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The Reluctant Mage (2010)

by Karen Miller(Favorite Author)

3.9 of 5 Votes: 5

ISBN

0316029211 (ISBN13: 9780316029216)

languge

English

genre

Romance

publisher

Orbit

series

The Fisherman's Children

review 1: Others have written reviews enough, so there is no point in repeating words.My only lament about this book is that I wish we found out more about the epilogue. I want to know what happened to the Olken, the Doranen, and the other kingdoms in twenty+ years. Perhaps the author is planning to write more about the future, but even still, it would be a nice finish to see the endings play out for good.
review 2: I enjoyed this book, but several things spoiled it for me:1. The Yoda-speak I very much did not like - maybe not Yoda, but more old time Music Hall style Welsh without the the "Look you". Whatever it was, it became very irritating after a couple of pages.2. I never did find Asher sympathetic and Rafel is not much better, but Deenie! The number of times I want... moreed to give her a good smack as - right at the most crucial, dangerous moments - she goes into a kind of Thomas Covenant act, or rather she doesn't act when she should.3. The magic. If I may quote from the Kobold Book of Game Design: "Just because you are reinventing the rules of physics, sociology, and biology does not mean you get a free pass to invent anything and everything. On the contrary, you must first describe and explain your premises, and then you must adhere to them scrupulously. Work your premise, and make it sing, and the world will dream the same strange dream you have. Fail to stick with it, or treat your premise with any disdain, and your high-wire act will flop and fail."I appreciate that this is a novel rather than a game, but the same sort of premise should still apply. Now, in the first 3 books, starting with "A Blight of Mages", the author keeps the magic more or less under control. Barl and Morgan go pretty far out, but it seems to work. However, there is nothing that can explain what happens to Deenie in this book, firstly at the Reef and secondly when she faces Morg. Nor does an explanation follow. To me, this is cheating. I like magic, but if magic is to replace science then it must follow some rules, and if weird things happen, the reader deserves to be told why and how.Having had my moan, I found this an exciting and interesting ending to the series. less

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