1. Forum
  2. FidoNet
  3. rec.arts.sf.written

  • An Instruction in Shadow by Benedict Jacka

    From BobbieSellers@3:633/10 to All on Thursday, July 02, 2026 16:53:09
    An Instruction in Shadow by Benedict Jacka

    Book 2 of an Inheritance Of Magic series.

    The magic in this story is called Drucraft.
    It deals with the shaping of Sigils out of aurum(sic)
    which is an energy that can by drucraft be made solid
    and depending on its particular sort used to provide
    advantages such as enhanced vision, invisibility,
    lightfoot, rapid motion or strength etc.
    The protagonist is skilled enough to make
    sigils but is a child of a great house which does
    not care for him and in which politics over
    succession to the leadership of the house is very
    common.
    He has allies in the house but he does
    not care to use them as he does not trust them.
    His mother was a daughter of the house
    who became infatuated with his father, an armsman
    of the house. This was a misalliance according
    the to the ruler of the house. After a few years
    his mother decided the life of the fired armsman
    was not worth sharing and left her child and
    husband to return to the house and since has
    re-married and has children fulfilling a house
    agreement.

    The father has disappeared and his son is
    obsessed with finding out what has happened to him.

    I do not particularly like this book for
    many reasons but it is fairly well written and
    many will find it a quite acceptable way to spend
    some time or so I deduce from reading in r.a.SF.w.

    Shadow in this case refers to the
    somewhat unhanded tactics that companies
    dealing in sigils train young people to
    find aurum wells then leave them to work
    without protection and supervision. The
    head of the house deigns to instruct the
    young man that this is how the companies
    do business.



    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.18
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From Lynn McGuire@3:633/10 to All on Thursday, July 02, 2026 22:21:05
    On 7/2/2026 6:53 PM, BobbieSellers wrote:
    An Instruction in Shadow by Benedict Jacka

    Book 2 of an Inheritance Of Magic series.

    ˙˙˙˙The magic in this story is called Drucraft.
    It deals with the shaping of Sigils out of aurum(sic)
    which is an energy that can by drucraft be made solid
    and depending on its particular sort used to provide
    advantages such as enhanced vision, invisibility,
    lightfoot, rapid motion or strength etc.
    ˙˙˙˙The protagonist is skilled enough to make
    sigils but is a child of a great house which does
    not care for him and in which politics over
    succession to the leadership of the house is very
    common.
    ˙˙˙˙He has allies in the house but he does
    not care to use them as he does not trust them.
    ˙˙˙˙His mother was a daughter of the house
    who became infatuated with his father, an armsman
    of the house.˙ This was a misalliance according
    the to the ruler of the house. After a few years
    his mother decided the life of the fired armsman
    was not worth sharing and left her child and
    husband to return to the house and since has
    re-married and has children fulfilling a house
    agreement.

    ˙˙˙˙The father has disappeared and his son is
    obsessed with finding out what has happened to him.

    ˙˙˙˙I do not particularly like this book for
    many reasons but it is fairly well written and
    many will find it a quite acceptable way to spend
    some time or so I deduce from reading in r.a.SF.w.

    ˙˙˙˙Shadow in this case refers to the
    somewhat unhanded tactics that companies
    dealing in sigils train young people to
    find aurum wells then leave them to work
    without protection and supervision. The
    head of the house deigns to instruct the
    young man that this is how the companies
    do business.

    Did you read the excellent Alex Verus novels? If so, how did this
    compare to those?
    https://www.amazon.com/Fated-Verus-Novel-Benedict-Jacka/dp/1937007294

    Lynn


    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.18
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From BobbieSellers@3:633/10 to All on Thursday, July 02, 2026 21:37:40
    On 7/2/26 20:21, Lynn McGuire wrote:
    On 7/2/2026 6:53 PM, BobbieSellers wrote:
    An Instruction in Shadow by Benedict Jacka

    Book 2 of an Inheritance Of Magic series.

    ˙˙˙˙˙The magic in this story is called Drucraft.
    It deals with the shaping of Sigils out of aurum(sic)
    which is an energy that can by drucraft be made solid
    and depending on its particular sort used to provide
    advantages such as enhanced vision, invisibility,
    lightfoot, rapid motion or strength etc.
    ˙˙˙˙˙The protagonist is skilled enough to make
    sigils but is a child of a great house which does
    not care for him and in which politics over
    succession to the leadership of the house is very
    common.
    ˙˙˙˙˙He has allies in the house but he does
    not care to use them as he does not trust them.
    ˙˙˙˙˙His mother was a daughter of the house
    who became infatuated with his father, an armsman
    of the house.˙ This was a misalliance according
    the to the ruler of the house. After a few years
    his mother decided the life of the fired armsman
    was not worth sharing and left her child and
    husband to return to the house and since has
    re-married and has children fulfilling a house
    agreement.

    ˙˙˙˙˙The father has disappeared and his son is
    obsessed with finding out what has happened to him.

    ˙˙˙˙˙I do not particularly like this book for
    many reasons but it is fairly well written and
    many will find it a quite acceptable way to spend
    some time or so I deduce from reading in r.a.SF.w.

    ˙˙˙˙˙Shadow in this case refers to the
    somewhat unhanded tactics that companies
    dealing in sigils train young people to
    find aurum wells then leave them to work
    without protection and supervision. The
    head of the house deigns to instruct the
    young man that this is how the companies
    do business.

    Did you read the excellent Alex Verus novels?˙ If so, how did this
    compare to those?
    ˙˙ https://www.amazon.com/Fated-Verus-Novel-Benedict-Jacka/dp/1937007294

    Lynn

    No I have not read the Alex Verus novels.
    I nearly did not read this book when the Drucraft reference
    showed up. I prefer more traditional magical nonsense.

    bliss


    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.18
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From Tony Nance@3:633/10 to All on Friday, July 03, 2026 10:23:15
    On 7/2/26 11:21 PM, Lynn McGuire wrote:
    On 7/2/2026 6:53 PM, BobbieSellers wrote:
    An Instruction in Shadow by Benedict Jacka

    Book 2 of an Inheritance Of Magic series.

    ˙˙˙˙˙The magic in this story is called Drucraft.
    It deals with the shaping of Sigils out of aurum(sic)
    which is an energy that can by drucraft be made solid
    and depending on its particular sort used to provide
    advantages such as enhanced vision, invisibility,
    lightfoot, rapid motion or strength etc.
    ˙˙˙˙˙The protagonist is skilled enough to make
    sigils but is a child of a great house which does
    not care for him and in which politics over
    succession to the leadership of the house is very
    common.
    ˙˙˙˙˙He has allies in the house but he does
    not care to use them as he does not trust them.
    ˙˙˙˙˙His mother was a daughter of the house
    who became infatuated with his father, an armsman
    of the house.˙ This was a misalliance according
    the to the ruler of the house. After a few years
    his mother decided the life of the fired armsman
    was not worth sharing and left her child and
    husband to return to the house and since has
    re-married and has children fulfilling a house
    agreement.

    ˙˙˙˙˙The father has disappeared and his son is
    obsessed with finding out what has happened to him.

    ˙˙˙˙˙I do not particularly like this book for
    many reasons but it is fairly well written and
    many will find it a quite acceptable way to spend
    some time or so I deduce from reading in r.a.SF.w.

    ˙˙˙˙˙Shadow in this case refers to the
    somewhat unhanded tactics that companies
    dealing in sigils train young people to
    find aurum wells then leave them to work
    without protection and supervision. The
    head of the house deigns to instruct the
    young man that this is how the companies
    do business.

    Did you read the excellent Alex Verus novels?˙ If so, how did this
    compare to those?
    ˙˙ https://www.amazon.com/Fated-Verus-Novel-Benedict-Jacka/dp/1937007294


    I am not Bobbie, nor do I play her on TV, but:
    I've read all of both series (there are 3 now in the newer one), and I
    liked the Verus series better. Even comparing only the first 3 of each,
    I liked the Verus better.

    That is not to say the newer series is not worth reading - as you
    mentioned (and I agree), the Verus series is excellent - and I think
    you'd like it. But probably not 5-star material on your end.

    I'll put my ratings & brief summaries for all three below, in case it helps.

    Tony
    Jan 2024:
    ( ++ ) An Inheritance of Magic - Jacka [An Inheritance of Magic #1]
    This was also a good series starter, laying a lot of groundwork for how
    this new setting works. Fyi: In the intro/forward, Jacka specifically
    mentions that this has nothing to do with his Alex Verus series. Stephen Oakwood is 20 years old and a novice drucrafter (drucraft is a novel
    magic system invented by Jacka for this work). His mother abandoned him
    at age 1, and his father disappeared - was possibly kidnapped - under mysterious circumstances 3 years ago. Stephen becomes entangled with a
    rather stereotypical ruthless power-hungry rich family of drucrafters,
    and it?s pretty clear this entanglement will be very important in the
    next book(s). I will read the second one (not yet released) and decide
    if I go on from there.


    Dec 2024:
    ( ++ 1/2 ) An Instruction in Shadow - Jacka [An Inheritance of Magic #2]
    Steven Oakwood learns a lot more about drucrafting, his House, his
    parents, and his friends. By the end of this volume, he has a line on
    finding his father, and he has started down a path to independent
    employment that would allow him to pursue drucrafting and finding his
    father. I will read the next one.


    Jan 2026:
    ( ++ 1/2 - ) A Judgement of Powers - Jacka [Inheritance of Magic #3]
    Stephen is getting more and more entangled with his estranged (and
    powerful, and cruel, and ruthless, and ...) extended family. And he has
    caught the attention of The Winged as well (not good). He learns a lot
    more about both, and about drucrafting as well. The minus is because he
    is still way too often a mouthy idiot to family members when he
    should/could shut up and listen (and learn!) instead. I'll probably read #4.






    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.18
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)