One of the reasons I like to browser in my local library is because you never know which little treasure you might find hidden on the shelves. This book was definitely a hidden treasure. I have to admit that the cover was the reason why I grabbed it; I have a thing for old-books! This fantasy novel is refreshing and the old-fashioned tale was very engaging.
Aurian tells the story of Aurian, a female mage growing from a young age with magic, trained in the art of the sword by an old friend of her dead father, Forral. When she’s sent to the city of Nexis to train her powers, she has no idea that her life is about to change forever as she stumbles into a power fight between humans, Miathan and the Archmage. So the fight begins to the end of the world: a quest to gather the only weapons strong enough to stop Miathan, the Artefacts of Power.
The style of writing is beautiful and it was very easy to get into the story. What surprised me in this novel were all the subplots that come together leaving no loose ends. I’m usually not a fan of this type of structure because I tend to lose in the thread of the story. I was surprised that I still felt connected to the story despite that, it actually made sense and the fact that there are different perspectives and opinions complete the story to the last detail. It’s also great to see the reactions of the several characters to the events. In the end, it’s not possible not to connect to a few characters. Their humanisation is incredible and their descriptions are so well made, I could actually see them as real people. This isn’t a fairy tale though, main characters meet their end like all the others, and everyone is on equal footing, which kept my nerves on the edge! Aurian is a very strong female character in a novel I could the feminine power, something I really enjoyed reading about. The responsibility that falls on her lap makes her step up her game and her determination and courage is amazing to read.
Overall, a very enjoyable and memorable novel! Highly recommend it to the fans of the fantasy genre that would like to read something refreshing!
Book Traveller 