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Magic: The Gathering: Kamigawa Cycle #2
Heretic: Betrayers of Kamigawa
The second title in a series that peers into a mysterious new area of the Magic® world.
Heretic: Betrayers of Kamigawa continues a series that will explore a new and mysterious area of the Magic: The Gathering world that fans have never seen before. This novel previews the newest trading card game set to be released in February, giving fans a sneak peek at the new elements of the game.
AUTHOR BIO: Scott McGough is a former Magic: The Gathering line continuity guru for Wizards of the Coast, Inc. His most recent novels are the Magic Legends Cycle Two trilogy and Outlaw: Champions of Kamigawa. He has contributed short stories to The Myths of Magic, The Dragons of Magic, and The Monsters of Magic anthologies.
Heretic: Betrayers of Kamigawa continues a series that will explore a new and mysterious area of the Magic: The Gathering world that fans have never seen before. This novel previews the newest trading card game set to be released in February, giving fans a sneak peek at the new elements of the game.
AUTHOR BIO: Scott McGough is a former Magic: The Gathering line continuity guru for Wizards of the Coast, Inc. His most recent novels are the Magic Legends Cycle Two trilogy and Outlaw: Champions of Kamigawa. He has contributed short stories to The Myths of Magic, The Dragons of Magic, and The Monsters of Magic anthologies.
320 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2005
18 people are currently reading
530 people want to read
About the author
Scott McGough
29 books12 followersScott McGough lives in Seattle with a pair of cats and an Australian Cattle Dog. He has written or co-written over a dozen novels and short stories for Magic: The Gathering; he also provided random pirate voices for an upcoming computer game and portrayed a shambling, gut-munching zombie extra in a local low-budget film. Based on his acting performances so far, everyone agrees he should keep writing.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
September 26, 2024
Peor que el primero, porque aquí ya ha llegado un punto donde casi solo hay acción, pero de esa bastante directa y forzada, sin profundizar en la trama.
Parecen varios capítulos de serie b donde se mezclan personajes súper poderosos con ¿objetivos? distintos, donde cada uno luce lo que puede y como puede.
Entiendo que es un libro sacado para dar un poco de trasfondo a un juego de cartas y tampoco pido una prosa cuidada, pero qué les costaba dar un poco de sentido a las cosas y no recrear una peli americana de domingo por la tarde.
Parecen varios capítulos de serie b donde se mezclan personajes súper poderosos con ¿objetivos? distintos, donde cada uno luce lo que puede y como puede.
Entiendo que es un libro sacado para dar un poco de trasfondo a un juego de cartas y tampoco pido una prosa cuidada, pero qué les costaba dar un poco de sentido a las cosas y no recrear una peli americana de domingo por la tarde.
May 9, 2019
“‘What are you trying to do?’
Toshi tossed the hair from his face. ‘Same as usual. Survive. Profit. Learn something new.’ He straightened to his full height. Maybe grow as a person. I’ve become more spiritual lately.’
Pearl-Ear nodded. ‘I can see that,’ she said dryly.
‘Really?’ Sharp-Ear called. ‘Point it out to me.’
Toshi raised an eyebrow. ‘When I come back to rescue you all,’ he called to Sharp-Ear, ‘you’re last.’”
*
a definite improvement over Outlaw; the characterization, especially of Toshi and Pearl-Ear, felt much more defined. I’m also a sucker for doomed last stands à la Isamaru showing up on the battlefield. also it was much funnier? even with all the gore. the moment I quoted above made me laugh aloud.
Toshi tossed the hair from his face. ‘Same as usual. Survive. Profit. Learn something new.’ He straightened to his full height. Maybe grow as a person. I’ve become more spiritual lately.’
Pearl-Ear nodded. ‘I can see that,’ she said dryly.
‘Really?’ Sharp-Ear called. ‘Point it out to me.’
Toshi raised an eyebrow. ‘When I come back to rescue you all,’ he called to Sharp-Ear, ‘you’re last.’”
*
a definite improvement over Outlaw; the characterization, especially of Toshi and Pearl-Ear, felt much more defined. I’m also a sucker for doomed last stands à la Isamaru showing up on the battlefield. also it was much funnier? even with all the gore. the moment I quoted above made me laugh aloud.
Read
November 10, 2022A marked improvement over the first volume.
A much tighter and more enjoyable book than the first.
This time instead of feeling like there was no central character, we have basically two co-leads who's narratives rarely intersect. The (once again) titular scoundrel Toshi Umezawa, who also graces the cover here, and the lovable fox teacher Lady Pearl-Ear.
The characters are more fleshed out and much more likeable. The plot moves along at a decent clip and there's some fun action and dialog. If the first entry had been this focused and good, or cut down and rolled into this volume, I think the series would be more fondly remembered.
A much tighter and more enjoyable book than the first.
This time instead of feeling like there was no central character, we have basically two co-leads who's narratives rarely intersect. The (once again) titular scoundrel Toshi Umezawa, who also graces the cover here, and the lovable fox teacher Lady Pearl-Ear.
The characters are more fleshed out and much more likeable. The plot moves along at a decent clip and there's some fun action and dialog. If the first entry had been this focused and good, or cut down and rolled into this volume, I think the series would be more fondly remembered.
October 14, 2018
L'eretico è il secondo volume del ciclo di Kamigawa, sicuramente migliore del primo tuttavia conserva i difetti, anche se attenuati.
Se non altro Scott sembra aver capito che non serve ripetere il soggetto ogni frase, tuttavia questo piccolo traguardo è stato offuscato dal fatto che questo libro è noioso. Non succede nulla per tre quarti del tempo, poi quando il ritmo comincia ad essere coinvolgente e finalmente i nodi vengono al pettine dopo 200 pagine di build-up, il libro finisce. Non sono del parere che bisogni per forza infarcire il libro di colpi di scena, e non sono una lettrice che ha bisogno di essere intrattenuta, semplicemente poteva essere tutto più piacevole, sarebbe bastato fare il libro più corto ed evitare pagine e pagine di nulla.
Seguire Toshi nei suoi giri è stato interessante in quanto permetteva di incontrare figure nuove spiriti personaggi, ma per quello che riguarda Michiko e Orecchi di Perla sono stata proprio tentata di saltare delle parti (cosa che alla fine ho in realtà fatto solo per i combattimenti, andiamo a qualcuno davvero piacciono 3 pagine di scambio di spade?).
Alla fine tirando le somme mi ci è voluto tanto a finirlo perchè procedeva lento e inconstistente, ma le pagine finali valgono la pena e salvano la storia.
Dei personaggi si salvano solo Toshi (a questo giro ben riuscito rispetto al primo volume) e Hidetsugu visto che gli altri si sono ridotti a dei cartonati che fissano stupefatti, nessuno ha iniziativa, nessuno ha idee, nessuno vuole fare qualcosa, stanno tutti fermi finché non arriva Toshi a prenderli a male parole.
Il mondo come sempre è invece interessantissimo e pieno, ma quella è l'unica cosa che Scott aveva già pronta.
Vorrei dire "provaci ancora Scott" ma poi mi rendo conto che ha scritto anche il terzo e anche altri libri e mi sento male, davvero non avevano altri scrittori?
"Ora il cortile era pieno di soldati fantasma, in sella a bianchi cavalli spettrali"
Se non altro Scott sembra aver capito che non serve ripetere il soggetto ogni frase, tuttavia questo piccolo traguardo è stato offuscato dal fatto che questo libro è noioso. Non succede nulla per tre quarti del tempo, poi quando il ritmo comincia ad essere coinvolgente e finalmente i nodi vengono al pettine dopo 200 pagine di build-up, il libro finisce. Non sono del parere che bisogni per forza infarcire il libro di colpi di scena, e non sono una lettrice che ha bisogno di essere intrattenuta, semplicemente poteva essere tutto più piacevole, sarebbe bastato fare il libro più corto ed evitare pagine e pagine di nulla.
Seguire Toshi nei suoi giri è stato interessante in quanto permetteva di incontrare figure nuove spiriti personaggi, ma per quello che riguarda Michiko e Orecchi di Perla sono stata proprio tentata di saltare delle parti (cosa che alla fine ho in realtà fatto solo per i combattimenti, andiamo a qualcuno davvero piacciono 3 pagine di scambio di spade?).
Alla fine tirando le somme mi ci è voluto tanto a finirlo perchè procedeva lento e inconstistente, ma le pagine finali valgono la pena e salvano la storia.
Dei personaggi si salvano solo Toshi (a questo giro ben riuscito rispetto al primo volume) e Hidetsugu visto che gli altri si sono ridotti a dei cartonati che fissano stupefatti, nessuno ha iniziativa, nessuno ha idee, nessuno vuole fare qualcosa, stanno tutti fermi finché non arriva Toshi a prenderli a male parole.
Il mondo come sempre è invece interessantissimo e pieno, ma quella è l'unica cosa che Scott aveva già pronta.
Vorrei dire "provaci ancora Scott" ma poi mi rendo conto che ha scritto anche il terzo e anche altri libri e mi sento male, davvero non avevano altri scrittori?
"Ora il cortile era pieno di soldati fantasma, in sella a bianchi cavalli spettrali"
August 21, 2012
I wish I could say that I enjoyed the book as much as I enjoy the TCG. I didn't. Although I did not read the rest of the Kamigawa books, I find that the story was not very interesting.
This is a shame because I thought that the asian elements, the Kami, spirits, etc were very interesting, however, the lack of character development stalls the book considerably. Toshiro is a good example; he is able to avert every situation and luck favors him so much that we knew he was going to come out of a situation unscathed, and that diminished his value as a character.
I iwhs somebody would grab all the interesting details of this novel and made a good consistent book, not a lesser piece of advertising campaign.
This is a shame because I thought that the asian elements, the Kami, spirits, etc were very interesting, however, the lack of character development stalls the book considerably. Toshiro is a good example; he is able to avert every situation and luck favors him so much that we knew he was going to come out of a situation unscathed, and that diminished his value as a character.
I iwhs somebody would grab all the interesting details of this novel and made a good consistent book, not a lesser piece of advertising campaign.
February 13, 2016
I have to disagree with the one star reviewers. Is it part propaganda? Of course it is, but is it a bad story? No. It has a great narrative, action heavy, some spicing of humor and intrigue and I couldn't put it down towards the end. Well done, starting on the third one today.
August 23, 2019
Awesome!
This is a good book. I thought it was fast paced but still provided good world building. Gives certain cards more meaning now!
This is a good book. I thought it was fast paced but still provided good world building. Gives certain cards more meaning now!
November 11, 2024
Aclaro desde el vamos que sé perfectamente que este libro es un producto de merchandising y seguramente no habría que esperar mucho de él, pero incluso para tratarse de un producto de merchandising se me hace un libro muy perezoso. No se ahonda en nada que podría ser importante o interesante para entender el mundo en el que se desarrolla esta historia. Visitan un montón de lugares que supuestamente son de gran relevancia, como la academia de Minamo o la ciudad flotante de Otawara pero no se aprende nada de ellos, ni tan siquiera se les describe lo suficiente para hacernos una idea de qué clase de lugares son. Hay otra visión del mundo de los espíritus de la que tampoco se saca nada a pesar de ser uno de los puntos clave de la historia.
Los diálogos son muy pobres y monótonos, y para colmo es la única manera en la que se llega a saber algo de lo que está pasando porque el libro está plagado de exposición. Todo lo que el lector quisiera saber se lo cuentan en muros de diálogos en los que un personaje x explica por qué tal cosa es importante o por que tal espíritu es poderoso, pero no se muestra ni una cosa ni la otra. Todos los personajes hablan igual, sin cadencia o entonación dependiendo de la situación, y ninguno tiene desarrollo o un propósito claro. Simplemente están ahí, pero no cumplen ningún papel. Solo Toshi hace algo en todo el libro, y ese algo es básicamente lo que la trama necesite. En un momento está en un lugar y al siguiente está en la otra punta del mundo porque algo importante está pasando ahí y el autor no tiene otra manera de solucionarlo. Tampoco es que tenga mucho desarrollo o un propósito claro; simplemente es un plot device para hacer que la historia avance de algún modo.
Tiene algunas escenas entretenidas, principalmente las de acción, aunque tampoco son la gran cosa porque la magia en este mundo hace lo que le da la gana. Puede ser la cosa más rota y extravagante o puede ser algo totalmente inútil y vergonzoso, depende de qué se necesite. Las grandes batallas de espíritus ancestrales son también una decepción. Ninguno de los seres que aparecen hace algo relevante para la trama y el gran ser apocalíptico solo se dedica a darse de cabezazos contra una torre. Fin.
Es una pena que un mundo tan interesante y lleno de potencial quede en nada en un producto sin alma. Sin necesidad de cambiar las cosas que no se pueden cambiar por razones obvias se podría haber desarrollado todo de mejor manera y explorado este plano con más detalle.
Los diálogos son muy pobres y monótonos, y para colmo es la única manera en la que se llega a saber algo de lo que está pasando porque el libro está plagado de exposición. Todo lo que el lector quisiera saber se lo cuentan en muros de diálogos en los que un personaje x explica por qué tal cosa es importante o por que tal espíritu es poderoso, pero no se muestra ni una cosa ni la otra. Todos los personajes hablan igual, sin cadencia o entonación dependiendo de la situación, y ninguno tiene desarrollo o un propósito claro. Simplemente están ahí, pero no cumplen ningún papel. Solo Toshi hace algo en todo el libro, y ese algo es básicamente lo que la trama necesite. En un momento está en un lugar y al siguiente está en la otra punta del mundo porque algo importante está pasando ahí y el autor no tiene otra manera de solucionarlo. Tampoco es que tenga mucho desarrollo o un propósito claro; simplemente es un plot device para hacer que la historia avance de algún modo.
Tiene algunas escenas entretenidas, principalmente las de acción, aunque tampoco son la gran cosa porque la magia en este mundo hace lo que le da la gana. Puede ser la cosa más rota y extravagante o puede ser algo totalmente inútil y vergonzoso, depende de qué se necesite. Las grandes batallas de espíritus ancestrales son también una decepción. Ninguno de los seres que aparecen hace algo relevante para la trama y el gran ser apocalíptico solo se dedica a darse de cabezazos contra una torre. Fin.
Es una pena que un mundo tan interesante y lleno de potencial quede en nada en un producto sin alma. Sin necesidad de cambiar las cosas que no se pueden cambiar por razones obvias se podría haber desarrollado todo de mejor manera y explorado este plano con más detalle.
March 5, 2019
A drastic improvement over the last book, though that wasn't a hard bar to clear. There were actually some elements of a plot present from the beginning, and you knew who everyone was and what their motivations were, mostly. There was something resembling a moral need, in condemning Konda's actions and seeking to undo them.
That said, it started off much stronger in these way, but then it plateaued and that made the "climax" quite flat and boring.
That said, it started off much stronger in these way, but then it plateaued and that made the "climax" quite flat and boring.
May 26, 2020
Das Viel-Parteien-Spiel zwischen Eiganjo, Minamo, Soratami, Kitsune, Banditen, Orochi, Nezumi, Hidetsugu und Uramon ist großartig um Toshi Umezawa arangiert und bietet durchweg Spannung an mehreren Fronten. Natürlich sind wir immer noch weit weg von LOTR, was die Detailverliebtheit und das damit verbundene Gefühl für die Welt angeht, trotzdem sind die Kamigawa-Bücher im sonst eher schundgeplagten Magic-Universum ein herausragendes Beispiel wie es besser funktionieren kann.
March 6, 2018
A pleasant read, although not as good as the first book in the series.
March 28, 2024
Ha habido una gran mejora comparándolo con el libro anterior. Me gusta que se muestre más a Toshi como alguien que improvisa muy bien más que alguien que tiene absolutamente controlado, aunque el estilo del autor me sigue sin gustar demasiado; las escenas de pelea me siguen pareciendo demasiado detalladas, aunque aprecio lo dinámicas que son.
January 27, 2008
A friend had been trying to get me to read the "Magic: The Gathering" novelizations for years since I play the game. I'd always resisted, suspecting that the books would...well...suck. Guess what? They do. My buddy bought me the first two novels in the Kamigawa trilogy. Since I can devour 200pgs in a sitting, it wasn't huge investment of my time, so I read them. I did NOT purchase the third book. This is supposed to be fantasy on a grand scale. However, the world that the author constructed seemed as if it could be comfortably contained in about ten square miles. Trite, badly-written garbage. Zero characterization as well. Stay well clear of these books. I know I will in the future.
March 21, 2010
I didn't expect this to be better than the first one at all. It's just my habit to finish anything once I started it. But I began to realise what is this book all about. Scott McGough apparently didn't mean to write this as a book, it's more like he wrote this as an advertisement for people to start playing Magic the Gathering card games. I don't blame him. It's just a job.
March 1, 2016
Schade, Toshi wird immer mehr zum Übermenschen, wobei mir nicht wirklich klar ist, womit er das eigentlich verdient, bzw. was er dafür getan hat. Michiko und die Kitsune verblassen hier neben dem Hyozan, wobei abzuwarten bleibt, welche Auflösung im dritten Band kommen mag.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews