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Magic: The Gathering: Artifacts Cycle #1
The Brothers' War
The Myth. The Magic.
Dominarian legends speak of a mighty conflict, obscured by the mists of history. Of a conflict between the brothers Urza and Mishra for supremacy on the continent of Terisiare. Of titantic engines that scarred and twisted the very planet. Of a final battle that sank continents and shook the skies.
The saga of the Brothers' War.
Dominarian legends speak of a mighty conflict, obscured by the mists of history. Of a conflict between the brothers Urza and Mishra for supremacy on the continent of Terisiare. Of titantic engines that scarred and twisted the very planet. Of a final battle that sank continents and shook the skies.
The saga of the Brothers' War.
Linked to the Antiquities expansion of the Magic: The Gathering trading card game.
409 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1998
382 people are currently reading
1810 people want to read
About the author
Jeff Grubb
199 books193 followersHe is an author and game designer.
See more at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_Grubb
See more at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_Grubb
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 134 reviews
August 9, 2019
I loved this book, not for its content, but because of the impact it had on me.
I read this book for the first time 15 years ago, when I got the entire Artifacts Cycle for Christmas. I have to admit, above all else, that it has not aged as well as I would have liked. My entire life I would have called this my favorite book, but now that I've got so many more stories under my belt and given this a critical look, I'm inclined to reconsider.
First of all, this story had to exist. If you know anything about Magic: the Gathering, you probably know that the epic continent-spanning battle between Urza and Mishra is one of the most iconic and integral elements of Magic's history. I used to claim that you don't need to know anything about Magic to love this story, and while that's technically true, it seems like this novel was actually written with the assumption that every single card in the entire Antiquities expansion must get name-dropped, no exceptions. In my first reading, I was excited to see the plot unfold, but this time I found myself stopping to point out, "oh that's this card" every single time an obligatory name is mentioned. Sometimes it's awkward and feels forced, but if you have no prior knowledge of such old Magic: the Gathering lore, you won't even notice.
The plot is great. It's a well-developed and deeply-intertwined sequence of events with all the right payoffs and "aha" moments. In a lot of ways, this is a story about getting older, and seeing that from the lens of my 13-year-old self and present day, the story hits me in a different way. I'm glad for that, because it made the reread worthwhile, but it's also quite sobering as it prompts a reflection on one's life choices and brings to light how quickly things change. Now that I'm older, a lot of the themes make a lot more sense to me: character motivations political machinations are a lot clearer and easier to follow than when I was younger.
The editing is absolutely dreadful. Many sentences flow awkwardly, and words and punctuation are often doubled or misused entirely.
It's a really long book for what it is, but in my opinion, it sets the stage for much more important stories. If you've ever been curious about Magic's 20+ year backstory and you want to dig deeper into the story that started it all, I would recommend this. But if you're not a Magic storyline enthusiast (or a 13-year-old SciFi enthusiast) this book is not for you.
I read this book for the first time 15 years ago, when I got the entire Artifacts Cycle for Christmas. I have to admit, above all else, that it has not aged as well as I would have liked. My entire life I would have called this my favorite book, but now that I've got so many more stories under my belt and given this a critical look, I'm inclined to reconsider.
First of all, this story had to exist. If you know anything about Magic: the Gathering, you probably know that the epic continent-spanning battle between Urza and Mishra is one of the most iconic and integral elements of Magic's history. I used to claim that you don't need to know anything about Magic to love this story, and while that's technically true, it seems like this novel was actually written with the assumption that every single card in the entire Antiquities expansion must get name-dropped, no exceptions. In my first reading, I was excited to see the plot unfold, but this time I found myself stopping to point out, "oh that's this card" every single time an obligatory name is mentioned. Sometimes it's awkward and feels forced, but if you have no prior knowledge of such old Magic: the Gathering lore, you won't even notice.
The plot is great. It's a well-developed and deeply-intertwined sequence of events with all the right payoffs and "aha" moments. In a lot of ways, this is a story about getting older, and seeing that from the lens of my 13-year-old self and present day, the story hits me in a different way. I'm glad for that, because it made the reread worthwhile, but it's also quite sobering as it prompts a reflection on one's life choices and brings to light how quickly things change. Now that I'm older, a lot of the themes make a lot more sense to me: character motivations political machinations are a lot clearer and easier to follow than when I was younger.
The editing is absolutely dreadful. Many sentences flow awkwardly, and words and punctuation are often doubled or misused entirely.
It's a really long book for what it is, but in my opinion, it sets the stage for much more important stories. If you've ever been curious about Magic's 20+ year backstory and you want to dig deeper into the story that started it all, I would recommend this. But if you're not a Magic storyline enthusiast (or a 13-year-old SciFi enthusiast) this book is not for you.
March 11, 2010
Not that great. Grubb's writing is poor. I did find myself enjoying it more and more towards the end, however, i do not recommend it, even to a fan of the card game.
May 9, 2012
By far my favorite book from the Artifacts Cycle. The characters were well written and the world rich in imagery and invention. The Brothers War is a how-it-all-started piece, and while not all the information is given up-front, the twists at the end weave events together adequately.
The writing itself was a bit erratic and slow to start, but the story was captivating and the characters believable. The end seemed somewhat rushed, which I found forgivable since the loose ends were tied up without the story seeming forced.
I would definitely recommend this book to any fan of Magic: The Gathering, and will even go so far to say it is a must-read if you like the game.
If you're not a big fan of the game, it also does well on it's own (it would be much like watching a Star Trek movie and missing out on all the references from the show), and I would still recommend it.
The writing itself was a bit erratic and slow to start, but the story was captivating and the characters believable. The end seemed somewhat rushed, which I found forgivable since the loose ends were tied up without the story seeming forced.
I would definitely recommend this book to any fan of Magic: The Gathering, and will even go so far to say it is a must-read if you like the game.
If you're not a big fan of the game, it also does well on it's own (it would be much like watching a Star Trek movie and missing out on all the references from the show), and I would still recommend it.
March 7, 2016
I recently started playing the card game Magic: The Gathering (again), and enjoying it immensely, so I thought I would give the book world a spin. I believe I'd tried it years ago, but gave up rather quickly.
Ostensibly "War and Peace," but in the Magic: The Gathering world, this book wends its way through four generations, though it mostly focuses on the one featuring Urza and Mishra, the two titular brothers, and their endless squabbling.
My biggest problem with this book is one I think Grubb struggled with, as well, and that is: neither Urza nor Mishra are very likable. They have to remain petty children throughout the entire book for everything that needs to happen plotwise to happen. In order to get around this, Grubb decides to start focusing more on their assistants, Tawnos (for Urza) & Ashnod (for Mishra), who both get along but just happen to be on opposite sides of the building conflict. Hell, later in the book Grubb even makes Harbin, probably-Urza's son (though possibly Mishra's), into a starring character. Tawnos and Ashnod are decently enjoyable, but I kept wondering why they didn't just run away somewhere less ridiculous. Harbin just never gets enough screen time to feel like anything more than a placeholder.
I kept pushing myself through this, hoping for at least some explanation of different M:TG cards. I now know what an ornithopter is. Dear God, do I know what an ornithopter is. Beyond that, nothing much sprang to mind (possibly because all the cards mentioned in here are older, more difficult cards to get a hold of). Beyond that, however, mana is confusing (it's the ... memories of one's homeland ... put into a magic bowl ... ?), no one appears to cast a spell (except at the end, where Urza apparently casts Obliterate? Which isn't a spell that would have been out at this point, I don't think. And again, he needs the magic bowl for it).
If nothing else, this very firmly establishes Urza as the Elminster of this world, Dominaria as the kind of "base world" amongst the M:TG universe, and Phyrexia as the boo-hiss bad guys. I'm curious to see where this goes, but I'm planning to skim a lot before I get somewhere worthwhile.
Ostensibly "War and Peace," but in the Magic: The Gathering world, this book wends its way through four generations, though it mostly focuses on the one featuring Urza and Mishra, the two titular brothers, and their endless squabbling.
My biggest problem with this book is one I think Grubb struggled with, as well, and that is: neither Urza nor Mishra are very likable. They have to remain petty children throughout the entire book for everything that needs to happen plotwise to happen. In order to get around this, Grubb decides to start focusing more on their assistants, Tawnos (for Urza) & Ashnod (for Mishra), who both get along but just happen to be on opposite sides of the building conflict. Hell, later in the book Grubb even makes Harbin, probably-Urza's son (though possibly Mishra's), into a starring character. Tawnos and Ashnod are decently enjoyable, but I kept wondering why they didn't just run away somewhere less ridiculous. Harbin just never gets enough screen time to feel like anything more than a placeholder.
I kept pushing myself through this, hoping for at least some explanation of different M:TG cards. I now know what an ornithopter is. Dear God, do I know what an ornithopter is. Beyond that, nothing much sprang to mind (possibly because all the cards mentioned in here are older, more difficult cards to get a hold of). Beyond that, however, mana is confusing (it's the ... memories of one's homeland ... put into a magic bowl ... ?), no one appears to cast a spell (except at the end, where Urza apparently casts Obliterate? Which isn't a spell that would have been out at this point, I don't think. And again, he needs the magic bowl for it).
If nothing else, this very firmly establishes Urza as the Elminster of this world, Dominaria as the kind of "base world" amongst the M:TG universe, and Phyrexia as the boo-hiss bad guys. I'm curious to see where this goes, but I'm planning to skim a lot before I get somewhere worthwhile.
October 23, 2013
I wanted to enjoy some good pulp fantasy, and I'd played Magic: The Gathering back in the day, so I was looking forward to this dramatization. With low expectations and good humor, I started into it. What a disappointment! Grubb has a flair for description (as any good fantasy author should) and decent characterization, and the setting hooked me at first. Dominaria is a world of commerce and rationality that dismisses artifice and magic as superstitious legends. One thing always leads to another, and a pair of brothers end up opening Pandora's box in their archaeological vocation. Cue the dramatic explosions, the emotional rift, the world-changing grudge.
The cliches were expected, as was the melodrama, so I tried to let those slide and enjoy the yarn. Unfortunately, this novel became unforgivably poor. Grubb has a propensity to end chapters with suspenseful, foreshadowing statements such as, "To Argoth's pain and her own shame, she would live to see how wrong she had been." In fact, the text abounds with cringeworthy moments that should leave any decently-read person shocked that it ever came to the press. Foundational characters turn out to be unspeakably naive, making grave errors that facilitate lazy plot development. Many of the book's most dramatic moments occur through a dazed montage, a sort of 'we all know what's coming' vaguery that seems to want to excuse the author of properly building his narrative. As a result, the book reads as more of a history with a few personal flairs thrown in, and the whole work lacks detail, development, suspense, and all the juicy bits we really want from this kind of fiction! I didn't like either of the Brothers, nor identify with their silly war, making this an ultimately unsatisfying experience.
It's a shame, because the source material is quite rich, and I could see tantalizing strands of it reaching through. This really should have been a series (3-4 books of the same length) to allow the narrative to develop and breathe. This novel is short, but it doesn't even manage to be breathless.
The cliches were expected, as was the melodrama, so I tried to let those slide and enjoy the yarn. Unfortunately, this novel became unforgivably poor. Grubb has a propensity to end chapters with suspenseful, foreshadowing statements such as, "To Argoth's pain and her own shame, she would live to see how wrong she had been." In fact, the text abounds with cringeworthy moments that should leave any decently-read person shocked that it ever came to the press. Foundational characters turn out to be unspeakably naive, making grave errors that facilitate lazy plot development. Many of the book's most dramatic moments occur through a dazed montage, a sort of 'we all know what's coming' vaguery that seems to want to excuse the author of properly building his narrative. As a result, the book reads as more of a history with a few personal flairs thrown in, and the whole work lacks detail, development, suspense, and all the juicy bits we really want from this kind of fiction! I didn't like either of the Brothers, nor identify with their silly war, making this an ultimately unsatisfying experience.
It's a shame, because the source material is quite rich, and I could see tantalizing strands of it reaching through. This really should have been a series (3-4 books of the same length) to allow the narrative to develop and breathe. This novel is short, but it doesn't even manage to be breathless.
June 8, 2024
As a fan of the Brothers' War setting and expansion this was admittedly a fun read, however I'd only recommend this as supplementary material if you'd like a little background on the lore behind the cards.
It's unfortunate that this cool idea suffers from such flat characters, boring prose and rushed story beats. In the book's defense, I have no doubt it's difficult to shove 50 years of invented history into the plot of one short novel.
The author has a bad habit of simply telling us of events in the past tense instead of describing them as they happen. We want to see and feel the exciting stuff! At one point towards the end, there's a description of a battle that occurred only hours before, completely matter of fact and lacking any emotion at all.
This book would have been so much better if it was in the format of a historical text, à la Fire and Blood, perhaps with Tawnos as the author + an epilogue from Urza's perspective. I feel this would streamline the story massively and give it a little extra cohesion, coming from a singular perspective, as well as turning the academic tone of the writing into a boon instead of a shortcoming.
All-in-all, a little disappointing, even for a book based on a card game lol. Still had fun with it and will give the sequels a go.
It's unfortunate that this cool idea suffers from such flat characters, boring prose and rushed story beats. In the book's defense, I have no doubt it's difficult to shove 50 years of invented history into the plot of one short novel.
The author has a bad habit of simply telling us of events in the past tense instead of describing them as they happen. We want to see and feel the exciting stuff! At one point towards the end, there's a description of a battle that occurred only hours before, completely matter of fact and lacking any emotion at all.
This book would have been so much better if it was in the format of a historical text, à la Fire and Blood, perhaps with Tawnos as the author + an epilogue from Urza's perspective. I feel this would streamline the story massively and give it a little extra cohesion, coming from a singular perspective, as well as turning the academic tone of the writing into a boon instead of a shortcoming.
All-in-all, a little disappointing, even for a book based on a card game lol. Still had fun with it and will give the sequels a go.
January 9, 2023
Immerhin ist es inzwischen der dritte Magic-Roman, den ich gelesen habe. Dieser dreht sich um den weltverzehrenden Kampf der Brüder Urza gegen Mishra.
Positiv zu bewerten ist, dass Grubb viele ikonische Momente erleben lässt und auch einen in der Geschichte sinnvollen Abschluss findet, allerdings spannt die Erzählung auf relativ wenig Seiten einen so großen Zeitraum, dass viele gute Szenen übersprungen und so verkürzt sind, dass sie sich eher annalistisch lesen denn wirklich spannungsvoll. Gerade die korrumpierte Veränderung Mishras kommt dadurch leidlich zu kurz, ebenso Urzas Entwicklung und seine inneren Kämpfe. Letztlich sind aber auch die Mechanisierung und der Raubbau an der Welt nicht so erfahrbar, wie sie sein müssten, um ein wirklich gutes Buch darzustellen.
Gleichwohl bleibt die Saga kurzweilig und gerade das Ende ist relativ episch, auch wenn auch dieses leider wieder zu kurz, zu forciert und zu schnell ist.
Letztlich liegt hier das Potenzial für eine richtig gute Geschichte, die aber besser auf doppelter Länge erzählt worden wäre. So bleibt es so, dass man es brauchbar lesen kann, aber die großen Momente bleiben dadurch aus.
Positiv zu bewerten ist, dass Grubb viele ikonische Momente erleben lässt und auch einen in der Geschichte sinnvollen Abschluss findet, allerdings spannt die Erzählung auf relativ wenig Seiten einen so großen Zeitraum, dass viele gute Szenen übersprungen und so verkürzt sind, dass sie sich eher annalistisch lesen denn wirklich spannungsvoll. Gerade die korrumpierte Veränderung Mishras kommt dadurch leidlich zu kurz, ebenso Urzas Entwicklung und seine inneren Kämpfe. Letztlich sind aber auch die Mechanisierung und der Raubbau an der Welt nicht so erfahrbar, wie sie sein müssten, um ein wirklich gutes Buch darzustellen.
Gleichwohl bleibt die Saga kurzweilig und gerade das Ende ist relativ episch, auch wenn auch dieses leider wieder zu kurz, zu forciert und zu schnell ist.
Letztlich liegt hier das Potenzial für eine richtig gute Geschichte, die aber besser auf doppelter Länge erzählt worden wäre. So bleibt es so, dass man es brauchbar lesen kann, aber die großen Momente bleiben dadurch aus.
January 1, 2015
I think this is probably the first book I've ever read that I absolutely loved. It's certainly the first book I've read that I'd give a 5 to, Harry Potter aside. Through and through, it's a very amazing book. Of course, you probably have to be a Magic fan to enjoy it to the utmost, but I think it might be good enough regardless.
The first time I read it was during the 7th grade. I read it as a project, and a rather big project it was. It even included a map of Dominaria. I immersed myself in this as much as I could. I had been a Magic player prior to this and whilst reading it. I had also played a portion of the game that involved Urza, though only a portion. For those that have played during the Weatherlight saga (anything including Urza or the Weatherlight), you'll enjoy this book a ton.
The book covers the life of Urza and his brother Mishra. Urza and Mishra are two brothers, born on the same year, though Urza on the first and Mishra on the last. Urza is the kind of older brother who knows he's the smarter and wiser one. He's also ready to remind his younger brother he's the older one. Mishra lives in his older brother's shadow, and is always quick to remind his brother that on the last day of the year, they're the same age. Urza and Mishra are sent away to a camp as little kids where they look for relics of an ancient civilization thought to have been much more advanced than theirs. Urza develops into the braniac, spending his time in the library and researching, while Mishra develops into the brawn, spending his time out in the sun and searching for buried relics. The two are inevitably set on a collision course that will change the world.
The world building is what stands out the most to me in this book. They spend a lot of time searching after relics from this old civilization. So inevitably when they have interesting moments about them, you become really interested in them. World building is really huge in books and it's probably the thing I enjoy the most. Having some mystery in the book and uncovering it is really enjoyable for me. Jeff definitely does a good job at getting you hooked on it and giving you just enough to keep you interested while keeping you wanting more.
For any MTG fan, this is probably the first book I'd recommend for you to read. It's absolutely amazing and it's a good book regardless of whether you're a fan or not. For those who've spent ages on Dominaria or playing the game while Urza was the man, it's certainly going to fit right at home. I don't want to spoil too much but you'll definitely see some familiar things and have a trip down memory lane. More importantly you'll learn some of the backstory to the cards you've been playing with and the storyline the cards have been following. It's everything you could want or expect.
The first time I read it was during the 7th grade. I read it as a project, and a rather big project it was. It even included a map of Dominaria. I immersed myself in this as much as I could. I had been a Magic player prior to this and whilst reading it. I had also played a portion of the game that involved Urza, though only a portion. For those that have played during the Weatherlight saga (anything including Urza or the Weatherlight), you'll enjoy this book a ton.
The book covers the life of Urza and his brother Mishra. Urza and Mishra are two brothers, born on the same year, though Urza on the first and Mishra on the last. Urza is the kind of older brother who knows he's the smarter and wiser one. He's also ready to remind his younger brother he's the older one. Mishra lives in his older brother's shadow, and is always quick to remind his brother that on the last day of the year, they're the same age. Urza and Mishra are sent away to a camp as little kids where they look for relics of an ancient civilization thought to have been much more advanced than theirs. Urza develops into the braniac, spending his time in the library and researching, while Mishra develops into the brawn, spending his time out in the sun and searching for buried relics. The two are inevitably set on a collision course that will change the world.
The world building is what stands out the most to me in this book. They spend a lot of time searching after relics from this old civilization. So inevitably when they have interesting moments about them, you become really interested in them. World building is really huge in books and it's probably the thing I enjoy the most. Having some mystery in the book and uncovering it is really enjoyable for me. Jeff definitely does a good job at getting you hooked on it and giving you just enough to keep you interested while keeping you wanting more.
For any MTG fan, this is probably the first book I'd recommend for you to read. It's absolutely amazing and it's a good book regardless of whether you're a fan or not. For those who've spent ages on Dominaria or playing the game while Urza was the man, it's certainly going to fit right at home. I don't want to spoil too much but you'll definitely see some familiar things and have a trip down memory lane. More importantly you'll learn some of the backstory to the cards you've been playing with and the storyline the cards have been following. It's everything you could want or expect.
July 12, 2019
I love this book for what it adds to the lore of Magic: the Gathering.
I wish they had invested in a good edit. There's a lot of mistakes, and also a lot of extraneous plot that doesn't need to be there. I also found myself looking up a lot of words I'd never seen before.
Read this one before bed most nights with Robert. <3
I wish they had invested in a good edit. There's a lot of mistakes, and also a lot of extraneous plot that doesn't need to be there. I also found myself looking up a lot of words I'd never seen before.
Read this one before bed most nights with Robert. <3
July 18, 2017
This was a solid story, though the jumps in time between sections were a bit jarring. I also forgot who some of the characters were as time went on,very which to me says that the story was a bit longer than it needed to be. Overall a great kickoff to a great character in Urza. I look forward to reading more about him.
May 20, 2017
Overall I enjoyed this book quite a bit, it wasn't the most well written book ever but it was ok for what it is. My attention was held throughout wanting to know what happened next.
August 6, 2023
The brothers war is the most important novel in the magic the gathering lore. It is a tale of love betrayal, war, loss and ultimately utter and complete destruction. It is a rich vibrant world just begging to be explored.
I will say I've been a magic the gathering fan for over 20 years and will not deny I'm biased towards the entire series. This book though...its truly something special that ANY lover of fantasy will enjoy I think.
I had read this 3 separate times and only ever got halfway through. This is not because I disliked the book. Something just always seemed to pop up in my life whenever I picked up this book but I decided exactly one day before the posting of this review that I owed it to myself to finally finish it. Boy am I freaking glad I did. I read this book in one day front to back. I could not put it down. The world feels alive the characters feel real and the lore...jesus the lore is rich and massive but never overwhelming. I highly recommended this book.
I will say I've been a magic the gathering fan for over 20 years and will not deny I'm biased towards the entire series. This book though...its truly something special that ANY lover of fantasy will enjoy I think.
I had read this 3 separate times and only ever got halfway through. This is not because I disliked the book. Something just always seemed to pop up in my life whenever I picked up this book but I decided exactly one day before the posting of this review that I owed it to myself to finally finish it. Boy am I freaking glad I did. I read this book in one day front to back. I could not put it down. The world feels alive the characters feel real and the lore...jesus the lore is rich and massive but never overwhelming. I highly recommended this book.
October 6, 2023
I expected very little from an MTG tie-in. But what I got was a well crafted story. All the characters were interesting, especially the two brothers and I wish more space was given to them, but their development was nontheless excellently portrayed.
Wish the editor did a better job because several mistakes in the text were missed.
Wish the editor did a better job because several mistakes in the text were missed.
Read
April 3, 2024critics agree, that was definitely a book.
February 19, 2015
I enjoyed the story and the creativity using MtG devices, and I loved the explanation of what mana is that came in at the end, but the writing quality was meh. If I read the next books in the series, it'll definitely be at a later date, though they are written by different authors and probably about different characters. We'll see.
February 12, 2025
If you are a die hard fan of the Magic the Gathering Universe, this is a must read. The book itself was filled with descriptions and memorable characters.
The one thing I have to criticise is the portrayal of women in this book is quite... Kindly say old fashioned.
The one thing I have to criticise is the portrayal of women in this book is quite... Kindly say old fashioned.
September 16, 2007
Of the 30-or-so magic books I own, this is probably my favorite. In a way it parallels the cold war. "Remember me as I tried to be, not as I was..."
July 14, 2011
This book needs a movie.
May 23, 2018
Book 3 for JALL
This is the first book in about 40 (I counted), for the Magic the Gathering canon, just before the timelines were reset by Sarkhan. As such, this is crucial to the story (even if you don't care to keep up with the 'Oldwalkers' storyline.)
The book stars Urza and his brother Mishra. They are the main protagonists throughout the book, and are both entwined with each other. This is also the first (and to my knowledge the only book), that stars Urza without his planeswalker spark.
Characters- I love them all. Most of the book has a small cast (which is already something I adore.). I was actually hesitant to read the first in forty considering the already ballooning cast of characters from set to set, but I found the dozen at best or so characters to be memorable. I love Kayla (I didn't even know Urza HAD a wife.) and I love a few other characters. Their mannerisms are memorable and are very easy to spot and understand.
Setting- The setting of this book is in Dominaria, just before the 'Ice-Age'. The only negative about this book, is the amount of kingdoms you have to keep up with is ludicrous. Thankfully, if the title of the book didn't give it away, that number will quickly drop. It is large and expansive, despite the book being 'short' by my standards.
Plot- The plot and the characters are very closely tied. It is always moving, and the characters help move it. I can't unfortunately speak about the plot itself due to spoilers, but it does twist and nudge in very subtle directions with the characters.
Time to finish: I read through this in three days, a rare accomplishment even for me. I finished the book in about six hours. I usually am a very slow reader, but this was a fun read that had me turning the pages.
Strengths-
Even after nearly 20 years and the anniversary of the book being published coming up, it has aged rather well. Easy to read, easy to finish.
Characters are memorable, and even if you don't play the card game you can still enjoy this novel.
The plot...is so good. Due to the age of this book and how the wiki is never updated, I was kept on my toes and the lack of spoilers made this even more enticing.
NO INFO DUMP! (Alot of this book is characters interacting with eachother and the environment, so the infodump is not here thankfully. Even if you don't play the card game, you will be fine.)
Weaknesses
Some of the few kingdoms are shallow. The names are easy to mix up minus a few.
Overall, I highly recommend this book to fans and non-fans alike. Lucky for most, the book is very complete, and with a very 'thin' hook at the end for those who want to read the second and beyond, you can leave satisfied with just this one book.
This is the first book in about 40 (I counted), for the Magic the Gathering canon, just before the timelines were reset by Sarkhan. As such, this is crucial to the story (even if you don't care to keep up with the 'Oldwalkers' storyline.)
The book stars Urza and his brother Mishra. They are the main protagonists throughout the book, and are both entwined with each other. This is also the first (and to my knowledge the only book), that stars Urza without his planeswalker spark.
Characters- I love them all. Most of the book has a small cast (which is already something I adore.). I was actually hesitant to read the first in forty considering the already ballooning cast of characters from set to set, but I found the dozen at best or so characters to be memorable. I love Kayla (I didn't even know Urza HAD a wife.) and I love a few other characters. Their mannerisms are memorable and are very easy to spot and understand.
Setting- The setting of this book is in Dominaria, just before the 'Ice-Age'. The only negative about this book, is the amount of kingdoms you have to keep up with is ludicrous. Thankfully, if the title of the book didn't give it away, that number will quickly drop. It is large and expansive, despite the book being 'short' by my standards.
Plot- The plot and the characters are very closely tied. It is always moving, and the characters help move it. I can't unfortunately speak about the plot itself due to spoilers, but it does twist and nudge in very subtle directions with the characters.
Time to finish: I read through this in three days, a rare accomplishment even for me. I finished the book in about six hours. I usually am a very slow reader, but this was a fun read that had me turning the pages.
Strengths-
Even after nearly 20 years and the anniversary of the book being published coming up, it has aged rather well. Easy to read, easy to finish.
Characters are memorable, and even if you don't play the card game you can still enjoy this novel.
The plot...is so good. Due to the age of this book and how the wiki is never updated, I was kept on my toes and the lack of spoilers made this even more enticing.
NO INFO DUMP! (Alot of this book is characters interacting with eachother and the environment, so the infodump is not here thankfully. Even if you don't play the card game, you will be fine.)
Weaknesses
Some of the few kingdoms are shallow. The names are easy to mix up minus a few.
Overall, I highly recommend this book to fans and non-fans alike. Lucky for most, the book is very complete, and with a very 'thin' hook at the end for those who want to read the second and beyond, you can leave satisfied with just this one book.
December 30, 2016
'The Brothers' War' relates one of the most important (and well-known) events from the lore of MTG. The infamous brothers, Urza and Mishra, battle for dominance of Dominaria, creating enormous armies of extremely destructive artifacts and creatures, eventually leading to the cataclysmic final battle in which an entire continent of Terisiare is essentially destroyed. Jeff Grubb does an excellent job of relating this rather well-known story in a way that will keep you interested the whole time even though you know from the beginning what the final outcome will be. This is the longest MTG book (at least through 1998), and the story it tells is so epic that it really could have been divided into two or three individual books. A few of the scenes could have been expanded on, and Grubb was forced to skip years at a time in order to get the whole story in a single volume. It does make for an exciting read though, so I'm not complaining too much.
Many of the cards from the Antiquities expansion and the standard editions are used in the story, mainly the artifacts and artifact creatures. It doesn't seem forced however, with Grubb doing a great job of working them into the story in a way that seems believable and natural. Tawnos and Ashnod play major roles in the story and they, along with Mishra and Urza, are very well-developed characters with unique and consistent personalities. The most interesting aspect of the story to me was that you don't really have the good-vs-evil story found in most fantasy books. The war between Urza and Mishra results from fatalistic chances and misunderstandings rather than evil intentions by one side or the other. At some point during the book, Mishra does become the 'more evil' of the two, but both brothers are destroying land and lives to fight the other.
Bottom line, this is one of the best MTG books and tells one of the most important background stories of the MTG universe. The tale apparently continues in 'Planeswalker', which I look forward to reading.
Many of the cards from the Antiquities expansion and the standard editions are used in the story, mainly the artifacts and artifact creatures. It doesn't seem forced however, with Grubb doing a great job of working them into the story in a way that seems believable and natural. Tawnos and Ashnod play major roles in the story and they, along with Mishra and Urza, are very well-developed characters with unique and consistent personalities. The most interesting aspect of the story to me was that you don't really have the good-vs-evil story found in most fantasy books. The war between Urza and Mishra results from fatalistic chances and misunderstandings rather than evil intentions by one side or the other. At some point during the book, Mishra does become the 'more evil' of the two, but both brothers are destroying land and lives to fight the other.
Bottom line, this is one of the best MTG books and tells one of the most important background stories of the MTG universe. The tale apparently continues in 'Planeswalker', which I look forward to reading.
November 23, 2021
The Brothers war is a novel set in the universe of the Magic the Gathering franchise, and more specifically on the plane of Dominaria. This book is the first MTG novel and is also the first jump into what we would know now as the story and lore of the game.
The story follows the lives of the brothers Urza and Mishra, who are not twins but were born on the first and last day of the year respectively. The twin’s father remarries after the death of his wife and is convinced by his new spouse to send the children off to an archaeological dig site, where they can be watched by an old friend of his. The boys thrive on the site, with both developing a love for the artifacts and machines that they are helping to unearth from the ancient Thran civilization.
Despite being brothers Urza and Mishra do not get along and the discovery of a special power stone (think battery but for magic) leads the two to fight over the discovery and ends with the stone breaking into separate pieces. Each brother gets a half and their relationship deteriorates completely.
One night Mishra gets drunk attempts to steal Urza’s stone, but in the scuffle, the brothers accidentally kill their guardian and end up going their separate ways. Years later they meet once again and peace seems possible between the two men but fate will not allow it and their feud drags their whole continent into a massive war.
Behind the scenes, a dark creature called Gix tempts Mishra with power. Gix is a Phyrexian, a beastly creature made of flesh and metal that was once human but was subjected to ( or volunteered) to be warped into a “better” version of itself.
The book and the old lore of Magic in the general sense are very good. There is something rougher about it that lacks from the current storylines and you can feel that there was some love and care put into writing in unlike the horrific War of the Spark Novel that was released a few years back. I honestly hope that Magic looks to its past for tips on how to improve future stories.
Altogether I’d give it 4 power stones out of 5.
The story follows the lives of the brothers Urza and Mishra, who are not twins but were born on the first and last day of the year respectively. The twin’s father remarries after the death of his wife and is convinced by his new spouse to send the children off to an archaeological dig site, where they can be watched by an old friend of his. The boys thrive on the site, with both developing a love for the artifacts and machines that they are helping to unearth from the ancient Thran civilization.
Despite being brothers Urza and Mishra do not get along and the discovery of a special power stone (think battery but for magic) leads the two to fight over the discovery and ends with the stone breaking into separate pieces. Each brother gets a half and their relationship deteriorates completely.
One night Mishra gets drunk attempts to steal Urza’s stone, but in the scuffle, the brothers accidentally kill their guardian and end up going their separate ways. Years later they meet once again and peace seems possible between the two men but fate will not allow it and their feud drags their whole continent into a massive war.
Behind the scenes, a dark creature called Gix tempts Mishra with power. Gix is a Phyrexian, a beastly creature made of flesh and metal that was once human but was subjected to ( or volunteered) to be warped into a “better” version of itself.
The book and the old lore of Magic in the general sense are very good. There is something rougher about it that lacks from the current storylines and you can feel that there was some love and care put into writing in unlike the horrific War of the Spark Novel that was released a few years back. I honestly hope that Magic looks to its past for tips on how to improve future stories.
Altogether I’d give it 4 power stones out of 5.
February 12, 2023
"The Brothers' War" is een roman van Jeff Grubb die zich afspeelt in de wereld van Magic: The Gathering, een populair kaartspel. De roman draait om het conflict tussen de twee broers Urza en Mishra, en hun strijd om controle over de “Mightstone” en de “Weakstone”
Naarmate de macht van de broers toeneemt, wordt hun concurrentie heviger en escaleert het uiteindelijk tot een totale oorlog die de wereld dreigt te vernietigen. Onderweg komen ze personages uit het Magic: The Gathering-universum tegen, elk met hun eigen motivaties.
Uiteindelijk moeten Urza en Mishra de gevolgen van hun daden in de ogen zien, om het lot van de wereld te bepalen. De roman heeft thema's als macht, verantwoordelijkheid en de kosten van de overwinning.
Ik persoonlijk ben een grote fan van Magic The Gathering en het is fantastisch om momenten in het boek te herkennen van de kaarten waarmee ik speel. Het boek is een vlotte leeservaring en vertelt een prachtig verhaal met uitgedachte en oprecht coole personages. De dynamiek tussen de broers voelt als echt en je merkt hoe het progressief een sterkere rivaliteit wordt. Een scène die mij heeft bijgebleven was heel in het begin, toen de broers ruzie hadden en Tocasia, hun mentor, overleed aan hun domme fout. Dit was waar de rivaliteit tussen de broers echt veranderde in haat en is een zeer sterk moment.
In conclusie, The Brothers' War is een meeslepend verhaal dat zich afspeelt in een rijke wereld die zowel fans van Magic: The Gathering als fans van fantasyverhalen zal aanspreken.
Naarmate de macht van de broers toeneemt, wordt hun concurrentie heviger en escaleert het uiteindelijk tot een totale oorlog die de wereld dreigt te vernietigen. Onderweg komen ze personages uit het Magic: The Gathering-universum tegen, elk met hun eigen motivaties.
Uiteindelijk moeten Urza en Mishra de gevolgen van hun daden in de ogen zien, om het lot van de wereld te bepalen. De roman heeft thema's als macht, verantwoordelijkheid en de kosten van de overwinning.
Ik persoonlijk ben een grote fan van Magic The Gathering en het is fantastisch om momenten in het boek te herkennen van de kaarten waarmee ik speel. Het boek is een vlotte leeservaring en vertelt een prachtig verhaal met uitgedachte en oprecht coole personages. De dynamiek tussen de broers voelt als echt en je merkt hoe het progressief een sterkere rivaliteit wordt. Een scène die mij heeft bijgebleven was heel in het begin, toen de broers ruzie hadden en Tocasia, hun mentor, overleed aan hun domme fout. Dit was waar de rivaliteit tussen de broers echt veranderde in haat en is een zeer sterk moment.
In conclusie, The Brothers' War is een meeslepend verhaal dat zich afspeelt in een rijke wereld die zowel fans van Magic: The Gathering als fans van fantasyverhalen zal aanspreken.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 6, 2024
"The Brother's War" is a 1998 novel written and published to coincide with Antiquities expansion of Magic: the Gathering trading cards. Until recently, the Wizards of the Coast would commission companion novels for each expansion to help drive sales and tie the stories of the cards together.
I decided to pick up "The Brother's War" after the 2022 expansion of the same name released. Though Magic has meant a great deal to me for the majority of my life, I've always approached the companion novels with apprehension. And, in many ways, I was right to- "The Brother's War" contains grammatical errors and plot contrivances characteristic of a novel written to sell trading cards.
Yet, beneath the admittedly rudimentary exterior, I found a thoughtful and entertaining read. The plot, while predictable, has a core of inspired and imaginative set-pieces and machinations. Likewise, in spite of the characters' adherence to preexisting tropes (the warring brothers Urza and Mishra, the stuck-up aristocratic love interest Kayla), enough innovations are present to present intrigue to even seasoned fantasy fans (the alien warlord Gix, the conflicted protege Tawnos).
Altogether, I find "The Brother's War" (and her subsequent novels) to be rough-around-the-edges artifacts of Magic: the Gathering's earlier days. Artifacts that, much like cards from Antiquities, I enjoyed despite clear flaws in design. The lowbrow nature of these novels does not dissuade me from wishing that WotC had kept up the tradition.
I decided to pick up "The Brother's War" after the 2022 expansion of the same name released. Though Magic has meant a great deal to me for the majority of my life, I've always approached the companion novels with apprehension. And, in many ways, I was right to- "The Brother's War" contains grammatical errors and plot contrivances characteristic of a novel written to sell trading cards.
Yet, beneath the admittedly rudimentary exterior, I found a thoughtful and entertaining read. The plot, while predictable, has a core of inspired and imaginative set-pieces and machinations. Likewise, in spite of the characters' adherence to preexisting tropes (the warring brothers Urza and Mishra, the stuck-up aristocratic love interest Kayla), enough innovations are present to present intrigue to even seasoned fantasy fans (the alien warlord Gix, the conflicted protege Tawnos).
Altogether, I find "The Brother's War" (and her subsequent novels) to be rough-around-the-edges artifacts of Magic: the Gathering's earlier days. Artifacts that, much like cards from Antiquities, I enjoyed despite clear flaws in design. The lowbrow nature of these novels does not dissuade me from wishing that WotC had kept up the tradition.
December 13, 2017
No se que pensar.. Al principio fue bastante interesante, pero tengo problemas con los finales de 2 capítulos y al final no me quedo claro exactamente que fue lo que pasó.
Hay cosas que no explicaron lo suficiente.. sacando cosas de repente.. (el poder de Hurkyll por ejemplo),
Si hubo un giro interesante, pero la pelea entre los hermanos no fue nada de lo épico que esperaba.
Comencé a leer el siguiente libro de ciclo y se aclaran algunas cosas, pero nuevamente aparecen situaciones de la nada.. Parece la explicación de porque el Oráculo cambio de piel en Matrix..
Igual seguiré leyendo..
*******************************************************************
I do not know what to think .. At first it was quite interesting, but I have problems with the end in 2 chapters and in the end I was not clear exactly what happened.
There are things that did not explain enough ... taking things out suddenly ... (the power of Hurkyll for example),
There was an interesting turn, but the fight between the brothers was nothing of the epic I expected.
I started reading the next cycle book and some things are clarified, but again situations appear from nothing .. It seems the explanation of why the Oracle changed skin in Matrix ..
I will continue reading ..
Hay cosas que no explicaron lo suficiente.. sacando cosas de repente.. (el poder de Hurkyll por ejemplo),
Si hubo un giro interesante, pero la pelea entre los hermanos no fue nada de lo épico que esperaba.
Comencé a leer el siguiente libro de ciclo y se aclaran algunas cosas, pero nuevamente aparecen situaciones de la nada.. Parece la explicación de porque el Oráculo cambio de piel en Matrix..
Igual seguiré leyendo..
*******************************************************************
I do not know what to think .. At first it was quite interesting, but I have problems with the end in 2 chapters and in the end I was not clear exactly what happened.
There are things that did not explain enough ... taking things out suddenly ... (the power of Hurkyll for example),
There was an interesting turn, but the fight between the brothers was nothing of the epic I expected.
I started reading the next cycle book and some things are clarified, but again situations appear from nothing .. It seems the explanation of why the Oracle changed skin in Matrix ..
I will continue reading ..
February 23, 2018
This book has a special place in my heart, as it was the first Magic: The Gathering novelization that I read, around 20 years ago. It's essentially the origin story of probably the single most important character in MTG lore, Urza Planeswalker. The thing that surprised me is how much I'd forgotten, only remembering the main story beats. Despite being part of a franchise with the word "magic" in the title, there is almost no magic in the book. The main magical resource in the card game, mana, is only first mentioned ~330 pages into a 400 page book, and even after it's rarely mentioned.
Another thing that surprised me was the presence of several strong female characters, and the book passes the Bechdel test. Also, Urza himself comes off as borderline autistic, caring only about his machines and artifacts. He only marries a princess because he had an eye on one of the books in her dowry.
It's worth noting that the cheapest copy on Amazon at the time that I got the book was 80 bux, and I got a copy from a West Virginia library through inter-library loan for a $2 fee. Love your local library, guys.
Another thing that surprised me was the presence of several strong female characters, and the book passes the Bechdel test. Also, Urza himself comes off as borderline autistic, caring only about his machines and artifacts. He only marries a princess because he had an eye on one of the books in her dowry.
It's worth noting that the cheapest copy on Amazon at the time that I got the book was 80 bux, and I got a copy from a West Virginia library through inter-library loan for a $2 fee. Love your local library, guys.
March 3, 2025
This book is decent as an introduction to magic lore, but don't expect very riveting writing. The biggest flaw is the lack of any likable characters. The two brothers in the title, Mishra and Urza, are both the smartest people in Dominaria and the world's biggest assholes, who hate each other's guts and don't care about anyone else. One brother has a malevolent sidekick; the other has one who is kindhearted but passive and naive.
There is very little character development, so we're left wondering why the hell the brothers hate each other so much from the start.
The writing is mostly serviceable, although wrong words weirdly appear here and there, like "immured" instead of "inured" and "revelry" instead of "reveries."
The story is kind of interesting as a tale of war and environmental depredation, as the brothers tear the land apart in search of resources to fuel their fight. A race of borg-like creatures called the Phyrexians is introduced, and I found myself rooting for them to kill both brothers.
Somehow Urza is rehabilitated and made out to be the hero, to star in the next book.
There is very little character development, so we're left wondering why the hell the brothers hate each other so much from the start.
The writing is mostly serviceable, although wrong words weirdly appear here and there, like "immured" instead of "inured" and "revelry" instead of "reveries."
The story is kind of interesting as a tale of war and environmental depredation, as the brothers tear the land apart in search of resources to fuel their fight. A race of borg-like creatures called the Phyrexians is introduced, and I found myself rooting for them to kill both brothers.
Somehow Urza is rehabilitated and made out to be the hero, to star in the next book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 8, 2020
This book is essential for any Magic the Gathering fan wanting to delve into the story behind the game. The book is becoming dated from the game perspective but still helps to flush out the mythos and background of one of the biggest names in the game.
The book itself is a fine story of the dynamic struggle between two rival brothers (obviously).
The book leaves some unknowns about how the scale of things is shaped. Contrary to the series name magic is missing but the level of artifice is extreme. I had a hard time envisioning the size of the different inventions and referring back to actual cards for an idea became increasingly easy with several newer sets including specific references to parts of the story.
The book itself is a fine story of the dynamic struggle between two rival brothers (obviously).
The book leaves some unknowns about how the scale of things is shaped. Contrary to the series name magic is missing but the level of artifice is extreme. I had a hard time envisioning the size of the different inventions and referring back to actual cards for an idea became increasingly easy with several newer sets including specific references to parts of the story.
March 2, 2023
Impressive feat to cover so much history and world in 400 pages. While it is a fantasy book about wars, it is really a window into the relationship of two brothers and how that relationship spins out and impacts the world; it may wander from this main path, but it never strays. As someone with a background in writing (I went to school for it), I also found it impressive the variety of scene types that needed to be covered and deftly were. The scenes of the main character and his wife were touching enough that I wanted to share them with my own wife, who would otherwise have zero interest in a fantasy story like this. Overall, this was a wonderful book only appreciated even more due to it being the origin story of Magic the Gathering, the background to a game I've played periodically for 25 years, but you certainly don't need to be a fan of Magic to have enjoy this book.
March 31, 2018
One of the greatest, if not THE greatest piece of written Magic the Gathering history. Story that defined past, present and future of Dominaria, most popular realm across the MtG multiverse. Reading this, almost 20 years after i started playing Magic, made me remember some of the best moments from my childhood, and once again my passion for MtG was fully reignited.
Those who play MtG and are at least somewhat interested in it's history should read this gem without second thought.
Story about Urza and his brother, story about love and hate, story about what was and what could be, story about begging of most impactful events that shaped game itself.
Thank you Jeff Grubb from the bottom of my heart.
Those who play MtG and are at least somewhat interested in it's history should read this gem without second thought.
Story about Urza and his brother, story about love and hate, story about what was and what could be, story about begging of most impactful events that shaped game itself.
Thank you Jeff Grubb from the bottom of my heart.
July 7, 2018
It's messed up when what most consider to be a trashy pulp tie-in novel is infinitely better than the best-selling modern science fiction I just read. This really was way better than it had any right to be.
It was just solid....there were no mustache stroking villains, they were three-dimensional people with their own goals beyond defeating the protagonist. There were female characters who felt like actual human beings....not perfect, but the bar is pretty low to beat a lot of fantasy.
The ending was a bit deus ex machina for my taste, but it's acceptable. All in all, entertaining and engaging and avoiding a number of problematic fantasy tropes, while having superior writing quality to any number of modern sci-fi and fantasy.
It was just solid....there were no mustache stroking villains, they were three-dimensional people with their own goals beyond defeating the protagonist. There were female characters who felt like actual human beings....not perfect, but the bar is pretty low to beat a lot of fantasy.
The ending was a bit deus ex machina for my taste, but it's acceptable. All in all, entertaining and engaging and avoiding a number of problematic fantasy tropes, while having superior writing quality to any number of modern sci-fi and fantasy.
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