Ben S. Dobson - Reviews

The Flaw in All Magic

The Magebreakers series, Book 1
Ben S. Dobson
Amazon Digital Services
Fiction, Fantasy/Mystery
Themes: Cross-Genre, Diversity, Fantasy Races, Girl Power, Magic Workers, Magical Sciences, Urban Tales
***+

Description

The human Tane Carver is a university-trained expert on all things magical, yet hasn't a single drop of magic in his blood. His graduation thesis - that non-magical people should be allowed to study the forces that power so much of their modern world, as proven by his own ability to sneak through classes by outsmarting detection spells and teachers alike - got him expelled and disgraced. So it was a surprise when a dean called him back to campus to help with a problem that has baffled the mages and guards on staff: an impossible murder.
An old friend of Tane's was working on an experimental magical airship when she was attacked. That airship is only days away from its grand debut, part of the Lady Protector's plans to promote peace with neighboring nations who distrust magic. Nothing, not even murder, must delay its maiden voyage, putting a tight deadline on the investigation. With help from a persistent half-orc woman and an old elven lover, now a constable, Tane sets off on the trail of a killer. But this case may best even his talents, endangering the airship, the city, and the lives of himself and the few friends Tane has left.

Review

This fantasy/mystery hybrid (with a hint of steampunk around the edges, with the airship) has many elements that would make for an interesting tale, but doesn't quite click together like it should. The characters are decent enough, if somewhat expected for the genre; Tane is the somewhat-cocky lead detective working outside the system and driven by a tragic past, Kadka the half-orc is the loyal sidekick contributing her brawn to balance his brains, the elven constable Indree is the inside contact with the law (who still clearly harbors feelings for her human ex-lover despite a bad breakup years ago), and so forth. The culprit is also somewhat obvious, not to mention prone to explaining their evil plot like a cheap Bond villain at the climax, but I could've overlooked this. The real drag on the rating is Dobson's tendency to overexplain his world, its history, its many races, and its magic. Even when it's one character explaining things to another (Kadka comes from a part of the world without much magic, a convenient set of ears for Tane to fill with worldbuilding details for the sake of the eavesdropping reader), it interrupts the flow of the story. It also ventures into overkill territory, particularly when dealing with other nations that were only ever involved as mere names. Some of the scenes also feel overlong, fluffed by the aforementioned tendency to wander into infodumps. I frankly started skimming those parts of the tale, which ultimately had little to do with the mystery itself. While not a bad fantasy/mystery hybrid, set in a decently-constructed (if overexplained) world, I just didn't enjoy it enough in the end for a solid fourth star in the ratings, and don't expect I'll read on.

Scriber

Ben S. Dobson
CreateSpace
Fiction, Fantasy
Themes: Ghosts and Spirits, Girl Power
****

Description

Scriber Dennon Lark once swore an oath to preserve and promote knowledge, to never let the history of the Kingsland be forgotten... but, for the past five years, he's been hiding from his own past. In pursuit of the lost Archives, hidden since the terrible book-burnings of the Forgetting, he destroyed a priceless religious site and saw nine workmen crushed to death. Once the brightest prodigy of the Scriber Academy, now he hides in the obscure hamlet of Waymark, surrounded by superstitious peasants and unlettered fools, hoping the world will forget he ever lived.
When Bryndine Errynson rode into town, those hopes were dashed forever.
The populace call her the Bloody Bride, rumored to have slain her would-be husband. The pious Children decry her as a blasphemy, a woman who studies the manly art of warfare. The aristocracy considers her a disgrace. But she takes her oaths to defend the people of the Kingsland every bit as seriously as Dennon once took his Scriber's oath, whether or not the people wish to be protected by her. She and her band of women warriors seek the Burners, a loosely-organized band of rebels harrying the good folk of the land and making fools of King Synid's soldiers. Dark whispers of sorcery, of the legendary earth-spirits known as the Wyddin and the long-denounced powers of ancient Sages, surround them - but no sensible Scriber believes in magic.
At least, Dennon Lark never did. Until the Burners strike Waymark... and he hears the malevolent, whispering voices in the air, whispers nobody else hears. They scream in anger. They scream in pain. And, if Dennon and Bryndine cannot unravel their secrets, they will see the Kingsland and every human in it burnt to ashes.

Review

A competent tale, Scriber wastes little time on setup before plunging the reader into the characters and the story. Dobson establishes a decently-rounded world, more than sufficient for this broad-ranging adventure. The characters tend toward archetypes, but each have their flaws and strengths, some more detailed than others. Dennon Lark, who narrates the tale (and offers pre-chapter contributions from his journals and other writings), borders on Plot-Extending Cowardice (an offshoot of Plot-Extending Stupidity) more than once; though he hears the voices from his first encounter with the Burners, he's too chicken to mention this very important experience until about halfway through. He also needs to get smacked in the face on occasion to stop picking on past mistakes... and he does, as other characters thankfully do what I, as a mere reader, could not. The tale clips along at a fair pace, with a few lulls quickly counterbalanced by bursts of action. Having grown used to multibook fantasies, I was relieved to find that Dobson wrapped his story up in one volume, with a fittingly epic climax. After some iffy selections, it was nice to lose myself in a well-written adventure.