The Paper Magician, Book 1
Fiction
47North
2014-09-01
214
Under the tutelage of magician Emery Thane, Ceony Twill discovers the wonders of paper magic, but when her teacher's life is threatened, she must face the extraordinary dangers of forbidden magic to save him.
Review:
“The Paper Magician”, by Charlie N. Holmberg, is a fun fantasy novel with some steampunk leanings mixed in for good measure.
The story itself, about a young magician’s apprentice named Ceony training under, well, a paper magician, is imaginative and a new take on magic. I, for one, would never have considered paper to be used as a form of magic, but with the parallels to the art of origami explored within the novel, it all comes alive.
The world is complex and whimsical, with just the right touch of evil lurking in the shadows. The characters are well-developed, and their histories are revealed in what has to be the most unique way I have ever read. Which, while being a high point of the novel, is unfortunately also its biggest flaw.
In the revelation, which is most of the second half of the story, it becomes muddled and bogged down, leading to a sluggish read. A bit of editing and clarification here and there would have done wonders for the flow. As it stands, what could have been wonderful became somewhat mediocre by the stilted narrative often throwing me out of the story altogether.
That being said, the ending left me wanting to read the next book in the series, and I am hoping the issues in “The Paper Magician” do not reoccur, as it really does hold the promise of a fun and engaging series that can be read by middle readers on up through adults.
This review is based upon a complimentary copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Content Warning:
Mild Language, Violence, Brief Sexual Situations
