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The Last Horizon #1
The Captain
"To survive in this galaxy, you need a wand in one hand and a gun in the other.”
On a little-known planet, Archmage Varic Vallenar casts a grand spell to empower himself with the magical abilities of his alternate selves. The ritual works too well, granting Varic not only the magic but also the memories from six lives.
Including their gruesome deaths.
Now, Varic has power greater than any wizard in galactic history, but he knows that won’t be enough. The enemies he faced in those alternate lives were apocalyptic in scale. Terrors of technology and magic. Nothing that he, or anyone, can defeat.
Sun-eating extra-dimensional insects, shadowy secret organizations, genetically enhanced alien super-soldiers, ruthless megacorporations, and hordes of cyborg undead all lurk in the darkest corners of the galaxy, and Varic knows that any of them can become a world-ending threat at any moment.
All these are beyond any wizard, no matter how many spells he’s mastered or how many interstellar warships he’s rallied to his cause. Hopeless, Varic finds himself trying to preserve what little he can from the coming doom.
Until he hears rumors of a mythical starship, an invincible vessel of heroes made to do battle against galactic threats.
A ship called The Last Horizon.
On a little-known planet, Archmage Varic Vallenar casts a grand spell to empower himself with the magical abilities of his alternate selves. The ritual works too well, granting Varic not only the magic but also the memories from six lives.
Including their gruesome deaths.
Now, Varic has power greater than any wizard in galactic history, but he knows that won’t be enough. The enemies he faced in those alternate lives were apocalyptic in scale. Terrors of technology and magic. Nothing that he, or anyone, can defeat.
Sun-eating extra-dimensional insects, shadowy secret organizations, genetically enhanced alien super-soldiers, ruthless megacorporations, and hordes of cyborg undead all lurk in the darkest corners of the galaxy, and Varic knows that any of them can become a world-ending threat at any moment.
All these are beyond any wizard, no matter how many spells he’s mastered or how many interstellar warships he’s rallied to his cause. Hopeless, Varic finds himself trying to preserve what little he can from the coming doom.
Until he hears rumors of a mythical starship, an invincible vessel of heroes made to do battle against galactic threats.
A ship called The Last Horizon.
418 pages, Paperback
First published April 4, 2023
2324 people are currently reading
8366 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 558 reviews
April 22, 2023
Somehow better than any Cradle book - and I absolutely LOVE Cradle!
Watch my video review by clicking here.
Watch my video review by clicking here.
April 11, 2023
If you liked the Abidan sections from Cradle you might like this one too. I didn't like either.
The Good
Will Wight's fast-paced plotting makes for constant entertainment without a moment to rest or get bored. The book is funny at times, and each character is unique and well-characterized (though significantly lacking in depth).
The Bad
tl;dr: The story, as almost everything about this book, is quite bad. It's worse than any Cradle book, for one. I can't help but feel that Will Wight simply wrote whatever he felt like as it came to him, putting very little effort into any and all aspects of this book. To top it all off, much of the story is copy-pasted from either Cradle or Mass Effect 2.
When it comes to Cradle, the Abidan sections were the parts I liked the least. The unending magical technobabble, the lack of any established rules for what can and cannot happen, and a magical war on a massive scale, full of godlike beings doing all sorts of godlike acts.
The Captain is basically that, with an addition of a handful of slightly-more-realized characters: we have the protagonist who, after seeing his future in multiple timelines, leaves his family with no explanation and goes to prevent a dangerous entity from destroying everything. He also has a difficult relationship with his father. His allies are a man who acts naive in a very funny way and who's much more powerful than he seems, and a woman who's all business, with only combat on her mind, and who's on a mission to fight the same kind of entity the protagonist is fighting against. There's also the ship's AI "spirit", who exaggerates her capabilities a lot and also has a minor psychotic streak to her personality.
If you read Cradle, this should all feel very familiar to you. And those were just a few examples; there are many more, from the magical contracts that cannot be falsified or resisted to the mech called "titan" that makes the user lose their sense of identity.
Mass Effect 2: around half way through the story I started to get strong ME2 vibes -- the plot beginning in what feels like the middle of the story (which made sense in ME2, of course), with the main character being "reborn" after death; the protagonist being sponsored by a powerful organization; the leader of the organization, his intentions, character, and eventual decision; getting dossiers of potential crewmates and recruiting them; needing to complete a task for every crewmate; each crewmate unlocking an upgrade to the ship; the antagonist being "reborn" every time he's killed, has vast armies and hives where normal people are converted to minions; the ship AI and her behavior; a galactic government that tries to do good but is mostly useless. So imagine my surprise when the book ended with a "suicide mission" (exact words) into the enemy's grand hive.
The characters, as I said earlier, are mostly flat. They are well characterized, meaning each has their own unique speech patterns and behavior, but these attributes are very few and repeat over and over with no variety or growth.
The addition of sci-fi was a bad call in my opinion, primarily because it reads like older sci-fi where technology is integrated into the world without any reason or logic to it. It bears very limited resemblance to how real technology (or physics in general) works, so why put it there? you already have the all-powerful magic, so why not make magical technology instead, like in Cradle? The technology feels like an afterthought.
There are no real obstacles, because there is no "real" anything: how does space travel work in this universe? How does the whip work and what can it do? What can magic do and what can't it do? The answer: whatever the author feels like at any moment. It's even a recurring joke that Horizon keeps bringing up "new rules" that she kept secret from the protagonist. It might seem funny until you realize it's just a cover for bad writing.
There are three immortal characters in this book. Seeing an immortal in "danger" is about the least exciting situation possible.
The genre itself is less to my liking. The protagonist starts the story as the most powerful wizard in the galaxy, making future power progression unlikely. His allies are similarly overpowered. He finds a legendary ship almost by accident, which just so happens to accept him as captain and to choose his friends from previous lives as the best candidates for the crew. The ship can easily and single-handedly defeat several military fleets.
Speaking of the ship: Horizon already has its maximum capabilities, but can only access each one when there's an appropriate crewmate on the team (It's magic. Don't ask). This is about the cheapest plot device I've seen for forcing the protagonist to assemble a crew, and the unlockable upgrades are videogame copy-paste. It's terrible.
Speaking of "other lives": are these parallel lives or past lives? The story presents them as parallel lives from parallel universes, but sometime refers to them as past lives, and they are all full lives which include the future and end in death. How can the protagonist see the future through a parallel universe? this makes no sense. The way it does make sense, of course, is that it's a repeat of Lindon's vision of multiple futures; only this story is sci-fi so we get parallel universes instead, even if it doesn't make sense.
The Good
Will Wight's fast-paced plotting makes for constant entertainment without a moment to rest or get bored. The book is funny at times, and each character is unique and well-characterized (though significantly lacking in depth).
The Bad
tl;dr: The story, as almost everything about this book, is quite bad. It's worse than any Cradle book, for one. I can't help but feel that Will Wight simply wrote whatever he felt like as it came to him, putting very little effort into any and all aspects of this book. To top it all off, much of the story is copy-pasted from either Cradle or Mass Effect 2.
When it comes to Cradle, the Abidan sections were the parts I liked the least. The unending magical technobabble, the lack of any established rules for what can and cannot happen, and a magical war on a massive scale, full of godlike beings doing all sorts of godlike acts.
The Captain is basically that, with an addition of a handful of slightly-more-realized characters: we have the protagonist who, after seeing his future in multiple timelines, leaves his family with no explanation and goes to prevent a dangerous entity from destroying everything. He also has a difficult relationship with his father. His allies are a man who acts naive in a very funny way and who's much more powerful than he seems, and a woman who's all business, with only combat on her mind, and who's on a mission to fight the same kind of entity the protagonist is fighting against. There's also the ship's AI "spirit", who exaggerates her capabilities a lot and also has a minor psychotic streak to her personality.
If you read Cradle, this should all feel very familiar to you. And those were just a few examples; there are many more, from the magical contracts that cannot be falsified or resisted to the mech called "titan" that makes the user lose their sense of identity.
Mass Effect 2: around half way through the story I started to get strong ME2 vibes -- the plot beginning in what feels like the middle of the story (which made sense in ME2, of course), with the main character being "reborn" after death; the protagonist being sponsored by a powerful organization; the leader of the organization, his intentions, character, and eventual decision; getting dossiers of potential crewmates and recruiting them; needing to complete a task for every crewmate; each crewmate unlocking an upgrade to the ship; the antagonist being "reborn" every time he's killed, has vast armies and hives where normal people are converted to minions; the ship AI and her behavior; a galactic government that tries to do good but is mostly useless. So imagine my surprise when the book ended with a "suicide mission" (exact words) into the enemy's grand hive.
The characters, as I said earlier, are mostly flat. They are well characterized, meaning each has their own unique speech patterns and behavior, but these attributes are very few and repeat over and over with no variety or growth.
The addition of sci-fi was a bad call in my opinion, primarily because it reads like older sci-fi where technology is integrated into the world without any reason or logic to it. It bears very limited resemblance to how real technology (or physics in general) works, so why put it there? you already have the all-powerful magic, so why not make magical technology instead, like in Cradle? The technology feels like an afterthought.
There are no real obstacles, because there is no "real" anything: how does space travel work in this universe? How does the whip work and what can it do? What can magic do and what can't it do? The answer: whatever the author feels like at any moment. It's even a recurring joke that Horizon keeps bringing up "new rules" that she kept secret from the protagonist. It might seem funny until you realize it's just a cover for bad writing.
There are three immortal characters in this book. Seeing an immortal in "danger" is about the least exciting situation possible.
The genre itself is less to my liking. The protagonist starts the story as the most powerful wizard in the galaxy, making future power progression unlikely. His allies are similarly overpowered. He finds a legendary ship almost by accident, which just so happens to accept him as captain and to choose his friends from previous lives as the best candidates for the crew. The ship can easily and single-handedly defeat several military fleets.
Speaking of the ship: Horizon already has its maximum capabilities, but can only access each one when there's an appropriate crewmate on the team (It's magic. Don't ask). This is about the cheapest plot device I've seen for forcing the protagonist to assemble a crew, and the unlockable upgrades are videogame copy-paste. It's terrible.
Speaking of "other lives": are these parallel lives or past lives? The story presents them as parallel lives from parallel universes, but sometime refers to them as past lives, and they are all full lives which include the future and end in death. How can the protagonist see the future through a parallel universe? this makes no sense. The way it does make sense, of course, is that it's a repeat of Lindon's vision of multiple futures; only this story is sci-fi so we get parallel universes instead, even if it doesn't make sense.
April 8, 2023
This review makes me sad to write, as I have been (and continue to be) a major fan of Will Wight's for years.
The short, spoiler-free issue is that there aren't really any characters. One person is 'Friendship!' - another 'Chaos!' - and the protagonist is 'Save the Galaxy!' Wight often writes silly characters (which I enjoy in moderate doses), but these are caricatures. At no point are we given much of a reason to care about these people, and thanks to the rapid pacing (there are virtually no quiet moments in this novel, to its discredit) all we really have are the usual apocalyptic stakes.
The prose itself is perfectly serviceable (never a problem for Wight there), and it's abundantly clear that the creative imagination that drives the wondrous elements of Wight's fiction remains gloriously intact. Unfortunately, this new series entry does little to make me interested in future installments.
The short, spoiler-free issue is that there aren't really any characters. One person is 'Friendship!' - another 'Chaos!' - and the protagonist is 'Save the Galaxy!' Wight often writes silly characters (which I enjoy in moderate doses), but these are caricatures. At no point are we given much of a reason to care about these people, and thanks to the rapid pacing (there are virtually no quiet moments in this novel, to its discredit) all we really have are the usual apocalyptic stakes.
The prose itself is perfectly serviceable (never a problem for Wight there), and it's abundantly clear that the creative imagination that drives the wondrous elements of Wight's fiction remains gloriously intact. Unfortunately, this new series entry does little to make me interested in future installments.
August 13, 2024
Yeah, I don't think Will Wight is for me...
If you enjoy pure chaos, absurdity, swashbuckling and humour this should be right up your alley!
If you enjoy pure chaos, absurdity, swashbuckling and humour this should be right up your alley!
August 7, 2023
Archmage Varic Vallenar casts an incredible spell to help him learn more magic than anyone in existence...the magic he could have learned in other lives. The spell succeeds, but there are unforeseen complications. Varic also gains the memories of five other lives, including the tragic deaths. Varic is determined to avoid these deaths by striking first and living a different life than he ever did before. When looking for danger Varic encounters an unbelievable opportunity to get a incredibly powerful spaceship. He initially doesn't believe it's possible, but he still decides to search for The Last Horizon.
First and foremost I want to say space fantasy books aren't really my reading genre of choice. I only read this because I have enjoyed Will Wight's books in the past. I was not excited when I learned the genre choice for Will's new series, but I was willing to give it a go. Unfortunately my favorite part of the book was the bloopers.
The Captain was ok at best in my opinion. The characters were lacking personality. Varic Vallenar is the main character and he doesn't really have a personality. I would have preferred it if his past lives made him pompous or cowardly or anything really. It would make sense if he fled the known galaxy to hide out if he wanted to survive so badly. Instead he strikes out at threats that killed him in past lives. He does some other things with no particular vigor. Varic wants to know the rules, he avoids his father, he has some mild regret from his past lives, and there is a glimmer in him that indicates he doesn't like authority. I'm scraping hard to come up with that. He doesn't really express much in terms of personality. Most of the other characters don't provide much in terms of personality either, not really showing more than a single trait.
The antagonists in The Captain are primarily the Iron Legion. They are largely a more grotesque version of the Borg from Star Trek. Will even snuck in Resistance is Futile at one point. Rather than seeking uniformity, the Iron Legion seek integration and survival by making flesh and metal monstrosities from living beings they captured. They don't really seem to have a goal outside of that as a whole.
The Captain simply wasn't what I was hoping it would be. More than anything, I found myself feeling apathetic about the characters which is never a good sign for me. At this point, I'm not looking forward to what happens next in the series. I do imagine I will eventually read the sequel when it is released.
First and foremost I want to say space fantasy books aren't really my reading genre of choice. I only read this because I have enjoyed Will Wight's books in the past. I was not excited when I learned the genre choice for Will's new series, but I was willing to give it a go. Unfortunately my favorite part of the book was the bloopers.
The Captain was ok at best in my opinion. The characters were lacking personality. Varic Vallenar is the main character and he doesn't really have a personality. I would have preferred it if his past lives made him pompous or cowardly or anything really. It would make sense if he fled the known galaxy to hide out if he wanted to survive so badly. Instead he strikes out at threats that killed him in past lives. He does some other things with no particular vigor. Varic wants to know the rules, he avoids his father, he has some mild regret from his past lives, and there is a glimmer in him that indicates he doesn't like authority. I'm scraping hard to come up with that. He doesn't really express much in terms of personality. Most of the other characters don't provide much in terms of personality either, not really showing more than a single trait.
The antagonists in The Captain are primarily the Iron Legion. They are largely a more grotesque version of the Borg from Star Trek. Will even snuck in Resistance is Futile at one point. Rather than seeking uniformity, the Iron Legion seek integration and survival by making flesh and metal monstrosities from living beings they captured. They don't really seem to have a goal outside of that as a whole.
The Captain simply wasn't what I was hoping it would be. More than anything, I found myself feeling apathetic about the characters which is never a good sign for me. At this point, I'm not looking forward to what happens next in the series. I do imagine I will eventually read the sequel when it is released.
June 25, 2024
Watch my video review for The Captain
This is the start of a fun new series by Will Wight! The humor and action take center stage and the blend of sci-fi and fantasy is cool. If you are looking for a series with Space wizards, great bombastic battles, and cosmic threats then look no further than The Last Horizon
I am excited for more
This is the start of a fun new series by Will Wight! The humor and action take center stage and the blend of sci-fi and fantasy is cool. If you are looking for a series with Space wizards, great bombastic battles, and cosmic threats then look no further than The Last Horizon
I am excited for more
October 10, 2023
Following the epic Cradle series, oof. It comes across as too self-published. I gave up at 20% once it seemed clear I wasn’t about to start enjoying it. As much as I love speculative fiction, I was irritated by the amount of just making shit up. That, and a cocksure protagonist who had a better grasp of magic than everyone else and was the best at everything, I couldn’t go on. There is something potentially interesting in the MC’s traumatic origin but it didn’t seem like the book was going to explore that.
April 11, 2023
"The Captain" by Will Wight is the first book in "The Last Horizon" series. While the author has gained popularity with his "Cradle" series, this book falls short of expectations. The story lacks a sense of purpose, and it fails to deliver the feeling of satisfaction that readers typically seek in such novels.
One of the book's weaknesses is that all the characters are already at the peak of their strength, and there's no real struggle for them to achieve their goals. This leads to a lack of emotional investment in their journey, and readers don't feel connected to them. Moreover, Varic, the main character, seems to be defined solely by his daddy issues, and he fails to have a personality beyond that.
The magic system in this universe also seems to be poorly explained, and it doesn't make sense when combined with technology. The characters' power levels are inconsistent, and it becomes challenging to compare them. The first-person POV, combined with third person, makes the book challenging to read, and it feels like a chore; Will should have stuck to third person all the way through.
On the bright side, there are some genuinely funny moments in the book, which showcases Will Wight's excellent grasp of humor. However, it's not enough to save the book from its shortcomings.
In conclusion, "The Captain" fails to deliver a sense of progression, and it leaves readers feeling apathetic towards the universe and characters. Overall, the book falls short of expectations, and it's not recommended for those who seek a satisfying and immersive reading experience.
One of the book's weaknesses is that all the characters are already at the peak of their strength, and there's no real struggle for them to achieve their goals. This leads to a lack of emotional investment in their journey, and readers don't feel connected to them. Moreover, Varic, the main character, seems to be defined solely by his daddy issues, and he fails to have a personality beyond that.
The magic system in this universe also seems to be poorly explained, and it doesn't make sense when combined with technology. The characters' power levels are inconsistent, and it becomes challenging to compare them. The first-person POV, combined with third person, makes the book challenging to read, and it feels like a chore; Will should have stuck to third person all the way through.
On the bright side, there are some genuinely funny moments in the book, which showcases Will Wight's excellent grasp of humor. However, it's not enough to save the book from its shortcomings.
In conclusion, "The Captain" fails to deliver a sense of progression, and it leaves readers feeling apathetic towards the universe and characters. Overall, the book falls short of expectations, and it's not recommended for those who seek a satisfying and immersive reading experience.
April 5, 2023
Too much
Like watching an action film that is all explosions, then a gun fight, then more explosions, then a chase then another fight. Great if you like hand-wavey space magic, not so good if you like a story.
Like watching an action film that is all explosions, then a gun fight, then more explosions, then a chase then another fight. Great if you like hand-wavey space magic, not so good if you like a story.
April 4, 2023
A Fantastic Start to a Legendary Space Adventure
I had a blast (like a Lightcaster - they work anywhere!) beta reading this book. Like one would expect from Will's previous books, this is a fast paced and exciting adventure. Unlike what one might expect, this isn't another zero to hero story like Cradle - instead, we follow some of the most powerful people in a brand new universe as they meet, learn about ancient magical tech, and tackle galaxy-level threats.
The side characters steal then show in this one (especially the protagonist's "rival", if you can call him something that simplistic). They're an absolute joy to read - and so is this book in general!
I had a blast (like a Lightcaster - they work anywhere!) beta reading this book. Like one would expect from Will's previous books, this is a fast paced and exciting adventure. Unlike what one might expect, this isn't another zero to hero story like Cradle - instead, we follow some of the most powerful people in a brand new universe as they meet, learn about ancient magical tech, and tackle galaxy-level threats.
The side characters steal then show in this one (especially the protagonist's "rival", if you can call him something that simplistic). They're an absolute joy to read - and so is this book in general!
Read
April 6, 2023Loved the Cradle. Still not sure what to make of this one. 1/5 of the story, and I don't root for the main character, who is a sort of magical prince with a bad case of cosmic ennui. He has no friends, no agenda (Saving the galaxy does not count. Tell me why the character cares enough that he risks death for the sixth time and doesn't let the galaxy go to hell?), and no personality whatsoever. I'm waiting for something to happen. After all, Unsouled was a slow burn.
Edit: Approximately 40% into the story, companions appear, and approximately 60% of the story, something of a plot appears. Except that everyone is powerful, they still don't have personalities. I think that people who just need fast-paced action, their protagonist to be OP and to identify with him will be happy. I might be getting too old for that.
Edit: Approximately 40% into the story, companions appear, and approximately 60% of the story, something of a plot appears. Except that everyone is powerful, they still don't have personalities. I think that people who just need fast-paced action, their protagonist to be OP and to identify with him will be happy. I might be getting too old for that.
April 4, 2023
Rather disappointing given WW's normal story/world building. Simplistic, trite, lacking in humor. Doesn't feel nor read like any of WW's normal work. It feels ordinary and boring.
April 5, 2023
Utter shit. This is literally the worst book Will Wight has written. I am so fucking disappointed.
April 7, 2023
It feels shallow, nothing feels explored. It's like a rush to put everything together so the series can start.. It's nice to have questions during the story but when every chapter leaves me with more questions it ends up being very distracting.
Feels like I missed out on a 0.5book or something before starting this book
Feels like I missed out on a 0.5book or something before starting this book
April 10, 2023
This book wasn't good, but it wasn't bad either. It was just ok. Will defines his new story as wizards in space, but it's more like superheroes in space. Everyone involved have super powers, which you would think would make an exciting story, but the story was long and meandering. You don't build a strong connection with any of the characters, so the tense moments aren't really tense. Hopefully things can improve in the next book when the crew faces its next supervillain.
June 23, 2025
Really good! This book definitely took me awhile to get into, but I really enjoyed it by the end. It's very different from Cradle and Travellers Gate, but just as good.
Also, the main character being in first person POV but everyone else being in third person was strange, but it worked.
I'm looking forward to the next one.
Also, the main character being in first person POV but everyone else being in third person was strange, but it worked.
I'm looking forward to the next one.
April 12, 2023
I have never hated MC so much than this moron. If it wasn't a WILL WIGHT book it would have gone into a DNF (DID NOT FINISH) pile. 75% in and I want him to die.
Why are MCs always smug SOBs?? Has memories of 5 lives of miserably failing and dying, yet the confidence level is through the roof. All MCs succeed by the grace of author. In real world the would always inevitably fail. The SHIP constantly tells him she is not at full power without her full complement of crew. It's not that they have to recruit 600 people, but only 3 more. But of course he can't be bothered and goes off to teach. He could have killed the king but of course he wouldn't destroy the core or its brain. Needless to say, there's a pattern of inevitable failure, but alas author will save and hand him over victory.
Why are MCs always smug SOBs?? Has memories of 5 lives of miserably failing and dying, yet the confidence level is through the roof. All MCs succeed by the grace of author. In real world the would always inevitably fail. The SHIP constantly tells him she is not at full power without her full complement of crew. It's not that they have to recruit 600 people, but only 3 more. But of course he can't be bothered and goes off to teach. He could have killed the king but of course he wouldn't destroy the core or its brain. Needless to say, there's a pattern of inevitable failure, but alas author will save and hand him over victory.
December 15, 2025
I don't know, it was fun but feels a little like picking up a sequel halfway through a series. It's still good but don't go in comparing it to the start of Cradle (which literally starts at zero). Excited to see where the story goes in the sequels.
Read
January 30, 2024Not loving this one, so I'm putting it down for now. The writing is fine, the pace super fast, but I'm not really connected to the MC, and that's a problem for me. I don't really care about him, and since most of this is through his perspective (at least, from what I've read), I don't know if I'll enjoy the novel.
Idk. Maybe I just wished it was Cradle 😅 I might give this another chance at some point in the future!
Idk. Maybe I just wished it was Cradle 😅 I might give this another chance at some point in the future!
June 2, 2023
2.5/5 - meh
This is my least favorite Will Wight book yet. Sorry to my good friend Nazar, I really wanted to like this one more.
The good - the action sequences are cool, the enemies are interesting and their lore is also interesting. The description of the magic that is happening is cool as well.
The bad - the enemies and their lore are interesting but they are not well explained or delved into. It feels shallow, like I would want to know more about them. The magic felt the same way, the description of the magic is cool but the captain being a god with no real understanding of what is going on is not very appealing to me. It’s like watching dragon ball super without watching any of the previous stuff and seeing goku go super Saiyan blue with no explanation. Why is his hair blue? Why is that good? That’s what this book felt like.
This is my least favorite Will Wight book yet. Sorry to my good friend Nazar, I really wanted to like this one more.
The good - the action sequences are cool, the enemies are interesting and their lore is also interesting. The description of the magic that is happening is cool as well.
The bad - the enemies and their lore are interesting but they are not well explained or delved into. It feels shallow, like I would want to know more about them. The magic felt the same way, the description of the magic is cool but the captain being a god with no real understanding of what is going on is not very appealing to me. It’s like watching dragon ball super without watching any of the previous stuff and seeing goku go super Saiyan blue with no explanation. Why is his hair blue? Why is that good? That’s what this book felt like.
September 7, 2024
Reread: Funny, entertaining but a bit rushed.
"Horizon, you fail my class"
I honestly had a great time reading this book. The main character is a bit OP, starting out as an archmage and getting even more powerful. The actual plot is decent, the second half of the book being nonstop action and adventure. What really made this book fun though is the characters. Each one is extremely memorable. Over the top, fun, and honestly funny. The main character is a bit bland, but man the rest of the class makes up for it. Will has really found his voice as a writer, crazy characters that make you laugh but are a joy to read. Really, I had a good time.
"Horizon, you fail my class"
I honestly had a great time reading this book. The main character is a bit OP, starting out as an archmage and getting even more powerful. The actual plot is decent, the second half of the book being nonstop action and adventure. What really made this book fun though is the characters. Each one is extremely memorable. Over the top, fun, and honestly funny. The main character is a bit bland, but man the rest of the class makes up for it. Will has really found his voice as a writer, crazy characters that make you laugh but are a joy to read. Really, I had a good time.
June 25, 2024
Not sure if it is just how much I enjoy reading Will’s work, but this seems like yet another series I will be obsessed with. I like the fact that the characters are so nuanced and engaging, as well as presenting a story that does have to be cerebral and you can just have fun with it.
Looking way into the future Laura Bailey needs to be Horizon in the adaptation as her portrayal of Jester from CR was the entire mental picture for me as I read!
Looking way into the future Laura Bailey needs to be Horizon in the adaptation as her portrayal of Jester from CR was the entire mental picture for me as I read!
August 12, 2024
Fun start for the series, dunno if at the level of Cradle but it has some cool ideas and it's different from it so I'm pretty curious about the next books.
May 10, 2023
Much as is the case with Brandon Sanderson, I am never let down when I get the opportunity to dive into a yarn newly spun from the loom of Will Wight.
That sounded creepy. *sigh* Oh well.
It’s fun that both my favorite authors are either starting/stopping off into something new, as what many consider to be their individual masterpieces await their next update in the months ahead. I’ve enjoyed getting to read about new characters and new worlds with them.
Re: The Captain, I loved the premise from the start, and though it seemed as if Will got out over his skis a bit in the first couple of chapters, it really didn’t take long for things to settle down and get rolling. And I was astonished to find none of these new characters carried the specter of Lindon or Eithan or Yerin with them, etc. These voices are whole and distinct, wonderful in their own right.
Great humor, action, and heart. It’s a Will Wight book. Come oooooooon. What did you think was gonna happen?
That sounded creepy. *sigh* Oh well.
It’s fun that both my favorite authors are either starting/stopping off into something new, as what many consider to be their individual masterpieces await their next update in the months ahead. I’ve enjoyed getting to read about new characters and new worlds with them.
Re: The Captain, I loved the premise from the start, and though it seemed as if Will got out over his skis a bit in the first couple of chapters, it really didn’t take long for things to settle down and get rolling. And I was astonished to find none of these new characters carried the specter of Lindon or Eithan or Yerin with them, etc. These voices are whole and distinct, wonderful in their own right.
Great humor, action, and heart. It’s a Will Wight book. Come oooooooon. What did you think was gonna happen?
December 18, 2023
12/17/23 Mini-Review:
Currently on Audible + (Confirmed by a friend.)
I bought the audiobook for $1 when it was on super sale.
4 Stars Narration by Travis Baldree
3.5 Stars for Concepts
-1 Stars for Story Progression
1.5 Stars for Characters (Fun Potential, Failed to Establish Potential)
I loved the bloopers at the end of the audiobook! Sadly, you have to listen to the whole book for the bloopers to make sense & be funny.
If you are looking for another Cradle-like series, I don't believe this is it. I am stubborn and will try another book or more before I give up. I'll wait for book 3 publication before I dive into the next book.
What would you get if you mashed up mechas, magic, ultimate baddie, Star Trek, Firefly and slices of Quantum Leap in anime style?
The Last Horizon could fit that mash up, but in a dry sort of is and sort of isn't manner.
Did you read the blurb? That's the book with a few scenes to add crew, problems and uber baddie.
The book needs more editing. There were obvious fragmented sentences and phrases. Repeated use of words placed close together. Perhaps explore more ways to describe how a character or villain is OP.
The book read like a formulated bullet point check list. The only bits that were fresh and fun within story setting were Varic's truncated classes.
Horizon:
Currently on Audible + (Confirmed by a friend.)
I bought the audiobook for $1 when it was on super sale.
4 Stars Narration by Travis Baldree
3.5 Stars for Concepts
-1 Stars for Story Progression
1.5 Stars for Characters (Fun Potential, Failed to Establish Potential)
I loved the bloopers at the end of the audiobook! Sadly, you have to listen to the whole book for the bloopers to make sense & be funny.
If you are looking for another Cradle-like series, I don't believe this is it. I am stubborn and will try another book or more before I give up. I'll wait for book 3 publication before I dive into the next book.
What would you get if you mashed up mechas, magic, ultimate baddie, Star Trek, Firefly and slices of Quantum Leap in anime style?
The Last Horizon could fit that mash up, but in a dry sort of is and sort of isn't manner.
Did you read the blurb? That's the book with a few scenes to add crew, problems and uber baddie.
The book needs more editing. There were obvious fragmented sentences and phrases. Repeated use of words placed close together. Perhaps explore more ways to describe how a character or villain is OP.
The book read like a formulated bullet point check list. The only bits that were fresh and fun within story setting were Varic's truncated classes.
Horizon:
May 6, 2023
Gave up after 40% in. A lot of arbitrary video-game / RPG style of story advancement with not much emotional involvement or a human story. I gave up somewhere during the crew hiring process because I did not care for the arbitrary magic and scenarios the ship's spirit kept creating for him. Looking back, it felt like one of those endless rat-maze video games where you keep getting random challenges that feel pointless after a few levels.
Had high hopes after Cradle. I am sure the story will improve in later books but life is too short to just take in mindless 'entertainment'. However, Looking forward to the last book of the Cradle series in summer!
Had high hopes after Cradle. I am sure the story will improve in later books but life is too short to just take in mindless 'entertainment'. However, Looking forward to the last book of the Cradle series in summer!
April 17, 2023
It's no cradle series
I love the cradle series. But this new series is very boring and predictable. It has no stakes Won't be bothering with any more in this series.
I love the cradle series. But this new series is very boring and predictable. It has no stakes Won't be bothering with any more in this series.
March 1, 2024
I don’t know if it’s because I got used to Will’s style of writing, but this feels better than Cradle.
Varic wants more powers; his father, power. That’s why they are trying a dangerous spell to grant him more of it from another life.
Now, he has become a beyond borders powerful mage, but he knows it won’t be enough, going by all the ways he died in those other lifes.
Unbounded by his estranged father ever since the ritual, he evaluates what his next step could be, while teaching and fighting one battle or another, trying to prevent a new Legion King to be born.
He has enemies that don’t even know about his existence yet, friends and lovers who he never met in this life, and a brand new kinda psychotic ship.
Listen, the bloopers? Wei Shi Lindon humbling Varic? I loved it.
Travis baldree, as always, a master with narrating adventure books.
Varic wants more powers; his father, power. That’s why they are trying a dangerous spell to grant him more of it from another life.
Now, he has become a beyond borders powerful mage, but he knows it won’t be enough, going by all the ways he died in those other lifes.
Unbounded by his estranged father ever since the ritual, he evaluates what his next step could be, while teaching and fighting one battle or another, trying to prevent a new Legion King to be born.
He has enemies that don’t even know about his existence yet, friends and lovers who he never met in this life, and a brand new kinda psychotic ship.
Listen, the bloopers? Wei Shi Lindon humbling Varic? I loved it.
Travis baldree, as always, a master with narrating adventure books.
August 19, 2024
You can't read a Will Wight without comparing it to Cradle.
The characters and action in this book are fun - maybe better than Cradle, to be honest, especially comparing this book to the first book in Cradle. A LOT more happens here, and a lot faster, than in that series.
There are, however, a few downsides.
The powers are very diverse, sort of a warhammer 40k style of enemy and setting (not as gory and maybe a bit less grim). Unfortunately, b/c we don't fully understand the rules of the magic and the setting, it's hard to buy into the 'character wins by doing something clever.' We don't really understand why one power set wins out over another, so the action ends up feeling very deux ex machina. Which isn't the worst thing, but it's a negative, especially for an action heavy book.
Tons of lore and, as I mentioned, the characters are, imo, better than Cradle (and I liked those characters).
Will probably continue.
The characters and action in this book are fun - maybe better than Cradle, to be honest, especially comparing this book to the first book in Cradle. A LOT more happens here, and a lot faster, than in that series.
There are, however, a few downsides.
The powers are very diverse, sort of a warhammer 40k style of enemy and setting (not as gory and maybe a bit less grim). Unfortunately, b/c we don't fully understand the rules of the magic and the setting, it's hard to buy into the 'character wins by doing something clever.' We don't really understand why one power set wins out over another, so the action ends up feeling very deux ex machina. Which isn't the worst thing, but it's a negative, especially for an action heavy book.
Tons of lore and, as I mentioned, the characters are, imo, better than Cradle (and I liked those characters).
Will probably continue.
June 1, 2023
A bit meh for me... somehow, I just didn't enjoy the book all that much, though there were a few good moments and scenes. An interesting set up for future books, I assume, but I most likely won't be continuing the series.
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