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The Age of Ire #1
Rise of the Mages
A young warrior and his improbable band of allies face impossible odds as they seek to rescue his brother from the servants of the Fallen God.
Emrael Ire is a student of war with lofty ambitions, despite being so poor his boots are more hole than leather. He and his talented younger brother Ban work hard to build themselves a better life at the Citadel, a school that specializes in both infusori Crafting and military arts.
Their lives are upended when the power-hungry Lord Governor of the neighboring province invades the school with the help of a sinister sect of priests devoted to the newly awakened Fallen God of Glory. Many of the infusori Crafter students are captured―Including Ban.
Though Emrael stands little chance against the Lord Governor and his armies, he’s desperate to save his brother―even if that means accepting the help of allies with uncertain motives, or becoming a practitioner of a forbidden magic. There is nothing he won't sacrifice to save his brother, but what happens when the cost of success is not his to pay?
Emrael Ire is a student of war with lofty ambitions, despite being so poor his boots are more hole than leather. He and his talented younger brother Ban work hard to build themselves a better life at the Citadel, a school that specializes in both infusori Crafting and military arts.
Their lives are upended when the power-hungry Lord Governor of the neighboring province invades the school with the help of a sinister sect of priests devoted to the newly awakened Fallen God of Glory. Many of the infusori Crafter students are captured―Including Ban.
Though Emrael stands little chance against the Lord Governor and his armies, he’s desperate to save his brother―even if that means accepting the help of allies with uncertain motives, or becoming a practitioner of a forbidden magic. There is nothing he won't sacrifice to save his brother, but what happens when the cost of success is not his to pay?
400 pages, Hardcover
First published February 8, 2022
65 people are currently reading
6789 people want to read
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May 31, 2022
Original review posted on my blog Out of This World SFF:
https://outofthisworldrev.blogspot.co...
Scott Drakeford's RISE OF THE MAGES is a solid epic fantasy that counts among its attributes a highly inventive magic system and some fascinating world-building. As I was reading it I couldn't help but think of the similarity in feel to the stories of Kel Kade and Sam Hawke, whom I love so much. I definitely got some of those same vibes while immersing myself in this book. Part of that similarity also lies in the fact that RotM is rife with court and military intrigue, and it is so fabulously well done in my opinion.
By the author's own admission, his debut fantasy novel has been roughly a decade in the making, and it is pretty obvious when you read the wonderfully polished prose and interesting storyline. The opening chapters hooked me immediately as little nuggets of past event are hinted at that have led to the current situation among kingdoms and the people who occupy them. We realize pretty early on that a war took place some time ago called the Unification War. It's also clear that although labelled nicely enough, a distinct tension remains and there are those in the upper echelons of power who would like nothing more than to destroy whatever tentative peace holds all of the various factions at bay.
There are also those who are seen as undesirables following this war, partially represented by the main character Emrael and his brother Ban. The discrimination that they and their people face on a daily basis is something that I found hard to stomach and as the story progresses, Emrael's tolerance in particular is severely tested. When rumors begin to spread that the governor Corrande might be plotting to consolidate an alliance between church and state in an effort to rekindle the war and fulfill his visions of conquest, it becomes incumbent on Emrael and his allies to find a way to fight back and stop that from happening. To do this he must attempt to rally a fairly large contingent of those who have been scorned and spat upon for far too long.
This book had so many things that I enjoy in a cracking fantasy read. One aspect that I really love in a story is when the antagonists are truly sickening and evil to their core. It really ups the investment for me bigtime. And the 'bad guys" in RotM made me so spitting angry to the point where I truly wanted to see the forces of good prevail in a very complete and convincing way. Do they prevail? Well, you'll have to read RISE OF THE MAGES and find out for yourself because I'm not telling.
In the end, I was thoroughly impressed with this book and I am really looking forward to seeing where the rest of the Age of Ire series goes from here. Drakeford has certainly laid the groundwork for a truly captivating epic fantasy series that should entertain and excite the vast majority of SFF readers. Hopefully we won't have too long to wait for the sequel. My final read of 2021 did not disappoint and I look forward to carrying that momentum into the new year.
https://outofthisworldrev.blogspot.co...
Scott Drakeford's RISE OF THE MAGES is a solid epic fantasy that counts among its attributes a highly inventive magic system and some fascinating world-building. As I was reading it I couldn't help but think of the similarity in feel to the stories of Kel Kade and Sam Hawke, whom I love so much. I definitely got some of those same vibes while immersing myself in this book. Part of that similarity also lies in the fact that RotM is rife with court and military intrigue, and it is so fabulously well done in my opinion.
By the author's own admission, his debut fantasy novel has been roughly a decade in the making, and it is pretty obvious when you read the wonderfully polished prose and interesting storyline. The opening chapters hooked me immediately as little nuggets of past event are hinted at that have led to the current situation among kingdoms and the people who occupy them. We realize pretty early on that a war took place some time ago called the Unification War. It's also clear that although labelled nicely enough, a distinct tension remains and there are those in the upper echelons of power who would like nothing more than to destroy whatever tentative peace holds all of the various factions at bay.
There are also those who are seen as undesirables following this war, partially represented by the main character Emrael and his brother Ban. The discrimination that they and their people face on a daily basis is something that I found hard to stomach and as the story progresses, Emrael's tolerance in particular is severely tested. When rumors begin to spread that the governor Corrande might be plotting to consolidate an alliance between church and state in an effort to rekindle the war and fulfill his visions of conquest, it becomes incumbent on Emrael and his allies to find a way to fight back and stop that from happening. To do this he must attempt to rally a fairly large contingent of those who have been scorned and spat upon for far too long.
This book had so many things that I enjoy in a cracking fantasy read. One aspect that I really love in a story is when the antagonists are truly sickening and evil to their core. It really ups the investment for me bigtime. And the 'bad guys" in RotM made me so spitting angry to the point where I truly wanted to see the forces of good prevail in a very complete and convincing way. Do they prevail? Well, you'll have to read RISE OF THE MAGES and find out for yourself because I'm not telling.
In the end, I was thoroughly impressed with this book and I am really looking forward to seeing where the rest of the Age of Ire series goes from here. Drakeford has certainly laid the groundwork for a truly captivating epic fantasy series that should entertain and excite the vast majority of SFF readers. Hopefully we won't have too long to wait for the sequel. My final read of 2021 did not disappoint and I look forward to carrying that momentum into the new year.
January 14, 2025
I thought I should DNF after Chapter 2 or so, but I read on. Dear Reader, I should have stopped. I almost did, but it didn't seem fair; I read this because the author is one of the two hosts of the Publishing Rodeo podcast which I enjoyed for its behind-the-scenes insight into publishing, and early on I decided to read the hosts' books. I decided to continue this book because I figured there had to be good qualities I simply hadn't gotten to yet, that the things that were irking me early weren't necessarily going to continue at the same frequency, that if I'm going to post negatives about my experience I should read the whole thing, and I could stand to do so. (Yes, I could have stopped and not posted anything but my brain's not good like that.) I trusted the review that said, "the final third of the book more than made up for the beginning," too.
Fortunately, the things that bothered me early on did indeed fade. They were replaced instead with new things that I did not enjoy.
There were good things too. The prologue was great. Part of why I kept reading was to see that story element come back into play. Dear Reader, it did not come back into play like I hoped. The other good part was Emrael's critical transformative chapter near the end. Those were the only parts of the story that grabbed me.
After the prologue came Chapter 0, yes there was both a prologue and a Chapter 0, and there the trouble started. Exposition! Everywhere exposition. Expositional dialogue especially, much of it of the, "As you know, Bob," variety. It felt very unnatural and immediately killed my opinion of the writing quality. This is not the writing that we like.
The next thing was infusori, this world's magic sauce. It's rechargeable batteries, except when it's the Force. That's not the problem, it's that infusori is exclusively written in italics, and repeated unnecessarily. There are infusori Wells and since wells is capitalized that word is already special, you can establish that Wells are where infusori Crafted devices get infusori from without having to specify infusori Wells every time infusori Wells are mentioned. Same for infusori Crafters. There are no other kind of Crafters, or even crafters, so why do they have to say infusori to specify what kind of Crafters in every instance? Why is infusori even italicized at all? Is it a foreign word? It's quite integral and integrated into the book's societies, it's part of their regular lexicon, there's no reason to italicize it.
Let me demonstrate with an omelette. I'm using the British English spelling because it works better for the example, sorry Yanks with your omelets and prologs. 'Omelette' was once a foreign word but it ain't anymore.
Both the density of infusori on the page and expository dialogue eventually went mostly away. But dialogue never really became natural. Characters spoke and even thought artificially and at much greater length than made sense, especially when expressing sharp emotion. I didn't enjoy character interactions at any point, and characters themselves were basic and blandly either good or evil. Downtime scenes for character and relationship development made me cringe. I never bought into or enjoyed the experience of any character or plot development; it felt like ham-handedly forcing the characters to meet the requirements of the story outline at every turn. Action scenes were, eh, okay, but unexciting and made me want to skip to the outcome. This is not the writing that we like.
My experience throughout 95% percent of the book was one of lousiness. The closest book experience I can think of is Eye of Obscurance. That also felt, after a good start, simply lousy. I don't know how else to describe it, but it failed to fulfill any of the things that thrill me or impress me in other books. It probably fits in well with some older fantasy; I haven't read the Belgariad but this made me wonder if it was similar, something about more "classic" plot-driven fantasy. There were many points in the book where I was reminded of some other specific thing in fantasy media, which is fine if the point is to take inspiration from multiple sources and put them into a particular kind of story. But with the fantasy novels I have loved, I can't remember ever thinking, "This is like this other thing."
I feel a little bad leaving such a negative review but I can't be anything but honest (and my brain won't let me not review at all). I shouldn't have to feel bad though, because it's just, like, my opinion, man, and it's probably only because this book was the one that got the "bad" publishing deal according to the podcast that led me here. The podcast full of the author's dark, dark laughter at how shit a deal he got. And I don't know, if he received more marketing support from the publisher (Tor) if that would mean more good reviews or bad reviews, but I do know this:
Tor made his books very small.
I'm basing this on the hardcover of book 2, assuming book 1 was published to the same dimensions. I tried to take some pictures of it next to other, "regular" sized hardcovers to illustrate this but the pictures don't properly capture the effect, which is this:
This book's hardcover is smaller than normal adult fantasy hardcovers (and adult hardcovers in general). In height and width, it's notably a tinier thing. It is, in fact, the same dimensions as a standard YA or Middle Grade hardcover. Is it a YA or Middle Grade book? It is not, but since the medium is the message, that's part of the visual impression I get when I see this book. The cover art, at least, does not convey YA or MG. The page margins are also tiny, thus cramming more words into each page than most other books. I've seen some of this in small press releases with clearly tighter profit margins, but for a Big Five publisher to do this is cheap.
I recently encountered the same "tiny book" effect recently with Blood of the Old Kings, also published by Tor. Clearly, this is a cost-saving approach the publisher is using on specific titles, and to me it conveys that they don't expect those books to see great success. It's a self-fulfilling prophecy, because it communicates that lack of confidence to the reader and creates genre/marketing category confusion.
Eh, here's a picture anyway, of this book's sequel in hardcover next to another hardcover, and with some YA and MG books and adult fantasy hardcovers and a small press trade paperback. The books are aligned at the ends the open, the opposite of the spine. The book belly? Whatever it's called:
It doesn't necessarily look that tiny here, but believe me, when you pick it up off a shelf, it's like, "Why the heck is this book so little?"
In summary: I didn't like the book (but I finished it!), and also the book got a wonky print treatment that isn't helping it any. Unless other people like the format, what do I know, really.
Fortunately, the things that bothered me early on did indeed fade. They were replaced instead with new things that I did not enjoy.
There were good things too. The prologue was great. Part of why I kept reading was to see that story element come back into play. Dear Reader, it did not come back into play like I hoped. The other good part was Emrael's critical transformative chapter near the end. Those were the only parts of the story that grabbed me.
After the prologue came Chapter 0, yes there was both a prologue and a Chapter 0, and there the trouble started. Exposition! Everywhere exposition. Expositional dialogue especially, much of it of the, "As you know, Bob," variety. It felt very unnatural and immediately killed my opinion of the writing quality. This is not the writing that we like.
The next thing was infusori, this world's magic sauce. It's rechargeable batteries, except when it's the Force. That's not the problem, it's that infusori is exclusively written in italics, and repeated unnecessarily. There are infusori Wells and since wells is capitalized that word is already special, you can establish that Wells are where infusori Crafted devices get infusori from without having to specify infusori Wells every time infusori Wells are mentioned. Same for infusori Crafters. There are no other kind of Crafters, or even crafters, so why do they have to say infusori to specify what kind of Crafters in every instance? Why is infusori even italicized at all? Is it a foreign word? It's quite integral and integrated into the book's societies, it's part of their regular lexicon, there's no reason to italicize it.
Let me demonstrate with an omelette. I'm using the British English spelling because it works better for the example, sorry Yanks with your omelets and prologs. 'Omelette' was once a foreign word but it ain't anymore.
"Hey dear, I'm warming up the omelette pan. Would you like an omelette made of eggs?"An early section of the book was so dense with infusori talk like this, with infusori appearing multiple times per paragraph, it drove me nuts.
"Yes, please, I would love an omelette made of eggs. What kind of omelette?"
"Well, I can make a Western omelette. "
"Oh, is a Western omelette the kind of omelette with peppers and ham?"
"Yes, that is a Western omelette. Do you like that kind of omelette? I could also make a cheese omelette, but decide now. The omelette pan is heated. I'm cracking the omelette eggs now."
"No, I'll stick with a Western omelette. Thank you for making me an omelette!"
Both the density of infusori on the page and expository dialogue eventually went mostly away. But dialogue never really became natural. Characters spoke and even thought artificially and at much greater length than made sense, especially when expressing sharp emotion. I didn't enjoy character interactions at any point, and characters themselves were basic and blandly either good or evil. Downtime scenes for character and relationship development made me cringe. I never bought into or enjoyed the experience of any character or plot development; it felt like ham-handedly forcing the characters to meet the requirements of the story outline at every turn. Action scenes were, eh, okay, but unexciting and made me want to skip to the outcome. This is not the writing that we like.
My experience throughout 95% percent of the book was one of lousiness. The closest book experience I can think of is Eye of Obscurance. That also felt, after a good start, simply lousy. I don't know how else to describe it, but it failed to fulfill any of the things that thrill me or impress me in other books. It probably fits in well with some older fantasy; I haven't read the Belgariad but this made me wonder if it was similar, something about more "classic" plot-driven fantasy. There were many points in the book where I was reminded of some other specific thing in fantasy media, which is fine if the point is to take inspiration from multiple sources and put them into a particular kind of story. But with the fantasy novels I have loved, I can't remember ever thinking, "This is like this other thing."
I feel a little bad leaving such a negative review but I can't be anything but honest (and my brain won't let me not review at all). I shouldn't have to feel bad though, because it's just, like, my opinion, man, and it's probably only because this book was the one that got the "bad" publishing deal according to the podcast that led me here. The podcast full of the author's dark, dark laughter at how shit a deal he got. And I don't know, if he received more marketing support from the publisher (Tor) if that would mean more good reviews or bad reviews, but I do know this:
Tor made his books very small.
I'm basing this on the hardcover of book 2, assuming book 1 was published to the same dimensions. I tried to take some pictures of it next to other, "regular" sized hardcovers to illustrate this but the pictures don't properly capture the effect, which is this:
This book's hardcover is smaller than normal adult fantasy hardcovers (and adult hardcovers in general). In height and width, it's notably a tinier thing. It is, in fact, the same dimensions as a standard YA or Middle Grade hardcover. Is it a YA or Middle Grade book? It is not, but since the medium is the message, that's part of the visual impression I get when I see this book. The cover art, at least, does not convey YA or MG. The page margins are also tiny, thus cramming more words into each page than most other books. I've seen some of this in small press releases with clearly tighter profit margins, but for a Big Five publisher to do this is cheap.
I recently encountered the same "tiny book" effect recently with Blood of the Old Kings, also published by Tor. Clearly, this is a cost-saving approach the publisher is using on specific titles, and to me it conveys that they don't expect those books to see great success. It's a self-fulfilling prophecy, because it communicates that lack of confidence to the reader and creates genre/marketing category confusion.
Eh, here's a picture anyway, of this book's sequel in hardcover next to another hardcover, and with some YA and MG books and adult fantasy hardcovers and a small press trade paperback. The books are aligned at the ends the open, the opposite of the spine. The book belly? Whatever it's called:
It doesn't necessarily look that tiny here, but believe me, when you pick it up off a shelf, it's like, "Why the heck is this book so little?"
In summary: I didn't like the book (but I finished it!), and also the book got a wonky print treatment that isn't helping it any. Unless other people like the format, what do I know, really.
February 19, 2022
3.5 Stars
This is an action packed epic fantasy novel that starts out fast and never slows down. The character and worldbuilding came secondary to the intense narrative plot.
The marketers have compared this one to Star Wars and while not a straight readalike, I could certainly see the similarities. If you love the dynamics between the masters and apprentices in Star Wars then you'll likely enjoy that aspect in this novel. I particularly loved the prologue which featured the awakening of a dark villainous entity. It definitely gave me Sith vibes.
Overall, I liked but did not love this one. I would recommend this debut to readers looking for a fast paced action packed fantasy story.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
This is an action packed epic fantasy novel that starts out fast and never slows down. The character and worldbuilding came secondary to the intense narrative plot.
The marketers have compared this one to Star Wars and while not a straight readalike, I could certainly see the similarities. If you love the dynamics between the masters and apprentices in Star Wars then you'll likely enjoy that aspect in this novel. I particularly loved the prologue which featured the awakening of a dark villainous entity. It definitely gave me Sith vibes.
Overall, I liked but did not love this one. I would recommend this debut to readers looking for a fast paced action packed fantasy story.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
February 16, 2022
DNF at 50%
Damnnnn... I honestly tried my best.
Interesting Worldbuilding and Magic system let down by the insufferable and childishly stubborn lead character that behave like a 10 year old who by the way is 20+ years of age in the book.
Damnnnn... I honestly tried my best.
Interesting Worldbuilding and Magic system let down by the insufferable and childishly stubborn lead character that behave like a 10 year old who by the way is 20+ years of age in the book.
November 17, 2023
Again NetGalley sent me the 🎧 audio for RISE OF THE MAGES 🎧
I am re-Listening 🎧to this debut !!! Because I can’t erase my rating from my read , the audio didn’t match the five stars imo!!!
Audio rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Book 📕 only rating⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ stars
Scott Drakeford's RISE OF THE MAGES ……….you really root for the underdog in this one… good vs Evil…..
exceptional & innovative story, with a unique magic system, In a entrancing world!
Political intrigue, a family overthrown, a fallen God….. action packed!
infusori
what a name,
if you wanna know what it means you gotta read the book I give this book
5 stars
⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
excellent
excellent
excellent!!!
I am re-Listening 🎧to this debut !!! Because I can’t erase my rating from my read , the audio didn’t match the five stars imo!!!
Audio rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Book 📕 only rating⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ stars
Scott Drakeford's RISE OF THE MAGES ……….you really root for the underdog in this one… good vs Evil…..
exceptional & innovative story, with a unique magic system, In a entrancing world!
Political intrigue, a family overthrown, a fallen God….. action packed!
infusori
what a name,
if you wanna know what it means you gotta read the book I give this book
5 stars
⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
excellent
excellent
excellent!!!
February 7, 2022
(only minor spoilers)
A fresh, fast paced, and intriguing fantasy debut following the story of Emrael Ire, an exiled young mage who carries a problematic family legacy and also has some serious baggage to resolve. There's a good mix of down-and-dirty family politicking and whirlwind battle/fight scenes, and the magic system (infusori) is very cool. The book has a science fantasy feel with subtle tech devices which work with the infusori or are powered by them, and crafting abilities are arguably as important as fighting and magic in the world (and ties into both). Do check it out!
A fresh, fast paced, and intriguing fantasy debut following the story of Emrael Ire, an exiled young mage who carries a problematic family legacy and also has some serious baggage to resolve. There's a good mix of down-and-dirty family politicking and whirlwind battle/fight scenes, and the magic system (infusori) is very cool. The book has a science fantasy feel with subtle tech devices which work with the infusori or are powered by them, and crafting abilities are arguably as important as fighting and magic in the world (and ties into both). Do check it out!
July 15, 2022
“This is what dying feels like, he thought.”
Rise of The Mages, the first novel in The Age of Ire series by Scott Drakeford was such a great read and hit a lot of popular notes for me: Mages, academia/gladiator vibes with magic, and the underdog storyline of a reluctant hero. Yes, it sounds amazing and it is.
Emrael Ire and his brother Ban attend and train at the Citadel to excel in their respective fields working with infusory, a magical energy substance that can be harnessed and used in various ways. Emrael is an exiled prince and is not aware of all the possibilities of infusory in terms of soul binding and battle magic but he will find out soon. Whereas he is the physical and fighter type in this story, Ban is the brains of the duo and is sure to make them rich one day by crafting with infusory.
Drakeford sets up the family politics, the fall of the Ire rule, and the War of Unification right at the beginning. What remains is an ongoing power struggle between the Ordenans and Iraeas and gives an intricate glimpse into the Ire family dynamics. Somewhat sheltered from these ongoing dynamics, the brothers have spent the last 3 years at the Citadel.
In a formal duel challenge to receive his Master’s Mark with real weapons, Emrael is ordered by his master Jaine to prove his abilities. When the duel starts, chaos ensues on the floor when outside forces use the moment to attack the Citadel where Ban is taken as a hostage. Was this tournament a planned decoy? Are their traitors at the Citadel?
Unwittingly, not knowing who is friend or foe, Emrael takes off and all he wants to do is rescue his brother. With a few people that end up on his side along the way, like Elle, the Master Healer, he is trying to stop the enslavement of humans from building infusory machines for an upcoming war/takeover. He fears that that is what his brother will end up being used for. While the upcoming journey is trying, it leaves enough room to get to know the characters a little closer in moments of wit and the bonds forming between them.
The use of infusory in this novel was very clever and iterestingly imagined. Emrael’s journey unveils the powers of the magical blue substance bit by bit and transforms his character into an all-believable badass contrary to the young trainee he was at the beginning of the novel.
“Emrael spat to the side to show what he thought of that. “How many soldiers could you find that can put holes in a stone wall? This is my fight. I go in first and come out last.”
Rise of The Mages never gets boring. There is a great mix of hair-raising loud battle moments framing those more intimate and quiet ones. I especially enjoyed the story of Elle and the closer look at the history of infusory, the Citadel, and the ancient tunnels/caves. The political intrigue of the factions/powers plays a big component. Emrael is torn at times between his loyalties as his parents were from the opposing sides. In flashbacks, we learn of the Ire family's past and what the price was that they paid to make it to this point. And since I am mentioning moments…there are a few heart-wrenching ones aside from the fast and witty ones….especially near the end. One of them nearly ripped my heart out. Looking over my notes, re-reading the prologue makes so much sense now.
I enjoyed this novel quite a bit. The writing was sharp and the plot progressed swiftly with perfectly set anchor points so it never reached the unbelievable and kept the characters real. If I had to mention something I’d change, it would be to add more of the training and crafting moments by the brothers at the Citadel at the beginning of the story since I’m a sucker for these settings.
If you enjoy mages and underdogs in your stories, you may want to pick this one up!
Happy reading!
I received a copy of this novel from the author in exchange for an honest and voluntary review. All opinions are my own. Thank you so much!
More of my reviews here:
Through Novel Time & Distance
The Fantasy Hive
Rise of The Mages, the first novel in The Age of Ire series by Scott Drakeford was such a great read and hit a lot of popular notes for me: Mages, academia/gladiator vibes with magic, and the underdog storyline of a reluctant hero. Yes, it sounds amazing and it is.
Emrael Ire and his brother Ban attend and train at the Citadel to excel in their respective fields working with infusory, a magical energy substance that can be harnessed and used in various ways. Emrael is an exiled prince and is not aware of all the possibilities of infusory in terms of soul binding and battle magic but he will find out soon. Whereas he is the physical and fighter type in this story, Ban is the brains of the duo and is sure to make them rich one day by crafting with infusory.
Drakeford sets up the family politics, the fall of the Ire rule, and the War of Unification right at the beginning. What remains is an ongoing power struggle between the Ordenans and Iraeas and gives an intricate glimpse into the Ire family dynamics. Somewhat sheltered from these ongoing dynamics, the brothers have spent the last 3 years at the Citadel.
In a formal duel challenge to receive his Master’s Mark with real weapons, Emrael is ordered by his master Jaine to prove his abilities. When the duel starts, chaos ensues on the floor when outside forces use the moment to attack the Citadel where Ban is taken as a hostage. Was this tournament a planned decoy? Are their traitors at the Citadel?
Unwittingly, not knowing who is friend or foe, Emrael takes off and all he wants to do is rescue his brother. With a few people that end up on his side along the way, like Elle, the Master Healer, he is trying to stop the enslavement of humans from building infusory machines for an upcoming war/takeover. He fears that that is what his brother will end up being used for. While the upcoming journey is trying, it leaves enough room to get to know the characters a little closer in moments of wit and the bonds forming between them.
The use of infusory in this novel was very clever and iterestingly imagined. Emrael’s journey unveils the powers of the magical blue substance bit by bit and transforms his character into an all-believable badass contrary to the young trainee he was at the beginning of the novel.
“Emrael spat to the side to show what he thought of that. “How many soldiers could you find that can put holes in a stone wall? This is my fight. I go in first and come out last.”
Rise of The Mages never gets boring. There is a great mix of hair-raising loud battle moments framing those more intimate and quiet ones. I especially enjoyed the story of Elle and the closer look at the history of infusory, the Citadel, and the ancient tunnels/caves. The political intrigue of the factions/powers plays a big component. Emrael is torn at times between his loyalties as his parents were from the opposing sides. In flashbacks, we learn of the Ire family's past and what the price was that they paid to make it to this point. And since I am mentioning moments…there are a few heart-wrenching ones aside from the fast and witty ones….especially near the end. One of them nearly ripped my heart out. Looking over my notes, re-reading the prologue makes so much sense now.
I enjoyed this novel quite a bit. The writing was sharp and the plot progressed swiftly with perfectly set anchor points so it never reached the unbelievable and kept the characters real. If I had to mention something I’d change, it would be to add more of the training and crafting moments by the brothers at the Citadel at the beginning of the story since I’m a sucker for these settings.
If you enjoy mages and underdogs in your stories, you may want to pick this one up!
Happy reading!
I received a copy of this novel from the author in exchange for an honest and voluntary review. All opinions are my own. Thank you so much!
More of my reviews here:
Through Novel Time & Distance
The Fantasy Hive
February 14, 2022
Rise of the Mages was worth it, worth it, worth it. It was 5-star from start to finish.
July 29, 2021
This Drakeford guy really gets me. Perfect book, 10/10.
February 2, 2022
Rise of the Mages by first-time author Scott Drakeford is an epic fantasy story in the tradition of The Belgariad that will directly appeal to those who love the classic fantasy of that era. The story combines political machinations and a quest for vengeance with found family vibes. All of this is nestled comfortably in a fascinating magic system based on infusori. Infusori is the electromagnetic energy and soul of everything around us. Practitioners can tap into this power and harness it for anything from tinkering to crumbling walls and battle magic. It is a heady combination that starts with a bang and never lets up.
The story starts with two brothers, Emrael and Ban. Two young men who are nationless refugees of a now-defunct royal bloodline. Emrael is working to keep his brother in materials used for tinkering and to further his crafting skill with infusori. At the same time, Emrael is learning daily to become a master warrior and political commander at training school. This training will allow the brothers to make something of themselves, and they would no longer have to rely on their mother for Ban's support. No matter the two brothers' work, they are constantly regarded as lesser by their peers, save for Ban's best friend, Elle.
Due to the political intrigues of the existing nations and the church's influence, Governor Corrande, the governor of the state that Emrael's school is located in, brokers a deal with the church to enslave users of infusori to build machines that will give him an edge in an upcoming war for territory. Corrande is setting himself up to consolidate the existing domains under his authority. Emrael and Ban, due both to their ability to use infusori and their political connections, get stuck in the middle of this war.
The crux of the story happens when Emrael and Ban attempt to flee the Citadel, the school they train at, and Ban is captured. Elle, Ban's teacher, and Emrael's master and trainer Jaina barely escape with their lives. The extremely close brothers are separated by the direst of circumstances. This separation sets Emrael on a quest for revenge on those who captured and enslaved Ban, and Emrael will burn the world to ashes before abandoning his brother.
There is a strong power in this familial bond between the brothers, especially in Emrael and how he relates to Ban. Ban is the younger brother, and while competent and a man in his own right, Emrael takes care of him as an older brother should. This helps drive the narrative of why Emrael will stop at nothing to save his brother. I think had the reverse happened; Ban would do the same. Although due to the story's structure, we learn and get to know Emrael a lot more than we do Ban. I am hoping in the second and third parts of this trilogy, we will get to know Ban a lot more and learn what drives him.
In Rise of the Mages, behind the story of Emrael and his quest to become a warrior or Ban's quest to learn to tinker and create are strong female characters. In the periphery, but no less important is the boy's mother, who is more than she claims. But at this junction, we only know fragments and pieces of her story.
Jaina, Emrael's master, is a warrior and one of the best fighters that the world has ever seen. Instead of slipping into convention, Drakeford gives her added depth by making her devoutly religious to the Ordenan religion. It is a beautiful contrast that she is not all hard planes but a soul beyond fierce battle. And finally, we have Ban's best friend Elle, who is powerful also but very different from the brothers. While the narrative is always about Emrael, I couldn't help but wonder about Elle in the backdrop of his extraordinary quest. Elle is in the background experiencing moments that bifurcate her life into the before and after. She is not the same character at the end that started the story.
I am thoroughly impressed by this story. I know that this story took ten years to craft and was a labor of love for all involved. With its rounded characters and exciting action sequences, you can tell this will have a gigantic appeal to lovers of classic fantasy stories. Author Scott Drakeford just stepped into the publishing world of SFF and slammed his ax down.
I am very much looking forward to the next book, so I may dive back into the world of Ire and watch the brothers come into their power.
The story starts with two brothers, Emrael and Ban. Two young men who are nationless refugees of a now-defunct royal bloodline. Emrael is working to keep his brother in materials used for tinkering and to further his crafting skill with infusori. At the same time, Emrael is learning daily to become a master warrior and political commander at training school. This training will allow the brothers to make something of themselves, and they would no longer have to rely on their mother for Ban's support. No matter the two brothers' work, they are constantly regarded as lesser by their peers, save for Ban's best friend, Elle.
Due to the political intrigues of the existing nations and the church's influence, Governor Corrande, the governor of the state that Emrael's school is located in, brokers a deal with the church to enslave users of infusori to build machines that will give him an edge in an upcoming war for territory. Corrande is setting himself up to consolidate the existing domains under his authority. Emrael and Ban, due both to their ability to use infusori and their political connections, get stuck in the middle of this war.
The crux of the story happens when Emrael and Ban attempt to flee the Citadel, the school they train at, and Ban is captured. Elle, Ban's teacher, and Emrael's master and trainer Jaina barely escape with their lives. The extremely close brothers are separated by the direst of circumstances. This separation sets Emrael on a quest for revenge on those who captured and enslaved Ban, and Emrael will burn the world to ashes before abandoning his brother.
There is a strong power in this familial bond between the brothers, especially in Emrael and how he relates to Ban. Ban is the younger brother, and while competent and a man in his own right, Emrael takes care of him as an older brother should. This helps drive the narrative of why Emrael will stop at nothing to save his brother. I think had the reverse happened; Ban would do the same. Although due to the story's structure, we learn and get to know Emrael a lot more than we do Ban. I am hoping in the second and third parts of this trilogy, we will get to know Ban a lot more and learn what drives him.
In Rise of the Mages, behind the story of Emrael and his quest to become a warrior or Ban's quest to learn to tinker and create are strong female characters. In the periphery, but no less important is the boy's mother, who is more than she claims. But at this junction, we only know fragments and pieces of her story.
Jaina, Emrael's master, is a warrior and one of the best fighters that the world has ever seen. Instead of slipping into convention, Drakeford gives her added depth by making her devoutly religious to the Ordenan religion. It is a beautiful contrast that she is not all hard planes but a soul beyond fierce battle. And finally, we have Ban's best friend Elle, who is powerful also but very different from the brothers. While the narrative is always about Emrael, I couldn't help but wonder about Elle in the backdrop of his extraordinary quest. Elle is in the background experiencing moments that bifurcate her life into the before and after. She is not the same character at the end that started the story.
I am thoroughly impressed by this story. I know that this story took ten years to craft and was a labor of love for all involved. With its rounded characters and exciting action sequences, you can tell this will have a gigantic appeal to lovers of classic fantasy stories. Author Scott Drakeford just stepped into the publishing world of SFF and slammed his ax down.
I am very much looking forward to the next book, so I may dive back into the world of Ire and watch the brothers come into their power.
December 19, 2021
Rise of the Mages is a fun fantasy story about an exiled prince doing whatever it takes to save his brother from certain doom and coming to terms with the costs involved to friends, family, and himself.
The overthrowing of the Ire family and the fall of their rule in the prologue sets the stage for Emrael Ire and his brother Ban, who both essentially live in obscurity from the country's politics as they attend the Citadel learning different applications of infusori - the fuel for the story's magic system. An attack on the Citadel that leads to Ban being captured and separated from Emrael begins a journey where Emrael seeks to rescue his brother and exact revenge on the people who betrayed him and his family, all while rallying the people who once believed in the Ire name to fight alongside him. It's a story packed with action and danger, and I think its release is timely considering the adaptation of WoT, which I would consider similar in tone. Rise of the Mages is a fun adventure for people who love reading traditional fantasy.
There were so many good moments in the book I don't want to spoil, with an ending that is both climactic and heart wrenching. All I'll say is there is no shortage of intensity and the journey is costly for certain characters. There's also excellent setup for the sequel and I'm very excited to see the appearance of a certain fallen god.
The overthrowing of the Ire family and the fall of their rule in the prologue sets the stage for Emrael Ire and his brother Ban, who both essentially live in obscurity from the country's politics as they attend the Citadel learning different applications of infusori - the fuel for the story's magic system. An attack on the Citadel that leads to Ban being captured and separated from Emrael begins a journey where Emrael seeks to rescue his brother and exact revenge on the people who betrayed him and his family, all while rallying the people who once believed in the Ire name to fight alongside him. It's a story packed with action and danger, and I think its release is timely considering the adaptation of WoT, which I would consider similar in tone. Rise of the Mages is a fun adventure for people who love reading traditional fantasy.
There were so many good moments in the book I don't want to spoil, with an ending that is both climactic and heart wrenching. All I'll say is there is no shortage of intensity and the journey is costly for certain characters. There's also excellent setup for the sequel and I'm very excited to see the appearance of a certain fallen god.
December 11, 2024
This was a bit of an up-and-down read for me. It took me a few chapters to get into it – right up to the point where the proverbial hit the fan – and I didn’t get on with the last few chapters as much, but everything in between was a definite hit.
I liked the characters in here, with a main group of four who I got on well with, and those they surrounded themselves with were very likeable too. I liked the dynamic between them, most of the time, and although Emrael’s singular focus became a bit too much at some points, it was at the same time completely understandable.
The magic was really interesting, with infusori-crafted tools and then mages who are able to wield infusori directly. Some of the ways this magic was implemented worked really well for the story. It gave a way forward without always seeming just like a “get out of jail free” card.
The story was engaging and although I wasn’t getting into those opening chapters, they did serve to give a good background to build on. The rest of the book contained some really neat scrapes that the main group got themselves into and out of, and some quite tense moments with some almost zombie-esque assailants.
I don’t tend to be drawn to the mentor–mentee relationships too much, but I liked what we had in here. There were two quite different pairs and the interactions between different personalities in master and apprentice were well handled.
Overall, I think this was a really solid book and I’ll definitely head into book two with high hopes.
I liked the characters in here, with a main group of four who I got on well with, and those they surrounded themselves with were very likeable too. I liked the dynamic between them, most of the time, and although Emrael’s singular focus became a bit too much at some points, it was at the same time completely understandable.
The magic was really interesting, with infusori-crafted tools and then mages who are able to wield infusori directly. Some of the ways this magic was implemented worked really well for the story. It gave a way forward without always seeming just like a “get out of jail free” card.
The story was engaging and although I wasn’t getting into those opening chapters, they did serve to give a good background to build on. The rest of the book contained some really neat scrapes that the main group got themselves into and out of, and some quite tense moments with some almost zombie-esque assailants.
I don’t tend to be drawn to the mentor–mentee relationships too much, but I liked what we had in here. There were two quite different pairs and the interactions between different personalities in master and apprentice were well handled.
Overall, I think this was a really solid book and I’ll definitely head into book two with high hopes.
February 8, 2022
I'm just going to straight up say that if you like fight scenes in fantasy stories, then this is the book for you. The action never stops. It also has a similar vibe to The Name of the Wind, especially in the beginning, as well as more old school fantasy series, such as Goodkind's Sword of Truth or even Paolini's Inheritance Cycle. Rise of the Mages, like those titles, is the story of a boy with mysterious gifts fighting against evil while trying not to let the power consume him.
In Rise of the Mages, we're following Emrael, who is training to become a weapons master but keeps falling short. However, when his city gets attacked during his final exam, all he wants to do is save his brother. Even if that means unlocking something that was hidden inside him. Something that could get him killed.
While I do think this book is perfect for readers who are nostalgic for that classic fantasy style, it did take a bit of time to get used to the dialogue. Some of the paragraphs were a little more formal than you'd expect, with long, what I like to call "mini-speeches" given by the main character or the side characters. It's not bad, it just takes a while to get used to.
Also, Emrael starts off as a rather average student. He's not the best fighter, but he's not the worst. And he has to work for his place in his school. However, he gets to be the leader of his ragtag group of friends very quickly for some reason. I guess because his mentor didn't ever step up and other people blindly decided to follow the young man who has never led anything in his life? It was a little odd, but nothing that overly detracted from the plot. Now, something that did detract from the plot was the violence. While I am not averse to violence in my fantasy stories, this one just Would. Not. Stop. At one point it was chapter after chapter of characters getting stabbed, burned alive, impaled, thrown into walls, etc. Only for our heroes to also be punched, kicked, stabbed, etc. Over and over and over again. Thank goodness the protagonists had a magical healing method or otherwise... Yikes.
Because of the constant insertion of fight scenes and the protagonist's anti-hero methods, I couldn't rate Rise of the Mages as high as I'd hoped. It's not a bad story by any means, I just think that if some of those fight scenes had turned into world-building scenes or character-driven scenes instead of slashing and hacking, a better story could have been made. I'm more of a character-driven-story kind of reader, so it's totally a personal preference. I will say that despite my negative reaction towards the end of the book (after getting bogged down in battle after battle), I was still intrigued with how the events were unfolding. I don't think I'll read the sequel to this one, but I may pick up Drakeford's future books. I think he has potential, and this debut will definitely appeal to a lot of swords and sorcery readers.
2.5 stars
*Note: I received a NetGalley ARC of this book to review from the publisher. This in no way affected my opinion/review.
In Rise of the Mages, we're following Emrael, who is training to become a weapons master but keeps falling short. However, when his city gets attacked during his final exam, all he wants to do is save his brother. Even if that means unlocking something that was hidden inside him. Something that could get him killed.
While I do think this book is perfect for readers who are nostalgic for that classic fantasy style, it did take a bit of time to get used to the dialogue. Some of the paragraphs were a little more formal than you'd expect, with long, what I like to call "mini-speeches" given by the main character or the side characters. It's not bad, it just takes a while to get used to.
Also, Emrael starts off as a rather average student. He's not the best fighter, but he's not the worst. And he has to work for his place in his school. However, he gets to be the leader of his ragtag group of friends very quickly for some reason. I guess because his mentor didn't ever step up and other people blindly decided to follow the young man who has never led anything in his life? It was a little odd, but nothing that overly detracted from the plot. Now, something that did detract from the plot was the violence. While I am not averse to violence in my fantasy stories, this one just Would. Not. Stop. At one point it was chapter after chapter of characters getting stabbed, burned alive, impaled, thrown into walls, etc. Only for our heroes to also be punched, kicked, stabbed, etc. Over and over and over again. Thank goodness the protagonists had a magical healing method or otherwise... Yikes.
Because of the constant insertion of fight scenes and the protagonist's anti-hero methods, I couldn't rate Rise of the Mages as high as I'd hoped. It's not a bad story by any means, I just think that if some of those fight scenes had turned into world-building scenes or character-driven scenes instead of slashing and hacking, a better story could have been made. I'm more of a character-driven-story kind of reader, so it's totally a personal preference. I will say that despite my negative reaction towards the end of the book (after getting bogged down in battle after battle), I was still intrigued with how the events were unfolding. I don't think I'll read the sequel to this one, but I may pick up Drakeford's future books. I think he has potential, and this debut will definitely appeal to a lot of swords and sorcery readers.
2.5 stars
*Note: I received a NetGalley ARC of this book to review from the publisher. This in no way affected my opinion/review.
February 6, 2022
Wonderful first novel of a new fantasy series, from a debut author no less. 4.5 ⭐️ rounded up. I received this book as an eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This is the start to a coming of age tale of two brothers Emrael and Ban. They are descendants of the legendary Mage Kings of old, who have become myths as they have not existed for many years. The world is in political turmoil with a group trying to unite the Provinces and overthrow neighboring kingdoms. As war is the way of life in this age of unrest, our two brothers are training at a military academy known as the Citadel learning how to become Masters of War or Crafting after something happens to their father. Crafting involves creating devices that can harness the magic of the land (called infusori) as it is thought the ability to directly manipulate this power has been lost in the Provinces. The political unrest sweeps through the Citadel and Emrael’s brother is kidnapped and Emrael is forced to flee, and deeper plots start to come to the surface as Emrael learns not everything is as it seems. Lurking in the shadows, perhaps pulling strings, is a god known as the Fallen God of Glory and his following of evil mages who use artifacts that control minds and turn people into their zombie army. Will Emrael be able to save his brother, and what is he willing to do in order to accomplish this goal?
Ok, ok I will admit for the first 50-60% of the book the main character Emrael was insufferable. So tunnel-visioned that he literally threw any common sense or logic out of the window and made incredibly stupid and frustrating decisions, but as this is a sort of coming of age tale that is kind of to be expected. As I was going through this book I was thinking to myself..it’s pretty good but for some reason not great. Then I hit the last 25% of this book and I was like YAAAASSS it was so good how plot threads came together, and twists and turns happened in the narrative breaking up the classic fantasy vibes I initially felt. This is a debut novel and is really excellent! I would highly recommend for people who are fans of Brandon Sanderson who enjoy a more graphic take on violence. With the Prologue and Epilogue I am so excited to read the sequel and find out more about the Fallen God.
This book has everything an epic fantasy fan could want, would highly recommend!
-Intense action sequences ✅
-Interesting magic system reminiscent of a mix of stormlight and Warbreaker (if you know you know) ✅
-Creepy evil magicians that enslave peoples minds and turn them into zombie armies ✅
-Political machinations and great twists and turns in the story ✅
WARNING GRAPHIC violence in this book. It’s not grim dark but does not shy away from graphic details of limbs being hacked off and throats being cut, etc.
This is the start to a coming of age tale of two brothers Emrael and Ban. They are descendants of the legendary Mage Kings of old, who have become myths as they have not existed for many years. The world is in political turmoil with a group trying to unite the Provinces and overthrow neighboring kingdoms. As war is the way of life in this age of unrest, our two brothers are training at a military academy known as the Citadel learning how to become Masters of War or Crafting after something happens to their father. Crafting involves creating devices that can harness the magic of the land (called infusori) as it is thought the ability to directly manipulate this power has been lost in the Provinces. The political unrest sweeps through the Citadel and Emrael’s brother is kidnapped and Emrael is forced to flee, and deeper plots start to come to the surface as Emrael learns not everything is as it seems. Lurking in the shadows, perhaps pulling strings, is a god known as the Fallen God of Glory and his following of evil mages who use artifacts that control minds and turn people into their zombie army. Will Emrael be able to save his brother, and what is he willing to do in order to accomplish this goal?
Ok, ok I will admit for the first 50-60% of the book the main character Emrael was insufferable. So tunnel-visioned that he literally threw any common sense or logic out of the window and made incredibly stupid and frustrating decisions, but as this is a sort of coming of age tale that is kind of to be expected. As I was going through this book I was thinking to myself..it’s pretty good but for some reason not great. Then I hit the last 25% of this book and I was like YAAAASSS it was so good how plot threads came together, and twists and turns happened in the narrative breaking up the classic fantasy vibes I initially felt. This is a debut novel and is really excellent! I would highly recommend for people who are fans of Brandon Sanderson who enjoy a more graphic take on violence. With the Prologue and Epilogue I am so excited to read the sequel and find out more about the Fallen God.
This book has everything an epic fantasy fan could want, would highly recommend!
-Intense action sequences ✅
-Interesting magic system reminiscent of a mix of stormlight and Warbreaker (if you know you know) ✅
-Creepy evil magicians that enslave peoples minds and turn them into zombie armies ✅
-Political machinations and great twists and turns in the story ✅
WARNING GRAPHIC violence in this book. It’s not grim dark but does not shy away from graphic details of limbs being hacked off and throats being cut, etc.
February 16, 2022
Here is a story that was ten (10) years in the making … and the effort is clearly on display. Everything from the depth of the world building to the development of the characters fit together seamlessly. Even more impressive, is that the author was able to resist dumping all of the information on the reader all at once, content to slowly reveal details that hint of even deeper details that make the whole world more realistic. In other words, everything works well together and I rocked through the 400 pages in about 2 days.
The world building appears to center on a magic concept called infusori (which roughly corresponds to the life force of everything within the world. The magic system is primarily based upon crafting devices that use this magic for various desired effects. There are myths about mages that were able to manipulated this force directly, but they are to be feared if they are discovered.
The story takes place following a war of unification, with an uneasy acceptance between many of the ethnic peoples and the current governors; the main character appears to have a nominal claim to one of the conquered ‘provinces’ and this powers much of the political intrigue early in the story. There is also the typically ‘evil empire’ that pays a huge rule in how the story unfolds, and they seemed well developed and quite mysterious when these Malithii were encountered.
Behind all of these events, there are legends surrounding a trinity of deities known as the Fallen Glory and the Absent Sisters (Justice and Mercy). I must admit to being really curious about how this mythology will develop and that would be reason enough to add a star. For a debut novel … this was an awesome start.
I was given this free advance reader copy (ARC) ebook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
#RiseoftheMages #NetGalley.
The world building appears to center on a magic concept called infusori (which roughly corresponds to the life force of everything within the world. The magic system is primarily based upon crafting devices that use this magic for various desired effects. There are myths about mages that were able to manipulated this force directly, but they are to be feared if they are discovered.
The story takes place following a war of unification, with an uneasy acceptance between many of the ethnic peoples and the current governors; the main character appears to have a nominal claim to one of the conquered ‘provinces’ and this powers much of the political intrigue early in the story. There is also the typically ‘evil empire’ that pays a huge rule in how the story unfolds, and they seemed well developed and quite mysterious when these Malithii were encountered.
Behind all of these events, there are legends surrounding a trinity of deities known as the Fallen Glory and the Absent Sisters (Justice and Mercy). I must admit to being really curious about how this mythology will develop and that would be reason enough to add a star. For a debut novel … this was an awesome start.
I was given this free advance reader copy (ARC) ebook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
#RiseoftheMages #NetGalley.
April 20, 2023
Emrael Ire finds himself caught up in a violent insurrection. With the aid of his mentor, he must work through his impetuous & headstrong nature to master the art of infusori. His imprisoned brothers fate depends on it.
I had a great time with this book. Some really great characters here. Dastardly villains too. Political intrigue and a unique magic system. The action moves at breakneck pace. Super violent!
Emrael Ire reminds me of Anakin Skywalker in so many ways. Rash and impulsive….scary at times too. Also had vibes of Tau from Evan Winter’s The Burning series. In that he’s consumed with rage and thirst for vengeance.
Looking forward to book 2!
I had a great time with this book. Some really great characters here. Dastardly villains too. Political intrigue and a unique magic system. The action moves at breakneck pace. Super violent!
Emrael Ire reminds me of Anakin Skywalker in so many ways. Rash and impulsive….scary at times too. Also had vibes of Tau from Evan Winter’s The Burning series. In that he’s consumed with rage and thirst for vengeance.
Looking forward to book 2!
January 19, 2022
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!
Rise of the Mages by Scott Drakeford is an epic fantasy novel and the opening to a new series. The story starts off following two brothers, Emrael and Ban Ire, who leave their mother to train at the Citadel in order to gain their Marks as their father had. Although descendants of kings, the brothers are no more than peasants now. When an attack takes Emrael’s brother away from him, he will stop at nothing to rescue Ban. Full of epic battles, magic and friendship, Rise of the Mages is an intriguing first novel that will leave you wanting more.
A story about two brothers with magic involved had my interest and the story did not disappoint! Immediately, I was hooked by the magic system and the characters. I have little complaints and the story definitely got better and better as I kept reading, the ending being super exciting. I felt like around 100 pages in, it started to feel like the excitement from the beginning had dulled down and some of the main character’s lines were a bit repetitive. But it quickly picked back up and got even more exciting. If you enjoy epic fantasy with a lot of battles and Mages, I highly recommend.
I want to know more about the magic system and what all Mages can do. That was super fun to read about. Also the Crafting was really interesting. I can’t wait to read book 2 and see what happens next!
Favorite character: Ban and Elle, also Halrec
Favorite part: battle scene on the bridge and the ending
Warnings: violence and gore, some bad language
Rise of the Mages by Scott Drakeford is an epic fantasy novel and the opening to a new series. The story starts off following two brothers, Emrael and Ban Ire, who leave their mother to train at the Citadel in order to gain their Marks as their father had. Although descendants of kings, the brothers are no more than peasants now. When an attack takes Emrael’s brother away from him, he will stop at nothing to rescue Ban. Full of epic battles, magic and friendship, Rise of the Mages is an intriguing first novel that will leave you wanting more.
A story about two brothers with magic involved had my interest and the story did not disappoint! Immediately, I was hooked by the magic system and the characters. I have little complaints and the story definitely got better and better as I kept reading, the ending being super exciting. I felt like around 100 pages in, it started to feel like the excitement from the beginning had dulled down and some of the main character’s lines were a bit repetitive. But it quickly picked back up and got even more exciting. If you enjoy epic fantasy with a lot of battles and Mages, I highly recommend.
I want to know more about the magic system and what all Mages can do. That was super fun to read about. Also the Crafting was really interesting. I can’t wait to read book 2 and see what happens next!
Favorite character: Ban and Elle, also Halrec
Favorite part: battle scene on the bridge and the ending
Warnings: violence and gore, some bad language
April 20, 2023
3.5 stars
Disclaimer: I received this book as a Goodreads Giveaway.
This was a nice run of the mill book. It had a magical system that reminded me of Mistborn in the sense that the characters consume a substance to gain powers like strength or healing.
It had a lot of violence that was entertaining most of the time but sometimes it was just okay.
Overall the story was a decent read but I probably wouldn’t go out of my way to finish the series.
The story has lots of traditional fantasy elements that I love.
Emrail- main character is a teenager who is not aware of his upper echelon bloodline and comes to realize his magical powers. He seeks to find his brother and save him from the insurrectionists.
Jaina- mentor to Emrail who is an elite swordswoman who hones his abilities to prepare for the war to come
Elle- a beautiful love interest of Emrail who are obviously infatuated with each other but play coy about it
Disclaimer: I received this book as a Goodreads Giveaway.
This was a nice run of the mill book. It had a magical system that reminded me of Mistborn in the sense that the characters consume a substance to gain powers like strength or healing.
It had a lot of violence that was entertaining most of the time but sometimes it was just okay.
Overall the story was a decent read but I probably wouldn’t go out of my way to finish the series.
The story has lots of traditional fantasy elements that I love.
Emrail- main character is a teenager who is not aware of his upper echelon bloodline and comes to realize his magical powers. He seeks to find his brother and save him from the insurrectionists.
Jaina- mentor to Emrail who is an elite swordswoman who hones his abilities to prepare for the war to come
Elle- a beautiful love interest of Emrail who are obviously infatuated with each other but play coy about it
June 17, 2022
As it goes an interesting new fantasy featuring the rise of mages, the return of an evil god (whose hungry!) and a trainee who gains his hidden talents and rises to the occasion, despite the tragedies unfolding around him. I spent a bit of time wondering how much I really liked this somewhat predictable new offering in the Epic / sword and sorcery category. I just wasn’t as captured as I wanted to be but then this is only the first in the series so I’m reserving my judgement somewhat.
It has everything one could want—evil vs good, political junketing, mages and weaponry, familial havoc, an unrelenting quest for answers.
True to its genre, a solid beginning. BTW I love the cover.
A Macmillan-Tor/Forge ARC via NetGalley
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own)
It has everything one could want—evil vs good, political junketing, mages and weaponry, familial havoc, an unrelenting quest for answers.
True to its genre, a solid beginning. BTW I love the cover.
A Macmillan-Tor/Forge ARC via NetGalley
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own)
March 2, 2022
I saw this book on a twitter link (and I'm now sorry I can't say who created it!) that briefly discussed some of the most anticipated fantasy books of 2022. This one sounded interesting to me, and I was excited to get to read a review copy from netgalley!
It's obvious that a lot of planning went into this world and it's politics and magic system. I love when as a reader I can sense a world depth that isn't all explained, but is responsible for events and choices. I also thought the pacing was good - the story never dragged for me and there was always something happening - usually involving fighting :)
I liked some of the characters - especially Ban and Jaina (the weaponmaster). I did get annoyed at the main character (Emrael) a lot - he's impulsive and makes snaps decisions, and doesn't listen much to the advice of teachers. Note: this may have annoyed me more than most because I AM a teacher, and I hate when students just think their way is better. Of course, Emrael often amazed his teachers after he went and did something forbidden so, maybe he was right! But from teacher perspective - annoying! :) That said, his character was consistent throughout the story, so I can't complain.
It's obvious that a lot of planning went into this world and it's politics and magic system. I love when as a reader I can sense a world depth that isn't all explained, but is responsible for events and choices. I also thought the pacing was good - the story never dragged for me and there was always something happening - usually involving fighting :)
I liked some of the characters - especially Ban and Jaina (the weaponmaster). I did get annoyed at the main character (Emrael) a lot - he's impulsive and makes snaps decisions, and doesn't listen much to the advice of teachers. Note: this may have annoyed me more than most because I AM a teacher, and I hate when students just think their way is better. Of course, Emrael often amazed his teachers after he went and did something forbidden so, maybe he was right! But from teacher perspective - annoying! :) That said, his character was consistent throughout the story, so I can't complain.
November 8, 2023
It's been a bit since I read an entire Fantasy novel in a week. I absolutely tore through Rise... well I got through *gasp* two prologues of Capital Letters and intrigue and then I tore through it lol.
At first glance, Rise of the Mages is an Epic Fantasy sword and sorcery that looks like a madlib of tropes, and it's easy to discount it for that. But what I love most about Rise was that it came out in chapter 0 (prologue 2 lol) and said, yep, the protagonist is the son of an exiled king who goes missing under mysterious circumstances. There was no 30 chapter preamble of oooh who is this guy going to be? We knew. And then we got surprised anyway. And that's important, because it's also got an evil god doing evil god things and a blonde-haired, blue-eyed love interest. In 2022! I think some people will look at this book, roll their eyes and say go back to the 90s, Scott Drakeford.
But for every trope that Rise shows you on the surface, it undercuts it later with a twist that guts you if you let it, all while effortlessly pulling you along for the next reveal, the next step in this epic journey.
Oh, and the magic system kicks ass.
At first glance, Rise of the Mages is an Epic Fantasy sword and sorcery that looks like a madlib of tropes, and it's easy to discount it for that. But what I love most about Rise was that it came out in chapter 0 (prologue 2 lol) and said, yep, the protagonist is the son of an exiled king who goes missing under mysterious circumstances. There was no 30 chapter preamble of oooh who is this guy going to be? We knew. And then we got surprised anyway. And that's important, because it's also got an evil god doing evil god things and a blonde-haired, blue-eyed love interest. In 2022! I think some people will look at this book, roll their eyes and say go back to the 90s, Scott Drakeford.
But for every trope that Rise shows you on the surface, it undercuts it later with a twist that guts you if you let it, all while effortlessly pulling you along for the next reveal, the next step in this epic journey.
Oh, and the magic system kicks ass.
August 12, 2021
This novel has you imagining a world of which you want to learn more. The action is wonderfully written and engaging, matched by a great pacing of the plot and character development. I can't wait for book 2 because this first book delivers!
July 7, 2022
I tried and this just wasn't for me. Another childish lead male character that's spoiled and irritating to me. The writing was good but I feel like I've read something similar to this, I'm just not sure what. 2.5 ⭐. I managed about 40% before dnf'd.
September 13, 2021
Great read, couldn't recommend it enough. Great world-building and character development without being a slow, boring, arduous book to get through.
February 13, 2022
I was ready to really love this book. In many ways I wasn't disappointed but then in a few other ways I was.
The worldbuilding was solid. The magic, Infusori, is a fresh take on the life force we've read before such as Eragon with the addition that it functions in conjunction with technology. The exploration of this magic system and Emrael's discovery of his powers was one of my favourite parts and reminiscent in my opinion of Rand in WoT. There's the gradual clues that his abilities are unique followed by a pretty awesome conclusion during the final act. Certainly the most heartfelt moment in the story. In terms of the nations, organizations and names I admit it was a little tough keeping track. Then again, it's been awhile since I read this sort of sprawling fantasy. It is 'epic' in terms of the worldbuilding, though thankfully not in wordcount.
Family bonds drive the plot. This was a highlight for me. Sibling and parental love is an element that's rarely explored in this genre. It's what made the climax so great! There's a lot of things that really tie together in the end.
In terms of disappointments, one of the author reviews was a bit misleading when he said that it's a character driven story. The conflict predominantly expressed itself as fights, surprise attacks, and chases. There are plenty of novels I've read over the years that had all these things too but I felt that in this case the tension was never allowed to boil. There were few 'oh dang' moments, and when I did feel satisfied about the fight scenes it was at the start and end of the novel. The middle felt repetitive.
I will be reading the sequel but hope that it contains more internal conflict!
The worldbuilding was solid. The magic, Infusori, is a fresh take on the life force we've read before such as Eragon with the addition that it functions in conjunction with technology. The exploration of this magic system and Emrael's discovery of his powers was one of my favourite parts and reminiscent in my opinion of Rand in WoT. There's the gradual clues that his abilities are unique followed by a pretty awesome conclusion during the final act. Certainly the most heartfelt moment in the story. In terms of the nations, organizations and names I admit it was a little tough keeping track. Then again, it's been awhile since I read this sort of sprawling fantasy. It is 'epic' in terms of the worldbuilding, though thankfully not in wordcount.
Family bonds drive the plot. This was a highlight for me. Sibling and parental love is an element that's rarely explored in this genre. It's what made the climax so great! There's a lot of things that really tie together in the end.
In terms of disappointments, one of the author reviews was a bit misleading when he said that it's a character driven story. The conflict predominantly expressed itself as fights, surprise attacks, and chases. There are plenty of novels I've read over the years that had all these things too but I felt that in this case the tension was never allowed to boil. There were few 'oh dang' moments, and when I did feel satisfied about the fight scenes it was at the start and end of the novel. The middle felt repetitive.
I will be reading the sequel but hope that it contains more internal conflict!
February 18, 2022
This has everything that I love. Political intrigue, a very unique magic system, and fantastic characters. I loved it! So many things are unresolved and I can't wait for more of this series!
Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for an early copy.
Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for an early copy.
January 19, 2022
I’m going to round up for the good time I was shown in reading this. It is a fairly straightforward adventure story. Our bold hero and his friends need to fight back against the pretty evident evil that’s staged a bloody coup. The young man at the center of the story is bold and likable with his loyalty to his captive brother and his friends though and provided an engaging focus to the book.. The story is fast paced, I don’t know how many books the author has planned but this volume, while it ends in a satisfying way sets up a much bigger story to come. For any reader looking for a straightforward adventure fantasy series this one would be a fine choice! I’m marking this author as follow on Goodreads so I don’t miss hearing about book two.
March 20, 2022
Yikes. The synopsis made this sound like we're going to get a young, talented 'chosen one', ignorant of just how powerful/special he truly is, trained by a powerful master, and ultimately forced to rise up and (hopefully) defeat the final boss. Solid fantasy tropes that we all love, when done correctly.
This is not the case with this book.
Unfortunately the main character Emrael is extremely unlikeable, arrogant. He's with a group of people, some more experienced, knowledgeable, and powerful (at least at first) than him, and yet he begins running the show immediately, making demands. This makes no sense.
BISH you JUST learned about magic yesterday.
You're not even graduated yet. Now you think you know best? Can lead armies? Make reckless decisions because "magic" will get you out of the consequences? There is no time spent showing Emrael at the school; there is no setup for seeing him as a war prodigy besides being told that he's really good at swords.
Actually, we barely see him training at all throughout this whole thing.
He makes decisions that cause people to get hurt or killed and barely shows remorse. He doesn't really grow as a character. Just bulldozes and blunders his way through everything.
All of the characters are flat and uninteresting. The badass teacher is dissapointingly a pushover. I don't understand why they all just let this main character do wtf he wants.
An example:
Experienced mage: don't touch those magical things because they might be dangerous. IM SERIOUS!!!
Emrael: immediately touches. (is he a toddler?)
Experienced mage learning about what he did: oh okay.
The dialogue is often either too melodramatic or too flippant, especially given the fact that the group is being hunted most of the time.
There is some bad romance thrown in for no real reason?
Also, this book could really use some editing. The middle dragged on, and there were a lot of reduncies in the prose. This almost makes me wonder if I read an unfinished version because of how bad it was.
Author has some cool ideas, the action was decent, and the start was promising. Execution was just not there.
This is not the case with this book.
Unfortunately the main character Emrael is extremely unlikeable, arrogant. He's with a group of people, some more experienced, knowledgeable, and powerful (at least at first) than him, and yet he begins running the show immediately, making demands. This makes no sense.
BISH you JUST learned about magic yesterday.
You're not even graduated yet. Now you think you know best? Can lead armies? Make reckless decisions because "magic" will get you out of the consequences? There is no time spent showing Emrael at the school; there is no setup for seeing him as a war prodigy besides being told that he's really good at swords.
Actually, we barely see him training at all throughout this whole thing.
He makes decisions that cause people to get hurt or killed and barely shows remorse. He doesn't really grow as a character. Just bulldozes and blunders his way through everything.
All of the characters are flat and uninteresting. The badass teacher is dissapointingly a pushover. I don't understand why they all just let this main character do wtf he wants.
An example:
Experienced mage: don't touch those magical things because they might be dangerous. IM SERIOUS!!!
Emrael: immediately touches. (is he a toddler?)
Experienced mage learning about what he did: oh okay.
The dialogue is often either too melodramatic or too flippant, especially given the fact that the group is being hunted most of the time.
There is some bad romance thrown in for no real reason?
Also, this book could really use some editing. The middle dragged on, and there were a lot of reduncies in the prose. This almost makes me wonder if I read an unfinished version because of how bad it was.
Author has some cool ideas, the action was decent, and the start was promising. Execution was just not there.
February 23, 2022
Rating: 4.5 stars
Rise of the Mages is an enjoyable action packed, "young adult coming into an unknown power" story. This book is a visceral, grimdark fantasy that is engaging from page one. While it does have dark elements, it still feels like it would be appropriate for teens.
If you are a fan of violent action, unique and interesting magic systems, political intrigue, and a bull-headed, imperfect lead, this is the book for you.
I will be picking up the sequels for sure.
Rise of the Mages is an enjoyable action packed, "young adult coming into an unknown power" story. This book is a visceral, grimdark fantasy that is engaging from page one. While it does have dark elements, it still feels like it would be appropriate for teens.
If you are a fan of violent action, unique and interesting magic systems, political intrigue, and a bull-headed, imperfect lead, this is the book for you.
I will be picking up the sequels for sure.
March 7, 2022
DNF at 212 pages (15 chapters).
I wanted to go on, but I just couldn't take it anymore. The main character is insufferable. A do-gooder at heart, but dumb and stubborn in a way that makes you want to kill him from the get-go.
There are some cool concepts and ideas. Unfortunately, too much action means too little exposition, which means that the author doesn't elaborate a whole lot on what could have made this a much more interesting tale.
Repetitive prose and glib dialogue finally did me in.
I wanted to go on, but I just couldn't take it anymore. The main character is insufferable. A do-gooder at heart, but dumb and stubborn in a way that makes you want to kill him from the get-go.
There are some cool concepts and ideas. Unfortunately, too much action means too little exposition, which means that the author doesn't elaborate a whole lot on what could have made this a much more interesting tale.
Repetitive prose and glib dialogue finally did me in.
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