Well, this one goes to show that (again) I shouldn’t let my preconceptions determining my reading.
From that title, I was expecting some sort of time-travelling Medieval/Tolkienesque fantasy, something akin to say, Connie Willis’s Doomsday Book, but perhaps a bit more light-hearted.
It isn’t. (Well – except perhaps the light-hearted bit.)
The author himself says in his Postscript that “it’s more science fiction than fantasy”, which is not clear from the title. Sanderson also says that the inspiration for the title was first thought of in the 2010s, as “The Frugal Wizard’s Guide to London”, but was “a tad too Harry Potter”. (Personally, I thought that the title was a bit too Douglas Adams myself.)
Nevertheless, this initial idea over the next decade or so became something more serious, even though as the author admits “It’s not in the Cosmere, it’s in first person and it’s more science fiction than fantasy.” The result was this book, one of the so-called ‘secret projects’ crowdfunded between 2020 – 2021.
With all of this in mind, then, the story’s pretty straight-forward. Runian is a man who wakes up with no memory of his past or how he got to where it is. (Sanderson calls this ‘a white-room story’) The result? He has to figure all of this out himself at the same time as the reader – something Sanderson has wanted to write ever since he read The Bourne Identity by Robert Ludlum.
Over the course of the book, we discover that he is from our future but has been transported back to the past, to the medieval Midlands of England, a place filled with gods, gods-fearing peoples and Vikings. We discover over the course of the story that Runian has another name and a life he has left behind, but which has come to follow him here, and which makes up the bulk of the plot. His sole hope for survival lies in regaining his missing memories, making allies among the locals, and perhaps even trusting in their superstitious boasts.
His only help from the “real world” should have been a guidebook entitled The Frugal Wizard”s Handbook for Surviving Medieval England, parts of which are interleafed between the plot chapters. Here we find that this is a place where, thanks to quantum universes, people are offered their own world – for a price, of course! – where they can own their own alternate dimension – a place close to, but not our own past. Hence no issues with strange creatures, unusual aliens and the like, not to mention those pesky time paradoxes. People can actually own their own kingdom, although those residents already there may need persuading that they do own it.
The difficulty is that Runian’s guidebook has been destroyed on his travel here, so although the few fragments he managed to save provide clues to his situation, he not only has to work out who he is, where he is and why he’s there, but also do it quick enough to survive.
I read this one for a book group. It was an interesting choice from a group who had heard of Brandon Sanderson but didn’t know much of his writing. As such, I think that it was a good choice for those wanting to try his writing.
It is less pages than some of his Cosmere books (and therefore less intimidating), less complex, less weighty, less burdened by context, even less repetitive, and as such allows the reader just to read and enjoy. It’s clearly one written for fun, without too much detail required, and a few convenient coincidences along the way.
The sections from Runian’s guidebook – or what is left of it – is a lighter element of the book, generally being the publicity material for Frugal Wizard Inc©, the company in charge of sending people to these worlds. They are both informative and somewhat ironic, filled with bright and breezy language to explain how it all works, whilst at the same time being covered with copyrights and disclaimers. The copious and often humorous illustrations by Steve Argyle also add to this lighter brisk feel.
Having said that, the plot isn’t too demanding, being more action-driven than contemplative. The fast pace means that the characters have little depth, and consequently much of the characterisation will feel fairly standard – we have a beautiful priestess who the main character falls in love with (of course!) although there is the complication that he is in mourning after the death of his previous girlfriend.
This simplicity did make me feel at times that there was a Young Adult feel to the book. The chapters are short, and there’s not too much thinking needed, no complex character themes to unravel (although there are some themes!), not too much historical detail to slow down the pace of the story – this is one just to read and enjoy the ride. Providing, of course, that your preconceptions don’t get in the way.
In summary then, The Frugal Wizard’s Handbook to Surviving Medieval England is an unusual Sanderson read, and not one I would have normally picked up myself. Whilst I did feel that it was a lesser book that Sanderson, given his prodigious output, could possibly write in a couple of weeks (I know it didn’t!), I did think that it may be a way for new readers to get into Sanderson’s books before tackling the heavier, meatier stuff.
Despite not matching my preconceptions, I found it readable, funny and exciting -a lot of fun, although I doubt it will remain memorable. File under “Worth a try”.
© 2025 Mark Yon
Hardback | Gollancz
THE FRUGAL WIZARD’S HANDBOOK FOR SURVIVING MEDIEVAL ENGLAND by Brandon Sanderson
April 2023 | 395 pages
ISBN: 978 1938 570 384
