The Green Mage

by Michael Simms

The Green Mage is a tale in the finest of sword and sorcery tradition—a hero’s journey told through the eyes of the mage. Norbert Oldfoot is a simple mage who makes his living traveling the Bekla River Road, selling trade goods, performing healing magic, and singing traditional songs of heroes. He becomes friends with Kerttu, a coppersmith who has developed a new alloy which is perfect for manufacturing swords. When Kerttu is kidnapped by the evil Wizard Ludek, Kerttu’s teenage daughter Tessia, a skilled hunter, recruits three friends, including Norbert, and sets out on a quest to find a legendary dragon who lives in the mountains. With the help of the dragon, Tessia plans to save her father. Little do they know that in order to save Kerttu, they will first have to save the kingdom.

Genres: Fantasy

324 pages, Paperback

Published March 21, 2023

About the author

Michael Simms is a poet, writer, editor, publisher, and teacher. Four full-length collections of his poetry, seven novels, and two widely adopted poetry textbooks have been published or are under contract with publishers. He has also been the lead editor of over 100 published books, including the bestselling Autumn House Anthology of Poetry, now in its third edition. Simms has taught at a number of universities, including Chatham University’s MFA program from 2005-2013. He was awarded a Certificate of Recognition from the Pennsylvania legislature in 2011 for his service to arts and letters.

Reviews

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this book on Goodreads.

A nice tale of relationships and connections in the setting of a King's questionable rule and the rebel faction building to thwart him. In particular, the friendship and respect developed between Tessia and the dragon brings a feeling of strength, respect, and a bit of vengeance.

[Accounting Guy]

Michael Simms has created another hit. He has managed to combine views at both the macro and the micro level. His world building is top notch, but he has also managed to create characters with histories, fears, and individual desires that are believable and compelling. Over the years, he has developed a writing style that is both concise and lyrical. I read this one in one sitting.

[Timons Esaias · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can be a somewhat jaded critic of Fantasy, having spent two decades reading student manuscripts, so I am happy to report that this was an enjoyable read. It's a solid YA Fantasy of the Sword and Sorcery and Dragon sort, and begins a trilogy that looks to be worth following.

[My colleagues expect a grimace count, and I found it grimace-free, in fact. It is also not riddled with anachronisms, crippled with Chosen Ones, or set in a suburban gated-community McCastle.]

The narrator is a minor mage, whose real profession has been peddler. He does a bit of healing on the side, as well, and seems to be in a stable situation. Except that his brother was stolen away as a child, and now the Royal Wizard is sending troops into the land to harass the villagers. When our narrator meets the young survivors of a massacre, the story turns dark. A quest (no spoilers) presents itself, and our healer reluctantly takes part.

Recommended.

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The Green Mage" by Michael Simms is an enchanting adventure with captivating magic and a relatable MC. The world-building is amazing, and the friendships are super wholesome. Highly recommend for fantasy lovers! 5/5 stars! ✨🌿🔮

I was super excited to read this after winning this book in a Goodreads giveaway!

[Steven · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is rough throughout. There are details that are not properly maintained throughout the story. One such example is an orb that has captured the mind of a king in one scene who is then entirely coherent and just old in the next. I also found it unnecessary how constant the mentions or hints of rape are. The actual writing is very basic, with the poetry sprinkled throughout being entirely skippable. It's hard to exactly quantify why the writing is so poor, and I don't think it is just because he never separates two adjectives with a comma. It isn't something I normally notice, but I was constantly thinking while reading this book the warning that I hear writers say to each other "show, don't tell."
The characters were also confusing, inconsistent, and uninteresting. The MC in one scene is willing to catapult himself over a wall to save his wife, and then immediately after that concedes that his wife was taken away from the kingdom and does nothing to pursue her, for months, eventually just accepting the idea that she is dead. Also there is a bunch of foreshadowing that doesn't pay out, maybe it will in future books, but this one did not captivate me enough to wait out future installments, so they just hint at things that might actually be more interesting than what I'm stuck reading instead and which I will never find out about because I'm going to put this series down at this one.

[Paige V · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story is about how a group of friends embark on a quest that will change their lives forever.

Norbert Oldfoot, a Shireman and a green mage has faced many things; this book is a memoir of when he was younger. After his friend’s village is pillaged by Ludek, the evil wizard acting like a dictator ruling over a kingdom, his daughter, Tessia, plans to save her father. She plans to find a dragon and ride it to save her father. Norbert thinks dragons are nothing but tall tales. Though are they?

This book is on board with the theme of a Fantasy land. In the beginning, the map is excellent, and the explanation of the types of mages is good. I felt like I was on their adventure, which was a good feeling. However, the story dragged on and should’ve been a little shorter.

Norbert is a great composer of songs, and he has a lot of potential with his magic. I like how he was the “mom” of the group. Tessia is a fierce warrior, and Ludek is a very ruthless person.

The story reminds me a little bit of The Lord of the Rings.
Give this book to any fantasy lover who loves an amusing adventure, a story with dragons.

[Deb · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a Goodreads win. The characters true skills come out as the grow older. One learns his magic powers. Another developers fighting skills with her special sword and leadership. They hope their skills are enough to take away the power from the evil characters that control their town.

[Mary Tharp · Rating 4 out of 5]

My daughter loves these types of stories.

[Bonnie Poland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wasn't sure in the beginning, thought it might be too much like other fantasy books, but I found it very original and lots of fun. I want more.