This book is so good and so smart anb boy doesnt the author enjoy shoving that in your face. A great plot, decent pacing and not bad characters are vastly overshadowed by the authors insufferable need to show how smart he (and his mmc) are. I would venture that the author is an engineer or has researched engineering to the point of insanity. He not only makes the character completely unlikeable but he makes magic and portals BORING...like YAWN, nod off Boring. I am sure this will appeal to a certain contingent of readers....but its unlikely I am the target demographic. Which is a shame.