Wizard's Bane

Good enough for a quick distraction but rough at times. The first half is a long, generic chase scene, and there's a story within a story that doesn't contribute anything at all to the larger narrative. At around 55-60% through it gets interesting and the whole point for Wiz being there finally starts to get some action. Even in the last half there are some asides to the main action that do nothing to advance the story and just took me out of it. I might check out the sequel, but only because it's part of the Baen Free Library.

This book and its sequels are based on the idea of applying computer programming skills to magic, a rather unlikely notion that I don't think I've come across elsewhere. As fiction, it makes a competent, entertaining, and likeable fantasy novel, and the basic idea is developed quite ingeniously. The characters tend to fall into predictable types, but they're varied and good enough for this kind of novel.

I give it only three stars because, although I like it, I don't seem to reread it frequently. The author was keen to avoid the sort of improbable hero who cuts irresistibly through all problems and opponents; he gives us a much more realistic clumsy hero who's a talented programmer but blunders at everything else he does. This is commendable in principle, but I find it a bit irritating in practice.

You'll best appreciate this book if you have some programming experience. If not, you should be able to follow and enjoy the story anyway, but some of the details will go over your head.

Bear in mind that the book dates from 1989 and the author presumably acquired his own programming experience somewhat earlier, so his programming references are bit dated; although some aspects of programming probably don't change much.