Might and Magic: The Shadowsmith by Geary Gravel

 

Book: Might and Magic: The Shadowsmith
Author: Geary Gravel
Pages: 280
Hard Core Scale: 2.5/4
Normal Scale: 7/10
Publish Date:  1996
About: Hitch and the Hatchling strive to make it back to the Hatcling’s ship while Diligence travels to meet up with them.
Review: Well the contract ended and the third one was not complete. Instead a book by Mel Odom was written to take the contract slot in a completely unrelated Might and Magic Story. “The Shadowsmith”was written far superior flow wise than the first novel. I found myself caring more for Hitch’s part then Diligence’s. That imagination fruits here leading to fun places. I suppose Geary captures the setting of Might and Magic well as the Wheel could easily be a place in the larger universe. However, the sword and sorcery party spelunking and questing among the WTFery is not there. I suppose the author did their job and finished the contract before the last one was pulled. Kudos to you. Again, the imagination is what drove this thing. The plot points weirdly auto resolving out of the character’s control (again how much of this though is how Might and Magic resolves its plots though… for example we do not kill Sheltam for example.) A lot of weird red herring twists that again lead to Deus Ex machinica.  Some page filler (albeit fun) and pacing issues. Again, I did love the settings and weirdness however. The book actual wraps up nicely making this a bilogy if one ignores the random final chapter hook for the nonexistent final book . So perhaps, the two books are worth a read after all as the main plot wraps up nicely outside a few mysteries. Geary did a lot right, maybe his own series is worth checking out. It will be interesting to see how he performs on his own turf free of a video game contract (I’ve been there and for the almost same Game series). Weird too what plot a party could have gone through in this world. I am thankful though, Erathia is my only love. My gut is telling me I am going to hate the Odom work from the page I have read. Ultimately the work excels in its goal and in its very fun imagination versus its pacing and plot. 

Book Cover; Bill Fawcett, Del Rey Books


 

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