Review of Lesser Power
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Rajnee Varma
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Review of Lesser Power
[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Lesser Power" by Benjamin L Waterman.]
Lesser Power by Benjamin L. Waterman is a novel about magic and its manifestation through the story of a young man, Johanason. The story is set in a time and place where magic is common but not appreciated by all. Johanason was an adolescent boy gifted in magic but low in power, and he had to leave the academy for mages due to his inadequacy. He could control and use power, but he didn't have much power of his own, and he required external sources of power. He started working as a delivery boy for a herbalist and gradually learned the trade of a herbalist. He continued to experiment to design new storage vessels for gathering power from external sources and learned to use them effectively. With his mage sight, his knowledge of math and science, and his keen desire to achieve his goal, he excelled at many feats in magic, although not to a high level or equivalent to a mage. Due to the anti-magic attitude of his employer and his landlady, he had to keep it a secret that he was a wizard. He studied with healers, chemists, and teachers and moved to another place to open his own shop as a herbalist. He met a like-minded, intelligent, and bold girl, Angela, who was ungifted but interested in magic. He continued his research and experiments to find new dimensions and innovative uses of magic, supported by Angela and her father. Various interesting episodes in his story reveal his dedication and perseverance to be able to use his expertise for good.
The author has aptly described his book as a work about magic and not about the characters. The in-depth explanation of magic is unique and captivating. The scientific approach to understanding magic in terms of energy and power is really impressive. Anyone with a basic knowledge of science can fully appreciate the meanings of networks, links, ground, storage vessels, flow of energy, and power in relation to magic. The various power levels of magic and accordingly the ranks of wizards, viz., apprentice, journeyman, master, and adept, are explained well. The analogy between magic and science has been made very clear through minute details of Johanason's reasoning and analysis of how light, heat, magnetism, and force work and how energy from different sources can be interconverted. His analysis of chemical bondings, ores, and elements is impressive, and he applied his knowledge to practical uses for safety, separation of minerals, healing, mind speech, and medicine.
The author has explained magic as another form of science and has discussed how energy, or magical power, can be derived from nature, strong emotions, death, and even the coupling of living beings. The entire thought process of the characters presented in italics helps better understand the story. Johanason is a stickler for ethics and always avoids harming anyone, unless it is for self-defense. His desire to share his knowledge with the public and to eradicate misconceptions about magic, in a period when witch-hunting and lynching on suspicion of witchcraft or use of magic were commonplace, shows his love for magic and a scientific mind.
The book is very detailed, appears to be as authentic as a textbook, and covers all aspects of magic. I did not find anything to dislike about the book and thoroughly enjoyed it. Although the topics are elaborated on, the book is not stodgy and keeps the reader captivated. All important terms like blood magic, construct, demon, changeling, earth magic, grounding, hedge mage, ley line, matrix, etc. are explained in the lexicon at the end, which is very helpful. However, I noticed several typos that reflect poor editing and are not desirable in such a good book. My overall rating for the book is 4 out of 5 stars.
The author's approach to the theme is unique, and the story is beautifully narrated, highlighting the finer points. It is common knowledge that we fear anything that is unknown or unexplained, and it is the same for magic. The book is very interesting and leaves the reader contemplating the workings of magic and wondering if, in fact, magic is an advanced branch of science about controlling energy and power. I would suggest it to those interested in knowing how magic can be explained with a scientific approach through a story.
******
Lesser Power
View: on Bookshelves
Lesser Power by Benjamin L. Waterman is a novel about magic and its manifestation through the story of a young man, Johanason. The story is set in a time and place where magic is common but not appreciated by all. Johanason was an adolescent boy gifted in magic but low in power, and he had to leave the academy for mages due to his inadequacy. He could control and use power, but he didn't have much power of his own, and he required external sources of power. He started working as a delivery boy for a herbalist and gradually learned the trade of a herbalist. He continued to experiment to design new storage vessels for gathering power from external sources and learned to use them effectively. With his mage sight, his knowledge of math and science, and his keen desire to achieve his goal, he excelled at many feats in magic, although not to a high level or equivalent to a mage. Due to the anti-magic attitude of his employer and his landlady, he had to keep it a secret that he was a wizard. He studied with healers, chemists, and teachers and moved to another place to open his own shop as a herbalist. He met a like-minded, intelligent, and bold girl, Angela, who was ungifted but interested in magic. He continued his research and experiments to find new dimensions and innovative uses of magic, supported by Angela and her father. Various interesting episodes in his story reveal his dedication and perseverance to be able to use his expertise for good.
The author has aptly described his book as a work about magic and not about the characters. The in-depth explanation of magic is unique and captivating. The scientific approach to understanding magic in terms of energy and power is really impressive. Anyone with a basic knowledge of science can fully appreciate the meanings of networks, links, ground, storage vessels, flow of energy, and power in relation to magic. The various power levels of magic and accordingly the ranks of wizards, viz., apprentice, journeyman, master, and adept, are explained well. The analogy between magic and science has been made very clear through minute details of Johanason's reasoning and analysis of how light, heat, magnetism, and force work and how energy from different sources can be interconverted. His analysis of chemical bondings, ores, and elements is impressive, and he applied his knowledge to practical uses for safety, separation of minerals, healing, mind speech, and medicine.
The author has explained magic as another form of science and has discussed how energy, or magical power, can be derived from nature, strong emotions, death, and even the coupling of living beings. The entire thought process of the characters presented in italics helps better understand the story. Johanason is a stickler for ethics and always avoids harming anyone, unless it is for self-defense. His desire to share his knowledge with the public and to eradicate misconceptions about magic, in a period when witch-hunting and lynching on suspicion of witchcraft or use of magic were commonplace, shows his love for magic and a scientific mind.
The book is very detailed, appears to be as authentic as a textbook, and covers all aspects of magic. I did not find anything to dislike about the book and thoroughly enjoyed it. Although the topics are elaborated on, the book is not stodgy and keeps the reader captivated. All important terms like blood magic, construct, demon, changeling, earth magic, grounding, hedge mage, ley line, matrix, etc. are explained in the lexicon at the end, which is very helpful. However, I noticed several typos that reflect poor editing and are not desirable in such a good book. My overall rating for the book is 4 out of 5 stars.
The author's approach to the theme is unique, and the story is beautifully narrated, highlighting the finer points. It is common knowledge that we fear anything that is unknown or unexplained, and it is the same for magic. The book is very interesting and leaves the reader contemplating the workings of magic and wondering if, in fact, magic is an advanced branch of science about controlling energy and power. I would suggest it to those interested in knowing how magic can be explained with a scientific approach through a story.
******
Lesser Power
View: on Bookshelves
Latest Review: Inside Passage: by Burt Weissbourd
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NetMassimo
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This novel offers an interesting interpretation of magic and magical creatures that makes me curious, so I hope the author does proper proofreading to make it excellent. Thank you for your great review!
Ciao 
Massimo
Massimo
Latest Review: Beth by S. R. Kent
