What do you think?
Rate this book
Kingmaker, Kingbreaker #1
The Innocent Mage
"The Innocent Mage is come, and we stand at the beginning of the end of everything."Being a fisherman like his father isn't a bad life, but it's not the one that Asher wants. Despite his humble roots, Asher has grand dreams. And they call him to Dorana, home of princes, beggars and the warrior mages who have protected the kingdom for generations.Little does Asher know, however, that his arrival in the city is being closely watched by members of the Circle, people dedicated to preserving an ancient magic. Asher might have come to the city to make his fortune, but he will find his destiny.
672 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2005
585 people are currently reading
14103 people want to read
About the author
Karen Miller
122 books1,146 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. Please see this thread for more details.
Also writes as "K.E. Mills"
Lord, do you really want to know?
Oh, all right.
I was born in Vancouver, Canada, and came to Australia with my parents when I was 2. I think. Dad’s an Aussie, Mum’s English, go figure. Talk about Fate and Destiny. But three passports come in handy.
I’ve always lived in Sydney, except when I didn’t. After graduating with a BA Communications from the then Institute of Technology (now University) a few years ahead of Hugh Jackman, dammit, talk about rotten timing, I headed off to England and lived there for 3 years. It was interesting. I worked for a bunch of nutters in a community health centre and got the sack because I refused to go do EST with them (you stand in the middle of a circle and thank people for hurling verbal abuse at you for your own good, they said, and then were surprised when I said no), was a customer services officer for DHL London (would you believe at one time I knew every single airport code for every single airport in the world, off by heart?!?), got roped into an extremely dubious life insurance selling scheme (I was young and broke, need I say more?) and ended up realizing a life-long dream of working professionally with horses. After 18 grueling months I woke up, and came home.
Since then I’ve done customer service in the insurance and telecommunications industries, been a training officer, PR Officer in local government, production assistant in educational publishing, taught English and Business Communication at TAFE, been a supervisor and run my own sf/fantasy/mystery bookshop. Money for jam, there! I also managed to squeeze in a Master’s Degree in Children’s Literature from Macquarie University.
I used to have horses of my own, and spent lots of time and money showing, breeding, training and judging, but then I came off one time too many and so a large part of my life ended.
When I’m not writing I’m heavily involved in the Castle Hill Players, my local community theatre group, as an actor, director, prompt, stage manager (but not all at once!) and publicity officer.
I’m a story junkie. Books, film, tv ... you name it. Star Wars, Star Trek, Babylon 5, Battlestar Galactica (the new series), Stargate, Firefly, X-Men, Buffy, Angel, Supernatural, The Professionals, Forever Knight, Due South, The West Wing, The Shield, Sandbaggers, Homicide, Wiseguy, The Shield, The Closer ... and the list goes on. And that’s just the media stuff!
I love music. While writing I listen primarily to film soundtracks, because they’ve been written primarily to evoke emotional responses in the listener. This helps access emotion during tough scenes. Plus, the music is pretty. At least the stuff I listen to is. Favourite film composers include Hans Zimmer, Alan Silvestri, James Horner and John Williams. Vocalists I enjoy are Josh Groban, Russell Watson, Sarah McLachlan, Simon and Garfunkel , Queen, The Moody Blues, Steeleye Span, Meatloaf, Mike Oldfield ... anyone who can carry a tune, basically.
In short, I’m an only child with an overactive imagination, 3 dogs, 2 cats and not enough hours in the day. I don’t drink, smoke, or do enough exercise. I make periodic stabs at eating properly. Chocolate is my besetting downfall.
So that’s me. You can wake up now ...
Also writes as "K.E. Mills"
Lord, do you really want to know?
Oh, all right.
I was born in Vancouver, Canada, and came to Australia with my parents when I was 2. I think. Dad’s an Aussie, Mum’s English, go figure. Talk about Fate and Destiny. But three passports come in handy.
I’ve always lived in Sydney, except when I didn’t. After graduating with a BA Communications from the then Institute of Technology (now University) a few years ahead of Hugh Jackman, dammit, talk about rotten timing, I headed off to England and lived there for 3 years. It was interesting. I worked for a bunch of nutters in a community health centre and got the sack because I refused to go do EST with them (you stand in the middle of a circle and thank people for hurling verbal abuse at you for your own good, they said, and then were surprised when I said no), was a customer services officer for DHL London (would you believe at one time I knew every single airport code for every single airport in the world, off by heart?!?), got roped into an extremely dubious life insurance selling scheme (I was young and broke, need I say more?) and ended up realizing a life-long dream of working professionally with horses. After 18 grueling months I woke up, and came home.
Since then I’ve done customer service in the insurance and telecommunications industries, been a training officer, PR Officer in local government, production assistant in educational publishing, taught English and Business Communication at TAFE, been a supervisor and run my own sf/fantasy/mystery bookshop. Money for jam, there! I also managed to squeeze in a Master’s Degree in Children’s Literature from Macquarie University.
I used to have horses of my own, and spent lots of time and money showing, breeding, training and judging, but then I came off one time too many and so a large part of my life ended.
When I’m not writing I’m heavily involved in the Castle Hill Players, my local community theatre group, as an actor, director, prompt, stage manager (but not all at once!) and publicity officer.
I’m a story junkie. Books, film, tv ... you name it. Star Wars, Star Trek, Babylon 5, Battlestar Galactica (the new series), Stargate, Firefly, X-Men, Buffy, Angel, Supernatural, The Professionals, Forever Knight, Due South, The West Wing, The Shield, Sandbaggers, Homicide, Wiseguy, The Shield, The Closer ... and the list goes on. And that’s just the media stuff!
I love music. While writing I listen primarily to film soundtracks, because they’ve been written primarily to evoke emotional responses in the listener. This helps access emotion during tough scenes. Plus, the music is pretty. At least the stuff I listen to is. Favourite film composers include Hans Zimmer, Alan Silvestri, James Horner and John Williams. Vocalists I enjoy are Josh Groban, Russell Watson, Sarah McLachlan, Simon and Garfunkel , Queen, The Moody Blues, Steeleye Span, Meatloaf, Mike Oldfield ... anyone who can carry a tune, basically.
In short, I’m an only child with an overactive imagination, 3 dogs, 2 cats and not enough hours in the day. I don’t drink, smoke, or do enough exercise. I make periodic stabs at eating properly. Chocolate is my besetting downfall.
So that’s me. You can wake up now ...
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,031 reviews
March 9, 2017
I like fantasy novels that are unique and push the boundaries of the genre. Unfortunately, this did nothing new. Indeed, this book ticks all the boxes of overworked fantasy tropes, and has little of its own originality to save it. I mean this doesn’t have to be the case in today’s market. Look at the brilliance of Brandon Sanderson’s books or the depth of Rothfuss’ world. It’s still possible to write new fantasy today; it may be getting harder, but it’s still possible.
This book is your typical coming of age story. A young, and very dumb, man seeks his fortune in the big city. He gets a crap job, and is convinced that it’s good. He discovers a world of magic, one he can’t tap into. So, he’s forced to watch the boring characters argue about it. And that’s a big part of this book, arguing. But, what Miller does do marginally well is drag you into the story, as you hope for it to improve. Not a lot happened though. The writing gives you the impression that something big is coming up; it suggests that the action is about to explode and the plot pick up in the process, though it never seems to till right towards the end. Instead we get more politics about the crap magic system. That’s pretty much it. Everybody likes to talk about magic, and debate its uses, but nobody actually seems to use it. Well, at least not very often.
You're better off reading The Kingkiller Chronicle
The magic system is so poorly defined; it relies on ungraspable ideas. They’re not really given to us. When Miller does try to explain it, she gives a rushed over version of an already vague idea: it’s like she tries to avoid the topic. I hate to bring up Rothfuss again, well I don’t really, but the system he gives us is complex and defined. You know where you stand with him. His writing is in a whole different league. There are a few similarities in the books, a magic school for one, but Rothfuss is just a more accomplished writer. If you’re thinking about reading this, I’d stop thinking and just go read The Name of the Wind. It’s a much better book.
The antagonist that eventually emerges is your typical “dark lord” stereotype. As fantasy readers, we’ve all seen it too many times now, and when it’s delivered in such an uninspiring way it’s quite nauseating. This was all very standard even for a fantasy novel. This just needed a bit more originality to make it more worthwhile. I finished the thing with a sigh because it was just a major case of been there done that. It’s all very average, but was hindered more so by its lack depth.
However, I will be reading the second book.
Why? You may ask. Well there was a massive turn around during the climax of this book. Not enough to save it, and perhaps it was even an obvious development, but it did make me want to see how it will change things. It meant that the next book had potential, even if this one didn’t. I may come to regret this choice, but I do have hopes.
This book is your typical coming of age story. A young, and very dumb, man seeks his fortune in the big city. He gets a crap job, and is convinced that it’s good. He discovers a world of magic, one he can’t tap into. So, he’s forced to watch the boring characters argue about it. And that’s a big part of this book, arguing. But, what Miller does do marginally well is drag you into the story, as you hope for it to improve. Not a lot happened though. The writing gives you the impression that something big is coming up; it suggests that the action is about to explode and the plot pick up in the process, though it never seems to till right towards the end. Instead we get more politics about the crap magic system. That’s pretty much it. Everybody likes to talk about magic, and debate its uses, but nobody actually seems to use it. Well, at least not very often.
You're better off reading The Kingkiller Chronicle
The magic system is so poorly defined; it relies on ungraspable ideas. They’re not really given to us. When Miller does try to explain it, she gives a rushed over version of an already vague idea: it’s like she tries to avoid the topic. I hate to bring up Rothfuss again, well I don’t really, but the system he gives us is complex and defined. You know where you stand with him. His writing is in a whole different league. There are a few similarities in the books, a magic school for one, but Rothfuss is just a more accomplished writer. If you’re thinking about reading this, I’d stop thinking and just go read The Name of the Wind. It’s a much better book.
The antagonist that eventually emerges is your typical “dark lord” stereotype. As fantasy readers, we’ve all seen it too many times now, and when it’s delivered in such an uninspiring way it’s quite nauseating. This was all very standard even for a fantasy novel. This just needed a bit more originality to make it more worthwhile. I finished the thing with a sigh because it was just a major case of been there done that. It’s all very average, but was hindered more so by its lack depth.
However, I will be reading the second book.
Why? You may ask. Well there was a massive turn around during the climax of this book. Not enough to save it, and perhaps it was even an obvious development, but it did make me want to see how it will change things. It meant that the next book had potential, even if this one didn’t. I may come to regret this choice, but I do have hopes.
November 23, 2008
Don't judge a book by its cover. Seriously. This book very much disappointed me, in every way. The idea was interesting and very promising, but the execution was terrible.
Honestly, I don't know why I kept reading it. Somehow, the book had a way of making me keep reading, just to see if anything interesting happened, which in retropect is a terrible reason to keep reading a book.
After 500 pages, I thought back and realized that nothing important or interesting even happened. Basically, the main characters just walk around and talk about things that are not even important to the basic idea of the story. The idea is that this world is inhabited by two peoples, one that is magicless and peasant-like, and the other is the ruling class, gifted with magic who in fact conquered and subdued the first group. The thing is though, no one seems resentful of it. A well tuned stress between the two peoples would have been much more interesting. Also, the characters talk about magic constantly, but no one ever uses it until the last couple of chapters, and then it's lame. Yeah, I made a flower grow! The main character is the "chosen by prophecy" character, but again, NOTHING HAPPENS. The characters who know about it spend the entire book going, "what should we do?" "We should wait." "I don't know what to do." "We should wait." That's it. Seriously. The main character doesn't even get the tiniest glimpse of what he is supposed to be.
I admit that in the last 100 pages or so, there are a small amount of interesting things that happened, but they were introduced so late in the book that by then I wanted to shoot myself in the foot. The book ends in a horribly done "cliffhanger" that if anything, made me not want to read the next one. I learned my lesson, reading an incredibly boring book just to find out if anything interesting will happen is not a reason to read it.
Honestly, I don't know why I kept reading it. Somehow, the book had a way of making me keep reading, just to see if anything interesting happened, which in retropect is a terrible reason to keep reading a book.
After 500 pages, I thought back and realized that nothing important or interesting even happened. Basically, the main characters just walk around and talk about things that are not even important to the basic idea of the story. The idea is that this world is inhabited by two peoples, one that is magicless and peasant-like, and the other is the ruling class, gifted with magic who in fact conquered and subdued the first group. The thing is though, no one seems resentful of it. A well tuned stress between the two peoples would have been much more interesting. Also, the characters talk about magic constantly, but no one ever uses it until the last couple of chapters, and then it's lame. Yeah, I made a flower grow! The main character is the "chosen by prophecy" character, but again, NOTHING HAPPENS. The characters who know about it spend the entire book going, "what should we do?" "We should wait." "I don't know what to do." "We should wait." That's it. Seriously. The main character doesn't even get the tiniest glimpse of what he is supposed to be.
I admit that in the last 100 pages or so, there are a small amount of interesting things that happened, but they were introduced so late in the book that by then I wanted to shoot myself in the foot. The book ends in a horribly done "cliffhanger" that if anything, made me not want to read the next one. I learned my lesson, reading an incredibly boring book just to find out if anything interesting will happen is not a reason to read it.
April 12, 2015
My problem with Karen Miller in general, and with this book is she could have shorten all her books from being over 600 pages each to around 300 so that all the bs slow pacing of nothing happening could be deleted. Basically almost nothing really happened in this book and series, only about a couple of things happened, and even with that it felt like nothing really happened or changed within the novel. Usually a book would be long just because of it being boring and info dumping, but that is not the case. The only other author I can compare this with are Tad Williams or David Eddings, who also writes books that are too long filled with pages of pages of nothing happening or changing.
P.S. These books were the first books I ever saw by Orbit as a publisher. Maybe these were the first books published by the publishing in US. They were trying to get/gain the US market, even though I knew they were big already in England, publisher of Shannara and Wheel of Time. Little did I know most of their books would be in trade paperback only.
P.S. These books were the first books I ever saw by Orbit as a publisher. Maybe these were the first books published by the publishing in US. They were trying to get/gain the US market, even though I knew they were big already in England, publisher of Shannara and Wheel of Time. Little did I know most of their books would be in trade paperback only.
January 20, 2022
I really underestimated this book. I have seen it several times but never bothered to read it. It looked okay, but I wasn't really drawn to it. Boy was I wrong. These characters made me care about them immediately and as they changed and grew, I felt like they became more realistic. There are times the story itself seems a bit too brutal in its treatment of the characters (how many unfortunate tragedies can occur in one lifetime, after all) but not enough to hang verisimilitude by the neck. The ambitions and hatreds of the people contrast their better natures and they are completely rounded and unpredictable, as is the plot itself.
I did not anticipate many of the twists the story would take and I have been gripped throughout. This is one of the few books I have read that I can literally set on my night stand at night and carry with me to the coffee pot in the morning. I already purchased another series by this author in hopes she can recreate the experience.
5/5 stars.
I did not anticipate many of the twists the story would take and I have been gripped throughout. This is one of the few books I have read that I can literally set on my night stand at night and carry with me to the coffee pot in the morning. I already purchased another series by this author in hopes she can recreate the experience.
5/5 stars.
March 8, 2008
The first book of a two-book series, Canadian-Australian author Miller is a refreshing new voice in the genre. Set in the kingdom of Lur, the two races, Doranen and Olken, live alongside each other with a precarious balance: the Doranen, who came down through the mountains fleeing the evil mage Morg over six centuries ago, are born with magic and use it to control the weather and give smaller benefits to society, while the Olken, the original inhabitants of the land, occupy lower-class positions of farmers and merchants and servants, protected by the Doranen but at the same time repressed by them. Even so, they all revere Barl, the powerful magician who saved her people when she constructed the Wall that seals Lur off from Morg's poisoned, demonic reach.
Amongst a select group of Olken who still, surreptitiously, practice the Olken earth magic, Jervale's Heir, Dathne, sees the coming of the Innocent Mage, the one spoken of in the prophecy that the group has lived long centuries by. With his coming to the capital city of Dorana, she knows the Final Days are upon them, but not when they will start or how the Innocent Mage, an uncouth fisherman's son called Asher, will save them.
Asher has come to Dorana for a year, to earn enough money to buy his father a fishing boat. A chance meeting with the magickless prince, Gar, leads to monetary success and friendship. Asher is a great character, filling the generic fantasy role of "the ignorant peasant upon whose shoulders rests the fate of the world", but refreshingly different. It's not that he doesn't have a strong accent, that he doesn't want responsibility etc., but he's strong-willed, opinionated, unfawning (if that's a word), forthright, frank, honest, scathing and funny.
That's something else I really enjoyed about this book: the cheeky sense of humour. I also appreciated that Miller, who has worked with horses, knows the correct way to ride one - there's none of that annoying "guiding with the thighs" nonesense that I come across in so many books, especially fantasy. You don't use your thighs at all, you use your calves. It's just that when you get an inaccuracy like that it can be very distracting.
If you're in the need of some new fantasy, and you're getting tired of typical quest journeys, I recommend this one. It's not big on female characters, but the ones that are here are strong-willed and independent. It also has a good power balance, in that it's not an inherently patriarchal society. It deals with relations between ethnic groups, invaders and their conquered, and prejudice. The dialogue is fresh, the characters relatively original or at least drawn in a diverting way (such as the uptight, beureaucratic Darran), and the plot driven at a steady pace. Not bogged down in unnecessary detail or description, or following the usual path of fantasy (the constant travelling, for one), Miller has managed to do new things with an old formula, and leave it at a slight cliff-hanger. Thankfully, the second and final book, The Awakened Mage, is already out.
Amongst a select group of Olken who still, surreptitiously, practice the Olken earth magic, Jervale's Heir, Dathne, sees the coming of the Innocent Mage, the one spoken of in the prophecy that the group has lived long centuries by. With his coming to the capital city of Dorana, she knows the Final Days are upon them, but not when they will start or how the Innocent Mage, an uncouth fisherman's son called Asher, will save them.
Asher has come to Dorana for a year, to earn enough money to buy his father a fishing boat. A chance meeting with the magickless prince, Gar, leads to monetary success and friendship. Asher is a great character, filling the generic fantasy role of "the ignorant peasant upon whose shoulders rests the fate of the world", but refreshingly different. It's not that he doesn't have a strong accent, that he doesn't want responsibility etc., but he's strong-willed, opinionated, unfawning (if that's a word), forthright, frank, honest, scathing and funny.
That's something else I really enjoyed about this book: the cheeky sense of humour. I also appreciated that Miller, who has worked with horses, knows the correct way to ride one - there's none of that annoying "guiding with the thighs" nonesense that I come across in so many books, especially fantasy. You don't use your thighs at all, you use your calves. It's just that when you get an inaccuracy like that it can be very distracting.
If you're in the need of some new fantasy, and you're getting tired of typical quest journeys, I recommend this one. It's not big on female characters, but the ones that are here are strong-willed and independent. It also has a good power balance, in that it's not an inherently patriarchal society. It deals with relations between ethnic groups, invaders and their conquered, and prejudice. The dialogue is fresh, the characters relatively original or at least drawn in a diverting way (such as the uptight, beureaucratic Darran), and the plot driven at a steady pace. Not bogged down in unnecessary detail or description, or following the usual path of fantasy (the constant travelling, for one), Miller has managed to do new things with an old formula, and leave it at a slight cliff-hanger. Thankfully, the second and final book, The Awakened Mage, is already out.
July 30, 2014
Here is what I got out of the book so far:
Asher runs away to find his fortune in the Capitol. Asher sees the prince riding through town. "Man, that guy is an idiot." Prince seems to recognize Asher. Prince: "Hey what are you doing here?" Asher, "None of your business." Prince, "I like you, want to work in my stables although obviously you can't handle a horse and you are impertinent?" Asher, "Why would I want to do that though I have no other options and no skills?" Prince, "I'll pay you well." Asher, "I want more." Prince, "Done!" Asher somehow makes friends though he is just as rude and coarse with everyone else. Prince, "Asher, I want to you come help me judge a special case at court." Asher, "You're an idiot." Asher sees the case where a man is obviously taking money from his innocent cousin. Prince, "What should I do?" Asher, "The guy is an idiot." Prince, "You are such a great judge of character." Asher, "You are an idiot." Prince, "Yes, unrivaled judge of character. Will you be my first and most trusted adviser?" Asher, "Why would I want to make twice as much money and be so privileged?"
That's about where I stopped.
Asher runs away to find his fortune in the Capitol. Asher sees the prince riding through town. "Man, that guy is an idiot." Prince seems to recognize Asher. Prince: "Hey what are you doing here?" Asher, "None of your business." Prince, "I like you, want to work in my stables although obviously you can't handle a horse and you are impertinent?" Asher, "Why would I want to do that though I have no other options and no skills?" Prince, "I'll pay you well." Asher, "I want more." Prince, "Done!" Asher somehow makes friends though he is just as rude and coarse with everyone else. Prince, "Asher, I want to you come help me judge a special case at court." Asher, "You're an idiot." Asher sees the case where a man is obviously taking money from his innocent cousin. Prince, "What should I do?" Asher, "The guy is an idiot." Prince, "You are such a great judge of character." Asher, "You are an idiot." Prince, "Yes, unrivaled judge of character. Will you be my first and most trusted adviser?" Asher, "Why would I want to make twice as much money and be so privileged?"
That's about where I stopped.
August 23, 2012
I looked at this book several times. I passed it by on all those occasions. I suppose I always thought I'd maybe pick it up at some point but really, it's not the type book I usually get involved in (or at least didn't seem to be). The synopsis led me to believe that at best I'd find it mildly interesting.
I have been pleasantly surprised. This is an excellent read. It's an interesting, well plotted, well characterized novel. This book drew me in from the word go and held my interest throughout. There are characters I got involved with and cared about. There is a plot that not only holds up but grows and (so far) stays true to itself. It avoids frustrating cliche ridden devices. In short, it's good.
This is an excellent novel.
This is the story of Asher a young fisherman who comes to town to make his fortune and then go home and care for his old father. The youngest of his brothers and all but hated by them he's determined to make good. What can I say about this book that won't be a spoiler? Asher is a person of destiny and even prophecy...possibly a pawn...possibly more. He's got a long way to go and a lot of trials to face and you'll be absorbed in his life and the lives he touches from opening paragraph to the last page.
Recommended.
Is there a negative to this book? Sure, it ends in a blatant cliffhanger. Glad I had The Awakened Mage waiting.
December 27, 2012
Asher, the backwater fisherman, travels to the big capital city, Dorana, to find his fortune. Little does he know, he is the center of a little-known prophecy that will either save or destroy the kingdom of Lur.
I gave this book a good 200 pages to get good, to no avail. I found Asher, the protagonist, very unlikeable, and I felt like Miller often tried to use his contrariness to bandaid her general lack of tension. I also felt that she played her cards too soon by revealing the prophecy stuff very near the beginning of the novel, using alternate POVs. Is this story about Asher's experience as the ignorant center-point of prophecy? Or is it about the keepers of the prophecy manipulating an ignorant pawn into fulfilling it to their liking? I didn't feel like Miller had quite decided what kind of story this should be. It was therefore diluted and the tension all but undetectable.
I gave this book a good 200 pages to get good, to no avail. I found Asher, the protagonist, very unlikeable, and I felt like Miller often tried to use his contrariness to bandaid her general lack of tension. I also felt that she played her cards too soon by revealing the prophecy stuff very near the beginning of the novel, using alternate POVs. Is this story about Asher's experience as the ignorant center-point of prophecy? Or is it about the keepers of the prophecy manipulating an ignorant pawn into fulfilling it to their liking? I didn't feel like Miller had quite decided what kind of story this should be. It was therefore diluted and the tension all but undetectable.
May 1, 2015
So... this book...
I didn't hate it, thus the 2-stars, but I'm not sure I can say I really liked it, either... so maybe it's more a 1.5 stars, rounded up.
Anyway -
First and foremost a warning: This is not a duology in the sense of two complete but related stories like, say, Crown Court/Crown Duel. This is a "duology" in the sense of "one book that the publisher probably decided to split into two because one 1300 page book is more intimidating than 2 650ish page books".
There is no conclusion to this story. It's a cliffhanger, almost quite literally, and there is no sense of resolution at all. In fact, it kinda feels like the story is finally just getting going, after 650ish pages of not-all-that-much-happening.
And, as I've said before, I'm fine with slow plot books as long as the character development is interesting, but I'm not really sure there's much in the way of development. Aside from a little polish - a very little - Asher is pretty much the same character at the "end" as he is in the beginning.
Most of the development happens with Gar, actually, and he's one of the few saving graces of this story, because I quite liked Gar, except for when I wanted to punch him but, even then, he seems like a cool guy you'd want to hang out with.
Not so much so for Asher, though he is the protag and, apparently, he has friends and people who like him. I'm not convinced...
Anyway -
Aside from the slow and meandering (and repetitive) plot, there's just the fact that this book feels so typical. There's a Prophecy and the Bad Times are coming and people are trying to make sure the Prophecy happens and the Prophecy seems to be Deus ex Machina'ing the plot and bringing people together and putting them where they need to be because, honestly, there seems little other rhyme and reason for Asher to end up being where he is.
But, because of Prophecy and because of the foreshadowy way things are written, there isn't much in the way of suspense because any bad thing that's coming down the line gets warned about several (thousand) pages before anything happens, and by then you're just like "OMG, just happen already!"
(Honestly, was anyone remotely surprised when
What little suspense could've been wrung out of this pretty rehashed plot was killed dead by the writing style.
Dead, dead, deadski.
Speaking of deadski, the villain, when he finally shows up, is so... villainy. I can practically see him wringing his hands together or twirling a mustache - if he had one. Frothing, scheming, impatient... so not remotely interesting or scary in the slightest.
So...
After struggling through this book, I find myself in the unenviable position of having to slog through another absurd amount of kinda badly written pages to get to the meat and conclusion of the actual story.
From what I've read of the reviews, the writing/pacing problems continue, Asher grows even more annoying and insufferable... and since even some people who liked the first book say the second isn't as good, I think I'm probably just gonna bail.
I blame MrsJ for my enduring this one. I stuck with it a bit more than I might've because it was picked as a group read, and I kept thinking it had to pick up sooner or later and, well, it wasn't entirely terrible... but, yeah...
I didn't hate it, thus the 2-stars, but I'm not sure I can say I really liked it, either... so maybe it's more a 1.5 stars, rounded up.
Anyway -
First and foremost a warning: This is not a duology in the sense of two complete but related stories like, say, Crown Court/Crown Duel. This is a "duology" in the sense of "one book that the publisher probably decided to split into two because one 1300 page book is more intimidating than 2 650ish page books".
There is no conclusion to this story. It's a cliffhanger, almost quite literally, and there is no sense of resolution at all. In fact, it kinda feels like the story is finally just getting going, after 650ish pages of not-all-that-much-happening.
And, as I've said before, I'm fine with slow plot books as long as the character development is interesting, but I'm not really sure there's much in the way of development. Aside from a little polish - a very little - Asher is pretty much the same character at the "end" as he is in the beginning.
Most of the development happens with Gar, actually, and he's one of the few saving graces of this story, because I quite liked Gar, except for when I wanted to punch him but, even then, he seems like a cool guy you'd want to hang out with.
Not so much so for Asher, though he is the protag and, apparently, he has friends and people who like him. I'm not convinced...
Anyway -
Aside from the slow and meandering (and repetitive) plot, there's just the fact that this book feels so typical. There's a Prophecy and the Bad Times are coming and people are trying to make sure the Prophecy happens and the Prophecy seems to be Deus ex Machina'ing the plot and bringing people together and putting them where they need to be because, honestly, there seems little other rhyme and reason for Asher to end up being where he is.
But, because of Prophecy and because of the foreshadowy way things are written, there isn't much in the way of suspense because any bad thing that's coming down the line gets warned about several (thousand) pages before anything happens, and by then you're just like "OMG, just happen already!"
(Honestly, was anyone remotely surprised when
What little suspense could've been wrung out of this pretty rehashed plot was killed dead by the writing style.
Dead, dead, deadski.
Speaking of deadski, the villain, when he finally shows up, is so... villainy. I can practically see him wringing his hands together or twirling a mustache - if he had one. Frothing, scheming, impatient... so not remotely interesting or scary in the slightest.
So...
After struggling through this book, I find myself in the unenviable position of having to slog through another absurd amount of kinda badly written pages to get to the meat and conclusion of the actual story.
From what I've read of the reviews, the writing/pacing problems continue, Asher grows even more annoying and insufferable... and since even some people who liked the first book say the second isn't as good, I think I'm probably just gonna bail.
I blame MrsJ for my enduring this one. I stuck with it a bit more than I might've because it was picked as a group read, and I kept thinking it had to pick up sooner or later and, well, it wasn't entirely terrible... but, yeah...
April 19, 2009
Asher is a refreshing change to the common fantasy hero - he's neither a long-long son of some king somewhere, nor a diamond in the rough. He's merely rough. The unpolished fisherman who travels to the great city to work for a year, in order to earn money for his old dad. He says what he means and means what he says - and doesn't stop to think that perhaps he should occasionally phrase his comments more politely, in order not to ruffle any fancy feathers.
I really enjoyed the book. The relationship between Asher and Prince Gar (half professional, half friendly) was interesting to follow, and rang true, as both realised that no fisherman could truly be a prince's equal, and a friendship would therefore always be lopsided. I liked that Karen Miller didn't let magic constantly "save the day" but allowed the characters and their personalities carry the plot.
My main reason for not giving the book full "marks" is that it ended with a bit too much of a cliff-hanger. Karen Miller pulled no punches... and then left us hanging. It always frustrates me when a book isn't 'self-contained', and that cost it a star... doesn't mean I'm not still eagerly (and impatiently!) awaiting the next instalment in the series though.
I really enjoyed the book. The relationship between Asher and Prince Gar (half professional, half friendly) was interesting to follow, and rang true, as both realised that no fisherman could truly be a prince's equal, and a friendship would therefore always be lopsided. I liked that Karen Miller didn't let magic constantly "save the day" but allowed the characters and their personalities carry the plot.
My main reason for not giving the book full "marks" is that it ended with a bit too much of a cliff-hanger. Karen Miller pulled no punches... and then left us hanging. It always frustrates me when a book isn't 'self-contained', and that cost it a star... doesn't mean I'm not still eagerly (and impatiently!) awaiting the next instalment in the series though.
August 23, 2016
For a book called The Innocent Mage, set in a land protected by a magical barrier, where the practising of magic is a capital offense for the Olken and a birthright for the Doranen, not a lot of magic actually happens in this book. Karen Miller dangles the potential for magic like a carrot before whacking the reader with the stick of scenery-chewing dialogue. While there is plenty to enjoy about the slow-simmer of worldbuilding in which Miller engages here, some of the same decisions that make Miller’s world of Lur so interesting also make for a duller read.
Asher, a lowly fisherman, stumbles his way into the employ of Prince Gar (whose name either sounds like a Klingon or someone trying to clear their throat of phlegm—take your pick). Turns out this is part of a prophecy, though (not a spoiler, it’s like in the second chapter) in which Asher is going to save Lur from the destruction of its magical barrier, but probably at the cost of his life. Good for the kingdom, not so much for him. Then again, Miller goes out of the way to make Asher into an arrogant prickly pear of a jumped-up peasant, so why should we care about what happens to him?
It’s actually remarkable, this penchant Miller has for unlikable main characters. First Hekat (who, really, is a type of distilled evil) from Hammer of God , then Barl (who is more annoying than evil), and now Asher. I applaud her willingness to write characters that readers have little choice but to dislike. And it’s nice to watch Asher mellow (a little) over the course of the book. However, reaching that stage requires one first not to roll one’s eyes too much at the cliched crutch of prophecy jumping up Asher from fisherman to prince’s assistant. I kept waiting for Asher’s fairy godmother to remind him that he has to leave the ball before the stroke of midnight.
Before I talk about problems with prophecy, however, I’d like to continue talking about character. There is something about Miller’s characterization that distracts me. At first I wanted to call it "one-note", but that isn’t accurate. Plenty of her characters change and reveal different sides throughout the book—Asher and Gar are the two most notable examples, but even the minor characters like Darran get moments of lucid two-dimensionality. No, I think my issue is with the portrayal of the antagonists, from Morg/Durm to the pint-sized pest in Fane to the blithering Jarralt. Miller’s villains tend to be over-the-top and moustache twirling. There is nothing subtle about them, and their performances tend to be repetitive. Morg’s refrain of "bitch, slut, treacherous whore," as he continues to obsess over Barl, definitely reminds us of how twisted he has become, but it also gets old after the tenth time. Similarly, while I find Fane’s personality plenty believable, she also tends to be melodramatic at the best of times.
This melodrama extends to the plot and dialogue as well. The Innocent Mage is a long book, and it seems unnecessarily so considering how little actually happens. Rather, Miller fills pages with repetitive dialogue. Characters spend a lot of time talking about the same things over and over. They discuss, then remind each other of these discussions, then maybe revisit the discussions. There are lots of hypotheticals. Some of it is interesting, most of it isn’t, and little enough of it actually involves the cool sigil magic Miller uses in A Blight of Mages. And, as with the character issue, it puzzles me, because when Miller takes off the brakes and actually makes things happen, the book jumps into a pleasant gear that both entertains as it passes the time in a way that her dialogue just can’t match.
The more I read of her work—and I’ve read a lot more of Miller’s novels in a shorter span of time than I have many other, probably better writers—the more it seems like she favours structure and story over specifics. There’s no denying that she has a rich imagination as well as the ability to put that imagination on paper. Lur, the Olken, the Doranen, and their curious society are all interesting set pieces in an original fantasy world. I like how Miller portrays the uneasy dynamic between the mundane Olken, who are usually servants and merchants, and the arcane Doranen, who are the ruling class. And this is where her pairing of Asher and Gar gets interesting. Similarly, while Morg’s takeover of Durm is a predictable outcome of his poking his head beyond the Wall, it’s also deliciously well done and leads to a climactic twist that I really didn’t see coming (because I wanted a slightly different setup for the second book, but oh well).
Morg’s involvement is interesting in light of the prophecy that casts Asher as the Innocent Mage. To what extent does the prophecy anticipate Morg’s return? I assume it does, in the same way that Barl anticipated the possibility of Morg gaining access to the Weather Orb. I’m a bit wary of prophecy as a plot device these days. Played straight it robs much of the meaning from a character’s actions; subverted, it’s equally predictable as a rejection of the notion of fate and destiny. Playing with prophecy is like playing with fire (for both writer and characters). And I’m not really inclined to be charitable in this particular case, because Dathne the prophet is pretty useless. She exists solely to worry and remind us that the prophecy exists. Maybe Miller puts her to better use in the second book (in fact, I’d bet on it), but for The Innocent Mage she is essentially a plot device.
The Innocent Mage reminds me a lot of The Riven Kingdom . It shares the same slow pacing and tendency for redundant dialogue. It also has an interesting society and a clear conflict. I can’t help but be harsh in my critique here, because this is a book that lacks polish—at the same time, I should also point out that I read this long book fairly quickly, during a busy work week, because I couldn’t put it down. So despite my criticisms, this remains an intensely involved book. It is a reminder that there is a difference between quality and enjoyment. I don’t think The Innocent Mage stands out for me as a fantasy book of especial quality or imagination. But it was certainly a fantasy book that I enjoyed. Miller’s style might not always appeal to my particular sensibilities, but her story remains, at is core, interesting and powerful. Good storytelling always wins out in the end.
My reviews of the Kingmaker, Kingbreaker series:
← A Blight of Mages | The Awakened Mage →
Asher, a lowly fisherman, stumbles his way into the employ of Prince Gar (whose name either sounds like a Klingon or someone trying to clear their throat of phlegm—take your pick). Turns out this is part of a prophecy, though (not a spoiler, it’s like in the second chapter) in which Asher is going to save Lur from the destruction of its magical barrier, but probably at the cost of his life. Good for the kingdom, not so much for him. Then again, Miller goes out of the way to make Asher into an arrogant prickly pear of a jumped-up peasant, so why should we care about what happens to him?
It’s actually remarkable, this penchant Miller has for unlikable main characters. First Hekat (who, really, is a type of distilled evil) from Hammer of God , then Barl (who is more annoying than evil), and now Asher. I applaud her willingness to write characters that readers have little choice but to dislike. And it’s nice to watch Asher mellow (a little) over the course of the book. However, reaching that stage requires one first not to roll one’s eyes too much at the cliched crutch of prophecy jumping up Asher from fisherman to prince’s assistant. I kept waiting for Asher’s fairy godmother to remind him that he has to leave the ball before the stroke of midnight.
Before I talk about problems with prophecy, however, I’d like to continue talking about character. There is something about Miller’s characterization that distracts me. At first I wanted to call it "one-note", but that isn’t accurate. Plenty of her characters change and reveal different sides throughout the book—Asher and Gar are the two most notable examples, but even the minor characters like Darran get moments of lucid two-dimensionality. No, I think my issue is with the portrayal of the antagonists, from Morg/Durm to the pint-sized pest in Fane to the blithering Jarralt. Miller’s villains tend to be over-the-top and moustache twirling. There is nothing subtle about them, and their performances tend to be repetitive. Morg’s refrain of "bitch, slut, treacherous whore," as he continues to obsess over Barl, definitely reminds us of how twisted he has become, but it also gets old after the tenth time. Similarly, while I find Fane’s personality plenty believable, she also tends to be melodramatic at the best of times.
This melodrama extends to the plot and dialogue as well. The Innocent Mage is a long book, and it seems unnecessarily so considering how little actually happens. Rather, Miller fills pages with repetitive dialogue. Characters spend a lot of time talking about the same things over and over. They discuss, then remind each other of these discussions, then maybe revisit the discussions. There are lots of hypotheticals. Some of it is interesting, most of it isn’t, and little enough of it actually involves the cool sigil magic Miller uses in A Blight of Mages. And, as with the character issue, it puzzles me, because when Miller takes off the brakes and actually makes things happen, the book jumps into a pleasant gear that both entertains as it passes the time in a way that her dialogue just can’t match.
The more I read of her work—and I’ve read a lot more of Miller’s novels in a shorter span of time than I have many other, probably better writers—the more it seems like she favours structure and story over specifics. There’s no denying that she has a rich imagination as well as the ability to put that imagination on paper. Lur, the Olken, the Doranen, and their curious society are all interesting set pieces in an original fantasy world. I like how Miller portrays the uneasy dynamic between the mundane Olken, who are usually servants and merchants, and the arcane Doranen, who are the ruling class. And this is where her pairing of Asher and Gar gets interesting. Similarly, while Morg’s takeover of Durm is a predictable outcome of his poking his head beyond the Wall, it’s also deliciously well done and leads to a climactic twist that I really didn’t see coming (because I wanted a slightly different setup for the second book, but oh well).
Morg’s involvement is interesting in light of the prophecy that casts Asher as the Innocent Mage. To what extent does the prophecy anticipate Morg’s return? I assume it does, in the same way that Barl anticipated the possibility of Morg gaining access to the Weather Orb. I’m a bit wary of prophecy as a plot device these days. Played straight it robs much of the meaning from a character’s actions; subverted, it’s equally predictable as a rejection of the notion of fate and destiny. Playing with prophecy is like playing with fire (for both writer and characters). And I’m not really inclined to be charitable in this particular case, because Dathne the prophet is pretty useless. She exists solely to worry and remind us that the prophecy exists. Maybe Miller puts her to better use in the second book (in fact, I’d bet on it), but for The Innocent Mage she is essentially a plot device.
The Innocent Mage reminds me a lot of The Riven Kingdom . It shares the same slow pacing and tendency for redundant dialogue. It also has an interesting society and a clear conflict. I can’t help but be harsh in my critique here, because this is a book that lacks polish—at the same time, I should also point out that I read this long book fairly quickly, during a busy work week, because I couldn’t put it down. So despite my criticisms, this remains an intensely involved book. It is a reminder that there is a difference between quality and enjoyment. I don’t think The Innocent Mage stands out for me as a fantasy book of especial quality or imagination. But it was certainly a fantasy book that I enjoyed. Miller’s style might not always appeal to my particular sensibilities, but her story remains, at is core, interesting and powerful. Good storytelling always wins out in the end.
My reviews of the Kingmaker, Kingbreaker series:
← A Blight of Mages | The Awakened Mage →
May 7, 2012
I haven't been able to pick this back up for two weeks, so it is time to admit the truth: I don't really care to finish this book. The writing is okay and I'm interested in the world, but there's just enough drag from the characters that I'm simply not willing to continue.
I knew that I was in trouble when I found myself unable to like Asher. I think we're supposed to, but at heart, he's kind of an arrogant jerk. How Prince Gar didn't just dump him in the nearest midden is a mystery to me. Sorry, but it just doesn't work.
I had hopes for Dathne, too. I thought I'd at least sympathize with her secret struggle. But she turns out to be a jerk as well.
I think the last straw was when Gar took Asher into his household. It was just so... unlikely. Prince Gar was the only likeable character in the book and seeing how both his servants and family treat him (as nothing more than a tool in their own internal needs) removed the last of my willingness to continue. Yeah, some seemed sincerely attached to the broken prince, but even his father couldn't get past his lack of magic or see the valuable person he obviously is.
I knew that I was in trouble when I found myself unable to like Asher. I think we're supposed to, but at heart, he's kind of an arrogant jerk. How Prince Gar didn't just dump him in the nearest midden is a mystery to me. Sorry, but it just doesn't work.
I had hopes for Dathne, too. I thought I'd at least sympathize with her secret struggle. But she turns out to be a jerk as well.
I think the last straw was when Gar took Asher into his household. It was just so... unlikely. Prince Gar was the only likeable character in the book and seeing how both his servants and family treat him (as nothing more than a tool in their own internal needs) removed the last of my willingness to continue. Yeah, some seemed sincerely attached to the broken prince, but even his father couldn't get past his lack of magic or see the valuable person he obviously is.
February 8, 2008
The story has some interesting ideas sprinkled here and there throughout, and the writing is certainly passable from a technical standpoint. However, the end result is that the overall telling of the story resulted in mediocrity when in places it offered a tease of potential to be so much more. Ultimately, I finished the book out of sheer stubborness, rather than due to much interest in what was actually going on in the story. In the author's defense, I believe this is her first novel. With further refinement of her craft, she could become a very good storyteller.
October 15, 2015
I'm angry!! Goodness me. Ok there are a few reasons why I am angry. My new adoration for the Fantasy genre is tainted now knowing there is pap like this out there. The writing style, f**k me it was aggravating, characters spoke like a cross between The artful dodger and a Northener from the UK, hell I have Yorkshire blood on my veins and it still annoyed! The story flow and world building was utter shite, hated main character too! Lastly the cover art for both books is great, such a waste :(
April 14, 2008
An enjoyable read, but it didn't quite live up to my expectations. Classic fantasy, complete with an ancient prophecy, an unwitting hero, magic, romance, intrigue, all the usual fantasy bells and whistles. Nothing's wrong with that, of course. It just fell a bit short for me.
**spoiler alert**
I had several "hold on..." moments where my belief was jarred. Such as when Asher steps up to save Prince Gar's horse. What in the world is a fisherman doing trying to calm down a horse? I don't know jack about horses or boats, but I'm pretty sure that just because a man has experience steering a sailboat in a gale, it doesn't mean he'll be able to calm down a frightened horse. And I don't care how unimpressed Asher is when it comes to rank and all it's trappings, I just absolutely could not believe in his absolute utter lack of regard and civility to the prince at their first meeting. The prince, people. The whole scene just didn't fly to me.
Another issue I had was with the character Morg. He was your typical one dimensional, pure evil villain. A cookie cutter bad guy. As far as I'm concerned, the villain has huge potential to be the most interesting, complex character in the story. The best bad guys are the ones who weren't always evil, who have reasons that make sense (to them) for the terrible things they do. (Jim Butcher did a great job with his villains in The Codex Alera series...it's brilliant...but that's another review.)
Another case of a book where I just got the feeling that it hadn't lived up to its potential.
**spoiler alert**
I had several "hold on..." moments where my belief was jarred. Such as when Asher steps up to save Prince Gar's horse. What in the world is a fisherman doing trying to calm down a horse? I don't know jack about horses or boats, but I'm pretty sure that just because a man has experience steering a sailboat in a gale, it doesn't mean he'll be able to calm down a frightened horse. And I don't care how unimpressed Asher is when it comes to rank and all it's trappings, I just absolutely could not believe in his absolute utter lack of regard and civility to the prince at their first meeting. The prince, people. The whole scene just didn't fly to me.
Another issue I had was with the character Morg. He was your typical one dimensional, pure evil villain. A cookie cutter bad guy. As far as I'm concerned, the villain has huge potential to be the most interesting, complex character in the story. The best bad guys are the ones who weren't always evil, who have reasons that make sense (to them) for the terrible things they do. (Jim Butcher did a great job with his villains in The Codex Alera series...it's brilliant...but that's another review.)
Another case of a book where I just got the feeling that it hadn't lived up to its potential.
August 27, 2016
I've seen some really mixed things out there about this book. A lot of people think it's boring and lacking a distinct plot, but I disagree! I had a great time reading this.
While it certainly isn't anything shiny and new, I found the fantastical aspects interesting and leaving me wanting to learn more. The one aspect of the magic I didn't like was it didn't seem to have rules. I like magic systems that are almost scientific. This one felt more like Harry Potter in that you can kind of do anything with the right incantation.
That said, I really enjoyed the characters and the character growth, and I love the friendship between Asher and Gar (although I hate the name Gar). I thought the plot was immersive and I immediately went and picked up the second book in the duology and am reading it now.
I guess all I'm saying is, don't avoid all books with mixed reviews! Some of my favourite books are have average ratings of under 4 stars.
While it certainly isn't anything shiny and new, I found the fantastical aspects interesting and leaving me wanting to learn more. The one aspect of the magic I didn't like was it didn't seem to have rules. I like magic systems that are almost scientific. This one felt more like Harry Potter in that you can kind of do anything with the right incantation.
That said, I really enjoyed the characters and the character growth, and I love the friendship between Asher and Gar (although I hate the name Gar). I thought the plot was immersive and I immediately went and picked up the second book in the duology and am reading it now.
I guess all I'm saying is, don't avoid all books with mixed reviews! Some of my favourite books are have average ratings of under 4 stars.
September 4, 2012
This was refreshing. Finally, some traditional fantasy done right! It's been so long that I picked up a traditional type series and actually really really got into it. But Innocent Mage sucked me right in, and there was never a point where it lost my attention. That's not to say it was jam packed with action.. It was just good. Good character development, a super intriguing world.. It was the full package when it comes to traditional epic fantasy.
Just a quick warning though... Big time cliff hanger ending. I knew this in advance, so I have the second book ready and willing to go. If I hadn't known.. Oh man. I'd be dying right now.
Overall, 4.5 stars. I can't wait to read the conclusion of the story. Highly recommended!
Just a quick warning though... Big time cliff hanger ending. I knew this in advance, so I have the second book ready and willing to go. If I hadn't known.. Oh man. I'd be dying right now.
Overall, 4.5 stars. I can't wait to read the conclusion of the story. Highly recommended!
February 29, 2016
Pretty much has everything cliched and sorry about Fantasy novels. Dreadfully slow pacing. The antagonist does not even appear until 500 pages into the story. Mostly we have the country boy goes to the big city to find his fortune. He finds it as a admin assistant. So there's basically 500 pages of admin assistant stuff. Dull as dishwater. The last 100 pages holds some plot developments but again at the end of the book we're treated to... Okay, you get one guess. Yup, it's a literal cliffhanger! What a surprise! Unfortunately I bought the second part of the story. That'l learn me.
June 24, 2011
I read a lot of hum-drum reviews of The Innocent Mage, a book I borrowed off of my sister's bookshelf, and honestly, I don't know what everyone is complaining about. Miller wrote a good (if typical) fantasy story complete with two races, royalty, an Evil Person, magic, commoners, and what amounts to a secret guild. What she didn't do is exhaustively report on the history of this land and these peoples; you learn the background slowly, by paying attention and creating the full picture in your head with every little tidbit she weaves into the current tale.
Our main characters meet early on -- a rough commoner/fisherman, Asher, and a lonely Prince, Gar -- and much of the book (the first 400 pages or so) is basically the first year of their acquaintance. After that, Miller introduces some real controversy as Asher wants to return to his family (as promised) and Gar has what can only be described as a hissy fit. Here is where the book both picks up steam (action! foreboding! travel!) and falters (the character's personalities are so abruptly altered that you almost have to wonder about the strength of their friendship (and understanding of one another) as it built up over the preceding year). It's not BAD; it's just seems a little bit forced, that's all.
Asher and Gar are both likeable characters, as are basically the rest of the cast. I like Matt, and think I'll like Dathne more if Miller spends a little bit more time in her head. (I don't, however, understand the lovesick puppy thing that Asher has for Dathne.) The royal parents don't seem to have a perfect understanding of their children's very different personalities, or how to handle situations that would send their children to opposite corners. (They're kind of oblivious to certain things, and royally demanding that the kids relent and see things their way later, after the pot's already been stirred.)
When Master Magician Durm does something stupid, you wonder why more of the characters don't notice what must have been a change in personality, despite Morg's carefulness. The play of having a "wolf in sheep's clothing" is well done, even if we don't *quite* understand the details of how the wolf was able to cross the wall and play amongst the sheep in the first place. Yet, seeing how Miller enjoys a slow reveal, perhaps the details will be forthcoming in Book 2.
Miller isn't completely inventing something new here -- her story is very comfortably anchored in classic fantasy -- but her way of advancing the characters through the story is wholly her own, and her writing is amusing and easy to read. I just hope that when the time comes, she will succeed in creating a sense of danger or that sense that everything hangs in the balance of a moment, or on a person's actions. I do look forward to reading the second book, and seeing for myself what kind of characters Asher and Gar evolve into by the end of another 600 pages.
Our main characters meet early on -- a rough commoner/fisherman, Asher, and a lonely Prince, Gar -- and much of the book (the first 400 pages or so) is basically the first year of their acquaintance. After that, Miller introduces some real controversy as Asher wants to return to his family (as promised) and Gar has what can only be described as a hissy fit. Here is where the book both picks up steam (action! foreboding! travel!) and falters (the character's personalities are so abruptly altered that you almost have to wonder about the strength of their friendship (and understanding of one another) as it built up over the preceding year). It's not BAD; it's just seems a little bit forced, that's all.
Asher and Gar are both likeable characters, as are basically the rest of the cast. I like Matt, and think I'll like Dathne more if Miller spends a little bit more time in her head. (I don't, however, understand the lovesick puppy thing that Asher has for Dathne.) The royal parents don't seem to have a perfect understanding of their children's very different personalities, or how to handle situations that would send their children to opposite corners. (They're kind of oblivious to certain things, and royally demanding that the kids relent and see things their way later, after the pot's already been stirred.)
When Master Magician Durm does something stupid, you wonder why more of the characters don't notice what must have been a change in personality, despite Morg's carefulness. The play of having a "wolf in sheep's clothing" is well done, even if we don't *quite* understand the details of how the wolf was able to cross the wall and play amongst the sheep in the first place. Yet, seeing how Miller enjoys a slow reveal, perhaps the details will be forthcoming in Book 2.
Miller isn't completely inventing something new here -- her story is very comfortably anchored in classic fantasy -- but her way of advancing the characters through the story is wholly her own, and her writing is amusing and easy to read. I just hope that when the time comes, she will succeed in creating a sense of danger or that sense that everything hangs in the balance of a moment, or on a person's actions. I do look forward to reading the second book, and seeing for myself what kind of characters Asher and Gar evolve into by the end of another 600 pages.
August 29, 2011
Funny how things work. I was in really weird mood—read that as "horrible"—and it was impacting in my reading. Being in the middle of a mediocre UF series to begin with, wasn't much help at all. Still, I have to admit to a lot of undeserved nitpicking. In the end, though, it doesn't matter the reason; I got so frustrated with that series that I needed a change and I thought fantasy would do the trick. Finnikin of the Rock was my first choice, but I'm not very good at reading two books at the same time—the stories end up all mixed up in my head—and for all that I'm complaining, I didn't want to stop reading that annoying UF series. Listening to other books while reading something, though, works—don't ask me why. So, I've had this on audio for ages and was always putting it off because all the one- and two-star reviews it has. Now I'm glad that I finally got to it.
However, let's get something out of the way: I agree with most of, if not all, the complaints in the one- and two-star reviews. The flaws are definitely there, but for some reason they didn't bother me. And still, even if it is a mediocre book, most traditional fantasy readers will agree that one star is a little too harsh.
Despite all this, the book never failed to lift my mood even after a short listening session. It had been a while since the last time I found myself daydreaming possible solutions to some character's problems or imagining all the nooks and crannies of a fantasy world.
My only complaint is that it finishes almost mid-sentence in a semi-random place. It's not even a cliffhanger. It just… ends. Still, it wasn't a big deal since I also had the second book with me.
Conclusion: If you're in the mood for some fantasy and approach this without unreasonable expectations, chances are you'll have a good time. Also, I think that, in this case, audio is the way to go. The narrator has an accent that works well with the story and he rarely exaggerates the emotions.
However, let's get something out of the way: I agree with most of, if not all, the complaints in the one- and two-star reviews. The flaws are definitely there, but for some reason they didn't bother me. And still, even if it is a mediocre book, most traditional fantasy readers will agree that one star is a little too harsh.
Despite all this, the book never failed to lift my mood even after a short listening session. It had been a while since the last time I found myself daydreaming possible solutions to some character's problems or imagining all the nooks and crannies of a fantasy world.
My only complaint is that it finishes almost mid-sentence in a semi-random place. It's not even a cliffhanger. It just… ends. Still, it wasn't a big deal since I also had the second book with me.
Conclusion: If you're in the mood for some fantasy and approach this without unreasonable expectations, chances are you'll have a good time. Also, I think that, in this case, audio is the way to go. The narrator has an accent that works well with the story and he rarely exaggerates the emotions.
August 1, 2012
I found this to be a really enjoyable read, the depth of the characters as they progress through the story is masterfully written. The story is compelling and well told.
Would definitely recommend this, now to start on its sequel!
Would definitely recommend this, now to start on its sequel!
January 8, 2020
I had no idea what to expect going into this book but I definitely enjoyed it.
Asher; the main character; I find so heart warningly honest, funny, caring and trustworthy. he is everything you want in a main character. His relationship with everyone in the book is just so well written and developed as is Gar and his family relationship.
Even though you have no idea what the hidden circle is really about or what is so precious about Asher really, you don't feel like you missed out on anything.
The mystery, storyline and character development throughout make up for the information you don't not have yet.
The writing style is one of my favourites when it comes to high adult fantasy as a lot of the time they are very descriptive and have a lot of words that tbh can make the books feel very long indeed, however this has enough action and worldbuilding to keep you invested and interested all at the same time. She does not over complicate the magic system or the past events leading up to the moment you are reading either which is refreshing.
Asher; the main character; I find so heart warningly honest, funny, caring and trustworthy. he is everything you want in a main character. His relationship with everyone in the book is just so well written and developed as is Gar and his family relationship.
Even though you have no idea what the hidden circle is really about or what is so precious about Asher really, you don't feel like you missed out on anything.
The mystery, storyline and character development throughout make up for the information you don't not have yet.
The writing style is one of my favourites when it comes to high adult fantasy as a lot of the time they are very descriptive and have a lot of words that tbh can make the books feel very long indeed, however this has enough action and worldbuilding to keep you invested and interested all at the same time. She does not over complicate the magic system or the past events leading up to the moment you are reading either which is refreshing.
December 6, 2012
I like the book. Karen Miller's Innocent Mage now has a special little place on my shelf. The reason is very simple. It was fantasy just the way I like it. Innocent Mage was realistic, practical, and charming. The characters were human, whether Olken or Doranen, each had human struggles. Despite the title, magic played a small role compared to the conflicting emotions of the characters. Magic seemed to be just oil on the gears, keeping the background plot growing and growing building up for the sequel. Promises occupied the role of the main theme, in my opinion.
Innocent Mage centers on the character Asher. Asher was a fisherman, among a large family, seeking riches in the capitol city. He had made a promise to his father and intended to keep it. Poor judgment led to dire consequences, but he gained many friends who helped drag him out of all the trouble his pride got him into. Asher was honest. That is what I enjoyed most about his character, and even the qualities that his friends admired. He told the truth, every blunt word of it. By a curious chance of fate, Asher befriends the prince of the kingdom, Gar. Gar and Asher had their struggles, but were friends through thick and thin. The fantasy genre did not really make that much of a difference, thought I suspect it will come to play heavily in the sequel Awakened Mage.
Now, usually there are a few bad points to any book. Pacing, action, character depth, plot depth, and various other little things make or break a good book. The dialogue could be a little tiresome; I would skim some of the unimportant gab in order to get to the exciting conversations. These were usually Asher making fools of the fancy people of the capitol. The plots started off fairly simple, throw in a bit of prophecy, and add some arcane secrets to the mix and you have the makings of a fairly decent Fantasy. The characters made the book. The book did not have high and lofty language as fantasies normally do, but just plain old speech that ringed with meaning and truth. People acted like people. Honestly, I could not find any other bugbear besides the occasional pacing of trite conversations. It was a good read; I recommend it to anyone looking for a solid story and solid characters.
Innocent Mage centers on the character Asher. Asher was a fisherman, among a large family, seeking riches in the capitol city. He had made a promise to his father and intended to keep it. Poor judgment led to dire consequences, but he gained many friends who helped drag him out of all the trouble his pride got him into. Asher was honest. That is what I enjoyed most about his character, and even the qualities that his friends admired. He told the truth, every blunt word of it. By a curious chance of fate, Asher befriends the prince of the kingdom, Gar. Gar and Asher had their struggles, but were friends through thick and thin. The fantasy genre did not really make that much of a difference, thought I suspect it will come to play heavily in the sequel Awakened Mage.
Now, usually there are a few bad points to any book. Pacing, action, character depth, plot depth, and various other little things make or break a good book. The dialogue could be a little tiresome; I would skim some of the unimportant gab in order to get to the exciting conversations. These were usually Asher making fools of the fancy people of the capitol. The plots started off fairly simple, throw in a bit of prophecy, and add some arcane secrets to the mix and you have the makings of a fairly decent Fantasy. The characters made the book. The book did not have high and lofty language as fantasies normally do, but just plain old speech that ringed with meaning and truth. People acted like people. Honestly, I could not find any other bugbear besides the occasional pacing of trite conversations. It was a good read; I recommend it to anyone looking for a solid story and solid characters.
January 12, 2011
A man that leads a quiet life meets a prince and his hectic life. One man has nothing, the other has everything except one thing. When the man who has nothing is granted more than he ever thought possible, and the other man gets that one thing he is lacking, it might just spell the end of the world. It is up to a group of protectors to guide the first man, the Innocent Mage, to his destiny of saving the world.
As others have said previously, this is a character driven fantasy. The first 450 or so pages of this book are about evolving and strengthening characters and setting the stage for things to come. It's very well paced in my opinion, and I loved every second of it, but it may not sit well with others expecting action. However, your patient will pay off. The action and the plot really pick up after page 450 and it's pretty hectic from there until the end. Unfortunately, there is a bit of a cliffhanger, so if you think you may like this book, get the second book Awakened Mage at the same time. I can't say enough about this book and this author. It's rare that a book gets you so engrossed in everything. I wanted to know more about the history of the races, more about the magic and way of life of the people. I could have read endless dialogue between the characters because they were that compelling. The characters are realistic, and face problems that anyone could face. No one is too strong or too perfect, and no one is so annoying that it is irritating. Karen Miller's writing style sits very well with me. The change of viewpoint falls in perfect places. It gives us more information without repeating anything. There is enough secrecy and mystery to keep you wanting to read more, though some people may tire of it and want to get to the point quickly. This is not a book to be speed read. It is a book to be read slowly and savor. It's a book where you'll want to read into the nuances of every speech and pay attention to details. I eagerly await the second installment, I find no fault with this book at all.
As others have said previously, this is a character driven fantasy. The first 450 or so pages of this book are about evolving and strengthening characters and setting the stage for things to come. It's very well paced in my opinion, and I loved every second of it, but it may not sit well with others expecting action. However, your patient will pay off. The action and the plot really pick up after page 450 and it's pretty hectic from there until the end. Unfortunately, there is a bit of a cliffhanger, so if you think you may like this book, get the second book Awakened Mage at the same time. I can't say enough about this book and this author. It's rare that a book gets you so engrossed in everything. I wanted to know more about the history of the races, more about the magic and way of life of the people. I could have read endless dialogue between the characters because they were that compelling. The characters are realistic, and face problems that anyone could face. No one is too strong or too perfect, and no one is so annoying that it is irritating. Karen Miller's writing style sits very well with me. The change of viewpoint falls in perfect places. It gives us more information without repeating anything. There is enough secrecy and mystery to keep you wanting to read more, though some people may tire of it and want to get to the point quickly. This is not a book to be speed read. It is a book to be read slowly and savor. It's a book where you'll want to read into the nuances of every speech and pay attention to details. I eagerly await the second installment, I find no fault with this book at all.
July 18, 2011
My family recommended this book as we're all fantasy fans, and I've been on a tear lately. This book takes the usual themes, bends them around just slightly, and sets a reasonable stage for a good story. And then nothing happens. The characters argue and fuss about and some lame pseudo-political wrangling goes on. Tiny bit by bit we get some backstory, and toward the end there is a rush toward a cliffhanger ending that finishes nothing. It serves only as a bridge to the second book.
Miller has a bad habit of wasting half her books with characters arguing and sniping at each other, and this one is especially bad at it. Few of the characters are very likable except Gar, and he's pretty cardboard. The only character I cared about was Barl, who sits only in legend here. (Supposedly her story is Miller's next novel. I've been burned by this author so much I'm reluctant to try, but I must say that that story holds the most promise.)
The second book has alot more action and once you've committed to this one, you're pretty much obligated to finish the duology. 1200+ pages for an average fantasy overbloated with annoying dialogue, should have been honed to a single volume at maximum.
I don't set down books, but I almost did somewhere in the 100-200 page range. My family said it was worth finishing. It really wasn't.
Miller has a bad habit of wasting half her books with characters arguing and sniping at each other, and this one is especially bad at it. Few of the characters are very likable except Gar, and he's pretty cardboard. The only character I cared about was Barl, who sits only in legend here. (Supposedly her story is Miller's next novel. I've been burned by this author so much I'm reluctant to try, but I must say that that story holds the most promise.)
The second book has alot more action and once you've committed to this one, you're pretty much obligated to finish the duology. 1200+ pages for an average fantasy overbloated with annoying dialogue, should have been honed to a single volume at maximum.
I don't set down books, but I almost did somewhere in the 100-200 page range. My family said it was worth finishing. It really wasn't.
August 22, 2018
This book sucked me in so fast. There are only 2 real criticism I have for this book/duology:
1) sometimes the slowness can be a drag because it takes so long to get to where you know the story is going. This book really commits to the term slow burn. And I believe it will be up to the reader whether or not this is a good or a bad thing
2) the two make leads are clearly made for each other but apparently I can only get my OTP in fan fiction
Video review: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=qUk57Z3...
1) sometimes the slowness can be a drag because it takes so long to get to where you know the story is going. This book really commits to the term slow burn. And I believe it will be up to the reader whether or not this is a good or a bad thing
2) the two make leads are clearly made for each other but apparently I can only get my OTP in fan fiction
Video review: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=qUk57Z3...
July 25, 2016
[3 Stars] Where I liked the characters immensely and I enjoyed this book overall, I had a few problems with the pacing and plot devices. I really liked the dialogue though, and after the way this first book concluded, I will definitely be curious to see how the story moves forward in book two of the duology.
March 12, 2016
I really like how Kare Miller writes.
This is a fun world with interesting people.
Not sure how all the magic works or who the Circle are.
Waiting to see more...
This is a fun world with interesting people.
Not sure how all the magic works or who the Circle are.
Waiting to see more...
June 29, 2025
I picked this book after I saw most of its negative and very few positive reviews. Still, these negative reviews did not deter me from picking this one up as the premise was interesting and I am a big fan of 'The Chosen One' trope. So, I wanted to form my own opinion on this.
' The Innocent Mage' follows Asher- a fisherman from the other end of the kingdom of Lur, and our story starts when he is leaving his home to find his fortune in the capital city. On his very first day, he meets Prince Gar - King's eldest child and finds himself under Prince's employment as a stable hand. Unknown to him he is also part of a prophecy which can break or make this Kingdom and Asher can be the only thing standing between that line of destruction!
I know it is quite a typical old fantasy plot which we have seen done so many times and this was no different. But still, it was more enjoyable than I thought it would be despite a few issues I had with the book!
What I really liked!
- I loved the friendship between Asher and Prince Gar a lot. There banter and friendship despite the difference in their stations were great and I loved how over the period of time they got comfortable around each other despite their differences.
- I think the character arc of Asher was great, I really like the 'Underdog getting on the top, proving everyone else wrong and finding their place in society' trope a lot and it was nicely done here too.
- It was definitely low on magic but had politically intrigued plotline which I always love in my fantasy books!
- Really liked Miller's writing and pacing of the book, few might disagree and say this one was very slow paced but it worked fine for me in this book. After my initial days slump while starting this book, I flew through the rest!
What I really did not like!
- I would have preferred if we were not told about the prophecy and Asher's involvement in this right from the start, especially in the very first chapter! It made the rest of the plot and what was expected from Asher quite predictable for me.
- We do not have much world building and magic system in this book. The total extent of magic is what we can read from the part of synopsis and nothing more than that and I was a little disappointed!
-I loved Miller's writing but had some trouble in understanding Asher's dialogues initially, as he had an accent, and in few places it is difficult to grasp exactly what he is saying (like 'nowt' for 'nothing' etc.). But I understood the reason as he is an outsider and shows some differences in dialect and accent, but I quickly got over it.
Also, please be aware that this book ends on a cliffhanger. Actually, I would be calling this the part one of a single book, it kind of ends abruptly!
So, Overall really enjoyed this one and picked the next one immediately!
MY RATING - 4 Stars!
Full Review can also be read here
' The Innocent Mage' follows Asher- a fisherman from the other end of the kingdom of Lur, and our story starts when he is leaving his home to find his fortune in the capital city. On his very first day, he meets Prince Gar - King's eldest child and finds himself under Prince's employment as a stable hand. Unknown to him he is also part of a prophecy which can break or make this Kingdom and Asher can be the only thing standing between that line of destruction!
I know it is quite a typical old fantasy plot which we have seen done so many times and this was no different. But still, it was more enjoyable than I thought it would be despite a few issues I had with the book!
What I really liked!
- I loved the friendship between Asher and Prince Gar a lot. There banter and friendship despite the difference in their stations were great and I loved how over the period of time they got comfortable around each other despite their differences.
- I think the character arc of Asher was great, I really like the 'Underdog getting on the top, proving everyone else wrong and finding their place in society' trope a lot and it was nicely done here too.
- It was definitely low on magic but had politically intrigued plotline which I always love in my fantasy books!
- Really liked Miller's writing and pacing of the book, few might disagree and say this one was very slow paced but it worked fine for me in this book. After my initial days slump while starting this book, I flew through the rest!
What I really did not like!
- I would have preferred if we were not told about the prophecy and Asher's involvement in this right from the start, especially in the very first chapter! It made the rest of the plot and what was expected from Asher quite predictable for me.
- We do not have much world building and magic system in this book. The total extent of magic is what we can read from the part of synopsis and nothing more than that and I was a little disappointed!
-I loved Miller's writing but had some trouble in understanding Asher's dialogues initially, as he had an accent, and in few places it is difficult to grasp exactly what he is saying (like 'nowt' for 'nothing' etc.). But I understood the reason as he is an outsider and shows some differences in dialect and accent, but I quickly got over it.
Also, please be aware that this book ends on a cliffhanger. Actually, I would be calling this the part one of a single book, it kind of ends abruptly!
So, Overall really enjoyed this one and picked the next one immediately!
MY RATING - 4 Stars!
Full Review can also be read here
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,031 reviews