Book/Novel in which people create hard light substances

Question

My friend once tried to lend me a book set in a fantasy world. I think he said something along the lines of "It's got wizards! Solid light constructs! It's a must-read in your life!". Being young and hated reading, I only read a few chapters, but eventually forgot about it and returned the book. From what I have read/ could remember, the book contains magical people that could create solid light substances, and use them in everyday tasks or combat. It left me an impression of being like the Green Lantern, who also could create solid light constructs in different colours.

The book was in English. My impression of it is that it was very long, as that was one of the reasons that I gave up reading it. This happened ~8 years earlier and the book looked new, but I don't know whether it is newly published or my friend only just bought it. He also said this would be a series. I don't remember much more though.

Answer 1

How long ago was this? Is it possible that it is the Lightbringer Series by Brent Weeks, beginning with The Black Prism (2010)? Description from TV Tropes:

Mages are exclusively called 'drafters,' who can create and shape 'luxin' of various colors into physical objects and effects (walls, bridges, weapons, bursts of flame, etc) with a lot of room for cunning tricks of engineering. Most drafters work in one color, some can work in two, a rare few can use three or more, and the Prism (ruler of the Seven Satrapies) uses all of them with phenomenal endurance.

Answer 2

The Seventh Tower series (2000-2001) by Garth Nix might be a possibility. The individual volumes weren't that thick, but they were reprinted as omnibuses in 2002.

The books are set in a world shrouded in dark by the Veil, where magic is performed using "Sunstones" which store light and can emit it to power various magic effects, but also to form solid objects.

There are pages for each of the books on Wikipedia.