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Michael G. Manning
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The Blacksmith's Son (Mageborn Book 1) Kindle Edition

by Michael G. Manning (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.3 out of 5 stars 5,806 ratings
Mordecai’s simple life as the son of a blacksmith is transformed by the discovery of his magical birthright. As he journeys to understand the power within him he is drawn into a dangerous plot to destroy the Duke of Lancaster and undermine the Kingdom of Lothion. Love and treachery combine to embroil him in events he was never prepared to face. What he uncovers will change his understanding of the past, and alter the future of those around him.
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  1. Book 1 of 5
    Mageborn
  2. Print length
    274 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Accessibility
    Learn more
  5. Publication date
    4 July 2011
  6. File size
    680 KB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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There are 5 books in this series.
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  1. In our hearts, words are merely a veil that lies thinly over the reality of our experience.
    Highlighted by 246 Kindle readers
  2. “It’s every man’s right to embarrass his son. Would you deny me the simple pleasures of life in my dotage?”
    Highlighted by 189 Kindle readers
  3. Messing with Mother Nature can be a mistake sometimes; she and Lady Luck are probably good friends.
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Product description

Review

"The Blacksmith's Son" is an invitation to an enchanting world of intrigue, loyalty, loss, and discovery. It's an endearing tale worthy of any epic fantasy lover."

Kel Kade, Author of the King's Dark Tidings Series

"Manning delivers a tale that pushes the boundaries of magical fantasy, humanity, and the will of the gods."

KJ Colt, Author of the Healers of Meligna Series

"If you're looking for a well-woven story with interesting magic, you can't go wrong with the Mageborn series. Michael G. Manning's sense of pacing is impeccable, and it's easy (sometimes too easy) to lose yourself in the world he's created. He's a natural storyteller particularly talented at creating fun, relatable characters."

K.C. May, Author of the Kinshield Saga

"He seems to understand what makes good fantasy - a delicate balance between world-building, complete with history and cultures, without losing sight of the characters that inhabit it. Manning sweeps the reader from one scene to the next with tight chapters, efficient descriptions, flowing action, and likable characters."

Brian Braden, Underground Book Reviews

"Michael G Manning has gone from strength to strength with each successive book. His protagonist, Mordecai, and his cohorts, have all the characteristics that make them appear only too human, and they are all the more endearing for their imperfections. I have wept. I have also laughed out loud. Mordecai's self-deprecation and ironic wit lifted the darkness just enough to lull me through to the next dark encounter. This author's natural aptitude for creating humour from the strangest situations is a delight."

Helen Paton, regarding The Final Redemption

About the Author

Michael Manning, a practicing pharmacist, has been a fantasy and science-fiction reader for most of his life. He has dabbled in software design, fantasy art, and is an avid tree climber. He lives in Texas, with his stubborn wife, two kids, and a menagerie of fantastic creatures, including a moose-poodle, a vicious yorkie, and a giant prehistoric turtle.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B005A1JBB8
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Gwalchmai Press
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ 4 July 2011
  • Edition ‏ : ‎ 1st
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 680 KB
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 274 pages
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Book 1 of 5 ‏ : ‎ Mageborn
  • Customer reviews:
    4.3 out of 5 stars 5,806 ratings

About the author

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Michael G. Manning

Michael G. Manning

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Michael Manning was born in Cleveland, Texas and spent his formative years there, reading fantasy and science fiction, concocting home grown experiments in his backyard, and generally avoiding schoolwork.

Eventually he went to college, starting at Sam Houston State University, where his love of beer blossomed and his obsession with playing role-playing games led him to what he calls 'his best year ever' and what most of his family calls 'the lost year'.

Several years and a few terrible jobs later, he decided to pursue college again and was somehow accepted into the University of Houston Honors program (we won't get into the particulars of that miracle). This led to a degree in pharmacy and it followed from there that he wound up with a license to practice said profession.

Unfortunately, Michael was not a very good pharmacist. Being relatively lawless and free spirited were not particularly good traits to possess in a career focused on perfection, patient safety, and the letter-of-the-law. Nevertheless, he persisted and after a stint as a hospital pharmacy manager wound up as a pharmacist working in correctional managed care for the State of Texas.

After a year or two at UTMB he became bored and taught himself entirely too much about networking, programming, and database design and administration. At first his supervisors warned him (repeatedly) to do his assigned tasks and stop designing programs to help his coworkers do theirs, but eventually they gave up and just let him do whatever he liked since it seemed to be generally working out well for them.

Ten or eleven years later and he got bored with that too. So he wrote a book. We won't talk about where he was when he wrote 'The Blacksmith's Son', but let's just assume he was probably supposed to be doing something else at the time.

Some people liked the book and told other people. Now they won't leave him alone.

After another year or two, he decided to just give up and stop pretending to be a pharmacist/programmer, much to the chagrin of his mother (who had only ever wanted him to grow up to be a doctor and had finally become content with the fact that he had settled on pharmacy instead).

Today he lives at home with his kids, a giant moose-poodle, two yorkies, a green-cheeked conure, a massive prehistoric tortoise, and a head full of imaginary people. There are also some fish, but he refuses to talk about them.

Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
5,806 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find this book to be a good first installment in the series with a great plot and lovely set of heroes and heroines. The writing style receives mixed feedback, with some finding it easy to read while others describe it as overly simplistic. Moreover, customers appreciate the humor throughout the book and its mix of fantasy elements with romantic elements. However, the pacing and plot receive mixed reactions, with some finding it a fast read while others note it starts slowly.

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161 customers mention ‘Enjoyment’149 positive12 negative

Customers enjoy this book, finding it a satisfying read with a good story and engaging plot.

"...I have to say, rereading this one was a good idea. The story was compelling from day one obviously, but once I had a full picture..." Read more

"...Really refreshing work in a well-tested genre. Many grats to the author." Read more

"...The series is a nice read, and makes for nice light reading, so perfect for travelling or reading before bed...." Read more

"...The general storyline is fine, the characters are amiable (although 'Mort' wouldn't have been my first choice for a hero's name) and it started with..." Read more

59 customers mention ‘Character development’44 positive15 negative

Customers enjoy the characters in the book, describing them as a lovely set of heroes and heroines, with one customer noting the strong empathy with the main character.

"...Mort is an enjoyable and very much realistic character. His love for Penny and her a for him is so much what would be like normally...." Read more

"...The heroines are wonderfully worked and the other main characters of possible good intent are rounded and enjoyable...." Read more

"...The general storyline is fine, the characters are amiable (although 'Mort' wouldn't have been my first choice for a hero's name) and it started with..." Read more

"...The main character has no depth, and ends up checking out every girl he comes across to the point where it ruins the "epic romance" of the novels,..." Read more

44 customers mention ‘Thought provoking’44 positive0 negative

Customers find the book thought-provoking and refreshing, with one customer noting its believable and in-depth magic system.

"...His hero is a quick learner, determined and resourceful enough to use his new found skills to fight and beat the bad guys...." Read more

"...So there you have it: nice story, good starter, but style of writing is poor and I wouldn't spend more than a pound on it." Read more

"...I enjoyed the difference perspectives, jumping from 3rd person to 1st person, it made a refreshing change to books that are written wholly in one..." Read more

"...There are some very nice bits -- some scenes where the level 1 villain does a good, intelligent job of being bad -- and the characters are alive and..." Read more

36 customers mention ‘Humour’27 positive9 negative

Customers enjoy the humor in the book, noting its refreshing tone and witty thoughts throughout, with one customer highlighting its modern writing style.

"...Strangely rather than jar on my nerves I found this very amusing and I have to admit I like marmite...." Read more

"...The author also likes to put in comical asides from the main character's point of view, which are always welcome which while sometimes a bit..." Read more

"...but for a book to read while on my way to work it was fine, and funny at points with overall likeable characters...." Read more

"...The humour now seems a little bit tired and the peril has now come before the development of the characters...." Read more

32 customers mention ‘Fantasy content’29 positive3 negative

Customers enjoy the fantasy elements of the book, which features lots of twists and romantic elements, with one customer noting it starts with an intriguing prologue.

"...Plenty of adventure, realistic characters, friendship, love and of course magic." Read more

"...and it started with an intriguing prologue...." Read more

"...that - I love easy fantasy reads with well-built worlds and fantasy systems and this delivers on this just that...." Read more

"...It is a lovely mix of humour, drama and fantasy. The author skilfully brings each character to life and leaves you wanting to hear more about them...." Read more

66 customers mention ‘Writing quality’40 positive26 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the writing quality of the book, with some finding it reasonably written and easy to read, while others describe it as overly simplistic and basic in its grammar.

"...The series is a nice read, and makes for nice light reading, so perfect for travelling or reading before bed...." Read more

"...window due to how bored I was by the overexplained magic and badly described world. Such a shame...." Read more

"...There are also well written 'extracts' from Marcus the heretic at the beginning of each chapter, allowing a little insight into the history of Mages..." Read more

"...'s nothing in there that hasn't been done before, but the author does it very well...." Read more

42 customers mention ‘Plot’26 positive16 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the plot of the book, with some saying it holds their attention while others find it simplistic.

"...His hero is a quick learner, determined and resourceful enough to use his new found skills to fight and beat the bad guys...." Read more

"...HOWEVER, I found it didn't flow, due to the constant need to explain every action or thought the main character had...." Read more

"The book had everything required to keep the reader entertained. In some instances it went into small details that were un necessary...." Read more

"This seems to be the first works of an author who has a clear plot in their head and wants to put it to paper, but doesn't quite understand the fine..." Read more

22 customers mention ‘Pacing’15 positive7 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the pacing of the book, with some finding it a fast and good read, while others mention it starts slowly and ends too soon.

"...It's pacey and enjoyable, and from what I've heard the sequel follows up well. Just be ready to have plot thrust at you now and then...." Read more

"...reader and draws you in completely, with a great plot that is driven along at pace so that there is no time to get bored...." Read more

"I have to say, I did enjoy the first book. It was a bit fast paced, but for a book to read while on my way to work it was fine, and funny at points..." Read more

"I was very pleased from the first page I loved the pace of this book and the way it was written ...for the first time in ages a book written as..." Read more

Top reviews from United Kingdom

  • Review I will!
    5.0 out of 5 stars Worth to read it twice
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 15 January 2017
    Verified Purchase
    So I have read all of Manning's books so far available. I have to say, rereading this one was a good idea. The story was compelling from day one obviously, but once I had a full picture (or as much as available at the moment) I could enjoy and understand a lot more this time around. From here on a bit of spoiler alert:

    Mort is an enjoyable and very much realistic character. His love for Penny and her a for him is so much what would be like normally. Kids grow up together loving one another without even realising, then in a span of moment it just dawns on them and make them act like they've been married and devoted to each other for years.
    The magic and the lack of knowledge of it gives you a chance to laugh (and laugh hard) at the situations it creates. Fair warning though, things get really dark slowly first but rapidly eventually as the story goes on (not limited to this book).
    You don't even realise the time (in "our reality") this all is happening but that just adds to the thrill when you learn more.

    I can only recommend it, I could go on forever but that would ruin your read. Plenty of adventure, realistic characters, friendship, love and of course magic.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Clive Butterfield
    4.0 out of 5 stars Michael G Manning, the marmite of his genre?
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 10 May 2012
    Verified Purchase
    My god but enjoyed this book, but it was my guilty pleasure. Set in a foreign land in a medieval equivalent time, on an unknown but earth like planet. It had all the trappings of "adopted smiths son turns out to be magically gifted".
    However, I found his characterisation easily and comfortably believable. His hero is a quick learner, determined and resourceful enough to use his new found skills to fight and beat the bad guys. Michael doesn't make us wade through four enormous tombs about dragons eggs and ancient law, before we see our ordinary boy has a will to win and the ability to defend the other characters we quickly decide to like.
    Personally I enjoyed the lead characters comments to self, it greatly humanised some of the drama. The heroines are wonderfully worked and the other main characters of possible good intent are rounded and enjoyable.
    I couldn't put it down and once finished, I immediately bought the sequel on Kindle and found it continued beautifully from this first book.
    But....here is the marmite part. The dialogue seems generally in keeping with the period and background, excepting every now and then, perhaps subconsciously, the author snaps us out of his well-crafted fantasy landscape with the clattering thud of a modern word or phrase which seems out of context, even at one point having one character quote a very well-known line from a very well-known Disney film song. Strangely rather than jar on my nerves I found this very amusing and I have to admit I like marmite.
    Really refreshing work in a well-tested genre.
    Many grats to the author.
    5 people found this helpful
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  • Robert G
    5.0 out of 5 stars Yet another "one more chapter before bed" book.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 11 June 2012
    Verified Purchase
    One of my favourite measures of success, is the amount of time I'm willing to spend, that I didn't intend on spending, reading the books. To clarify, this is when you stop following your daily routine in favour of reading 'just one more chapter' instead.
    All 3 (released) books of this series have had me staying up well past my bedtime, and had me surviving on little over 4 hours sleep, because I got a little too engrossed in the plot.
    All on all, the book was an enjoyable read, and I liked the writing style.

    The books in this series are a little short, which meant I was able to read all 3 of the available books in the course of 4 days, but the kindle price on Amazon reflects this, so don't let the length put you off. The series is a nice read, and makes for nice light reading, so perfect for travelling or reading before bed.

    I personally didn't really have any issues with the quality of the publishing, but I generally don't pick up on those, if you are one of those people, I'd suggest reading some of the other reviews on offer.

    While I wouldn't compare this series to the Sparhawk series (Eddings) or the Farseer series (Hobb), it left me feeling happy I picked the series up.
    2 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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  • Prem Kumar Aparanji
    3.0 out of 5 stars Don't hope for an enthralling book like any of the Art of the adept books
    Reviewed in India on 11 June 2020
    Verified Purchase
    Unfortunately, I read the Art of the adept series before reading this book from the same author, though written much earlier in his career perhaps. I don't know, I didn't research into the author.

    The language, the world building, character depth, the progression of events, the timelines, everything reads so amateurish considered to the other series by this author.

    But it's a light series, easy to read, sophomoric perhaps. Good to keep you distracted rather than occupied.
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  • Kindle Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Fans of Epic Fantasy Get This Book
    Reviewed in the United States on 17 February 2012
    Verified Purchase
    For those who like the Epic Fantasy Genre, this is a good read. The the writing is excellent and the pacing kept me coming back to it as soon as I could, when I could put it down. Mort, is adopted by a Blacksmith and his wife. When unusual thing begin to happen to him, he eventually finds that his mentor, the local lord is actually his uncle. He's kept him hidden because almost all the Wizard's and Mages in the world have been assassinated, Mort's real father included.

    The intense pace of the story is leavened with just the right amount of humor and sexual tension without any overt sexual descriptions. The characters are all believable, they could live in your city, if wars between neighboring kingdoms were still fought with Magic and magical creatures.

    I enjoyed the suspense of not knowing immediately who the bad guys are or what there motivations are. It makes you stick with the story to figure out who is going to do what to who else. That added complexity makes it a notch above the typical Epic Fantasy.

    The story ended complete in itself, but with enough questions that I looked forward to reading the next in the series. Luckily it is available (The Line of Illeniel) and I read it immediately, even though I had some others in queue. I'm happy to tell you that the next one is even better: longer, more complexity, still with good humor and fast pacing. Unhappily, I must inform you that the third in the series is not out yet. I am not patient. I want it now.
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  • M. W. Broscheit
    5.0 out of 5 stars Neuer Autor, klassische Fantasy.
    Reviewed in Germany on 20 June 2013
    Verified Purchase
    Bei der Geschichte handelt es sich um einen richtig gut erzählten, sowie durchdachten eher klassischen Fantasy Roman in einer fiktiven weitgehend mittelalterlichen, feudalen Gesellschaft. Es hat einige Zeit gedauert bis ich in den Roman (deutsche Ausgabe) gefunden hatte und dies lag nicht an der Story, sondern an einigen ärgerlichen Fehlern und Freiheiten, die sich der Übersetzer der deutschen Ausgabe erlaubt hat. Daher habe ich mir doch lieber das Original geleistet.

    Die Geschichte beginnt mit einem furiosen Prolog. Die Burg in dem sich die Familie des späteren Protagonisten aufhält wird von einer Bande Meuchelmördern überfallen. Erzählt wird wie alle Personen bis auf seine Mutter ums Leben kommen, diese gehört einer Art Kriegerorden an und ist auch im waffenlosen Kampf tödlich. Die Beschreibung der Kämpfe ist detailliert und bildhaft geschrieben
    Für mich hat es den Anschein, als ob der Autor sich in diesen Kampftechniken gut auskennt und sie sehr authentisch schildern kann - der Übersetzer leider nicht.

    Der Autor hat sich viele Gedanken zu einem nachvollziehbaren Magiesystem gemacht, als gute Idee empfinde ich die den Kapiteln jeweils vorweg gestellten kurzen Auszüge aus einen fiktiven Werk „Über das Wesen von Glaube und Magie“. Der Leser erhält dadurch einen leichten Wissensvorsprung gegenüber dem Protagonisten, der sich im Laufe des Romans, die tieferen Wirkungsweisen ebendieser Magie erarbeiten muss. Seine Versuche und Irrtümer aber auch Erfolge werden dadurch logischer. In der Welt von Manning ist die Magie kein Lehrberuf, sondern man wird mit dem Zugang geboren oder nicht. Es verhält sich ein wenig wie mit einem mächtigen Office-Programm, wenn es installiert ist kann man es benutzen, man kennt nur noch nicht alle Möglichkeiten.
    Da die Hauptperson, aus deren Sicht der Großteil der Geschichte in der ersten Person geschildert wird, der letzte Spross eines mächtigen Magier Geschlechtes ist, verfügt er über gewaltige magische Ressourcen, er muss nur zuerst auf die Idee kommen was geht.
    Hier sehe ich auch eine mögliche Schwäche der Romankonstruktion. Die Möglichkeiten der Magie scheinen fasst unbegrenzt, es ist nur eine Frage der Vorstellungskraft und der zur Verfügung stehenden „Lebens“-Energie, des jeweiligen Anwenders/Begabten. Ich hoffe der Autor lässt seine sympathische Hauptfigur in den Folgebänden nicht allmächtig werden.

    Der Roman endet wie er beginnt mit einem furiosen Kampf. Dem Autor ist es gelungen nicht einfach einen mehr oder minder raffinierten Cliffhanger an den Schluss zu setzen, sondern einen ordentlichen Abschluss, der aber ganz klar auf eine Fortsetzung der Erzählung drängt.

    Fazit: Ein gelungener Auftakt zu einer kleinen Fantasy Reihe, im Original noch um einiges besser als in der Übersetzung. Die Bände von denen es bisher insgesamt 4 (in Englisch) gibt, sind gleich auf meinem Kindle gelandet. Wer die Romane von Dave Duncan und David Eddings liebt wird auch Michael Manning mögen. Dieses Buch liegt bei mir zwischen 4-5 Sternen, wobei ich die deutsche Fassung aus den genannten Gründen abrunden musste.
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  • Keren Sharp
    5.0 out of 5 stars Good reading
    Reviewed in France on 11 September 2013
    Verified Purchase
    I really enjoyed this first book and look forward to reading more. I found it easy to read and quite captivating.
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  • Bea as in Bumble
    5.0 out of 5 stars The start of a great series.
    Reviewed in Spain on 4 October 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Fast paced, fun whilst learning to come to terms with newly discovered magic abilities, this book starts off an epic tale through 5 books.
    This series is even better the second time around, as I just finished reading the prequel trilogy, I had to do a re-read before the next trilogy.
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