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The Frugal Wizard’s Handbook for Surviving Medieval England

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The 'Frugal Wizard?s Handbook for Surviving Medieval England' is an irreverent take on serious wizard spirits in a medieval fantasy setting. The book features great world-building in a short format, with a main character who overcomes bad habits in a unique way. The story involves dimension hopping, adventurous and weird concepts, and an enjoyable mix of humor and redemption. The main character is described as hilarious, self-aware, and self-deprecating, making for a lovely and poignant read. The book is a departure from the Cosmere series, focusing on a different angle of storytelling and receiving praise for its outlandish illustrations and fun storytelling.

Characters:

The characters are vividly developed, particularly the relatable protagonist, who exhibits humor and humility, supported by a cast that feels real and engaging.

Writing/Prose:

The writing style is humorous and engaging, with an immersive storytelling approach that blends light-heartedness with deeper themes.

Plot/Storyline:

The story involves an amnesiac protagonist who journeys through medieval England, facing modern challenges and exploring themes of redemption and self-discovery infused with humor.

Setting:

The setting combines medieval England with modern elements, featuring time travel and alternate dimensions, supported by rich worldbuilding.

Pacing:

The pacing varies, starting slowly but gaining strength towards the end, though some readers may find sections challenging to get through.

Notes:

The book deals with themes of redemption and personal growth.
The main character suffers from amnesia and wakes up in medieval England.
It incorporates time travel and alternate dimensions.
The protagonist is a police officer on a mission in a medieval setting.
Brandon Sanderson adds humor throughout the narrative.
Readers often feel connected to the characters, sharing in their emotions.
The book features illustrations that add to the quirky tone.
The world-building is rich but is revealed gradually over the story.
It has a romantic subplot that adds depth to the narrative.
Many readers appreciate the irreverent take on classic fantasy tropes.
The title humorously reflects the whimsical nature of the story.
The book was written as part of Sanderson's 'Secret Projects', separate from his Cosmere universe.

Has Romance?

There is a medium level of romance present, with a subplot that adds depth to the characters' emotional journeys.

From The Publisher:

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Brandon Sanderson-creator of The Stormlight Archive, the Mistborn Saga, and countless bestselling works of science fiction and fantasy-comes this captivating standalone adventure that meshes Jason Bourne, epic fantasy, and time travel.

A man awakes in a clearing in what appears to be medieval England with no memory of who he is, where he came from, or why he is there. Chased by a group from his own time, his sole hope for survival lies in regaining his missing memories, making allies among the locals, and perhaps even trusting in their superstitious boasts. His only help from the "real world" should have been a guidebook entitled The Frugal Wizard's Handbook for Surviving Medieval England, except his copy exploded during transit. The few fragments he managed to save provide clues to his situation, but can he figure them out in time to survive?

Ratings (34)

Incredible (8)
Loved It (12)
Liked It (5)
It Was OK (5)
Did Not Like (2)
Hated It (2)

Reader Stats (57):

Read It (35)
Want To Read (21)
Not Interested (1)

3 comment(s)

Loved It
7 months

“The Frugal Wizard’s Handbook for Surviving Medieval England” is a delightful and humorous adventure that combines fantasy, mystery, and time travel. The book follows the exploits of an amnesiac wizard who wakes up in a forest in medieval England with no memory of who he is, where he came from, or why he is there. He soon discovers that he is being hunted by a group of mysterious agents from his own time, who seem to want him dead or captured. His only hope of survival and finding out his true identity lies in recovering his missing memories, making allies among the locals, and perhaps even trusting in their superstitious boasts.

The book is written by Brandon Sanderson, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Stormlight Archive, Mistborn, and other epic fantasy series. Sanderson is known for his intricate magic systems, complex worldbuilding, and engaging characters. “The Frugal Wizard’s Handbook for Surviving Medieval England” is no exception. The book features a unique magic system based on the concept of “frugality”, which means using the least amount of magic possible to achieve the desired effect. The wizard protagonist has to rely on his frugal magic skills to survive in a hostile environment where magic is feared and misunderstood. He also has to deal with the challenges of adapting to a different culture, language, and historical period.

The book is narrated by Michael Kramer, a veteran audiobook narrator who has worked with Sanderson on many of his previous books. Kramer does an excellent job of bringing the story and the characters to life with his voice. He uses different accents, tones, and emotions to convey the personality and mood of each character. He also adds humor and suspense to the narration with his timing and intonation. Kramer’s narration enhances the listening experience and makes the book more immersive and enjoyable.

“The Frugal Wizard’s Handbook for Surviving Medieval England” is a fun and entertaining book that will appeal to fans of fantasy, comedy, and history. The book is full of witty dialogue, hilarious situations, and surprising twists. The book also has a heartwarming message about finding one’s purpose, identity, and place in the world. The book is suitable for readers of all ages who are looking for a light-hearted and adventurous story.

“The Frugal Wizard’s Handbook for Surviving Medieval England” is the second book in the Secret Projects series by Brandon Sanderson, but it can be read as a standalone novel without any prior knowledge of the first book.

 
Loved It
7 months

This book feels so out of place with Brandon Sanderson’s other novels, but if you’ve read his handful of sci-fi short stories it’s easy to see where this book came from.

Sanderson takes two cool concepts, purchasing your own alternate dimension, and using modern technology to appear to be a wizard to ancient people, and he mashes them up into a fun sci-fi story in a fantasy setting.

It doesn’t live up to the massively high bar set by his previous secret novel, Tress of the Emerald Sea, but not many novels could.

If you like Sci-fi, fantasy, and underdog stories then this one will be right up your alley.

 
Hated It
9 months

1 star. It fails to have any internal conflict in an amnesia story. It fails to make interdimensional time traveling mafia interesting. DNF @24%

 
 
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