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A Touch of Magic
What's a young mage to do in a land where magic is illegal, and the penalty is death?
At the age of fourteen, Randall Miller is surprised to learn that he has the talent--for magic! Tricked into apprenticeship by a powerful Mage, Randall is forced to leave everything he knows behind.
When his mentor is killed by Aiden, head of the secret police, he flees for his life, stumbling from one misadventure into another. Teaming up with a trio of greedy traders and a capricious imp along the way, Randall must learn to master his budding power, or die at the hands of the Rooks!
At the age of fourteen, Randall Miller is surprised to learn that he has the talent--for magic! Tricked into apprenticeship by a powerful Mage, Randall is forced to leave everything he knows behind.
When his mentor is killed by Aiden, head of the secret police, he flees for his life, stumbling from one misadventure into another. Teaming up with a trio of greedy traders and a capricious imp along the way, Randall must learn to master his budding power, or die at the hands of the Rooks!
291 pages, Paperback
First published November 26, 2011
24 people are currently reading
600 people want to read
About the author
Gregory L. Mahan
12 books39 followersGregory Mahan (1969-) was born in Richardson, Texas, but spent the majority of his life in and around the greater Houston area. Gregory fell in love with the works of Andre Norton at a very young age, and soon became a voracious reader of science fiction and fantasy works. He began crafting stories for his friends and family at the age of 8 when he asked for (and received!) a typewriter as a Christmas gift. A Touch of Magic is Gregory's first published full-length novel.
In addition to writing, he enjoys Celtic music, and has played the Irish penny whistle and low whistle since 1995. His first band, Echoes of Ireland, was featured on KPFT radio's Irish Aires program, as well as being one of the bands chosen to play for Charles Sheehan, Consul General of Northern Ireland on his visit to Houston in 2003. Gregory maintains one of the oldest and largest Irish music repositories on the internet, The Wandering Whistler Music Archives, and published his first songbook, Fifty Great Celtic Jigs, in 2002. In 2003, he joined the band Paddy Gone Wild, and was prominently featured on their CD, The Greatest Hits, released in 2008.
Gregory currently lives in Northern Virginia with his family.
In addition to writing, he enjoys Celtic music, and has played the Irish penny whistle and low whistle since 1995. His first band, Echoes of Ireland, was featured on KPFT radio's Irish Aires program, as well as being one of the bands chosen to play for Charles Sheehan, Consul General of Northern Ireland on his visit to Houston in 2003. Gregory maintains one of the oldest and largest Irish music repositories on the internet, The Wandering Whistler Music Archives, and published his first songbook, Fifty Great Celtic Jigs, in 2002. In 2003, he joined the band Paddy Gone Wild, and was prominently featured on their CD, The Greatest Hits, released in 2008.
Gregory currently lives in Northern Virginia with his family.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
July 25, 2018
Giving up on this one (35% done). This book reminds me of The Karate Kid, except in this version Mr. Miyagi is a nasty wizard who steals Daniel-San from home through trickery, moralizes non-stop while he gives an underage child beer until he vomits, encourages deception of others and sexual assault, ignores a child's direct inquiries about the dangers of magic (such as associations with the devil), and when the time comes to do all of "wax-on, wax-off" work around the house (which comes in the form of yard work and gardening here), he heals him with a magic rune instead of heating up his hands. I just couldn't find anything positive about the character of Erliand and the magic training was far too extensive for me.
August 19, 2015
This book did not have any major errors in grammar or spelling that I noticed, well done for a self-published work.
It was quite slow to start with a lot of silly family stuff that rather dragged and seemed quite similar to other books before it got to the magic.
The concept of the magical system was pretty well put together and different, with words in magical languages, spoken or written, interacting with elements, forming the bulk of the system that used power from another realm called Llandra to power the spells. Also, beings from that realm can be used for magic and have certain innate abilities that they can use by will alone.
At the beginning of the story, Randall Miller feels second rate. He's a second son looking to escape the shadow of his older brother. When he goes to town looking for a job, he is picked up by a mage for training, which is illegal and something he is reluctant about. But he goes along because he doesn't really have another option. The mage has him do menial labor for a long time to teach him discipline before he starts on magic. Shortly after starting on magic, he accidentally comes across a powerful version of a spell that turns parchment into dwarven steel. Eventually, after he has started his training, he goes back home to visit his family and is discovered by townsfolk as a mage and his master ends up in a battle with another mage. Randall runs off with a magical healing stone and this is where the story starts moving, about halfway through. He meets and befriends an imp and has various encounters before ending up involved in a war over the rule of Talia, his home country.
It was quite slow to start with a lot of silly family stuff that rather dragged and seemed quite similar to other books before it got to the magic.
The concept of the magical system was pretty well put together and different, with words in magical languages, spoken or written, interacting with elements, forming the bulk of the system that used power from another realm called Llandra to power the spells. Also, beings from that realm can be used for magic and have certain innate abilities that they can use by will alone.
At the beginning of the story, Randall Miller feels second rate. He's a second son looking to escape the shadow of his older brother. When he goes to town looking for a job, he is picked up by a mage for training, which is illegal and something he is reluctant about. But he goes along because he doesn't really have another option. The mage has him do menial labor for a long time to teach him discipline before he starts on magic. Shortly after starting on magic, he accidentally comes across a powerful version of a spell that turns parchment into dwarven steel. Eventually, after he has started his training, he goes back home to visit his family and is discovered by townsfolk as a mage and his master ends up in a battle with another mage. Randall runs off with a magical healing stone and this is where the story starts moving, about halfway through. He meets and befriends an imp and has various encounters before ending up involved in a war over the rule of Talia, his home country.
February 6, 2012
A Touch of Magic by Gregory Mahan
Summary:
In a world where magic is forbidden and the penalty is death, Randall Miller faces a difficult choice when he discovers his own budding power.
Tricked into apprenticeship by a powerful Mage, Randall is forced to live a life of deception until his mentor is killed. Tracked by Aiden, head of the secret police, Randall teams up with a trio of avaricious traders in his quest to reach the city of Port Medlin and set sail to the large continent of Salianca, where magic is accepted.
Review:
This was a great book. I loved the world that was created and the interaction between the main character and others. I laughter, cried, and want to know what happens next. That is what I call a good read.
I am always trying to find books that my kids, especially my son, will read and enjoy. This is one that I can happily give my kids and know they will enjoy. I give it 5 out of 5 clouds.
Summary:
In a world where magic is forbidden and the penalty is death, Randall Miller faces a difficult choice when he discovers his own budding power.
Tricked into apprenticeship by a powerful Mage, Randall is forced to live a life of deception until his mentor is killed. Tracked by Aiden, head of the secret police, Randall teams up with a trio of avaricious traders in his quest to reach the city of Port Medlin and set sail to the large continent of Salianca, where magic is accepted.
Review:
This was a great book. I loved the world that was created and the interaction between the main character and others. I laughter, cried, and want to know what happens next. That is what I call a good read.
I am always trying to find books that my kids, especially my son, will read and enjoy. This is one that I can happily give my kids and know they will enjoy. I give it 5 out of 5 clouds.
February 3, 2012
I can't begin to describe how much I loved this book! Great storytelling, so rare in our world of action-packed, low-detail.
I hate comparing books to each other but this one reminded me why I love Tolkien.
Hopefully, I'll have time to review later because the work is calling and I already spent an hour finishing this book, but I just want the world to know that there are still fine storytellers left here!
Go read this book now!
I hate comparing books to each other but this one reminded me why I love Tolkien.
Hopefully, I'll have time to review later because the work is calling and I already spent an hour finishing this book, but I just want the world to know that there are still fine storytellers left here!
Go read this book now!
February 7, 2015
Audiobook Review:
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I was remarkably entertained with Randall’s journey into being his own person. Even though it is a YA book, probably for a young person between 13 and 17, the plot and story kept me engrossed in its telling along with its excellent narration. Sometimes life lesson’s need repeating for us oldies. (smiling)
Randall’s journey began just before he turned 14. He was small for his age and had always been ridiculed, not quite as good as the other boys in the village. He wanted to apprentice with the militia so he would be taken seriously and the prestige belonging to men who could reeled their swords and ride horses would only increase his stature and hopefully with one particular girl. But he was apprenticed by a man named Earl who won his family over and paid them handsomely, his wages in advance.
Earl was an interesting individual who had secrets of his own and rode Randall hard. He helped build his character and his body, for Randall was apprenticed to be a caravan guard – as close as he could get to the militia he thought with chagrin. Earl wasn’t who he appeared although his cover for his real talent kept him safe. He was a mage, well-respected among his peers. In the times this story plays out, mages were hunted down. I thought it quite interesting his way of teaching Randall about magic and how to use it.
The people Randall met were not always who they appeared to be, however wary of them, he chose to trust them until they became untrustworthy. Without the lessons of magic he’d had, he would not have survived. He utilized these lessons, saving his life more often than not. He befriends a small sprite along the way and this friendship keeps him sane when he was completely alone.
Randall’s journey is full of lessons, hurt, danger, and yes, even finding the good where many see it not.
David Stifel’s narration was excellent; well told, getting into the very essence of the characters and their personalities. His emotional tone captured perfectly, the cantankerous Earl who had a fiery spirit and short fuse. As Randall moves through his journey, he changes with his learning and we hear the changes in Randall’s character through his inner dialog which David Stiffel so very well narrates.
I never noticed any extraneous noise or shifts out of character during the telling. So no sloppy editing here. The story ended with an ending and yet a new beginning preparing the reader for more of this adventurous fantasy. I would very much enjoy continue reading or listening to more of the series.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I was remarkably entertained with Randall’s journey into being his own person. Even though it is a YA book, probably for a young person between 13 and 17, the plot and story kept me engrossed in its telling along with its excellent narration. Sometimes life lesson’s need repeating for us oldies. (smiling)
Randall’s journey began just before he turned 14. He was small for his age and had always been ridiculed, not quite as good as the other boys in the village. He wanted to apprentice with the militia so he would be taken seriously and the prestige belonging to men who could reeled their swords and ride horses would only increase his stature and hopefully with one particular girl. But he was apprenticed by a man named Earl who won his family over and paid them handsomely, his wages in advance.
Earl was an interesting individual who had secrets of his own and rode Randall hard. He helped build his character and his body, for Randall was apprenticed to be a caravan guard – as close as he could get to the militia he thought with chagrin. Earl wasn’t who he appeared although his cover for his real talent kept him safe. He was a mage, well-respected among his peers. In the times this story plays out, mages were hunted down. I thought it quite interesting his way of teaching Randall about magic and how to use it.
The people Randall met were not always who they appeared to be, however wary of them, he chose to trust them until they became untrustworthy. Without the lessons of magic he’d had, he would not have survived. He utilized these lessons, saving his life more often than not. He befriends a small sprite along the way and this friendship keeps him sane when he was completely alone.
Randall’s journey is full of lessons, hurt, danger, and yes, even finding the good where many see it not.
David Stifel’s narration was excellent; well told, getting into the very essence of the characters and their personalities. His emotional tone captured perfectly, the cantankerous Earl who had a fiery spirit and short fuse. As Randall moves through his journey, he changes with his learning and we hear the changes in Randall’s character through his inner dialog which David Stiffel so very well narrates.
I never noticed any extraneous noise or shifts out of character during the telling. So no sloppy editing here. The story ended with an ending and yet a new beginning preparing the reader for more of this adventurous fantasy. I would very much enjoy continue reading or listening to more of the series.
May 29, 2017
This book ended up being much better than I'd expected it to be. Going into it, I imagined it would be another typical young adult fantasy novel. You know the type. The author tries just a bit too hard to make the main character relate-able to teenage boys, every female character throws herself at the main character, etc. None of that was the case in this book.
The story follows one plot line the entire way through. The entire book is focused on one character, Randall Miller. It doesn't jump between characters, or try to introduce fifty main characters into the mix. There's a main group of people who are essential to the plot, sure, but those who aren't essential only get a quick mention before the story moves on.
The magic system was interesting, and Randall's particular skill was fun, though a bit on the convenient side.
I loved that there wasn't any romance tacked on just to make the story appeal to a larger audience. This wasn't a story about Randall's love life, and the book reflects that every step of the way. There's the occasional joke about how bad Randall is with girls, but it never really goes beyond that.
For the final fight, Randall doesn't suddenly become a super-powerful god to destroy the villain. He wins because the villain knows that he's much stronger than Randall. Also, Randall doesn't walk away from the fight unscathed. He loses something in the fight, and by the end of the story he still doesn't get it back. There's no magical deus ex machina that makes everything the way it was. He remains broken. And that's the way it should be. A sacrifice ceases to be a sacrifice when you can easily get back what you gave up. (Which is why I despise magic girl manga/anime.)
I even wasn't too disappointed by the way the book ends. Several questions remain unanswered (like where that magic dagger came from), but overall it was an decent way to end the story.*
*I had originally thought that this was a stand-alone novel, but apparently a sequel is in the works. (http://www.llandra.com/index.php/cate...)
Awesome.
The story follows one plot line the entire way through. The entire book is focused on one character, Randall Miller. It doesn't jump between characters, or try to introduce fifty main characters into the mix. There's a main group of people who are essential to the plot, sure, but those who aren't essential only get a quick mention before the story moves on.
The magic system was interesting, and Randall's particular skill was fun, though a bit on the convenient side.
I loved that there wasn't any romance tacked on just to make the story appeal to a larger audience. This wasn't a story about Randall's love life, and the book reflects that every step of the way. There's the occasional joke about how bad Randall is with girls, but it never really goes beyond that.
For the final fight, Randall doesn't suddenly become a super-powerful god to destroy the villain. He wins because the villain knows that he's much stronger than Randall. Also, Randall doesn't walk away from the fight unscathed. He loses something in the fight, and by the end of the story he still doesn't get it back. There's no magical deus ex machina that makes everything the way it was. He remains broken. And that's the way it should be. A sacrifice ceases to be a sacrifice when you can easily get back what you gave up. (Which is why I despise magic girl manga/anime.)
I even wasn't too disappointed by the way the book ends. Several questions remain unanswered (like where that magic dagger came from), but overall it was an decent way to end the story.*
*I had originally thought that this was a stand-alone novel, but apparently a sequel is in the works. (http://www.llandra.com/index.php/cate...)
Awesome.
September 19, 2012
Another book I got for free as a Kindle download and surprisingly quite good. All you really need to know about the storyline is this: At the age of fourteen, Randall Miller receives the shock of his life when he discovers that he has the talent--for magic! Unfortunately for him, on Tallia, magic is illegal and the penalty is death.
As for why I liked it, but what prevented it from getting 5 stars. This is a well written book that flows nicely. I read it in two evenings. I really like the character development of Randall - he feels very real. And he is just like a teenager. When he does something wrong, he goes into the depths of despair (with quite a bit of humor). When he does something right, he tends to go overboard and cause chaos. As the story progresses, he does a lot of growing and maturing. Yet it never feels forced, it all flows very naturally as a consequence of his experiences. I also enjoyed the author's humor. Not to over powering, but enough to make the book very enjoyable and cause me to chuckle out loud several times. I also enjoyed how Mahan (the author) made an old subject (boy discovering he has magic powers) into his own and created a believble world with it.
One thing I didn't enjoy overly was the gore. Thankfully, nothing too graphic. But definitely geared more towards boys than girls. And Randall's ability to walk away from some of these encounters so nonchalantly stretches belief for me.
I also didn't like the lack of depth to other characters. I'd like to know more about what Berry is. I'd like to know more about Randall's mother and Erliand. I'm hoping that some of this depth will be explored in future books.
As for why I liked it, but what prevented it from getting 5 stars. This is a well written book that flows nicely. I read it in two evenings. I really like the character development of Randall - he feels very real. And he is just like a teenager. When he does something wrong, he goes into the depths of despair (with quite a bit of humor). When he does something right, he tends to go overboard and cause chaos. As the story progresses, he does a lot of growing and maturing. Yet it never feels forced, it all flows very naturally as a consequence of his experiences. I also enjoyed the author's humor. Not to over powering, but enough to make the book very enjoyable and cause me to chuckle out loud several times. I also enjoyed how Mahan (the author) made an old subject (boy discovering he has magic powers) into his own and created a believble world with it.
One thing I didn't enjoy overly was the gore. Thankfully, nothing too graphic. But definitely geared more towards boys than girls. And Randall's ability to walk away from some of these encounters so nonchalantly stretches belief for me.
I also didn't like the lack of depth to other characters. I'd like to know more about what Berry is. I'd like to know more about Randall's mother and Erliand. I'm hoping that some of this depth will be explored in future books.
June 28, 2012
I Loved this book! It felt like a cross between Eragon and The Ranger's Apprentice. After stumbling upon it on Amazon's site, I decided to give it a try. At only $2.99 for the Kindle version I couldn't go wrong. The characters were engaging and I had diffuculty wanting to do anything else but read until I was finished. My kids are going to love this one too. I think I may buy the print version as well so I can share it with more friends. Gregory Mahan is a great new author and I am eagerly awaiting his next book!
February 1, 2013
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I liked the characters and really enjoyed the descriptions of Randall learning magic. The author handled that in a way that made it seem very realistic. For me, it became a "page turner." The action and pacing were well done, I loved the adventures and humor, and the ending had just the right blend of tension and resolution. Of course my favorite character was Berry. I'm probably like a lot of people in hoping that there are future adventures for Randall Miller coming for us to read about in future books.
April 26, 2013
As the story started i found it to be a bit sad, the characters were well thought of and they were unexpected, what i mean is that the characters were very life like. I especially liked the magic system and the limitations placed on different types of magics. The ending was a bit short for me but overall i really enjoyed this master piece. Sure some people would think it to be simple but that depends on different perspectives. so kudos to the author and i would recommend this book to fantasy novel readers give it a try you will definitely love this book.
April 20, 2012
I'm a 46 yr. old merchant marine who spends alot of time at sea. I found this book to be one of the best reads in a long time. at the end I found myself wishing for MORE RIGHT NOW! Can't wait for the advents of Randall and Berry to continue. Juz goes to show you that evil truly is in the eye of the beholder. Got to love berry and his loyaltiy. Can't wait for the next one . Please hurry!!!!
June 19, 2013
My son and I read a lot of books together. A Touch of Magic really held us to our daily reading. We could not wait to get back to the book each day and when we had to stop it was always a letdown. It held both our interests with the flow of action and storyline. We will be interested to find out if the next book in the series can also keep us as attentive as we were to this one.
March 2, 2012
Simply put, I enjoyed the book, finishing it in under 2 days with only a few hours after work to read, but the story was simple, the characters were simple, and the writing was simple. I could most easily recommend this book to fans of David Eddings. There's action aplenty but few new ideas. And that's fine, I don't like to swallow too many uncomfortable ideas in one sitting, but I shouldn't have been able to predict the plot as easily as I did. The beginning was engaging, with Randall discovering his latent magical talent and learning the basics of magic from an ornery old master mage. The protagonist did change a lot over time, starting out as a bored pupil who makes many youthful errors and ending up (only over the course of a year or two) tougher and less naive about the world. There were no other good characters in the book. There was a pet-like creature introduced about halfway through the book whose funny antics were probably supposed to provide a relief from the dreary necessities of survival. But while Randall embraced the creature, his open affection and friendliness was so mismatched from every other character's interaction with it that their relationship was truly unconvincing to me. There is little worldbuilding to speak of, with vague outlines of continents mentioned half-heartedly and entire cities mentioned within a paragraph or two. I couldn't personally distinguish any features of the cities Randall visited even if I tried. One truly positive facet of the book was its ending. Mahan did a great job of tying up the storyline with real effects on the world and the characters involved without the need for a big cliffhanger pointing to a sequel. There may well be a sequel, but I don't feel the need to read it, and the book can stand very well as a rare standalone in a field of lengthy sequels and series.
April 15, 2015
This was reviewed as part of Mark Lawrence's Great Self-Published Fantasy Blog Off.
"To be honest, I’m probably not the best person to have read and review this book. I tend to bounce off books with young protagonists, and the young man (Randall) is quite young, 14 to be exact.
The writing is solid, and if you’re looking for comfort fantasy – that kind of fantasy that reminds you of the epic quests and the unassuming young man destined for more, then this is exactly what you want to read. There is a place for those books, but honestly, I read so much that new ideas appeal to me more than tried and true.
That’s not to say that there isn’t value in this book. I could feel Mahan’s love for the genre in what he wrote, and his passion for his book. There is real heart in A Touch of Magic, and that heart makes the book pretty addicting, despite the fact that it’s not something I’d typically sit down and read. I read it. Every word (and more importantly, I don’t regret reading it). That should say something right there.
The biggest issue is that there really aren’t any new and sparkling ideas in A Touch of Magic. There’s a lot of heart, but there isn’t really anything here that you probably haven’t read before."
http://www.bookwormblues.net/2015/04/...
"To be honest, I’m probably not the best person to have read and review this book. I tend to bounce off books with young protagonists, and the young man (Randall) is quite young, 14 to be exact.
The writing is solid, and if you’re looking for comfort fantasy – that kind of fantasy that reminds you of the epic quests and the unassuming young man destined for more, then this is exactly what you want to read. There is a place for those books, but honestly, I read so much that new ideas appeal to me more than tried and true.
That’s not to say that there isn’t value in this book. I could feel Mahan’s love for the genre in what he wrote, and his passion for his book. There is real heart in A Touch of Magic, and that heart makes the book pretty addicting, despite the fact that it’s not something I’d typically sit down and read. I read it. Every word (and more importantly, I don’t regret reading it). That should say something right there.
The biggest issue is that there really aren’t any new and sparkling ideas in A Touch of Magic. There’s a lot of heart, but there isn’t really anything here that you probably haven’t read before."
http://www.bookwormblues.net/2015/04/...
August 22, 2012
I would actually put this book at 3 1/2 stars. It is a nice, easy, and enjoyable read. The only reason I don't feel that it deserves the full 4 stars is that it feels like the basic plot structure of most books in this genre. It's like hearing a good joke told by someone new; everyone has their own spin and if it's good, you enjoy hearing it retold. The writing in A Touch of Magic is good and the flow of the tale is nice. I look forward to trying other stories by Mahan.
November 7, 2012
It's hard for so many writers to come up with new magic systems and I really enjoyed the this author's take on the subject. Throughout the book and up to the near end, I felt that Randall was just being pulled around - reacting to his situation more than taking charge but still found it a lot of fun to read and I look forward to more from this world!
June 12, 2012
Might be good but I just couldn't get through it. I didn't connect with any of the characters.
March 12, 2023
I dropped it about 30% of the way in. Randal and Earl are boring characters, so it makes it hard to care about what happens to them. Even though Earl is his master, it's jarring to read several paragraphs of dialogue info dumping from him. There are too many exclamation marks and dialogue tags, too.
"Do you understand, boy?" he asked. "You have to..." there are so many of these dialogue tags in the story just to break up the large paragraphs of info dumping from Earl.
The world itself is well-written. But everything else is meh.
"Do you understand, boy?" he asked. "You have to..." there are so many of these dialogue tags in the story just to break up the large paragraphs of info dumping from Earl.
The world itself is well-written. But everything else is meh.
June 12, 2018
Friends
A interesting storyline. Of the mags , the teachings. And the life of a young boy. Berry the demon, wow
A interesting storyline. Of the mags , the teachings. And the life of a young boy. Berry the demon, wow
April 1, 2012
A Touch of Magic is a good story about a boy learning to use magic in a land where magic is an outlawed, executable offense. Brought up to fear and loathe magic, Randall is surprised and confused to feel the touch of something beyond his world while he is fighting at his small town's apprenticeship fair. Shortly thereafter, he is approached by a man who claims to be a sorcerer and says that he wants to take him as an apprentice. The last thing that Randall wants is to follow a madman in his seditious criminal pursuits, but the man bribes Randall's father and the matter is settled. For his part, though he resists this change in his life, Randall cannot quell his sense of intrigue surrounding the sorcerer's magic, and he wants to know more about it. At the sorcerer's isolated home, Randall works hard and applies himself, maturing physically and developing a knack for several forms of magic. But everything falls apart when Randall returns home with the sorceror and finds trouble waiting.
What follows are a series of adventures, through which Randall finds out more about himself and his abilities than he had ever expected, and on which he meets an interesting and amusing cast of characters who aid, use and abuse him on his way. And just when Randall finds the will and means to escape, honor and vengeance turn his head back toward home.
The magic system is well thought out, and the idea of its illegality is very thought provoking. Randall himself is a well-developed character, starting small and myopic and growing in both stature and awareness. He makes realistic decisions and finds himself in situations that are believable in his world.
The other characters, unfortunately, and Randall's world itself, are very shallowly drawn. There are nuggets of interesting quirks, nothing explored enough to leave an impression. However, each at least serves the purpose of spurring Randall on to his next breakthrough or achievement.
A nice book; suitable for any age and anyone interested in a quick and thoughtful fantasy read.
I received my copy of this book for free through Goodreads First-Reads. Thanks.
What follows are a series of adventures, through which Randall finds out more about himself and his abilities than he had ever expected, and on which he meets an interesting and amusing cast of characters who aid, use and abuse him on his way. And just when Randall finds the will and means to escape, honor and vengeance turn his head back toward home.
The magic system is well thought out, and the idea of its illegality is very thought provoking. Randall himself is a well-developed character, starting small and myopic and growing in both stature and awareness. He makes realistic decisions and finds himself in situations that are believable in his world.
The other characters, unfortunately, and Randall's world itself, are very shallowly drawn. There are nuggets of interesting quirks, nothing explored enough to leave an impression. However, each at least serves the purpose of spurring Randall on to his next breakthrough or achievement.
A nice book; suitable for any age and anyone interested in a quick and thoughtful fantasy read.
I received my copy of this book for free through Goodreads First-Reads. Thanks.
June 27, 2014
http://thebedsidebooksblog.blogspot.c...
A Touch of Magic (The Llandra Saga)
A little about the author
Gregory L. Mahan was born in Richardson, Texas, but spent the majority of his life in and around the greater Houston area. In addition to writing, he enjoys Celtic music, and has played the Irish penny whistle and low whistle since 1995. Gregory currently lives in Northern Virginia with his family.
Plot summery reviewed
"What's a young mage to do in a land where magic is illegal, and the penalty is death?
At the age of fourteen, Randall Miller is surprised to learn that he has the talent--for magic! Tricked into apprenticeship by a powerful Mage, Randall is forced to leave everything he knows behind.
When his mentor is killed by Aiden, head of the secret police, he flees for his life, stumbling from one misadventure into another. Teaming up with a trio of greedy traders and a capricious imp along the way, Randall must learn to master his budding power, or die at the hands of the Rooks!"
This is a great book, hard to put down . It was very addictive. The story line was interesting and fun to follow. Loved all the action. Loved the little capricious imp and the way that 'magic' was introduced and is used.
Though like most adventure books, there is a lot of 'travel' between places and its nice that more happened on the road than just ' we walked to such and such' to do 'such and such'.
A great book. Could do with another proofread but i followed it well.
My star rating is: three
Posted 20th December 2013 by suzanne gardenier
A Touch of Magic (The Llandra Saga)
A little about the author
Gregory L. Mahan was born in Richardson, Texas, but spent the majority of his life in and around the greater Houston area. In addition to writing, he enjoys Celtic music, and has played the Irish penny whistle and low whistle since 1995. Gregory currently lives in Northern Virginia with his family.
Plot summery reviewed
"What's a young mage to do in a land where magic is illegal, and the penalty is death?
At the age of fourteen, Randall Miller is surprised to learn that he has the talent--for magic! Tricked into apprenticeship by a powerful Mage, Randall is forced to leave everything he knows behind.
When his mentor is killed by Aiden, head of the secret police, he flees for his life, stumbling from one misadventure into another. Teaming up with a trio of greedy traders and a capricious imp along the way, Randall must learn to master his budding power, or die at the hands of the Rooks!"
This is a great book, hard to put down . It was very addictive. The story line was interesting and fun to follow. Loved all the action. Loved the little capricious imp and the way that 'magic' was introduced and is used.
Though like most adventure books, there is a lot of 'travel' between places and its nice that more happened on the road than just ' we walked to such and such' to do 'such and such'.
A great book. Could do with another proofread but i followed it well.
My star rating is: three
Posted 20th December 2013 by suzanne gardenier
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 22, 2016
A good start!
First, the pros:
The world building is quite good. The author manages to make you "see" the places he takes you, without boring you with too detailed descriptions.
The characters have a lot of potential.
The story moves at a good pace. I was never bored.
There were really interesting creatures here; both from the mundane world, and from the world where magic force can be channeled.
The main character had a lot of backbone for his age, and lack of worldly experience.
It was good enough that I will buy the next book.
The cons:
There were a few actions taken by secondary characters that didn't have enough explanation to make sense. No spoilers.
The young man who is the main character is too immature for his age. He is sometimes whiney, sometimes belligerent when he should be respectful, and too often, a crybaby.
Some tears were certainly called for, a couple of times, but, the author overdid it. His experiences should have hardened and matured him more than that. At least enough to control his emotions when the situation called for it.
I would have liked more background on the adversary, and on the way the hierarchy worked in this country.
I am going to buy the next book now. I'll be back with the next review soon!
First, the pros:
The world building is quite good. The author manages to make you "see" the places he takes you, without boring you with too detailed descriptions.
The characters have a lot of potential.
The story moves at a good pace. I was never bored.
There were really interesting creatures here; both from the mundane world, and from the world where magic force can be channeled.
The main character had a lot of backbone for his age, and lack of worldly experience.
It was good enough that I will buy the next book.
The cons:
There were a few actions taken by secondary characters that didn't have enough explanation to make sense. No spoilers.
The young man who is the main character is too immature for his age. He is sometimes whiney, sometimes belligerent when he should be respectful, and too often, a crybaby.
Some tears were certainly called for, a couple of times, but, the author overdid it. His experiences should have hardened and matured him more than that. At least enough to control his emotions when the situation called for it.
I would have liked more background on the adversary, and on the way the hierarchy worked in this country.
I am going to buy the next book now. I'll be back with the next review soon!
October 21, 2012
The story started well and quickly hooked me in. Randall is a young boy growing up in a backwoods neighborhood, where people are superstitious and see people who can work with magic, commonly known as Mages, are evil and touched by the devil. So Randall is pretty put out when a stranger marks him out as a Mage. Before Randall knows what's happening, he's forced to travel with the stranger, named Erliand, and become an apprentice. A large part of the book, especially the first half is taken up with Randall learning different spells and how to use them. This is fascinating at first and it's clear the author has put a lot of thought into this side of the world he's created. But ultimately the training starts to drag on a little long for me.
The second half of the book is much better. Erliand is attacked and Randall is forced to flee with no idea of what ultimately became of his Master. Randall is forced to travel, staying one step ahead of his enemies. Unfortunately he quickly realises he has no idea who he can trust and a couple of betrayals force him to flee once more, barely escaping with his life. The conclusion is satisfying and hints at the possibility of a sequel.
The second half of the book is much better. Erliand is attacked and Randall is forced to flee with no idea of what ultimately became of his Master. Randall is forced to travel, staying one step ahead of his enemies. Unfortunately he quickly realises he has no idea who he can trust and a couple of betrayals force him to flee once more, barely escaping with his life. The conclusion is satisfying and hints at the possibility of a sequel.
November 4, 2013
Gregory Mahan has some interesting ideas, and his protagonist, Randall, is likeable and relatable enough, but his writing drags, especially in the first half of the book. Most of it is spent in what are, to Randall, very tedious and boring sessions working for a master Mage and learning the basics of magic. The trouble is, these scenes are nearly as tedious and boring to the reader as to the character. Later in the book, the pace picks up, but then the major events of the story happen "off-camera" -- both Randall and the reader just hear about some huge happenings second-hand.
However, I liked the world that Mahan created enough that I gave the 2nd book in the Llandra series a shot, and it got quite a bit better.
However, I liked the world that Mahan created enough that I gave the 2nd book in the Llandra series a shot, and it got quite a bit better.
October 22, 2013
Fourteen-year-old apprentice mage Randal Miller is in a bit of a bind because mages are outlawed on his continent and are considered 'devil touched' and evil. But an old mage named Erliand helps him through it so he can learn to control his power. This is a really good book full of magic and great for anyone who loves fantasy books, but I wouldn't recommend it to young teens.
January 11, 2012
Broke in my e-reader with this book by a fellow redditor. Quite a few hiccups but I'll be damned if I couldn't put the thing down. Read it in no time despite having quite a few issues with the piece as a whole.
February 19, 2012
Wow. There were a few modernisms of language thrown in, but on the whole, quite a good book. I believe this is a self/independent pub and if so, kudos!
Nice example of a boy with hidden talents saves the world book. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Nice example of a boy with hidden talents saves the world book. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
June 21, 2013
Generally good fantasy fare, I wanted to hear more about Llandra and its denizens. I particularly liked how spoken magic was visceral. The main character seemed a little too petulant, but whatever, it's forgivable.
Read
September 7, 2013Very entertaining, and it wasn't like so many books I've read lately, it actually has an ending. You could write a sequel to it, but it actually ends. Many books I've read recently end with an obvious "to be continued" situation, dragging you into buying the next book.
February 1, 2012
Kind of a lot of build up for a quick ending. Interesting story at least.
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