Customer Reviews

Reluctant Mage

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

No spoilers in this review!

Having read the previous book, The Prodigal Mage, I was "reluctant" to pick up the sequel. The first book, even though it featured nicely fleshed-out, convincing characters you can't help but care for, was infuriating in how slowly everything happened, how every little decision had to be discussed and argued about again and again (and again) until the plot finally advanced a bit. There was a lot of repeated worrying about the same things, and the same bitter fights among family members discussed many times without any results but further embitterment.

BUT all is changed here. No grating repetitions. No helpless powerless worrying about the future without doing anything. No characters feeling sorry for themselves too much.

Instead, this book is filled with true heroism and bravery, with characters (most notably Deenie) growing tremendously and turning into people you feel proud of. One really loves these characters, mostly because they themselves act out of fierce love for their family, for their friends, and even for people they hardly know. Reluctant Mage is mostly the account of a long, terribly dangerous and arduous journey made by two friends going toward danger instead of away from it. And even though they go through hell, they can still make each other (and the reader) laugh out loud more than once. The new characters introduced in this book are very likeable, as well. I was impressed with how convincing everybody's personality was. The ending does not let you down in any way, and the writing stays really good throughout.

So if you're unsure about this book based on the previous one, do yourself a favor and read this! It's wonderful and will make you feel glad you read the first one in the duology.

I was blown away by The Reluctant Mage. I had read the others, and loved the first two. The Prodigal Make was very iffy, and i wasn't impressed. However, this one was great! I enjoyed the writing and I greatly enjoyed the new characters Ewen and Tavin. I just finished the book and it wishing that there was more! I couldn't help but envision the characters and the scenes in my mind as i kept on reading. I definitely recommend reading this one; especially if you just finished the Prodigal Mage and are reluctant to pick this one up.

Morg is not dead. Rafe is in trouble. Asher is sick. Danthe has given up. Lur is dying. By the end of The Prodigal Mage (Fisherman's Children) everything has gone wrong and it looks pretty bleak.

The only one left to save them is mousy Dennie, the young woman too timid to do anything. Or is she? She's spent the last months caring for her comatose father and taking over the household responsibilities of her deteriorating mother--and she's the only one who believes that Rafe is still alive, and that he needs help only she can provide. Dennie is not the girl she used to be before her world changed, and she's beginning to realize her new role in it.

At the same time, across the blight in Old Dorana, Rafe and Arlin have discovered that Morg, while not to his full powers, isn't dead either, and is gathering his strength to begin anew his campaign of horrors.

PRODIGAL was the set-up novel, where we got to know the characters, the setting, the backstory, and the dilemma. It was fairy predictable, with a cliffhanger ending, the plot not much more than building up a nebulous impending doom.

Fortunately, THE RELUCTANT MAGE doesn't have the problems of its predecessor. It's faster-paced, the characters more interesting and engaging, and Karen Miller takes full advantage of PRODIGAL's set-up to move the story forward toward a rewarding conclusion (yes, even if it is cliche, it works just fine). If you spent the time to read the first book, it's definitely worth it to finish the second in The Fisherman's Children duology.

In RELUCTANT we get into the heads of three new main characters, departing from those in PRODIGAL. There's the mousy Dennie, who is finding the courage necessary to do the hard thing. We spend some time in arrogant Arlin's head--Rafe's boyhood nemesis--who is all mixed up with conflicting wants, yet is ultimately a good guy. We finally really get to see the world beyond Lur, where we meet Prince Ewan who is determined to do what he can to protect his own people from the horrible life they lived before Asher 'killed' Morg twenty years ago. And it will take Rafe, Arlin, and Dennie--the three strongest mages alive--working together to even have a small chance at saving everyone from bondage. It's a story in black and white: the heros are likable and the bad guy is truly disgustingly evil.

While the setting is your standard fantasy world and the magic nothing beyond the usual, Miller still manages to give it flavor and interest. The prose flows smoothly, the PoV switching effortlessly between characters. Miller mixes in humor to keep the bleakness from becoming over-wrought; plus the romance between two main characters helps lighten the tone of the story, even if you can see their impending coupledom coming from a hundred pages away. The dialogue is quick-witted; while most of it involves arguing, at least it's not at the annoying level of PRODIGAL's constant bickering.

Yet, for all its strengths, RELUCTANT feels more geared toward female audiences because of the way the story is told, the romantic elements, and the focus on relationships among the main characters--which is too bad because it wouldn't have taken much tweaking to make it appeal to a wider audience. And while it is faster paced, it still could have moved quicker--in fact the duology would have been better as a tighter written standalone novel. Other problems? Miller's sense of distance and time aren't always clear or consistent; foreshadowing lacks subtlety, which makes it predictable; and the main characters keep secrets from each other without obvious motivations, the explanations coming too late and petty.

If you read and liked the Kingmaker, Kingbreaker duology then you'll like PRODIGAL and RELUCTANT because Miller is anything if consistent with her writing. If you haven't read any Miller, then if you like standard quest-oriented fantasy fare--heavier on the romance/relationship/character development--with lively prose, I'd recommended starting with The Innocent Mage (Kingmaker, Kingbreaker, Book 1).

The books came quickly and they all were in great shape. I would order from this company again anytime. Also, a great varity of books to choose from.

This is the fourth book of a series. The first three were wonderful and I thoroughly enjoyed them. This fourth one is amazing - I read it twice. The Reluctant Mage follows the story of the youngest child of the Innocent Mage, Deenie. Her amazing adventures while she comes into her own is gripping. If you have read the first three, this fourth bring the story to a heart wrenching conclusion. I love the way Karen Miller writes. Even after she concludes the main part of the story, she provides endings to the many subplots so there are no unanswered questions. I highly recommend this book.

I have read the previous books from this series a while ago, and I liked them. Somehow I only picked this one up recently.

This time we follow Deenie, Asher's daughter, who is nicknamed Mouse. Without giving spoilers, Deenie, together with her sharp-tongued friend Charis, sets out to rescue her brother Rafe from the clutches of the evil sorcerer Morg. Karen Miller again develops some interesting characters, who have sufficient depth. Especially the development of Deenie from a mouse to a strong mage, and the ever-arrogant Doranen Arlin, who is struggling to fins his way under the scrutiny of Morg, is interesting.

This book has its slower parts, and some things did get irritating. The constant bickering and make-ups between Charis and Deenie is sometimes a bit too much. Also, the "language" of the people from the embattled country Vharne was tiresome. Especially with Ewen, a prince of Vharne. Annoying his speech is, like Star Wars' Yoda talking, he does. Where Asher's quaint language really added to his voice - a voice copied by his daughter Deenie - in case of the Vharne's people it is less successful. It "fratched at me", and I wished they would "clap tongue" more often.

Having said that, the plot kept moving forward, and there was a palpable build-up towards a tense and engaging climax. Karen Miller has build an interesting world, with it's own particular sorts magic, and it makes for some fascinating reading. In that regard, it was a good follow-up to the previous books in the series, and an engaging novel.

Let me start out by saying that I will read anything. If I am eating breakfast and there is no book nearby I will happily read the back of the cereal box. However this book was so dull and slow moving that honestly the shredded wheat and sugar content on my cereal box is considerably more interesting and compelling than the characters in this book.
I think this is only the second book ever that half way through, I just gave up on. I didn't care about Dennie, or her Da, and hoped they would both just die, or even better, explode... do something that was in some way interesting.
Unengaging characters, slow story line and something even a 12 hour plane flight can't make compelling, I would say save your money and find another author - especially if other reviewers are suggesting this book is more fast paced than her usual fare.

Caveat: The second half of the book may be excellent and bring everything together in a fireball of excitement and imagination, however I will never know as I would rather put pins in my eyes than open this book again

I can't even get through this book because it's so boring.

The characters fall flat and are not engaging. I can hardly bring myself to care about what happens to them. Especially the new characters that are introduced in this book. They are not interesting enough.

I really don't want to waste any more time on it. This book isn't written well at all. Lots of the descriptions aren't vibrant enough or are not relevant to the story. After reading something as well written as "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss or "Mistborn" by Brandson Sanderson or even Harry Potter; I cannot stand to read it! Reading about two characters bitching in a boat is not something that interests readers especially when nothing relevant to the story is happening.

It's weighed down by its "doom and gloom" atmosphere, so much so that I get depressed reading it. This leads the story to feel be way out of balance. The author's attempts to give the reader a break fall short; I find myself wondering why the HELL I'm reading about a new character when they don't do anything relevant till later.

Which brings me to my next point about the book's poor pacing! Like the last three books it suffers from slow pacing. It's sooo frustrating to read a book where only one or two pertinent events occur by the end. Compared to other fantasy books its as if I'm reading in depth descriptions about these characters twiddling their thumbs!!

I suggest not to read this whole series because it will only frustrate you. If nothing else barrow it from a friend or the library if you like to read about people traveling around and watching people die.

The last Mage War ended with Morg the sorcerer defeated and the Barl's Wall destroyed. Asher of Restharven and his wife Dathne settle in Dorana hoping to raise a family in peace and domestic tranquility. However, he realized his people still needed his skills and out of protection for his son Rafel blocked some of the child's magical abilities.

Seventeen years since the great war to end all wars, Rafel and Asher argue over the former's magic at a time when Weather Magic is failing. Rafel insists he cross the Barl Mountains to find a legendary magical library in order to research what is needed to save their people. Unaware of what exists on the other side, Asher refuses to allow his offspring to go on such a precarious journey. Ignoring his sire, Rafel leaves, but he and his party also vanishes. Magically depleted Asher follows as his daughter Leenie and her companion Charis journey to the south; as she insists her sibling lives and is tormented and Morg's legacy and rebirth flourishes unchecked.

This is a powerful return to Asher the Mage and his family is a terrific entry in a strong quest fantasy saga. The story line is fast-paced except for a bit of generational squabbling that enhances the characterization. However, as with some of the previous Mage tales, the cast makes the plot entertaining as Asher's offspring take control somewhat of the story line. Although newcomers will find it difficult to jump into The Reluctant Mage as there is so much reference to Morg and the last great Mage War, fans of Karen Miller's fabulous saga will relish the escapades of Asher and his brood.

Harriet Klausner

I'd heard good things of Karen Miller, and her Kingmaker, Kingbreaker series. In fact, I don't remember anyone ever saying something negative about it. I hadn't read the previous books in the sequence, but I asked my Brother to summarise it, before starting on this book. It sounded captivating, and I launched myself into the book with interest.

Ten minutes later I decided I should make tea, maybe tidy up a bit. Do some studying. Unfortunately, after the three weeks it took me to struggle through the last book I reviewed, I found myself stuck again. That was a dissapointment.

I found that not a lot happened. There was a lot of travelling, but not a lot of plot-building. Or for that matter, much character building. The (main) characters were slilghtly rounder towards the end, but given that they had spent so much time doing nothing but travelling, it's hard not to be disappointed by that.

The writing style itself was generally quite nice, and easy to follow, and I find myself thinking that I may just try to read some of her other books (I know she wrote some Star Wars ones - which followers of my blog will know I read quite a few of). But I think it was the sparse plot that let Miller down here.

I can't help but think that it could have been squashed down and appended to the previous book, which wasn't overly long (at least, by page count. I don't know if that dragged or not.)

To be fair, I think I skipped bits while reading this. In the same way I skip the songs from the Lord of the Rings. If it doesn't interest me I skip a page ahead. See if it's more exciting there. Now I wouldn't normally do this when reviewing a book, but I was getting bored, and especially after already forced myself to read through a difficult book, I wanted a good read.

So in some ways I feel that I haven't given it the fairest of chances. I didn't like it that much, but the writing style was good, and my brother assures me that it was a good book (although he too took longer to read it than I would have expected him too).

So Overall, I'm going to say this book is average. I'm not going to recommend it. But I'm not going to tell you not to read it. If you know you like Miller's stories, you're probably in a better position to decide than I am. Otherwise, perhaps a library copy would be best.