The Midnight Front (Dark Arts, #1)

by David Mack

[Amber (The Literary Phoenix)]

I really loved the beginning of The Midnight Front.

The magic system is so intense, and the intricacies David Mack describes are fascinating. You know every step of what it takes to become a karcist and even though there's a *strong* Chosen One vibe, it's very interesting and I lived for the casting scenes.

However, in order to have an intricate world like this and not lose the reader in the folds, the pacing is very, very slow. Painfully slow. It's something I'm willing to forgive for books that shine (Lord of the Rings, Game of Thrones) but ultimately, I didn't feel like the Midnight Front lived up to my expectation.

What David Mack does very well in descriptions and setting (there are descriptions of the war zones and ghettos that will give you chills), he falls short in plot. The book was easily 100 pages too long, and the "grand finale" was ultimately neither supremely grand, nor a finale. By the end, I was unimpressed.

That said, I think this is a *really good* book for someone in the right genre. I'm close, but I think this is a better book for people who like war stories and appreciate fantasy rather than someone who loves fantasy and tolerates war stories. In the right hands, this could be an instant favorite.