Type of bind: Mass Market Paperback
EAN num: 9780786911707
ISBN number: 0786911700
Label: Wizards of the Coast
Manufacturer: Wizards of the Coast
Quantity: 1
Page Count: 409
Printing Date: May 01, 1998
Publishing house: Wizards of the Coast
Age index: Young Adult
Release Date: June 01, 1998
Sale Popularity Level: 270241
Studio: Wizards of the Coast
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Product Description:
The Myth. The Magic.
Dominarian legends speak of a mighty conflict, obscured by the mists of history. Of a conflict between the brothers Urza and Mishra for supremacy on the continent of Terisiare. Of titantic engines that scarred and twisted the very planet. Of a final battle that sank continents and shook the skies.
The saga of the Brothers' War.
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Rated by buyers 
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The Brother's War is the very first book in the Magic The Gathering novel series. Jeff Grubb, an absolutely brilliant fantasy author, wrote it. There is another magic the gathering series out there, but this particular set of books follows the card set releases. This book goes along with the Antiquities release, as well as part of the Urza's Saga release, at least the section from Argoth.
The system of time used is always in terms of Urza's Birth. Urza was born in year 1 A.R. (Argivian Reckoning) and this book takes place from 1 A.R. until 64 A.R..
My only complaint is that this 400-page novel spans a good 64 years of time. It would have been more than possible to have created three separate 300 page books in order to expand many of the ideas present, but I suppose that Jeff Grubb was supposed to launch the entire series in only one novel. This was a brilliant book regardless.
I'm sure many readers are familiar with what it is like to have a sibling. The Brother's War isn't simply an interesting new fantasy world to explore, but rather, a study of sibling relations. Urza, the elder by a year less a day, is cold, intelligent, and calculating. He prefers to study and has very little in the way of social skills. He is tall and blond and somewhat lanky. In stark contrast is his brother Mishra. Mishra is a hands on person and prefers digging up artifacts rather than studying them. He has dark hair, is well built, and has a quick and fiery temper. He makes friends easily and has always been a social buffer of sorts for Urza. As can be seen, the siblings represent a number of traits worthy of note, though not necessarily complete in and of themselves. Logic must be tempered by emotion. Emotion must be tempered by logic. Neither brother is complete without the other. Neither of them is particularly good, nor are they truly evil. Together, they could have created a world that prospered, but on opposite sides of the battlefield, complete destruction was inevitable.
Upon discovering the secret heart of the Thran, a fissure is created in their relationship. Literally, it exists in the crack down the once whole power stone, a part of which each brother has. Mishra holds the "Weakstone" capable of weakening artifacts and controlling some to a certain extent, much to Mishra's ire. Urza has the "Mightstone" capable of the opposite. These stones also represent the brother. The weakstone seeks to corrode, much like a man overcome by rage, while the Mightstone seeks to improve, much like a scholar. Both brothers want both stones; however, neither is capable of giving an inch. One is driven by fiery rage and the other by cold calculation. Though both are capable of thought and emotion, as is shown as the characters age, very little is capable of bringing them together.
*Spoilers*
In the climax of the book, the brothers almost destroy the world. It is only in this one chaotic moment that the extremes merge and create a being capable of understanding both Urza and Mishra, though somewhat mad. This is Urza Planeswalker.
Rated by buyers -
'The Brothers' War' relates one of the most important (and well-known) events from the lore of MTG. The infamous brothers, Urza and Mishra, battle for dominance of Dominaria, creating enormous armies of extremely destructive artifacts and creatures, eventually leading to the cataclysmic final battle in which an entire continent of Terisiare is essentially destroyed. Jeff Grubb does an excellent job of relating this rather well-known story in a way that will keep you interested the whole time even though you know from the beginning what the final outcome will be. This is the longest MTG book (at least through 1998), and the story it tells is so epic that it really could have been divided into two or three individual books. A few of the scenes could have been expanded on, and Grubb was forced to skip years at a time in order to get the whole story in a single volume. It does make for an exciting read though, so I'm not complaining too much.
Many of the cards from the Antiquities expansion and the standard editions are used in the story, mainly the artifacts and artifact creatures. It doesn't seem forced however, with Grubb doing a great job of working them into the story in a way that seems believable and natural. Tawnos and Ashnod play major roles in the story and they, along with Mishra and Urza, are very well-developed characters with unique and consistent personalities. The most interesting aspect of the story to me was that you don't really have the good-vs-evil story found in most fantasy books. The war between Urza and Mishra results from fatalistic chances and misunderstandings rather than evil intentions by one side or the other. At some point during the book, Mishra does become the 'more evil' of the two, but both brothers are destroying land and lives to fight the other.
Bottom line, this is one of the best MTG books and tells one of the most important background stories of the MTG universe. The tale apparently continues in 'Planeswalker', which I look forward to reading.
Rated by buyers -
I would highly recommend this book and the series as a whole. I feel it greatly highlights the mythos of the MTG brand.
Rated by buyers 
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It's a pretty good and quick read. There were a few moments in the book where you could tell the author was forced to add references to some of the cards in the M:TG card sets just for flavor, but if you can overlook them they don't hold you up too much. The heart of the story is very good in my opinion.
Rated by buyers -
I loved this book and all the imagery. Jeff Grubb and J. Robert King are the best MTG writers hands down. The connection two brothers have and the possibility of a total fall out make this story plausible. I wish more could have been written, but this was a great story nonetheless.
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