Rate: 4.5/5
Medium: Audiobook
Overview (No Spoilers):
Metamancer was such an entertaining coming of age story about young Johnny D’Abrac who has a slew of terrible incidents drive him in an unexpected direction.
The worldbuilding, magical system, and the story as a whole really made Metamancer a genuinely entertaining read. The strife between elves and man that seemed legitimate in its basis, frays at the edges upon Johnny’s closer inspection and the side conversations we are privy to between nobles. Additionally, Johnny being raised at the edge of ‘civilization’ when paired with his second attempt at an apprenticeship leads to an explosion of knowledge of the world at large for both him and the reader.
The characters seemed rather one dimensional other than Johnny. While this only detracted from the larger story a few times, I found myself wanting to be drawn in and attached to the rest of the cast. There was one particular death that was absolutely crippling and shocking. And while we witnessed Johnny’s pain, everyone else’s grief that would have expanded the overall depth was skipped over. That said, we were viewing this story through Johnny’s eyes and he himself was in a fog of grief, but the gap left a half finished conclusion to this terrible death.
It felt like there was a whole series that took place before we first meet Johnny that laid a blind foundation upon which decisions and motives are influenced, though this made for unsure footing for the reader as we suss out what took place before. This unknown was wonderful material for plot twists, but the crumbs we collected left so many questions in their place.
One of my favorite parts of this story was the enigma surrounding the intentions of the Wizard of the North. Zard paints an impression that starkly contrasts with our next encounter with the wizard, leaving the reader to second guess that initial feeling in every subsequent interaction.
Overall, Zard has created a foundation in Metamancer that piqued my curiosity and has me excited to see where he will take Johnny next.
Additional Insights (Spoilers Abound):
- Was Derek’s death orchestrated by some outside source to keep him from the guard? Maybe the necromancer who left him at the D’Abrac? It couldn’t have been the wizard yet because he didn’t know about Johnny yet.
- Who is Johnny’s real mother or father? Was she the necromancer who dropped off Johnny? Or what about the necromancer who visited him at he wizard’s tower? What would have happened had Johnny told everyone of his visitor?
- How long will Johnny be able to hide being a metamancer?
- The situation with Master Percy was so disappointing. How could he have not given Jonny the benefit of the doubt.
- What will happen to Zach now that he has been essentially abandoned?
- Is Madeline still alive being held captive by Morphosius?
- Who is Crizane?
- What would have Johnny’s parents have said if he’d told them what he was going to do? Or about Alfyra?
- Do most wizards not bind their apprentices as Morphosius was binding Johnny?
- Wouldn’t Morphosius have had to kill most of the town and Johnny’s parent’s anyway due to them all knowing his name?
- What did the tower think of Johnny and Alfyra avoiding their tracking spells?
- I kept hoping that Johnny’s dad was still somehow alive, being held somewhere but due to Johnny sensing someone had died there it must be so.
- I ever got used to Johnny’s wizard name of Sinprejic.
- How will Johnny’s trip to see the monks come back into the story?
- The ending was so abrupt that it taught me off guard. I hadn’t realized it was the end of the book, instead I thought we were finishing a chapter.
The Critiquing Chemist 