Spellmonger by Terry Mancour
I started reading this again after a few years. I have a love hate relationship with this book that I will go into later. Sometimes I do a lot of hunting for a book. i will be down to my last credit on Audible, and will be digging in the corners for something I like. I don’t want to pay for new credits so I will be picky in choosing. Sometimes I will dig for larger, longer books. You know, something to get my moneys worth. This was not one of those. i just grabbed the book.
Storyline
Minalan is a spellmonger. A village magician, and the son of a baker. He was found having magical talent and was sent away to train. After graduating he was drafted into the magical corp. A war was going to be waged upon the “Mad Mage”. After the battles and a few years of military service, he returns and picks a small village in the mountains to ply his trade. He wants to relax, take an apprentice, and lead a simple life.
The story opens at this point, introducing the character and his apprentice. Mages were defeated in wars centuries before, now they serve the people, no longer rule. When a large band of 100+ goblins attack the village, he defends it and defeats a goblin shamen. The goblin had an unusual amount of power. Upon searching the bodies he founds a small sliver of a rare mineral named irianite. Irianite is a crystal/stone that magnifies magical power. It is so feared that possession and use is a death sentence.
The story tells of his research on the stone, the invasion of the valley known as Bovale Vale. He visits the elves to get some knowledge, then is forced over the remainder of the book to defend the village, then resist the seige of the castle.
Review
I loved the book, and was disturbed in parts. I am not sure where I fit. I am a father of a few daughters, so perhaps I look at how people deal with women, and respect them as part of my thoughts. It is grittier than most books, and women are treated nearly as objects. Well, in the medevil times that is how they were treated.
I like the growth of the character, and the characters around him. He moves from a guy that was tired of war, and wanting peace, to being the leader in a bloody war. The part that throws my off is the dealing with sex in the book. Women are used, whores are common, the swearing is sexually related. I would not consider this a book for younger or middle age teens. He comments on the breasts and other body parts of the women regularly. The character describes himself as ‘lusty’.
In the end I liked the book, I felt it was not too much. I can see the simple man thrown into the deep end. He is trying to help others, and keep himself focused on what he needs to do next.
I recommend the book, though if sexual references are too much, then I would stay away. However it is nice to have a book for adults. Blood, gore, and horrible things people do in battle are part of the book. It makes it more real, for a fantasy book.