Gunner's Apprentice

Lightbringer #2.5

by Brent Weeks

Gunner’s Apprentice is a scene set in the Seven Satrapies. Kip and Liv are in dire straits as the Color Prince's armies draw closer. Can they find a way out, or is this the end for the son of Gavin Guile?

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Short Stories, Epic Fantasy, Magic, Ebooks, Science Fiction Fantasy

40 pages, ebook

First published July 18, 2014

About the author

In a small-town Montana school at age 12, Brent Weeks met the two great loves of his life. Edgar Allan Poe introduced him to the power of literature to transcend time and death and loneliness. Fate introduced him to The Girl, Kristi Barnes. He began his pursuit of each immediately.

The novel was a failure. The Girl shot him down.

Since then–skipping the boring parts–Brent has written eight best-selling novels with the Night Angel Trilogy and the Lightbringer Series, won several industry awards, and sold a few million books.

Brent and his wife Kristi live in Oregon with their two daughters. (Yeah, he married The Girl.)

Reviews

[Bradley · Rating 5 out of 5]

He read this to us when I was at a SF convention and the whole audience sat, enraptured, as we were led to our dooms. I wanted to strangle the author at the time.

As a practical joke, I've never been quite so had in all my life, and the fact that he pulled it off with such a straight face and with an obviously great story like this, KNOWING that all his fans were seeing such a brilliant turning point in the novels that we were there for, was sufficient for all of us to cheerfully murder Mr. Weeks by the end of the story.

Never mind that my estimation of him as both one of my favorite writers only increased after this.

Anyone who can toy with my emotions so facilely deserves every penny of my hard-earned money.

[YouKneeK · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a very short story set in Brent Weeks’ Lightbringer series. I wasn’t expecting it to be so short. The Goodreads book page has it listed as 40 pages, but it’s more like 10. You can find it for free here.

This is listed as book 2.5, but it shouldn’t be read until after book 3. I have seen recommendations to read it after book 4, but it would have much more impact if read before book 4. There will be a point where you’ll think I’ve led you horribly astray, but I read it after book 4 and regretted my timing.

I feel like it’s impossible for me to give any opinions without potentially spoiling everything, so I’m going to put the rest of my comments in spoiler tags. There are major spoilers here.

The story kills off two POV characters, Kip and Liv. Then the author follows it up with a note implying it’s a scene from his not-yet-published-at-the-time fourth book. He then goes on to deliver the punch line where you realize that he’s just pulling your leg and that this isn’t actually a real scene in the series.

After one has read book 4 it’s clear that the events in this story don’t fit, so I spent the entire time up to the punchline just feeling confused, because nothing made any sense. If I’d read it before book 4, I would have been more alarmed by the story and I would have appreciated the joke better.

Although I did laugh out loud at the punch line, the story itself didn’t do much for me and it doesn’t add anything to the series (since it didn’t happen), which is what I usually read these sorts of extra stories for. I think what he did was funny, but the impact was lost on me because I read it at the wrong time.

[Hannah Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brent Weeks is a mastermind, no doubt about it. Unfortunately, an attempt to talk about this story will spoil the ending, part of which occurs in Weeks' comments at the end of the story (free to read: http://www.orbitbooks.net/brokeneye-b... ).
As the man himself says,
“Don’t give fans what they want, give them something better.” And that's why I love everything he creates--even if it makes me cry bitter, angry tears.

[Klinta · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'd recommend reading this after book 2. And read the author's note after. Below might contain spoilery thoughts.

I didn't like it. This is one of those cases where it gets more fantastic with every sentence and I just stopped believing what is going on. Which is why I didn't have this pure and true surprise. It might be different if I would have listened to it. I did laugh at the end, so that was nice, but overall as a story I didn't like it and I'm glad it didn't make into the book. Unless it's a double bluff and I will see all this later.

[Nadine · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Don't give fans what they want, give them something better."


Wow.
I don’t think I’ve ever been on such a crazy emotional roller coaster in only 40 pages. Weeks brought me to my knees only to prop me back up with a new appreciation for his writing and writing in general.
I only wish that I was present when Weeks read this at a book signing.

[Kathrin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short but well-written.

I liked it and yes, I was surprised. Just as the author intended.

"Don't give fans what they want, give them something better."

[Neila · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was so much fun. Was it pointless? Yes. Did I enjoy what happened in there? Yes. Am I sad this is not actually part of the the story? Also yes. But I’m appreciating the author showing his writing process and the little note he added at the end of that short story!

[Maria · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5⭐ - it was good

Not too bad for a short novella, I did like it. But don't really see the value on being a separated story from the main books... Or excisting at all 😅

[Vijendra Purohit · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating is more for the author's note at the end. He is funny.

[Kitty · Rating 5 out of 5]

First I wanted to hurl. Then I wanted to punch him in the face. And then I wanted to squeal like a total fangirl. Mr. Weeks, you are a genius.

[Kelsea Yu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hah! That's all I'm going to say. Read after The Blood Mirror.

[Jordan · Rating 4 out of 5]

So the first time that I came across this was not from reading... no. When Brent was in San Francisco for his book signing event he read an "excerpt" from the next book... he read this to the whole audience.


Needless to say he was almost "boo"ed out of the store...

Very well done and I vote for more broken molds.

[Lukas Lovas · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOL
I do not use this acronym lightly (or ever, really), but here, it just fits. I've read it, I was startled, I lauged out loud, and I appreciate the writing of Mr. Brent Weeks even more than before.

[Brandon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Don't screw with me like that, man.

[AliciaJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sneaky and brilliant.

[Solrac · Rating 5 out of 5]

Escena corta creada no incorporada a los libros con comentarios mordaces pero reales del autor.
Una lectura de 15 minutos refrescante y entretenida para que a los que nos gusta el autor nos de una buena lección de que: su mundo, su escrito, sus normas.

Gratuito en un blog de internet.

[Abe · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5. Is this real !!!

[Siddharth · Rating 5 out of 5]

That was a rollercoaster and a half.
To everyone who's gonna read this, please read the postscript.

[Sabetha Ablar · Rating 5 out of 5]

You see rarely so much thought, precision and research in a short story.

[Victoria Liiv · Rating 5 out of 5]

Noooooo... I read this after second book. Why did I read this after the second book. This was a major mistake and I can't take it back 😅

[Dr. Lillian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Initially I thought this “book” would be a novella because I didn’t read any reviews. It’s about a single chapter length and — no spoilers — very good. If I was on the edge between starting the third book in the series or moving on to something else for awhile, this novella/chapter/whatever persuaded me to pick up the third book.

[Siddhartha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Damn, this is very daring. Would have alienated so many fans who like the series so much .. I started panicking after reading the last two lines in the book and author's note which followed did no better until I finished reading it. Overall a very good very short story.

[RhC · Rating 3 out of 5]

HA-Ha! VERY Funny!

After getting over the fact that there was no "spoiler alert," I was more vexed that this entry (2.5) did not follow Book Three -- which I have yet to read -- as it clearly pertained to the fourth book in the trilogy.

3.5 Stars

[Tish · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was livid at the end. I appreciate the exercise of "what if," but at this point, I am invested in a story. If I am going to read something external to that story, I should be told at the outset so that i can opt to include that what-if in my experience or not.

[Susan B. King · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it!!! Brilliant!! Entertaining! (Which is why I read.)
Don't skip the author's notes at the end just because you got pissed and threw the book or your laptop or e-reader across the room.

[Zhi-en Tan · Rating 3 out of 5]

quite meh tbh but maybe cos i read it out of sequence

[Tim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just make sure you read the authors note lol

[Ryan Rickard · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the Lightbringer series. If you are a completionist like me, needing to devour every scrap of released material of a series you like, you may be unable to resist the compulsion to let this one slide by. But you won’t truly miss out on anything if you do. It is quite short, less than a chapter in length, so if you must, read it for the lark that it is. However, be sure to read it prior to book 4, or it will be spoiled. I’d trusted the wrong review that told me to read it after book 4. They were wrong.

You may be quite disoriented about what is going on in the story when you begin, how does this fit in the chronology of the book you just read? Just keep going. You could read it after 2, as goodreads shows it being #2.5, though you could still read it after 3. But Orholam’s balls, read it before book 4.

I am tempted to give it 2 stars instead of 3, but I blame my own folly for reading it after 4, which I think ruined the entire point.

Update: I’m changing my review to 4 stars..I just finished the 5th book, and trying not to give away any spoilers for it or Gunner’s Apprentice, the brief novella did change one thing about my enjoyment of the last book, I realized it made me question any assumptions I might have made about how the book might end. Vague enough? I hope so.

[Mathias Steen Jensen · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun short story..

3/5

Gunner's Apprentice is a short story that follows Kip during an assassination attempt. It was written as a joke by the author. After reading the short story, you'll be left with a feeling of regret and frustration, as you initially think it just spoiled the third and fourth book for you, even during the author's note, you think this. However, make sure to read to the very end.

The short story can be found on Orbit Books' website.

I can't give this short story more than 3 stars. It was an enjoyable short read and highlighted Weeks' ability to write compelling combat. However, the story is somewhat irrelevant to the entirety of the world and the rest of the series.

[Ogre · Rating 2 out of 5]

Don't read this. It's a weird kind of "f*** you" to his readers, and I don't understand the point of it. It is NOT canonical nor even a particularly good story; it is a "what if" with characters from Lightbringer. You will gain nothing from this story in your enjoyment of the Lightbringer series, and in fact, it felt very angering to see his casual treatment of the characters and the worldbuilding he had established.