The Black Prism

I wasn't a huge fan of the writing style, but the plot kept me interested. I'll continue on with the series to see what happens!

A good read. I enjoyed the setting and the characters, but it kept reminding me of Warbreaker by Sanderson, which is a book I really enjoyed. Then I would be slightly disappointed when it went its own direction.

— EDIT—
Just reread this book. It was even better the second time, particularly in light of the subsequent books.

Executive Summary: Overhyped and often very juvenile in places, this book wasn't nearly as good as I was promised, but is far from awful.Full ReviewI really enjoyed [b:The Way of Shadows 3227063 The Way of Shadows (Night Angel, #1) Brent Weeks https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327881551s/3227063.jpg 3261241] despite a protagonist I didn't care much for. Largely because of one of the other characters. The rest of that series was far less enjoyable as that character wasn't around as much, and I was forced to deal with a character I didn't like and too many juvenile wish fulfillment scenes.I found this book to suffer from the same problems as that series did. After thrashing [b:Beyond the Shadows 3754026 Beyond the Shadows (Night Angel, #3) Brent Weeks https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327881432s/3754026.jpg 3797890], I was told I had to give Mr. Week's another chance and that this series was much better. Well based on one book, I question that.I think Kip is meant to be a commentary/parody of the chosen one trope, but I just can't stand him. It makes any part with him as the POV hard to read, and the scenes where he is present less enjoyable.Gavin was kind of so-so at the start, but grew on me as the book went along. I liked Karis, but as someone in my group read pointed out, for a badass elite soldier she is awfully stupid and that made it lot harder for me to enjoy her parts.Then we have a bunch of mustache twirling villains. For me the best villains are the ones who aren't evil, but simply those whose goals conflict with the protagonists and are willing to do whatever it takes to accomplish them. The power/money hungry antagonist thing just really is tired and should be dropped from an author's toolbox.The magic system is quite interesting, but poorly introduced. I don't need/want some big info dump about the magic and how it works, but I don't like hand waving magic either that seems to be a plot device the author is making up as he goes along. The reality is that the magic system does have some well defined rules, but as a first time reader none of that is very clear until far too deep into the book in my opinion. Mr. Weeks goes a little too far in his efforts to show and not tell.I definitely warmed up to this book by the end. There are things to like here despite all my complaints. The magic system is a lot better once you know a bit more about it. The world building is interesting and makes for some good political conflicts.If Mr. Weeks didn't keep interrupting the main plot for what often felt like juvenile wish fulfillment scenes, I might have given this a 3.5 and rounded it up to a 4.I”m not sure if I'll continue on in the series, but the fact that one of my favorite narrators, [a:Simon Vance 5602 Simon Vance https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1240014151p2/5602.jpg] takes over reading duties for the next one, and that this book got better as it went along are all points in it's favor.

What begins as an easy fantasy banality (young man in a small agrarian village has his life change before his eyes when soldiers kill everyone, his mother included) twists itself into a tale of choices, the gray area between good and evil, and the awkwardness of being a teen. The overpowering strengths of The Black Prism by Brent Weeks lies in the character development. There are only a handful of characters within this book that could be thought of as straightforward; and those that are are secondary, driving the plot onward and not giving us enough time to examine them properly. It is each character's struggles that are brilliantly portrayed. Kip, the orphaned boy from the agrarian village, thinks himself worthless, but turns out to be on the rise to become one of the most powerful magicians of the world and the religious figurehead's son to boot. Gavin, the religious figurehead himself, struggles with his past deeds and a secret that could have him killed—not to mention the fact that he will die within seven years. Liv struggles to find a cause to join, following her father's words, “Fealty to one.” Karris struggles to find the truth behind Gavin and his dead brother Daven, whom she loved. The characters are so enthusiastically thrown together and shaken that the reader finds themselves on a roller coaster of emotion, action, and confusion (a good sort of confusion) trying to figure out who is going to do what next.

Weeks's world-building was well done also. His world centers on seven satrapies, each with their own race that, at times, got me thinking that things were a bit too heavily racial in this world. But then I remembered that is how things are here in our world; so I decided to over look the hundred or so references to “kinky hair” and color of skin. The magic system, of course, is what the book centers around and I did like the way it was based off light and scientific principle. Also, the political and economic effects the magic had on the world as a whole was well thought out. However, there was just something about the magic system that did not connect with me personally. I can't put my finger on it, however, so that did not effect my rating.

Had I been basing my rating solely on characterization, plot, and world-building I might have awarded The Black Prism a full five stars. Perhaps. Unfortunately, there was a certain rushed feel to the book. Not in pacing, but in the publication itself. I began reading and spotted a few typos. It happens sometimes, of course, I thought to myself. But after spotting one practically every other chapter (there are 93 chapters!) I began to think that perhaps Weeks's previous trilogy was too successful for The Black Prism's good. Clearly this book was rushed into publication to make money fast, which it may have done, but it certainly has hurt my opinion of Weeks, the editors involved, and Orbit Books. This easily lost it a full star in my eyes.

The other star lost might have been two had I not been so intrigued and consumed by the characters. Melodrama at times got so over the top that it was ridiculous. At points it got the point where it felt like a character couldn't comb their hair for fear that they might decapitate themselves with the comb. Things are not terribly subtle in this book. And speaking of decapitations.... I understand that war is bloody, tragic thing. I get that people die in battle and, yes, maybe a few of them might lose a limb or possibly their head. But in the final battle there were so many decapitations it made me want to skip to the last page and see how it ended. I considered going back and counting how many died such explicitly gruesome deaths, but, alas, then I would have to read it again. I mean, you don't have to know much physics to understand that a musket ball is not going to decapitate a horse! At what point did our society become so enthralled by gore and violence that it was entertaining for so many people (and horses) to have their heads loped, shot, exploded, and crushed off?

So I have to say, bravo Weeks for your development of this story. I'll have to overlook a few things to read the next book in the trilogy...

I really enjoyed the mix of magic and muskets/cannons. The theory behind the magic being based on color was really interesting and has me excited for the next book.

Brent Weeks showed the SF/F world what he could do with his first books, the Night Angel trilogy. In The Black Prism, he keeps up that high standard. Prism is a different world than Night Angel, with a different magic system, and a whole different cast of characters and personalities.

Prism gives us the Chromeria - a conservative, possibly corrupt guild governing ‘drafters' - people who draw on light and color to produce magic. The Chromeria is led by Gavin Guile, the mysterious Prism, who can handle all seven colors at once. We follow both Guile and Kip, the young, obese boy from a devastated town who is, of course, destined for greater things.

The writing this time is not as smooth as it was with Night Angel, suggesting a greater rush to get the books out, and less consistent editing. There are places where the prose could have been tweaked for greater effect. More important, there are several gaps or not-credible coincidences in the story that have been thinly papered over, or not at all. Not enough to seriously set the reader back, but where you wish there had been even a paragraph or two of hand waving.

All in all, a very fun read, and well worth picking up - either for Weeks fans, or for newcomers who enjoy epic fantasy.

I thought this book was pretty good. I enjoyed Kip and was able to picture his dilemmas with easy clarity. I look forward to the next book.

What a fantastic, refreshingly original take on the genre. Fantastic writing that captured my interest and connected me to the characters.

How to do this without spoiling? It has a maa-aap...

Seriously, this was a good old fashioned fun read. Weeks hit his stride from the gates, giving a pace that never lagged or left you wondering when the next interesting chapter was going to be. So go, and enjoy it or something!