The Galactic Mage

As usual beginning a new series set in a new universe, this book started a bit slowly. As you get the feel for the mesh of sci-fi and fantasy that this author’s end goal is streaking towards, I enjoyed watching it unfold. I admit, 3/4 through I was getting angry with the main characters. I can’t stand capable people thinking they’re lost, I give up, all hope gone, why bother, no sense going on, I’m not worth saving, I destroy more than I help or create, etc! Then I realized..
Not everyone’s been through a rough enough time in their own life to have experienced what this author was conveying. A few things really struck a chord. I’ll buy the next book, I wanna see some more emotional deep-diving.

I need to start off by saying that I am NOT a science fiction or fantasy fan- at all. I would have gone so far as to use the word -hate. I hate sci-fi, magic, orcs. It's just not my cup of tea. I am a lover of chick lit between my heavy hitters and biographies because they’re light, fun and a love story. I was not excited when my boyfriend, and eventually our whole circle, began talking about this book. Obsessively. For weeks. Seriously, how good can a book be with a hot chick in ripped clothes and a dragon? I (reluctantly) decided to find out.

The book starts out slowly if you’re not going into it with an open mind. The main character, Altin, is pretty whiny in the beginning, and I slowly dragged myself through to chapter 3- where you meet Orli. Orli is a breath of fresh air next to Altin. In fact, she is so relatable, I had to double check the author and make sure he wasn't actually the blond on the cover. After meeting Orli, I raced through the rest of the book, much like she whips through the fields on the planets she visits. It was one of those books that keeps you reading on your cellphone like a crazy person- in the dark, long after bedtime has passed- and at every opportunity, like in the bathroom during girl’s night out.

The book is the author’s first big story- so with that comes what you would expect in an early writing career (i.e. Altin’s clunky beginning, a Disney-esque ending) and some AMAZING writing. The manner in which he describes certain plot points (mouse/ fishbowl- you’ll see what I mean when you read the book) just leave you floored with their brilliance. His descriptions and use of language is refreshingly extraordinary. The story is a rapidly building crescendo from Chapter 3 on in- steamrolling to a dramatic, exciting finish. There is a bit of a cliffhanger that leaves you waiting in anticipation for the next book. It wasn't campy or terrible at all- the magic and sic-fi woven together was done in a believable manner that didn't feel outside of the realm of possibility, unlike some other books I have attempted to read.

The story of my humbling ends with me sheepishly admitting to my boyfriend that yes, I loved it and yes, I will be reading the next books. Before my boyfriend. Or anyone in our book club.

Also, I have a tiny protagonist crush on Altin. Yes, Altin, the character whom I started out loathing. It turns out, he's actually pretty likable- just like this book.