Speculating on SpecFic

Fantastic Literature: From epic fantasy to fairytales to myth-making

The Novice: Number 2 in series: Black Magician Trilogy, Book 2

The Novice - Trudi Canavan Read the full review here.The Novice follows immediately from The Magician’s Guild with Sonea’s acceptance into the ranks of the Guild. She struggles to find her place among the other novices who are sourced from the influential Houses of Imardin. One student in particular, Regin, takes exception to Sonea’s skills in magic and attempts to have her expelled. The level of bullying in the book was surprising but realistic in nature - it was shielded from teachers and encouraged by other novices. I felt Sonea’s pain keenly and understand her desire to remain anonymous and unwillingness to seek the help of teachers who also judge her on her background.The promotion of Lord Dannyl to Second Guild Ambassador to Elyne allows the reader to experience other cultures in Canavan’s world. The people Dannyl meets are many and varied, and I found the depiction of other cities very interesting. I looked forward to the chapters narrated by him because of the insight he had into the politics of the Guild, and his musings helped me understand Sonea’s experiences even though Dannyl wasn’t physically with her. The Ambassador’s personal journey and realisation of self was also a wonderful addition to the plot that I enjoyed reading.