The Frugal Wizard's Handbook for Surviving Medieval England - Brandon Sanderson

Published as an audiobook by Dragonsteel, LLC., 2023.
Narrated by Michael Kramer and Kate Reading.
Originally published 2023.

As the title might suggest, this is a humorous book about a modern-era man who ends up posing as a wizard in a medieval-style England. As we dig into the story a little, we learn that he's not technically in the real medieval England, but rather a parallel dimension that resembles medieval England. He's also not technically a modern-era man, with the book being set a little into the future (allowing for dimension travel, as well as minor technological augments and nanites). This is smart writing from Sanderson, as it allows him to create a world that seems medieval, without needing to do too much worrying about absolute historical accuracy.

In terms of story, our hero awakens in a field, surrounded by scorch marks and the scattered pages of a half-burnt copy of the titular handbook. He has amnesia, which is a great way for us to learn about him as he learns about himself. It also allows for Sanderson to gradually change our understanding of events, which is a trick he often employs in his books. As our hero figures out his own motivations, he also befriends various locals, including Sefawynn, a sort of 'priestess', and Ealstan, a local chieftain getting a bit past his prime. Being Sanderson, there is also a quirky semi-comic-relief/maybe-more-than-what-she-seems side character, in this instance an older woman named Thokk.

The adventures include facing off against vikings and bandits, as well as figuring out what the other people who have arrived from our hero's dimension are after. There is also a possibility that there is something 'magical' going on in this dimension....

It's a fun enough diversion. Not one of my favourite Sanderson books, but lightly humorous enough for a one-off read. The narrators are decent as well.

Completed 31 August 2024.

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