Speculating on SpecFic

As usual I am impressed by Trudi’s characters. The protagonist, Tessia, is funny, intelligent and strong - she holds her own in the male-dominated world of the magicians as apprentice to Lord Dakon. It was great to read a female protagonist who didn’t swoon over every boy she met as well! Her resemblance to Sonea (the protagonist in the Black Magician Trilogy), however, is striking. Both are natural magicians who specialise in healing and both come from humble backgrounds and have to struggle to gain acceptance by others. I think it would have been nice to read a different type of character. Jayan, Dakon’s other apprentice, annoyed me at first because of his close-minded nature and his reluctance to accept Tessia, but he slowly grew on me until he was my favourite supporting character. The most memorable character, in my mind, is the Sachakan slave Hanara, who goes through extreme situations and has the most tragic storyline of all. In many ways this book is predictable - we know what is going to happen because it’s a prequel to the Black Magician Trilogy so the overall plot comes as no surprise. One of the main attractions of the book is to see the birth and development of the ideas that shape the world of the Black Magician Trilogy. While it is also interesting to read about the Sachakan side of the war and get a sense of their politics and world view through the eyes of Stara, a Sachakan woman, I feel this aspect is somewhat under-developed and random. I believe the Sachakan viewpoint is a set up for the events in The Traitor Spy trilogy, which is set after the Black Magician Trilogy but in this book it feels out of place.The Magician’s Apprentice is a great prequel to the Black Magician Trilogy that expands on events that are hinted in it. A must read for those who have read and enjoyed the Black Magician Trilogy.You can read more of my reviews at Speculating on SpecFic.