Mage's Blood (Moontide Quartet)

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In Noros, Alaron Mercer a young adept of gnosis (Harry Potter fans will love the very Hogwart’s like chapter about end of the year exams) with two of his friends rather clumsily stumble upon a mystery greater than everything they ever dreamed (a proof of just how dangerous academic work can be! Kazim Makani, Ramita's fiancee, son of an Amteh warrior who became blood-brother with Ispal in Hebusalim during the terrible 904 - as in our history, Lakh is ruled by an Amteh emperor with the majority locals coexisting uneasily with the Amteh invaders and converts. The Antiopian armies retake Hebusalim once the bridge submerges under the tide as air support from Yuros is not enough, so another round of massacres ensue, while in the second Crusade of 916, the Empire strikes back with ever more force and holds Hebusalim since.

The two continents of Yuros and Antiopia are divided by a huge body of water, unable to be crossed by sea or air due to the high tides and gusting winds. There are a few maps present in the start and they will be extremely handy in tracking the various locales mentioned and details occurring in them. So in an act of treachery, the Imperial legions attack over the bridge in 904 and take Hebusalim in an orgy of blood and destruction while Meiros chooses non-interference rather than breaking his famed bridge and open war with the Empire, so he ensures hatred from both sides. Each person has an important role to play though, and this was made clear by the climax and the ending, which is in a word incredible.It tells a tale of good deeds that backfire in our faces, of good intentions that are just not good enough, and courage does not depend on skills. The corruption and colonization of an empire, the mythical 300 being the birth of mages, a magical bridge spanning what would be Gibraltar, flying carpets and ships all add to this culturally rich story. This is a stunning list and it gives you a flavour of all the fantastic and terrifying things magic-wielders are capable of. Alaron’s storyline turns into a Hardy Boys novel, and Ramita and Kazim’s storyline is something stolen from an ABC family teen sitcom. It’s probably a case of my expectations being too high from the high ratings and from several glowing reviews that I only skimmed over.

Antonin Meiros and his allies created the bridge in the time of the first crusade and his actions doomed a nation.He’s created a fascinating and diverse group of people that I understand despite their cultural differences. I really liked that he's not your standard 'hero' character, he's actually friends with the others who are far 'better' at magic than he is, but seeing his pov and thoughts was great for the story and I learned, quickly, to like him and his story too. She's the daughter of a fairly well of family, and from her early childhood she's been utterly in love with Kazim, the boy she's engaged to marry. So, long story short, if you're looking for something totally new, Mage's Blood won't be the book you're looking for, but if you like familiar tropes, characters and places that are done really well in addition to a solid plot with interesting twists, then I can recommend this book whole-heartedly. All of those characters are teenagers and you have the typical issues that you might expect from those heroes.

Over on the eastern side of the world we get a slew of characters and this is where David Hair excelled in his world building. These characters were incredibly well-fleshed out; they have distinctive voices, different struggles, and I found myself invested in their journey.Even though I enjoyed Alaron’s line the most, Ramita is without any doubt my favourite heroine in the whole story.