The Innocent Mage

Karen Miller

Book 1 of Kingmaker, Kingbreaker

Language: English

Publisher: Orbit

Published: Sep 1, 2007

Form: Novel
Pages: 620
Word Count: 166787

Description:

SUMMARY: "The Innocent Mage is come, and we stand at the beginning of the end of everything."Being a fisherman like his father isn't a bad life, but it's not the one that Asher wants. Despite his humble roots, Asher has grand dreams. And they call him to Dorana, home of princes, beggars?and the warrior mages who have protected the kingdom for generations.Little does Asher know, however, that his arrival in the city is being closely watched by members of the Circle, people dedicated to preserving an ancient magic. Asher might have come to the city to make his fortune, but he will find his destiny.

From Publishers Weekly

Miller, and Hachette's new mass market imprint Orbit, debuts with a solid epic that posits political intrigue, ethereal prophecies and a rags-to-riches hero against a vivid if familiar fantasy backdrop (sure to provoke déjà vu in fans of George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire). Fisherman's son Asher seeks his fortune in the capital city of Dorana, home to the royal family and the magic-using race called Doranen. After a chance encounter, Asher begins working in the palace as assistant/apprentice to Crown Prince Gar; meanwhile, an underground sect watches Asher and secretly guides his fate, believing him the key to an ancient, apocalyptic prophecy. The erudite Prince Gar, meanwhile, has concerns of his own: flagging popularity (over his decision to take lowly Asher under his wing) and his combative sister's inheritance, the weather-controlling magic that keeps their kingdom secure. Though Asher's cynical salt-of-the-earth act is overused, and characters can be frustratingly pouty, Miller's prose is earnest and engaging, and his complex story accelerates nicely toward a brutal cliffhanger finale. Hints of an epic confrontation to come will leave readers eager to find out, in forthcoming installments, where Asher's destiny leads.(Sept.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

About the Author

Karen Miller was born in Vancouver, Canada, and moved to Australia when she was two. Over the years she has held down a wide variety of jobs, including horse stud groom in Buckingham, England. Find out more about Karen Miller at www.karenmiller.net.

From Publishers Weekly

Miller, and Hachette's new mass market imprint Orbit, debuts with a solid epic that posits political intrigue, ethereal prophecies and a rags-to-riches hero against a vivid if familiar fantasy backdrop (sure to provoke déjà vu in fans of George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire). Fisherman's son Asher seeks his fortune in the capital city of Dorana, home to the royal family and the magic-using race called Doranen. After a chance encounter, Asher begins working in the palace as assistant/apprentice to Crown Prince Gar; meanwhile, an underground sect watches Asher and secretly guides his fate, believing him the key to an ancient, apocalyptic prophecy. The erudite Prince Gar, meanwhile, has concerns of his own: flagging popularity (over his decision to take lowly Asher under his wing) and his combative sister's inheritance, the weather-controlling magic that keeps their kingdom secure. Though Asher's cynical salt-of-the-earth act is overused, and characters can be frustratingly pouty, Miller's prose is earnest and engaging, and his complex story accelerates nicely toward a brutal cliffhanger finale. Hints of an epic confrontation to come will leave readers eager to find out, in forthcoming installments, where Asher's destiny leads.(Sept.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

About the Author

Karen Miller was born in Vancouver, Canada, and moved to Australia when she was two. Over the years she has held down a wide variety of jobs, including horse stud groom in Buckingham, England. Find out more about Karen Miller at www.karenmiller.net.