by Trudi Canavan

Book Two of The Black Magician Trilogy

1. The Magician’s Guild
2. The Novice
3. The High Lord

The Novice continues the saga of Sonea. Newly accepted into the Magician’s Guild, Sonea must now create a place for herself. Of all the existing magi, she alone comes from lowly beginnings. Her classmates, led by the vicious Regin, taunt her unmercifully, disregarding her own power, which is far more advanced and powerful than any former novice in the Guild.

In addition to ambushes and frame-ups set by her merciless tormenters, Sonea must also keep a deadly secret - Akkarin, High Lord of the Magician’s Guild, practices the forbidden art of Black Magic. While only two other magicians have knowledge of this, Akkarin discovers that his secret is out. He decides to take on Sonea as his own novice and forbids her to speak to her former Guardian, Rothen, who also knows of the situation.

Rothen’s friend, Dannyl, recently promoted to Guild Ambassador, has taken to traveling the world. Unknown to the High Lord, Rothen instructed Dannyl to trace the steps of the High Lord in order to discover how the secret of Black Magic was found to him. Dannyl’s discoveried may be more important than anyone realizes.

Sonea also meets Rothen’s son, the charming Dorrien. Where could this lead?

In the meantime, The Novice tracks Sonea’s days at the Guild as she learns the formidable Warrior Skills, Alchemy, and Healing Skills. She also learns how to defend herself from large groups of unintimidated peers, but at last she has taken enough bullying and challenges the ringleader, Regin, to a formal battle in the Arena. Who will win - the accomplished warrior Regin, or Sonea, who has greater power but has shied from her Warrior training?

What happens when Sonea witnesses her Guardian - the High Lord - in the act of killing a man? Can she believe his explanation? More importantly, can she keep his secrets in order to keep her friends from danger?

Personal Rating: 8
Once again, Trudi Canavan has not only met the bar, but raised it one notch higher. This book kept me up late at night, much to my body’s displeasure the following mornings. I do not understand what the winged horse is doing in the background of the cover though… there is nothing of horses in the story. The Novice is highly entertaining and delightfully suspensful, though not so predictable as the first book, The Magician’s Guild.

Content Rating: E
I suspect that this entire trilogy is worth reading by peoples of every age.