From the Bookshelf of Sci-fi and Heroic Fantasy…

The Black Prism (Lightbringer, #1)

Brent Weeks

Start date: October 1, 2012

Finish date: October 31, 2012

Discussion: Book Discussions

Why we're reading this: October contemporary (tied)
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What Members Thought

Sep 23, 2011 Traci Loudin rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: own-ebook, male-author

All I can say is "Wow." I hope the rest of the series lives up to the promise of this book, because it's awesome. Twists and turns. Not only was I surprised, I was surprised early and often.

The readers who said they aren't sure who the good guys are -- I personally enjoy that. This book is fantasy, sure, but having characters who aren't perfectly good or perfectly evil makes for a more realistic story.

Also, people seem to be overly picky about mentions of skin color in this book. Dark-skinned ...more

4 likes · Like · see review

Jul 12, 2019 Tanya (Novel Paperbacks) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

There are many things about this book that were brilliantly executed. The characters are developed so well and are a dynamic bunch you can’t help but be interested in. The plot is great, didn’t go the way I expected the first book in a fantasy series to go and I appreciated that. I was left excited by so much at the end. The politics and the worldbuilding are addictively great. And the magic system is well thought out, done in such a way that it raises the stakes for nearly every character we me ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Dec 29, 2011 Greg rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, magic-fiction, kindle-ebook

A very interesting plot and gripping story. Of course I'm a huge sucker for down-trodden hero's journey stories... :)

There were a number of plot twists that I didn't expect (and some that you might, but even those were enjoyable)

The premise behind how magic works is a great play, making the vast power that their magic provides have a real and telling cost on the caster.

If you like human magic fantasy (no elves, dragons, etc) stories, enjoy real world seeming dialog and a story where the good gu ...more

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