Review of The Magician's Secret

[Sanduni Himasha]

[Following is a volunteer review of "The Magician's Secret" by Charles Townsend.]

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5 out of 5 stars

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"The Magician's Secret" by Charles Townsend centers around Delvin, a young apprentice to Magician Borlock, and dives into the mystery surrounding the sudden demise of his mentor, with Delvin as the primary suspect. Did he unintentionally murder his mentor, or is it a larger conspiracy?

This fast-paced, action-packed novel takes the reader through war, love, mystery, loyalty, and strife. We are introduced to the Princess of Hengel, Jarla, and the following quest of the protagonists to save the country from war as well as find out the truth behind the death of Borlock. Delvin is entrusted with the magician’s prized possession, a stone that he must understand and use correctly to prevent the war.

The book is well-paced and plunges you straight into the adventure without beating around the bush. I also loved the fact that the author intentionally is not too descriptive of the characters' physical appearances, thereby allowing the reader’s vivid imagination to take control. Nevertheless, the characters were superbly developed, with flaws and redeeming qualities included, which further added to being emotionally invested in the storyline. It is an action-packed, humorous, and entertaining read that pushes you to be invested in the journey of the protagonists.

Additionally, the character of Delvin initially seems too simplistic in comparison to Princess Jarla of Hengel, who is a feisty, sarcastic, and bold character who is unapologetic for her actions given that this is set in a period of time where a woman being so brash is not held in a good light. However, as the story progresses, Delvin's simple, lighthearted character breathes freely and powerfully in contrast to the world around him, which makes him such a compelling character in the novel.

Townsend has also invested quality time and thought into his fictional world, which makes it more immersive and enjoyable. The inclusion of detailed maps and building layouts, the names of cities, and the histories of the countries themselves were interesting and fun to ponder over.

I did find the violence a bit too graphic at times, but this is only my opinion. I would advise young readers who are triggered easily by such topics to be wary. It is also not suited for young children. Despite this, the book was extremely well-rounded and left you wanting more. I could not find any grammatical errors, and the typographical errors were few to none; these were not too serious to not deem this book professionally edited. I rate this novel four out of four stars and five out of five stars. It is a great read for those who love fantasy and adventure novels.

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The Magician's Secret
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[Alissa Deann Devargas]

Despite what life threw at Delvin, he found a way to survive. He was also a magician with passion and flare for his job. As for princess Jarla, I think she excels at using people to achieve her goals.