Elantris

Brandon Sanderson

By one of my new favorite authors, Sanderson again sets up a world where magic is different. In fact, this story is all about magic, the core of the world is magic, but barely is any magic done. The city of Elantris was once the center of civilization with its inhabitants able to ply magical cures and potions. But 10 years ago there was a break, and the magic disappeared. And we are living in the post-magic world where people actually get sick, and people have to work for their food. The governments of the area are battling for control, and the religions are following suit. But Elantris is still central to life. Prior to the break, people were chosen randomly (by the city?) to have access to the magic. Now they are chosen randomly to be afflicted with a disease that makes them immortal, but dead (I know, weird, read the book). Raoden (crown prince of Arelon) is afflicted. Sarene (princess of Teod), betrothed to Raoden as a political alliance, moves to Arelon and gets involved in an investigation, of sorts. The fun of this novel is that the reader is discovering, along with the characters, what is going on. Everyone is in the dark and Sanderson reveals to the characters and through the characters so that we are all brought along into discovery at the same pace. Fun.

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