The Face of the Enemy

Schooled in Magic #23

by Christopher G. Nuttall

The Necromantic Wars are over, but there is no peace. In the aftermath of the struggle, long-held grudges are boiling over and conflicts are breaking out. The monarchs want to settle border disputes, the aristocrats want to impose their will on monarchs and peasants alike, the commoners want freedom and justice and the magical communities want to rule all or else separate themselves from the mundanes. And most of this chaos is being orchestrated by Emily’s mentor, the sorcerer Void. He believes the only path to salvation for the Allied Lands is to make himself the undisputed ruler of the world.

After discovering the truth - too late - Emily is on the run, blamed for the disorder by friend and foe alike. With a handful of allies by her side, Emily must find a safe place to gather herself and strike back before it is too late to save what remains of the Allied Lands. And yet, as she flees through lands plagued by civil wars and rebellious nobility, hunted by powerful sorcerers, aristocrats and rebels who want to kill her or use her for their own purposes, she is forced to accept it may not be possible to save everything and to realize, as much as she might wish to deny it, that her mentor might be right.

And yet, she also knows the path to hell is paved with good intentions...

Genres: Fantasy, Magic

301 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 16, 2021

Reviews

[Doug Panepinto · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent build up to the coming conclusion

Very rarely do you get a long series of books so well planned out, i own every book except the last which I eagerly await.

Too often longer series, especially indie authors, develop only to simply remain unfinished... or at best each book is haphazardly written for it's own adventure rarely linking a wider arc.

Christopher G. Nuttall however has managed to write a soon to be 24 full length novel, taking the from another world trope, deeply developing a host of unique characters... starting with our litteral child of a woman named Destiny becoming what will be a true Child of Destiny in the next final book in this magnificent series. If my memory is correct all 23 novels i have read were each 5 stars.. you cannot go wrong with this series!

[Anya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Let me start by saying that Christopher Nuttal is one of my 2 all time favorite authors because of this Schooled in Magic series. And I did a 4 star instead of a 5 star on this particular book because the inner dialogue for Emily is getting really monotonous. She keeps wrestling with her thoughts, choices and decisions, and that's great; however she has the same thoughts repeating throughout the book. I think it would be like a third shorter if there was more action and less repetitive thought? This is a more common theme, in fact, with the most recent several books. I seriously do want to know what happens next though. Christopher's creativity in taking a story to an unexpected and interesting place is still prevalent!

[Holly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have enjoyed Schooled in Magic quite a lot, and try not to fall into the trap of "familiarity breeds contempt"...but I could do with less of Emily's struggling thoughts, whininess and sourness. However, I still want her to succeed with the right choices. I disagree with some reviewers who claim there is not enough action. There was almost too much :D. I appreciated how well one of her worst nemeses was woven into the story and how it resolved near the end. Really loved the library card issue near the start of the book. It's a pity, I say sourly, that the last book is out, and the word sour was, in all likelihood, not removed, I feel like I have a lime in my mouth when I think of Emily.

[Rodger Nelson · Rating 5 out of 5]

So that is Void's plan? Really? I mean sure seems kind of workable from one perspective but yea don't think it will work all too well. As for the mediators catching Emily and her creating a suicide tooth with a mimic in it all I have to say is DAMN she isn't playing around anymore is she especially when she chops her own figure off.

I can't wait to see how the story turns out. Emily as the Grand Magus Emperor doesn't seem like a possible ending. Though I have to wonder about the fairy thing. What are their goals in this situation. Hopefully, that gets answered. Also whatever happened to those books of demon contracts. Are they still around or did Emily manage to destroy them?

[Lois Mix · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this series!

I was hooked on this series since the first book. Transported to a world of magic to be sacrificed by a necromancer only to be saved by a sorcerer that becomes a father figure. Then throughout the series becoming a powerful sorceress that changes the magical world. In this book Emily faces her rescuer as an adversary. The series has built to a an epic challenge.

[Ruby Ridge · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this is probably my favorite series of all time. Christopher Nuttall is an awesome author and he really has a vision for the characters and the whole arc - may not be where y'all want it to go but that is what life is like in the real world.
Am torn between never wanting the series to end and wondering what the author has in mind for the endgame. Whatever happens this is a series like no other - please keep adding to it.

[Tom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wheels within wheels

The road to hell is paved with good intentions that allow bad actions. Because of our culture we can't seem to succeed in doing evil things for a good end. The evil corrupts good in the end.
Micromanaging something that should lead to something good is a great way to kill any good that might come.
And Void is willingly on the road to hell.

[Sheila Bray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Voids Last Stand?

Despite causing the deaths of so many , I still would not like to see Void being killed off . I believe he thought he could put the world to rights being too arrogant to listen to anyone but he wanted to protect Emily, probably feeling affection for someone for the first time in his life.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

One word - Masterful

What a ride .
Hopefully Emily managed to get our little buddy 'Aurelius' in a healing stasis and he recovers fully.
He has become a integral part of the plots and handles his role with aplomb and precision.

This series gets me to drop anything that I am currently reading whenever a new episode arrives on my dekstop.

[David Paradiso · Rating 2 out of 5]

Without a doubt worst of the series

You know what’s great in a series about magic? Well apparently it’s not using magic and going on long diatribes about war and civil unrest. I barely got through this one. Really felt like Christopher doesn’t care about this series anymore.

[Eduard · Rating 1 out of 5]

Another disapointment. It was a great story with great personages and beautiful narative.
Now is only "woke". Please make at least the last one a decent book. I would love a nice and realistic finish. The last couple of books in this serie were way too low.

[Tree Abbott · Rating 2 out of 5]

Boring

Yet another example of a series that has gone on too long. Who cares what happens to Emily? Little additional world building. The writing is as crisp as long since opened potato chip.

[Jared McIntyre · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent

I have been waiting for this and it didn’t disappoint. And I’m even more excited for the next installment to arrive

[Dayne Edmondson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another amazing book

Another fast-paced and amazing story from a talented author. The way he moves the story along at a good clip while maintaining the tension is remarkable.

[i j white · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cannot wait but sorry to see it go

Have enjoyed this series as much as any I have ever read. Thank you for providing such excellently plotted entertainment.

[Helen Fleischer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought I could set it aside when my library hold came in, but no. That I could not do. This was very eventful and yet left me hungry for the next book.

[Kim Andella · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great series

I can’t wait until the next one comes out. Hopefully soon! The showdown between Emily and Void will be epic.

[Ulrich Weiß · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nr. 23 and still very good, I would like to read 23 more in this series.

[Stuart Macmartin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Heading to the finish line. So not a unit in itself.

[Jill · Rating 3 out of 5]

By this point in the series I'm getting a bit bored. It seems to be the same thing each book now. There is some big enemy to deal with and Emily learning from it.

[John Naiser · Rating 5 out of 5]

23 books and still going strong. Love it.

[Jay Wettlaufer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Schooled in Magic

Another great book, it is always hard to put down. You have a knack for taking the story in logical directions that I didn’t see before we got there. Lol