's work), but he *realistically* deals with the problematic parts of urban fantasy and certain types of characters. And he does it all with compassion, caring, and an uncompromising honesty that left me wanting more.
Nothing is done just for giggles - even the parts that make you giggle. Nothing is *just* serious, even the parts that make you suddenly realize that you've been taken in by a character's act just like everyone else in the story.
Jim's style fits into the so-called "New Comprehensibles" strain - it's clean, lean, and effective without being ornate or verbose.
All this said, I would hesitate before recommending this book for extremely young (pre-teen) readers. While I appreciate Jim's method of addressing issues - including sex - while keeping the hot-and-steamy largely implied, the *issues* and how the characters deal with them are front-and-center. To put it in perspective, I'd happily give a copy to my sixteen year old, but would probably steer my girlfriend's seven-year-old daughter to the Goblin and Princess series for a few years yet.
That one caveat aside, I heartily and highly recommend this book as Jim's finest yet.
November 3, 2014
2.5 stars. Ok continuation of this contemporary fantasy series about a UP book mage and the dryad he loves. That's a radical simplification of things, but I'm still annoyed about the ending - it wasn't a cliffie, but things were left way too wide open. If that happens with the next book, I won't continue reading the series.
September 12, 2017
El libro en sà tal vez da para más de tres estrellas, pero los burdos errores de traducción y de tipeo me frenaron tantas veces la lectura que cuando lo terminé me sentà aliviada :/
June 16, 2020
Very close to DNF'ing at page 154. The pacing is so incredibly slow and when there were action scenes, they just didn't pique my interest. I loved the first book so this is a bit disappointing. Willing to give it another chance after a little break to see if it gets any better further in the book, and/or whether or not the pace picks up. Also, the POV swaps between Isaac and Lena don't seem to flow very well together -- unless they're somehow tied in at the end, it's mostly just distracting.
August 18, 2013
Actual rating 3.5 stars.
This book, even more than the first, feels like a love letter to being a geek in the 2000's. Especially a geek of sci-fi and fantasy things. There's references to a wide variety of books, as well as books better known as movies and a dash of D&D. Star Wars? Beauty? Girl Genius? And older classics as well. Plus what Terry Pratchett fan doesn't love seeing that very advice they've probably given themselves - read Pratchett. Read ALL the Pratchett.
As for the book itself, it's a lot of fun to read. I love our main characters, the return of a character from book 1 that I wasn't sure we'd see again brought a smile to my face and the plot moved quickly from one scene to another. the understandings of belief and humanity and the complication of human bonds are all explored, and explored pretty well. People are complicated, their bonds are complicated, and this book doesn't shy away from that fact.
I feel bad, but I like Lena SO much better than I like Isaac. It's nice to get an appropriately nerdy and awesomely well-read hero who's also brave and creative and smart, but seeing Lena struggling to overcome what she is in a way that a human person won't ever have to keeps being so deeply compelling, and her joy in all things is so infectious.
I also really enjoyed two new additions to the cast in Jeneta, who can do libriomancy with e-books, and Jeff the werewolf, whose plain speak I quite enjoyed. I hope we'll see more of both (and feel we will)
But - and I understand why its like this, but still - it sometimes felt like there was just too much going on. You could make an argument for this story having five different antagonists with distinct agendas, piling into one another and sometimes working with one another and sometimes against, sometimes making the transition from antagonist to ally and vice versa. This meant things were *always* going on, and I found myself really wishing for five seconds for a breather at times.
If you enjoyed the first, this is worth reading, as an enjoyable and quick-paced book which sets up even more questions and fleshes out the rules and the world Hines has created.
This book, even more than the first, feels like a love letter to being a geek in the 2000's. Especially a geek of sci-fi and fantasy things. There's references to a wide variety of books, as well as books better known as movies and a dash of D&D. Star Wars? Beauty? Girl Genius? And older classics as well. Plus what Terry Pratchett fan doesn't love seeing that very advice they've probably given themselves - read Pratchett. Read ALL the Pratchett.
As for the book itself, it's a lot of fun to read. I love our main characters, the return of a character from book 1 that I wasn't sure we'd see again brought a smile to my face and the plot moved quickly from one scene to another. the understandings of belief and humanity and the complication of human bonds are all explored, and explored pretty well. People are complicated, their bonds are complicated, and this book doesn't shy away from that fact.
I feel bad, but I like Lena SO much better than I like Isaac. It's nice to get an appropriately nerdy and awesomely well-read hero who's also brave and creative and smart, but seeing Lena struggling to overcome what she is in a way that a human person won't ever have to keeps being so deeply compelling, and her joy in all things is so infectious.
I also really enjoyed two new additions to the cast in Jeneta, who can do libriomancy with e-books, and Jeff the werewolf, whose plain speak I quite enjoyed. I hope we'll see more of both (and feel we will)
But - and I understand why its like this, but still - it sometimes felt like there was just too much going on. You could make an argument for this story having five different antagonists with distinct agendas, piling into one another and sometimes working with one another and sometimes against, sometimes making the transition from antagonist to ally and vice versa. This meant things were *always* going on, and I found myself really wishing for five seconds for a breather at times.
If you enjoyed the first, this is worth reading, as an enjoyable and quick-paced book which sets up even more questions and fleshes out the rules and the world Hines has created.
August 18, 2013
3.75 stars
Codex Born must have been one of those books that were born out of the author's need to write a few specific scenes, and to see a specific idea come alive. This shows in the fluctuating quality of the book: some scenes, or even chapters, are pretty darn awesome (5 stars), whereas there are numerous chapters that are just there to fill the gap between the story points of interest (2-3 stars).
This greatly affects the story's pacing: it slows down, then it quickens, then it slows down again - only to be followed by more fast-paced action. I find that this makes me snap out of the story, which greatly decreases the overall enjoyment value. I think that a more consistently tension-building way of writing would have more beneficial.
Many elements feel forced - the human antagonist is too evil for no particular reason that I can fathom, and the resolution (aftermath) contains very much out-of-character decisions, for the sole reason of keeping the readers interested and continuing the series.
Otherwise, the book is pretty good, and I enjoyed reading it. Isaac's character still feels legitimate, and the book's focus on Lena - especially her memories of her life before we met her - really added a lot of value. The idea behind her character is one of the most powerful ones featured in this series I feel, and the author is doing a good job of utilizing this.
Having said all that, I don't feel that Codex Born deserves 4 stars. A 4 star book features a lot more consistency than this.
Nonetheless, I enjoyed reading it, and I am looking forward to the next book. Codex Born leaves the world in an interesting situation, both globally and with Isaac - how the author decides to deal with this will determine for me whether this series has a future or not.
Codex Born must have been one of those books that were born out of the author's need to write a few specific scenes, and to see a specific idea come alive. This shows in the fluctuating quality of the book: some scenes, or even chapters, are pretty darn awesome (5 stars), whereas there are numerous chapters that are just there to fill the gap between the story points of interest (2-3 stars).
This greatly affects the story's pacing: it slows down, then it quickens, then it slows down again - only to be followed by more fast-paced action. I find that this makes me snap out of the story, which greatly decreases the overall enjoyment value. I think that a more consistently tension-building way of writing would have more beneficial.
Many elements feel forced - the human antagonist is too evil for no particular reason that I can fathom, and the resolution (aftermath) contains very much out-of-character decisions, for the sole reason of keeping the readers interested and continuing the series.
Otherwise, the book is pretty good, and I enjoyed reading it. Isaac's character still feels legitimate, and the book's focus on Lena - especially her memories of her life before we met her - really added a lot of value. The idea behind her character is one of the most powerful ones featured in this series I feel, and the author is doing a good job of utilizing this.
Having said all that, I don't feel that Codex Born deserves 4 stars. A 4 star book features a lot more consistency than this.
Nonetheless, I enjoyed reading it, and I am looking forward to the next book. Codex Born leaves the world in an interesting situation, both globally and with Isaac - how the author decides to deal with this will determine for me whether this series has a future or not.
May 23, 2014
In the first book in the series, Libriomancer, Hines introduced a wildly creative magic system and a couple really intriguing minor characters.
Unfortunately, this is really more of the same, and some of the novelty is starting to wear off.
They still do magic by pulling stuff out of books, which still results in dozens of hat tips to classic and contemporary works that will delight any voracious reader. Lena the dryad is still a really interesting study in how much agency fictional women are allowed to have, by an author who is extremely aware and careful of what he's doing. Gutenberg is still extremely morally dubious.
But that's it--it's all "still". There are a couple twists on how the magic works, but it doesn't really feel like it changes that much. Isaac gets himself into trouble and self-sacrifices to the point of having his personality disintegrate for a second time. There's not a lot of arc here for anyone--it's very much a middle book. We find out more examples of bad things that Gutenberg did, but it doesn't actually change our view of him.
Each chapter begins with a segment from Lena's point of view, giving her backstory. But it's just fleshing out what we already knew--it doesn't grant that much insight, and it doesn't really tie into the plot. I don't feel like I understand Lena much more than at the end of the last book, and she hasn't really changed much, either.
It's a fun plot, although the real antagonist is buried so deep that the ending has no particular sense of victory--each villain has been dispatched too easily in favor of one who we see for two sentences, undoubtedly to be dealt with in the next book.
I still enjoyed it, but I think this is a victim of my coming in with higher expectations. It's a perfectly nice little sequel. I was just expecting more.
Unfortunately, this is really more of the same, and some of the novelty is starting to wear off.
They still do magic by pulling stuff out of books, which still results in dozens of hat tips to classic and contemporary works that will delight any voracious reader. Lena the dryad is still a really interesting study in how much agency fictional women are allowed to have, by an author who is extremely aware and careful of what he's doing. Gutenberg is still extremely morally dubious.
But that's it--it's all "still". There are a couple twists on how the magic works, but it doesn't really feel like it changes that much. Isaac gets himself into trouble and self-sacrifices to the point of having his personality disintegrate for a second time. There's not a lot of arc here for anyone--it's very much a middle book. We find out more examples of bad things that Gutenberg did, but it doesn't actually change our view of him.
Each chapter begins with a segment from Lena's point of view, giving her backstory. But it's just fleshing out what we already knew--it doesn't grant that much insight, and it doesn't really tie into the plot. I don't feel like I understand Lena much more than at the end of the last book, and she hasn't really changed much, either.
It's a fun plot, although the real antagonist is buried so deep that the ending has no particular sense of victory--each villain has been dispatched too easily in favor of one who we see for two sentences, undoubtedly to be dealt with in the next book.
I still enjoyed it, but I think this is a victim of my coming in with higher expectations. It's a perfectly nice little sequel. I was just expecting more.
October 13, 2014
It's the second book in the series, but I'm going to steal a line from Seanan McGuire's blub about again, since it's still just as appropriate and it's on the back of this book, too. It was, "smart, silly, and deadly serious, all at the same time." My concerns about Lena from the first book were addressed, as I suspected they would be. Each chapter began with her reminiscing about her past, giving us insight into her character and motivation. Then those memories were tied into the story at the end when the nymph became an important part of the developments.
I'm not sure how many books Hines has planned for the series. I know that the next one isn't going to be quite the frolic that the first two have been. This one ends with Isaac in a changed position and everything he's been through and seen in the last two adventures is going to have a big impact on him. You can read more in the guest post Hines wrote on . That post is what finally kicked this series to the top of my TBR list. Thinking about it now, mental health has been a major theme in the book. It's Nidhi's job. Every active Libriomancer has to see a therapist, I think I'm remembering that right. Lena struggles with her identity and mental well being, as very much shown in this book. So I'm looking forward to seeing how Hines continues to deal with the theme in the next book.
I'm not sure how many books Hines has planned for the series. I know that the next one isn't going to be quite the frolic that the first two have been. This one ends with Isaac in a changed position and everything he's been through and seen in the last two adventures is going to have a big impact on him. You can read more in the guest post Hines wrote on . That post is what finally kicked this series to the top of my TBR list. Thinking about it now, mental health has been a major theme in the book. It's Nidhi's job. Every active Libriomancer has to see a therapist, I think I'm remembering that right. Lena struggles with her identity and mental well being, as very much shown in this book. So I'm looking forward to seeing how Hines continues to deal with the theme in the next book.
August 28, 2013
There aren’t many writers who can start with the concept of a literal fantasy woman, pulled from the pages of her book to fulfill her lover’s dreams, and turn her from a slave into a complex hero, struggling to understand her own identity and to create herself as a real person. Jim Hines is one of them.
Codex Born, the sequel to Libriomancer, is narrated by fantasy book lover and magician Isaac Vaino, but in many ways the book belongs to Lena Greenwood, a dryad drawn from a pulp SF novel and Isaac’s girlfriend. Libriomancer concluded with Isaac and Lena and Lena’s girlfriend (Isaac’s former therapist) Nidhi Shah agreeing that they’d embark on a shared relationship � both Isaac and Nidhi would be Lena’s lovers, which would allow Lena, product of her book, and thus destined to conform to her lovers� desires, a chance to become her own person by existing in the conflicting space between Isaac and Nidhi. In Codex Born, that relationship starts to play out � both Nidhi and Isaac struggle with the dynamic, but keep on trying for Lena’s sake � and Lena continues to hope that she can find a way to preserve who she is, even if something happened to Isaac or Nidhi.
Book provided by publisher.
Codex Born, the sequel to Libriomancer, is narrated by fantasy book lover and magician Isaac Vaino, but in many ways the book belongs to Lena Greenwood, a dryad drawn from a pulp SF novel and Isaac’s girlfriend. Libriomancer concluded with Isaac and Lena and Lena’s girlfriend (Isaac’s former therapist) Nidhi Shah agreeing that they’d embark on a shared relationship � both Isaac and Nidhi would be Lena’s lovers, which would allow Lena, product of her book, and thus destined to conform to her lovers� desires, a chance to become her own person by existing in the conflicting space between Isaac and Nidhi. In Codex Born, that relationship starts to play out � both Nidhi and Isaac struggle with the dynamic, but keep on trying for Lena’s sake � and Lena continues to hope that she can find a way to preserve who she is, even if something happened to Isaac or Nidhi.
Book provided by publisher.
May 1, 2014
Ugh! Jim Hines needs to read all the praise for Libriomancer on the back jacket to see where he went wrong with this book. I abandoned it on page 47 at the suggestion of my son when he saw how hard I was struggling to make myself continue. Lena speaks to open each chapter in a pretentious voice that doesn't ring true. The case she, Isaac, and Nidhi go to investigate is nauseously gory. Although there were elements that intrigued me in those 47 pages, I decided the stuff I couldn't stand overroad my interest.
January 12, 2015
Probably 3.5 stars. Fun, action-packed, and with a unique magic system. Urban fantasy tends to not be my favorite genre, but this series is a lot of fun and I love all the references to (and uses of) real books. The things that bugged me about the first book didn't bother me here, maybe because the author and I were both willing to live with less explanation of how it all works and just go with it. I like all the secondary characters--except maybe Gutenberg: the jury is still out on him. The ending was somewhat unusual, but it definitely makes me want to read the next one!
Shelved as 'abandoned'
October 29, 2015Why does this cover looks so--80's?
didn't look like this...plus this was not how I imagined Lena!!
Otherwise, I cannot wait to read this one!
didn't look like this...plus this was not how I imagined Lena!!
Otherwise, I cannot wait to read this one!
August 11, 2013
Decent followup to Libriomancer. The concept is better than the execution on this one I think. The ending in particular rankled me but I can't really say why without revealing too much. I enjoy Hines' work in general so I'm sure I'll pick up the inevitable sequel.
July 10, 2016
More of Lena's story, Isacc in trouble again, more book trivia to learn, e-readers, a second founder of primitive libromancy, and more fiery Smudge.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 11, 2017
I liked it a lot. Meeting Isaac, Smudge and Lena again has been great and I loved going on an other adventure with them.
I'm really curious what's the deal with the Army of Ghosts and if Gutenberg turns out to be a good, bad or grey character.
Also, the magic reveal? Interesting. I wonder how that one will play out.
I like the backstory we got on Lena (even though - parts of it have not been easy to read) and how she evolved.
Smudge, the giant fire spider? I love it and I would have sulked too!
The ending for Isaac? Woha. Harsh. I mean, it probably saved his life, but still. :(
I'm looking forward to read the next part and see what's happening.
I'm really curious what's the deal with the Army of Ghosts and if Gutenberg turns out to be a good, bad or grey character.
Also, the magic reveal? Interesting. I wonder how that one will play out.
I like the backstory we got on Lena (even though - parts of it have not been easy to read) and how she evolved.
Smudge, the giant fire spider? I love it and I would have sulked too!
The ending for Isaac? Woha. Harsh. I mean, it probably saved his life, but still. :(
I'm looking forward to read the next part and see what's happening.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 3, 2013
Isaac, Lena and Nidhi are developing their new relationship � but hardly have the chance to do so on peace before being called into the field again.
There’s been some murdered Wendigo � and Wendigo are pretty hard to kill.
But throw in some strange, lethal metal insects, creations of a dead Libriomancer and his far less fun father.
An ancient order of Chinese mages who have a severe beef with Gutenburg’s followers � and made extra uncomfortable by them maybe being right
Then throw in the Devourers, dryads and a dragon and there’s certainly a lot to handle; all confused further by Gutenburg’s secrets and that nagging question as to whether or not they’re actually on the right side.
I love the very concept of this world. The idea of pulling things out of books � and now e-readers � and both the wonder and the complexity that can come with that. I love the geeky shout outs to so many books I’ve read and loved. I love just how much the love of reading and the power of it and this genre which we adore so much is all just worshipped in this series.
And things have got complicated � wonderfully, gloriously complicated. We have an enemy � who everyone hates, even his allies and rightly so. Then we have an enemy who Isaac kind of feels sympathetic towards with lots of recognition of past injustice. Then we have Gutenburg who may be their ally and super powerful and he may have some extremely good reasons for his decisions � but he’s still done a whole lot of evil, he’s still keeping a whole lot of secrets and Isaac still doesn’t trust, despite working for him. And under all that you have the big nasty monsters that may try to eat everyone.
It’s wonderfully complex.
And part of that complexity is the complexity of the characters (while still giving us someone who is evil and we can hate without having to be complicated about it � because that’s fun too). The entire history of the Libriomancers is a fascinating one that’s been really well developed. I love the dispensing of the idea that Gutenburg is the first Libriomancer � the Chinese have been printing long before him and already had their own variety. At first it seemed like a simple case of Gutenburg attacking, slaughtering and stealing from the Students of Bi Sheng. But then lots of nuance get added:
Are we judging someone based on what they did 500 years ago? With attitudes, standards and thought processes that were prevalent at the time?
Gutenburg was involved in a war � not only did the Students of Bi Sheng fight him but multiples forces were trying to destroy him while he established his power � he saw it as a fight for survival.
And, of course, Gutenburg’s organisation did end up bringing order and peace to the magical world � albeit in a Pax Romana fashion.
I like how all of these are raised without in any way justifying or excusing what Gutenburg did or that it was wrong � even having Gutenburg admit it. The nuance is there for human complexity, not dismissal. And Isaac still acts against Gutenburg’s express wishes, especially when it comes to continuing what he started; and receives tacit support from Pallas and the other Libriomancers as well
The same applies to Gutenburg keeping secrets � it’s annoying and patronising and it could harm the Libriomancers � but at the same time why does a 500 year old with centuries of study and mastery over someone under 30 all his secrets and knowledge? Isn’t it reasonable for him not to trust or rely on people that much weaker and younger? And don’t the Libriomancers already trust him to lock books? Except, of course, that secrecy is equally used to cover up his nefarious deeds, build his legend and head off any challenge and criticism.
But then there’s the very nature of the Libriomancers � intelligent, brilliant, imaginative people who are caught up in and absorbed by books. People with infinite curiosity, massive imaginations and a slight inclination to poke things while asking “what if…�. I love them, it’s an absolutely awesome portrayal but equally adds credence to why Gutenburg may want to keep some things from them because they WILL poke at it.
In addition to all this human world building, I love nuts and bolts of the world � how so much thought has gone into making everything work. Like the body temperatures of the Wendigo (and a wonderful acknowledgement of where Wendigo come from) or how using magic to travel at super speeds means you risk friction burns from the air, or werewolves shifting in their clothes and being in agony because denim just doesn’t rip that easily and it’s the last thing you want constricting over your swelling nether regions.
I also love how a lot of the world building � the new ways of using magic Isaac is learning, the nature of the Devourer and a lot more doesn’t have a simple answer. Some things are theories � hotly debated theories � which is excellently realistic. Why should they know all the rules of magic? That’d be like us knowing every law of physics � real life doesn’t work that way.
There’s been some murdered Wendigo � and Wendigo are pretty hard to kill.
But throw in some strange, lethal metal insects, creations of a dead Libriomancer and his far less fun father.
An ancient order of Chinese mages who have a severe beef with Gutenburg’s followers � and made extra uncomfortable by them maybe being right
Then throw in the Devourers, dryads and a dragon and there’s certainly a lot to handle; all confused further by Gutenburg’s secrets and that nagging question as to whether or not they’re actually on the right side.
I love the very concept of this world. The idea of pulling things out of books � and now e-readers � and both the wonder and the complexity that can come with that. I love the geeky shout outs to so many books I’ve read and loved. I love just how much the love of reading and the power of it and this genre which we adore so much is all just worshipped in this series.
And things have got complicated � wonderfully, gloriously complicated. We have an enemy � who everyone hates, even his allies and rightly so. Then we have an enemy who Isaac kind of feels sympathetic towards with lots of recognition of past injustice. Then we have Gutenburg who may be their ally and super powerful and he may have some extremely good reasons for his decisions � but he’s still done a whole lot of evil, he’s still keeping a whole lot of secrets and Isaac still doesn’t trust, despite working for him. And under all that you have the big nasty monsters that may try to eat everyone.
It’s wonderfully complex.
And part of that complexity is the complexity of the characters (while still giving us someone who is evil and we can hate without having to be complicated about it � because that’s fun too). The entire history of the Libriomancers is a fascinating one that’s been really well developed. I love the dispensing of the idea that Gutenburg is the first Libriomancer � the Chinese have been printing long before him and already had their own variety. At first it seemed like a simple case of Gutenburg attacking, slaughtering and stealing from the Students of Bi Sheng. But then lots of nuance get added:
Are we judging someone based on what they did 500 years ago? With attitudes, standards and thought processes that were prevalent at the time?
Gutenburg was involved in a war � not only did the Students of Bi Sheng fight him but multiples forces were trying to destroy him while he established his power � he saw it as a fight for survival.
And, of course, Gutenburg’s organisation did end up bringing order and peace to the magical world � albeit in a Pax Romana fashion.
I like how all of these are raised without in any way justifying or excusing what Gutenburg did or that it was wrong � even having Gutenburg admit it. The nuance is there for human complexity, not dismissal. And Isaac still acts against Gutenburg’s express wishes, especially when it comes to continuing what he started; and receives tacit support from Pallas and the other Libriomancers as well
The same applies to Gutenburg keeping secrets � it’s annoying and patronising and it could harm the Libriomancers � but at the same time why does a 500 year old with centuries of study and mastery over someone under 30 all his secrets and knowledge? Isn’t it reasonable for him not to trust or rely on people that much weaker and younger? And don’t the Libriomancers already trust him to lock books? Except, of course, that secrecy is equally used to cover up his nefarious deeds, build his legend and head off any challenge and criticism.
But then there’s the very nature of the Libriomancers � intelligent, brilliant, imaginative people who are caught up in and absorbed by books. People with infinite curiosity, massive imaginations and a slight inclination to poke things while asking “what if…�. I love them, it’s an absolutely awesome portrayal but equally adds credence to why Gutenburg may want to keep some things from them because they WILL poke at it.
In addition to all this human world building, I love nuts and bolts of the world � how so much thought has gone into making everything work. Like the body temperatures of the Wendigo (and a wonderful acknowledgement of where Wendigo come from) or how using magic to travel at super speeds means you risk friction burns from the air, or werewolves shifting in their clothes and being in agony because denim just doesn’t rip that easily and it’s the last thing you want constricting over your swelling nether regions.
I also love how a lot of the world building � the new ways of using magic Isaac is learning, the nature of the Devourer and a lot more doesn’t have a simple answer. Some things are theories � hotly debated theories � which is excellently realistic. Why should they know all the rules of magic? That’d be like us knowing every law of physics � real life doesn’t work that way.
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