Disclaimer: I was asked to review this book honestly. So I
am.
A Mage’s Power is a fantasy story, initially set in the real
world before moving into a fantastical one. The protagonist is one Eric Watley,
a chap with low self-esteem and a bit out of a down-and-out. He encounters a
cosmic trickster, whose blend of help/annoyance soon propels Eric off Earth and
into a strange new realm.
Clearly influenced by classic fantasy RPGs, the plot sees
Eric enter the world of Tariatla and he discovers a penchant for magic. After a
spell in school, he becomes a mage and a mercenary with the Dragon’s Lair.
Although there are a series of almost self-contained story arcs, Eric is always
at the centre as our protagonist and there are some interesting twists,
particularly towards the end when he finds himself confronted with political
intrigue and some characters of dubious loyalties.
The style is a bit lighter/more young adult than what I
usually go for, and a little more grit would’ve been my preference. The setting’s
interesting, mixing together ye olde swords and spears with magic and
(effectively) technology powered by magic. It’s a bit reminiscent of some Final
Fantasy worlds, and it all fits together nicely. There’s a nice pace to the
story and some interesting twists and turns. Because of the tone, the
peril/adversity seems a little on the low side, but that’s a choice the author’s
made rather than a failure to execute anything else, so more of a style point
than a criticism. The upside of that is that the story’s fun and the character
interactions, particularly Tiza and Nolien’s bickering, work well.
There was some head-hopping which could’ve been handled
better, and sometimes it was unclear which dialogue came from which character.
It does take a little while to get rolling, although later on I did end up
reading more than intended on numerous occasions (my reading time is pretty
short right now).
If you’re after a fun story with an easy to read style, then
I’d suggest downloading a sample and giving it a look.
Thaddeus
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