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Mage Against the Machine
Harry Potter meets The Terminator in this action-packed adventure about a young man who discovers that everything he believed about his world is a lie.
The year is 2120. The humans are dead. The mages have retreated from the world after a madman blew up civilization with weaponized magical technology. Safe within domes that protect them from the nuclear wasteland on the other side, the mages have spent the last century putting their lives back together.
Nikolai is obsessed with artifacts from twentieth-century human mage-crafted replica Chuck Taylors on his feet, Schwarzenegger posters on his walls, Beatlemania still alive and well in his head. But he’s also tasked with a higher calling—to maintain the Veils that protect mage-kind from the hazards of the wastes beyond. As a cadet in the Mage King’s army, Nik has finally found what he always wanted—a purpose. But when confronted by one of his former instructors gone rogue, Nik tumbles into a dark secret. The humans weren’t nuked into oblivion—they’re still alive. Not only that, outside the domes a war rages between the last enclaves of free humans and vast machine intelligences.
Outside the dome, unprepared and on the run, Nik finds Jem. Jem is a Runner for the Human Resistance. A ballerina-turned-soldier by the circumstances of war, Jem is more than just a human—her cybernetic enhancement mods make her faster, smarter, and are the only things that give her a fighting chance against the artificial beings bent on humanity’s eradication.
Now Nik faces an impossible side with the mages and let humanity die out? Or stand with Jem and the humans—and risk endangering everything he knows and loves?
The year is 2120. The humans are dead. The mages have retreated from the world after a madman blew up civilization with weaponized magical technology. Safe within domes that protect them from the nuclear wasteland on the other side, the mages have spent the last century putting their lives back together.
Nikolai is obsessed with artifacts from twentieth-century human mage-crafted replica Chuck Taylors on his feet, Schwarzenegger posters on his walls, Beatlemania still alive and well in his head. But he’s also tasked with a higher calling—to maintain the Veils that protect mage-kind from the hazards of the wastes beyond. As a cadet in the Mage King’s army, Nik has finally found what he always wanted—a purpose. But when confronted by one of his former instructors gone rogue, Nik tumbles into a dark secret. The humans weren’t nuked into oblivion—they’re still alive. Not only that, outside the domes a war rages between the last enclaves of free humans and vast machine intelligences.
Outside the dome, unprepared and on the run, Nik finds Jem. Jem is a Runner for the Human Resistance. A ballerina-turned-soldier by the circumstances of war, Jem is more than just a human—her cybernetic enhancement mods make her faster, smarter, and are the only things that give her a fighting chance against the artificial beings bent on humanity’s eradication.
Now Nik faces an impossible side with the mages and let humanity die out? Or stand with Jem and the humans—and risk endangering everything he knows and loves?
512 pages, Hardcover
First published October 9, 2018
47 people are currently reading
999 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 79 reviews
December 6, 2018
3 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2018/12/06/...
“Harry Potter meets The Terminator”—what could go wrong? Well, as we all know, even good ideas can fail if the execution is not that great. And this was my overall impression with Mage Against the Machine, which had the advantage of a solid concept behind its premise. The only problem was that the story took way too long to gain momentum and generate interest.
To its credit though, the book doesn’t waste time throwing the reader into the thick of things. The story opens in 2120, and our world has become a very different place. Humans are gone, dead, destroyed by a nuclear holocaust years ago—or that’s what Nikolai Strauss has been led to believe. A young wizard living in a sealed and magical dome, Nik has been completely oblivious to the realities happening on the other side of the Veils that conceal and protect mage-kind from the dangers of the wasteland. He’s entirely wrapped up in his own aspirations to become a full-fledged soldier in the Mage King’s army. Living in the shadow of his mother’s disreputable history, he feels he has to do more to prove himself, but when the massive chip on his shoulder gets him in trouble and causes him to go on the run, he is confronted with the truth which changes his outlook on everything.
Outside the dome, Nik meets Jem, a cybernetically enhanced ballerina-turned-soldier for the human resistance. As it turns out, humanity has not died out. Survivors like Jem have been living under the tyrannical rule of artificial intelligences called Synths, fighting for their lives and freedom. Now Nik has a decision to make. With the resistance barely hanging on, should he return to the safety of magic behind the Veils, or help Jem with her last-ditch—and long-shot—efforts to try to save the human race from extinction?
At times, it was really hard to determine what kind of book Mage Against the Machine wanted to be. The tone of the narrative did not feel too YA, though the juvenile behaviors and attitudes of the characters—Nikolai especially—sometimes made me think otherwise. It was extremely difficult to sympathize with Nik, for whom “belligerent and sulky” seemed to be a default setting. Since the publisher seems keen on the Harry Potter comparison, I’m going to draw parallels between Nik and Harry from Order of the Phoenix, in which the latter was a hot-headed, boiling cauldron of hormones severely in need of some anger management classes. This was essentially Nik, who was bitter and resentful to the point of irrationality, whose rage often got the better of him and was the cause of his own misfortunes and misery. This made it nearly impossible to feel sorry for him, let alone root for him.
Jem fared a little better, though for the first half of the book, her chapters were shockingly uneventful and tedious, considering she was the one living in the wasteland terrorized by murderous machines. In essence, this unbalanced pacing was the book’s main undoing; nothing of genuine importance happens until past the halfway mark, when our two characters finally encounter each other. After that, the story picks up—becoming quite enjoyable, in fact—though by this point, a lot of the damage has already been done and I could not justify giving this book more than a middling rating.
I will, however, give the author props for a few things I felt were done really well. Like I said, the second half of this book really shines, infusing the plot with genre-mashing goodness and the kind of thrilling action that keeps you turning the pages. It almost makes up for the lackluster beginning. I also liked the dynamic between Nik and Jem. No romance arc here, thankfully. Their relationship is actually a complicated one, full of nuances and conflict. They’re both looking out for the interests of their own people which causes no small amount of friction in their burgeoning friendship, leading to some tense moments later on when we get closer to the end of the novel.
Mage Against the Machine being a debut, I knew there was a real chance of running into a few hitches, especially with pacing. But boy, the first half could have really used another round of structural edits to shorten it by paring down some of the unnecessary drama. For me, the real story didn’t begin until Nikolai and Jem’s worlds finally collided, and I felt that this crucial turning point should have occurred much sooner than it did in this 500+ page novel. This flaw aside though, I do have to applaud Shaun Barger for attempting something truly original; the post-apocalyptic genre needs more ideas like this to keep things fun and fresh. It’ll be interesting to see what else he’ll bring to the table in the future with more time and experience.
“Harry Potter meets The Terminator”—what could go wrong? Well, as we all know, even good ideas can fail if the execution is not that great. And this was my overall impression with Mage Against the Machine, which had the advantage of a solid concept behind its premise. The only problem was that the story took way too long to gain momentum and generate interest.
To its credit though, the book doesn’t waste time throwing the reader into the thick of things. The story opens in 2120, and our world has become a very different place. Humans are gone, dead, destroyed by a nuclear holocaust years ago—or that’s what Nikolai Strauss has been led to believe. A young wizard living in a sealed and magical dome, Nik has been completely oblivious to the realities happening on the other side of the Veils that conceal and protect mage-kind from the dangers of the wasteland. He’s entirely wrapped up in his own aspirations to become a full-fledged soldier in the Mage King’s army. Living in the shadow of his mother’s disreputable history, he feels he has to do more to prove himself, but when the massive chip on his shoulder gets him in trouble and causes him to go on the run, he is confronted with the truth which changes his outlook on everything.
Outside the dome, Nik meets Jem, a cybernetically enhanced ballerina-turned-soldier for the human resistance. As it turns out, humanity has not died out. Survivors like Jem have been living under the tyrannical rule of artificial intelligences called Synths, fighting for their lives and freedom. Now Nik has a decision to make. With the resistance barely hanging on, should he return to the safety of magic behind the Veils, or help Jem with her last-ditch—and long-shot—efforts to try to save the human race from extinction?
At times, it was really hard to determine what kind of book Mage Against the Machine wanted to be. The tone of the narrative did not feel too YA, though the juvenile behaviors and attitudes of the characters—Nikolai especially—sometimes made me think otherwise. It was extremely difficult to sympathize with Nik, for whom “belligerent and sulky” seemed to be a default setting. Since the publisher seems keen on the Harry Potter comparison, I’m going to draw parallels between Nik and Harry from Order of the Phoenix, in which the latter was a hot-headed, boiling cauldron of hormones severely in need of some anger management classes. This was essentially Nik, who was bitter and resentful to the point of irrationality, whose rage often got the better of him and was the cause of his own misfortunes and misery. This made it nearly impossible to feel sorry for him, let alone root for him.
Jem fared a little better, though for the first half of the book, her chapters were shockingly uneventful and tedious, considering she was the one living in the wasteland terrorized by murderous machines. In essence, this unbalanced pacing was the book’s main undoing; nothing of genuine importance happens until past the halfway mark, when our two characters finally encounter each other. After that, the story picks up—becoming quite enjoyable, in fact—though by this point, a lot of the damage has already been done and I could not justify giving this book more than a middling rating.
I will, however, give the author props for a few things I felt were done really well. Like I said, the second half of this book really shines, infusing the plot with genre-mashing goodness and the kind of thrilling action that keeps you turning the pages. It almost makes up for the lackluster beginning. I also liked the dynamic between Nik and Jem. No romance arc here, thankfully. Their relationship is actually a complicated one, full of nuances and conflict. They’re both looking out for the interests of their own people which causes no small amount of friction in their burgeoning friendship, leading to some tense moments later on when we get closer to the end of the novel.
Mage Against the Machine being a debut, I knew there was a real chance of running into a few hitches, especially with pacing. But boy, the first half could have really used another round of structural edits to shorten it by paring down some of the unnecessary drama. For me, the real story didn’t begin until Nikolai and Jem’s worlds finally collided, and I felt that this crucial turning point should have occurred much sooner than it did in this 500+ page novel. This flaw aside though, I do have to applaud Shaun Barger for attempting something truly original; the post-apocalyptic genre needs more ideas like this to keep things fun and fresh. It’ll be interesting to see what else he’ll bring to the table in the future with more time and experience.
November 3, 2018
DNF @50%
I tried with this one.
I really, really did.
But between me and the book, something's gotta give and the book is, well, a book. It doesn't have emotions. It doesn't have a network of neurons all simultaneously screaming "Abort! Abort!" The book will remain cool and unbothered and utterly pristine.
I can't say the same for my tablet which has suffered from verbal abuse and my fantasies of hurling it against the wall.
Or the future of my tenancy in this apartment. Because I can't count the number of times I yelled "What???" and "UGH" as I was reading through this, and I'm sure my neighbours were all privy to my 1 AM musings.
I actually considered DNF at about 1/4 of the way in, and the only excuse I can give for continuing is that I was overcome by an especially strong bout of masochism.
Here's the thing. Nothing about the premise or the cover or the marketing screamed "DNF." Harry Potter meets Terminator? Sign me up! And if you look at it from a wide angle, you can see that it's got some really interesting material to work with: an Earth that's been taken over by machines, a human Resistance group created to combat them, a mage world that occupies the same space as the human world, and some snappy action scenes sprinkled throughout.
All of that is negated by the characters.
One character in particular.
Nikolai Strauss gets the honour of being the most irritating, rage-inducing protagonist I've come across this year, his glowing list of qualities including arrogance, entitlement, pettiness, and fits of jealous rage. I have zero good things to say about him.
But I'm getting ahead of myself.
Nik is a mage and a member of the Edge Guard which the book unceremoniously tells you right from the start is "a powerful government order charged with the defense and maintenance of magical domed Veils that hid the magi from the human world, which had been reduced to lifeless, magically radioactive wastelands a century prior, in 2020."
Clunky worldbuilding info isn't all that the story throws at you from the first page. There are also reveals of long-buried family secrets, confession of betrayals, blooming of romance and then unblooming of it, and all within the first 50-ish pages.
Naturally the next half of the book would be dedicated to untangling some of these mysterious and exploring more of the world, right?
Yeah, no.
The next half of the book is dedicated to Nik trying to get with a girl he likes but getting the "I'm not one for relationships" treatment, brooding about it for some bit, meeting his ex-girlfriend and her new boyfriend, and then brooding about that in the most childish ways imaginable.
At one point, after hearing about the boyfriend's promotion, he stomps to his bedroom, slams the door and thinks, "okay, that was kind of immature," and then proceeds to rip away all the posters on his walls in a fit of rage. Which is, of course, the far more mature option.
And the biggest kicker is that these childish fits come with dollops of self-awareness. Comments like "He knew he was being immature" and "What was he doing?" doesn't make him any more likeable or complex, it just makes his actions all the more baffling.
The side characters fare no better, with some verging on caricature-levels of ridiculous. I mean, just what am I supposed to do with dialogue like this?
The other protagonist, Jem, is much more likeable, if a little bland. Through her PoV chapters we get glimpses of the Resistance group's conflict with the Synths, and Terminator vibes are most definitely present here in a good way.
But then halfway through the book I came across this one nonsensical sequence of events involving Jem and her love interest and I just had to call it quits. While a non-irritating protagonist is a big plus, I generally like my characters to come with credible motivations and actions that make sense.
If you can ignore cringey romance and unlikable characters, the story might be entertaining in a messy kind of way. It wasn't to be for me, unfortunately.
Review copy provided by the publisher via Edelweiss
I tried with this one.
I really, really did.
But between me and the book, something's gotta give and the book is, well, a book. It doesn't have emotions. It doesn't have a network of neurons all simultaneously screaming "Abort! Abort!" The book will remain cool and unbothered and utterly pristine.
I can't say the same for my tablet which has suffered from verbal abuse and my fantasies of hurling it against the wall.
Or the future of my tenancy in this apartment. Because I can't count the number of times I yelled "What???" and "UGH" as I was reading through this, and I'm sure my neighbours were all privy to my 1 AM musings.
I actually considered DNF at about 1/4 of the way in, and the only excuse I can give for continuing is that I was overcome by an especially strong bout of masochism.
Here's the thing. Nothing about the premise or the cover or the marketing screamed "DNF." Harry Potter meets Terminator? Sign me up! And if you look at it from a wide angle, you can see that it's got some really interesting material to work with: an Earth that's been taken over by machines, a human Resistance group created to combat them, a mage world that occupies the same space as the human world, and some snappy action scenes sprinkled throughout.
All of that is negated by the characters.
One character in particular.
Nikolai Strauss gets the honour of being the most irritating, rage-inducing protagonist I've come across this year, his glowing list of qualities including arrogance, entitlement, pettiness, and fits of jealous rage. I have zero good things to say about him.
But I'm getting ahead of myself.
Nik is a mage and a member of the Edge Guard which the book unceremoniously tells you right from the start is "a powerful government order charged with the defense and maintenance of magical domed Veils that hid the magi from the human world, which had been reduced to lifeless, magically radioactive wastelands a century prior, in 2020."
Clunky worldbuilding info isn't all that the story throws at you from the first page. There are also reveals of long-buried family secrets, confession of betrayals, blooming of romance and then unblooming of it, and all within the first 50-ish pages.
Naturally the next half of the book would be dedicated to untangling some of these mysterious and exploring more of the world, right?
Yeah, no.
The next half of the book is dedicated to Nik trying to get with a girl he likes but getting the "I'm not one for relationships" treatment, brooding about it for some bit, meeting his ex-girlfriend and her new boyfriend, and then brooding about that in the most childish ways imaginable.
At one point, after hearing about the boyfriend's promotion, he stomps to his bedroom, slams the door and thinks, "okay, that was kind of immature," and then proceeds to rip away all the posters on his walls in a fit of rage. Which is, of course, the far more mature option.
And the biggest kicker is that these childish fits come with dollops of self-awareness. Comments like "He knew he was being immature" and "What was he doing?" doesn't make him any more likeable or complex, it just makes his actions all the more baffling.
The side characters fare no better, with some verging on caricature-levels of ridiculous. I mean, just what am I supposed to do with dialogue like this?
"I have a girlfriend now. And you know what that means?"
"That you--"
"Sex!" he interrupted. "And I don't have to tell you, but this sex thing? It is some seriously good shit."
The other protagonist, Jem, is much more likeable, if a little bland. Through her PoV chapters we get glimpses of the Resistance group's conflict with the Synths, and Terminator vibes are most definitely present here in a good way.
But then halfway through the book I came across this one nonsensical sequence of events involving Jem and her love interest and I just had to call it quits. While a non-irritating protagonist is a big plus, I generally like my characters to come with credible motivations and actions that make sense.
If you can ignore cringey romance and unlikable characters, the story might be entertaining in a messy kind of way. It wasn't to be for me, unfortunately.
Review copy provided by the publisher via Edelweiss
June 24, 2018
Fresh and exhilarating, even for a jaded and bored fantasy fan such as myself. Stayed up late several nights in a row, and let my kids eat too many junk snacks in order to burn through the pages.
September 28, 2018
3.75 out of 5 stars
In 2120, humans can no longer reproduce, artificially intelligent overlords have a stranglehold on humanity, and small communities of mages are hidden throughout the world. Nikolai, a newly minted mage Edge Guard, protects the border between his world and ours, while Jem, a cybernetically enhanced human, smuggles contraband away from the watchful eyes of Earth’s AI overseers.
What’s so alluring about this book is that its characters are basically living in two different genres. Nikolai is attempting to come-of-age in a Harry Potter-ish mage community, while Jem is just trying to survive and overthrow evil AIs in a Terminator/Fallout/Children of Men-ish post-apocalyptic world. Jumping between their perspectives kept me engaged and kept things fresh throughout this lengthy tome while I waited for their storylines to converge. It did seem that Nikolai’s story was more fleshed out than Jemma’s, but I enjoyed them both for what they were.
And although I winced at a few overexplain-y info dumps, bristled at some cringe-y romance, and was slightly disappointed by a concluding act that somehow feels both rushed and overlong, I found Mage Against the Machine to be a fun genre-mashup that was an utterly enjoyable ride.
My thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
https://spikegelato.com/2018/09/28/re...
In 2120, humans can no longer reproduce, artificially intelligent overlords have a stranglehold on humanity, and small communities of mages are hidden throughout the world. Nikolai, a newly minted mage Edge Guard, protects the border between his world and ours, while Jem, a cybernetically enhanced human, smuggles contraband away from the watchful eyes of Earth’s AI overseers.
What’s so alluring about this book is that its characters are basically living in two different genres. Nikolai is attempting to come-of-age in a Harry Potter-ish mage community, while Jem is just trying to survive and overthrow evil AIs in a Terminator/Fallout/Children of Men-ish post-apocalyptic world. Jumping between their perspectives kept me engaged and kept things fresh throughout this lengthy tome while I waited for their storylines to converge. It did seem that Nikolai’s story was more fleshed out than Jemma’s, but I enjoyed them both for what they were.
And although I winced at a few overexplain-y info dumps, bristled at some cringe-y romance, and was slightly disappointed by a concluding act that somehow feels both rushed and overlong, I found Mage Against the Machine to be a fun genre-mashup that was an utterly enjoyable ride.
My thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
https://spikegelato.com/2018/09/28/re...
December 5, 2018
Finally a book equal to Pierce Brown's Red Rising series!
Mages versus robots, clashing in a post-Apocalyptic world. Yeah. Can't go wrong there with beautiful writing and characters. The world is like home, yet so not. I had a blast reading this one and cannot wait for the next!
4 1/2 stars
Mages versus robots, clashing in a post-Apocalyptic world. Yeah. Can't go wrong there with beautiful writing and characters. The world is like home, yet so not. I had a blast reading this one and cannot wait for the next!
4 1/2 stars
December 2, 2018
Great read, started and done in less than 24 hours... Mixed my 2 favorite genres (SciFi/Fantasy) and was a great adventure. Hoping this new author followed up with a sequel!
November 18, 2018
I'm a sucker for torture. Maybe that's what attracted me to this book with its grim yet fantastical cover and premise. Maybe that's why I'm so bored with the typical fare in the Sci-fi and Fantasy genres. This book is a welcome breath of fresh air.
Praise:
Firstly, the thematic and tonal consistency of this book is astounding. Everything, from the overarching plot to the characterization of each individual in it, informs themes buried in age-old questions: Can untested goodness actually be considered good? Is escapism dangerous? Is there a limit to what one should sacrifice for love?
Secondly, damn. Finally, a main character with flaws other than being 'too nice' or 'too meek' or some other faux fatal flaw that really only serves to bolster the protagonist's sympathetic standing in the eyes of the reader. Nik is fucked up. He's not right every time - most of the time, even. But he makes human choices. Choices that are uncomfortable, choices that make sense, choices that speak to the trauma his character has endured. Finally, past issues actually manifest in a fictitious person and aren't dismissed as immediately as they're introduced so that the author can keep readers comfortable or just use that trauma to make their character seem even more righteous when they pick the obvious hero's path.
Also, the setting is vivid and immersive. The mostly separate worlds of advanced technology and arcane magic collide as the author fleshes out two societies, both equally dystopian. The book has massive scope but isn't strained by it. You can tell someone took their time with this.
Not Quite Praise:
This book isn't for everyone. Sometimes it just HURTS. If you're looking to stay comfortable from start to finish then this book isn't recommended. Honestly, I'm a little unused to actions in books having actual consequence that isn't negated by convenient writing.
As refreshing as the plot is, though, after you get into the rhythm of the narrative you can quite easily see where things are headed.
If you like this book, I'd recommend reading the Skullduggery series. Honestly, not as solidly written as this one, but they're easy reads, loads of fun, and, even though they don't seem it at first, /profoundly/ PAINFULL.
Praise:
Firstly, the thematic and tonal consistency of this book is astounding. Everything, from the overarching plot to the characterization of each individual in it, informs themes buried in age-old questions: Can untested goodness actually be considered good? Is escapism dangerous? Is there a limit to what one should sacrifice for love?
Secondly, damn. Finally, a main character with flaws other than being 'too nice' or 'too meek' or some other faux fatal flaw that really only serves to bolster the protagonist's sympathetic standing in the eyes of the reader. Nik is fucked up. He's not right every time - most of the time, even. But he makes human choices. Choices that are uncomfortable, choices that make sense, choices that speak to the trauma his character has endured. Finally, past issues actually manifest in a fictitious person and aren't dismissed as immediately as they're introduced so that the author can keep readers comfortable or just use that trauma to make their character seem even more righteous when they pick the obvious hero's path.
Also, the setting is vivid and immersive. The mostly separate worlds of advanced technology and arcane magic collide as the author fleshes out two societies, both equally dystopian. The book has massive scope but isn't strained by it. You can tell someone took their time with this.
Not Quite Praise:
This book isn't for everyone. Sometimes it just HURTS. If you're looking to stay comfortable from start to finish then this book isn't recommended. Honestly, I'm a little unused to actions in books having actual consequence that isn't negated by convenient writing.
As refreshing as the plot is, though, after you get into the rhythm of the narrative you can quite easily see where things are headed.
If you like this book, I'd recommend reading the Skullduggery series. Honestly, not as solidly written as this one, but they're easy reads, loads of fun, and, even though they don't seem it at first, /profoundly/ PAINFULL.
December 16, 2018
Amazing book! Beautiful world building and deep characters I cared about the whole way through. The main character is so well thought out I was constantly rooting for him even when he was being an ass! I can't wait to see more from this author and from this world.
February 7, 2019
Excellent read. Action, suspense, and Magic; what more could you want? Great descriptions, it keeps the mind reeling with magical possibilities. And you don't have to be a magic geek to love this book. I'm new to the fantasy genre, never read Harry Potter (I know, I know...), and was hooked from the start.
October 11, 2018
Mage Against the Machine is a true Science Fantasy novel. Strong story threads of both science fiction dystopia and utopic fantasy are woven together to create a seamless blend of Science Fantasy.
The synopsis focuses on Nik but a good half of the book is from Jem’s perspective and I wish she’d have been more represented in the synopsis as she’s a much more compelling narrator to me than Nik. Nik, unfortunately, has a terrible case of the poor-me’s and I found him incredibly unlikeable, which resulted in the loss of the star. He makes terrible decisions, is aware that he’s making terrible decisions and then doubles down on the terrible decisions with more terrible decisions. Half of the Nik’s parts of the book are him throwing tantrums.
Throughout the book Jem also makes bad decisions, but at the end of the day, her motivations made more sense, and wherever she could she made decisions that were the best she thought she could do at the time. She may choose wrong, but she’s choosing from a place I can sympathize with. I largely enjoyed her POV sections.
The overall story, unlikeable Nik aside, was a really enjoyable read. Two very different worlds exist and Barger did an excellent job fleshing the two societies out. I loved the tension he built when describing Jem’s running operations. Nik’s world was so interesting and I could read hours more about Focals and how the mages function. The layers of conspiracy ran deep and I found that plot really emgaging. I also loved the details like Nik’s handmade knockoff Chucks. Barger obviously spent a lot of time working out how his two universes would work and it shows in his prose.
I’m looking forward to the second book, and I desperately hope Nik does some serious character growth in the next installment of the series.
Mage Against the Machine hits shelves October 30.
Thank you to Saga Press for providing me with an eARC of the book in exchange for my honest review.
The synopsis focuses on Nik but a good half of the book is from Jem’s perspective and I wish she’d have been more represented in the synopsis as she’s a much more compelling narrator to me than Nik. Nik, unfortunately, has a terrible case of the poor-me’s and I found him incredibly unlikeable, which resulted in the loss of the star. He makes terrible decisions, is aware that he’s making terrible decisions and then doubles down on the terrible decisions with more terrible decisions. Half of the Nik’s parts of the book are him throwing tantrums.
Throughout the book Jem also makes bad decisions, but at the end of the day, her motivations made more sense, and wherever she could she made decisions that were the best she thought she could do at the time. She may choose wrong, but she’s choosing from a place I can sympathize with. I largely enjoyed her POV sections.
The overall story, unlikeable Nik aside, was a really enjoyable read. Two very different worlds exist and Barger did an excellent job fleshing the two societies out. I loved the tension he built when describing Jem’s running operations. Nik’s world was so interesting and I could read hours more about Focals and how the mages function. The layers of conspiracy ran deep and I found that plot really emgaging. I also loved the details like Nik’s handmade knockoff Chucks. Barger obviously spent a lot of time working out how his two universes would work and it shows in his prose.
I’m looking forward to the second book, and I desperately hope Nik does some serious character growth in the next installment of the series.
Mage Against the Machine hits shelves October 30.
Thank you to Saga Press for providing me with an eARC of the book in exchange for my honest review.
November 29, 2018
Practically devoured the book, only to find the meal was cut short at the end.
The core premise (runaway science vs magic) is hugely attractive, it has plenty of action passages (sometimes barely justified), it has a doubly imaginative world building (needs more spells, though), and many characters are intriguing, even if not all are well-rounded... Why did I give it only 3 stars?
1. Too slow. The pacing is quick, but the plot advances slowly. A daring escape takes page after page after page, wasting precious space as the book nears its end, meanwhile loose threads keep piling.
2. Read bait. The book is evidently meant to be the first in a series, yet it could have done more with 500 pages. The ending feels incomplete, thrilling but hungry for real answers to its own questions.
3. Language. Imagine Harry Potter in his twenties, throwing f-bombs because it's cool. Imagine everyone important doing it occasionally. It's not very frequent, just enough to be distracting.
All being said, I will definitely read the next book in the series. I even changed the rating to 4 stars at the last moment because it's not a masterpiece, but it's a decent and entertaining book.
The core premise (runaway science vs magic) is hugely attractive, it has plenty of action passages (sometimes barely justified), it has a doubly imaginative world building (needs more spells, though), and many characters are intriguing, even if not all are well-rounded... Why did I give it only 3 stars?
1. Too slow. The pacing is quick, but the plot advances slowly. A daring escape takes page after page after page, wasting precious space as the book nears its end, meanwhile loose threads keep piling.
2. Read bait. The book is evidently meant to be the first in a series, yet it could have done more with 500 pages. The ending feels incomplete, thrilling but hungry for real answers to its own questions.
3. Language. Imagine Harry Potter in his twenties, throwing f-bombs because it's cool. Imagine everyone important doing it occasionally. It's not very frequent, just enough to be distracting.
All being said, I will definitely read the next book in the series. I even changed the rating to 4 stars at the last moment because it's not a masterpiece, but it's a decent and entertaining book.
November 6, 2018
Intriguing premise with, mostly, direct and natural action. I found it fun and intriguing with the right hint of emotion, even if that emotion is most often angst and guilt. Even at its length (nearly 500 pages, quite long for a debut), I found it very easy to read.
There are some sticky points, especially at the end where you aren't quite sure what is going on. There is a penultimate scene where one of the two protagonists is fighting a "Moonwatch" and the mage/wizard character does something seemingly extraordinary, but the whole scene is rushed and incomplete. It seemed like it wanted to be a "Gohan unleashes his true power" moment, but it doesn't quite land like it could. There are other examples of rushed scenes like that through the novel, which can be a bit distracting, but the conceptual clarity and worldbuilding is good enough to overcome some of the more fraught moments of sticky prose.
Overall, yes, I would recommend it. Barger shows talent to spin a yarn that should give this legs for a series (at least one more book) if the publisher wants to go down that road.
There are some sticky points, especially at the end where you aren't quite sure what is going on. There is a penultimate scene where one of the two protagonists is fighting a "Moonwatch" and the mage/wizard character does something seemingly extraordinary, but the whole scene is rushed and incomplete. It seemed like it wanted to be a "Gohan unleashes his true power" moment, but it doesn't quite land like it could. There are other examples of rushed scenes like that through the novel, which can be a bit distracting, but the conceptual clarity and worldbuilding is good enough to overcome some of the more fraught moments of sticky prose.
Overall, yes, I would recommend it. Barger shows talent to spin a yarn that should give this legs for a series (at least one more book) if the publisher wants to go down that road.
May 2, 2021
I really wouldn't say this was anything like Harry Potter, but it did remind me of the terminator.
I really don't think this book could've been over a four star. I found the sci-fi, human world so much more interesting then the Mage world. I also did not like Nikolai at all. I liked Jem better, but there were moments when I didn't like her either. But also I don't have to like the characters to enjoy the book. But I really don't care for Nik. I find him whinny, immature, selfish, self destructive, and annoying. Nik's personality never progressed passed five years old. He wants what he wants and he doesn't care if it's bad for him. He wants Ilyana, even though she isn't a good person. He wants Aston, even though she has a boyfriend and broke up with Nik when they were kids for very good reasons. He wants to keep drinking, even though he knows he's drunk and the bar is full of people who aren't happy with him. He wants to get into a fight in the rough part of town, even though he's drunk and he almost loses that fight.
He couldn't even sacrifice himself for the humans he's basically obsessed over his whole life. Nik's character arc was so weird. He spends the first half of the book hating everyone in Marblewood, only really caring about his old friends for short bursts. I also don't like how Nik just didn't care about the weird stuff that happened to him first thing in the book. If I learned that my mom was trying to do the shit, I would be fucking curious. Even if I was pining away for one of my friends, I would do more snooping then just looking at one book in a library.
I like Jem a lot more. She is more interesting, the sci-fi in this world is more interesting then the magic side. I was suspicious of Eva when she reappeared and Jem's new job. I actually am not 100% against Eva's plan. I think that the VR junkies need to wake up if the world is going to change and I think giving the masses the abilities to fight would help, but drastically changing the personalities of everyone in the world is not the way to do it. I do think things between Jem and Blue were a little fast, but it is the apocalypse so I can forgive that. I personally fell in love very fast, so a few months into a relationship during the apocalypse seems like plenty of time to fall in love. If that's what happened.
I really like how the main characters didn't meet until over half way through the book. I enjoy when that happens because it allows me as the reader to get a full opinion on each character before they start interacting. That being said, the meeting was weird and anticlimactic.
The last 100-150 pages were better then the whole of Nik's POV the previous chapters. I think it ended on a stronger note and I would be willing to read a 5 stars. sequel. I think if Nik's personality took a drastic change, I could even give it a a better rating. Although I think a few characters would need personality changes.
I really didn't like how everyone was basically an ass to each other. Hugging one moment then licking a face or no contact for weeks or years. I specifically didn't like Astor juggling organs and Ilyana's hot and coldness.
Joseph is a sweet bean that deserves better
I really don't think this book could've been over a four star. I found the sci-fi, human world so much more interesting then the Mage world. I also did not like Nikolai at all. I liked Jem better, but there were moments when I didn't like her either. But also I don't have to like the characters to enjoy the book. But I really don't care for Nik. I find him whinny, immature, selfish, self destructive, and annoying. Nik's personality never progressed passed five years old. He wants what he wants and he doesn't care if it's bad for him. He wants Ilyana, even though she isn't a good person. He wants Aston, even though she has a boyfriend and broke up with Nik when they were kids for very good reasons. He wants to keep drinking, even though he knows he's drunk and the bar is full of people who aren't happy with him. He wants to get into a fight in the rough part of town, even though he's drunk and he almost loses that fight.
He couldn't even sacrifice himself for the humans he's basically obsessed over his whole life. Nik's character arc was so weird. He spends the first half of the book hating everyone in Marblewood, only really caring about his old friends for short bursts. I also don't like how Nik just didn't care about the weird stuff that happened to him first thing in the book. If I learned that my mom was trying to do the shit, I would be fucking curious. Even if I was pining away for one of my friends, I would do more snooping then just looking at one book in a library.
I like Jem a lot more. She is more interesting, the sci-fi in this world is more interesting then the magic side. I was suspicious of Eva when she reappeared and Jem's new job. I actually am not 100% against Eva's plan. I think that the VR junkies need to wake up if the world is going to change and I think giving the masses the abilities to fight would help, but drastically changing the personalities of everyone in the world is not the way to do it. I do think things between Jem and Blue were a little fast, but it is the apocalypse so I can forgive that. I personally fell in love very fast, so a few months into a relationship during the apocalypse seems like plenty of time to fall in love. If that's what happened.
I really like how the main characters didn't meet until over half way through the book. I enjoy when that happens because it allows me as the reader to get a full opinion on each character before they start interacting. That being said, the meeting was weird and anticlimactic.
The last 100-150 pages were better then the whole of Nik's POV the previous chapters. I think it ended on a stronger note and I would be willing to read a 5 stars. sequel. I think if Nik's personality took a drastic change, I could even give it a a better rating. Although I think a few characters would need personality changes.
I really didn't like how everyone was basically an ass to each other. Hugging one moment then licking a face or no contact for weeks or years. I specifically didn't like Astor juggling organs and Ilyana's hot and coldness.
Joseph is a sweet bean that deserves better
February 7, 2019
SPOILER FREE REVIEW
Judging from the publisher quote (and that beautiful cover) this is clearly meant to be a showdown between Harry Potter and the T-1000. The way I saw it, this is more like: Harry Potter and a muggle must team up to stop HAL (from 2001: A Space Odyssey) from destroying both their worlds – but first they’ll have to trust one another. And trust, like this impending war, goes both ways.
Genre fans will find subtle references to everything from Potter, to Children of Men, Ready Player One, The Matrix, and a dozen others, but Barger carefully places his characters in a unique world that is all his own, in a time and place that will prove to be historic for the future of three competing classes (those without power, the humans; those with power, the magi; and those that abuse power; the AI). Considering this is the first installment, by a first-time author, MATM is an incredible success.
In MATM, Barger imagines a world a hundred years from now with landscapes both beautiful and hellish, and ideas that are fresh and unique, with a wonderful mix of YA and adult fantasy. Where J. K. Rowling and George R. R. Martin reminded us in grand fashion that death can come to anyone at any time, Barger reminds us in MATM that humans may never measure up to the utopian ideals we set for ourselves and that love and hate are often times the same face on the same coin.
While anyone could find something to love with MATM, it’s clearly oriented towards the now-grown Potter fans, the 80s kids, lovers of long-form storytelling, and those who may feel a bit bored by the current sci-fi glut. With rave reviews and an impending sequel, this is a good time to hop off the Hogwarts Express and see what lies beyond the Veil.
Judging from the publisher quote (and that beautiful cover) this is clearly meant to be a showdown between Harry Potter and the T-1000. The way I saw it, this is more like: Harry Potter and a muggle must team up to stop HAL (from 2001: A Space Odyssey) from destroying both their worlds – but first they’ll have to trust one another. And trust, like this impending war, goes both ways.
Genre fans will find subtle references to everything from Potter, to Children of Men, Ready Player One, The Matrix, and a dozen others, but Barger carefully places his characters in a unique world that is all his own, in a time and place that will prove to be historic for the future of three competing classes (those without power, the humans; those with power, the magi; and those that abuse power; the AI). Considering this is the first installment, by a first-time author, MATM is an incredible success.
In MATM, Barger imagines a world a hundred years from now with landscapes both beautiful and hellish, and ideas that are fresh and unique, with a wonderful mix of YA and adult fantasy. Where J. K. Rowling and George R. R. Martin reminded us in grand fashion that death can come to anyone at any time, Barger reminds us in MATM that humans may never measure up to the utopian ideals we set for ourselves and that love and hate are often times the same face on the same coin.
While anyone could find something to love with MATM, it’s clearly oriented towards the now-grown Potter fans, the 80s kids, lovers of long-form storytelling, and those who may feel a bit bored by the current sci-fi glut. With rave reviews and an impending sequel, this is a good time to hop off the Hogwarts Express and see what lies beyond the Veil.
February 22, 2019
Single Song Soundtrack: "People of the Sun" by Rage Against the Machine
Mage Against the Machine by Shaun Barger has a lot going on. I would argue that it has too much going on, and because of that, the narrative suffers. Which is a shame. At times, Mage Against the Machine was difficult to put down. However, just as often, I struggled to get through parts of it. Mage Against the Machine works from an interesting premise but can’t quite deliver.
So what is that premise?
The novel is set on Earth about 100 years into the future. The world is split into two different societies: those that can use magic and those that cannot.
The wizards and sorceresses (Barger’s term not mine) live in idyllic pockets of civilization that are shielded from the outside world by a domes, called Veils. In general, they have no contact with the non-magic users and believe that humanity all perished in a nuclear holocaust set off by a crazy wizard who had managed to beguile enough leaders with nukes into launching them.
Non-magic users (again ordinary humans in Barger’s lexicon) have no idea that wizards and sorceresses exist. They are the stuff of fiction. Humanity did survive the nuclear event but are now under the thumb of an oppressive network of advanced AI entities, known as Overminds. These robot overlords give people jobs and offer an addictive form of escapism through virtual reality googles. On top of that, the Synths (as they are called repeatedly in the novel) have infected the population with some sort of nano-disease that has rendered every man and woman of child-bearing age infertile. The population is shrinking.
However, not everyone has been cowed so easily. A resistance movement has been operating through an underground network with the intent of destroying the Overminds and giving the Earth back to the people! Hell yeah!
If this sounds like a mash up of a lot of different stories, it’s because it is. And, like I said above, it’s too much. The book bills itself as Harry Potter meets the Terminator, which is only partially right. Mage Against the Machine is more like Harry Potter meets the Terminator for lunch but then the Matrix shows and they have to switch to a larger table. Then the Hunger Games and Mazerunner see them and pop over to see what’s what. Ghost in the Shell makes an unexpected entrance. More seats are required. The whole party is forced to move to one of those super long tables where you can’t hear all of the conversation and everyone starts to argue over who’s gonna split the check.
I might have digressed there for a moment.
The two main actors Mage Against the Machine are Nikolai and Jem. Nik is a battle mage. He’s like a Jason Bourne type specialist ops character but with magic instead of a lot of quick cut action scenes. Nik, who is an angst-filled twenty-something, learns a spell from a cursed revolver that allows him to bust through the veil. He quickly finds himself in a world he thought didn’t exist. He sees dead people…recently dead people. Humanity didn’t expire in a fiery explosion.
Some robots find Nik, nearly kill him, he escapes and makes it to an old military base where a group of people have carved out a living. And an uneasy truce with the Overminds. The humans have nukes and they aren’t afraid to use them. This bothers the robots, though Barger never really goes into the reasons why. We can guess but it comes off as he just didn’t think it through.
Jem is a ballerina turned resistance fighter. She has spent most of her teens and early twenties as a low-level operative in the movement, helping relocate people from one place to the next. The novel picks up with Jem meeting a contact and another two people to guide through a byzantine network of old subway lines and other tunnels built by the resistance.
Her charges, she soon discovers, are two women. One is a doctor. The other is pregnant. Yep, they have found a cure for the nano-disease. Humanity might be saved by a young woman named Blue. Jem only needs to get her some place safe.
Stuff happens and naturally, Jem and Nik meet at this military base. The AI wants Nik because he’s a curiosity to them. A fight ensues. Nik and Jem make a run for it back to the Veils. Jem discovers a whole new world (sing it with me!!) but the robots are persistent. More stuff happens. Nik’s home Veil is threatened. A battle ensues. More escapes and the book ends.
If you read that and said to yourself, “Sweet Jesus that sounds like a hot mess!” It’s because it is. Mage Against the Machine is a mash-up of so many different genres and stories that it doesn’t really work. Don’t get me wrong, there are moments of brilliance, which is why I give it three stars. But they are counterbalanced with unnecessary plot points, ridiculous action sequences and an ending that ultimately feels rushed. The writing lets it down at so many points, as well, but I’ve already ranted about that.
Mage Against the Machine could be something special. Instead it reads like an attempt to get a movie deal out of Hollywood. That’s pretty harsh to say, I know it is….and I do feel bad about writing that here. Generally, I try not to be upsetting or negative. Conversely, I don’t want to misrepresent my take on the book.
Should you read it? I dunno. If you can borrow it from the library, and a post-apocalyptic world filled with wizards and mugg..errr…humans appeals to you, go for it. Beyond that, like I said, I dunno.
Thanks for reading along and have a great weekend!
Kev
Mage Against the Machine by Shaun Barger has a lot going on. I would argue that it has too much going on, and because of that, the narrative suffers. Which is a shame. At times, Mage Against the Machine was difficult to put down. However, just as often, I struggled to get through parts of it. Mage Against the Machine works from an interesting premise but can’t quite deliver.
So what is that premise?
The novel is set on Earth about 100 years into the future. The world is split into two different societies: those that can use magic and those that cannot.
The wizards and sorceresses (Barger’s term not mine) live in idyllic pockets of civilization that are shielded from the outside world by a domes, called Veils. In general, they have no contact with the non-magic users and believe that humanity all perished in a nuclear holocaust set off by a crazy wizard who had managed to beguile enough leaders with nukes into launching them.
Non-magic users (again ordinary humans in Barger’s lexicon) have no idea that wizards and sorceresses exist. They are the stuff of fiction. Humanity did survive the nuclear event but are now under the thumb of an oppressive network of advanced AI entities, known as Overminds. These robot overlords give people jobs and offer an addictive form of escapism through virtual reality googles. On top of that, the Synths (as they are called repeatedly in the novel) have infected the population with some sort of nano-disease that has rendered every man and woman of child-bearing age infertile. The population is shrinking.
However, not everyone has been cowed so easily. A resistance movement has been operating through an underground network with the intent of destroying the Overminds and giving the Earth back to the people! Hell yeah!
If this sounds like a mash up of a lot of different stories, it’s because it is. And, like I said above, it’s too much. The book bills itself as Harry Potter meets the Terminator, which is only partially right. Mage Against the Machine is more like Harry Potter meets the Terminator for lunch but then the Matrix shows and they have to switch to a larger table. Then the Hunger Games and Mazerunner see them and pop over to see what’s what. Ghost in the Shell makes an unexpected entrance. More seats are required. The whole party is forced to move to one of those super long tables where you can’t hear all of the conversation and everyone starts to argue over who’s gonna split the check.
I might have digressed there for a moment.
The two main actors Mage Against the Machine are Nikolai and Jem. Nik is a battle mage. He’s like a Jason Bourne type specialist ops character but with magic instead of a lot of quick cut action scenes. Nik, who is an angst-filled twenty-something, learns a spell from a cursed revolver that allows him to bust through the veil. He quickly finds himself in a world he thought didn’t exist. He sees dead people…recently dead people. Humanity didn’t expire in a fiery explosion.
Some robots find Nik, nearly kill him, he escapes and makes it to an old military base where a group of people have carved out a living. And an uneasy truce with the Overminds. The humans have nukes and they aren’t afraid to use them. This bothers the robots, though Barger never really goes into the reasons why. We can guess but it comes off as he just didn’t think it through.
Jem is a ballerina turned resistance fighter. She has spent most of her teens and early twenties as a low-level operative in the movement, helping relocate people from one place to the next. The novel picks up with Jem meeting a contact and another two people to guide through a byzantine network of old subway lines and other tunnels built by the resistance.
Her charges, she soon discovers, are two women. One is a doctor. The other is pregnant. Yep, they have found a cure for the nano-disease. Humanity might be saved by a young woman named Blue. Jem only needs to get her some place safe.
Stuff happens and naturally, Jem and Nik meet at this military base. The AI wants Nik because he’s a curiosity to them. A fight ensues. Nik and Jem make a run for it back to the Veils. Jem discovers a whole new world (sing it with me!!) but the robots are persistent. More stuff happens. Nik’s home Veil is threatened. A battle ensues. More escapes and the book ends.
If you read that and said to yourself, “Sweet Jesus that sounds like a hot mess!” It’s because it is. Mage Against the Machine is a mash-up of so many different genres and stories that it doesn’t really work. Don’t get me wrong, there are moments of brilliance, which is why I give it three stars. But they are counterbalanced with unnecessary plot points, ridiculous action sequences and an ending that ultimately feels rushed. The writing lets it down at so many points, as well, but I’ve already ranted about that.
Mage Against the Machine could be something special. Instead it reads like an attempt to get a movie deal out of Hollywood. That’s pretty harsh to say, I know it is….and I do feel bad about writing that here. Generally, I try not to be upsetting or negative. Conversely, I don’t want to misrepresent my take on the book.
Should you read it? I dunno. If you can borrow it from the library, and a post-apocalyptic world filled with wizards and mugg..errr…humans appeals to you, go for it. Beyond that, like I said, I dunno.
Thanks for reading along and have a great weekend!
Kev
March 28, 2019
Woah....& Wow. Shaun had a vision, a dream that Nikolai would be able to tell his story and a fantastical one it is. I'll admit it took me a third of the book to become ravenous, but then it was on. It's a strange thing to be a friend of the author...because I definitely see a little of Shaun in Nik. I love flawed characters, ones that you keep rooting for them no matter how lame they can be (I tend to write the same type). I absolutely loved the mash-up of magic and technology. Lot's going on, but when you dig in it's really a masterful tale.
December 20, 2018
Mage Against the Machine has a fantastic title. And that may be the best thing I can say about this book.
If you know me, you know that I don't particularly enjoy writing bad reviews of anything. I do my best to find at least something that I liked about every book or show. When a review copy of Mage Against the Machine showed up on my doorstep, I was definitely intrigued. The premise is fascinating to say the least and there's a lot that could potentially have been done with it. It's the execution that's lacking because there is just far too much going on. Also the protagonist makes me want to smack him over the head.
The other big problem with the book comes from its female characters. Unfortunately, it is painfully obvious they were written by a man. It's great that Jemma is a queer character and is in a relationship with another woman but the relationship just... happens. There's no emotional depth to it. And it doesn’t get better the more we get to know Jemma.
Like I said, there were some really interesting concepts but this book was just... not for me. At all. And I’m very glad to finally be done reading it.
If you know me, you know that I don't particularly enjoy writing bad reviews of anything. I do my best to find at least something that I liked about every book or show. When a review copy of Mage Against the Machine showed up on my doorstep, I was definitely intrigued. The premise is fascinating to say the least and there's a lot that could potentially have been done with it. It's the execution that's lacking because there is just far too much going on. Also the protagonist makes me want to smack him over the head.
The other big problem with the book comes from its female characters. Unfortunately, it is painfully obvious they were written by a man. It's great that Jemma is a queer character and is in a relationship with another woman but the relationship just... happens. There's no emotional depth to it. And it doesn’t get better the more we get to know Jemma.
Like I said, there were some really interesting concepts but this book was just... not for me. At all. And I’m very glad to finally be done reading it.
February 10, 2019
I'm not going to lie, this was pretty amazing.
Most angrily-written reviews here are mainly revolving around, or at least pointing out, one of the two protagonists, Nikolai, so that is what this review is going to be about.
They seem to loathe him for being, what? Arrogant? Yes. Selfish? Yes. Jealous and bitter? Yes and yes. But the real reason most people dislike Nikolai is because of what all those little unpleasant traits add up to — the main character is flawed. Boo-hoo, you don't have your perfect, pristine, flawless character. If anything, Shaun Barger made this character a thousand times more real to me just by immediately establishing that he's flawed! Hell, the first scene in the entire book is Nikolai breaking the rules and doing some stupid shit. But my god, this character is deep. Finally someone real. Hate me for saying it, go ahead, I haven't read all too many books about real people, because there simply aren't enough of them.
I personally love the fact that the characters are flawed. Nik's PoV did a great job of representing his character, the story not being told in perfect-pretty form, comes straight from Nik's mind. You can see his personality within the words and his thoughts, and people look like they hate the book because of it. But to me, take out the unique blend of machine vs magic, and Nikolai's poV was still a beautifully detailed glimpse into the life of a troubled, depressed, spiteful young man, and how he thinks and lives and decides because of it.
All in all, the book was extremely detailed and well-written, and I personally thoroughly enjoyed the mixture of personal life and oh-my-god-the-world-is-all-a-lie life. I liked reading the chapters of troubled Nikolai's past life and friends, enjoyed the mysterious background, the fun times that I felt like I was a part of whilst lost in the pages.
*If you're reading this, Shaun Barger, then you did a great job for your first novel. This book is truly such a wonder and was such a pain to tear my eyes away from. Thank you for making these diverse characters seem so real and likeable because of their flaws, and for weaving in this shocking, gripping, suspenseful, action-packed, brilliant, much-needed plotline for my otherwise dull life.*
Most angrily-written reviews here are mainly revolving around, or at least pointing out, one of the two protagonists, Nikolai, so that is what this review is going to be about.
They seem to loathe him for being, what? Arrogant? Yes. Selfish? Yes. Jealous and bitter? Yes and yes. But the real reason most people dislike Nikolai is because of what all those little unpleasant traits add up to — the main character is flawed. Boo-hoo, you don't have your perfect, pristine, flawless character. If anything, Shaun Barger made this character a thousand times more real to me just by immediately establishing that he's flawed! Hell, the first scene in the entire book is Nikolai breaking the rules and doing some stupid shit. But my god, this character is deep. Finally someone real. Hate me for saying it, go ahead, I haven't read all too many books about real people, because there simply aren't enough of them.
I personally love the fact that the characters are flawed. Nik's PoV did a great job of representing his character, the story not being told in perfect-pretty form, comes straight from Nik's mind. You can see his personality within the words and his thoughts, and people look like they hate the book because of it. But to me, take out the unique blend of machine vs magic, and Nikolai's poV was still a beautifully detailed glimpse into the life of a troubled, depressed, spiteful young man, and how he thinks and lives and decides because of it.
All in all, the book was extremely detailed and well-written, and I personally thoroughly enjoyed the mixture of personal life and oh-my-god-the-world-is-all-a-lie life. I liked reading the chapters of troubled Nikolai's past life and friends, enjoyed the mysterious background, the fun times that I felt like I was a part of whilst lost in the pages.
*If you're reading this, Shaun Barger, then you did a great job for your first novel. This book is truly such a wonder and was such a pain to tear my eyes away from. Thank you for making these diverse characters seem so real and likeable because of their flaws, and for weaving in this shocking, gripping, suspenseful, action-packed, brilliant, much-needed plotline for my otherwise dull life.*
May 20, 2019
What an adolescent crap fest. More than 300 pages for the protagonists to meet. Both are overpowered childish selfish assholes who only do stuff by accident or in reflexive response. The author seems to think that an abused/war background is enough to redeem their behavior, but there are other characters in the book that had the same experiences and still fucking grew up. Keep in mind that the leads do not appear to have any character growth at all through 500 pages; they are sorry like an abuser is sorry - until they do it again. It is infuriating to read.
If you really loved the Hayden Christiansen version of Anakin Skywalker, then you might like these folks. For me, I wish I hadn’t powered through to see where the plot was going. A sequel, clearly, but the author is dropping major hints of new and unpleasant background data, because that’s all we need.
Feels like 3 sci fi post apocalyptic horror screenplays squeezed together, with a side of YA narcissism.
Avoid.
If you really loved the Hayden Christiansen version of Anakin Skywalker, then you might like these folks. For me, I wish I hadn’t powered through to see where the plot was going. A sequel, clearly, but the author is dropping major hints of new and unpleasant background data, because that’s all we need.
Feels like 3 sci fi post apocalyptic horror screenplays squeezed together, with a side of YA narcissism.
Avoid.
January 12, 2019
I love the title. And I wanted to love this book because of it. But it was, for the most part, just okay. Not great, and not terrible.
I will say, the third act is f*cking nuts. Just absolute bananas. But that's about the only thing that sparked any sort of engagement in me.
The protagonist reminds me of the kind of kid who winds up being a middle school active shooter. The kind of whiny loser who feels overly aggrieved at every little thing, especially the Chads who took his girl. Basically, he sucks and I kind of hate him.
I didn't really care much about anyone else in the book, and when that's the case, "the fate of humanity" isn't something that seems like a big deal either. So the stakes are kinda moot. And there's not much else driving the story. No notable character development, no charm...just some pretty good actions scenes at the end.
I will say, the third act is f*cking nuts. Just absolute bananas. But that's about the only thing that sparked any sort of engagement in me.
The protagonist reminds me of the kind of kid who winds up being a middle school active shooter. The kind of whiny loser who feels overly aggrieved at every little thing, especially the Chads who took his girl. Basically, he sucks and I kind of hate him.
I didn't really care much about anyone else in the book, and when that's the case, "the fate of humanity" isn't something that seems like a big deal either. So the stakes are kinda moot. And there's not much else driving the story. No notable character development, no charm...just some pretty good actions scenes at the end.
August 3, 2018
The idea is great, but the actual product is less so. 500+ pages spent largely with a completely unlikable protagonist in a world that doesn't really hold up to close scrutiny was just way too much. It doesn't help that the author's influences are very present on the page and that this is apparently the first in a series. In so many ways this book had the potential to really excite me and become a favorite and instead it became a slog that I kept hoping would redeem itself. Sadly, for me, it just felt like the author throwing all the things they love on the page with the result being over-long and rather messy. I wanted to love it, but it just didn't work for me.
December 3, 2018
A bit much, Barger has a great grasp for dialogue, but he is trying to mix way too much in this and thus it never gels.
None of his main characters are very likable and the blend of magic and sf just never becomes believable. He stretches every situation too much, making only his main characters as flawed as they are the only ones who can save the world. Too many near misses and unexplained events.
Spoiler alert, how Nik's hand grows back makes little sense in the world Barger has set up to that point in the story.
This is first in a series and will definitely be my last, may be younger YA graduates will buy this mess but glad I got this from the library.
None of his main characters are very likable and the blend of magic and sf just never becomes believable. He stretches every situation too much, making only his main characters as flawed as they are the only ones who can save the world. Too many near misses and unexplained events.
Spoiler alert, how Nik's hand grows back makes little sense in the world Barger has set up to that point in the story.
This is first in a series and will definitely be my last, may be younger YA graduates will buy this mess but glad I got this from the library.
April 10, 2019
I was hooked from the very start - such a cool idea and a meshing of a lot of my favorite things. Who wouldn’t like magic mixed with sci-fi thrills? I truly rooted for the characters. Super stoked for the next one!
dnf
January 4, 2020I received a finished copy of this book in exchange for review from Wunderkind PR and Saga Press.
This one sat on my shelves for a long period of time, as the premise did not particularly appeal to me. This is a crossover of the post-apocalyptic and magic subgenres, which I think some people may really enjoy. I read about 20% of the book and realized that it would not be for me; both the writing style and the characters did not suit my particular reading preferences.
This one sat on my shelves for a long period of time, as the premise did not particularly appeal to me. This is a crossover of the post-apocalyptic and magic subgenres, which I think some people may really enjoy. I read about 20% of the book and realized that it would not be for me; both the writing style and the characters did not suit my particular reading preferences.
August 27, 2019
In a post apocalyptic world, AI's and enhanced people have taken over, except for the kingdom of Mage's that have hidden themselves from the rest of the population. When a young Mage "knight" comes to down and helps out an enhanced woman scheduled for "termination", the two worlds collide and the battle ensues. A fun read, I'd like to see more from Barger in this world.
November 12, 2024
Dystopia!
Wizard boy vs society
Robot girl vs society
Wizard boy and robot girl vs MORE ROBOTS!!
Enjoyed this!
Wizard boy vs society
Robot girl vs society
Wizard boy and robot girl vs MORE ROBOTS!!
Enjoyed this!
July 27, 2019
This is a book that suffered from not only trying to do too much, but also from having a thoroughly unlikable protagonist. Now, I didn’t hate this book by any means, and some parts of it were highly engaging, but I do also think it had the potential to be so much better and it’s a shame it didn’t live up to that.
First off, let’s explore the concept which I think was pretty fascinating. In this version of the world there have always been mages, living in secret. When humanity finally starts to destroy the world and all of each other, the mages retreat to their own magical worlds they’ve created, essentially little pocket dimensions sprinkled throughout the world that were hidden from the rest of humanity. Mages don’t consider themselves humans, even though they are very much like humans. They consider themselves something different, something better. They’ve been told they’re not allowed to leave the protection of their domed cities as the world outside has been destroyed by humans, that all the humans are long since dead, and going outside could kill them almost immediately.
But, that’s not exactly true. Yes, the world outside has gone to downhill in a big way as what’s left of humanity is either subjugated by or fighting against AI’s that want to rule the world. It’s VERY much a classic science fiction scenario outside the domes. And that’s where the concept of the book really takes off, an epic melding of two genres. Except they don’t really meld so much as exist side by side for most of the book. Through alternating chapters were following either Nik’s story in the domes filled with magic and a strange nostalgia for late 20th century humanity (which felt kind of odd and out of place, like it was thrown in there to capture some recent trend–I say that as someone who loves nostalgia) or Jem’s struggle to smuggle people into safe houses where the AI can’t find them. They’re two very different stories running parallel to one another. It was a little jarring to keep jumping back and forth between them at first, but after a while I didn’t mind. I feel like the idea behind this was interesting but I’m not sure if it worked out as well as it could have in execution. It could have felt smoother somehow.
The other issue with having two separate stories going back and forth like that is often you’ll end up enjoying one more than the other and that’s certainly what happened to me. Let’s pause for a minute and talk about Nik’s character. He’s not likable. He’s a self-absorbed jerk who never thinks about other people except what they can do for him. He likes one girl in the beginning, one of his room mates, and it feels like he’s going to moon over her for a while, but then immediately get sucked back into feelings for his old flame upon returning home for a visit/exile. I guess his feelings for the first girl weren’t that deep? So, let’s add shallow to our description as well. Nik, to say the least, is a mess. And you know I don’t have issues with characters starting out a mess so that they can grow throughout the story and redeem themselves later. But I don’t think Nik ever really did that for me. Right up until the very end he was still making bad decisions, the only thing different is that he was slightly less selfish in that he wanted to save his fellow mages. He’s still pretty much a jerk and I’m actually annoyed that some things worked out for him!
So, back to the issue of separate stories going back and forth. Obviously, I did not enjoy Nik’s chapters all that much. I didn’t think they were all that engaging and didn’t like spending time with his character. I did, however, enjoy Jem’s chapters quite a bit. Jem isn’t a perfect character either, and some of her actions not only confused herself but me as well, but at least you wanted to root for her. Not only that, but her chapters were much more engaging and the pacing was better within them. That’s not to say these chapters were without issues–Jem did too much flip flopping about her decisions which became kind of tedious after the first couple of times, but it was easy to empathize with her character for the most part. But the issue comes in when you enjoy one way more than the other, it makes for a very uneven reading experience.
Overall, I thought Mage Against the Machine had the potential to be a great novel fusing different speculative fiction elements, but the ingredients just didn’t come together for me in the end. 2.5/5 stars.
Thanks to the folks at Wunderkind PR and Saga Press for sending me a copy for review purposes. This did not affect my review in any way.
First off, let’s explore the concept which I think was pretty fascinating. In this version of the world there have always been mages, living in secret. When humanity finally starts to destroy the world and all of each other, the mages retreat to their own magical worlds they’ve created, essentially little pocket dimensions sprinkled throughout the world that were hidden from the rest of humanity. Mages don’t consider themselves humans, even though they are very much like humans. They consider themselves something different, something better. They’ve been told they’re not allowed to leave the protection of their domed cities as the world outside has been destroyed by humans, that all the humans are long since dead, and going outside could kill them almost immediately.
But, that’s not exactly true. Yes, the world outside has gone to downhill in a big way as what’s left of humanity is either subjugated by or fighting against AI’s that want to rule the world. It’s VERY much a classic science fiction scenario outside the domes. And that’s where the concept of the book really takes off, an epic melding of two genres. Except they don’t really meld so much as exist side by side for most of the book. Through alternating chapters were following either Nik’s story in the domes filled with magic and a strange nostalgia for late 20th century humanity (which felt kind of odd and out of place, like it was thrown in there to capture some recent trend–I say that as someone who loves nostalgia) or Jem’s struggle to smuggle people into safe houses where the AI can’t find them. They’re two very different stories running parallel to one another. It was a little jarring to keep jumping back and forth between them at first, but after a while I didn’t mind. I feel like the idea behind this was interesting but I’m not sure if it worked out as well as it could have in execution. It could have felt smoother somehow.
The other issue with having two separate stories going back and forth like that is often you’ll end up enjoying one more than the other and that’s certainly what happened to me. Let’s pause for a minute and talk about Nik’s character. He’s not likable. He’s a self-absorbed jerk who never thinks about other people except what they can do for him. He likes one girl in the beginning, one of his room mates, and it feels like he’s going to moon over her for a while, but then immediately get sucked back into feelings for his old flame upon returning home for a visit/exile. I guess his feelings for the first girl weren’t that deep? So, let’s add shallow to our description as well. Nik, to say the least, is a mess. And you know I don’t have issues with characters starting out a mess so that they can grow throughout the story and redeem themselves later. But I don’t think Nik ever really did that for me. Right up until the very end he was still making bad decisions, the only thing different is that he was slightly less selfish in that he wanted to save his fellow mages. He’s still pretty much a jerk and I’m actually annoyed that some things worked out for him!
So, back to the issue of separate stories going back and forth. Obviously, I did not enjoy Nik’s chapters all that much. I didn’t think they were all that engaging and didn’t like spending time with his character. I did, however, enjoy Jem’s chapters quite a bit. Jem isn’t a perfect character either, and some of her actions not only confused herself but me as well, but at least you wanted to root for her. Not only that, but her chapters were much more engaging and the pacing was better within them. That’s not to say these chapters were without issues–Jem did too much flip flopping about her decisions which became kind of tedious after the first couple of times, but it was easy to empathize with her character for the most part. But the issue comes in when you enjoy one way more than the other, it makes for a very uneven reading experience.
Overall, I thought Mage Against the Machine had the potential to be a great novel fusing different speculative fiction elements, but the ingredients just didn’t come together for me in the end. 2.5/5 stars.
Thanks to the folks at Wunderkind PR and Saga Press for sending me a copy for review purposes. This did not affect my review in any way.
October 27, 2021
When I first encountered this book two things made me look it up: the cover and the title. I kinda like the band Rage Against The Machine and I was curious if there's any link to them. None, but the story still sounded very interesting so the book made it to my wishlist.
I didn't waited long before buying it, bit much more to actually read it.
And damn it was a great idea for me to buy this book!
I just finished it and I have to tell you, it's amazing. It's quite rare to find a book where both the fantasy and a sci-fi line are so strong. I loved the idea of mages being a different race as humans and them being unaware of the humanity NOT going extinct.
From the main characters I liked Jem more in the beginning because she was a competent, strong female protagonist and she wasn't annoying the readers with love stories totally unrelated to the other things going on. It was a nice touch making her not straight. Plus points that it's not in-your-face-obvious which is a common mistake when someone tries to make a queer character.
So I really liked Jem, even though she made mistakes, some really big ones also but al those horrible things really made her better. Slowly but she realized how could she make things better and still, while the past haunted her, she managed to win and go on with her life and not killing Nikolai in the process.
Which wasn't an easy task because around page 150 (I think) I really started to dislike him. He was nice, loveable in the begining, you'd feel pity towards him for being an outsider with a quite horrible childhood behind his back. And he made mistakes, stupid ones even, when I thought that he might not be the sharpest knife in the drawer but it wasn't too bad. Then he totally f*cked up everything. I understand now that it kinda had to be done so he could have his uprise later but at that time he really annoyed me. Like terrible childhood doesn't legalize every bad choice in your life. And even after he rised a bit above all his negative experiences, he still managed to descend a bit... He waited till the end to become his best form and I believe he can still be better. He has a lot to learn and to evolve but maybe this time he's on the right track.
In all, I can say that this novel is action-packed, exciting and also horrifying. The future it paints for us is horrible with all the "evil machines" we already saw multiple times but these might be worse then in the Terminator movies. Also it was quite interesting to know our world ended in 2020, while reading it in 2021 :D
I'm excited to read a sequels, because I saw that there'll be three more volumes if I'm remembering right. I hoped this is not a standalone because the end didn't really give us closure. You can feel there a lot of stuff that needs to be happening and I'm here for it.
I didn't waited long before buying it, bit much more to actually read it.
And damn it was a great idea for me to buy this book!
I just finished it and I have to tell you, it's amazing. It's quite rare to find a book where both the fantasy and a sci-fi line are so strong. I loved the idea of mages being a different race as humans and them being unaware of the humanity NOT going extinct.
From the main characters I liked Jem more in the beginning because she was a competent, strong female protagonist and she wasn't annoying the readers with love stories totally unrelated to the other things going on. It was a nice touch making her not straight. Plus points that it's not in-your-face-obvious which is a common mistake when someone tries to make a queer character.
So I really liked Jem, even though she made mistakes, some really big ones also but al those horrible things really made her better. Slowly but she realized how could she make things better and still, while the past haunted her, she managed to win and go on with her life and not killing Nikolai in the process.
Which wasn't an easy task because around page 150 (I think) I really started to dislike him. He was nice, loveable in the begining, you'd feel pity towards him for being an outsider with a quite horrible childhood behind his back. And he made mistakes, stupid ones even, when I thought that he might not be the sharpest knife in the drawer but it wasn't too bad. Then he totally f*cked up everything. I understand now that it kinda had to be done so he could have his uprise later but at that time he really annoyed me. Like terrible childhood doesn't legalize every bad choice in your life. And even after he rised a bit above all his negative experiences, he still managed to descend a bit... He waited till the end to become his best form and I believe he can still be better. He has a lot to learn and to evolve but maybe this time he's on the right track.
In all, I can say that this novel is action-packed, exciting and also horrifying. The future it paints for us is horrible with all the "evil machines" we already saw multiple times but these might be worse then in the Terminator movies. Also it was quite interesting to know our world ended in 2020, while reading it in 2021 :D
I'm excited to read a sequels, because I saw that there'll be three more volumes if I'm remembering right. I hoped this is not a standalone because the end didn't really give us closure. You can feel there a lot of stuff that needs to be happening and I'm here for it.
May 17, 2021
The cover art and title made me preorder this one (though I’m just now actually reading it...).
The title is just cool and, as a music lover, struck a chord with me that made me look deeper into this book.
The cover art, by Marko Manev, is superb — expertly done and eye-catching. The cover designer isn’t credited so I’m assuming it was done in-house — it’s very simple, effective, but could have used a little more.
Now, whoever came up with the blurb, “Harry Potter meets the Terminator”, I feel like they didn’t actually read the book... This has pretty much zero likenesses to Potter, is pretty dark at times, cuss words used freely, and some sexual material here and there — if you’re expecting a Potter-esque story here you’re gonna be disappointed.
And other than having robots it really doesn’t relate to the Terminator either...*shrugs
BUT
It is a great book, and I’m really glad it wasn’t similar to those franchises. Barger has created something new and exciting here and it stands on its own.
The story is set on Earth, primarily in America, but other areas are mentioned, 100 years after a magical ‘nuclear’ war laid waste to the world...except for the magically inclined people who live inside domed areas called Veils. Veils have a magical cloaking that makes them invisible to regular eyes.
The people who live in these Veils are Magi, and can harness magical powers. They’re assigned two items upon a certain age called Focals, which are used to channel their magic, and are used to dictate which career path they’ll take.
The Magi think the world outside the Veils is an uninhabitable wasteland, but Nicolai, the protagonist, is visited by someone with a message from his deceased mother, a message from beyond the Veil, and a new spell that will allow him to see the truth of what’s been hidden from them for 100 years.
I really enjoyed this one! Sorcerers, robot overlords, cybernetic-enhanced humans, great characters, action, adventure, and an alternate Earth that begs for more exploration.
If any of that sounds good to you, or if you’re just looking for something new and different I highly recommend you give this one a try. I’m not sure if there’ll ever be a sequel, but it stands on its own quite well.
The title is just cool and, as a music lover, struck a chord with me that made me look deeper into this book.
The cover art, by Marko Manev, is superb — expertly done and eye-catching. The cover designer isn’t credited so I’m assuming it was done in-house — it’s very simple, effective, but could have used a little more.
Now, whoever came up with the blurb, “Harry Potter meets the Terminator”, I feel like they didn’t actually read the book... This has pretty much zero likenesses to Potter, is pretty dark at times, cuss words used freely, and some sexual material here and there — if you’re expecting a Potter-esque story here you’re gonna be disappointed.
And other than having robots it really doesn’t relate to the Terminator either...*shrugs
BUT
It is a great book, and I’m really glad it wasn’t similar to those franchises. Barger has created something new and exciting here and it stands on its own.
The story is set on Earth, primarily in America, but other areas are mentioned, 100 years after a magical ‘nuclear’ war laid waste to the world...except for the magically inclined people who live inside domed areas called Veils. Veils have a magical cloaking that makes them invisible to regular eyes.
The people who live in these Veils are Magi, and can harness magical powers. They’re assigned two items upon a certain age called Focals, which are used to channel their magic, and are used to dictate which career path they’ll take.
The Magi think the world outside the Veils is an uninhabitable wasteland, but Nicolai, the protagonist, is visited by someone with a message from his deceased mother, a message from beyond the Veil, and a new spell that will allow him to see the truth of what’s been hidden from them for 100 years.
I really enjoyed this one! Sorcerers, robot overlords, cybernetic-enhanced humans, great characters, action, adventure, and an alternate Earth that begs for more exploration.
If any of that sounds good to you, or if you’re just looking for something new and different I highly recommend you give this one a try. I’m not sure if there’ll ever be a sequel, but it stands on its own quite well.
August 27, 2018
This took me forever to read. I started it in June and just finished it now (it's the end of August). There were a few reasons this didn't work for me. First of all, there was just too much going on, what with the wizard society and a post apocalyptic, post nuclear human society that is at war with AIs. I like genre bending, and I don't mind going into a book a bit blind and learning about the world as I go. However, to make this work, you need to connect to some of the characters, otherwise, you don't have a reason to try and understand the world, or care what happens.
Speaking of characters, the characters didn't work very well either. Nikolai was just downright unlikable. He was angry and broody and bratty. However, I preferred him to Jem who I never connected to at all. There was lots of action, but without really being invested in the characters, I just didn't really care. This was also the first in the series. After struggling to get through this one, I have no intention of reading the next one.
*I received an Advanced Reader Copy of this book from Indigo Books and Music Inc. in exchange for an honest review*
Speaking of characters, the characters didn't work very well either. Nikolai was just downright unlikable. He was angry and broody and bratty. However, I preferred him to Jem who I never connected to at all. There was lots of action, but without really being invested in the characters, I just didn't really care. This was also the first in the series. After struggling to get through this one, I have no intention of reading the next one.
*I received an Advanced Reader Copy of this book from Indigo Books and Music Inc. in exchange for an honest review*
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