First Year (Black Mage 1)

by Rachel E. Carter 

Combat magic, bandits, handsome princes, and multiple puking sessions.

It has been Ryiah's dream to become a black mage, a warrior trained in combat magic- but she''s inexperienced, unformed and untrained- and the competition is tough. Only fifteen out of more than one hundred will be chosen to train beyond the first year, and several of her more well off classmates, namely the prince and his posse, have a head start. But Ryiah is determined to prove herself worthy of the robes and a position as an apprentice mage.

I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. The writing was only mildly good, the Characters were interesting but not the most well developed, and the story was in no way profound or life changing- and yet the story was so enjoyable. I couldn't put it down. Even meals felt like and intrusion on my time with the characters.

The one thing that can be admired about the book is the protagonist, Ryiah, whose determination is definitely inspiring. Despite grueling physical and mental torture training,  despite thinking she's lost, she keeps going, keeps fighting, keeps preserving.

I also commend the author for delving into the topic of poverty and class, whilst all the while disguising it as teenage pettiness. She raises questions about the determinants of success, and the value of hard work and perseverance, but also the gap between those who only have perseverance and handwork to work with versus those who have money and power.

This book is ideal if your looking for a quick read, not because it is particularly short or an easy read, but because you won't be able to stop until you've turned the last page over.

This book gets a 4/5 stars simply because of how entertaining it is.



Look out for the next book in the Black Mage series- The Apprentice.