The Innocent Mage

July 23, 2007
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.

September 15, 2007
The youngest son of a fishing family, Asher leaves home to make his fortune in the great inland city of Dorana; his journey leads him to the royal court and to a strange friendship with Prince Gar, the only member of the royal family who lacks the Doranian gift of magic, and to two commoners, a bookseller and the king's stablemaster, who see in Asher the fulfillment of an ancient prophecy signaling a great and possibly devastating change in the world. First published in Britain, Miller's debut novel portrays a fresh new fantasy universe where two racesone magical, the other apparently lacking in magiccoexist in apparent harmony unaware that they are on the verge of upheaval. Intriguing characters and a finely tuned sense of drama and pacing make this first in a two-book series a good addition to most fantasy collections.

Copyright 2007 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.