The Innocent Mage is written by Australian author Karen Miller and is
the first book of a two part series called Kingmaker, Kingbreaker. It
seems that her novels have a clear dividing line, either you really like
them or you don’t. At least according to the other reviews that I have
read. This is third book I have by Ms. Miller and I am most definitely
in the like camp. She has a writing style that is just so darn easy to
read and the dialogue is top notch.
The story begins with an Olken fisherman named Asher leaving his home for the bright lights and easy money of the big city. Asher is the youngest of several siblings therefore his standing is set so low that he is considered to be an indentured servant. His plan is to sneak off to the city of Dorana for a year in which he plans to earn enough money to buy his own boat for his father and himself. Well, life does not always work as planned.
Dorana is city in which two different races of people coexist, the Doranen and the Olken. The Doranens are the rulers and are the only ones who are allowed to practice magic. They are responsible for keeping the city and the entire Kingdom of Lur safe from the evil Doranens from the North. Olkens are the common folks and had practiced magic at one time but it is now strictly forbidden to do so, punishable by death.
About 600 years ago a number of Doranens fled their homeland in desperation from an evil tyrant known as Morgan, now known as Morg. The leader of the fleeing Doranens was a legendary magician known as Barl. Barl was able to form a mutual partnership with the Olken people. In return, Barl, through his magic, was able to erect a great barrier wall that is powered by magic called Waetherworking. Only Doranen royalty are allowed to learn the secrets of Weatherworking. This has allowed the Doranen’s and Olkens to live in peace from the evil northern Doranens for the last 600 years.
Asher enters Dorana looking for a job, any job. By luck or fate, Asher is at the right place at the right when a horse throws off a rider and runs through the city. Asher is able to bring the horse under control. He then learns that the horse belongs to none other than the prince of the royal family, Gar. Asher is quickly given a job at the royal stables and friends Gar. Gar discovers that Asher is not impressed by royalty and will always say what is on his mind. So Gar hits upon an idea, he decides to promote Asher to his assistant in dealing with the Olken population. We learn that even though Gar is a Doranen, he has no magical ability, therefore, he is unable to learn Weatherworking and take his rightful place as his father’s heir. He is regulated to Olken ambassador while his younger sister, Fane, is to become the Queen and the future Weatherworker.
We also learn that Dathne, also a Olken, is a follower of the prophecy. She dreams that one day the Innocent Mage will arrive in Dorona, bring on the Final Days but save them from the Usurper. When Dathne first sees Asher she realizes that this is the person she saw in her dreams and comprehends that the prophecy of Final Days is fast upon them.
I believe that The Innocent Mage was Ms. Miller’s first novel and it somewhat shows. The pacing of the novel is very uneven but not a deal breaker. The first three-quarters of the novel is spent building the relationship between Asher and Gar. They learn to tolerate one another and eventually become as close as brothers. Some may consider these parts to be slow, I highly enjoyed the story of how these two men from the opposite sides of the tracks came to respect one another and form a tight bond.
But at the three-quarter mark the story takes a noticeable turn and picks up at a furious pace. It’s almost as if Ms. Miller decided that she running out of room and stuffed a lot of story in the last quarter of the novel. In my opinion, she could have moved certain events up earlier in the novel and allowed tension to build naturally right up to the cliffhanger ending.
This is possibly one of the easiest reads I have had in long time. Ms. Miller’s prose flows better than most writers making it trouble-free for the reader. I said before, she also writes some the best dialogue in the business. If she could have smoothed out the plotting a little bit then this would have been a great novel.
I am big Karen Miller fan and with a few quibbles aside, I really did enjoy this novel. I am looking forward to reading the second half of the story, The Awakened Mage.
The story begins with an Olken fisherman named Asher leaving his home for the bright lights and easy money of the big city. Asher is the youngest of several siblings therefore his standing is set so low that he is considered to be an indentured servant. His plan is to sneak off to the city of Dorana for a year in which he plans to earn enough money to buy his own boat for his father and himself. Well, life does not always work as planned.
Dorana is city in which two different races of people coexist, the Doranen and the Olken. The Doranens are the rulers and are the only ones who are allowed to practice magic. They are responsible for keeping the city and the entire Kingdom of Lur safe from the evil Doranens from the North. Olkens are the common folks and had practiced magic at one time but it is now strictly forbidden to do so, punishable by death.
About 600 years ago a number of Doranens fled their homeland in desperation from an evil tyrant known as Morgan, now known as Morg. The leader of the fleeing Doranens was a legendary magician known as Barl. Barl was able to form a mutual partnership with the Olken people. In return, Barl, through his magic, was able to erect a great barrier wall that is powered by magic called Waetherworking. Only Doranen royalty are allowed to learn the secrets of Weatherworking. This has allowed the Doranen’s and Olkens to live in peace from the evil northern Doranens for the last 600 years.
Asher enters Dorana looking for a job, any job. By luck or fate, Asher is at the right place at the right when a horse throws off a rider and runs through the city. Asher is able to bring the horse under control. He then learns that the horse belongs to none other than the prince of the royal family, Gar. Asher is quickly given a job at the royal stables and friends Gar. Gar discovers that Asher is not impressed by royalty and will always say what is on his mind. So Gar hits upon an idea, he decides to promote Asher to his assistant in dealing with the Olken population. We learn that even though Gar is a Doranen, he has no magical ability, therefore, he is unable to learn Weatherworking and take his rightful place as his father’s heir. He is regulated to Olken ambassador while his younger sister, Fane, is to become the Queen and the future Weatherworker.
We also learn that Dathne, also a Olken, is a follower of the prophecy. She dreams that one day the Innocent Mage will arrive in Dorona, bring on the Final Days but save them from the Usurper. When Dathne first sees Asher she realizes that this is the person she saw in her dreams and comprehends that the prophecy of Final Days is fast upon them.
I believe that The Innocent Mage was Ms. Miller’s first novel and it somewhat shows. The pacing of the novel is very uneven but not a deal breaker. The first three-quarters of the novel is spent building the relationship between Asher and Gar. They learn to tolerate one another and eventually become as close as brothers. Some may consider these parts to be slow, I highly enjoyed the story of how these two men from the opposite sides of the tracks came to respect one another and form a tight bond.
But at the three-quarter mark the story takes a noticeable turn and picks up at a furious pace. It’s almost as if Ms. Miller decided that she running out of room and stuffed a lot of story in the last quarter of the novel. In my opinion, she could have moved certain events up earlier in the novel and allowed tension to build naturally right up to the cliffhanger ending.
This is possibly one of the easiest reads I have had in long time. Ms. Miller’s prose flows better than most writers making it trouble-free for the reader. I said before, she also writes some the best dialogue in the business. If she could have smoothed out the plotting a little bit then this would have been a great novel.
I am big Karen Miller fan and with a few quibbles aside, I really did enjoy this novel. I am looking forward to reading the second half of the story, The Awakened Mage.
My Rating
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