Magebane

by Lee Arthur Chane

Four centures ago, the world changed. A devastating war swept the lands, and the MageLords, who had long ruled by virtue of their spell powers, were driven to a distant place, separated from those they had ruled by a magical Barrier. With magic banished from the rest of the world, the MageLords became mere legend and people turned to science to improve their lives. But if one man has his way, all that is about to change...

Genres: Fantasy, Steampunk, Fiction, Science Fiction, Science Fiction Fantasy

496 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published October 1, 2011

About the author

Born in the mystical mountains of New Mexico, taken on an epic journey from there to the wide-open and oddly named land of Saskatchewan as a child, familiar with both blazing heat and bitter cold, Lee Arthur Chane might have been destined to be a fantasy writer. But in his personal quest to become one, he’s also studied journalism in Arkansas, become a newspaper reporter, photographer and editor, written exhibit copy for a science centre, penned a weekly science column, hosted a television show, and performed professionally as an actor and singer in plays, musicals and operas.

Despite overthrowing kingdoms in his writing, he’s currently a loyal subject of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, residing in Canada with his wife and his own personal pre-teen princess.

Oh, and he has a secret identity.

Reviews

[Edward Willett · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. But then, Lee Arthur Chane is my pseudonym, so I'd better.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book's biggest power to me was the perfectly placed descriptor for every scene. That is not to say it was lacking in character, plot, or the logic and complexity a good fantasy requires. All of those were exceptional, but it was the well-placed sensory details that brought this story to life for me:

The cloaked man watched from a hillside...He had been very careful to position himself below the hill's crest, to avoid silhouetting himself against the bright morning sky.

It turned on its spindly wooden legs and clattered on oversized wooden feet to the sideboard, where it filled a glass with red-purple juice from a moisture-dewed crystal decanter.

I found Chane's voice enchanting and efficient, all at once.

The various character motives are fantastically woven at cross-purposes so that every plot point creates a high-stakes situation for somebody. I loved the deep perspective dives into all the major players' heads. I also love the high fantasy-steam punk crossover of this universe, especially how it leaned more to the high fantasy and the complex politics of the magic, just touching occasionally on the fantastic inventions of the steam punk side.

As a parent, I would pre-read and be prepared to discuss the treatment of homosexuality in the plot. I happily didn't feel any moralizing one way or the other from the author, but it did touch on it as a perceived perversion, and the subsequent suicidal tendencies of those socially disowned for it.

[Alexis · Rating 1 out of 5]

Didn't finish it, got maybe 1/4 way through. It wasn't horrible, but everything was too explain-y for me. I felt like there was way more telling than showing. There were a couple of times too when I felt like something would have been a good twist if the author had waited to reveal it later on, but instead he just explained it and showed it from the get go. Maybe there's more twisty twists later on, but I didn't care enough about it at that point to find out.

[E10]

I love to read this kind of books specially where science and life has mysterious connections.
Looking forward to read it.

[Dan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent book, with just a hint of YA. Good characters, the story moves right along, everything is believable. I really enjoyed it. I’m just disappointed that there’s no sequel!

[Joshua Palmatier · Rating 4 out of 5]

Magebane

By Lee Arthur Chane

I would have picked this book up regardless of who published it based on just the premise (and the cool cover). Essentially, 800 years ago, those without magic rebelled against the MageLords (those with magic) who ruled them unjustly, treating the commoners more like slaves than anything else. Normally, the commoners would have no chance against those with magic on their side. But the commoners had someone who was immune to magic, who in fact turned the magic used against him upon the user instead. This person was called the Magebane, and his magic-resistance could be extended to the army of commoners around him. Unable to defend against the Magebane, the MageLords transported themselves across the world and built a wall around their new kingdom, a Great Barrier that would keep the commoners out if they ever found it.

At the beginning of the book, we learn that numerous people now want the Great Barrier brought down. Some claim that it’s draining the mages of their magic and soon there will BE no magic left; others want to bring it down to end the tyranny created by the MageLords within it; and others want it brought down so they can use magic to conquer the outside world and bring it back to heel. These three plotlines are the driving force behind the book, with many twists and turns, nothing coming together as the main characters originally planned.

And oh, did I mention it has dirigibles? *grin*

I loved the setup of the world and the interlaced plot, with characters betraying and backstabbing one another pretty much all the way through. I loved how simple things foiled everyone’s plans, and yet while the plot sounds complicated, it’s actually not. You can certainly keep everything straight in your head. And how it all twists out of the control and then back to its resolution kept me reading when I really should have been working on other things.

So, I’d certainly recommend that you check this book out. It was different and interesting, and combined a fantasy world with a quasi-steampunk world in a believable way. We don’t see much of the world outside the Great Barrier in this one, but I’m certain that there’s a sequel in the works.

[Amodini · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found the book quite appealing because it pitted science against magic, and couldn’t help being drawn in by the detailed descriptions of this alternate magical reality – it’s spells, it’s inventions and it’s different life. Commoners have achieved through science which the MageLords do via Magic. Against this backdrop Chane has created well-fleshed out characters. He gives the reader a look-see into their minds, which was quite interesting. The story has many twists and turns and is quite unpredictable so it keeps one engaged and reading.

Full review here.

[Nicole Luiken · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been wanting to read this book ever since Ed Willett posted the first sentence on Facebook. (Like a chick in its egg, Jenna lay curled within a bubble of ice half-buried in muck at the bottom of Palace Lake.) It didn't disappoint. Cool world with magic and steampunk tech colliding. The middle portion is full of plot twists as the co-conspirators Lord Falk and Mother Northwind strive to balk the other's Great Plan, while putting their own forward. My only quibble is that the younger protagonists Karl, Brenna and Anton remained pawns for a bit longer than I would have liked.

[Alisa Hedden · Rating 4 out of 5]

Evil wizards, multi-level conspiracies, magic, hidden kingdoms, cruel tyrants, usurpers, and a hint of steam punk. Lee Arthur Chane (also known as Edward Willett) has done a marvelous job of making all of this work together. Instead of being overwhelmingly complicated and difficult to follow with the danger of being boring, he manages to tie the different themes together into an entertaining, cohesive whole. The good guys do win, just not the way anyone expected. A very entertaining book, well worth the time.
© Night Owl Reviews

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the heat-energy powered magic. I loved the vision of a castle in eternal summer in the midst of a landscape of winter. Of a land surrounded by a 3 mile high barrier of darkness cold and fog. I hated the ending. A different ending where magic was not destroyed, only the keys or barrier would have provided the start for a series I could have read more about as both sides of the world would have had to adjust to the other, rather than, as written, only the Mage-lords really have major adjustments to do.

[April · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really liked the idea of the story with a group of self-obsessed power-hungry people subjugating those without and that whole society completely closed off from the rest of the world so both have evolved differently. However, the motivations of several of the characters felt really weak to me and the other characters were a bit thin on, well, character and wits. I ended up not really caring that much about them.

I finished the book but I really had to force myself to do so.

[Christy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this one on vacation, and was disappointed every time we reached a site because it meant I had to put the book down.

I had some doubts, reading the back of the book, fearing that it would be a run-of-the-mill / predictable story, but there were twists from the expected which made the book enjoyable, and a fun read. I also found the way the author handled time and events from different characters perspectives an effective technique for the story, though it wasn't completely liner.

[Fredrick Danysh · Rating 3 out of 5]

For eight centuries conflict has existed between the Mage lords and commoners following a revolt. The Mage lords used magic to subjugate the commoners as they are protected by a magically powered barrier. The conflict comes to a head as an attempt is made on the Mage heir and the commoners develop technology. There is also a plot to seize power among the Mage lords.

[Rob · Rating 4 out of 5]

Little steam punk mixed with a magic. Magic kingdom cut off from rest of world, until an experimental air ship arrives from the outside world. Plot deals more with the Magic kingdom & revolution/internal overthrow than two worlds colliding.

[Maren · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kind of a slow start, and I really wanted to skip over all of Falk's "chapters" because I found him rather boring. The other characters are quite well rounded, though, and it picks up quite a bit about two thirds of the way through the book.

[Brian · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book had an interesting premise that failed to deliver. You can pretty much predict everything that will happen from a mile away. It is a worthwhile read if you are on the beach or taking a plane ride, but I wouldn't rush out to buy it.

[Katrina]

I see by the copyright page that Lee Arthur Chane is really Canadian author Edward Willett. Go Canada! Magic meets science in this steampunky adventure. With zeppelins! And people who aren’t really who they think they are. Some nice twists in here.

[Chris Gwinn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some clever ideas, some interesting plots, but about 100 pages too long.

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

got about 100 pages in and didn't feel like continuing. the plot and characters didn't draw me in.

[Craig · Rating 2 out of 5]

A decent fantasy - barely - with an interesting, if not all that original world, but the characters are mostly stock-ish and the plot moves conventionally to its inevitable end. 2 1/2 stars.

[Ethan Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well-written, though not without flaws. Somewhat predictable, but commensurately interesting. I was turning pages faster and faster until the end.

[Diana Thayer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall enjoyed it. Writing tends to tell rather than show, but it is interesting to read insight into the characters' thoughts.

[Veronica · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this true fantasy. The plot was well planned and all the characters had strong personalities and motives in their attempts to change their history. A good story.

[Sherry da Silva · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this but would have liked a more in depth look into the magic system as many things were unclear.

[Darren]

Boring. I just don't really like steampunk.

[Ed · Rating 3 out of 5]

Why do books have to include gratuitous sex. This book would be so much better without it.