Customer Reviews

The Misenchanted Sword

5 star:		(26)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This little gem is the sort of book that you pick up at the used bookstore with twenty other paperbacks, not expecting much, and then end up treasuring for years.

Much modern fantasy relies on rather generic plot arcs and characterization that substitutes brutality for realism. Lawrence Watt-Evans falls into neither of those traps. The book starts with an apparently rather generic plot -- Joe Average soldier gets trapped behind enemy lines, meets friendly wizard, wizard makes him a magic sword then disappears, turns out sword isn't as beneficial as it first appears, etc.

But the interesting thing about this book is that the decency and common sense of the lead character manage to take the story in a very different direction from where such stories typically go. Rather than a generic plot-driven hero-quest fantasy, this book turns, in a very pleasant surprise, into a very enjoyable character-driven tale, and what's even better, one where all the main characters are likeable and act sensibly.

Far too much modern fantasy seems to be written by authors who think that "realism" means nothing more than an extra helping of cynicism, and 'characterization" means making sure all your characters are either brutal, stupid, or naieve. It's wonderfully refreshing to read fantasy where the lead character is just a sensible, reasonably intelligent man trying to lead his own life as pleasantly as possible with a minimum of fuss -- an ambition I'm sure we can all share.

Recently on rec.arts.sf.written I noticed a discussion about Lawrence Watt-Evans efforts to publish online "The Spriggan Mirror." This was to be the ninth book in his Legends of Ethshar series. I read a couple chapters and found them well written and fun.

Amazon's guidelines ask that URLs not be included in a review, but if you'd like to read about Lawrence's efforts to publish online, go into goggle, search for "The Spriggan Mirror" and you find the web page.

I decided to start at the beginning of the series with "The Misenchanted Sword." The main character is Valder, a scout for the Esthshar army. They have been fighting the Northern Empire for decades. Valder ends up behind enemy lines and runs for his life. He accidentally stumbles into a hermit wizard who has been hiding out from civilization for years and doesn't take kindly to Valder who, even accidentally, brings the war to where the wizard has been living. The wizard decides to turn Valder's sword into a magic sword which will protect Valder and help him to return to the Esthshar army. With all the spells the wizard puts on the sword, it does help Valder to get back to the Esthshar army.

The Esthshar wizards study the sword and find there is a slight problem with the sword, that after Valder kills 100 warriors with it, the sword will kill Valder, the sword was misenchanted. Valder and his sword are used to fight the Northern Empire. Then later in the book Valder tries to figure out what to do with this misenchanted sword.

This is a pleasant story. It read well and it is hard to point down. While writing this review I've picked up the book a couple times to reread some favorite passages. If you like fantasy, this is a fun book to read.

This novel goes through several interesting phases in the life of the main character and stands on its own if you can't find the rest of this series. It even has a "building" phase in which he turns a bare plot of ground into a successful inn over the course of a decade. Original storyline, great internal dialog, and timeline spanning a lifetime+ make this a classic page turner you will enjoy rereading every five years until you die.

This novel is the first of the Ethshar series, though these novels can be read in any order, and takes place as a several centuries' long war is coming to a close. Lost behind enemy lines and with enemy scouts in hot pursuit, the protagonist, Valder, stumbles across the hut of an ancient hermit, who happens to be a wizard, and happens not to be too pleased with the sudden loss of his privacy. He is even less pleased, when in the confrontation with Valder's pursuers that follows, his home and most of his possessions are destroyed. The novel revolves around the consequences of what follows -- the wizard enchants Valder's sword with all the spells he has the supplies to perform as a way of appeasing the soldier and sending him on his way. However, in the dark and with his life turned upside down, he makes a mistake. The novel then follows Valder as he figures out exactly what has been done to his sword, and what the consequences of that enchantment means.
This is not heroic or epic fiction: Watt-Evans writes in a gently mocking way about likable and well-drawn characters just trying to get by. He treats the magic of his world familiarly, but it lacks nothing for not being mysterious. In fact, the qualities that make his books fun to read are traceable to this lack of wonder: the down-to-earth magic creates down-to-earth problems which his characters must then resolve.
An appealing, enjoyable book with a twisted take on a classic fantasy motif, that you might even end up rereading several times over the years. However, don't go into this book expecting an epic journey through another person's imagination, filled with thrilling intrigue, tragic deaths, shocking betrayals, and great voyages. You'll be disappointed.

I know that "With a Single Spell" actually is the original for the series, but I started with this book and now I constantly check the book stores for new titles by Lawrence Watt-Evans. The whole of the series (although each book is pretty much completely independent, which I also find very enjoyable) in this richly described world hinge upon what you learn in this book.

I picked this book up 10 years ago, and gave it a read. It was simply the best the best book I had read. I would heartily recommend this book. I loved all the Ethshar books. I have loved all of his books save the three worlds trilogy. I could not recommend them at all.

As a side note, do not lend this book to anyone, I am on my 3rd copy!

I have read this book three times and plan to read it again. It is my favorite all-time book.

This is what Watt-Evans does best, the tale of the mistaken enchantment. While some people may thing it's a bit strange, or a bit slow, or perhaps a bit disjoint, what it really is is sly, ironic, and hysterical, and with a wee bit (so to speak) of a pointed ending, or well, a point at the book's ending at least. I suppose in some sense, this is a version of the trite old "be careful what you wish for", BUT such stories can be so very entertaining. This one is.

I thought that this book is a definite 9, maybe even a 10. But I rated it a 9 or else it means there nothing better, and I haven't read that many books. The book was full of funny parts, sword fights, and wonderful characters. The story was also great. The plots, events, causes, and effects were well written. Also, All the items and people were perfect. It just kept me reading. I'm hoping very badly that Lawrence Watt-Evans will keep writing more books like that. I enjoyed reading it, and I'm going to read it again! Definitly one of the top 10 on my charts! I recommend this book to everyone who enjoys fantasy and adventure!!

If you liked 'With a Single Spell' you'll LOVE 'Misenchanted Sword'. Valder is a soldier, behind enemy lines. In a war fought with demons and spells, he knows little magic. He stumbles across a master magician and has his sword enchanted, but like the sword the enchantment is double edged. I loved it