Customer Reviews

The Brothers' War: Artifacts Cycle, Book I

5 star:		(61)
4 star:		(18)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

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.

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.

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.

I am a casual player of the Magic: the Gathering card game but I find the books, especially this one in particular to be extremely good books. This one in fact stands taller than the rest.

Enter the strangest brother-brother relationship based on their birthdays and break them apart in a cannot forgive each other fight. Each being equally brilliant and equally capable of building machines or artifacts to increase the technological capacities of their two very different cultures, which also are at war with each other.

I found the plot to be very interesting, and it already made ties back to "the Thran" and this book will be referenced in every M:TG book until the end of time probably. The story is told mainly through the eyes of Kayla bin Kroog, Urza's wife, who coincedintally plays a roll in both of the brothers lives.

Seriously, I find it very hard to deny a book about a war between brilliant brothers, especially with cutting edge technology, unless it is written by a very poor author. I have read quite a few of Jeff Grubb's books and he has yet to dissappoint me, and I would be surprised if he ever did. Read this book if you are a fan of the card game and even if you have never heard of the card game. I have always been facinated by brotherhood, and this book goes deep into that theme.

This book was one of the best page-turners I've read in a long time - constantly trying to find time for "just one more chapter!" I HIGHLY recommend it. Also, I HIGHLY recommend that the publisher hire a PROOFREADER! There are TONS of typos in this book!

This book should be placed in the Library of Leng!

Hmmm. I have a math problem for you. What does familar characters and ideas from the Magic: The Gathering Card Game plus some non-stop fastasy action mixed with some Magic history and some of the great author Jeff Grubb's writing talent equal to? The Brothers War, thats what! Mr. Grubb has used the cards from the set, Antiquities to bring you the book that started it all. This book has a medium vocabulary and is itimidating in size, but you will be glad it is this long! To be honest, if you don't play Magic, you won't love it as much as I did, but I think if you never played Magic you wouldn't be looking at this artical. This book explains the creation of Magic, the start of the Ice Age, and the childhood of Uza and Mishra. We even see familar faces such as Ashnod, Feldon, the Colossus of Sardia and even the Mighty Gix! Every second you spend not reading this book until it's done will be spent wishing you were reading it! Warning: This book will cause LOTS of loss of sleep! If you haven't already stoped reading this review and bought this book, you should see if there is an opening with the Priests of Gix!

Happy Reading Atogs!

I loved this book. I could not put it down! If you are an avid fantasy and science fiction reader, or if you love Magic: The Gathering then get this book! If you want to know all about the history of Urza and Mishra this is the book for you. Suspenseful and full of action, I could not recommend a greater book!

I truly enjoyed the book. I also understood alot about the war between the two brothers and how it effect the entire world. I was expecting something more about the Ice Age and how these events are related.. I hope, however, that it will be explained later in the cycle. I believe that this is a fundamental book.

I would highly recommend this book and the series as a whole. I feel it greatly highlights the mythos of the MTG brand.

The Brothers War was a badass book. I was handed that book and when I read page 1 I was immeadiatly hooked! Urza and Mishra battaling it out both of their accounts on the story was just incredible it blew me away every page I turned to read about both of the greatest Artificers of all time.