Master of the Five Magics: (#1) [Mass Market Paperback]

Lyndon Hardy (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 12, 1985

Brand new. 1980 1st Ed. 1985 Printing. Excellent condition. In stock. One copy. Money back guarantee.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 374 pages
• Publisher: Del Rey; 1st edition (October 12, 1985)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0345334256
• ISBN-13: 978-0345334251
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (28 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #324,728 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A definite must-read, November 26, 2000

By 

Britt "[e-mail]" (Austin, TX United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Master of the Five Magics: (#1) (Mass Market Paperback)

As my bookshelves continue to grow, I can name only a handful of books that I continue revisit time and time again. Duncan's Magic Casement series. Feist's Riftwar. Moon's Saga of Paksenarrion. And above all, Hardy's Master of the Five Magics.

Hardy's spellbinding tale of Alodar's quest through the five paths of magic, and the climactic culmination of his talents at the end, is a thrilling adventure no matter how many times you've read it. Hardy's detailed explanations of the tenets of each of the magical paths are some of the most logical I've ever encountered in this genre.

The only negative thing I can say about this book is that the romantic scenes read like a daytime soap opera, and not a particularly good one at that. Fortunately they only last a page or two, and then our hero is back on his quest.

Master of the Five Magics is simple to read, complex in scope, and thorougly compelling to the last page. Get it if you can find it; you'll probably never sell it.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book, November 16, 2004

By 

grooveman "grooveman" (MI, USA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Master of the Five Magics: (#1) (Mass Market Paperback)

I read this book years ago, but It is still one of my favorites.

It is a great fantasy novel for someone with an analytical mind and a penchant for subtlety. A good book for imaginative intellectuals (as opposed to entertainment-seekers or cyincal intellectuals who like to find fault in everything not of the mundane).

Hardy is a good writer who has an excellent grasp of human nature and a natural bent for keeping complex theoritical constructs internally consistent. His story is imaginative and fantastic, and yet at the same time not an affront to one's "common sense". The story line moves along at a nice pace with a few nice twists and turns.

This whole series is well worth a read or two. I can't say enough good things about this book.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting and fun look at magic in a fantasy setting, September 3, 2005

By 

L. C Glover "Varied Interests" (Half Moon Bay Ca, USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Master of the Five Magics: (#1) (Mass Market Paperback)

I really quite enjoyed this book. The logical view of how magic works is well developed and has an internal consistency that is lacking in most fantasy worlds.

The writing is not the best you will ever read. However, it is a fun read. It is significantly better than most of the crap that is being published by Wizards of the Coast stable of authors -- I have to apologize to R. A. Salvatore (he still puts out a good book now and again).

The approach to the story, magic and character development are a bit different that most other books. If you see a copy in a used bookstore, it is worth picking up and giving a try. If you like this book you will like the two follow up books.