Book Review: The Bane Chronicles

Title: The Bane Chronicles

Authors: Cassandra Clare; Sarah Rees Brennan; Maureen Johnson

Number of pages: 507

Summary: A collection of 11 short stories, previously published online that illuminate the life of the enigmatic, flashy and flamboyant High Warlock of Brooklyn, Magnus Bane, a character in The Mortal Instruments series.

Synopsis

Immortal warlock Magnus Bane's life has been long adventure-filled and never dull. Though snippets of his past have been hinted at in the Mortal Instruments and the Infernal Devices, here his deepest secrets are revealed: his involvement in the French Revolution, his witness to the speakeasies and sleaze of Prohibition, and his place in the battle between Valentine and the New York Institute...the first time around. But smuggling Marie Antoinette out of France is nothing compared to his befriending vampires like Camille Belcourt...or his first date with Alec Lightwood.

My Thoughts

Its nothing like I imagine it will be. Fist time I encountered this character is in the movie titled The Mortal Instrument: City of Bones but I don't notice him. He does not capture my attention at all. Then, I watch the tv series entitled: Shadowhunters and like everyone else, I fall in love with the character Magnus Bane. He is fantastic, unique and amazing. So, I run to the bookstore, hoping with all my hearts that they have this book and there it is, sitting nicely on the shelves. 

So, the book is not like I anticipated it will be. I thought it will be full of magical fighting scenes with Magnus using his power to save the world. But it is not. It is a story of Magnus little mischief. He is initially very curious warlock, using his power blatantly to satisfy his curiosity. His travelling companion like the sarcastic, Ragnor Fell make the story really fun. I laugh a lot reading this book. 

But that is not all. There is also a heartbreaking story of Magnus that makes you cry. Magnus is a very kind person, trying to help people even at the end, he hurts himself more by doing so. His kindness over the year deteriorate by the heartbreak and his funny remarks become more cynical. Cant really blame him though. It makes you fall in love more with this character. I hope they will write another Magnus Bane stories. He lived more than 300 years old, surely there is a lot to tell. 

For those people that like adventure mystery kind of book, I recommend you read this book. Even though it does not give you lot of fighting magical scenes but it makes you think that magic is not only powerful but cool and fun too. 

If I am in this book...

I will be a character named El that strong and powerful that lives in Magnus Bane's shadow. El was a shadowhunter with warlock ancestry that sold her soul to Magnus' father, a greater demon in order to save the world hundreds of years before Magnus' existence. Since then, she became the demons' slave, instructed to look after his children, warlocks, to ensure they have a long live so that their soul is strong enough to empower demon realm with one condition; to never show herself. She usually indifference to the demon children but Magnus Bane caught her attention, in which she is willing to go all the trouble to save his life. And she did countless of time. 

OK. Maybe I should write a fanfic on this but my english is not that good and writing in Malay will be kind of weird. 

Magnus Bane and Alexander Lightwood

There are 2 actors portrayed Magnus Bane but I prefer Harry Shum Jr version. He described as a young beautiful boy with Asian colors. Harry Shum Jr is not only make great Magnus based on appearance but as well as character traits.