Book Review: The Novice by Taran Matharu

Genre(s): Fantasy / Magical Academia / YA

Book Synopsis:

Fletcher is working as a blacksmith’s apprentice when he discovers he has the rare ability to summon demons from another world. Chased from his village for a crime he did not commit, Fletcher must travel with his demon, Ignatius, to an academy for adepts, where the gifted are taught the art of summoning.

Along with nobles and commoners, Fletcher endures grueling lessons that will prepare him to serve as a Battlemage in the Empire’s war against the savage Orcs. But sinister forces infect new friendships and rivalries grow. With no one but Ignatius by his side, Fletcher must decide where his loyalties lie. The fate of the Empire is in his hands…

Review:

The classic magical academia theme coupled with something I can only describe as kind of like Pokemon, The Novice was a surprisingly good read. (I say surprisingly as the academia trope isn’t typically my thing any more, especially when the characters involved are young—in this case around fifteen.) But what made this book more appealing to me was that the schoolwork wasn’t the main focus. It was there, often in the background, but the larger events and politics of the world were really the prominent feature of the storyline.

And the politics are pretty complex. The human kingdom is at war with the orcs of the southern jungle, and on the brink of hostilities with the elves in the north. The dwarves, who are native to the human-controlled lands, aren’t given equal rights, and have a long history of rebellions. The human nobility are the stereotypical arrogant variety that looks down on everyone else, regardless of species—even the common-born humans are considered beneath them. And all of these elements collide at one point or another during the story.

With all of these tensions at play, the human kingdom is desperate for soldiers—and battlemages, those with the rare ability to summon demons and use mana (this world’s variety of magic.) The demons of this world are creatures called from the ether, with abilities that can enhance or aid the battlemage’s own. And that’s where my previous Pokemon comparison comes in. The demons are creatures, and their level determines their effectiveness. They must be caught, and some mages learn to catch many varieties. (Even with some of the loose stats presented in the book, I wouldn’t call it a LitRPG, as it doesn’t delve very heavily into them.) The demons are often creature you’d see from familiar mythology too; hydras, scarab beetles, salamanders, and the like.

The main character, Fletcher, learns somewhat by accident that he has the ability to summon. He’s considered common-born amongst humans (though he learns more about his heritage later…It’s a bit of a spoiler, so I won’t go into details here.) They story follows him as he enters the academy and begins to make friends—and enemies—of the other students there. But as I said, the politics come into play frequently, and the schoolwork bit of his story is fairly minor compared to everything else he finds himself tangled up with.

And the way The Novice ended… Guess who is now moving onto book two?

Author website: authortaranmatharu.com