F/SF

Really good book for the beginnings of the magic realm. The story did seem reconstructed, almost like the author had to work within the confines of a preexisting story. ( )

Very sparse and minimalist language. Failed to pull me into neither the world nor the characters. ( )

Arena is the one Magic the Gathering novel that stays the closest to the actual Magic the Gathering card game.
This was a fun read that I would recommend to anyone interested into the fantasy adventure genre.
Also, if you play or played the game, you should read this novel. ( )

I finally read this book after it sat on my bookshelf for ages. The novel is based around the "Magic: The Gathering" trading card game. It follows Garth, the one-eyed mage, as he competes in Festival and seeks his revenge for the wrongs of long ago.

The premise is compelling (esp. since I played the card game in high-school), but the plot is transparent, the characters are cliched, and the writing is flat.

I wanted to see what happened in the end, but hated that I had to read the book to find out. Again, the premise is good, but it could have been written much better. ( )