What do you think?
Rate this book
Magic: The Gathering: Masquerade Cycle #1
Mercadian Masques
Treachery stalks the Weatherlight .
Escaping from Rath, the crew of the flying ship Weatherlight finds itself adrift. Grieving for their lost comrades and in need of repairs, they make their painful way to Mercadia, a city where everything is for sale.
But not everything is as it seems. In the streets of Mercadia, the heroes of the Weatherlight find that more than merchandise can be bought and sold.
Escaping from Rath, the crew of the flying ship Weatherlight finds itself adrift. Grieving for their lost comrades and in need of repairs, they make their painful way to Mercadia, a city where everything is for sale.
But not everything is as it seems. In the streets of Mercadia, the heroes of the Weatherlight find that more than merchandise can be bought and sold.
341 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published March 17, 1999
18 people are currently reading
568 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
February 5, 2024
Despite my low rating, there are actually some aspects of Mercadian Masques that I really do love. Orim has quickly become one of my favorite Weatherlight members. The scenes of her with the Cho-Arrim, learning about their culture, and the baby delivery scene were all spectacular. Unfortunately, almost immediately after this, the plot kind of falls into a repetitive trudge. At best it's boring with some fun character interactions. At worst, it's contrived bullshit that doesn't make any sense and completely throws you out of the narrative (what the hell were they thinking with that Volrath reveal). That being said, I do really enjoy the first third of the book, and even some ideas in the second third like the cruelty of Gerard were interesting. But ultimately the book failed to really capture me, and just sort of felt like filler. Hopefully Nemesis will grip me a bit more.
April 21, 2013
Painful first half saved by some acceptable action in the second.
Let's start with the obvious: Mr. Lebaron is simply not a very good author. I have read Fanfiction that surpassed this book in characterization and tone.
The world is shallow and uninteresting, the characters are paper-thin and descriptions are clichéd.
On the other hand he does manage some halfway entertaining action scenes in the second half.
In the end, the book is not a complete waste of time but realistically, nearly any other book you could grab in a bookstore would provide equal or better entertainment. So in the end "not too painful" is probably the best summary I could give.
Let's start with the obvious: Mr. Lebaron is simply not a very good author. I have read Fanfiction that surpassed this book in characterization and tone.
The world is shallow and uninteresting, the characters are paper-thin and descriptions are clichéd.
On the other hand he does manage some halfway entertaining action scenes in the second half.
In the end, the book is not a complete waste of time but realistically, nearly any other book you could grab in a bookstore would provide equal or better entertainment. So in the end "not too painful" is probably the best summary I could give.
January 21, 2026
“What about the market? You can’t win a battle in Mercadia unless you can take the market.”
I don’t expect too much from most Magic: The Gathering-inspired novels.
Give me a little bit of high fantasy adventure with plenty of references to the card game’s characters, monsters, spells, and lands, then fill in nooks and crannies of the tale by fleshing out the set’s major characters and adding a little detail of the between card spaces, and I’m pretty happy. The novelization of Mercadian Masques, an MTG base set from 1999, does just that … but only barely.
Taking on the tale of the hero Gerrard and the crew of the airship Weatherlight after the vessel’s narrow escape from the violent plane of Rath, author Francis Lebaron sees the crew crash on the mercantile world of Mercadia, lose their ship, and struggle to reclaim it before their arch-enemy Volrath closes in. Unlike many of the earlier MTG expansions which left a lot to the imagination, the cards of the Mercadian Masques set are pretty much an outline of the story Lebaron follows – meaning there’s not too many real surprises – but the tale is competently delivered and true to the flavor of the set (which was a significant problem for the first generation of MTG novels).
But there are also problems. Our principle protagonist Gerrard? Dull (and kind of pissy for quite a bit of the book). I felt his only really spark was in his self-destructive flirtation with the redheaded Takara who – ugh – I can’t even say how that turns out. We also have my least favorite plot trope in abundance as EVERYBODY on the Weatherlight crew is arrested (or caught), then released (or escapes) at least once, many TWICE! Catch-and-release is my lazy writing hot button, especially as it totally dumbs-down your bad guys who … really … should have just killed the good guys when they had their chance. And what’s up with Chapter 24’s treatise on revolutionary theory? I kind of felt like I’d drifted into a textbook!
What’s not Lebaron’s fault is WoTC’s decision not to include any kind of introductory piece. Though this novel is CLEARLY branded as Book I of the Masquerade Cycle, there is an anthology that preceded it. Cue page one of this book where we are fleeing Rath, major characters are dead or missing, and new readers (and old readers with bad memory) are totally lost! Would it have killed WoTC to have given us a few paragraphs on ‘what has gone before’ to ease us into this story and its lore?
Ah … I may be cantankerous … but I still love the MTG worlds … so yes, like a sucker, I will be back for Book 2: Nemesis.
P.S. It’s been a long time since I actually thumbed through this set of cards and with any of the MTG novels, I find it a lot more fun to have the card set in my head as I dig into the book and look for ‘easter eggs’. Fortunately, if you are going to give this one a try, the full set of Mercadian Masque cards is readily found online; I recommend https://scryfall.com/sets/mmq
August 2, 2018
This one really underscored how much the previous book didn't fit in for me. It was a nice return to a single, consistent voice telling a coherent story.
That said, there was some really lazy writing here that disrupted what was otherwise a solid story. There were a lot of deus ex machina fixes to problems; e.g. Cho-Manno is suddenly alive. It was jarring to the point that I was fully expecting this was Volrath in disguise....which was another problem, doing the switch where a character you had been coming to know is suddenly someone else entirely, negating all development.
It just happened a few times, basically every time the crew was in a seemingly inescapable predicament. An acceptable "twist" would be like Squee stopping that big creature from murdering the shit out of Gerrard during their first arrival in Mercadia. It's adding something to the world we just didn't know yet (that Goblins have a much different standing here), and it's an interesting way out of a situation.
Compare this with "oh this guy I totally told you died is actually just fine and also he has crazy psychic abilities that can resolve this false accusation in 30 seconds". That feels more like trying to write your way out of a corner. It adds nothing to the world, you just tell your reader "fuck you for believing my explicit statement that this character was dead".
Anyway, we're finally getting into the meat of the history of these worlds now, and the set of cards I'm familiar with that now make sense has had its growth accelerated.
That said, there was some really lazy writing here that disrupted what was otherwise a solid story. There were a lot of deus ex machina fixes to problems; e.g. Cho-Manno is suddenly alive. It was jarring to the point that I was fully expecting this was Volrath in disguise....which was another problem, doing the switch where a character you had been coming to know is suddenly someone else entirely, negating all development.
It just happened a few times, basically every time the crew was in a seemingly inescapable predicament. An acceptable "twist" would be like Squee stopping that big creature from murdering the shit out of Gerrard during their first arrival in Mercadia. It's adding something to the world we just didn't know yet (that Goblins have a much different standing here), and it's an interesting way out of a situation.
Compare this with "oh this guy I totally told you died is actually just fine and also he has crazy psychic abilities that can resolve this false accusation in 30 seconds". That feels more like trying to write your way out of a corner. It adds nothing to the world, you just tell your reader "fuck you for believing my explicit statement that this character was dead".
Anyway, we're finally getting into the meat of the history of these worlds now, and the set of cards I'm familiar with that now make sense has had its growth accelerated.
March 23, 2022
This has taken forever! The story was a bit choppy and not always that compelling, but I shouldn't expect too much from the telling of a story meant to be told on some collectible cards. Really, it was fine.
August 6, 2022
This was a fine story, but it certainly felt like picking up in the middle of a larger story arc. I imagine this is exactly what it was. I think i would have better understood the characters dynamics that sometimes felt poorly explained, had I read other preceding tales.
December 23, 2023
I liked the worldbuilding (side characters, locations, abilities). Better than the nowadays stories in the MtG universe. The plot was so-so. In vacuum I would give it a lower score. The book reminded me a bit of original star wars era fantasy.
June 11, 2018
Not the best MTG novella. If I didn't want to follow the crew of the Weatherlight, I would probably have set the book aside unfinished.
March 29, 2019
Started strong, but finished only okay.
August 23, 2019
Took a very long break, but very engaging and to read. Voltrath kills Starke, diguishes as Takara, and loses to Gerrard. Team fix ship and leave. Cho manna and Orim are a thing, as Hanna and G are.
Read
April 4, 2024Read years ago
April 20, 2024
This book picks up where Rath And Storm left off. It was just not an easy book to read as things seem to get dragged out. The political intrigues and treacheries. A good read but not great.
February 18, 2026
The challenge of writing a book set in the world of a card game, with many different authors taking up the task of developing relatively flat or underdeveloped characters (or character archetypes, really), is that you're going to wind up with some inconsistencies. This novel is a bit of an outlier in terms of tone - funnier than most, but with characterization that doesn't match the rest. Gerrard is kind of a bumbling moron (despite being the Hero of the Legacy and all that), and he doesn't really seem super broken up about everything that's just happened on Rath. There are some stronger elements - Squee is actually quite charming in this one (silly goblins like Squee risk a certain kind of cloying-ness that he somehow avoids in this novel), Karn remains solid, and I kind of like the arc for Orim and the Cho-Arrim. I'm also always a sucker for how a plane like Mercedia is connected back to Urza, Mishra, Ramos, Dominaria, and Phyrexia. Some of the conflict and its resolution is rushed, but overall, it's not terrible. It's also not good - nostalgia largely got me through what was actually my 3rd time reading this book since the early 00s more than anything (one day I'll get as far as the time spiral cycle). And excitement about Nemesis (the actually good novel in this trilogy) definitely helped. Big shout out to Phil Dawson whose work on the unofficial audiobooks also really brought to life this otherwise mediocre story.
December 30, 2016
This book picks up right where RATH AND STORM left off, with Gerrard and Co. escaping Rath in a damaged Weatherlight and crash-landing on the world of Mercadia. The friends soon become entangled in the rather complex but intriguing politics of this mysterious new land, eventually becoming something like heroes to the common people. The main premise of this book involves the capture of the Weatherlight by locals and Gerrard's efforts to reclaim the ship (and simultaneously upgrade it). There is also a lot of character building, particularly with Orim and Squee. This book also helps to bring the other MAGIC books into the story. Events from THE BROTHERS' WAR are talked about as legend, linking this series with that one.
Francis Lebaron does a pretty good job on this (debut?) novel, keeping the pace of the story up and including plenty of action, humor, and drama. Still, there is something lacking in the writing style. For some reason, even scenes that should be very exciting or highly dramatic fail to inspire all that much. I can't really pinpoint exactly what is missing, but for some reason Lebaron's writing just doesn't convey the same feeling that other good writers do. I'll bet that he will improve in this as he matures as a writer.
Overall, this is an above average MAGIC novel that tells a very exciting and interesting tale in a rather bland manner.
Francis Lebaron does a pretty good job on this (debut?) novel, keeping the pace of the story up and including plenty of action, humor, and drama. Still, there is something lacking in the writing style. For some reason, even scenes that should be very exciting or highly dramatic fail to inspire all that much. I can't really pinpoint exactly what is missing, but for some reason Lebaron's writing just doesn't convey the same feeling that other good writers do. I'll bet that he will improve in this as he matures as a writer.
Overall, this is an above average MAGIC novel that tells a very exciting and interesting tale in a rather bland manner.
February 7, 2015
The book Magic the Gathering Mercadian Masques was probably one of my favorite books that I ever read. I not only liked this book for the story but also because it is based on a very popular card game. I liked this book because it was made for us geeks and it's a story filled with goblins, minotaur's, and the undead. The book starts off with the Prince of Mercadia being bombed by goblins. Later on he found out that his brother the Duke of Mercadia was trying to kill him for saving his life, leaving you wondering why would he do that? As you read you will find out. If you enjoy fantasy, I seriously suggests this book. Although, I am not a fan of reading, this book was worth my time and effort because of the fantasy and characters involved. Once I started this book I couldn't stop reading. In fact this 300 page book might be one of the fastest I have ever read a book.
August 20, 2024
One of the most polarizing MTG novels you'll come across and it can be divisive among the fanbase just for the simple fact that its the slowest of all books that cover the Phyrexian Invasion. And that is it's greatest strenghts. It's not a book about action, Urza doesn't appear outside of some shallow Brothers War mention and its very unconsequential. It ends the same way it starts: with Gerrard and the boys going back to Dominaria. However, it's the Mysterious elements that play in this book's favour and some great character development on some of the boys that, otherwise, wouldn't get that much love.
July 4, 2016
I really WANT to like this series, dammit, but it keeps letting me down.
The Weatherlight, after the wild climax of Rath & Storm, crashes in a new world, near the city of Mercadia. There's a big mix-up, and most of the crew is imprisoned. They escape. Some other members of the crew are trapped by forest people. They escape. There's intrigue, etc. None of the characters really popped, and nothing made me believe this would be more than exploring a new place. I'd even like to enjoy something like that, but ... it just did nothing for me. :/
The Weatherlight, after the wild climax of Rath & Storm, crashes in a new world, near the city of Mercadia. There's a big mix-up, and most of the crew is imprisoned. They escape. Some other members of the crew are trapped by forest people. They escape. There's intrigue, etc. None of the characters really popped, and nothing made me believe this would be more than exploring a new place. I'd even like to enjoy something like that, but ... it just did nothing for me. :/
December 20, 2009
Reading as a joke - my boyfriend is really into Magic the Gathering the game. We'll see if it can stand on its own as a fantasy series!
April 3, 2010
Never read this one before. I have always enjoyed the exploits of Gerard and his crew. This book is no exception. Definitely an excellent high fantasy read. =)
June 1, 2013
This book was so good. The details in this book made this story really come to life in my imagination. Why are these books so good?!?!? Screw you Volrath!!!!!
January 21, 2016
I've posted a full review of this book on my blog here:
http://www.geeky-guide.com/2010/10/bo...
http://www.geeky-guide.com/2010/10/bo...
February 12, 2024
It started kinda slow, if you haven't followed the story you would be a bit lost. It picked up about halfway, it was really interesting about Orim's story and the Henge of Ramos.
November 21, 2016
Awesome continuation of the Weatherlight saga!
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews