The Brothers' War: Artifacts Cycle, Book I [Mass Market Paperback]

Jeff Grubb (Author)

Book Description

Series: Artifacts Cycle | Publication Date: June 1, 1998

The Myth. The Magic.

Dominarian legends speak of a mighty conflict, obscured by the mists of history. Of a conflict between the brothers Urza and Mishra for supremacy on the continent of Terisiare. Of titantic engines that scarred and twisted the very planet. Of a final battle that sank continents and shook the skies.

The saga of the Brothers' War.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 409 pages
• Publisher: Wizards of the Coast; First Thus edition (June 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786911700
• ISBN-13: 978-0786911707
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.2 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (83 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #207,128 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The tale of the Artifacts Cycle begins in The Brother's War., April 22, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Brothers' War: Artifacts Cycle, Book I (Mass Market Paperback)

Man, I tell you what...when it comes to reading about the war of the Artifacts in the beginning of Magic's history, nobody but Jeff Grubb tells it better through the story of Urza and Mishra. This is the most accurate portrayal of the story to be heard and from a very reliable source: directly from Urza's wife, Kayla bin Kroog. Read it once and plan to read it again. Recommended for absolutely ANYONE to read, especially Magic players. I also encourage readers to read the sequels to this book: Planeswalker, by Lynn Abbey, Time Streams, by J. Robert King, and coming in August, Bloodlines, by Francis Lebaron.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Unbelievable!, May 17, 2003

By 

Robert N. Kallister (Washington, IL United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Brothers' War: Artifacts Cycle, Book I (Mass Market Paperback)

I've been a Magic player since late 1994, around the time when the set Antiquities was released. The game is still a part of my life, as I play against friends and people online. But I wanted to see if a novel written about Magic would actually be worth reading. I started buying "Fat Packs," which came out just after a recent set was released. The "Fat Packs" contain five booster packs of Magic cards, two premium "foil" cards, a life-counter 20-sided die featuring the set expansion as the number 20, a card guide, and the novel for that particular set. I read all three of the Invasion series books by J. Robert King, and was thoroughly disappointed. Still, I wasn't going to give up hope, so I picked up a copy of The Brother's War by Jeff Grubb, and was astounded.

The book takes you to the origins of the two most dreaded personalities in Magic history; Urza and his younger brother Mishra. Several cards have been named in their honor, as well as the entire Antiquities set being devoted to their battles against each other. Any Magic player will instantly tell you who both are, but they probably don't know much about them. This book does a good job explaining how they became the people they are (or were).

Also featured in the book are Tawnos, an apprentice toymaker who helps Urza, and Ashnod, a brash young woman who falls for Mishra.

I don't want to go into too much detail about the book (since I hate it when people ruin stories for me with spoilers) but many of the cards from the Antiquities set are featured in the book, such as the Amulet of Kroog, the Clay Statue, the Triskelion, and the Clockwork Avian. I figured the storyline may be a bit cheesy and tainted, since it's based on the card game, but the presentation of the artifacts along with the characters blends very well.

I enjoyed reading every page of this book. I think it took me three days to finish it, and I couldn't have been happier. An excellent story told by a very good author. Definitely a great title to pick up, even if you're not a Magic player.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Up there with Lord of the Rings and Dragonlance, June 4, 2000

By 

Chris Walker - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Brothers' War: Artifacts Cycle, Book I (Mass Market Paperback)

I bought this book thinking it would be like Rath and Storm, a quick dip into the World of Magic the Gathering. I got so much more. Jeff Grubb has managed to bring the world to life with immersive quality which leaves you salivating for more at the end of each page. His use of almost every Antiquities magic card was great, and really brought the expansion to life. He paints detailed pictures of Urza, Mishra, Tawnos, Tocasia and Ashnod which brings them out of cards and into life. I have yet to read the other three books in the series but if they are half as good as this book, I am sure to enjoy them. If you liked Lord of the Rings or Dragonlance Chronicles than this is another epic to add to your collection. Even if you don't play Magic this book makes for good fantasy reading. A must for Magic collectors and fantasy fans alike.