A Magic Broken

I thoroughly enjoyed this novella. It took me away from the actual world for a while, captivated me such that I forgot I was even reading a book, and at the end I wanted to continue. For a writer I believe that's the relevant measure of success, and Mr. Day has succeeded. I have started A Throne of Bones and am thus far enjoying that one as well.

The characters Mr. Day creates are complex and believable, and at no point did I find myself questioning any actions or words from them. Lodi the dwarf is strong and stoic, easy to root for, but Nicolas, while less sympathetic, is also three-dimensional and I found myself in his corner during his sections of the book as well. That's not an easy thing to do, and Mr. Day does it. The world of the novella is intriguing. I'm looking forward to more.

There is an occasional clunky sentence here and there. That's my only criticism. All in all it was a great read. I recommend it.

After seeing the film version of "The Hobbit," I was in the mood for another fantasy story (atypical, because I don't read that many fantasies) that took place in a story world similar to that of Tolkien's classics. I didn't want anything too long, though, either. I have lots of books on my stack.

I'm glad to say that "A Magic Broken" fit the bill quite nicely. It has been years since I read "Summa Elvetica" so
I'd almost forgotten what a solid storyteller Mr. Day (Beale) is. But his ability is quite evident here. There is always just enough intrigue to keep the pages turning. Strong characterization, solid dialog, good plotting--all makes for another fun adventure with elves and dwarves.

The only niggle I could come up with here was the fact that some of the sentences were quite long and complicated. Real mouthfuls, even if you aren't reading aloud. Those are few and far between, though. They don't dispel the enjoyment.

A word of caution: Much of the narrative takes place in and around a brothel. Nothing explicit, but "A Magic Broken" probably isn't as good a choice for a bedtime story as the "The Hobbit" would be.

Tis a well-written tale, though. I'm glad Mr. Day is taking us back into his world.

This short story (okay, okay, "novella") is quite entertaining and was the first of the related fantasy works I read - I do highly recommend it to those who are interested in trying out Vox's fantasy writing style without making the investment in the much, much longer Throne of Bones. In addition, the stories of the characters in this work are continued in the other books, Summa Elvetica and Throne of Bones, so if you find you like them, give the other works a try! They stand on their own as complete stories quite admirably - I read them completely out of order and didn't find that it interfered with understanding the storylines at all.

TL;DR Well-written, entertaining, believable fantasy with solid voice narration. Worth reading/listening to.

Note: This is the first Vox Day work I've read, and I don't generally listen to audiobooks.

The story: "A Magic Broken" is a novella of an intertwining of two characters with very different motivations; one mercenary, one mysterious. The mystery unfolds throughout the story as the character and motivations of the two main characters is revealed and their plots put into action, leading up to a climactic ending. The ending is the best part of the story, and makes you reexamine all the events in a completely different light. Very entertaining throughout, with nothing really novel, but still well done without requiring suspension of disbelief in the actions or events. After reading it (well, listening to it), I definitely want to read more of the stories in the universe. I liked that it had the fantasy elements I enjoy, but with characters that seem much more like real people would be than the stereotypical, one-sided characters present in many novels.

The story is set in a typical medieval setting with magic, swords, elves, orcs, etc. Not being familiar with the world of Selenoth or its history wasn't an issue at all, particularly since the novella covers a brief time period and is about an isolated event. The necessary knowledge was either standard fare for the fantasy genre or the basics were given. It was nothing new or revolutionary, but the story was compelling and unfolded well. It's essentially just an entertaining story set in a standard fantasy world, and (at least for me) that is a good thing.

The Narration: Having rarely listened to an audiobook, and generally not all the way through, I can't really compare this aspect to others. Regardless, even though I much prefer reading to listening it was easy to follow. The narrator spoke clearly and coherently, with a non-annoying voice. The accents and voices were unique, fitting to the character, easy to differentiate, and well done. The narration flows smoothly throughout. At roughly 1 hour 45 minutes, it's not too long to listen to in one sitting, which I would recommend. My only quibble with the narration is that the separation of chapters is a pause that is just slightly too brief to reliably hit "pause" before the next chapter starts. However, the pause is perfectly suited to listening to it all at once, which I did the second time.

"A Magic Broken" is a solid, capably written fantasy work worth the time to read.

Set in the world of Summa Elvetica, the story paces itself well, and changes perspective often enough to keep you turning the pages. The overarching plot is interesting and has the potential to be very, very complicated, what with human political intrigues and inter-species conflict on the horizon by the end.

But it is the little details that make reading the book enjoyable. The beaten down husband in the beginning, too scared to visit a brothel in case his wife hears about it. The priest helping a prostitute. Dwarven inns that are, logically, underground. How the dwarf, Lodi, speaks broken English because it's not his native tongue. Keeping a wealthy man safe by running his carriage in circles. It is the details that Vox Day excels at, and they shine here.

The story is also free of the usual deus ex machina that comes with a complicated plot, and thoroughly avoids treating any of the races - even the traditional bad guys, the orcs, goblins, and trolls - as mindless automatons, but rather treats them as rational agents, with their own hopes, dreams, and fears. That alone is worth the price of the book.

"A Magic Broken" is a an interesting and entertaining story set in the same world as his previous work, "Summa Elvetica." This novella introduces us to new characters and serves as a great introduction to Selenoth.

The story picks up with a human spy sent to infiltrate an enemy city on a secretive mission. We also soon meet a Dwarven warrior who's current job gets sidetracked. The action picks up, our two characters meet, and the stage is set for the forthcoming novel "A Throne of Bones."

After finishing "A Magic Broken" I'm looking forward to continuing the story in "A Throne of Bones." And hopefully we get to continue the story of the characters we've been introduced to.

I am very excited to see “A Magic Broken” and the Selenoth Universe now in an audio version. “A Magic Broken” is one of the short stories set in the Selenoth Universe and prequel to a novel length exploration of Selenoth in “A Throne of Bones” and first book in the Arts of Dark and Light series. The story gives the listener a quick look at one corner of Selenoth. The story also introduces the listener to a couple characters central to the series and exposes a terrible secret that could destroy one of those characters. This audiobook is a fun listen, with an excellent narrator and a great introduction to the series.

One of the great things about this series is that it can be read on multiple levels. I have read each book and short story in the series a couple times and come away with something new from each read. It reminds me of stories I read when I younger and then reread as an adult, seeing the story in a completely different light. So you can enjoy these stories by reading them as straight swashbuckling adventure. Or you can also read into the political, theological and historical framework of the universe and enjoy the storytelling on a different level.

If you enjoy “A Magic Broken” and the Selenoth series as much as I do, you will also be pleased to hear that audiobook editions of the rest the series are being recorded as of 10/29/13. If you cannot wait for the audio editions I would also recommend the ebook and print versions “The Wardog’s Coin”, “The Last Witch King” and “A Throne of Bones.”

as other commenters pointed out, the pace is tight, the read is enjoyable with a terse style;no tedious infodumps nor invading presence of the omniscient narrator; an occasional slip or two where it's told and not shown but nothing that really hampers the narration

what my main criticism is lies in some lack of coherence that goes against the suspension of disbelief
[warning: there could be some spoilers]

example: Nicolas, the main character, to enter the town in the beginning has to pass an examination from an old mage from which he is in "awe" (he himself a mage); he's intending to trick him by passing him a sword telling that's enchanted but knowing that it's not, as to divert attention from himself; the old mage proceeds then to declare that the sword is "mildly enchanted" (a judgement expressed from what is supposed to be a powerful and experienced mage)

later on we see the main character taking
"..a deep breath (...) fighting the urge to risk releasing the power held within his sword.
too soon.. it was too dangerous"... all with the supposed "non enchanted sword"

in the brothel raid Nicolas is shown drawing his sword and walking flight of stairs by leaps and bounds, sword in hand, but later on it's revealed by Lodi (the dwarf) that he carries a "longsword", which would have made his rise pretty awkward.
we could assume that for a dwarf every "Man" sword is a "longsword", but that term is too precise and is suggested that dwarves are in general experienced blacksmiths.

also having a longsword is not really aligned with Nicolas' class (a battlemage), since longswords were more of a meleè weapon, and used by infantry (we are drawn to suppose that battlemages are elite soldiers in this reality; Nicolas when fighting is shown using ranged magical attacks)
then again a longsword is a two handed weapon, and Nicolas casts spells with his hands, which would be prevented by such a weapon

then we have Lodi the dwarf, which is described as a callous warrior and siege veteran, but who has to turn his head when the elfess mauls and kills her offender (and the scene is presented off-screen, which is seldom a powerful narration device)
later on Nicolas examines the cadaver, which is a way to redeem that off-screen scene aforementioned, but the wounds inflicted (not many) and the mutilation are not what would make a tough warrior go pale faced (unless dwarves put a great importance in masculinity, but then that would have required a more detailed description of their stance on the subject)

that carries another consideration: the author could have dared more on the direction of violence and sex (a great deal of the action revolves around a brothel after all); the dwarves are presented as too positive characters after all and only Nicolas shows more moral ambiguity than the others

there's also a general lack of detail; scenes are aptly described but some things could have benefited from a more detailed depiction (which is a staple of epic fantasy)

other elements on the other hand contributed with the general tone and added credibility to the narration (the brothel maiden naming pejoratively goblins as "gobbos", dwarves talking less refined than their human counterparts) and the style which never gets boring contribute to make the story a pleasant and enjoyable read (and at least 99% better than most self produced epic fantasy today)

I really enjoyed this little novella. It didn't take long to get into the story and the carefully dropped hints and references to the greater world the story is based on intrigued me to no end!

The two main characters are likable in their non-perfection, as they're not above getting their hands a little dirty for some personal gain or getting the job done. And even though they are extremely capable in their abilities, they are also still ordinary "men" who get scared/uncertain/frustrated even as they do what needs be done. I can't wait to see how their stories play out.

I have great expectations for the upcoming novels and "A Magic Broken" is the perfect appetizer to get you excited for more tales and adventures from this promising fantasy world.

"A Magic Broken" is a short fantasy novella recommended by the author as the best choice for those looking for an introduction to the Arts of Dark and Light series. Set in the fictional world of Selenoth, "A Magic Broken" introduces the listener to Nicholas, the manipulating mage, and Lodi, the entrepreneurial dwarf as they both unwittingly compete against each other in an effort to secure a very special prize.

Filled with interesting plot twists and manipulative maneuverings you will be riveted while you listen, waiting for the next turn affecting the unwitting combatants. This story line is latter revisited in the much more expansive "A Throne of Bones" and while not necessary to understand the plot, it does add to the richness of the larger work.

As far as the narration of the audio book. The narrator has a compelling pace and rhythm. I could listen to his voice for long periods of time and not get turned off by it. His various characterizations helps to track the story without being overwhelming. A quick listen that is perfect for the business trip or the daily commute, "A Magic Broken" is a real treat that I truly enjoyed.

Vox Day gives us a thoroughly entertaining novella in his latest work. "A magic Broken" is set within the world previously described by the author in his novel "Summa Elvetica," a world of Men, Elves, Dwarves, Orcs and Goblins, magic and spiritual faith, a sort of hybrid world where "conventional" fantasy intersects the history of our own medieval and Roman time periods.

The novella continues with the life and adventures of a character introduced in Summa Elvetica, and introduces other very interesting characters with great potential for development. I found the story line to be unpredictable, and this added to my enjoyment. There is an especially chilling development in the last few pages, not unlike the unleashing of the nuclear djini in our own time period. I hope the author will finish the tale that he has began so well.

"A Magic Broken" is a short fantasy novella recommended by the author as the best choice for those looking for an introduction to the Arts of Dark and Light series. Set in the fictional world of Selenoth, "A Magic Broken" introduces the listener to Nicholas, the manipulating mage, and Lodi, the entrepreneurial dwarf as they both unwittingly compete against each other in an effort to secure a very special prize.

Filled with interesting plot twists and manipulative maneuverings you will be riveted while you listen, waiting for the next turn affecting the unwitting combatants. This story line is latter revisited in the much more expansive "A Throne of Bones" and while not necessary to understand the plot, it does add to the richness of the larger work.

As far as the narration of the audio book. The narrator has a compelling pace and rhythm. I could listen to his voice for long periods of time and not get turned off by it. His various characterizations helps to track the story without being overwhelming. A quick listen that is perfect for the business trip or the daily commute, "A Magic Broken" is a real treat that I truly enjoyed.

Vox Day gives us a thoroughly entertaining novella in his latest work. "A magic Broken" is set within the world previously described by the author in his novel "Summa Elvetica," a world of Men, Elves, Dwarves, Orcs and Goblins, magic and spiritual faith, a sort of hybrid world where "conventional" fantasy intersects the history of our own medieval and Roman time periods.

The novella continues with the life and adventures of a character introduced in Summa Elvetica, and introduces other very interesting characters with great potential for development. I found the story line to be unpredictable, and this added to my enjoyment. There is an especially chilling development in the last few pages, not unlike the unleashing of the nuclear djini in our own time period. I hope the author will finish the tale that he has began so well.

The author's return to the world of Summa Elvetica begins with this glimpse of political intrigue and fast-paced adventure that leaves you wanting more. Now. From the relatively quiet manner in which Nicholas enters the city to the desperate action involved in his leave-taking, this is a gripping story that promises far more to come with the epic length novel (A Throne of Bones). For those aggravated by Robert Jordan's endless descriptions of ladies' dresses, the only dress description in this novella was actually pertinent to the story. For those who have grown impatient waiting for George R.R. Martin to start writing again (about something other than dwarves riding pigs, please), A Throne of Bones will be out shortly on December 1, 2012. For now, read this. You'll like it.

"No dwarf warrior is capture by orcs. Never. We say is better to die in battle than cook in the pots. If what you bought was more than bones, you bought no warriors."

This is an appetizer for the author's upcoming fantasy epic, A Throne of Bones. In most things the conventions of the genre are kept intact. There are Men, Elves, Dwarves and the promise of Dragons. Its major asset is worldbuilding, even in this sort novella-length format. Every character has a distinct voice and there is balanced use of dialogue & description.

[Disclaimer: I was provided a free copy from Black Gate Magazine: [...] ]

I found A Magic Broken to be am intriguing novella. The story line of spies, assassins and raiding dwarves keeps you involved from beginning to end. The characters are interesting and the two main characters are fairly well developed. I particularly liked how the author takes us into the mind of Lodi the Dwarf. I felt as if I could understand his thought process. This made Lodi a believable character even though he is a dwarf. I did find myself wanting to know more about Nicolas. I did not feel I know who he really is or what makes him tick. I didn't have a handle on his character by the end of the story. Perhaps this is by design. I hope the author will continue the story so we can find out what lies ahead for this world of Lodi and Nicolas. This is a well written story leaving me wanting to read more about Lodi, Nicolas and this somewhat mysterious Elf princess who has briefly brought them together.

After Vox's previous foray in Summa Elvetica (a very fun romp that left me dissatisfied with the abrupt feel of the ending of what was otherwise a great tale) this entry of a short story from the world of Selenoth comes off as right sized. While it leaves me wishing for more, the action, pace and intrigue built into the story resolved to a very satisfying ending and a fun further look into the life of Lodi the dwarf.

10/31/2013 additional comments-
I have now also had an opportunity to listen to the audio version of AMB. The choice of voice talent was excellent. The actor's characterization was spot on and his pacing of the story felt very natural. I would not hesitate to recommend this version of the story as an introduction to Vox Day's fantasy work.

Vox Day's sojurn into Epic Fantasy begins with this novella grounding the events to come in the world previously visited in Summa Elvetica. It is epic in style, set in a world that has been suitably worn in. History has seeped into the ruts in the roads and the cracks in saddle leather.
This story goes quickly, and sets the table for the full-length sequel due out in December. This is a quick read and an entertaining story. It is a complete story that leaves the greater conflict to come hanging like an apple just out of reach.
Definitely worth the price of admission.

I liked it. The atmosphere it created was nice. The characters were believable. The plot turned and kept you interested, but didn't do any of those ridiculous plot twists that so much fiction abuses these days. The whole time you knew that something was up, you just didn't know what until the end. And it was a good setup for the follow-up novel.

After a somewhat stilted start, this develops nicely as a quick paced short story. The plot develops a surprising number of layers in such a short piece. The protagonists aren't always likeable but are believable. As I always find with short stories, just as it hits it's stride, it comes to an end. Frustrating! So now I'll have to go back and read Summa Elvetica to get the world structure and back-story, as well as order Throne of Bones. Based on this, I anticipate a very interesting Epic series from Vox, whom I will have to add to the list of authors I read regularly.

In this novella, Day takes us through a Tolkien style world complete with magic, mystery and treachery. We follow the characters of Lodi and Nicolas, one a
dwarf bent on rescuing his brothers, the other a sell sword with ulterior motives.

Their paths cross as the two attempt complete their respective quests, not soon after the author gives clue to a larger problem brewing just over the horizon.

Overall, I give this 4 out 5 stars, and would definitely recommend this work to others.

Enjoy...

Day combines an undercover secret-agent-type with a fantasy world of dwarves, elves, magic, and sorcery. As the two protagonists, Nicolas and Lodi, blaze a bloody trail toward their confrontation, their hidden agendas are revealed bit by bit.

If this is the appetizer, then Throne of Bones should be delicious!