A Touch of Magic [Kindle Edition]

Gregory Mahan (Author)

Book Description

What's a young mage to do in a land where magic is illegal, and the penalty is death?

At the age of fourteen, Randall Miller is surprised to learn that he has the talent--for magic! Tricked into apprenticeship by a powerful Mage, Randall is forced to leave everything he knows behind.

When his mentor is killed by Aiden, head of the secret police, he flees for his life, stumbling from one misadventure into another. Teaming up with a trio of greedy traders and a capricious imp along the way, Randall must learn to master his budding power, or die at the hands of the Rooks!

Product Details

• File Size: 945 KB
• Print Length: 291 pages
• Page Numbers Source ISBN: 1466290064
• Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
• Publisher: CDG Publishing (November 26, 2011)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B006ETGELA
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Enabled
• Lending: Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #203,485 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

44 of 46 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Entertaining Debut December 6, 2011

By Zorah M

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

If you like a nice "ordinary boy discovers his extraordinary destiny" story, you'll love this novel. I found it well-written, nicely paced, and engrossing enough to stay up past my bedtime in order to finish. I was especially pleased with the main character. Too often, young people in stories are either ridiculously stupid, or far too mature. Randall is a realistic fifteen-year-old boy. He tries hard, and sometimes makes poor choices, but they are always believable and organic to the character.

The world and magic system are intriguing. It's nearly impossible to come up with an explanation for magic that hasn't been done before, but I felt this author did a very good job of putting a fresh spin on it. I was eager to learn more, and never bored. What more can you ask? A lot of interesting tidbits went unexplained, and there are obviously sequels to come (though this story wrapped up very nicely, and didn't leave me hanging). I will definitely be watching for more in this series, or any others by this author.

All in all, an excellent debut. Give it a try!

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars A Brisk and Magical Exploration December 31, 2011

By Darryl Fabia

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

A Touch of Magic takes place in a medieval fantasy world, particularly in a small island country where magic is outlawed. This isn't much of a problem for Randall Miller, middle son of a businessman in a backwater hick town whose biggest dream is to land an apprenticeship at the local job fair, until the apprenticeship he lands is one with a mage.

The plot comes in slow stretches and then sudden bursts, and that isn't to say one or the other is bad. One of the longest slow stretches of the book was probably the best page-turning section, teaching both Randall and the reader much about the world, while a favorite scene later in the book happens very quickly and couldn't have slowed down without hurting the tension.

The story of Randall Miller has the benefit and misfortune of being about an inexperienced adolescent. He often whines, fails at what he's trying to do, and at the times where he does accomplish something, he goes too far with it. His subconscious seems to believe that screwing up a situation is a good learning experience for Randall. He does learn quite a bit over the course of the novel, and though he begins as a bit childish even for his age, he's forced to become a man if he wants to survive the consequences of his own mistakes. That's something that grows subtly through the book and Randall never feels like a little adult--at any given time, he's exactly who he should be. If there was any downside to his character, it's that the only rapport generated solidly through the novel isn't captured in dialogue with another character, and often other characters come off only as much as Randall notices them. That said, the narrative is so invested in Randall's perception of events, never once leaving his point of view, that you never really notice while reading.

It's that investment that carries the book. Randall's thought processes are clear and understandable to the reader, even if you're left shaking your head. Just as often though, Randall will think of something that the adults around him don't after being stuck in their ways. Creativity is a valuable character trait, and as Randall learns magic, he learns to cultivate this other skill. Watching and experiencing his personal growth, and learning with him, is worth your time.

13 of 16 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing! November 29, 2011

By Rainbow Kibbit

Format:Kindle Edition

This is a very fun story that is well paced and interesting. The plot moves along and pulls you with it, grabbing your attention and not letting you go. The language and characters make it great for a younger audience, but teens and adults will find plenty of reasons to enjoy the books as well. Definitely worth the read.

More About the Author

Gregory Mahan (1969-) was born in Richardson, Texas, but spent the majority of his life in and around the greater Houston area. Gregory fell in love with the works of Andre Norton at a very young age, and soon became a voracious reader of science fiction and fantasy works. He began crafting stories for his friends and family at the age of 8 when he asked for (and received!) a typewriter as a Christmas gift. A Touch of Magic is Gregory's first published full-length novel.

In addition to writing, he enjoys Celtic music, and has played the Irish penny whistle and low whistle since 1995. His first band, Echoes of Ireland, was featured on KPFT radio's Irish Aires program, as well as being one of the bands chosen to play for Charles Sheehan, Consul General of Northern Ireland on his visit to Houston in 2003. Gregory maintains one of the oldest and largest Irish music repositories on the internet, The Wandering Whistler Music Archives, and published his first songbook, Fifty Great Celtic Jigs, in 2002. In 2003, he joined the band Paddy Gone Wild, and was prominently featured on their CD, The Greatest Hits, released in 2008.

Gregory currently lives in Northern Virginia with his family.