please help me remember

**rcfuller000** · September 27th, 2009, 02:37 PM

Hello and thanks to anyone ahead of time for your help.

I dont remember much about this book, but it was one that really got me started reading in the first place so I'd like to try and re-read it.

the main character i believe was a carpenter or something along those lines before he started practicing magic, several times he reflects on his old life during the book. i think he might have been kicked out of his wizard schooling. i remember he thought of a women he wasnt traveling with but had in the recent past(which makes me think this may have been a series). i believe in the start of the book he is traveling alone but is quickly joined by at least one character who is a swordsman or warrior. at the end of the book they fight in an old tower (abandoned and/ordamaged) against beings who can materialize out of nowhere. those last two things i am a bit unsure of. What i am most sure of is the fact the magic system has a quirk where every spell the main character casts drains his person and i believe he even passes out or comes close a couple of times (might also corrupt, but not sure). another thing i remember is the author actually wrote in parts of the spells as the characters dialogue when he would cast a spell instead of always writing "he cast the spell for...". I also remember the main characters main offensive spells was lighting bolts (cast it many times). Sorry its all so vague, i wrote everything i could think of in hopes that many vague things would add up to something. Thanks!!

Also should say i read this book over ten years ago, and i believe in paper back. The cover was rather plain with a short title (one or two words).

**Obtuse** · September 27th, 2009, 05:40 PM

Some of what you describe makes me think of L.E. Modesitt's Recluce novels, but I am by no means certain that's what you're looking for.

**rcfuller000** · September 27th, 2009, 09:23 PM

although ive never read the recluce novels, after looking them up they in no way seem familiar..... thanks though!!

**Randy M.** · September 28th, 2009, 11:43 AM

Originally Posted by rcfuller000

Hello and thanks to anyone ahead of time for your help.

I dont remember much about this book, but it was one that really got me started reading in the first place so I'd like to try and re-read it.

the main character i believe was a blacksmith or carpenter or something along those lines before he started practicing magic. i believe he loved a women he couldnt be with (which makes me think this may have been a series). i believe in the start of the book he is traveling alone but is quickly joined by at least one character who is a swordsman or warrior. at the end of the book they fight in an old tower against beings who can materialize out of nowhere. those last two things i am most unsure of. What i am most sure of is the fact the magic system has a quirk where every spell the main character casts drains his person and i believe he even passes out or comes close a couple of times. another thing i remember is the author actually wrote in parts of the spells as the characters dialogue when he would cast a spell instead of always writing "he cast the spell for...". I also remember one of the characters main offensive spells was lighting bolts. Sorry its all so vague, i wrote everything i could think of in hopes that many vague things would add up to something. Thanks!!

Well, that outline could apply to a lot of books. I just read, Peter Beagle's The Innkeeper's Song, and if you squint and look out of the corner of your eyes, it would look something like that.

Randy M.

**Oolish** · September 28th, 2009, 01:00 PM

Does anyone know if Robert Newcomb is any good?

**Radone** · September 29th, 2009, 07:05 AM

Opinions on Mr. Newcomb vary, but in general, he isn't thought to highly. Lot's of hype early on, and it's ironic that his publisher has recently decided against publishing any more books in his series. So his series is unfinished and will remain so unless he can find another publisher. He does not seem to be actively looking for someone else to put out his book, and may have moved on to a different genre.

**rcfuller000** · October 1st, 2009, 10:24 AM

anymore ideas anyone?? i added more to my original post

**Radone** · October 7th, 2009, 12:01 PM

Does it anything to do with a search for unicorns? I think John Lee wrote something about magic that drains you (actually makes you look really old, so the older you are, the more you know, but the less powerful you are).