Far-Knowing

Far-Knowing #1

by Melinda Brasher

After the Chaos Mage traps their mentor within a deadly spell, two apprentice mages set off to find and defeat this menace to the kingdom. But how can these inexperienced young women possibly track down and battle the sort of man who destroys villages with summoned wind or fire just for fun? They've learned no aggressive magic and never tested themselves against a real enemy.Kallinesha, still an apprentice after seven years, struggles against her lack of raw magical power, compensating instead with discipline and study. Daughter of the High Commander, driven relentlessly by the duty in her blood, she knows they can defeat the Chaos Mage and safeguard the kingdom. Ista, a commoner and daughter of a city baker, harbors no such delusions. But after only three years of study, her power burns much brighter than Kallinesha's. The task before them terrifies her, but she loves her mentor too much to let her waste away under the Chaos Mage's spell.The two have never been able to get along while studying magic. Will they be able to work together now when so much is at stake?

Genres: Fantasy

234 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2013

About the author

Praise for Cruising Alaska on a Budget: A Cruise and Port Guide

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Reviews

[Carly Ellen Kramer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Far-Knowing, and would recommend this novel as both engaging and appropriate for parents to read with their tween or younger teenage children. Far-Knowing has excellent pacing and creative character development, both of which are always important, but are even MORE important when your audience includes younger (and often more fickle) readers.

Here is what a 13 year-old reader had to say:

"This was a great fantasy fiction novel. Overall it had a well-paced plot line with good characters that can be related to to some extent, and had some fantastic "Mind-Blown" moments, especially near the middle. It was a little hard to understand what was happening in the beginning, but once you got a chapter or two into it, it all pretty much made sense. I would recommend it, and would hope that anyone reading it would have as much fun traveling with Kallinesha and Ista as I did."

[K.T. Munson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Characters

There are two primary character for most of the novel—Kallinesha (or Kalli) and Ista—with Ryveld joining later as a third point of view. The rest are supporting characters, my favorite of which is Taylendar (or Tay). For the first half of the novel it is Kalli and Ista...bickering. Right when it really starts to get annoying, Tay comes into the mix, followed closely by Ryveld. I would say that was a turning point in the novel once there was someone else in the dynamic besides Kalli and Ista. 

Plot

The Chaos Mage has been wreaking havoc all across their land; killing and destroying. When Kalli and Ista's mistress performs a far-knowing and gets a glimpse of the Chaos Mage, they are sent to stop him at all cost. Inexperienced but not powerless, the girls set out to rid their land of this powerful evil. This is where the book lost me. Why send such terribly unprepared girls? They aren't the best or the most powerful. It didn't make sense. Right up until they started to question why they were sent and perspectives change. I don't want to get into specifics but the book picks up about halfway through and there are a few twists. 

Overall 

There is an entire big world built by the author. One of the major aspects is the magic, but it gets back to basics. Such as spells needing ingredients and time to be cast. Also there are hints of romance later in the story but it became very prominent at the end. As a part of the stories aftermath. For young adult readers, but many adults will likely enjoy too. 

This novel had a slow start. I very much expected from the premise and what I was reading for it to be 'just another fantasy novel' but it wasn't long until that slow start turned into a non-stop, read in one sitting kind of book. This author also relies on subtleties, so it may be missed by many readers, but it was all there for those who are paying attention. In the end it is worth reading the first half of the book so you can thoroughly enjoy the second half! 

Rating

4  stars

A rough start to an interesting fantasy novel that will teach you a lesson on perspectives and taking people at their word. An entertaining start to a sword and sorcery series for young adults. I'm looking forward to book 2!

Where did I get a copy?

The author provided me one. This is a voluntary review. More reviews at creatingworldswithwords.wordpress.com.

[Allie Cresswell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very well-written book. Melinda Brasher has created a fully-realised fantasy world, medieval in time-frame, in which the noise and smell of busy market-places, the eerie silence of lonely countryside tracks, the sturdy stone of well-fortified towns and the opulence of royal apartments are all beautifully and vividly rendered; the reader is drawn right into the heart of its reality.
Amid this graphically described and credible setting are the Mages - recognised and encouraged for their powers of healing, divination, enchantment, summoning and ‘far-knowing’ - the ability to penetrate space and time in order to foretell what is yet to take place. Brasher describes their processes with brilliant skill - there is nothing airy-fairy here, no obfuscating mists or namby-pamby swooning fits. Intense concentration of mind brings forth the required state of being, or communicates a powerful auto-suggestive message; delicate manipulation of one material transmutes it to another; emotion spools like a thread which the Mage can catch and reel in, to use for her own purposes; empathy is a potent force which allows a Mage to sense and understand a person’s essence and hidden intention. Although special ingredients are occasionally used to enhance the procedures, it is mainly through the strength of the mind alone that the Mages’ work is accomplished and I really loved the positive message here - the power of the determined mind to make magic happen.
The story takes as its protagonists two trainee Mages sent out to counter a dark force which is at work in the kingdom. Characterisation is expertly handled, both girls come across strongly. Kalli is confident and proud, with a vivid sense of her own importance as the daughter of the Commander in Chief; she is a risk-taker, full of ideas, a natural leader. She isn’t a natural Mage, though, making up for a shortage of ability with hours of diligent study. Ista is a humble baker’s daughter with few expectations in life, but she is incredibly gifted, the powers Kalli strives to master by study and practice come easily to her. The story, written from their alternate points of view, uses their mutual prejudices, smouldering jealousy, and diametrically contrasting experiences of life to bring added spark and edge to what is already an exciting and fast-paced narrative. Brasher handles their different narrative voices with great skill, imbuing each with wry humour which really added to the book and created an ironic twist - the girls could have got along just fine if they’d been able to put their differences and prejudices aside.
Brasher’s language is elegant and unaffected, naturally evocative, unforced, flowing like a sparkling river carrying the story along on its current.
Highly recommended. I hope there is more to come.

[Sarah-Jayne Briggs · Rating 4 out of 5]

(I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for a review).

(This review may contain spoilers).

I found this book to be a really entertaining, well-written read with interesting, well-rounded characters.

I found the world the story was set in to be really interesting, though I would have liked a bit more information about the background/history of the world.

I liked the whole theory behind the magic the mages used and the different types there were. I also found it really interesting how the whole transforming an object into something else worked. When it comes to magic in fantasy books a lot, I often find that the rules aren't explained properly and/or that the characters can draw on a nearly inexhaustible source of power. I was glad that that wasn't the case here.

I felt that the actions of the main characters really fit with their personalities and the way they were portrayed. I liked both Ista and Kalli - though for different reasons. I also liked their love interests.

Although I normally really don't like constant switching between different POVs, I thought it mostly worked here - it added another dimension to the characters to see each other from their perspectives. However, I didn't like the extra POV added that wasn't from either of the girls. Since those scenes were so short, I wasn't given a chance to get used to being inside another character's head.

I felt that Kalli was the one who showed the most growth out of the characters. Her evolution was interesting and stayed true to her already-established character.

On the whole, the writing was fairly good. The only real errors I noticed were with quotation marks - there were a lot that were missing, which meant that, a couple of times, I wasn't sure what was dialogue and what was narrative.

Throughout the whole book, I really cared about the characters and what was happening to them. All told, this is another young adult fantasy that I really enjoyed reading and doesn't have over-powered Mary Sue characters. I would definitely check out more books by this author.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kallinesha is of noble blood and has an elitist attitude, a lot of insecurities, and jealousy is her biggest enemy. Ista is full of natural abilities, easy going, and likeable. This grates at Kalli as she struggles to find her place in the world. Ms. Brasher has done an excellent job developing her fantasy world, her characters, and the way magic works in her stories. Her characters are flawed and up against impossible odds as they pursue their quest to expose the Chaos Mage and destroy him to save their teacher, the king, and the Kingdom of Andalinn.

The plot twists and turns as circumstances change due to their missteps and failed attempts. However, they continue to find a way to work together for their common goal. This is a unique tale with multiple layers that give the plot depth which range from personal development to political manipulations of a society. Truths are revealed that are hard for young idealist minds to accept without shattering what they have always believed or been taught growing up.

At the end of the story I still found Ryveld Daistar, Protectoret of Smotur an enigma. I am having trouble justifying his true role in the story. However, Kalli seems quite smitten. The story was divided up into different points of view so we know he is not as innocent as he professes. It will be interesting to see what other stories may come from this.

Format/Typo Issues: No significant issues in editing or formatting.
**Originally written for "Books and Pals" book blog. May have received a free review copy.** October 18, 2014

[Florian Armas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Far Knowing, High Mages, Chaos Mage, chaos working its way through the world, and two young girls ready to save it, marching on a winding path littered with secrets and lies. And what lies! The whole kingdom was wrapped in them, the king too. And the reader? The reader will pass the first half thinking he got everything right only to be proved wrong, in the second one.
Both girls have a naive, and in the same time strong perception of the world, a great sense of duty, as any other very young heroine set to save the world, but the similitude stops here. Kallinesha coldness and tendency towards pragmatic practicality is able to hide, for a while, that there is a warmer part of her, deep hidden under the Protectoress’s facade. And Ryveld is the one that pulls off her mask - with a kiss, of course. Ista cannot hide anything, she is the nice girl by definition.
Far Knowing was written for young adults and will cast a spell on many of them.

I received the book from the author.

[Kshitij · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this novel for two reasons: two conflicting characters and a nice story line in a well crafted fantasy world. Far Knowing is the tale of two young women, Kali and Ista who team up to destroy Chaos Mage; how they get along despite being so different and with their unique set of skills in their quests. I liked the whole medieval settings too. I don’t mind the POV of two or more characters in fact I prefer the intermingling POVs with different characters which I think is a becoming a dying art. I loved how two leads have their own “voices” and agenda throughout the story.
Having said that, I’m not a big fan of fantasy and books with magic, but this book manages to hold my interest till the end, which I think is well put together. I’d not hesitate to recommend this to avid fantasy readers. Although I enjoyed reading the chapters, I thought it was a bit slow and emotional at times, especially at the closing.

[Stan Morris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall, I thought the story about two girls, one who had supernatural magic powers (Ista), and one who had fighting prowess and courage (Kallinesha), was a good tale. The mechanics of grammar and style were well done, and the world was easy to visualize. At first I did not like the girls, but gradually they grew on me, and the action scene just before the end was riveting.

But for me this book had a major problem, and this was the manner in which it jumped from one character's point of view to another character's point of view. Many times, just as I was getting into the story, the point of view changed, and I had to reestablish the context. Some readers don't mind this kind of style, so I think many readers will enjoy this book more than I did.

[Christie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fits perfect in the genre it is listed...YA Fantasy. Great for a younger crowd (or an older crowd, if you like fantasy with not a lot of violence, gore, and bad language). The author did a superb job in painting a picture of all the characters to make them come to life off the pages. The book as a whole was well-written; the story itself really came to life. It was a little short and would have loved to learn more about some of the characters.

[Nadishka Aloysius · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story is about personal perspectives and how they shape our world. Do we believe everything that we are told? Can we believe everything we sense? And where do you draw the line when magic is involved?
The story is narrated through the eyes of three main characters - Kalli, Ista and Ry. I found that worked really well since we got each person's perspective on the same situation. It also helped to drive the story forward.
I really enjoyed reading this, and had no trouble whatsoever immersing myself in the fantasy land with its inherent rules and social system. The explanations were very subtly and well done.
My only gripe, really, is that the truth about the Chaos Mage becomes apparent to the reader halfway through the book, although the two girls are clueless for much longer. So there was no 'Big Reveal' as such.
I found it a highly enjoyable experience. Good for adults and YA readers alike.

[Meriel Brooke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Far Knowing is a Fantasy book for young adults, and I think they will love it. Although it's a well written and imaginative book, there was a lack of urgency and real sense of danger which would have quickened the pace.
Ista and Kallinesha set forth on the seemingly impossible mission to eliminate the Chaos Mage. I believe in the power of the mind, and enjoyed how it was used here to create different forms of magic.
The two main characters are well rounded and the medieval fantasy settings colourful and convincing.
There may be a format to follow, but although the plot had good twists and turns, the story was a little too predictable – young heroine bravely fighting the baddies. But a fun read.

[John Blackport · Rating 4 out of 5]

I normally don’t like stories that switch a lot from one point of view to another, and back again. There have been rare cases where I did end up liking them, in spite of multiple POVs --- but this book is the first time I remember finishing a book and thinking that the multiple points-of-view not only failed to detract from the story, but also made the story better. From the perspective of someone like me who is biased against that practice, this is quite a testament to Melinda Brasher’s skill as a writer. It’s terrific.

“Far-Knowing” refers to a certain type of enchantment. Another useful one, “look-away”, is used to subtly misdirect someone by using their own desires and expectations against them. The enchantresses use this a couple of times to work disguises, infiltrate and escape, or disperse crowds.

The story opens at the home of a magic teacher. I don’t remember if she has a name, because they mostly called her “Mistress”, but even though she’s a minor character she is quite interesting in her own right. She instructs and guides the story’s two heroines, Kallinesha and Ista, until they leave on a quest to help their Kingdom defend itself from the threat of the mysterious Chaos Mage, who seems to delight in wanton destruction for its own sake.

Mistress doesn’t accompany the enchantresses on their journey, but there’s a good reason for that. While she’s onstage, though, she’s not only intriguing in her own right, she helps provide some wonderful background on the relationship between Kallinesha and Ista. And best of all, it’s concise and doesn’t feel like an info-dump. Before I knew it , Kalli and Ista were on their journey.

I loved the relationship between Kalli and Ista. They are quite different in magical talent, family background, bearing, and emotional outlooks. There was a lot of antipathy there, and a lot of fantasy authors wouldn’t have been able to resist the tropes of having them sink into catty behavior (only to have the trials of their adventure soon forge them into BFFs). Thankfully, Melinda Brasher spared us that.

The two enchantresses tackle a mysterious game of cat-and-mouse across the countryside. They have to not only track the Chaos Mage --- looking for clues in his wake of destruction, and trying to avoid getting caught up in it, while also tracking his enchantments (without giving themselves away with their own enchantments). The Chaos Mage also has henchmen on the road, who must be misdirected or avoided.

Kallinesha and Ista have no combat training, and are inexperienced mages. Luckily, they have different strengths in how they apply their magic, and make good calls in dividing their tasks. Kalli has respectable skill in diplomacy. They seem outmatched, but they are up for the challenge: when one plan fails, they try another.

The pursuit takes them into urban environments; I loved the atmosphere of the city gates, the streets and great halls, and especially the catacombs. The atmosphere would go from crowded, to solitary, and back again as events demanded. As the mystery gets scarier, the girls struggle to keep their guards up constantly --- once, when Ista must think on her feet, she casts a risky spell on her own and thinks: “She would be vulnerable to anyone who came upon her now, she knew, and it could be quite dangerous to be interrupted even by a friend, but everything was dangerous now.” The immersion and exposition was good, the atmosphere great!

Then the story enters another phase. Another character comes in, introduces himself, and offers help. I was disappointed here: his arguments are so logical that they completely won me over and the scene’s suspense came to a screeching halt. However, even though the girls don’t trust this new person, they (logically enough) understand they might be wrong and end up needing him after all, so they mitigate the risks taken by listening to him through the enlistment of another new character, whom they do trust. Thusly, Brasher deftly guided the story into an exciting new phase of intrigue in the city that actually came to be every bit as entertaining as what had come before.

Ista and Kallinesha were not together so much anymore; instead, they had to intricately delegate different tasks, split up and meet again. They had to set up, and tinker with, enchantments to allay suspicions and keep their enemies off balance. The interplay of so many ruses, costumes & skills brought the amusement rushing back, sort of like a fantasy-world “Ocean’s Eleven” (with a lot fewer people).

The violence level in the book is low. What violence there is, is not particularly brutal or shocking. There is no profanity. There are no sexual situations. The text is beautifully edited, I don’t recall a single grammatical error or a single typo. The text flows beautifully.

The cover art of this book had me worried that there wouldn’t be much combat; overall, I’d have preferred more action. I think the ending goes on too long and finishes too predictably on the plot level, but the character interaction is extraordinary and rings true enough to carry the day.

[Harmony Kent · Rating 4 out of 5]

(I received a free copy of this book in return for an honest review)

ABOUT THE BOOK:
"Nothing holds more danger than the things you think you know.

Kallinesha, daughter of the High Commander, with glory on her mind and duty in her blood, knows many things. She knows that her father is the noblest man in the kingdom. She knows that hard work and study trump raw magical talent, even talent as strong as that of her cowardly commoner companion, Ista. She also knows that she can kill the ruthless Chaos Mage and prove herself worthy of her family name.

Ista, daughter of a city baker, knows a few things too. She knows that Kallinesha has no heart and that none of the protectors can be trusted. Most importantly, she knows that her beloved mage mistress is never wrong, and sending them out here alone to face the Chaos Mage must therefore be right, no matter how it terrifies her.

The man they pursue knows only that he won't let two inexperienced girls ruin everything.

They're all wrong."

MY THOUGHTS:
This book is suited for the YA reader, and is in the genre of fantasy fiction. 'Far Knowing' is the magical ability to see things far away, unfortunately it's a very imprecise tool and can easily be misinterpreted. Following their Mistresses' Far Seeing, two girls Ista and Kallinesha embark upon a mission to seek and destroy the Chaos Mage. The two girls come from vastly different backgrounds, and are definitely not friends.

THE STRUCTURE:
Each chapter is told from the POV of one of the main characters. The book is written clearly, and has been proofed and edited well. There was the odd error here and there, but not enough to detract from the narrative. The ending is nicely rounded off, and any loose ends are taken care of.

SUMMARY:
This is a gentle read for the younger adult, with no undue violence, bad language or other nasties. The plot pace is a gentle one, with a bit of excitement here and there. I guessed early on the true identity of the Chaos Mage, and there were no surprises or unexpected turns for me in this story. On the whole, a well written book, but without that extra bit of spark that would lead me to give it full marks. Thus it gets a strong 4 out of 5 stars from me.

[T.S. O'Neil · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book in exchange for a fair review, so here it is. A mythical kingdom is threatened by the Chaos Mage, that being the bad variety of Mages, which are Wizards or Witches. There are also Soothsayers, and their visions are Far-knowing. My initial impression is that it's like some other fantasy books I've read—a young girl with a special gift that is the only weapon that can defeat a great evil. That's the same plot in most fantasy books targeting the YA audience. All of them pretty much follow a similar plot to The Hunger Games or Star War--everyone is trying to catch a falling sword. Heck, you can trace the lineage back to High Noon. The plot of this book strikingly similar to another I'm also reviewing, and I realize that there is not much different from the sun. It’s all good versus evil—in this case, good is personified by a young heroine with mystical powers. I guess I'm looking for what's different about the plot, characters or setting of this novel to make me care enough to read further. I guess it's a sad commentary on our culture that all the YAs want to be special, without actually having to do anything but be born with unique abilities. I think it's indicative of a level of narcissism that rampant in this culture.

Still, I plunged ahead, being pulled further into this mystic realm. Ista is the young protege of the older wizard. She must overcome her fear because the force is strong within this one (sorry, couldn't help it). Kallinesha is the most courageous of the duo. The author does a lot of telling and not so much showing, so the pace is rather leisurely. There is lots of discussion on how to capture the Chaos Mage, and how different magic works, but it's not told through dialog, but through narration. Technically, the book is well written, and I think the book is fine for the YA audience, but the leisurely pace bogs it down.

[Scott Spotson · Rating 3 out of 5]

The writing is terrific, and absolutely no errors in this book. It's great that the author takes such care to bring out the best in her writing, and that she ensures that the formatting and the grammar is rigorous. Plus there are two terrific female characters, and unlike other books, they have distinctive voices. One is serious and takes command, and the other is more of a follower, and is more likely to see life as more enjoyable and to take the more relaxing path. I also loved the scene with the King at the end of the book.

It's just that overall, the book moves at a pace too relaxed for me. I love fantasy, and I do love books where there is nice building of character and the setting, and where discoveries are made, rather than blow-by-blow battles. However, in this book, I didn't find much to excite me to turn the pages. To me, the book seemed mostly following through on a theory as to who the bad guy is, and to search for him, plus many pages on how different types of magic works. That could be well done, and spur my interest, but here, it seemed languid and hazy. Perhaps there wasn't a clear "mission" or urgency that would have excited me.

But the writing is terrific. The future of this author is assured. Maybe in another story, the plot would encourage me to feel attached to the book. Oh, the scene where one of the young women meets with a town resident and discovers the catacombs was nicely done!

[Joe Jackson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Far-Knowing is a fast-paced adventure of intrigue and magic. Fans of action and relentless pace will thoroughly enjoy the way the story takes off from the get-go and really never slows down. One could argue that it could use more description and better fleshing out of people and places, but as an action/adventure that takes place over the span of a week or so, it works.

The characters are flawed and intriguing, and even in the short span of the book, their perceptions are shattered and reassembled. The plot isn't terribly complicated, but it's sound and plausible, and the twist is delightful. Brasher does not go out of her way to over-complicate matters, whether it's the plot, the setting, the politics, or the magic system. It's beautiful in its simplicity, but that's not to say it's a "simple" book. It's just a well-crafted story that, for lack of a better term, is efficient in its word-smithing.

One thing that made me laugh was that I generally avoid YA novels that I even think may have a love triangle in them. This book sort of grazed the subject with its fingertips, but thankfully delved away from it just as quickly. There are hints of romance, but it's never the focus of the story because of the time constraints, the fast pace, and the ages of the protagonists.

Anyone looking for a quick, fun-filled adventure starring two well-juxtaposed heroines will probably finish this in a few sessions.

[Chrys Cymri · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is more like a 3.5 star review.

The novel was an interesting mix of great and not so great.

First, the great. The two main characters were very interesting, and well depicted. Ista and Kallinesha were well drawn, and they opposed each other in a believable way. Switching between their two points of view mostly worked. The dialogue was good, and the development of their relationship was also believable. I was also pleased to be in a world where women were not ‘the weaker sex’ and were expected to be able to fight.

The writing flowed well, and the world building was very good.

Now the not so great.

The pace of the novel is just very slow. Regular flashbacks interrupted the story at regular intervals. Sometimes the change in point of view also slowed down the pace, as we suddenly caught up with the other character. At other times long descriptions of how magic worked, or long internal ruminations by the characters, made me skim read, wanting to get back to the story.

There was also a lack of urgency to their mission. I didn’t feel that the stakes were high enough. The evil Mage had to be stopped, it seemed, although the source of the evil switches part way through the book (I’m trying to avoid spoilers). But there was no real motivation given for the enemy, beyond the usual ‘I want to rule it all!’ This didn’t make for a real page turner.

So, well written, but I would have liked a bit more pace and real threat to keep me interested.

[T.A. Munroe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two young women--mages-in-training--are sent by their mistress and instructor to stop the Chaos Mage from further killing and destruction in the kingdom of Andelinn. Kalli is the daughter of the king's High Commander and has lived a life of privilege. Despite that, she is a hard worker with great confidence in herself and a passion for king and kingdom, like her father whom she seeks to impress. Ista is the daughter of a baker, a commoner with great mage potential, but lacks the self-assuredness she sees in Kalli. Their quest is the same, their motivations and skills different. As personalities clash, they learn not everything and everyone in the kingdom is what they think they are. Along the way, two young men join up with their cause to save the king.

What I found fascinating is the way using magic is so personal to each mage, where they commit not only their knowledge of enchantments and materials called reinforcements to make it work, but also the personal physical and mental energy it takes. Do too much, and a mage puts herself at risk for insurmountable fatigue or even death.

I really enjoyed this fantasy from Ms. Brasher. Besides the story, it's multi-layered with the human experience and the strengths and weaknesses we all have in common.

[Taylor Lavati · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Star rating.

Far-Knowing pulls you in right away. The world-building is spot on and insanely intricate. The author clearly has put a lot of time into crafting a great world and going into detail. I really enjoy reading a novel that's that in depth. It really sells the world.

The writing is great. The only problem I found was that after the first few chapters, it got a bit boring. The pace was too slow for me and I found myself skimming and not really missing much.

The action scenes were great and written well, but they were few and far between. I wish there was more conflict and a bit less "adventuring".

The characters were well developed and you really got to see into Kalli and Ista's minds. I do however think that the POV switches came too frequently. I would've preferred the format to be different, but it wasn't too distracting.

Overall, the writing is very well done and age appropriate. The pace was a bit slow, but the world building made up for it. I love the use of magic and the way the different ways it was used. The author did a great job in this fantasy novel.

[G.J. Griffiths · Rating 4 out of 5]

An entertaining and well-written fantasy tale, with plenty of suitable doses of magic, sorcery and sword play has been served up here by a talented author. There are strong female characters in the two main characters, Ista and Kallinesha, who are ably assisted in their heroic tasks by the male love interests. The author introduces intriguing elements of conflict between the heroines from time to time, but this did not prevent me from rooting for each of them to the end of the novel. I enjoyed the idea of over-use of spells causing the main protagonists to feel weary, and consequently becoming vulnerable to their enemies.

Far-Knowing is a story with pace and intriguing twists and turns. There are many well-drawn situations showing skilful powers of description with a mature turn of phrase from Ms Brasher. The main evil character possesses cultured qualities and keeps the reader guessing throughout. I found plenty to recommend to lovers of the fantasy genre in Melinda Brasher’s fascinating novel but would have liked a touch more back-story for the overall setting of the world she has created here.

[Justin Dockins · Rating 4 out of 5]

The dire conflict of this book was established in the first few pages, and the excitement began right away. The wizardesses Kalli and Ista have an enjoyable, tense, and believable dynamic that give the dual protagonist a nice complexity. I also enjoyed the sophisticated and sinister nature of the bad guy, whose details I won't spoil here.
The magic system in this book was nicely done and not over the top at all. There were consequences associated with the use of magic that made it seem more natural and believable.
The only criticism that I would have of the book is that it tended to be a slight bit heavy on the narrative at times (situations in which you are "told" rather than "shown"), though I don't think it detracted from the excitement of the story at all.
I would certainly recommend this read to any lover of fantasy, sword and sorcery, and tales containing strong female characters.

[K. Chrisbacher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brasher nailed it in this exciting YA novel. The writing is superb and the plot is a page turner. I marveled at the creativeness she uses in the spells the mages weave. So believably descriptive that I really saw everything play out like a movie.

I fell in love with the characters and cheered at the ending. This is one one of those reads that keeps you up late to see what happens next.

When two young mages set out on a quest to save their mistress, cold Kali and simple Ista find more than they bargained for, and not just in the adventure, danger, and people they encounter, but from their inner turmoils as well.

Brasher successfully strikes a balance between the two vastly different girls in such a way that I think everyone can relate to on some level.

This book is a definite must read.

[R. Leib · Rating 4 out of 5]

Far-Knowing is the story of two young women who are on a quest to save their mentor and free their kingdom from the machinations of an evil force. They are divided by their personal and caste differences, but these very disparities may be their only chance to prevail.

Melinda Brasher has crafted a well written and well paced novel of magic practitioners in a feudal society. One of the requirements for a good fantasy is to establish the capabilities and boundaries of its fantastic elements and adhere to them. This creates a bond of trust between the writer and the reader. Melinda Brasher does an admirable job of defining the covenants and natural laws of magic and remains faithful to them throughout.

[Marco Peel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two young apprentice mages are sent out to find and defeat the Chaos Mage who wreaks havoc on the kingdom. Kallinesha, an aloof aristocrat with a talent for theatrics and a strict sense of duty, and Ista, a shy commoner with an instinctive gift for magic and a knack for reading feelings. Problem is, they can’t stand each other...

Far-knowing is an engaging, messy adventure where everything goes wrong. The writing seemlessly meshes different points of view to present the underlying insecurities, jealousies and tensions that keep one turning the pages. The magic in this story has some interesting qualities and limitations that doesn’t just make it an easy way out when all else fails, but rather an additional challenge.

[Kim Kasch · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enchanting story of magic, mages and chaos. This is a fun read, if you like castles, daggers and enjoy fantasy. It started off a little slow for me, but moved at a fast pace once it got going.

This is a tale of apprentices faced with challenges. One challenge is to attempt to sink a dagger into the Chaos Mage but Kalli is thwarted when her wrist is caught and he says, "You," the Chaos Mage said in disgust. "You're like a dog who just won't go home.

To see if she will finally succeed…you’ll want to read this story to find out.

[Andrew Mowere · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a nice story. Well written, extravagant at times, simple at others, and certainly predictable. Melinda Brasher did not attempt to play games with intrigue with her readers, it seems, but rather draw them in with candies and earnest struggle. Along with someone, I've been made to sit on a chair and watch a series called "Charmed" a long time ago. This reminded me of that, as it too is about sisterhood and coming together. The male characters certainly take a supporting role in this novel, but that's hardly a negative. Heaven knows the opposite has been done.

The story alternates points of view between characters. Much of the writing is direct, while the language is not. Meaning that you will be told there was a bush and someone leapt into it, without descriptions of greenery or sound. Every so often a fancy word was used. An example is that bit with the shopping cart. I enjoyed the clear distinctions in the mind between one character and the other. You can feel hard practicality and woodwork, or soft weaving senses, simply through internal dialogue. There's a good pace, and much happens. And when tension turns, it winds painfully- in a good way.

If I had to mention a dislike, I think I did not actually enjoy the main character dynamic. It did not ruin the experience for me, but even at the end it did not count as a glowing positive. Luckily, there is always something else happening to latch on to.