Saturday, August 13, 2016

REVIEW: The Mage & the Magpie (Magemother, #1) by Austin J. Bailey

*****(5) of 5 stars!

This was a delightful book that jars you into it with the sound of a gong and the jolt of a fall, not to mention a fair amount of drooling! And from there it just whisks you away on a wonderful adventure to a different land full of magic and mystery, where even the laws of physics are not quite the same. 

The title of the book, “The Mage and the Magpie,” at first seems a little odd; I wondered why it wasn’t simply called “The Magemother.” But as the story progresses, you learn the importance of the two characters from the title. 

There is quite a large cast of personalities involved in the narrative, but each of them is distinctly unique and endearing. The main handful of players are especially well-developed, but everyone adds their special lit bit to the development of the story. Even some of the personae that one might consider minor or even irrelevant, later prove to have a specific part to play.

Brinley, of course, is the main character, an adopted young woman of unknown origin, who is quite abruptly transported across space and time, to a world desperately in need of her help, although neither she nor anyone else knows that at the time. The mere fact that she was summoned by a calling bell intended for someone else lends a significant amount of intrigue to the tale. 

Searching for the Magemother (who alone can repair some of the damage being done to the world), while also looking for her birth parents (especially her mother), Brinley ventures along with a rather odd assortment of traveling companions, all of whom prove to be quite helpful and necessary. 

This book is classified as a middle grade series, which I would say is just about correct. There are a few dark scenes that are rather uncharacteristically and perhaps unnecessarily gory and gruesome, but the overall tone is hopeful and positive. Even if the general tone is a little bit younger, the tale has something for everyone; and the writer’s style just draws you into the story and carries you along for the ride. 


The Mage & the Magpie is currently FREE as an eBook on Amazon Kindle.


I received a free e-copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.  

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