The Magician's Apprentice
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4.4 • 22 Ratings
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- $4.99
Publisher Description
Set hundreds of years before the events of The Magicians' Guild, The Magician's Apprentice is the new novel set in the world of Trudi Canavan's Black Magician Trilogy.
In the remote Mandryn, Tessia serves as assistant to her father, the village Healer. Her mother would rather she found a husband. But her life is about to take a very unexpected turn.
When the advances of a visiting Sachakan mage get violent, Tessia unconsciously taps unknown reserves of magic to defend herself. Lord Dakon, the local magician, takes Tessia under his wing as an apprentice.
The long hours of study and self-discipline also offer more opportunities than she had ever hoped for, and an exciting new world opens up to her. There are fine clothes and servants -- and, to Tessia's delight -- regular trips to the great city of Imardin.
But along with the excitement and privilege, Tessia is about to discover that her magical gifts bring with them a great deal of responsibility. For great danger looms on the horizon for Tessia and her world.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
This prequel to Canavan's Black Magician trilogy (The Magicians' Guild, etc.) fails to distinguish itself from other magical coming-of-age tales. Tessia treads the well-worn path of a girl in a low-tech monarchy, determined to be a healer like her father but discouraged from pursuing a career. When her insistence on practicing medicine brings her up against the arrogant Sachakan wizard Ashaki Takado, Tessia discovers a natural talent for magic in self-defense. She hires on with magician Lord Dakon, competing with his more experienced apprentice and hoping to combine her powers with her interest in healing. Meanwhile, the encroaching Sachakan army threatens Tessia's hometown, forcing her thoughts to turn to war. Although the plot is well paced and Tessia is a sympathetic protagonist, Canavan never manages to make the world and other characters distinctive or memorable.
Customer Reviews
Entertaining and Engaging
This is the first book I have read by this author and I found it stood well on its own. Despite being set in the same world as other works by the same writer, there is enough context here for a new reader to get up to speed. The characters are interesting and the key ones, protagonists and antagonists, all develop on their own lines within a broad story arc of a magical war. There is only one broadly irrelevant sub-plot which must be to tie in to another story, but it does not generally detract. I am glad to have read this book.
Kr
Awesome…great story and characters. I like the fact that it’s a complete book with more story coming.