The Magician's Guild
by Trudi Canavan

Release Date: 5th Feb 2004
Publisher: Little Brown
ISBN: 978 1 8414 9313 8
RRP: £7.99

Magical series for grown-ups...

Sonea is a slum girl – a dwell. Every year, her sort are purged from the streets of the city by order of the King. Those who attempt resistance are met by the Magicians Guild – an elite group of individuals who are feared and revered in equal parts. Sonea’s fury at being rousted from her home is translated into her throwing a stone at the invisible wall that separates magicians from the crowd. While the first stone does as expected as it bounces harmlessly off the impenetrable shield – the second stone rams home and finds the head of Lord Fergun. Instant uproar ensues and when a boy stood next to her is accidentally killed by the magicians, Sonea is convinced she has to run in order to survive.

As the net draws closer around Sonea, she must turn to the only source of power in the slums; the Thieves. Accompanied by an old friend, Cery, she finds herself the honoured plaything of Faren. With the pressure to learn how to use and control her magic mounts, so too does the search for her by the magicians. Two in particular are keen to find her – Lord Dannyl and Lord Rothen; but whilst their motives are driven by the desire to aid a fellow magical person, there are others whose motives are not as pure.

Canavan’s first instalment in The Black Magician’s Trilogy is intriguing and offers real depth. Instead of assuming knowledge or understanding of the new world she had created as is too often a complaint of fantasy novels; we are subtly guided by the author. Like Harry Potter for adults, The Magician’s Guild is full of magic, politics and betrayal. There is a light and dark side to the Magicians; as there is in any society and Canavan’s villain (Lord Fergun) is adeptly drawn as shrewd, cold and having a distinctly malicious streak. Having gleaned mixed reviews, it is hard to comprehend why – as this series promises much at this early stage. Canavan is a natural; moving the pace along swiftly and with more than sufficient dexterity; everything is precisely written with a fanatical need for completeness and detail. A diamond in the rough, we are looking forward to reading more from this series.

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