“Tyen stared at the words. A chill ran down his spine, yet at the same time he felt a familiar thrill. Magic could sometimes be disturbing. It was often inexplicable. It left room for new discoveries. Which was why he had chosen to study sorcery alongside history.”
Thief’s Magic is part of a new series called ‘Millennium’s Rule’ by Australian author Trudi Canavan. In 1999 Trudi won the acclaimed Aurealis Award for Best Fantasy Short Story for her book Whispers of the Mist Children. Since then she has published the bestselling Black Magician Trilogy which contained titles such as The Magicians’ Guild, The Novice and The High Lord.
The book switches between the perspectives of two protagonists Tyen and Rielle. Both characters seemingly occupy two separate worlds where the paths of both characters never converge and they both follow separate storylines. Tyen is an Academy student and trainee sorcerer/ historian who is on an archaeological expedition and about to make a world changing discovery. This discovery will change his fortunes at the Academy and in quick succession a betrayal and framing for theft of an artefact results in Tyen going on the run. On the other hand, in Rielle’s world where the use of magic for common people is band her encounter with it leads to her discovery of what happens to the ‘tainted’ or those outcastes who have broken the law. However, not before her long love affair with Izare results in her running away from her family.
The book makes a very strong start with the story of Tyen, however I felt that Rielle’s story felt more like an add on and it did not contribute to the progression of the overall plot until near the end of the book. The long and detailed love affair Rielle has with Izare seems very unnecessary and feels like padding, doing nothing more than making the book longer than needed. However, the magical world created by Canavan is a very interesting one which holds the reader’s attention. The first book of the series hints at a much better follow up novel if the premise and foundations laid down by the first book are anything to go by. The characters are also well rounded, with difficult ethical problems contemplated, portraying characters as neither wholly good or bad. The only drawback being the ever so lucky encounters Tyen has on his journey to the South which does leave the impression that he would not have made it there otherwise.
Overall, I give the book a 3 out of 5 and imagine that the second instalment will contain a much better plot that makes Rielle’s part in the story more interesting and obvious.
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