Rating: 
Summary: Best Fantasy book to ever detail magic.
Review: The first time I read this book, I was amazed at the detail Mr. Hardy went through to discribe the different forms of magic. I also enjoyed the storyline of the young magician who went through a lot to learn all five forms of magic just to try to win the hand of a queen. In the end, He ended up falling in love with the woman who was with him and helped him every step of the way. So the story is also a romantic one too. I've never been able to find another book like it since.
Rating:
Summary: A definite must-read
Review: As my bookshelves continue to grow, I can name only a handful of books that I continue revisit time and time again. Duncan's Magic Casement series. Feist's Riftwar. Moon's Saga of Paksenarrion. And above all, Hardy's Master of the Five Magics. Hardy's spellbinding tale of Alodar's quest through the five paths of magic, and the climactic culmination of his talents at the end, is a thrilling adventure no matter how many times you've read it. Hardy's detailed explanations of the tenets of each of the magical paths are some of the most logical I've ever encountered in this genre. The only negative thing I can say about this book is that the romantic scenes read like a daytime soap opera, and not a particularly good one at that. Fortunately they only last a page or two, and then our hero is back on his quest. Master of the Five Magics is simple to read, complex in scope, and thoroughly compelling to the last page. Get it if you can find it; you'll probably never sell it.
Rating:
Summary: A definite must-read
Review: As my bookshelves continue to grow, I can name only a handful of books that I continue revisit time and time again. Duncan's Magic Casement series. Feist's Riftwar. Moon's Saga of Paksenarrion. And above all, Hardy's Master of the Five Magics. Hardy's spellbinding tale of Alodar's quest through the five paths of magic, and the climactic culmination of his talents at the end, is a thrilling adventure no matter how many times you've read it. Hardy's detailed explanations of the tenets of each of the magical paths are some of the most logical I've ever encountered in this genre. The only negative thing I can say about this book is that the romantic scenes read like a daytime soap opera, and not a particularly good one at that. Fortunately they only last a page or two, and then our hero is back on his quest. Master of the Five Magics is simple to read, complex in scope, and thoroughly compelling to the last page. Get it if you can find it; you'll probably never sell it.
Rating:
Summary: The first book I ever truly enjoyed reading.
Review: I can't believe I've finally found it. After all these years I've found this book. I originally read Master of the Five Magics in Junior High. It amazed me as the most original fantasy book I'd ever read. My search is now over after six years. Thanks to Amazon I have a copy in my possesion, and thank you Mr. Hardy for writing this story.
Rating: 
Summary: A memorable fantasy
Review: I concur with many other reviews in that this book (and its first sequel) truly stand out in my mind as well-written fantasy. I absolutely loved the well thought-out treatment of the magical disciplines, which in and of itself makes the series worthwhile. I recently obtained and reread the entire trilogy, and enjoyed it even more than I did the first time, as I now recognize some of the real scientific principles reflected in the rules of the magics. The characters are more than a little on the flat side, especially in the first book, but overall it's a compelling world to journey through.
Rating: 
Summary: Um...this book is terrible
Review: I don't understand why this book has gotten so many over-the-top reviews. (Though, judging by some consistencies in style in many of the reviews, I suspect a lot were written by one person.) This is one of the lousiest fantasies I've ever read, and everyone I've pushed it on (maliciously, in fun), agrees. The concept of analytically describing the various types of magic is an interesting one, but the writing is so bland, so pedestrian, so rigidly following a naked outline, that the bones of the organizational skeleton poke out all over. Seriously, if you are an experienced reader and value good fiction, this is not the book for you. For good fantasy, I'd suggest Guy Kay's engaging and beautifully written novels, particularly Fionavar Tapestry, Tigana, Song for Arbonne, and The Lions of Al-Rassan.
Rating:
Summary: Absolute best fantasy/adventure
Review: I have two copies of this book: one to lend and one in case the other never returns... the mechanisms of the various magics is brilliantly explained in the course of a non-stop adventure / romance that's suitable for any age. My son and I have just about worn the covers off these books. This story begs to be made into a movie by Spielberg or Lucas. I hope that Mr. Hardy is good for a few more books in the future.
Rating:
Summary: Too bad this is out of print
Review: I just reread this book after a few years. It is REALLY good. It's too bad its out of print.
Rating:
Summary: Too bad this is out of print
Review: I just reread this book after a few years. It is REALLY good. It's too bad its out of print.
Rating:
Summary: This was the best fantasy novel I have ever read
Review: I originally read this book when it first came out many years ago, and it's probably the best fantasy book I've ever read. I really liked the author's attempt at providing a logical description of magic. People don't just wave their hands and make anything happen. Magic is treated like a science, where one must study and practice to get any real results. The plot is also exciting, and moves along at a fairly brisk pace. There are aspects of going on quests and treasure hunts, and finding secrets hidden in castles. I highly recommend this book. Of Lyndon's three books in the series, I felt that this was the best (and his second book was second best).
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