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The Cursed Kingdoms #1
The Sentinel Mage
Her magic may be the only thing that can save a prince—and the Seven Kingdoms.
In a distant corner of the Seven Kingdoms, an ancient curse festers and grows, consuming everything in its path. Only one man can break Harkeld of Osgaard, a prince with mage’s blood in his veins. But Prince Harkeld has a bounty on his head—and assassins at his heels.
Innis is a gifted shapeshifter. Now she must do the become a man. She must stand at Prince Harkeld’s side as his armsman, protecting and deceiving him.
But the deserts of Masse are more dangerous than the assassins hunting the prince. The curse has woken deadly creatures, and the magic Prince Harkeld loathes may be the only thing standing between him and death.
In a distant corner of the Seven Kingdoms, an ancient curse festers and grows, consuming everything in its path. Only one man can break Harkeld of Osgaard, a prince with mage’s blood in his veins. But Prince Harkeld has a bounty on his head—and assassins at his heels.
Innis is a gifted shapeshifter. Now she must do the become a man. She must stand at Prince Harkeld’s side as his armsman, protecting and deceiving him.
But the deserts of Masse are more dangerous than the assassins hunting the prince. The curse has woken deadly creatures, and the magic Prince Harkeld loathes may be the only thing standing between him and death.
512 pages, ebook
First published January 1, 2011
307 people are currently reading
3400 people want to read
About the author
Emily Gee
5 books167 followersEmily also writes historical romance novels as Emily Larkin.
Emily grew up in a house full of words and books – her mother was a librarian and her father a novelist – so perhaps it’s not surprising she became a writer.
She loves to travel and has lived in Sweden, backpacked in Europe, and journeyed overland in the Middle East, China, North Africa, and North America. She enjoys climbing hills, yoga workouts, and watching reruns of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Firefly.
Emily writes fantasy novels as Emily Gee, and historical romance novels as Emily Larkin.
Emily grew up in a house full of words and books – her mother was a librarian and her father a novelist – so perhaps it’s not surprising she became a writer.
She loves to travel and has lived in Sweden, backpacked in Europe, and journeyed overland in the Middle East, China, North Africa, and North America. She enjoys climbing hills, yoga workouts, and watching reruns of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Firefly.
Emily writes fantasy novels as Emily Gee, and historical romance novels as Emily Larkin.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 175 reviews
July 9, 2014
This is what I think of as an old school fantasy the bad guys are bad but not complex, the good guys are good just misunderstood, the Prince is a little bit snotty and the stoic Princess is sold off into a marriage she didn’t want. There is a curse has been awakened in the land and it is slowly spreading. It rips the humanity away from men and women who drink the tainted water until they kill everything and everyone they love.
This is a cookie cutter fantasy that really relies on a lot of tropes that I would expect more in a historical fiction novel than a new fantasy realm. Honestly if you took out the fire burning/shapeshifting/healing mages and curse it is just the run of the mill historical fiction novel.
But that said I flew through the book. While I didn’t find the writing really original it is very well done, the story moved along quickly and the pages just flew by easily. Much if it was fairly predictable and I believe it could have clipped out maybe 100 pages or so of unneeded repetition, but since the chapters are so short and clip between three different people and their situations it isn’t really noticeable.
Most of the book is spent on the run with Prince Harkeld after he finds out that he is the only person who can stop a curse that is spreading across the land. The king wants to use Harkeld to gain power and force other kingdoms into submission, but Harkeld wants to stop the curse as soon as possible so that the people do not suffer.
I want to like Harkeld because he is the hero and he just left his entire life behind to save people but I struggled with him. He has so many prejudices against the mages he is traveling with. So much so that the only solution is for four of the mages guarding him to take turns shapeshifting to look like a normal armsman from the isles in order to guard Harkeld. The shapeshifter that is tasked with this the most is Innis a very talented mage in her own right and as predicted she starts to have conflicting feelings for the prince even when wearing the guise of a man. It’s been done and been done better but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy it still.
Most of the Harkeld storyline is spent running from the king and traveling to the first stone that needs to be destroyed. Harkeld is also trying so hard to deny the mage blood in him. His prejudices run so deep that he starts to hate himself and the potential that he may have to be a mage. He calls them witches and repeats absolutely ridiculous stories that he has heard about the mages. It took entirely too long for some of those to dissipate but I have some hope that will be better in the next book.
The other two story lines are much smaller. Princess Britta is forced into an arranged marriage with a horrible man. As she deals with the truth of her predicament and the horrible atrocities her father is willing to commit she finds a way to contribute. I liked Princess Britta, she was kind and while she made some decisions that I maybe didn’t agree with in the story to deal with her situation they were understandable. The other characters in her story Karel and Yasma also fall into a precarious position with the Princess, but I loved their dedication to her because of the type of person she was not what her title is.
Jaume’s is the final PoV and he didn’t get much time at all in this installment but I think he will play a much larger role in the next. He is a child from an area hit by the curse. Escaping only barely with his life, he is traveling the land trying to stay ahead of the curse. His tale is one of the mood of the common person of the land and how they are coping.
The ending I found extremely predictable. I was sure how it was going to go down at about the middle part of the book. But I was still entertained and grew too really like a few of the characters, Innis the talented mage being my favorite. She has a lot of potential and I enjoy the budding something that is between her and Harkeld.
Had I read this in 2011 when it first came out I might have liked it more, but with so many other fantasies out there that really push the good/evil balance of their characters I’m not as engaged by a book where people are just straight up good or evil with no inflections into their characters motivations.
I’ll wait to pass judgment on the series until after reading The Fire Prince, the next book in this series.
This is a cookie cutter fantasy that really relies on a lot of tropes that I would expect more in a historical fiction novel than a new fantasy realm. Honestly if you took out the fire burning/shapeshifting/healing mages and curse it is just the run of the mill historical fiction novel.
But that said I flew through the book. While I didn’t find the writing really original it is very well done, the story moved along quickly and the pages just flew by easily. Much if it was fairly predictable and I believe it could have clipped out maybe 100 pages or so of unneeded repetition, but since the chapters are so short and clip between three different people and their situations it isn’t really noticeable.
Most of the book is spent on the run with Prince Harkeld after he finds out that he is the only person who can stop a curse that is spreading across the land. The king wants to use Harkeld to gain power and force other kingdoms into submission, but Harkeld wants to stop the curse as soon as possible so that the people do not suffer.
I want to like Harkeld because he is the hero and he just left his entire life behind to save people but I struggled with him. He has so many prejudices against the mages he is traveling with. So much so that the only solution is for four of the mages guarding him to take turns shapeshifting to look like a normal armsman from the isles in order to guard Harkeld. The shapeshifter that is tasked with this the most is Innis a very talented mage in her own right and as predicted she starts to have conflicting feelings for the prince even when wearing the guise of a man. It’s been done and been done better but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy it still.
Most of the Harkeld storyline is spent running from the king and traveling to the first stone that needs to be destroyed. Harkeld is also trying so hard to deny the mage blood in him. His prejudices run so deep that he starts to hate himself and the potential that he may have to be a mage. He calls them witches and repeats absolutely ridiculous stories that he has heard about the mages. It took entirely too long for some of those to dissipate but I have some hope that will be better in the next book.
The other two story lines are much smaller. Princess Britta is forced into an arranged marriage with a horrible man. As she deals with the truth of her predicament and the horrible atrocities her father is willing to commit she finds a way to contribute. I liked Princess Britta, she was kind and while she made some decisions that I maybe didn’t agree with in the story to deal with her situation they were understandable. The other characters in her story Karel and Yasma also fall into a precarious position with the Princess, but I loved their dedication to her because of the type of person she was not what her title is.
Jaume’s is the final PoV and he didn’t get much time at all in this installment but I think he will play a much larger role in the next. He is a child from an area hit by the curse. Escaping only barely with his life, he is traveling the land trying to stay ahead of the curse. His tale is one of the mood of the common person of the land and how they are coping.
The ending I found extremely predictable. I was sure how it was going to go down at about the middle part of the book. But I was still entertained and grew too really like a few of the characters, Innis the talented mage being my favorite. She has a lot of potential and I enjoy the budding something that is between her and Harkeld.
Had I read this in 2011 when it first came out I might have liked it more, but with so many other fantasies out there that really push the good/evil balance of their characters I’m not as engaged by a book where people are just straight up good or evil with no inflections into their characters motivations.
I’ll wait to pass judgment on the series until after reading The Fire Prince, the next book in this series.
January 24, 2011
As The Sentinel Mage by Emily Gee begins, a curse is sweeping across the Seven Kingdoms, starting in the east and slowly trickling westwards across the land. Anyone who drinks curse-tainted water becomes a mindless, bloodthirsty monster, attacking friends and family alike. There’s only one way to stop the curse: a royal who is also descended from witches must touch and spill some blood on three stones spread throughout the land. Unfortunately, witches are considered monsters by most of the Seven Kingdoms: victims of an unfounded prejudice that thinks them guilty of a list of unlikely crimes, including blood sacrifice and bestiality. Because of this, it comes as a surprise when a diplomatic delegation of witches arrives at the royal court of King Esger, announcing that one of Esger’s sons, Prince Harkeld, has the blood of witches in his veins. Harkeld is forced to flee the court with the witches, pursued by his father’s soldiers, because Esger wants to take advantage of the devastation caused by the curse and invade a neighboring kingdom... and his own son is the only thing that could save the Kingdoms but hamper his father’s imperialistic plans.
From this basic premise, Emily Gee spins out three main narrative threads. The main one follows Prince Harkeld as he flees his father’s kingdom, pursued by soldiers and protected by a band of mages. Because he is repulsed by anything witch-related, the mages are forced to take turns posing as Justen, a common armsman who can stay at Harkeld’s side, despite the taboo against shape-changing into a different human form. Innis is one of the strongest mages, so she spends most of the time as Justen, but as she is female and forced to remain close to the prince in her male form, some predictable tensions ensue. A second story thread follows Brigitta, Harkeld’s younger sister, who is about to be married off to the much older Duke Rikard, commander of King Esger’s army. Brigitta’s maid Yasma and her trusty armsman Karel are both bondservants, forced to serve the royals so their own families can be free, but they are loyal to their princess because of her innate kindness. The third and final narrative follows Yaumé, a young farmboy whose family members become some of the curse’s first victims. He flees his home and tries to survive as he runs for safety. While this is initially a minor story-line, there are indications towards the end of The Sentinel Mage that Yaumé will become more important in future volumes of the BROKEN KINGDOMS trilogy.
The Sentinel Mage, about 500 pages long, consists of 70 short chapters, so the book reads quickly, and because Emily Gee knows how to tell a story, it reads smoothly too. The pages practically turn themselves, as they say. Unfortunately that’s about the only positive aspect of the book, because from the summary above you can probably tell that the story is so unoriginal and predictable that anyone who reads enough fantasy will probably have encountered at least one or two of its elements before. A prince with forbidden magic in his blood; a princess forced to marry an older noble; a young farmboy forced to flee his home... It almost feels like painting-by-numbers fantasy, which is unfortunate because Emily Gee's story-telling skills are great and could have been applied to a much more interesting tale.
Another issue is the overly repetitive emphasis on certain story elements. Early on in the book, you’ll all too frequently find Harkeld thinking about the mages who save him as monsters. It happens almost every other page for a while, setting up the tension between his prejudices and his latent magical powers in such a grating way that the eventual (and predictable) revelation almost comes as a relief. Later on, Brigitta’s armsman Karel mourns the fate of his princess almost every time he’s on scene, which almost always includes a reference to Duke Rikard “rutting” or “tupping” her against her will. Also, Karel being a relative outsider means he gets mocked and taunted by his colleagues — seemingly almost every time he is in their company. Some of these things could have been mentioned just once or twice, not over and over.
Admittedly, there are some great scenes and clever turns in the novel. The battle scenes involving the shape-shifting mages are exciting — in fact, most of Harkeld’s story line is one big chase scene, so if the issues mentioned above don’t distract you, this could still be a captivating read for you. Also fun: as the mages take turns playing Harkeld’s armsman Justen, they educate the prince in the ways of magic and the nature of the curse by having Justen, feigning ignorance, pose leading questions to the others, which is a neat way of handling an info dump. Unfortunately the entire ruse of having a gender-bending mage-in-disguise who can remain close to the prince is a bit overplayed throughout the book, but the one thing I’m curious about in future volumes of the Cursed Kingdoms is exactly how extreme the prince’s reaction will be once he finds out about this trickery.
If you’re in the mood for a light, fun fantasy novel and don’t mind some predictability and lack of originality, The Sentinel Mage by Emily Gee might be worth a try. Unfortunately, even though light popcorn fantasy can be fun at times, this popcorn is just a bit too bland and stale to be enjoyable.
(This review was also published at www.fantasyliterature.com on 1/24/2011.)
From this basic premise, Emily Gee spins out three main narrative threads. The main one follows Prince Harkeld as he flees his father’s kingdom, pursued by soldiers and protected by a band of mages. Because he is repulsed by anything witch-related, the mages are forced to take turns posing as Justen, a common armsman who can stay at Harkeld’s side, despite the taboo against shape-changing into a different human form. Innis is one of the strongest mages, so she spends most of the time as Justen, but as she is female and forced to remain close to the prince in her male form, some predictable tensions ensue. A second story thread follows Brigitta, Harkeld’s younger sister, who is about to be married off to the much older Duke Rikard, commander of King Esger’s army. Brigitta’s maid Yasma and her trusty armsman Karel are both bondservants, forced to serve the royals so their own families can be free, but they are loyal to their princess because of her innate kindness. The third and final narrative follows Yaumé, a young farmboy whose family members become some of the curse’s first victims. He flees his home and tries to survive as he runs for safety. While this is initially a minor story-line, there are indications towards the end of The Sentinel Mage that Yaumé will become more important in future volumes of the BROKEN KINGDOMS trilogy.
The Sentinel Mage, about 500 pages long, consists of 70 short chapters, so the book reads quickly, and because Emily Gee knows how to tell a story, it reads smoothly too. The pages practically turn themselves, as they say. Unfortunately that’s about the only positive aspect of the book, because from the summary above you can probably tell that the story is so unoriginal and predictable that anyone who reads enough fantasy will probably have encountered at least one or two of its elements before. A prince with forbidden magic in his blood; a princess forced to marry an older noble; a young farmboy forced to flee his home... It almost feels like painting-by-numbers fantasy, which is unfortunate because Emily Gee's story-telling skills are great and could have been applied to a much more interesting tale.
Another issue is the overly repetitive emphasis on certain story elements. Early on in the book, you’ll all too frequently find Harkeld thinking about the mages who save him as monsters. It happens almost every other page for a while, setting up the tension between his prejudices and his latent magical powers in such a grating way that the eventual (and predictable) revelation almost comes as a relief. Later on, Brigitta’s armsman Karel mourns the fate of his princess almost every time he’s on scene, which almost always includes a reference to Duke Rikard “rutting” or “tupping” her against her will. Also, Karel being a relative outsider means he gets mocked and taunted by his colleagues — seemingly almost every time he is in their company. Some of these things could have been mentioned just once or twice, not over and over.
Admittedly, there are some great scenes and clever turns in the novel. The battle scenes involving the shape-shifting mages are exciting — in fact, most of Harkeld’s story line is one big chase scene, so if the issues mentioned above don’t distract you, this could still be a captivating read for you. Also fun: as the mages take turns playing Harkeld’s armsman Justen, they educate the prince in the ways of magic and the nature of the curse by having Justen, feigning ignorance, pose leading questions to the others, which is a neat way of handling an info dump. Unfortunately the entire ruse of having a gender-bending mage-in-disguise who can remain close to the prince is a bit overplayed throughout the book, but the one thing I’m curious about in future volumes of the Cursed Kingdoms is exactly how extreme the prince’s reaction will be once he finds out about this trickery.
If you’re in the mood for a light, fun fantasy novel and don’t mind some predictability and lack of originality, The Sentinel Mage by Emily Gee might be worth a try. Unfortunately, even though light popcorn fantasy can be fun at times, this popcorn is just a bit too bland and stale to be enjoyable.
(This review was also published at www.fantasyliterature.com on 1/24/2011.)
January 20, 2011
An ancient curse springs into life, and the only means of stopping it is using the mixed blood of a prince of Osgaard and a mage - Prince Harkeld. The Sentinel mages come to find Harkeld, but discover that he has a learned hatred of magic and distrusts those who seek only to help him. So Innis, the most gifted mage and shapeshifter, is forced to do the forbidden and take the shape of a man so that she is able to protect Harkeld, in order that he can fulfil his destiny.
I so wanted to like this book, I really did. I thought the premise sounded winning, and enjoyed the idea of shapeshifters in a proper fantasy novel (rather than just urban fantasy), but it didn't work for me at all.
This was despite Gee's very accomplished writing. Her prose is smooth and very readable, and broken into little bite-sized chapters that keep the pages turning. Considering that it is just over five hundred pages, I shot through it in the matter of a day or so and it is testimony to Gee's prose that I did so. I love the idea of what she would be capable of with an exciting and unique plot; I genuinely think she would step to the fore as one of the premier female fantasists were that the case.
As it is, Gee saddled herself with a plot that is remarkably high on predictability. Harkeld has to destroy three anchor stones, and there are three novels in the trilogy - I honestly don't think it will surprise anyone that one goes this book, and I'm betting the second will go at the end of the second book. In the third novel of the trilogy I'm anticipating a little tension/race against time/re-emerge of the mage who first cast the curse to shed a minute amount of doubt over the success of the mission. Probably someone will die in that final showdown - maybe in self-sacrifice - and, at the moment, Petrus is looking prime for that role considering his doomed love for Innis who, predictably again, is starting to fall for Harkeld. At the start of the novel Harkeld hates all mages, but is gradually coming around to them - he and Innis will have the start of a romance, then he will realise that Innis has been lying about shifting into a man, and they will have a big falling out. He or she will depart the group at this point. *sighs* I wish it wasn't as predictable as this - none of this first novel in the Cursed Kingdoms presented me with any surprise whatsoever.
I felt that Gee really missed a trick in not emphasising the "woman shifting into a man" element of the plot. Truly, this could have made the novel stand out amongst other fantasy releases this year. There could have been humour, and near misses, and a real sense of the differences between men and women. As it was, the mages discussed how difficult it would be for Innis to truly take on the role of Justen, and then it proved all too easy. Innis fooled the Prince with ease. She became a man with ease, with all those different mannerisms, and different ways of communicating. I can't imagine any woman being able to mimick a man effectively, and it would have been nice to see a hint of distrust from Harkeld in this new armsman of his. *sighs*
Harkeld must be really DAMN stupid as well! The mages manage to fool him with constant switches as to who apes Justen, so that Innis can take some time in her female shape (apparently it is dangerous to stay in one shape for a while - but we never see any hint of this danger; no near misses or anything). All they do is keep going behind rocks and swapping over - surely even the most dense person must realise that different people came back from behind the rock? *sighs*
Although, to be fair, Harkeld could be forgiven for not realising since the characters are pretty much cardboard cut-outs of fantasy characters. The only facet of Harkeld's personality I saw was his hatred of mages and unwanted attraction to Innis. Innis is shy and bites her lip. Petrus is probably the most interesting of all, and he still falls extremely short of genuine characterisation.
As I've hinted, one of the real weaknesses of the novel is that Gee spends a lot of time telling us about problems and issues, but then not showing us how these affect the plot and character. I would have liked to see more practical demonstrations of HOW it is dangerous to stay in one form for too long, for instance.
Honestly, I was so disappointed. Like I said, I REALLY wanted to like this book. The plus side is that I liked Gee's style of writing enough to pick up something else by her, but I don't need to read the other two books in the Cursed Kingdom trilogy to know how this story is going to end. Unless you are after tepid and predictable fantasy, I would give this one a miss.
I so wanted to like this book, I really did. I thought the premise sounded winning, and enjoyed the idea of shapeshifters in a proper fantasy novel (rather than just urban fantasy), but it didn't work for me at all.
This was despite Gee's very accomplished writing. Her prose is smooth and very readable, and broken into little bite-sized chapters that keep the pages turning. Considering that it is just over five hundred pages, I shot through it in the matter of a day or so and it is testimony to Gee's prose that I did so. I love the idea of what she would be capable of with an exciting and unique plot; I genuinely think she would step to the fore as one of the premier female fantasists were that the case.
As it is, Gee saddled herself with a plot that is remarkably high on predictability. Harkeld has to destroy three anchor stones, and there are three novels in the trilogy - I honestly don't think it will surprise anyone that one goes this book, and I'm betting the second will go at the end of the second book. In the third novel of the trilogy I'm anticipating a little tension/race against time/re-emerge of the mage who first cast the curse to shed a minute amount of doubt over the success of the mission. Probably someone will die in that final showdown - maybe in self-sacrifice - and, at the moment, Petrus is looking prime for that role considering his doomed love for Innis who, predictably again, is starting to fall for Harkeld. At the start of the novel Harkeld hates all mages, but is gradually coming around to them - he and Innis will have the start of a romance, then he will realise that Innis has been lying about shifting into a man, and they will have a big falling out. He or she will depart the group at this point. *sighs* I wish it wasn't as predictable as this - none of this first novel in the Cursed Kingdoms presented me with any surprise whatsoever.
I felt that Gee really missed a trick in not emphasising the "woman shifting into a man" element of the plot. Truly, this could have made the novel stand out amongst other fantasy releases this year. There could have been humour, and near misses, and a real sense of the differences between men and women. As it was, the mages discussed how difficult it would be for Innis to truly take on the role of Justen, and then it proved all too easy. Innis fooled the Prince with ease. She became a man with ease, with all those different mannerisms, and different ways of communicating. I can't imagine any woman being able to mimick a man effectively, and it would have been nice to see a hint of distrust from Harkeld in this new armsman of his. *sighs*
Harkeld must be really DAMN stupid as well! The mages manage to fool him with constant switches as to who apes Justen, so that Innis can take some time in her female shape (apparently it is dangerous to stay in one shape for a while - but we never see any hint of this danger; no near misses or anything). All they do is keep going behind rocks and swapping over - surely even the most dense person must realise that different people came back from behind the rock? *sighs*
Although, to be fair, Harkeld could be forgiven for not realising since the characters are pretty much cardboard cut-outs of fantasy characters. The only facet of Harkeld's personality I saw was his hatred of mages and unwanted attraction to Innis. Innis is shy and bites her lip. Petrus is probably the most interesting of all, and he still falls extremely short of genuine characterisation.
As I've hinted, one of the real weaknesses of the novel is that Gee spends a lot of time telling us about problems and issues, but then not showing us how these affect the plot and character. I would have liked to see more practical demonstrations of HOW it is dangerous to stay in one form for too long, for instance.
Honestly, I was so disappointed. Like I said, I REALLY wanted to like this book. The plus side is that I liked Gee's style of writing enough to pick up something else by her, but I don't need to read the other two books in the Cursed Kingdom trilogy to know how this story is going to end. Unless you are after tepid and predictable fantasy, I would give this one a miss.
December 30, 2016
I didn't love this story, but I actually think many people might like it and should at least give it a chance.
A few half-baked and lazy observations from me:
The story doesn't belabor the point like some stories, but there is a curse that can only be broken by one person. The "special" if you will... Unlike the fantasy trope of a young farmboy or royal with divine blood. I actually think this version has a subtle differences that while not significant, kept me from rolling my eyes.
There are shapeshifters in this book that often fight as lions. I thought of the Three Amigos every time.
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I kind of find contagions fascinating in sci-fi and fantasy books. We have seen poisons spread through water in many other places and I love it every time. In this version it is a curse that spreads by water which in my opinion gives the curse real barriers while letting is spread like a flood.
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Unfortunately, the word "rut" does have more than one meaning. One of the meanings is crass description for sex with - in a more animalistic and possibly one-sided way. This is the word of choice for sex in this book and I just don't like it. What's more though, is that I think this word was spot on for describing sex in this book. I personally don't like reading about sex or sex themes in books as I'm a bit prudish I suppose - and thankfully there weren't many explicit scenes and the ones that were on the line were easy to skip without missing much. However, I do think it is important to underscore how one sided sex can be within and without marriage. Some of the female characters took great pains to avoid certain men for this reason and some characters even took drugs that would dull their mind to help them cope during the act itself. I tragic commentary on what sex has become for many men and women in the real world.
Will I continue with the story... no probably not. I'm going to just assume that some of the mages do the smart thing and
A few half-baked and lazy observations from me:
The story doesn't belabor the point like some stories, but there is a curse that can only be broken by one person. The "special" if you will... Unlike the fantasy trope of a young farmboy or royal with divine blood. I actually think this version has a subtle differences that while not significant, kept me from rolling my eyes.
There are shapeshifters in this book that often fight as lions. I thought of the Three Amigos every time.
[image error]
I kind of find contagions fascinating in sci-fi and fantasy books. We have seen poisons spread through water in many other places and I love it every time. In this version it is a curse that spreads by water which in my opinion gives the curse real barriers while letting is spread like a flood.
[image error]
Unfortunately, the word "rut" does have more than one meaning. One of the meanings is crass description for sex with - in a more animalistic and possibly one-sided way. This is the word of choice for sex in this book and I just don't like it. What's more though, is that I think this word was spot on for describing sex in this book. I personally don't like reading about sex or sex themes in books as I'm a bit prudish I suppose - and thankfully there weren't many explicit scenes and the ones that were on the line were easy to skip without missing much. However, I do think it is important to underscore how one sided sex can be within and without marriage. Some of the female characters took great pains to avoid certain men for this reason and some characters even took drugs that would dull their mind to help them cope during the act itself. I tragic commentary on what sex has become for many men and women in the real world.
Will I continue with the story... no probably not. I'm going to just assume that some of the mages do the smart thing and
January 26, 2011
A huge high expectations book for me and the first book i got in 2011 I read on receive - The Laurentine Spy was such a big personal favorite - The Sentinel Mage was disappointing in content though i still enjoyed the author style and the pages turned by themselves; it is basically 90% a novelization of a standard chase game, where the heroes have to achieve a goal and assorted baddies try to stop them; the characters are ok so far and there is potential there, but the novel has almost zero depth and the secondary thread with a princess married against her will with a boor has flashes of the superb Laurentine spy action, but it is too little
The writing is very energetic and i plan to at least try the next in the series since that's the only thing that kept me reading and not dropping the book/series. The ending is at the most predictable point possible - actually in the main 90% thread i would say that everything is just canned recycled plot with almost no surprises.
Full FBc Review Included:
INTRODUCTION: In 2009 I raved about The Laurentine Spy by New Zelander author Emily Gee, a novel that still remains treasured in my memory almost two years later. So when I found about her new fantasy, a series debut no less after two standalones, I was very excited and had very high expectations, considering that I included the novel in a spotlight with two of my top five expected titles of 2011.
I liked the announced cover, while the blurb below was pretty generic and actually it turned out to be only partly accurate. However while the style of the novel was all I wanted and kept me reading, the content lacked depth badly and the book turned out to be a disappointment at least as my lofty expectations went, though further installments in the series may turn it around for me if they move the series beyond a "kill your enemies, get to the target" video game plot.
"Her magic may be the only thing that can save a prince—and the Seven Kingdoms. In a distant corner of the Seven Kingdoms, an ancient curse festers and grows, consuming everything in its path. Only one man can break it: Harkeld of Osgaard, a prince with mage’s blood in his veins. But Prince Harkeld has a bounty on his head—and assassins at his heels. Innis is a gifted shapeshifter. Now she must do the forbidden: become a man. She must stand at Prince Harkeld’s side as his armsman, protecting and deceiving him. But the deserts of Masse are more dangerous than the assassins hunting the prince. The curse has woken deadly creatures, and the magic Prince Harkeld loathes may be the only thing standing between him and death."
OVERVIEW/ANALYSIS: The series that starts in The Sentinel Mage takes place in a fairly standard and non-specific pseudo-medieval setting with kingdoms, magicians and fantastic creatures. There are two continents, the Allied Kingdoms one, that accepts magic and nurtures it from young age - the Sentinels of the title are the most powerful such magicians and they uphold and enforce a strict code to avoid abuses etc, etc. Some sentinels are powerful shapeshifters, others can wreak havoc with fire, others can heal, some being able to do almost all...
Across the water in the Seven Kingdoms magicians - denigrated as witches - are killed on sight and the smallest taint of witch-blood ensures death if found. There is the bad powerful king, leader of the bad powerful kingdom Osgaard, which has swallowed its neighbors as time had passed; the current king Esger is as nasty as it goes, abusing his children, murdering his wives, you know the spiel from the "guide to write canned fantasy" that is consulted in so many genre offerings...
There is a twist though - some centuries ago a powerful magician did not go quietly to his death and enraged by his family's murder he put a curse on the Seven Kingdoms, curse that laid dormant since then, while of course it has just resurfaced as the book starts. In another cliche from the guide above, said magician is regarded as a one-off evil by his fellow over-the-water magicians who live safely in their land and they really want to do something, but are not quite sure what and how since the curse needs to be broken by a person who has both the blood of the bad royals in cause and magical blood and of course that person's hand and blood need to touch three remote and powerfully guarded artifacts...
And so it goes, with the blurb providing the rest you need to know with the additional detail that Prince Harkeld is accompanied by several Sentinel Mages who take turns at disguising themselves as his newly found, down on his luck non-mage bodyguard Justen, though the girl Innis - inexperienced but most powerful in memory etc, etc.. - is the one doing the heavy lifting as mentioned. And of course the prince does not even ask himself - at least in this volume - about the string of coincidences involved, but after all who needs a smart destined hero when a vain and mostly arrogant one would do...
There are two side plots, the most interesting involving the prince's beloved sister Britta and her "real" brave armsman Karel and enterprising maid Yasma, whose father plans to barter in marriage to a powerful duke - another disgusting, murderous boor etc, etc... This subplot had moments that reminded me why I loved the Laurentine Spy so much, but it is only a small part of the book, most being taken by the chase/kill enemies to get to first artifact above. And of course there are three artifacts and presumably three books etc, etc...
Despite all of the above, I enjoyed The Sentinel Mage more than the overview implies and I kept turning the pages - it's true that I kept hoping for something interesting, some twist, some depth - and that is the real "magic" of writing that the author has. The narrative flows well and you are compelled to turn the pages despite pretty much knowing what will be next and the banter between the main characters is entertaining quite a few times.
Outside of Harkeld and Innis, there is Petrus a young sentinel with a shine to Innis who takes the most turns as Justen when she is tired of keeping the changed shape or when she is needed in battle of for healing. So the triangle Harkeld, Innis, Petrus with one of the latter two playing Justen leads to many amusing moments and I felt a lot of sympathy for Petrus despite him being portrayed as stiff and uptight; especially considering that Harkeld remained an annoying whiner with occasional brutal tendencies to boot throughout...
The princess Britta is also very sympathetic and I hope that her story will take a more center stage in latter volumes. There are many avenues where things can go beyond the cliched one from this book and I hope the series takes some unexpected turns and acquires depth since the possibility is there for sure, while the author's writing style is just wonderful.
Overall The Sentinel Mage (B) is one of the few novels that I felt compelled to finish only because of the "magic of the writing", while the story was not only predictable but it was one that lacked much interest for me being the kind found in video-game novelizations or tie-ins and not what I expect from original work...
The writing is very energetic and i plan to at least try the next in the series since that's the only thing that kept me reading and not dropping the book/series. The ending is at the most predictable point possible - actually in the main 90% thread i would say that everything is just canned recycled plot with almost no surprises.
Full FBc Review Included:
INTRODUCTION: In 2009 I raved about The Laurentine Spy by New Zelander author Emily Gee, a novel that still remains treasured in my memory almost two years later. So when I found about her new fantasy, a series debut no less after two standalones, I was very excited and had very high expectations, considering that I included the novel in a spotlight with two of my top five expected titles of 2011.
I liked the announced cover, while the blurb below was pretty generic and actually it turned out to be only partly accurate. However while the style of the novel was all I wanted and kept me reading, the content lacked depth badly and the book turned out to be a disappointment at least as my lofty expectations went, though further installments in the series may turn it around for me if they move the series beyond a "kill your enemies, get to the target" video game plot.
"Her magic may be the only thing that can save a prince—and the Seven Kingdoms. In a distant corner of the Seven Kingdoms, an ancient curse festers and grows, consuming everything in its path. Only one man can break it: Harkeld of Osgaard, a prince with mage’s blood in his veins. But Prince Harkeld has a bounty on his head—and assassins at his heels. Innis is a gifted shapeshifter. Now she must do the forbidden: become a man. She must stand at Prince Harkeld’s side as his armsman, protecting and deceiving him. But the deserts of Masse are more dangerous than the assassins hunting the prince. The curse has woken deadly creatures, and the magic Prince Harkeld loathes may be the only thing standing between him and death."
OVERVIEW/ANALYSIS: The series that starts in The Sentinel Mage takes place in a fairly standard and non-specific pseudo-medieval setting with kingdoms, magicians and fantastic creatures. There are two continents, the Allied Kingdoms one, that accepts magic and nurtures it from young age - the Sentinels of the title are the most powerful such magicians and they uphold and enforce a strict code to avoid abuses etc, etc. Some sentinels are powerful shapeshifters, others can wreak havoc with fire, others can heal, some being able to do almost all...
Across the water in the Seven Kingdoms magicians - denigrated as witches - are killed on sight and the smallest taint of witch-blood ensures death if found. There is the bad powerful king, leader of the bad powerful kingdom Osgaard, which has swallowed its neighbors as time had passed; the current king Esger is as nasty as it goes, abusing his children, murdering his wives, you know the spiel from the "guide to write canned fantasy" that is consulted in so many genre offerings...
There is a twist though - some centuries ago a powerful magician did not go quietly to his death and enraged by his family's murder he put a curse on the Seven Kingdoms, curse that laid dormant since then, while of course it has just resurfaced as the book starts. In another cliche from the guide above, said magician is regarded as a one-off evil by his fellow over-the-water magicians who live safely in their land and they really want to do something, but are not quite sure what and how since the curse needs to be broken by a person who has both the blood of the bad royals in cause and magical blood and of course that person's hand and blood need to touch three remote and powerfully guarded artifacts...
And so it goes, with the blurb providing the rest you need to know with the additional detail that Prince Harkeld is accompanied by several Sentinel Mages who take turns at disguising themselves as his newly found, down on his luck non-mage bodyguard Justen, though the girl Innis - inexperienced but most powerful in memory etc, etc.. - is the one doing the heavy lifting as mentioned. And of course the prince does not even ask himself - at least in this volume - about the string of coincidences involved, but after all who needs a smart destined hero when a vain and mostly arrogant one would do...
There are two side plots, the most interesting involving the prince's beloved sister Britta and her "real" brave armsman Karel and enterprising maid Yasma, whose father plans to barter in marriage to a powerful duke - another disgusting, murderous boor etc, etc... This subplot had moments that reminded me why I loved the Laurentine Spy so much, but it is only a small part of the book, most being taken by the chase/kill enemies to get to first artifact above. And of course there are three artifacts and presumably three books etc, etc...
Despite all of the above, I enjoyed The Sentinel Mage more than the overview implies and I kept turning the pages - it's true that I kept hoping for something interesting, some twist, some depth - and that is the real "magic" of writing that the author has. The narrative flows well and you are compelled to turn the pages despite pretty much knowing what will be next and the banter between the main characters is entertaining quite a few times.
Outside of Harkeld and Innis, there is Petrus a young sentinel with a shine to Innis who takes the most turns as Justen when she is tired of keeping the changed shape or when she is needed in battle of for healing. So the triangle Harkeld, Innis, Petrus with one of the latter two playing Justen leads to many amusing moments and I felt a lot of sympathy for Petrus despite him being portrayed as stiff and uptight; especially considering that Harkeld remained an annoying whiner with occasional brutal tendencies to boot throughout...
The princess Britta is also very sympathetic and I hope that her story will take a more center stage in latter volumes. There are many avenues where things can go beyond the cliched one from this book and I hope the series takes some unexpected turns and acquires depth since the possibility is there for sure, while the author's writing style is just wonderful.
Overall The Sentinel Mage (B) is one of the few novels that I felt compelled to finish only because of the "magic of the writing", while the story was not only predictable but it was one that lacked much interest for me being the kind found in video-game novelizations or tie-ins and not what I expect from original work...
May 25, 2021
The Sentinel Mage by Emily Gee
***3***
This book has been on my to-read list since it first came out in 2011. I wanted to wait until all three books were out because I just knew that I was going to love it and not want to wait years for the next installment. And granted, if I had actually read this book when it first came out in 2011 I think I really would have loved it. In the ensuing years however, my reading tastes have drastically altered and I found this book to be too much of the same and much too repetitive.
The setting is your typical medieval fantasy, where high born women have less rights than a dog and are married off to horrible Dukes as a reward for their loyalty. Lucklily Ms. Gee didn't write any of those actual sex scenes so I didn't have to bear that awkward horribleness. However, that being said, Princess Brigitta's story line was actually the most interesting. I like Yasma, her bondservant, and her armsman Karel was fine too. There wasn't a whole lot of character development for anyone though.
The main characters are Innis and Prince Harkeld. Innis is a very young, timid virgin and yet she is the most powerful mage among them. Harkeld is a prince who has just lost everything in his life other than his bred hatred for witches (and he's even more torn when he finds out he has witch blood in him [don't worry, you find that out really early on, so not a spoiler]). Their characters don't really evolve beyond this point unfortunately. Though it does leave a lot of room for growth in the next books.
The book consists of a LOT of travelling and a LOT of shapeshifting. And I mean a LOT of shapeshifting. Innis, Petrus, Gerit and Ebril all take turn playing the role of Justen, Prince Harkelds human (definitely not a witch) armsman. And when they're not playing Justen, they're transforming into one animal or another either for fighting or scouting. All of Harkeld's scenes consist of travelling, fighting or travelling.
Don't get me wrong, the writing is good, the story has an interesting concept but it's just so repetitive that I was getting bored. I'm really sad that this book didn't resonate with me and part of me wishes that I hadn't waited for all three books to be published because I think the old me would have really liked it. Unfortunately, having finally arrived at their destination the group must now travel again to reach two more locations where the Prince is needed. This means that book 2 and probably book 3 will consist of...you guessed it, more travelling. So I'm not sure books 2 and 3 are calling my name. At least not yet.
***3***
This book has been on my to-read list since it first came out in 2011. I wanted to wait until all three books were out because I just knew that I was going to love it and not want to wait years for the next installment. And granted, if I had actually read this book when it first came out in 2011 I think I really would have loved it. In the ensuing years however, my reading tastes have drastically altered and I found this book to be too much of the same and much too repetitive.
The setting is your typical medieval fantasy, where high born women have less rights than a dog and are married off to horrible Dukes as a reward for their loyalty. Lucklily Ms. Gee didn't write any of those actual sex scenes so I didn't have to bear that awkward horribleness. However, that being said, Princess Brigitta's story line was actually the most interesting. I like Yasma, her bondservant, and her armsman Karel was fine too. There wasn't a whole lot of character development for anyone though.
The main characters are Innis and Prince Harkeld. Innis is a very young, timid virgin and yet she is the most powerful mage among them. Harkeld is a prince who has just lost everything in his life other than his bred hatred for witches (and he's even more torn when he finds out he has witch blood in him [don't worry, you find that out really early on, so not a spoiler]). Their characters don't really evolve beyond this point unfortunately. Though it does leave a lot of room for growth in the next books.
The book consists of a LOT of travelling and a LOT of shapeshifting. And I mean a LOT of shapeshifting. Innis, Petrus, Gerit and Ebril all take turn playing the role of Justen, Prince Harkelds human (definitely not a witch) armsman. And when they're not playing Justen, they're transforming into one animal or another either for fighting or scouting. All of Harkeld's scenes consist of travelling, fighting or travelling.
Don't get me wrong, the writing is good, the story has an interesting concept but it's just so repetitive that I was getting bored. I'm really sad that this book didn't resonate with me and part of me wishes that I hadn't waited for all three books to be published because I think the old me would have really liked it. Unfortunately, having finally arrived at their destination the group must now travel again to reach two more locations where the Prince is needed. This means that book 2 and probably book 3 will consist of...you guessed it, more travelling. So I'm not sure books 2 and 3 are calling my name. At least not yet.
March 7, 2022
Quick fun read
February 12, 2012
I have just finished reading the new trilogy (book 1) by Emily Gee and i am desperate to read the next installment! This novel was fantastic and really exceeded my expectations as being 'new' i had not herd much about it or the author. I loved the charicters and i also loved reading about shapeshifting and found this element really facinating and truely unique as i have not found many good fantasy authors who have covered this topic so well. The royal court is just as brutal, pomp and ceremony as would be expected and the 'heroin' of Britta is one that many will really respect and admire the charicter within the novel- it is a kind of heroism that is founded on self beleif and strength of charicter that one does not need a sword for. 'Innis' is also a fantastic charicter that one can also admire greatly and the real sense of emotion and courage is portrayed and represented through mainly this particular charicter alongside the others. The novel is beautifully imgainative, captivating and really faced paced in places that draws the reader in and makes you want to read on. The chapters being short are helpful in that it does not 'waffle on' with too much description or a huge amount of talk on minor details, but rather that Emily Gee gets to the point and describes the main important parts within the storyline hense keeping up the pace throughout and making you want to read on and find out more. It is beautifully written and the imagery is spectacular (especially with the descriptions of animals) and the 'take' on magic is very cleaverly thought out and indavidual. I really loved this novel and was therefore upset when i finished and found it to be 'cut short' and ending on a drematic cliffhanger, concequently i am eager to read the next installment when published. To all fantasy lovers out there and any fans of adult genre's then i cannot highly recomend Emily gee's work enough- as it is brilliant!!
October 23, 2015
Dear Prince Harkeld, you sniveling cowardly whoreson. I hope you get over yourself.
Briggita, I think I love you.
Jaume...oh you poor thing. I have an awful feeling a out who you're now in league with.
Innis, you poor girl. Though I feel worse for Petrus I think.
Briggita, I think I love you.
Jaume...oh you poor thing. I have an awful feeling a out who you're now in league with.
Innis, you poor girl. Though I feel worse for Petrus I think.
January 23, 2011
Emily Gee’s The Sentinel Mage was prominently featured on our list of anticipated novels for January. It is the first volume in her new The Cursed Kingdoms Trilogy.
An ancient curse
In Girond, a small town in the Eastern-most part of The Seven Kingdoms, an ancient curse turns everyone into a killer. Only an eight-year-old boy, Jaumé, escapes the curse, traveling westward on foot. On the other side of the continent, a group of mages confront the King of Osgaard to tell him that only his son, Prince Harkeld, can save The Seven Kingdoms from the curse before it consumes every human being. In his greed, the King sees an opportunity to enrich his kingdom and won’t allow the mages to take his son.
Prince Harkeld escapes with the group of mages, his father’s soldiers hot on their trail. While the Prince struggles to come to terms with the betrayal of his father and kingdom, and the revelations made about him, a young mage, Innis, is forced to do the forbidden and use her shapeshifting gifts to become a man to protect Prince Harkeld from harm.
Story of clichés
From the slowly festering curse to the distant prospect of war, and from the trying journey through a deadly desert to the dangerous assassins chasing the prince and the mages along the way, a substantial part of this story has previously appeared in other works of fantasy. In that regard, The Sentinel Mage reminds me of Christopher Paolini’s Eragon. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed Eragon, but most of his story is unoriginal or even borders plagarism. Unlike Paolini, however, Gee proves she has an impressive talent for writing fantasy and though she uses a vast amount of fantasy clichés, she puts them together in such a way that the story is still original and enjoyable. On the other hand, I finished the story with the impression that it could have been something more, as if not all of its potential had been realized.
Gee’s talent
First and foremost, Gee’s talent for writing manifests itself in her characters—the kind princess who is married to a bully general; the honorable prince struggling with his hate for these mages who keep saving his life; and the eight year-old orphan boy, striving to survive even when it means stealing food to sustain himself. All of these characters are well-written and easily believable. While the subtle romance between the young shapeshifter Innis and Prince Harkeld is predictable, this love is never consummated between the two reluctant characters.
Beyond writing believable characters, Gee shows her talent with the pacing of The Sentinel Mage. This isn’t a roller-coaster ride, nor is it a slow book. In fact, it is perfectly paced, with the right mix of character development, world building, apprehension and suspense, making it a page-turner that you just can’t put down, but doesn’t leave you uncomfortably panting for breath at the end.
Multiple viewpoints
Gee isn’t afraid to write a scene from a multitude of viewpoints. Though it’s something that hardly ever works in favor of a story, she pulls it off in a way that enhances the plot while improving the overall pacing of the book. The way she artfully sets up storylines and points of view that are only meagerly explored and mostly left for use in future installments turns this into a promising epic fantasy story.
Random magic
The Sentinel Mage is by no means perfect. The magic system in this book feels quite random. Mages have a selection of abilities that include shapeshifting, creating fire and healing. However, there does not seem to be any connection between these abilities, nor is the lack of connection explored in the story. While this may seem cheap, the way Gee has shaped these gifts is quite good. With the exception of creating fire, each is realistically fleshed out with eye for detail. The chapters involving Innis shapeshifting into the character of Justen, the prince’s guard, are well-written and plausible. The ability to heal is described in ways that border on medical science.
Though the use of these abilities is described in a plausible way, Gee did miss a big opportunity for character development here. Throughout the book, I kept expecting Prince Harkeld to discover the ploy behind his guard, but he never did. In fact, he never had so much as a suspicion of what was going on. Not only did this feel unrealistic, having the characters handle internal strife caused by discovery or the threat of discovery would have significantly deepened the story. Perhaps it is this lack of exploration of deeper character conflicts that gave the book its cliché feeling.
Why should you read this book?
Though the story of The Sentinel Mage doesn’t seem original at first, the writing is exceptional to the point that it makes up for any lingering clichés. This touching and epic story is both engaging and unpredictable and will give you quite a few hours of enjoyment. If you enjoy an old-fashioned, adventurous fantasy novel with all the elements that made the fantasy genre what it is today, this is the story for you.
An ancient curse
In Girond, a small town in the Eastern-most part of The Seven Kingdoms, an ancient curse turns everyone into a killer. Only an eight-year-old boy, Jaumé, escapes the curse, traveling westward on foot. On the other side of the continent, a group of mages confront the King of Osgaard to tell him that only his son, Prince Harkeld, can save The Seven Kingdoms from the curse before it consumes every human being. In his greed, the King sees an opportunity to enrich his kingdom and won’t allow the mages to take his son.
Prince Harkeld escapes with the group of mages, his father’s soldiers hot on their trail. While the Prince struggles to come to terms with the betrayal of his father and kingdom, and the revelations made about him, a young mage, Innis, is forced to do the forbidden and use her shapeshifting gifts to become a man to protect Prince Harkeld from harm.
Story of clichés
From the slowly festering curse to the distant prospect of war, and from the trying journey through a deadly desert to the dangerous assassins chasing the prince and the mages along the way, a substantial part of this story has previously appeared in other works of fantasy. In that regard, The Sentinel Mage reminds me of Christopher Paolini’s Eragon. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed Eragon, but most of his story is unoriginal or even borders plagarism. Unlike Paolini, however, Gee proves she has an impressive talent for writing fantasy and though she uses a vast amount of fantasy clichés, she puts them together in such a way that the story is still original and enjoyable. On the other hand, I finished the story with the impression that it could have been something more, as if not all of its potential had been realized.
Gee’s talent
First and foremost, Gee’s talent for writing manifests itself in her characters—the kind princess who is married to a bully general; the honorable prince struggling with his hate for these mages who keep saving his life; and the eight year-old orphan boy, striving to survive even when it means stealing food to sustain himself. All of these characters are well-written and easily believable. While the subtle romance between the young shapeshifter Innis and Prince Harkeld is predictable, this love is never consummated between the two reluctant characters.
Beyond writing believable characters, Gee shows her talent with the pacing of The Sentinel Mage. This isn’t a roller-coaster ride, nor is it a slow book. In fact, it is perfectly paced, with the right mix of character development, world building, apprehension and suspense, making it a page-turner that you just can’t put down, but doesn’t leave you uncomfortably panting for breath at the end.
Multiple viewpoints
Gee isn’t afraid to write a scene from a multitude of viewpoints. Though it’s something that hardly ever works in favor of a story, she pulls it off in a way that enhances the plot while improving the overall pacing of the book. The way she artfully sets up storylines and points of view that are only meagerly explored and mostly left for use in future installments turns this into a promising epic fantasy story.
Random magic
The Sentinel Mage is by no means perfect. The magic system in this book feels quite random. Mages have a selection of abilities that include shapeshifting, creating fire and healing. However, there does not seem to be any connection between these abilities, nor is the lack of connection explored in the story. While this may seem cheap, the way Gee has shaped these gifts is quite good. With the exception of creating fire, each is realistically fleshed out with eye for detail. The chapters involving Innis shapeshifting into the character of Justen, the prince’s guard, are well-written and plausible. The ability to heal is described in ways that border on medical science.
Though the use of these abilities is described in a plausible way, Gee did miss a big opportunity for character development here. Throughout the book, I kept expecting Prince Harkeld to discover the ploy behind his guard, but he never did. In fact, he never had so much as a suspicion of what was going on. Not only did this feel unrealistic, having the characters handle internal strife caused by discovery or the threat of discovery would have significantly deepened the story. Perhaps it is this lack of exploration of deeper character conflicts that gave the book its cliché feeling.
Why should you read this book?
Though the story of The Sentinel Mage doesn’t seem original at first, the writing is exceptional to the point that it makes up for any lingering clichés. This touching and epic story is both engaging and unpredictable and will give you quite a few hours of enjoyment. If you enjoy an old-fashioned, adventurous fantasy novel with all the elements that made the fantasy genre what it is today, this is the story for you.
April 22, 2012
The Sentinel Mage is the story of a young adult prince who has mage blood defying his father to journey with a group of the hated witches to break a curse that was three hundred years in the making. It is also the story of a young witch (a mage, but that's not how the prince sees it) trying her best to be someone who is older, more mature, and more competent than she is as herself. A secondary plot follows the prince's half-sister and her servants through treachery at home. A third plot follows a young boy who is trying to outrun the curse as it slowly covers the lands.
This is a nicely complicated story that is weaving those three separate plot lines across five hundred pages. Knowing that this was only the first book, I was not disappointed when none of the three lines actually crossed. I could see where they were going (though the third one took 478 pages to come clear) and how they were adding to the main plot even while not touching it.
I picked it up as a recommendation from Quixotic_Goat. (He also recommended MageBorn. Is there a trend?)
I recommend it to people who like the running/fighting/running again types of stories, and who can appreciate the multiple points of view as the story unfolds. I do have to warn the action-only people that there are a lot of emotional asides in this story, though, and some of them were irritating.
And for anyone keeping score on stupid female poses, this one scores a zero-point-five out of ten for stupid. She is fully clothed and armed appropriately for the story, and is shown striding confidently out of the sands towards the viewer. The point five is because her mouth is open in that model not-smile. But maybe she's just hot from wearing a cloak and full clothes in the desert.
This is a nicely complicated story that is weaving those three separate plot lines across five hundred pages. Knowing that this was only the first book, I was not disappointed when none of the three lines actually crossed. I could see where they were going (though the third one took 478 pages to come clear) and how they were adding to the main plot even while not touching it.
I picked it up as a recommendation from Quixotic_Goat. (He also recommended MageBorn. Is there a trend?)
I recommend it to people who like the running/fighting/running again types of stories, and who can appreciate the multiple points of view as the story unfolds. I do have to warn the action-only people that there are a lot of emotional asides in this story, though, and some of them were irritating.
And for anyone keeping score on stupid female poses, this one scores a zero-point-five out of ten for stupid. She is fully clothed and armed appropriately for the story, and is shown striding confidently out of the sands towards the viewer. The point five is because her mouth is open in that model not-smile. But maybe she's just hot from wearing a cloak and full clothes in the desert.
May 9, 2015
A kind of light-ish fantasy. There wasn't really that much worldbuilding, fine there are different kingdoms and a sea, and one kingdom likes to conquer others..ok. Not what I call lots of worldbuilding. And the magic part, I guess it's hereditary? How do people get different powers? I do not know, I was not told. I was just told the bad kingdoms killed everyone with magic and another continent did not.
The story then. A curse is making people into bloodthirsty beings. There is one way to stop it so the magic peeps comes to the bad kingdom to get a prince. The one prince who can stop it, then one who has magic. The judgmental idiot who judges before seeing facts, gods that one part that happened made me so mad. i would have beaten him to a bloody pulp. I could take the idiot things he said but that one part. Yes I do NOT like Harkeld.
The magicians, shapeshifters are a nice group. Innis is the one in focus, she is young and being built as Harkeld's love interest. She thinks he has hidden depths, and sure he has, just as he stops being an idiot. I liked his friend more.
A lot of people are hunting for them. So there is action and at the end I did want more. Sure I complained about stuff, but it was light and fun and I will read more.
Oh I forgot, there is also this young boy fleeing for his life. And Harkeld's half sister who has to married a creep who is only there to have smexy times with her.
The story then. A curse is making people into bloodthirsty beings. There is one way to stop it so the magic peeps comes to the bad kingdom to get a prince. The one prince who can stop it, then one who has magic. The judgmental idiot who judges before seeing facts, gods that one part that happened made me so mad. i would have beaten him to a bloody pulp. I could take the idiot things he said but that one part. Yes I do NOT like Harkeld.
The magicians, shapeshifters are a nice group. Innis is the one in focus, she is young and being built as Harkeld's love interest. She thinks he has hidden depths, and sure he has, just as he stops being an idiot. I liked his friend more.
A lot of people are hunting for them. So there is action and at the end I did want more. Sure I complained about stuff, but it was light and fun and I will read more.
Oh I forgot, there is also this young boy fleeing for his life. And Harkeld's half sister who has to married a creep who is only there to have smexy times with her.
Read
January 9, 2016This book feels a lot like it's built on the quest model. Reluctant hero must go touch three stones to save his kingdom. At times, this is very tedious, with all the travel. Interestingly, most of the story is not told through the reluctant hero's POV, but from the most junior sentinel mage, which I found refreshing. (Which makes this an escort quest!)
However, she's also the most powerful of the mages. The fact that she's a virgin who starts falling for the hero (when he has been nothing but an asshole to all the mages the entire book) is irksome to me in the extreme... Being sympathetic to someone who's lost everything is one thing, but falling for them for no reason is quite another. However, by the end, which does help with the explanation of why they begin to grow fonder of each other.
Overall, a good fantasy read, though perhaps not very memorable. Love the cover!
However, she's also the most powerful of the mages. The fact that she's a virgin who starts falling for the hero (when he has been nothing but an asshole to all the mages the entire book) is irksome to me in the extreme... Being sympathetic to someone who's lost everything is one thing, but falling for them for no reason is quite another. However, by the end, which does help with the explanation of why they begin to grow fonder of each other.
Overall, a good fantasy read, though perhaps not very memorable. Love the cover!
October 2, 2015
The writing was wonderful. I was in the mood for powerful sentinels, nasty royals, and deadly curses. I loved the princess, her handmaiden, and her man at arms. Prince Harkeld isn't my favorite hero, I'm hoping for a bit more character growth in the next book. He's judgmental and prone to bouts of self pity. Innis and her fellow mages were great.
The downside? It was super duper predictable. Fantasy tropes abound, down to the chosen one, with special blood, who alone can break the curse. A quest. Princess forced to marry a horrible, rapey Duke. Hero hunted by his father.
The storytelling really caught me, so I forgave a lot. If you're in the mood for a good old fashioned quest-to-save-the-realm type story, you'll probably enjoy this. I gather, from the abrupt ending, that this will be a three part mission. I will read book the second!
The downside? It was super duper predictable. Fantasy tropes abound, down to the chosen one, with special blood, who alone can break the curse. A quest. Princess forced to marry a horrible, rapey Duke. Hero hunted by his father.
The storytelling really caught me, so I forgave a lot. If you're in the mood for a good old fashioned quest-to-save-the-realm type story, you'll probably enjoy this. I gather, from the abrupt ending, that this will be a three part mission. I will read book the second!
February 7, 2021
3.5/5 stars
I found this book perusing through the Prime reading section on Amazon. The book description popped out at me, so I thought "Eh, why not?" I'm certainly glad I picked it up. Although there were a few things here and there that I found problematic, I thoroughly enjoyed this read by an author I had never heard of before.
It follows the story of a group of mages, called witches in a derogatory way, as they try to save the Seven Kingdoms from an age-old curse that has sprung to life. There is little explanation for how this curse magic really works until deeper into the story, which is fine in one sense. I'm still not sure I completely understand it, though, which I'm hoping will be cleared up in the second book. From what I can gather, a mage cursed the water of the Seven Kingdoms as revenge for the wrong done him, and the curse lay dormant until the beginning of the story. There are three anchor stones that must be destroyed by a half-blood, someone with royal blood and mage blood in his veins. There is a prophecy that foretells this, so the Sentinel mages, the most powerful of them all, took things into their own hands and manipulated things so that someone would be born who fit this description.
Enter Prince Harkeld, who is both royalty and mageblooded, and who doesn't know his heritage until the Sentinel mages show up demanding that he come with them to stop the curse, which has started to creep across the land. Whoever drinks the water turns zombie-like, killing anyone and everyone, including those they love. One POV character, Jaume, is an eight-year old boy who witnesses his father killing his mother and sister. He barely escapes with his life.
Through series of events, the mages set off with Prince Harkeld, pursued by his father who will stop at nothing to kill him and expand his own kingdom by taking advantage of the curse. With a bounty on his head and a group of Fithian assassins waiting for him to collect the bounty, Harkeld battles with who he is, what he must do, and how he must accomplish it.
The mages have varying degrees of magic, although how magic works isn't explained until deep in the story. Some are born with the ability to manipulate fire, others water, others earth, some are shapeshifters. I'm not a huge fan of shapeshifting magic, but it is very well done in this book. Herkeld doesn't trust the mages, and they know they have to keep him safe. So, they decide to shapeshift into a man named Justun, who acts as an armsman to Harkeld. Since Harkeld doesn't know Justun is really a combination of the shapeshifters, he builds a trusting relationship with him. My main complaint with this is that, since the shapeshifters take turns as Justun, how in the world are they able to keep things seamless? How can they know what the prince and the armsman have talked about? This is never mentioned until almost the end of the book, when the shapeshifters share tiny bits of information with each other about what discussions they have had with the prince. But otherwise, I find it hard to believe that Harkeld wouldn't find it odd and catch on pretty quickly that Justun isn't who he says he is. How can the shapeshifters keep the same mannerisms, keep up running conversations or things mentioned in passing?
Besides this complaint, I really did enjoy the story. The writing is well done, and I have a love for quest-like stories. Harkeld's mage-blood must be placed on each anchor stone, all spread out, to end the curse. Herein lies my next complaint. If the mage who started the curse in the first place really is intent on utter destruction, why did he make a way for it to be ended so easily? Well, maybe not easily, since the stones are spread across the world. But still. There are some plot holes that left me scratching my head. I hope these are patched up as the series progresses.
All in all, I enjoyed this story and will be reading the second book. If you're a fan of shapeshifting magic, quests, hints of romance, fast-paced adventures, and don't mind there being some plot holes that might not be patched up, grab this one.
*This review originally published on Booknest.eu*
I found this book perusing through the Prime reading section on Amazon. The book description popped out at me, so I thought "Eh, why not?" I'm certainly glad I picked it up. Although there were a few things here and there that I found problematic, I thoroughly enjoyed this read by an author I had never heard of before.
It follows the story of a group of mages, called witches in a derogatory way, as they try to save the Seven Kingdoms from an age-old curse that has sprung to life. There is little explanation for how this curse magic really works until deeper into the story, which is fine in one sense. I'm still not sure I completely understand it, though, which I'm hoping will be cleared up in the second book. From what I can gather, a mage cursed the water of the Seven Kingdoms as revenge for the wrong done him, and the curse lay dormant until the beginning of the story. There are three anchor stones that must be destroyed by a half-blood, someone with royal blood and mage blood in his veins. There is a prophecy that foretells this, so the Sentinel mages, the most powerful of them all, took things into their own hands and manipulated things so that someone would be born who fit this description.
Enter Prince Harkeld, who is both royalty and mageblooded, and who doesn't know his heritage until the Sentinel mages show up demanding that he come with them to stop the curse, which has started to creep across the land. Whoever drinks the water turns zombie-like, killing anyone and everyone, including those they love. One POV character, Jaume, is an eight-year old boy who witnesses his father killing his mother and sister. He barely escapes with his life.
Through series of events, the mages set off with Prince Harkeld, pursued by his father who will stop at nothing to kill him and expand his own kingdom by taking advantage of the curse. With a bounty on his head and a group of Fithian assassins waiting for him to collect the bounty, Harkeld battles with who he is, what he must do, and how he must accomplish it.
The mages have varying degrees of magic, although how magic works isn't explained until deep in the story. Some are born with the ability to manipulate fire, others water, others earth, some are shapeshifters. I'm not a huge fan of shapeshifting magic, but it is very well done in this book. Herkeld doesn't trust the mages, and they know they have to keep him safe. So, they decide to shapeshift into a man named Justun, who acts as an armsman to Harkeld. Since Harkeld doesn't know Justun is really a combination of the shapeshifters, he builds a trusting relationship with him. My main complaint with this is that, since the shapeshifters take turns as Justun, how in the world are they able to keep things seamless? How can they know what the prince and the armsman have talked about? This is never mentioned until almost the end of the book, when the shapeshifters share tiny bits of information with each other about what discussions they have had with the prince. But otherwise, I find it hard to believe that Harkeld wouldn't find it odd and catch on pretty quickly that Justun isn't who he says he is. How can the shapeshifters keep the same mannerisms, keep up running conversations or things mentioned in passing?
Besides this complaint, I really did enjoy the story. The writing is well done, and I have a love for quest-like stories. Harkeld's mage-blood must be placed on each anchor stone, all spread out, to end the curse. Herein lies my next complaint. If the mage who started the curse in the first place really is intent on utter destruction, why did he make a way for it to be ended so easily? Well, maybe not easily, since the stones are spread across the world. But still. There are some plot holes that left me scratching my head. I hope these are patched up as the series progresses.
All in all, I enjoyed this story and will be reading the second book. If you're a fan of shapeshifting magic, quests, hints of romance, fast-paced adventures, and don't mind there being some plot holes that might not be patched up, grab this one.
*This review originally published on Booknest.eu*
July 4, 2018
I'm having a hard time deciding what to rate this book. On the one had the middle is rather boring and long winded on the other hand the ending make me want to read the next one??? Very confusing. Best I can describe it is that this is an old school fantasy novel. Nothing to complex in terms of characters. There a clear line between the good people and the bad people no grey lines. Plus there's lots of travelling. Don't know why but an entire book based on a journey makes me think old school fantasy.
October 10, 2011
(originally reviewed on starmetal oak book blog)
When I saw this book months ago, I was really excited and intrigued by the premise. So much so that I requested a review copy and was kindly sent one by the publisher. Unfortunately, the book did not live up to my expectations, however, I do believe I have gained an interest in Emily Gee as an author.
One of the reasons I had trouble with the book is that it is very long while not having much in the way of action. There's a lot of traveling and repetition in actions by the characters, such as the shapeshifters changing back and forth as the armsman. You see, the Prince loathes mages and ironically must be protected by them. Instead of the mages forcing him to get over his prejudice, they decide to break one of their laws and take the shape of a man. One of the mages charged with this task is Innis because she can stay shifted for long periods of time. On the one hand this seems interesting, but on the other, why? Why go through all that trouble? I just wanted someone to say to the Prince, "get over it!"
I also had problems with the magic. I like to have a lot of magic but only if I can believe it. In this story, mages have special abilities usually ranging from shapeshifting to healing to fire spells. I found that the magic was interesting but I couldn't grasp the cost. Mages are constantly shapeshifting to animals without any apparent harsh effects. Also, people will get seriously injured and a mage will come along and cure them fully. I started to lose the sense of danger quite easily.
Another reason I had trouble is that the story itself lacks the spark I like in my epic fantasy. That spark could have been the conflict of Innis shifting into a man and then falling for the Prince and having to explain everything, but I just didn't get into it as I would have liked. What didn't help was that the prince wasn't very likable. For hundreds of pages he would look at a mage in disgust or perform another childish act of hatred. Innis was more likable but I often found myself frustrated over her passive and naive nature.
On the other hand, the thing I enjoyed most about this book was Gee's writing. It's very direct and concise but also satisfying. I found myself able to consume so much of it in a short period of time. It has an immediacy that encourages you to go forward, even if the story itself isn't doing it for you.
Overall, I would only recommend this book to someone who is particularly interested in this premise. The Sentinel Mage is part one of a planned trilogy.
A review copy was provided by Solaris.
When I saw this book months ago, I was really excited and intrigued by the premise. So much so that I requested a review copy and was kindly sent one by the publisher. Unfortunately, the book did not live up to my expectations, however, I do believe I have gained an interest in Emily Gee as an author.
One of the reasons I had trouble with the book is that it is very long while not having much in the way of action. There's a lot of traveling and repetition in actions by the characters, such as the shapeshifters changing back and forth as the armsman. You see, the Prince loathes mages and ironically must be protected by them. Instead of the mages forcing him to get over his prejudice, they decide to break one of their laws and take the shape of a man. One of the mages charged with this task is Innis because she can stay shifted for long periods of time. On the one hand this seems interesting, but on the other, why? Why go through all that trouble? I just wanted someone to say to the Prince, "get over it!"
I also had problems with the magic. I like to have a lot of magic but only if I can believe it. In this story, mages have special abilities usually ranging from shapeshifting to healing to fire spells. I found that the magic was interesting but I couldn't grasp the cost. Mages are constantly shapeshifting to animals without any apparent harsh effects. Also, people will get seriously injured and a mage will come along and cure them fully. I started to lose the sense of danger quite easily.
Another reason I had trouble is that the story itself lacks the spark I like in my epic fantasy. That spark could have been the conflict of Innis shifting into a man and then falling for the Prince and having to explain everything, but I just didn't get into it as I would have liked. What didn't help was that the prince wasn't very likable. For hundreds of pages he would look at a mage in disgust or perform another childish act of hatred. Innis was more likable but I often found myself frustrated over her passive and naive nature.
On the other hand, the thing I enjoyed most about this book was Gee's writing. It's very direct and concise but also satisfying. I found myself able to consume so much of it in a short period of time. It has an immediacy that encourages you to go forward, even if the story itself isn't doing it for you.
Overall, I would only recommend this book to someone who is particularly interested in this premise. The Sentinel Mage is part one of a planned trilogy.
A review copy was provided by Solaris.
July 21, 2015
WARNING: RAGE, SWEARING AND SPOILERS.
I respect the people who liked the book, as well as its writer. Wow, I am just an asshole on the internet and that person achieved something in life, so yay, cheers!
Truth to be told, I had great expectations for this book. Its description sounds awesome, magic, shapeshifters, amazing cover.... But it turned out to be difficult to read for me. Why? Because the prince was ONE DENSE MOTHERFUCKER, WHOM I WANTED TO FUCKING KILL ALL THE TIME THIS FUCKING FUCK FUCK HIM IN PARTICULAR JESUS CHRIST I AM MAD. This piece of shit ruined the whole book for me. I could not stant that fuckwad of a brainless piece of meat, oh god someone hold me because I am starting to rage again. Everything was fine, really, the journey and shit but the characters... The main heroine was cool with her magic and all, but when it was the last straw. The last fucking straw. THE ABSOLUTE LAST FUCKING STRAW, I TELL YOU.
Sorry for all this rage, but I just can not stand this type of douchebags and naive heroes in the books.
Thank you for reading my bullshit, fellow reader.
I respect the people who liked the book, as well as its writer. Wow, I am just an asshole on the internet and that person achieved something in life, so yay, cheers!
Truth to be told, I had great expectations for this book. Its description sounds awesome, magic, shapeshifters, amazing cover.... But it turned out to be difficult to read for me. Why? Because the prince was ONE DENSE MOTHERFUCKER, WHOM I WANTED TO FUCKING KILL ALL THE TIME THIS FUCKING FUCK FUCK HIM IN PARTICULAR JESUS CHRIST I AM MAD. This piece of shit ruined the whole book for me. I could not stant that fuckwad of a brainless piece of meat, oh god someone hold me because I am starting to rage again. Everything was fine, really, the journey and shit but the characters... The main heroine was cool with her magic and all, but when it was the last straw. The last fucking straw. THE ABSOLUTE LAST FUCKING STRAW, I TELL YOU.
Sorry for all this rage, but I just can not stand this type of douchebags and naive heroes in the books.
Thank you for reading my bullshit, fellow reader.
June 2, 2013
As The Sentinel Mage by Emily Gee begins, a curse is sweeping across the Seven Kingdoms, starting in the east and slowly trickling westwards across the land. Anyone who drinks curse-tainted water becomes a mindless, bloodthirsty monster, attacking friends and family alike. There’s only one way to stop the curse: a royal who is also descended from witches must touch and spill some blood on three stones spread throughout the land. Unfortunately, witches are considered monsters by most of the Seven Kingdoms: victims of an unfounded prejudice that thinks them guilty of a list of unlikely crimes, including blood sacrifice and bestiality. Because of this, it comes as a surprise when a diplomatic delegation of witches arrives at the royal court of King Esger, announcing that one of Esger’s sons, Prince Harkeld, has the blood of witches in his veins. Harkeld is forced to flee ... Read More:
http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...
http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...
December 2, 2016
This was a solid first book in this trilogy - I didn't know a lot about it before reading it but I ended up quite enjoying it. For the most part, it is pretty predictable and it is nothing new in terms of the fantasy genre, however I still found it to be an engaging and enjoyable read. It was an easy and quick read that has a magic system that I liked. There could have been more character development but perhaps that will happen more in the next two books. The women especially, I wanted more depth from them. Overall I liked it, but it wasn't perfect - I am interested in continuing with this trilogy though.
September 4, 2013
I loved it, but where are the next two books.
March 5, 2017
Light fantasy that's way too predictable and simplistic for its own good. There were some good scenes and some interesting characters, but overall the book was pretty weak.
October 2, 2016
In total? I give it a 3/5 stars. I enjoyed reading it, but overall there was a lot more that could have been done with the story.
Read this if you’re looking for a quick and easy read. However, if you’re bothered by stereotypical story lines and characters I’d steer clear.
Virtues:
Overall it was a very enjoyable read, in fact I read it in only a few days.
- Quick Pace. It’s an easy read that goes by very quickly, and it’s damned hard to put down.
Relatable characters. Though the story is told from multiple perspectives, I found that I connected with and engaged with some of them quickly. Their actions, even if I didn’t agree with them, made sense to me.
The shape-shifting in this book is excellent.
- It’s limited. Those who are able to shape-shift must have incredible knowledge of the animals anatomy, they can’t just look at an animal and go, well heck I’m gonna be that. They must study extensively.
- No auto-reversions. This is an interesting addition, since we all know that auto-reversions can lead to some entertaining scenarios, but this poses a whole host of new problems and follows well with the system of magic. The mages must focus in order to shift back and if they are injured or too tired, it is difficult, if not impossible to.
- Limits on shift time. The mages can’t just stay as the animals (or other mages!) for an extended period of time without repercussions, first it’s exhausting and second there’s the threat of losing themselves.
Setting. This may seem like a simple thing to enjoy but I did.
- Events are not limited to the scope of the series. It feels like you’ve come into the book while events are already underway. No time is wasted explaining too much, boom you’re into the action and have to pick up details to figure things out. Characters refer to things that we haven’t witnessed and so on.
- Three-dimensional. I was left at points feeling like there were things about the setting that I didn’t know, or hadn’t been explained yet. I’m not bothered by this, in fact I enjoy it. It shows that not only has the author taken the time to create a three-dimensional world, but she has thought about what the reader actually needs to know right now and what can maybe be left for later.
The way magic is explained.
- Woven into the story. This was another thing I found fairly clever, although it led to a couple lengthy speeches by characters, the way she had Justen ask questions served two main purposes. One: educate the reader. And two: educate Prince Harkeld.
Vices:
Stereotypical.
- I could guess what would happen. I won’t say much more than it’s exactly what you would expect to happen.
- Well-known tropes. While I realize why some of the characters are the way they are, it’s always nice to see a fresh take on characters types. I want to be surprised by characters because, in reality, people are surprising. The Princess married off to the revolting older man. The reluctant but virtuous Prince. The lost farm boy. The young but brilliant mage eager to prove her worth. Mix this with predictability and I’m able to guess pretty much exactly where things are going.
The healing magic.
- An easy out. This is something that irked me a quite a bit. While I understand that the magic is powerful, it just felt like an easy escape root when characters were injured. With this, the injuries seem almost pointless in the story. (Though the inability of magic to heal poisons is an interesting addition).
- A little OP? While it is limited, healing major injuries in a short period of time feels like it should take a terrible toll on the mage and it can’t be easy for the person being healed either.
Justen.
- Multiple people trying to be one person… but where are the mistakes? Part of what drew me to this book is the hilarity I expect to ensue when a person pretends to be another person. There are always mistakes and things that must be explained. Only once do I remember something like that happening. While I realize that all the mages are highly trained, they’re also using forbidden magic, I assume they haven’t done this before. So why don’t they sometimes get things wrong? I worry that Prince Harkeld will never figure it out.
Read this if you’re looking for a quick and easy read. However, if you’re bothered by stereotypical story lines and characters I’d steer clear.
Virtues:
Overall it was a very enjoyable read, in fact I read it in only a few days.
- Quick Pace. It’s an easy read that goes by very quickly, and it’s damned hard to put down.
Relatable characters. Though the story is told from multiple perspectives, I found that I connected with and engaged with some of them quickly. Their actions, even if I didn’t agree with them, made sense to me.
The shape-shifting in this book is excellent.
- It’s limited. Those who are able to shape-shift must have incredible knowledge of the animals anatomy, they can’t just look at an animal and go, well heck I’m gonna be that. They must study extensively.
- No auto-reversions. This is an interesting addition, since we all know that auto-reversions can lead to some entertaining scenarios, but this poses a whole host of new problems and follows well with the system of magic. The mages must focus in order to shift back and if they are injured or too tired, it is difficult, if not impossible to.
- Limits on shift time. The mages can’t just stay as the animals (or other mages!) for an extended period of time without repercussions, first it’s exhausting and second there’s the threat of losing themselves.
Setting. This may seem like a simple thing to enjoy but I did.
- Events are not limited to the scope of the series. It feels like you’ve come into the book while events are already underway. No time is wasted explaining too much, boom you’re into the action and have to pick up details to figure things out. Characters refer to things that we haven’t witnessed and so on.
- Three-dimensional. I was left at points feeling like there were things about the setting that I didn’t know, or hadn’t been explained yet. I’m not bothered by this, in fact I enjoy it. It shows that not only has the author taken the time to create a three-dimensional world, but she has thought about what the reader actually needs to know right now and what can maybe be left for later.
The way magic is explained.
- Woven into the story. This was another thing I found fairly clever, although it led to a couple lengthy speeches by characters, the way she had Justen ask questions served two main purposes. One: educate the reader. And two: educate Prince Harkeld.
Vices:
Stereotypical.
- I could guess what would happen. I won’t say much more than it’s exactly what you would expect to happen.
- Well-known tropes. While I realize why some of the characters are the way they are, it’s always nice to see a fresh take on characters types. I want to be surprised by characters because, in reality, people are surprising. The Princess married off to the revolting older man. The reluctant but virtuous Prince. The lost farm boy. The young but brilliant mage eager to prove her worth. Mix this with predictability and I’m able to guess pretty much exactly where things are going.
The healing magic.
- An easy out. This is something that irked me a quite a bit. While I understand that the magic is powerful, it just felt like an easy escape root when characters were injured. With this, the injuries seem almost pointless in the story. (Though the inability of magic to heal poisons is an interesting addition).
- A little OP? While it is limited, healing major injuries in a short period of time feels like it should take a terrible toll on the mage and it can’t be easy for the person being healed either.
Justen.
- Multiple people trying to be one person… but where are the mistakes? Part of what drew me to this book is the hilarity I expect to ensue when a person pretends to be another person. There are always mistakes and things that must be explained. Only once do I remember something like that happening. While I realize that all the mages are highly trained, they’re also using forbidden magic, I assume they haven’t done this before. So why don’t they sometimes get things wrong? I worry that Prince Harkeld will never figure it out.
August 6, 2017
There are seven kingdoms ; Osgaard is the westernmost territory, and has expanded as much as it can north, south, and west. It's King is the first in a long line that hasn't expanded the borders and he is desperate.
Thousands of years ago, mages - "witches" roamed the land and lived in harmony with humans. But that all changed and one particular mage, as revenge for the killing of his family, cursed the land. The curse affects the water, and anyone who drinks of it turns mad and kills everything in sight. When the curse (whom now many believe a myth) becomes active, it will spread from east to west, like the setting sun.
For a king who wants to conquer as many kingdoms to his east as possible, allowing the curse to cull the inhabitants of the land sounds like a sound (if inhuman) strategy. So when visiting mages (from the Allied Kingdoms) arrive seeking the Kings help in form of his second son, the King refuses to help. But the son can't allow all those innocent people to die, and defies his father, escaping the palace and going on the run with the mages in a mission to break the curse.
However, Prince Harkeld is afraid of witches, is afraid of being one, and thus is consumed with worry, fear, anger, and all sorts of other emotions. I wanted to feel sorry for him, but I couldn't when he stubbornly refused to change his mind about witches despite seeing and working with them for days/weeks on end. He still things being a with is something dirty... even at the end of the book. I know prejudices are hard to change, but this just showed no character development at all.
The other characters, their abilities, and the and story as a whole are pretty standard for fantasy books. But it is well written and the story is a fast read.
Thousands of years ago, mages - "witches" roamed the land and lived in harmony with humans. But that all changed and one particular mage, as revenge for the killing of his family, cursed the land. The curse affects the water, and anyone who drinks of it turns mad and kills everything in sight. When the curse (whom now many believe a myth) becomes active, it will spread from east to west, like the setting sun.
For a king who wants to conquer as many kingdoms to his east as possible, allowing the curse to cull the inhabitants of the land sounds like a sound (if inhuman) strategy. So when visiting mages (from the Allied Kingdoms) arrive seeking the Kings help in form of his second son, the King refuses to help. But the son can't allow all those innocent people to die, and defies his father, escaping the palace and going on the run with the mages in a mission to break the curse.
However, Prince Harkeld is afraid of witches, is afraid of being one, and thus is consumed with worry, fear, anger, and all sorts of other emotions. I wanted to feel sorry for him, but I couldn't when he stubbornly refused to change his mind about witches despite seeing and working with them for days/weeks on end. He still things being a with is something dirty... even at the end of the book. I know prejudices are hard to change, but this just showed no character development at all.
The other characters, their abilities, and the and story as a whole are pretty standard for fantasy books. But it is well written and the story is a fast read.
August 18, 2019
This is a solid 3.5. I finished this book in about 42 hours (and it is a LONG book - 500 frickin pages!) because it kept me wanting to read to the next chapter to find out what happens.
I liked the alternating perspectives between chapters to see numerous characters and plots progressing simultaneously. I came to be very interested in the princess as well as the young orphaned boy. Toward the end of the book, I wasn't too intrigued by the prince just because his story had slowed down quite a bit.
The Sentinel Mage makes me nostalgic for The Hobbit in a good way.
What I didn't like is that there was essentially no romance between any characters in any of the plots. And while the descriptions were not graphic, there were very violent and adult scenes that made this book, at times, uncomfortable to continue reading. There's also little to no comedy/comedic relief in this book, so that's something that disappoints me; though the book was still a good read, comedy would have helped balance the seriousness of the events in the book, which I tend to prefer while reading fiction.
I recommended this book to my brother who enjoys Lord of the Rings, Dungeons & Dragons, and Warcraft. This books isn't quite the same in races, lore, and magic, but the tone and adventures are similar in feel.
I liked the alternating perspectives between chapters to see numerous characters and plots progressing simultaneously. I came to be very interested in the princess as well as the young orphaned boy. Toward the end of the book, I wasn't too intrigued by the prince just because his story had slowed down quite a bit.
The Sentinel Mage makes me nostalgic for The Hobbit in a good way.
What I didn't like is that there was essentially no romance between any characters in any of the plots. And while the descriptions were not graphic, there were very violent and adult scenes that made this book, at times, uncomfortable to continue reading. There's also little to no comedy/comedic relief in this book, so that's something that disappoints me; though the book was still a good read, comedy would have helped balance the seriousness of the events in the book, which I tend to prefer while reading fiction.
I recommended this book to my brother who enjoys Lord of the Rings, Dungeons & Dragons, and Warcraft. This books isn't quite the same in races, lore, and magic, but the tone and adventures are similar in feel.
May 18, 2018
This one was well-written for what it is (I have it filed as Beefy Airport Fantasy Paperback in my mind), but as that genre is lightweight, it doesn't get full points as a BOOK. The love triangle is predictable, but at least there are 2-3 semi-fleshed-out women in the story, which is pretty good for the genre. They're still largely defined by their interactions with men, but...maybe next book we'll see some improvement there.
I would have given it 4 stars but it did a lot of "we're explaining this in unnecessary detail to each other for the reader's benefit" which made it drag in spots, and the Fantasy Names were a tad irritating. I still get Dareus and Petrus mixed up post-read because they're quite visibly and audibly similar, and I don't understand why half the "witch" names draw on Greek when there's no noticeable culture grab in any other country of the book and the witches with the names don't seem to follow any other Greek patterns (food, coloring, culture, etc).
I would have given it 4 stars but it did a lot of "we're explaining this in unnecessary detail to each other for the reader's benefit" which made it drag in spots, and the Fantasy Names were a tad irritating. I still get Dareus and Petrus mixed up post-read because they're quite visibly and audibly similar, and I don't understand why half the "witch" names draw on Greek when there's no noticeable culture grab in any other country of the book and the witches with the names don't seem to follow any other Greek patterns (food, coloring, culture, etc).
February 21, 2017
Couldn't stand Prince Harkeld, spoiled brat! Hardly the stuff of heroes. While I applauded Innis courage, her continuous defending of Harfeld just became irritating.
Pfft personally I would have taken Harkeld hands and blood, and allowed the curse to take the kingdom - and came back after the kingdom has been wiped clean and before it reached the Allied Kingdom to destroy the curse - only people worth saving where Brigitta, Yasma & Karel.
I just couldn't drum up one bit of sympathy at all for the people of "The Cursed Kingdom" (well besides Brigitta, Yasma & Karel). So all in all it doesn't bode well when I am rooting for curse, firstly because the prejudices and hatred of the people in past bought it upon themselves, and honestly the people in the present haven't changed after 300 years and deserve it anyway.
Pfft personally I would have taken Harkeld hands and blood, and allowed the curse to take the kingdom - and came back after the kingdom has been wiped clean and before it reached the Allied Kingdom to destroy the curse - only people worth saving where Brigitta, Yasma & Karel.
I just couldn't drum up one bit of sympathy at all for the people of "The Cursed Kingdom" (well besides Brigitta, Yasma & Karel). So all in all it doesn't bode well when I am rooting for curse, firstly because the prejudices and hatred of the people in past bought it upon themselves, and honestly the people in the present haven't changed after 300 years and deserve it anyway.
June 15, 2018
The Ivek Curse was placed on the Seven Kingdoms by a mage whose life was destroyed by the predjuce against magic. It is passed on in drinking water and makes humans act as savages killing each other. The Curse is anchored to stones in three different regions. It has lain dormant, slowly gathering power but is now beginning to spread. The Curse can only be lifted by one with both royal and mage blood. A group of Sentinel Mages, mages who see that the rules governing magic are upheld in a way that supports life in their regions, are committed to removing the Curse. Harkeld is a prince with mage blood but he is totally opposed to even the idea of magic and is very resistant to helping the mages end the Curse. The challenge is to convince him to help them. I enjoyed this book a lot and look forward to completing the trilogy.
January 8, 2019
A good solid start to an epic fantasy. A mage of royal blood must break a world ending curse.
This story is told from three different characters- Prince Harkeld, Princess Brigitte & Jaume. Three different journey’s to save their world.
I found Princess Brigitta’s story the most intriguing - being used as pawn in her fathers struggle - she went from simply trying to survive by medicating to forget what she had to endure to finding her own courage and doing what she could to thwart the plans her scheming father, brother and Duke Rikard.
Prince Harkeld for me was the hardest to like - he seemed to epitomize the stereotype of spoiled prince who was denying who he was. This was unfortunate because he appears to be one of the hero’s of this story.
This story is told from three different characters- Prince Harkeld, Princess Brigitte & Jaume. Three different journey’s to save their world.
I found Princess Brigitta’s story the most intriguing - being used as pawn in her fathers struggle - she went from simply trying to survive by medicating to forget what she had to endure to finding her own courage and doing what she could to thwart the plans her scheming father, brother and Duke Rikard.
Prince Harkeld for me was the hardest to like - he seemed to epitomize the stereotype of spoiled prince who was denying who he was. This was unfortunate because he appears to be one of the hero’s of this story.
June 6, 2022
Emily Gee does emotion and description very well. The trope of ‘main character who has been taught to loathe magic and magic-users but must join forces with them and learn they are not the monsters he thought’ has been done many times, but Emily Gee does it well, and has done it before herself. The pace propels you towards the end. There are no huge surprises, but as I said the pace is fast, the writing good and the characters engaging. I will be reading book 2. I know I have had this book for a long time because compared to ‘modern’ paperbacks it’s tiny- about 6” by 4” ! Reading this is long overdue.
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