The Outcast Mage: A Riveting Fantasy Debut

Synopsis

A mage bereft of her powers must find out if she is destined to save the world or destroy it in this glittering debut fantasy perfect for fans of Andrea Stewart, James Islington, and Samantha Shannon. In the glass city of Amoria, magic is everything. And Naila, student at the city’s legendary academy, is running out of time to prove she can control hers. If she fails, she’ll be forced into exile, relegated to a life of persecution with the other magicless hollows. Or worse, be consumed by her own power. 
 
When a tragic incident further threatens her place at the Academy, Naila is saved by Haelius Akana, the most powerful living mage. Finding Naila a kindred spirit, Haelius stakes his position at the Academy on teaching her to harness her abilities. But Haelius has many enemies, and they would love nothing more than to see Naila fail. Trapped in the deadly schemes of Amoria’s elite, Naila must dig deep to discover the truth of her powers or watch the city she loves descend into civil war.
 
For there is violence brewing on the wind, and greater powers at work. Ones who could use her powers for good… or destroy everything she’s ever known.

Review

4,5 stars and give me the sequel already!

Well this was an excellent surprise that I devoured in one day! And it doesn’t feel like a first work at all!

Warning though: it ends on a cliffhanger and you will want the sequel so prepare to be frustrated!

The Outcast Mage has so many elements I love to read in fantasies:

1. an “underdog” or an “outcast”. Someone different who doesn’t fit anywhere and who has to prove she has the right to stay in Amoria.

Naila is an orphan, found on the streets and when she had been tested for magic, like every kid in Amoria, she showed power but even attending the academy, she has never mastered her power! She is considered “hollow” and the brunt of cruel jokes and bullying.

Naila is a character you will root for. She is kind and compassionate but she will also make mistakes. The ending will leave her stronger and more tormented at the same time about what could be the truth about her.

• A mentor/student relationship.

Thinks of it like Karate Kids but with magic! That was Naila and Haelius relationship. Haelius being the most powerful mage in Amoria. Haelius felt a kinship with Naila as he didn’t come from an elite family and knew what it was to be shunned and bullied.

• A powerful mage prone to catastrophic actions

Someone on Goodreads (I think it’s Cait from Booksblabbering) called Haelius a “disaster wizard” and this is genius because that’s exactly who Haelius is. He has power and he desperately wants to do good but he also is reckless and that creates more problems than it solves! In that aspect he really is like Naila’s older mirror, like a kindred spirit.

• A great and original worldbuilding

Amoria is a city existing under a magical glass dome, where mages and non magic people exist. The magic uses “phonemes” and there is talk of anima too. Add to it some fantastical beasts roaming the land and raining destruction and other “beings” (I still don’t know what they are) hunting these beasts and you get a pretty solid fantasy world. And let’s not forget spy priests and some prophecies in the mix.

• Mysterious powers

Naila has magic but discovering what kind of magic and the mystery about her kept me invested all along. At the end of the story, we know more but we still don’t know all of it!

Add to these elements big political tension in a city on the brink of explosion with classes fight, some undercurrent of repressed and discreet love, plenty of twists and scheming and a perfect pacing, not too fast but not too slow and you’ve got a solid fantasy story on your hands! This is a balanced mix of character driven and plot drivenI, in short, it’s an excellent start to a new series!

Thank you Orbit Books for my advanced reading copy (this had no influence on my review) I am now addicted to that series!

Thanks for reading.

Sophie