THE DARK MAGE

In this novel that blends elements of fantasy and romance, a 21-year-old woman with rare supernatural abilities attempts to find her place in a realm that persecutes magic.

Ren’wyn’s future isn’t bright—it’s more like a nightmare that she can’t escape from. Able to access the Void (the realm of the dead) and communicate with spirits, Ren’wyn has had to hide her powers as a dark mage from most of the world as the empire and its imperial regiments ruthlessly hunted down and murdered anyone with magic ability. But attending an academy that secretly embraces and teaches those with supernatural powers has helped Ren’wyn realize that she’s not alone in her struggle (“It was here she learned to wield her magic of death alongside hundreds of other students in the six magical disciplines”). Yet, soon to graduate, she finds her life is all but over as she is betrothed to a masochist who delights in torturing her. A fleeting love affair with a druid named Esrin gives her some semblance of hope. Unfortunately, after she leaves the academy, his promise to save her goes unfulfilled and she is forced to attempt a desperate escape from her husband-to-be on her own. A former imperial soldier and secret “berserker” (a magic user who wields “fire and strength”) named Fael helps her evade capture. Together they begin a quest to somehow overthrow the empire. This series opener’s noteworthy elements include a strong romance undercurrent, a dynamic love triangle, and some genuinely steamy sequences. But while Vander Stelt’s story is well written, the major concern here is the lack of original or particularly memorable narrative aspects. The worldbuilding is a bit superficial; the characters are adequately developed but still stereotypical (a “prophecy” about a chosen one that will rise against a tyrannical empire); and the quest thread never gains traction as it is essentially setting the table for a much larger and more intriguing storyline. Lastly, introducing a major villain at the very end of a 400-plus-page book may not sit well with some readers as the plot seed could have been subtly planted much earlier.

A well-written but uneven tale about the struggles of a powerful mage.