Unraveling Words: Unraveling: The Novice by Trudi Canavan

Wednesday, May 28, 2014

Unraveling: The Novice by Trudi Canavan

Title: The Novice

Series: The Black Magician Trilogy Book Two

Author: Trudi Canavan
Genre: YA High Fantasy

Publication Date: April 27, 2004

"Even if a magician's powers surface of their own accord, he will soon be dead if he does not gain the knowledge of how to control them." Alone among all the novices in the Magicians' Guild, only Sonea comes from lowly beginnings. Yet she has won powerful allies—including Lord Dannyl, newly promoted to Guild Ambassador. But Dannyl must now depart for the Elyne court, leaving Sonea at the mercy of the lies and malicious rumors her enemies are busy spreading . .. until the High Lord Akkarin steps in. The price of Akkarin's support is dear, however, because Sonea, in turn, must protect his mysteries—and a secret that could lead a young novice mage deep into the darkness. Meanwhile, Dannyl's first order to resume High Lord Akkarin's long-abandoned research into ancient magical knowledge is setting him on an extraordinary journey fraught with unanticipated peril—as he moves ever-closer to a future both wondrous... and terrible.

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My Thoughts

There is something missing for me with these books. They are 'good' but not as engaging as I would like them to be, or more accurately I think they should have elicited more enthusiasm from me keeping in mind the subject matter. I love magic, and magic schools, and just fantasy in general, so I should have been giddy about these books. There is/was a serial killer on the loose, more problems for Sonea took place, Lorlen, Dannyl and Rothen encountered their own issues, and yet, it was kinds of blah.

I think it's the same problem as the last book. The pacing. Everything is just moving SO SLOWLY. The thing is I usually don't mind the slow pacing as long as it can keep my interest, but these books are cutting it close. Whenever I stopped reading I would keep putting off getting back to the book, but it just wasn't that interesting. Yes there were problems but I never felt that sense of urgency or danger. I don't know if this might be because I simply have never thought the High Lord to be the evil villain everyone keeps thinking he is, so I just don't see the danger. Sure their situation sucks but, that's it. Nothing more to it.

The last two chapters were the only ones that eliciyed any kind of emotion from me (excitement) cause we are FINALLY getting somewhere. After, what like 800 pages between both books, we are actually getting to the meet of the problem. I just think it was 400 pages too long at this point.

With that said I'll finish the trilogy because I it's a nice enough fantasy and I'd like to know Akkarin's secrets :)

So...