What do you think?
Rate this book
Millennial Mage
Freshly graduated from the human magic academy, Tala is on her own in the world. In need of work to pay off her massive debts, Tala's best path seems to be magical indenture: venturing into the wilds and fighting monsters. It's too bad that the Academy didn't teach her any practical skills to speak of. Will her unusual approach to magic make up for the deficit?
One day, she might choose to join the Mages forwarding the cause of humanity and defending them from external threats, but to start, enjoying her newfound freedom, growing stronger, and finding new and exciting ways to make money is more than enough.
One day, she might choose to join the Mages forwarding the cause of humanity and defending them from external threats, but to start, enjoying her newfound freedom, growing stronger, and finding new and exciting ways to make money is more than enough.
- GenresFantasy
web serial
12 people are currently reading
55 people want to read
About the author
J.L. Mullins
15 books90 followersJ.L.Mullins has been writing since he was five years old. Blessedly, he has improved through the years, and while 'The Case of the Missing Stapler' will likely never see widespread publication, Mullins enjoys little more than sharing his newer stories—his worlds—with others.
He lives with his wife, six kids, and their rescue-akita named Fenrir.
Find him on Patreon:
patreon.com/MillennialMage
Join his Discord:
discord.gg/FddACAjUrR
Find the latest on Millennial Mage here:
royalroad.com/fiction/47826
He lives with his wife, six kids, and their rescue-akita named Fenrir.
Find him on Patreon:
patreon.com/MillennialMage
Join his Discord:
discord.gg/FddACAjUrR
Find the latest on Millennial Mage here:
royalroad.com/fiction/47826
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
May 20, 2022
A compelling and competent take on the progression fantasy genre with a very interesting magic system that perhaps due to the nature of being a webnovel, drags on with an initial end goal that will likely become just a milestone rather than the conclusion of the story.
Tala, our MC, is smartly written to have a tragic and esoteric past so as to produce a fish out of water character that allows her and the reader to learn the magical world as it is revealed to us through her journey to clearing her debt to the magic school she recently graduated from. Adhering to both the slice of life and progression genre conventions, at nearly 1500 pages (as of the time of writing, 2022-05-19), we've only been with Tala for about a month, sharing in her ups and downs at being a once-in-a-generation (?) talented prodigy.
One of my gripes is also one of the novels greatest strength, the setting of the story is an intriguing look into how the world's magic plays into how humanity functions and survives. But how it relates to where to plot is going and
Another issue I have is just how egregiously indifferent Tala is to her own well-being and how the story always has a quick and easy answer to any mistakes she makes, this coupled with how quickly she is progressing (in-story time) seems to make her in my eyes essentially a Mary Sue-lite. It does get remarked on later in the story but after reading so far into the story, it has become clear that Tala has a very strong case of plot armor which removes any tension in the story. Examples include
Still, despite the plot contrivances, I'll continue reading Millennial Mage because the author does paint a vivid picture of a magical yet dangerous world and Tala despite all of my gripes, has a compelling motivation to get better and with the recent chapters is taking a more introspective approach to how she progresses. Check it out if you're interested a fan of progression fantasy.
Tala, our MC, is smartly written to have a tragic and esoteric past so as to produce a fish out of water character that allows her and the reader to learn the magical world as it is revealed to us through her journey to clearing her debt to the magic school she recently graduated from. Adhering to both the slice of life and progression genre conventions, at nearly 1500 pages (as of the time of writing, 2022-05-19), we've only been with Tala for about a month, sharing in her ups and downs at being a once-in-a-generation (?) talented prodigy.
One of my gripes is also one of the novels greatest strength, the setting of the story is an intriguing look into how the world's magic plays into how humanity functions and survives. But how it relates to where to plot is going and
Another issue I have is just how egregiously indifferent Tala is to her own well-being and how the story always has a quick and easy answer to any mistakes she makes, this coupled with how quickly she is progressing (in-story time) seems to make her in my eyes essentially a Mary Sue-lite. It does get remarked on later in the story but after reading so far into the story, it has become clear that Tala has a very strong case of plot armor which removes any tension in the story. Examples include
Still, despite the plot contrivances, I'll continue reading Millennial Mage because the author does paint a vivid picture of a magical yet dangerous world and Tala despite all of my gripes, has a compelling motivation to get better and with the recent chapters is taking a more introspective approach to how she progresses. Check it out if you're interested a fan of progression fantasy.
January 31, 2023
Pros:
- Very interesting world and magic system. This is the main reason so many people seem to enjoy the book.
- Slice of life pacing. This will not be for everyone! But it is for me.
- Grammar, prose, writing style - solid for web fiction!
Cons:
- The MC is a ridiculous Mary Sue. She’s somehow the most amazing Mage, etc, etc, at the start of the story, skipping key milestones and astonishing other mages, without us seeing her earn / progress through it. All we get are thin explanations for what happened in the past, amazing coincidences, or help from super-powerful people b/c they like her, for no particularly good reason.
- We’re supposed to like the MC but she’s not that likable some of the time? She’s kind of mercenary, and doesn’t do much to earn likability except ‘not be stuck up’ like everyone expects her to be - which, of course, immediately blows everyone’s mind. It’s all too thin on the ground to be believable.
- Whenever the author wants to explain something to us, the MC is unbelievably naïve about the world and magic for someone who grew up in a magical academy geared towards preparing
- I might be repeating myself, but the MC faces NO CONSEQUENCES and makes UNBELIEVABLE choices, and it’s played off like no big deal. Plot armor, plot assists, whatever you want to call them, it left me completely uninvested.
Conclusion: This had potential, it just needed stakes!
- If the MC every struggled and faced consequences along the way.
- If we ever spent real time on the path to earning, or even believably explaining, the boons that fell into her lap.
- If she had more believable reactions to objectively scary and difficult circumstances.
- If this was paced out even a little bit more so that the crazy events / growth took place over weeks and months, not days.
The background to a great story is here, but the execution is a thinly plotted and characterized power fantasy.
- Very interesting world and magic system. This is the main reason so many people seem to enjoy the book.
- Slice of life pacing. This will not be for everyone! But it is for me.
- Grammar, prose, writing style - solid for web fiction!
Cons:
- The MC is a ridiculous Mary Sue. She’s somehow the most amazing Mage, etc, etc, at the start of the story, skipping key milestones and astonishing other mages, without us seeing her earn / progress through it. All we get are thin explanations for what happened in the past, amazing coincidences, or help from super-powerful people b/c they like her, for no particularly good reason.
- We’re supposed to like the MC but she’s not that likable some of the time? She’s kind of mercenary, and doesn’t do much to earn likability except ‘not be stuck up’ like everyone expects her to be - which, of course, immediately blows everyone’s mind. It’s all too thin on the ground to be believable.
- Whenever the author wants to explain something to us, the MC is unbelievably naïve about the world and magic for someone who grew up in a magical academy geared towards preparing
- I might be repeating myself, but the MC faces NO CONSEQUENCES and makes UNBELIEVABLE choices, and it’s played off like no big deal. Plot armor, plot assists, whatever you want to call them, it left me completely uninvested.
Conclusion: This had potential, it just needed stakes!
- If the MC every struggled and faced consequences along the way.
- If we ever spent real time on the path to earning, or even believably explaining, the boons that fell into her lap.
- If she had more believable reactions to objectively scary and difficult circumstances.
- If this was paced out even a little bit more so that the crazy events / growth took place over weeks and months, not days.
The background to a great story is here, but the execution is a thinly plotted and characterized power fantasy.
October 29, 2024
The magic system is incredible. Pretty slow plot but I kind of like it. Its a good book.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews