Into the Labyrinth / Jewel of the Endless Erg (Mage Errant #1-2 Publisher Pack)[July 13, 2024]

[Yanique, Thread Master]

This is a Buddy Read for Mage Errant Books 1-2 by John Bierce starting on July 13, 2024.


Happy Reading!

[Nirkatze]

Thank you!

Mage Errant series:
1. Into the Labyrinth
2. Jewel of the Endless Erg
(Included in the Mage Errant Books 1-2)
3. A Traitor in Skyhold (Aug 13) [link]
4. The Lost City of Ithos (Sept 13) [link]
5. The Siege of Skyhold (Oct 13) [link]
6. Tongue Eater (Nov 13) [link]
7. The Last Echo of the Lord of Bells (Dec 13) [link]
---Not Scheduled---
Anthology: The Gorgon Incident and Other Stories: A Mage Errant Anthology

This is a complete series, however the characters show up in other works by the author (shared universe), and Bierce has said that future books may even feature the group again. Hugh & co also show up in Andrew Rowe's Arcane Ascension series (in cameos, I think).

Audio: All are Audible Exclusives
Ebook: All on KU

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

I may or may not have read this in the past... my memory of it is so fuzzy... if I read it, I think it was at the height of covid, and my first foray into 3x speed...

Which is why I'm here for the BR...

[Nirkatze]

Excellent!

[Ann-Marie]

Nirkatze wrote: "Thank you!"

Ditto :)

[Ann-Marie]

Timelord Iain wrote: "I may or may not have read this in the past... my memory of it is so fuzzy... if I read it, I think it was at the height of covid, and my first foray into 3x speed...

Which is why I'm here for the..."

I hope it's good!

[Ann-Marie]

Finished this last night and I enjoyed it quite a lot. (view spoiler)[I liked the characters and thought the group is a good one, looking forward to following them along their adventures. I thought the magic system was interesting and I liked that the affinities were never firmly defined because it seems like you can have affinity for pretty much anything! Their trial in the labyrinth in book 1 was tense but fun and then book 2 and the dragon city, having to make their own way for a bit when their teacher was detained, was very exciting (I was not certain the teacher would make it but I should have known better, for a paper mage he is kick ass!). I also loved the sand ships and the storms. Seeing Hugh start to gain confidence as he starts to understand how to work his type of magic was so welcome, that poor kid deserves all of the breaks! Looking forward to continuing with the next! (hide spoiler)]

[Nirkatze]

Oooh, good to know! I'll be along in a day or two.

[Nirkatze]

Started! Just in Chapter 1 book 1 and enjoying so far--it's making me think of The Novice and I'm wondering if Hugh might have a Jaenelle problem...

[Nirkatze]

Finished Book #1 Into the Labyrinth and really enjoyed it! Super cute YA school friend-finding story without being YA emo. (view spoiler)[My favorite parts were when Hugh was cornered by the bully--and then his friends show up and just rip the bully to shreds. Verbally. Physically would have been satisfying too, but maybe not appropriate for the age range.

I love stories about misfits and found-family, and I wasn't expecting Hugh to be put in a group of other misfits and all get individual attention from the librarian, so right from the start that was a treat! I also enjoyed the magic system and closed world-building, the learning/training sequences. School stories are satisfying.

I liked the end twist--that the demon had actually been trying to catch Hugh from the beginning, and that he had been warding himself from it in his sleep. That the person he contracted with was the Head Librarian was also an interesting twist... I was thinking it might have been his teacher, but his teacher's teacher is just as fun. (hide spoiler)]

[Nirkatze]

Also updated first post with series links & schedule.

[Nirkatze]

Through Chapter 6 of Book #2 and the training sequences and affinity discussions are reminding me of the Weirkey Chronicles we've been reading... Soulhomes & all that... especially with the gravity stuff...

[Ann-Marie]

I picked up the first 3 in Weirkey on Audible but it was after you all were well into the series so next time I guess lol

[Nirkatze]

It was a fun one, and well... my kind of cozy. Like, nice cozy power-progression and found-family sequences. I also like that the MC starts off rather curmudgeonly--and is an older gent who actually shows his wisdom instead of acting like a teenager...

Only the first 5 have audio, so they'll most likely come around again when the next audios come out... wouldn't mind rereading...

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Audio is super distracting... MC is getting bullied by Kruppe (Malazan)...

The narrator is Ralph Lister, who narrates the first 3-4 Malazan books, before being replaced by Michael Page... and he's using his Kruppe voice...

[Nirkatze]

LOL Glad I didn't do audio for the first couple Malazan... was just thinking how I need to get back to those one day...

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

I didn't realize this was a finished series... #7 is the finale, there's an anthology of short stories, and author is working on a new series now... another reason to read now and not later...

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Nirkatze wrote: "Started! Just in Chapter 1 book 1 and enjoying so far--it's making me think of The Novice and I'm wondering if Hugh might have a Jaenelle problem..."

In a flip on our usual book/TV vibes, I'm getting some Buffy vibes with Giles and the Scooby Gang?... (without the kickass slayer)

[Nirkatze]

I can see that. I mean, he is a librarian. Giles comes across more curmudgeonly at start though.

[Ann-Marie]

I can see the parallels with Buffy lol

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Especially Xander and Willow from the start... misfits that grew into power in one way or another, over time...

I'm definitely liking this one, and question whether I ever really read this before, more and more... I know I tried to, and maybe just assume I really did read it... the opposite problem I usually have, where I realize I forgot to record a book I read, until years later when I can't find it in my shelves...

[Nirkatze]

Read #2 Endless Erg and while I didn't enjoy it as well as #1, that might have been due to chaotic yesterday more than book itself--it was still cute comfy YA, nice training sequences, interesting new adventure--I think I would have liked it if they'd still been at the school a bit longer rather than jumping right into journeyman years...

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

I paused at the end of book 1, for now... really liked it...

[Ann-Marie]

Nirkatze wrote: "Read #2 Endless Erg and while I didn't enjoy it as well as #1, that might have been due to chaotic yesterday more than book itself--it was still cute comfy YA, nice training sequences, interesting ..."

I think they may be back in school in the next book :)

[Nirkatze]

Ooh, goody! I've discovered I particularly enjoy stories with school underdogs getting bullied and then BAM! bullies get SMACKED by the underdogs after they do special training or stop holding back or something like that. Scholomance has some of that, this book did, Black Magician trilogy...

[Ann-Marie]

Nirkatze wrote: "Ooh, goody! I've discovered I particularly enjoy stories with school underdogs getting bullied and then BAM! bullies get SMACKED by the underdogs after they do special training or stop holding back..."

I can't wait to re-read Scholomance <3

[Nirkatze]

Hah! Ditto that!

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

You guys and your Scholomance... you have a problem, Nirkatze ;)

You've only been in the group a few years and you've re-read it how many times, already, and planning your next?

Anyway... yea... there's 99% no way I read this the first time I thought I did when catching up on reviews... I remember nothing, past maybe the first few chapters of book 1...

Book 1 was heavy Harry Potter vibes with the magic school and dangerous labyrinth...

Book 2 is giving me serious Breath of Fire video game vibes with dragons and sandy towns...



The character dynamics in both books give me serious Codex Alera vibes... spies, underdogs, etc...

[Ann-Marie]

Scholomance was so good <3

[Nirkatze]

I've reread Scholomance each year since the first book was published! The third year and final book was the first time I read it with FBR though, I think... or maybe the year after that? And the year after that, and this year...