My rating is so high because of how much this book scratched me in all the right places.

I do not recommend this book who is not deep into magic lore or who haven't read Brother's War first. You will likely find this book inferior compared to it, but as to me I could re-read it 1000 times.

Simply put if you want more insight on Urza, the Phyrexians and how they work, and more details about the Multiverse before The Mending, you must give this a shot. I couldn't put it down. I was with Xantcha, feeling every moment of panic, fear, curiosity, frustration, and awe.

Xantcha will forever be one of my favorite characters in magic who gets so little attention. Yes she is not everyone's cup of tea, but she was certainly mine. I forever wait the day she finally gets an official card (not just one with art of her) in a supplementary format. ( )

This was not nearly as well written as _The Brother's War_. The author used the "flashback" element entirely to often, and in very confusing ways. It took me from October to April to read this book because it just didn't grab my attention until the final third of the novel. Then, once things started getting interesting and the climax was pending, it just ended to abruptly.

I enjoyed it as a fan of the game and because it's part of a series that I'm sure will make more sense by my having read this before the rest of the series. I can only recommend it for that reason. As a stand alone novel, it's not very good. ( )