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Webmage #1
WebMage
Ravirn is not your average computer geek. A child of the Fates—literally—he’s a hacker extraordinaire who can zero in on the fatal flaw in any program. Now that twenty-first-century magic has gone digital that makes him a very talented sorcerer. But a world of problems is about to be downloaded on Ravirn—who’s just trying to pass his college midterms.Great Aunt Atropos, one of the three Fates, decides that humans having free will is really overrated and plans to rid herself of the annoyance—by coding a spell into the Fate Core, the server that rules destiny. As a hacker, Ravirn is a big believer in free will, and when he not only refuses to debug her spell but actively opposes her, all hell breaks loose.
Even with the help of his familiar Melchior, a sexy sorceress (who’s also a mean programmer), and the webgoblin underground, it’s going to be a close call...
Even with the help of his familiar Melchior, a sexy sorceress (who’s also a mean programmer), and the webgoblin underground, it’s going to be a close call...
310 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published July 25, 2006
51 people are currently reading
2534 people want to read
About the author
Kelly McCullough
40 books370 followersKelly McCullough was raised and educated by free-range hippies. Later he received a degree in theater and worked in improv. That combination was the perfect preparation for his current career as author and cat herder. He lives and writes in the Midwest with his physics-professor wife, Laura. He enjoys hiking and biking and his role as self-heating cat furniture. He is the author of the WebMage and Fallen Blade series.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 177 reviews
June 9, 2022
"I'm a thoroughly modern sorcerer, a code-warrior, a programmer. I'm not a classical magician. I hate the old ways. They're painful, inefficient, and hideously dangerous." pg 81, ebook
Ravirn uses magic like programmers use code- it's a unique magic system and author Kelly McCullough should be very proud for coming up with it. I loved that part of the story.
The wizard's minions act like computer programs and execute directives given to them. They're curious creatures, full of attitude and spunk. The closest comparison that immediately pops into my mind is Harry Dresden's skull- Bob.
But unlike Dresden, Ravirn's magic is coded and can be bugged. So when one of the Fates comes to him with an idea of how to change reality through a particularly nasty computer program, his adventure truly begins.
"Life with you is always interesting. I don't know what I'd do for entertainment without the chaos that follows in your wake." pg 196, ebook
This story is action from the beginning. One event after another spins our hero in circles. I could have used a few breaks from the action myself, but readers who crave that sort of thing may really like this one.
I keep going back to the Dresden Files as a comparison for this story and I think it's apt. We have a love interest, minions (as I mentioned), magic and a dry sense of humor that seeps out of the story. Recommended for fans of those books as well as general fantasy readers.
Ravirn uses magic like programmers use code- it's a unique magic system and author Kelly McCullough should be very proud for coming up with it. I loved that part of the story.
The wizard's minions act like computer programs and execute directives given to them. They're curious creatures, full of attitude and spunk. The closest comparison that immediately pops into my mind is Harry Dresden's skull- Bob.
But unlike Dresden, Ravirn's magic is coded and can be bugged. So when one of the Fates comes to him with an idea of how to change reality through a particularly nasty computer program, his adventure truly begins.
"Life with you is always interesting. I don't know what I'd do for entertainment without the chaos that follows in your wake." pg 196, ebook
This story is action from the beginning. One event after another spins our hero in circles. I could have used a few breaks from the action myself, but readers who crave that sort of thing may really like this one.
I keep going back to the Dresden Files as a comparison for this story and I think it's apt. We have a love interest, minions (as I mentioned), magic and a dry sense of humor that seeps out of the story. Recommended for fans of those books as well as general fantasy readers.
June 28, 2017
Either I wasn't in the mood or this protagonist is this juvenile. I didn't hate him, but I didn't like him either. Take it with a grain of salt. The basic premise for the story and this world is interesting enough, I guess. Combination of Greek mythology and technology isn't exactly boring, although some things might sound dated today.
Awesome things I'd like to have: a webgoblin of my own (even an opinionated one would work).
I may try this again, though.
Awesome things I'd like to have: a webgoblin of my own (even an opinionated one would work).
I may try this again, though.
January 6, 2016
A good first novel, with reasonable sounding tech even 6-7 years after it was written. The characters are strong and interesting, although the main character isn't always that bright considering what a good hacker he's supposed to be. I absolutely adored his familiar and the vegetarian troll. The three Furies were also fabulous in a frightening way.
The action never stops and the hero is constantly being injured so severely he's often incapacitated but I love that so it worked for me. He has good supportive friends and the good folks are full of snarkiness and sarcasm. Best of all, Ravirn learns from his mistakes and he grows during the course of the novel which earns major points from me.
Something felt a little off about the story, though, mostly in the first half but I'm attributing it to first book awkwardness. I think the love interest stuff was too much, too soon and too fast as well but she was every bit his equal. The only possible sexism is that two female characters talk about sex constantly. It this is in a Greek pantheon and that fits right in. The women are very strong and intelligent, both good and bad and complex. Their world is t as. Lack and white as most UF which is good because Greek mythology wasn't either. I like the focus on the Fates and the Furies, rather than the traditional gods as well and I like how clear it is that these are the goddesses that really have the power over the life and death of everyone including each other.
I don't like the virtual reality way of looking at programming. I guess the idea is to make it fit with magic when he actual enters the code with bis mind and sees it like he would see something in physical reality but I think it's a cop out to make it easier to explain things. A good programmer doesn't need a visual image to code. At one point the Ravern is looking at the graphic representation of code onscreen and, referring to a gateway, says, "It looked something like a subway tunnel..."
The other big problem I had was that the gods had all taken to the whole computing thing to the point that monastics worshiped Turing. They were all excellent programmers and all the old magic like spells and ley lines had all been converted to computer code. Faerie rings were no longer used because they were too dangerous. I just didn't buy that a technology that's considerably less than a century old immediately and thoroughly supplants magic that has been using the same methods for millennia. I think this would have worked a little better if there were another explanation such as that in one of the realities computer science had been around for 100's of years already or that time passed faster in faerie or that something horrific had happened that made the old ways very dangerous. I just needed something to make it more believable.
But I did enjoy it and will read the next one. After all, one of my very favorite series, Downside Ghosts, is based on an even more ridiculous premise. Once you accept the premise, the rest is brilliant. Maybe that will be the case as this series progresses. At the very least, it is a fresh idea in a genre full of same old same old.
The action never stops and the hero is constantly being injured so severely he's often incapacitated but I love that so it worked for me. He has good supportive friends and the good folks are full of snarkiness and sarcasm. Best of all, Ravirn learns from his mistakes and he grows during the course of the novel which earns major points from me.
Something felt a little off about the story, though, mostly in the first half but I'm attributing it to first book awkwardness. I think the love interest stuff was too much, too soon and too fast as well but she was every bit his equal. The only possible sexism is that two female characters talk about sex constantly. It this is in a Greek pantheon and that fits right in. The women are very strong and intelligent, both good and bad and complex. Their world is t as. Lack and white as most UF which is good because Greek mythology wasn't either. I like the focus on the Fates and the Furies, rather than the traditional gods as well and I like how clear it is that these are the goddesses that really have the power over the life and death of everyone including each other.
I don't like the virtual reality way of looking at programming. I guess the idea is to make it fit with magic when he actual enters the code with bis mind and sees it like he would see something in physical reality but I think it's a cop out to make it easier to explain things. A good programmer doesn't need a visual image to code. At one point the Ravern is looking at the graphic representation of code onscreen and, referring to a gateway, says, "It looked something like a subway tunnel..."
The other big problem I had was that the gods had all taken to the whole computing thing to the point that monastics worshiped Turing. They were all excellent programmers and all the old magic like spells and ley lines had all been converted to computer code. Faerie rings were no longer used because they were too dangerous. I just didn't buy that a technology that's considerably less than a century old immediately and thoroughly supplants magic that has been using the same methods for millennia. I think this would have worked a little better if there were another explanation such as that in one of the realities computer science had been around for 100's of years already or that time passed faster in faerie or that something horrific had happened that made the old ways very dangerous. I just needed something to make it more believable.
But I did enjoy it and will read the next one. After all, one of my very favorite series, Downside Ghosts, is based on an even more ridiculous premise. Once you accept the premise, the rest is brilliant. Maybe that will be the case as this series progresses. At the very least, it is a fresh idea in a genre full of same old same old.
May 27, 2011
WebMage is book-candy. It reads fast and lacks substance. But it is a fun read and sometimes you need to pull your brain back from the heady concepts in the more serious book entries on your list. The sad part is that the concept is really awesome and in the hands of a better writer, it could have been a great series of books.
The premise of WebMage is that the Greek pantheon is real and has been running things behind the scenes for eternity. While the gods themselves don’t make any appearances in the book, the more primal concepts from Greek mythology, the Fates, the Furies, Discord and Chaos, are all present and accounted for. Like Roger Zelazny’s Amber, reality in WebMage consists of a sequence of worlds, called Decision Loci, ranging from most ordered to most chaotic. At either end of the spectrum are the Fates and Eris, goddess of Discord. Except they haven’t been sitting on their thumbs for three millennia. They’ve been busy updating the world to run on computer code. And their children have become hacker/sorcerers of the World’s OS.
It’s a really cool idea! The Fates are depicted as being master programmers, who still keep up their old jobs of creating, measuring and cutting the strings of fate for all humanity. Ravirn, a many times great grandson of Lachesis, is kind of the black sheep of his family, exiled to a somewhat remote DecLocus for repeatedly failing out of school. But he’s still a top-notch hacker who the Fates call on when their code fails.
Which is where the problems start. Ravirn is an egregious example of a Mary Sue with a heavy dosing of Black Hole Sue syndrome (Tvtropes.org for more on Mary Sue). Everything that happens in the multiverse of WebMage seems to directly involve him. He’s a nobody youngster in a family of demigods who nevertheless, fixed programs the gods couldn’t get to work, evaded the Furies for the better part of the book, went toe to toe with at least three goddesses and came out of it all with nothing more painful than a coat of emo-paint. Admittedly, there’s a sense throughout the entire book that he’s nothing but a chess piece in some great game between Chaos and Order, but he doesn’t help matters by being so incredibly stupid about the whole thing.
Aunt Atropos, at the beginning of the book, establishes that her relationship with Ravirn is going to be one of Stick and Bigger Stick. Before the book even starts, he’s been slapped with Cassandra’s Curse which literally prevents anyone from believing him when he’s talking about his Aunt. And then everyone seems to forget that mage/coders have these handy little living familiars/laptops that are very capable of speech and could have explained things just fine if anyone had thought to ask them.
The story, also like Zelazny’s Amber, is narrated first person style by Ravirn, but this only serves to emphasize how incredibly moronic he is. About halfway through the book, he realizes that his WebGoblin might be sentient, and spends the rest of the book whining about how unnatural if feels to end his spell execute lines with “Please.” McCullough has also burdened him with a personality trait of describing spells in detail every time they’re cast, even if it’s the twelfth DecLocus transfer we’ve seen. This chapter. This also extends to the weird spell casting system, which involves saying a line of code sort of like a command prompt/Run line, then having either the programmer or his/her WebGoblin whistle the actual spell. At no point is this explained in any sort of detail, except that the whistling is code and all the bigwigs can code in Hex, by being able to whistle in harmony with themselves. WHAT?!
There are some redeeming features. Melchior, Ravirn’s WebGoblin is occasionally witty and justifiably mocks his master at every opportunity. Their relationship has clearly been exported from the Dresden Files (Harry and Bob) but it still plays well.
Cerice is a semi-interesting love interest (incest notwithstanding) with an attitude and a decent head on her shoulders. I think she would have made a much better protagonist than her cousin, but Ravirn’s Black Hole Sue syndrome dictates that she’s going to be relegated to doe-eyed hanger on. The concept is brilliant and if it weren’t handled with such a hammy fist, it would be a pleasure to explore this fascinating merger of myth and code.
It is undeniably fun to beat up on these little novels. McCullough’s written four more of them, and I’ll probably pick them up on the off chance that he gets a little better with experience. And because it’s nice to have candy every once in a while.
The premise of WebMage is that the Greek pantheon is real and has been running things behind the scenes for eternity. While the gods themselves don’t make any appearances in the book, the more primal concepts from Greek mythology, the Fates, the Furies, Discord and Chaos, are all present and accounted for. Like Roger Zelazny’s Amber, reality in WebMage consists of a sequence of worlds, called Decision Loci, ranging from most ordered to most chaotic. At either end of the spectrum are the Fates and Eris, goddess of Discord. Except they haven’t been sitting on their thumbs for three millennia. They’ve been busy updating the world to run on computer code. And their children have become hacker/sorcerers of the World’s OS.
It’s a really cool idea! The Fates are depicted as being master programmers, who still keep up their old jobs of creating, measuring and cutting the strings of fate for all humanity. Ravirn, a many times great grandson of Lachesis, is kind of the black sheep of his family, exiled to a somewhat remote DecLocus for repeatedly failing out of school. But he’s still a top-notch hacker who the Fates call on when their code fails.
Which is where the problems start. Ravirn is an egregious example of a Mary Sue with a heavy dosing of Black Hole Sue syndrome (Tvtropes.org for more on Mary Sue). Everything that happens in the multiverse of WebMage seems to directly involve him. He’s a nobody youngster in a family of demigods who nevertheless, fixed programs the gods couldn’t get to work, evaded the Furies for the better part of the book, went toe to toe with at least three goddesses and came out of it all with nothing more painful than a coat of emo-paint. Admittedly, there’s a sense throughout the entire book that he’s nothing but a chess piece in some great game between Chaos and Order, but he doesn’t help matters by being so incredibly stupid about the whole thing.
Aunt Atropos, at the beginning of the book, establishes that her relationship with Ravirn is going to be one of Stick and Bigger Stick. Before the book even starts, he’s been slapped with Cassandra’s Curse which literally prevents anyone from believing him when he’s talking about his Aunt. And then everyone seems to forget that mage/coders have these handy little living familiars/laptops that are very capable of speech and could have explained things just fine if anyone had thought to ask them.
The story, also like Zelazny’s Amber, is narrated first person style by Ravirn, but this only serves to emphasize how incredibly moronic he is. About halfway through the book, he realizes that his WebGoblin might be sentient, and spends the rest of the book whining about how unnatural if feels to end his spell execute lines with “Please.” McCullough has also burdened him with a personality trait of describing spells in detail every time they’re cast, even if it’s the twelfth DecLocus transfer we’ve seen. This chapter. This also extends to the weird spell casting system, which involves saying a line of code sort of like a command prompt/Run line, then having either the programmer or his/her WebGoblin whistle the actual spell. At no point is this explained in any sort of detail, except that the whistling is code and all the bigwigs can code in Hex, by being able to whistle in harmony with themselves. WHAT?!
There are some redeeming features. Melchior, Ravirn’s WebGoblin is occasionally witty and justifiably mocks his master at every opportunity. Their relationship has clearly been exported from the Dresden Files (Harry and Bob) but it still plays well.
Cerice is a semi-interesting love interest (incest notwithstanding) with an attitude and a decent head on her shoulders. I think she would have made a much better protagonist than her cousin, but Ravirn’s Black Hole Sue syndrome dictates that she’s going to be relegated to doe-eyed hanger on. The concept is brilliant and if it weren’t handled with such a hammy fist, it would be a pleasure to explore this fascinating merger of myth and code.
It is undeniably fun to beat up on these little novels. McCullough’s written four more of them, and I’ll probably pick them up on the off chance that he gets a little better with experience. And because it’s nice to have candy every once in a while.
currently-paused
May 23, 2013Okay, this book has disrupted my gym time for long enough. The good part: for the past month, I've been reading scientific papers to avoid reading this book. The bad part: I've been procrastinating about going to the gym to avoid both.
No more.
I'm pausing this book--not necessarily DNF'ing: I've made it about 80% through and that's just too far to give up. There's nothing wrong with it; it's just not for me.
However, if you like Fated or Something from the Nightside, this may very well be a good fit--definitely worth a try, at any rate.
I was going to do an amazon-style audience recommendations in lieu of a review, but it kind of devolved into a network of how I think the UF world fits together, and a network is extremely appropriate given the subject of the book.
Link to big version
I know the format's messy, but don't look at me--I didn't write the fitting algorithm (it's graphviz).
No more.
I'm pausing this book--not necessarily DNF'ing: I've made it about 80% through and that's just too far to give up. There's nothing wrong with it; it's just not for me.
However, if you like Fated or Something from the Nightside, this may very well be a good fit--definitely worth a try, at any rate.
I was going to do an amazon-style audience recommendations in lieu of a review, but it kind of devolved into a network of how I think the UF world fits together, and a network is extremely appropriate given the subject of the book.
Link to big version
I know the format's messy, but don't look at me--I didn't write the fitting algorithm (it's graphviz).
February 27, 2011
I feel awfully torn about this book. It revives the whole magic-combined-with-computers idea, and does it pretty well. I particularly enjoyed the laptops that convert to familiars and assist in the magic/hacking. If the story had just worked that one idea I might have enjoyed it a lot more. Unfortunately there was another whole piece of the backstory: the Greek Gods are still around and running things. In my opinion, clutter ensued. I kept going through to the end, but at times it was a struggle to maintain my interest.
I would have enjoyed a more straight forward approach. A guy, his girlfriend, their familiars, some magic, a little programming/hacking, some villains, a plot to do nefarious things, some character development, a big climactic confrontation and a semi-happy ending would have been fine. Instead we get all of those elements plus the Fates, the Furies, Necessity, and a whole big Mythology 101 production number.
Having said all that, though, I think the series has promise. Oh yeah...I just hit a big book sale and picked up the second and third books of the series, so I guess I didn't suffer TOO much!
I would have enjoyed a more straight forward approach. A guy, his girlfriend, their familiars, some magic, a little programming/hacking, some villains, a plot to do nefarious things, some character development, a big climactic confrontation and a semi-happy ending would have been fine. Instead we get all of those elements plus the Fates, the Furies, Necessity, and a whole big Mythology 101 production number.
Having said all that, though, I think the series has promise. Oh yeah...I just hit a big book sale and picked up the second and third books of the series, so I guess I didn't suffer TOO much!
December 25, 2008
Terrific. Great premise - the Greek gods are still around. When computers were developed the Fates began using them to do their work. One of their grandchildren, Ravirn, is asked to debug a program for Atropos that will remove free will from humans. He doesn't want to do it, adventures ensue. Looking forward to reading the next 2 in the series that are already published. Books 4 and 5 have been contracted, according to the author's website.
March 16, 2018
More like 3.5
As you can judge from the years it took me to finish, it wasn't exactly gripping (although there were some exciting actions scenes), but on the other hand it was a solid, original story, generally free from annoying stupidnesses.
Best line: "You'd have done the same for me, though with less panache."
As you can judge from the years it took me to finish, it wasn't exactly gripping (although there were some exciting actions scenes), but on the other hand it was a solid, original story, generally free from annoying stupidnesses.
Best line: "You'd have done the same for me, though with less panache."
March 5, 2021
DNF'd @ p. 40
I was really looking forward to WebMage (WebMage #1) by Kelly McCullough, but it just wasn't working for me.
I was really looking forward to WebMage (WebMage #1) by Kelly McCullough, but it just wasn't working for me.
abandoned
July 15, 2017DNF at 14% Boobplate armor, really?
May 16, 2008
This is a story that takes place in modern times and assumes that all of greek mythology is true. Then it tries to find a way to mix that mythology with an internet/web based magic system. The rules of said magic system are never fully explained, and I'm not sure the author ever mapped them out for himself, which is fine if it is possible to figure it out in context. Maybe I'm not that quick, who knows.
All in all it was an interesting read, and I wouldn't tell anyone not to read it. However, It would not go high on my "recommend to others" list. It is refreshing to see new ideas being created, and for that alone I think it was worth the read. I take most of my issues with writing style. The story is told from the point of view of the main character. I feel like the voice of the character was supposed to sound smooth, but instead the characters "wit" seems forced. The author is obviously well read, as noted by all the references he drops throughout the book. He just took way too many pains to make those references, often at the cost of the flow of the story.
If this seems like a harsh review don’t despair, because I was intrigued enough to purchase the sequel.
To read or not to read: Well, if you are looking for a light, quick read with an interesting take on Greek mythology and cyberpunk all wrapped into one story, give it a read. Otherwise, wait until you’re in the mood for a light, quick read with an interesting take on Greek mythology and cyberpunk all wrapped into one story.
All in all it was an interesting read, and I wouldn't tell anyone not to read it. However, It would not go high on my "recommend to others" list. It is refreshing to see new ideas being created, and for that alone I think it was worth the read. I take most of my issues with writing style. The story is told from the point of view of the main character. I feel like the voice of the character was supposed to sound smooth, but instead the characters "wit" seems forced. The author is obviously well read, as noted by all the references he drops throughout the book. He just took way too many pains to make those references, often at the cost of the flow of the story.
If this seems like a harsh review don’t despair, because I was intrigued enough to purchase the sequel.
To read or not to read: Well, if you are looking for a light, quick read with an interesting take on Greek mythology and cyberpunk all wrapped into one story, give it a read. Otherwise, wait until you’re in the mood for a light, quick read with an interesting take on Greek mythology and cyberpunk all wrapped into one story.
August 14, 2016
I feel that the core of the book, the blending of magic and technology is very poorly done. Like the gimmicky titles of all the books in the series like: Cybermancy, CodeSpell, SpellCrash etc... indicate, McCullough is trying to present to us a world where technology is the primary conduit for magic. Sadly, this concept is handled poorly, almost ridiculously so: Goblin avatars that turn into laptops, spells that use URL-like addresses, Webtrolls, that sort of stuff (and frankly the list goes on and on [and on]).
If however you think a sentence like "... a world of problems is about to be downloaded on Ravirn" is smart and/or witty" and if "coding a mean spell" sounds sexy, then this might be the perfect book for you.
To me it would be a lot more interesting if McCullough would spend time to really try and explain how magic and technology are working together, instead of just concatenating fantasy- and computer-science terms to come up with 'cool'-sounding concepts that make no sense. Sadly, the book is mainly about that one gimmick and has very little substance.
I wonder what is next; Smartphone apps to summon demons? Haunted harddrives? Cursed emails? iGods?
iYuck.
67/100
If however you think a sentence like "... a world of problems is about to be downloaded on Ravirn" is smart and/or witty" and if "coding a mean spell" sounds sexy, then this might be the perfect book for you.
To me it would be a lot more interesting if McCullough would spend time to really try and explain how magic and technology are working together, instead of just concatenating fantasy- and computer-science terms to come up with 'cool'-sounding concepts that make no sense. Sadly, the book is mainly about that one gimmick and has very little substance.
I wonder what is next; Smartphone apps to summon demons? Haunted harddrives? Cursed emails? iGods?
iYuck.
67/100
January 9, 2009
This book reminded me a bit of the Cal Leandros series by Rob Thurman (Nightlife: Cal Leandros, Book 1, Moonshine: Cal Leandros, Book 2, Madhouse: Cal Leandros, Book 3, Deathwish). Which, since I love that series, pretty much guaranteed that I was going to like this one. :)
Fascinating book with an incredible basis. The second book, Cybermancy, is on my to-buy list for my next purchase.
If you like Rob Thurman's books, check this one out.
Fascinating book with an incredible basis. The second book, Cybermancy, is on my to-buy list for my next purchase.
If you like Rob Thurman's books, check this one out.
December 17, 2017
I love the combination of technomancy and fate mythology. This is urban fantasy that actually takes license with the fact that we live and breathe in a technological world - and sometimes doesn't that still seem magical? This book is a favourite re-read of mine, I love the characters - Ravirn is a snarky delight as is his best friend (and web goblin familiar)and their story is highly entertaining. It's light reading, entertaining and a bit fluffy, but it has occasional and worthwhile deeper moments.
April 16, 2009
It is a great idea for a story but for heavens sakes...It doesnt follow the plot at all. Its like, "Here is the plot, I'm going to go miles from it and think about my feelings constantly." And for the life of me, I dont know why the author needs to tell you what everyone is wearing in detail. How about this, I'll assume everyone has clothes on until I'm told differently.
November 9, 2011
I started this book in July then set it down to read Ghost Story. I picked it back up today and it was perfect for the mood I am in...sarcastic.
Fun read, I cant wait for the next one to show up in the mail!
Fun read, I cant wait for the next one to show up in the mail!
November 4, 2017
I love the combo of magic and tech! I love that magic doesn't negate tech, as is usually the case with books involving magic. I love the twist on Greek mythology. A hero that doesn't seem too high on himself. I plan on reading this series through to the end!
December 11, 2015
I really wanted to like this book. Digital magic, sarcastic hacker hero, and mythology, sounds awesome! But, I just didn’t connect with the story. Instead of picking up WebMage in my free time, I kept researching what I was going to read next. I didn’t hate it, because I finished it (although the ending was extremely anticlimactic), but it didn’t draw me in either. I think part of the problem was that WebMage reminded me of The Chronicle's of Amber in several ways. The writing style, character elements and plot elements at times seemed directly out of an Amber novel. For instance, huge family of magical super beings and each member of the family have associated colors; Ravirn wore black and green, Cerice wore red and gold; Eris’ colors were black and gold. And they can choose to display these characters in/on their code if they wish. Not to mention the furies... Unfortunately, this did not do WebMage any favors.
I liked Ravirn. He was sarcastic, slightly prone to melancholy, but doesn’t let himself mope for long because he knows he’s moping, in way over his head and knows it. Ravirn calls himself a cynic, but he is really just a sarcastic idealist. He stands for what he thinks is right, even when it means going against someone who could crush him like a bug. He isn’t and doesn’t think he is invincible though, and has several “I am dead, completely dead there is no way I can survive this” moments followed by great surprise and occasionally confusion when he does. His relationship with Melchior, his webgoblin is rather endearing, but it’s one of the reasons WebMage fell flat. Ravirn is supposed to have this huge character growth moment revolving around discovering Melchior has free will, but since he already considers Melchior his best friend it doesn’t have the impact it’s meant to. Yes, Ravirn goes from commanding Melchior to “execute” spells and asking him too, and listening to his advice a bit more. But it feels like McCullough forces this fact down the reader’s throats so that it can become a determining point at the end.
And speaking of the end,
I very much did not like Cerice. I thought I would, but then she became indistinguishable from a female from Amber. Beautiful, strong, can fight if she wants although this is never seen just implied by her awesome armor, nubile, needs to be rescued, and possessing some knowledge that Corwin, I mean Ravirn hasn’t figured out yet. She seems to exist to pop in and heal up Ravirn, impart some knowledge, have so kiss-kiss time to cheer Ravirn up/top up his determination meter than pop out existence till next needed. Also to be distractingly beautiful…..like ALL the females in this book. I mean, ok yes they are gods and demi-gods but why does beautiful=sexy? Cue rolling eyes. I mean the furies are supposed to be crones, CRONES, not gorgeously sexy women. Their looks were supposed to strike terror into the hearts of men, not lust to their loins. More eye rolling.
I loved the premise of the world. Magic controlled through coding? Yes! I thought it was way cool how the webtrolls/goblins/pixies served as computers/compliers for the code the “wizards” developed. However, whistling binary? Binary is ones and zeros, how can you have a descending series of notes when you are whistling ones and zeros? You can’t. Unless you aren’t actually whistling binary, but at least one level up from binary. This kind of bothered me. It should have been explained more/better. Actually a lot of magic system/world should have been explained more. It didn’t quite make sense how one got from ley lines to fiber optics, or from speaking spells to coding spells. It was a cool concept, but had some logic holes that needed to be explained for the world to be believable.
I don’t regret reading WebMage though. I’m just not going to buy the rest of the series. Instead, I’m going to go reread the Chronicles of Amber.
I liked Ravirn. He was sarcastic, slightly prone to melancholy, but doesn’t let himself mope for long because he knows he’s moping, in way over his head and knows it. Ravirn calls himself a cynic, but he is really just a sarcastic idealist. He stands for what he thinks is right, even when it means going against someone who could crush him like a bug. He isn’t and doesn’t think he is invincible though, and has several “I am dead, completely dead there is no way I can survive this” moments followed by great surprise and occasionally confusion when he does. His relationship with Melchior, his webgoblin is rather endearing, but it’s one of the reasons WebMage fell flat. Ravirn is supposed to have this huge character growth moment revolving around discovering Melchior has free will, but since he already considers Melchior his best friend it doesn’t have the impact it’s meant to. Yes, Ravirn goes from commanding Melchior to “execute” spells and asking him too, and listening to his advice a bit more. But it feels like McCullough forces this fact down the reader’s throats so that it can become a determining point at the end.
And speaking of the end,
I very much did not like Cerice. I thought I would, but then she became indistinguishable from a female from Amber. Beautiful, strong, can fight if she wants although this is never seen just implied by her awesome armor, nubile, needs to be rescued, and possessing some knowledge that Corwin, I mean Ravirn hasn’t figured out yet. She seems to exist to pop in and heal up Ravirn, impart some knowledge, have so kiss-kiss time to cheer Ravirn up/top up his determination meter than pop out existence till next needed. Also to be distractingly beautiful…..like ALL the females in this book. I mean, ok yes they are gods and demi-gods but why does beautiful=sexy? Cue rolling eyes. I mean the furies are supposed to be crones, CRONES, not gorgeously sexy women. Their looks were supposed to strike terror into the hearts of men, not lust to their loins. More eye rolling.
I loved the premise of the world. Magic controlled through coding? Yes! I thought it was way cool how the webtrolls/goblins/pixies served as computers/compliers for the code the “wizards” developed. However, whistling binary? Binary is ones and zeros, how can you have a descending series of notes when you are whistling ones and zeros? You can’t. Unless you aren’t actually whistling binary, but at least one level up from binary. This kind of bothered me. It should have been explained more/better. Actually a lot of magic system/world should have been explained more. It didn’t quite make sense how one got from ley lines to fiber optics, or from speaking spells to coding spells. It was a cool concept, but had some logic holes that needed to be explained for the world to be believable.
I don’t regret reading WebMage though. I’m just not going to buy the rest of the series. Instead, I’m going to go reread the Chronicles of Amber.
October 19, 2017
A different take on magic and mythology. Laced with Greek mythology and computer geek terminology it was a well paced adventure.
September 23, 2012
f2.5 stars, rounded up to 3 on the strength of the last 20% or so of the tale.
Let me start by saying I think the problem here must be me, and not the book. Many people recced this book to me, among them three with similar tastes to my own whose recommendations I tend to look forward to eagerly, because even when I don't love them, I certainly enjoy them. With three strong recs from people whose tastes match my own, how could this go wrong?
And then I got the book, and was even more excited. The premise seemed amazing - classic characters, magic in the form of computers and internet, massive multi-reality adventures, and in a sense, courtly intrigue. What's not to love?
Well, to be blunt, the characters. I had to force myself through the first 2/3 of this book because the characters don't really do anything for me. They don't really emote, they don't seem to really develop, and it was just really hard to connect with especially our hero without applying my own thoughts on the character in place of the subtleties I never got from the narrative.
Ravirn loves to hack. We know this because he tells us and he does it a lot. He loves Cerice. We know this because he tells us, pretty much. He likes to be snarky with people who have power over him. And hasn't yet died how? He doesn't tell us that. He felt like the blank version of the somewhat bad boy with a heart of gold we see in so many things, and he didn't start getting unique until the last 20% or so.
The plot did move along apace, but a lot of the tension came from the threat to our hero, or from his pursuit by others who I get the feeling we're expected to know and understand personalities for coming into the book. I caught myself wondering a few times if I hadn't maybe just missed a book somewhere that would have explored all these relationships.
It does pick up toward the end and I probably will pick up the next book, but I found this volume to be an unfortunate disappointment.
Let me start by saying I think the problem here must be me, and not the book. Many people recced this book to me, among them three with similar tastes to my own whose recommendations I tend to look forward to eagerly, because even when I don't love them, I certainly enjoy them. With three strong recs from people whose tastes match my own, how could this go wrong?
And then I got the book, and was even more excited. The premise seemed amazing - classic characters, magic in the form of computers and internet, massive multi-reality adventures, and in a sense, courtly intrigue. What's not to love?
Well, to be blunt, the characters. I had to force myself through the first 2/3 of this book because the characters don't really do anything for me. They don't really emote, they don't seem to really develop, and it was just really hard to connect with especially our hero without applying my own thoughts on the character in place of the subtleties I never got from the narrative.
Ravirn loves to hack. We know this because he tells us and he does it a lot. He loves Cerice. We know this because he tells us, pretty much. He likes to be snarky with people who have power over him. And hasn't yet died how? He doesn't tell us that. He felt like the blank version of the somewhat bad boy with a heart of gold we see in so many things, and he didn't start getting unique until the last 20% or so.
The plot did move along apace, but a lot of the tension came from the threat to our hero, or from his pursuit by others who I get the feeling we're expected to know and understand personalities for coming into the book. I caught myself wondering a few times if I hadn't maybe just missed a book somewhere that would have explored all these relationships.
It does pick up toward the end and I probably will pick up the next book, but I found this volume to be an unfortunate disappointment.
December 3, 2015
Kat Mandu says...
If you like these two things, you’ll love this series. First off: hilarious, horny, and sometimes brooding heroes like Ravirn, who sweeps the story away with his goofy charm and impeccable habits of getting into trouble. Secondly, if you’re a fan of great storytelling and world building, you’ll love this Greek gods meets cyber magic.
Ravirn is a child of the Greek fates and with the help of his trusted AI/familiar/portable laptop Melchior, he’s been able to get himself out of a lot of trouble. Well, until now. He’s turned down an offer made by his Aunt Lechesis – a plan that involves digitally enslaving all of humanity. With Furies and goddesses after him, he’s got to turn to unexpected allies to help get him out. But deal-making with the Greek gods is an awesome way to wreck your plans.
Ravirn is young and full of innuendos, especially since he hooks up with a cyber-sorceress named Cerise. She’s also a child of the fates (though from different lines, no incest here) and a computer-magic whiz. With her help and the help of the WebGoblin who saves his life, they’re able to stop Lachesis temporarily with their computer skills.
The characters really make this book for me. They’re funny and badasses for the most part; intelligence and magic go hand and hand and Ravirn proves he’s smarter than even he believes, until he does something pretty stupid cause he’s goofy and likes chaos.
This is an exciting start to a very awesome series. However, I did have a couple issues. I’m not exactly a computer guru and so some of the terminology really had me scrambling to keep up with what was going on. I think I could have used some more details explaining certain things but for the most part, the story was easy to get a “feel” for. The only other thing that bothered me was the rushed ending. Yes, it’s left pretty limitless to what could happen, but it all flew by so fast that I got whiplash trying to figure out what just happened. I had to reread a few times.
Other than that, I was totally happy with this series. Recommended for fans of computers and fantasy. This is such a unique idea. A big shiny four!
Oh, and did anyone see that gorgeous cover? That’s one of the many wonders by Christian McGrath, a dear friend and cover artist for some of the best urban fantasy/sci-fi out there. It’s honestly the reason I got this book but once I read it, I loved it, so that made it that much better. I encourage you to check out his work at www.christianmcgrath.com because I’ll bet you’ll fall in love!
If you like these two things, you’ll love this series. First off: hilarious, horny, and sometimes brooding heroes like Ravirn, who sweeps the story away with his goofy charm and impeccable habits of getting into trouble. Secondly, if you’re a fan of great storytelling and world building, you’ll love this Greek gods meets cyber magic.
Ravirn is a child of the Greek fates and with the help of his trusted AI/familiar/portable laptop Melchior, he’s been able to get himself out of a lot of trouble. Well, until now. He’s turned down an offer made by his Aunt Lechesis – a plan that involves digitally enslaving all of humanity. With Furies and goddesses after him, he’s got to turn to unexpected allies to help get him out. But deal-making with the Greek gods is an awesome way to wreck your plans.
Ravirn is young and full of innuendos, especially since he hooks up with a cyber-sorceress named Cerise. She’s also a child of the fates (though from different lines, no incest here) and a computer-magic whiz. With her help and the help of the WebGoblin who saves his life, they’re able to stop Lachesis temporarily with their computer skills.
The characters really make this book for me. They’re funny and badasses for the most part; intelligence and magic go hand and hand and Ravirn proves he’s smarter than even he believes, until he does something pretty stupid cause he’s goofy and likes chaos.
This is an exciting start to a very awesome series. However, I did have a couple issues. I’m not exactly a computer guru and so some of the terminology really had me scrambling to keep up with what was going on. I think I could have used some more details explaining certain things but for the most part, the story was easy to get a “feel” for. The only other thing that bothered me was the rushed ending. Yes, it’s left pretty limitless to what could happen, but it all flew by so fast that I got whiplash trying to figure out what just happened. I had to reread a few times.
Other than that, I was totally happy with this series. Recommended for fans of computers and fantasy. This is such a unique idea. A big shiny four!
Oh, and did anyone see that gorgeous cover? That’s one of the many wonders by Christian McGrath, a dear friend and cover artist for some of the best urban fantasy/sci-fi out there. It’s honestly the reason I got this book but once I read it, I loved it, so that made it that much better. I encourage you to check out his work at www.christianmcgrath.com because I’ll bet you’ll fall in love!
July 21, 2014
A nice, fun read and one of my favorite male-character personalities. I like them full of innuendos, a little bit slow, dark and brooding, and cocky. Ravirn is no exception. There are times when he knows he's a badass and then there are times he needs a little confidence booster. Either way, he's a goofball and enjoyable to listen to.
The only reason I gave this four stars was because I had some difficulty keeping up with all the computer lingo. The idea of cybermagic has always seemed cool to me, which is the reason I picked this up, but sometimes I got lost reading certain terms I wasn't familiar with. Maybe it's just me, but I felt like the author could have explained some of the things a bit better for interested readers who weren't exactly pros in the cyber lingo. Also, I'm not a fan of the whole "months go by" thing in urban fantasy, but since that's personal preference, it didn't affect my rating.
Such an interesting plot - a child of the Fates and the mix of sorcery and digital magic. I find it fascinating and original. I love that it's got such a Renaissance feel when it comes to dress and formality, but then turns to modern day with guns and technology.
Ending felt a bit rushed, though that might just be me. I enjoyed the fight scenes between the goddesses (because there were no gods in this one) and the Furies. It's interesting to see how all those Mythos are viewed in different authors' eyes.
Mr. McCullough has left it open for a few sequels, which I'm preparing to read next. I like how things were left very unsteady between Melchior and Ravirn, not to mention Ravirn and his new "role" in the world he was cast out of. I'm eager to see where things go with Cerice and the rest of the webgoblin community.
And finally - that cover! So gorgeous! Chris McGrath did it, so I'm giving him a shout out because he is my friend and a wonderful artist. www.christianmcgrath.com He does the new Dresden file covers, as well as hundreds of other in the urban fantasy community. I recommend his stuff too.
The only reason I gave this four stars was because I had some difficulty keeping up with all the computer lingo. The idea of cybermagic has always seemed cool to me, which is the reason I picked this up, but sometimes I got lost reading certain terms I wasn't familiar with. Maybe it's just me, but I felt like the author could have explained some of the things a bit better for interested readers who weren't exactly pros in the cyber lingo. Also, I'm not a fan of the whole "months go by" thing in urban fantasy, but since that's personal preference, it didn't affect my rating.
Such an interesting plot - a child of the Fates and the mix of sorcery and digital magic. I find it fascinating and original. I love that it's got such a Renaissance feel when it comes to dress and formality, but then turns to modern day with guns and technology.
Ending felt a bit rushed, though that might just be me. I enjoyed the fight scenes between the goddesses (because there were no gods in this one) and the Furies. It's interesting to see how all those Mythos are viewed in different authors' eyes.
Mr. McCullough has left it open for a few sequels, which I'm preparing to read next. I like how things were left very unsteady between Melchior and Ravirn, not to mention Ravirn and his new "role" in the world he was cast out of. I'm eager to see where things go with Cerice and the rest of the webgoblin community.
And finally - that cover! So gorgeous! Chris McGrath did it, so I'm giving him a shout out because he is my friend and a wonderful artist. www.christianmcgrath.com He does the new Dresden file covers, as well as hundreds of other in the urban fantasy community. I recommend his stuff too.
December 11, 2015
I decided to quit after getting to chapter 8 of this book.
I loved the tech=magic premise of this book, and I enjoy books about children of the gods and having the gods causing trouble, etc. I liked the goblin familiars as well.
My biggest issue lies with Ravirn. I feel like McCullough couldn't decide if he wanted a rebel sarcastic rogue hacker with a heart of gold, or a high-class sophisticated prince with honeyed words and impeccable manners who could pick up chicks with beautiful prose. So, he tried to mix them both into the same character and just flip back and forth between personalities, and that just does not work for me at all. Everytime he slips into his "sophisticated" mode I cringe. You know a lot of sarcastic rogues who tell their companions they're tired of their insolence? Rogues don't bother with "insolence". Rogues say, "quit the crap". Maybe something a bit more rude.
So next we have Ravirn's relationship with Cerice.
"Hey, I've always wanted to get with you, gurrrrl."
"ME TOO!"
They like, bang right in the beginning, and I'm supposed to care that they like each other why? I just met these guys. And it was weird because he had slipped into sophisticated mode for this stuff and I had no idea wtf that was all about since up till then he was the snarky rogue.
And then there was the supposed "curse" put on him by Atropos that made people think he was lying whenever he mentioned his situation. Okay so first of all why does his goblin never explain for him? Second of all I guess it doesn't work very well because Cerice believes him anyway.
I didn't stick around long enough to find out how Cerice could see through the curse. I quit in the middle of chapter 8 (there are 21 chapters). I just couldn't take the flipping back and forth of Ravirn's personality and the lack of real challenge Atropos' curse presented.
I loved the tech=magic premise of this book, and I enjoy books about children of the gods and having the gods causing trouble, etc. I liked the goblin familiars as well.
My biggest issue lies with Ravirn. I feel like McCullough couldn't decide if he wanted a rebel sarcastic rogue hacker with a heart of gold, or a high-class sophisticated prince with honeyed words and impeccable manners who could pick up chicks with beautiful prose. So, he tried to mix them both into the same character and just flip back and forth between personalities, and that just does not work for me at all. Everytime he slips into his "sophisticated" mode I cringe. You know a lot of sarcastic rogues who tell their companions they're tired of their insolence? Rogues don't bother with "insolence". Rogues say, "quit the crap". Maybe something a bit more rude.
So next we have Ravirn's relationship with Cerice.
"Hey, I've always wanted to get with you, gurrrrl."
"ME TOO!"
They like, bang right in the beginning, and I'm supposed to care that they like each other why? I just met these guys. And it was weird because he had slipped into sophisticated mode for this stuff and I had no idea wtf that was all about since up till then he was the snarky rogue.
And then there was the supposed "curse" put on him by Atropos that made people think he was lying whenever he mentioned his situation. Okay so first of all why does his goblin never explain for him? Second of all I guess it doesn't work very well because Cerice believes him anyway.
I didn't stick around long enough to find out how Cerice could see through the curse. I quit in the middle of chapter 8 (there are 21 chapters). I just couldn't take the flipping back and forth of Ravirn's personality and the lack of real challenge Atropos' curse presented.
July 31, 2015
In one word: Fun, Fun, Fun. A total different kind of fantasy, mixing IT lingo and geekism with Greek mythology.
Quite a few things about "WebMage" remind me of Aaronovitch's PC Peter Grant stories, like the voice of the I-narration, the talented rookie stumbling around and messing up a lot, the strong female secondaries (aside from a few goons we have a nearly fully female antagonist crew here!) and of course the breakneck, breathless speed of action.
Our leading bad boy Ravirn is much more of a mischief maker, lazy in his studies, but a very talented and creative hacker since he was six years old. His n-times greatgrandmother, one of the Fate sisters Lachesis, has high hopes for him, but is getting increasingly fed up with his antics and starts threatening him with cloister schooling. Her sister Atropos, though, pressures Ravirn into debugging a code she wrote to take free choice from mankind - and since Atropos is the one that cuts the threats of everyone's life that's a job you don't want to bluntly refuse. Offer one can't reject and all that ...
With the help of his familiar, the webgoblin/laptop (priceless!!!) Melchior, his crush and co-Hacker Cerise and her webgoblin Shara and a few complicit webtrolls Ravirn has to really up his game in order to sidestep goddesses of Fate, Discord and Necessity and keep out of the revengeful hands of the Furies.
If there's one thing I would criticize, it's Ravirn's sometimes incredible densitity - for such an intelligent person he really needs a looonf time to grasp a concept or remember a loophole the reader has seen ages ago. But, hey, that's good for my reader self-image, so let's take it for a compliment and enjoy the feeling of wisdom and foresight for a change!
Quite a few things about "WebMage" remind me of Aaronovitch's PC Peter Grant stories, like the voice of the I-narration, the talented rookie stumbling around and messing up a lot, the strong female secondaries (aside from a few goons we have a nearly fully female antagonist crew here!) and of course the breakneck, breathless speed of action.
Our leading bad boy Ravirn is much more of a mischief maker, lazy in his studies, but a very talented and creative hacker since he was six years old. His n-times greatgrandmother, one of the Fate sisters Lachesis, has high hopes for him, but is getting increasingly fed up with his antics and starts threatening him with cloister schooling. Her sister Atropos, though, pressures Ravirn into debugging a code she wrote to take free choice from mankind - and since Atropos is the one that cuts the threats of everyone's life that's a job you don't want to bluntly refuse. Offer one can't reject and all that ...
With the help of his familiar, the webgoblin/laptop (priceless!!!) Melchior, his crush and co-Hacker Cerise and her webgoblin Shara and a few complicit webtrolls Ravirn has to really up his game in order to sidestep goddesses of Fate, Discord and Necessity and keep out of the revengeful hands of the Furies.
If there's one thing I would criticize, it's Ravirn's sometimes incredible densitity - for such an intelligent person he really needs a looonf time to grasp a concept or remember a loophole the reader has seen ages ago. But, hey, that's good for my reader self-image, so let's take it for a compliment and enjoy the feeling of wisdom and foresight for a change!
October 9, 2012
This one is a hot mess - one of those books you randomly pick up and read for four consecutive hours, cry at the end, and then can't quite figure out why you liked it in retrospect. It's a mixture of fae, Greek mythology, and computers (living ones) with a penchant for sarcasm. The combination works but not without giving the reader large chunks of exposition, thanks to a general lack of classical education nowadays. Still, it was enjoyable, and the "hero" didn't really get the girl in the end, avoiding an obvious cliche and earning the book a special asterisk.
November 18, 2015
Hacking into the world net that the gods use...geeky and magical at the same time. A little confusing because there is a lot going on, but Raviern is a child of the Fates, he is an awesome hacker though he has a tough time coding. There is an issue of free will, dragon viruses, chaos vs order, it is nuts and a heck of a good time. I found these books at the used bookstore and I can't wait to read the next one. Our MC catches very few breaks, he is lucky to have such good friends...
February 20, 2017
I wish this worked better. I like the ideas, I like the characters (mostly), I like the approach to mythology.
But then there are the problems: The technobabble that is worthy of a Star Trek episode, the main character that is just a tad too “cool” for my liking and a resolution that I couldn’t describe without spoiling it.
There is an interesting concept here that I would like to have expanded a bit more before actually deciding if I like the series, so book 2 it is.
But then there are the problems: The technobabble that is worthy of a Star Trek episode, the main character that is just a tad too “cool” for my liking and a resolution that I couldn’t describe without spoiling it.
There is an interesting concept here that I would like to have expanded a bit more before actually deciding if I like the series, so book 2 it is.
August 4, 2012
This book updates magic and old gods with computers- so laptops turn into webgoblins, and the Goddess of Discord is an expert programmer. It has a Dresdenish or Kevin Hearne's Hounded feeling- our hero is always in trouble but trying to to the right thing, so he has a lot of friends and allies to help with the large number of enemies after his head. Very engaging.
May 29, 2021
When the webgoblins and webtrolls are more interesting than the main character, it makes you wonder.
This book has a couple of things happening. The author is integrating the ancient Greek pantheon with computer programming/networks. Nice start, but it didn't really go all that far.
I didn't care for the main character. He wasn't good or bad, just boring.
This book has a couple of things happening. The author is integrating the ancient Greek pantheon with computer programming/networks. Nice start, but it didn't really go all that far.
I didn't care for the main character. He wasn't good or bad, just boring.
November 7, 2010
Great book. I love it because it is apparent the author really knows about programming. So many times I get frustrated at sci-fi authors who probably needed someone to help them install/run Word, and who use the wrong terms in their books.
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