Occasionally, we here at Major Spoilers will actually read a book or story that does not have any pictures. I know, I’m about as surprised as you are. Of course, it really helps when these stories tie into something we tend to enjoy to begin with and this is no exception. Setting up the second set of the Return to Ravnica block, The Secretist Part 2 has been read and your Major Spoilers book Review awaits the jump.
THE SECRETIST PART 2: GATECRASH
Writer: Doug Beyer
Publisher: Wizards of the Coast
Price: $1.99
Previously in The Secretist: Jace Beleren and Niv Mizzet have learned of a Maze hidden within the Guildgates that can unlock fathomless power. Niv Mizzet has set his entire guild, The Izzet Consortium, on tracking down the answers while Jace, in an attempt to protect the world, erased the information from his and his companion’s minds while running off to save a damsel. While the rescue worked, it left him bruised and beaten, which is where we pick up.
SUPER INTELLIGENT MIND MAGE, CONSTANT BROKEN HEART
Being part of the Planeswalker series, the primary focus is obviously going to be on our known Planeswalker, Jace Beleren. Jace is presented, as has been typical, as your prototypical mind-mage. Smart, quick-witted, and able to mess with someone’s head whenever necessary. However, the most entertaining part of his personality actually comes from his heart, or how easily he gives it to someone.
The book opens on Jace having rescued a female elf friend, Emmara a member of the Selesnya Guild, from the Cult of Rakdos and him inwardly needing her attention and affection. While the adventuresome and intelligence aspects of Jace are represented very well throughout the book, the best part of Jace is just how easily he can fall in love.
Other characters of note include another Planeswalker, Ral Zarek, of the Consortium and acting on behalf of Niv Mizzet. Zarek disappoints me in that he tends towards the angry and selfish aspects of Izzet nature, but that not happening was a hopeful idea at best. Niv Mizzet himself, of course, appears throughout and though mostly focused through the viewpoints of others, his mind and menace are well on display. Lazav, the new Guild Master of the Dimir takes center stage as his machinations come to fruition within The Secretist. Of the main viewpoints, only an Azorius lawmage whose name I can’t recall fell flat.
THE RACE IS ON
The story opens on Jace and Emmara being attacked by a member of the House Dimir and only escaping due to the memories Jace erased. After their escape and return to Trostani it is made abundantly clear that those memories are going to be needed in order for Jace to actually prevent what he had wanted with his self-imposed amnesia. Jace ends up using most of the other characters to eventually figure out at least a small part of what he had lost, though not before Selesnya launches what amounts to an all-out war against the Cult of Rakdos.
Meanwhile, Niv Mizzet himself has figure out key ingredients to the Implicit Maze and starts to put the finishing touches on his plan.
BOTTOM LINE: Read All Three
This piece is very much an act two, setting everything up to be completed in Dragon’s Maze. That said, it is a well done act two that manage to get a reasonable story through despite having to both follow-up and lead-in to another book. Because of that, The Secretist, Part 2 has eared 3.5 out of 5 stars and a definite purchasing of part three.
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