"The novice" by Taran Matharu - A magical world!
This book is published by Turtleback in 2016 and has 355 pages. This is Book 1 of Summoner series.
These are old times, the age of Orcs, Elves, Dwarves and Humans. Fletcher, an orphan, is raised by Berdon Wulf (a blacksmith) in a northern village called Pelt near the Eleven borders of the Hominum kingdom. An old soldier (Rotherham) comes to their village and Fletcher befriends him. The soldier gives him a gift, a book of a dead Mage, that has spell to summon a demon. But only an adept can summon a demon. Fletcher reads the scroll and summons a rare salamander demon. He inflicts severe wounds on Didric, the local bully and son of Rich money lender Casper, tries to kill him and has to run away. He comes to the city and due to the turn of fate joins an Academy for Battle Mages.
How can Fletcher summon? Although there are few commoners who can summon, it's nobles who have inherited the summoning powers? What does he learn at Vocans? Does he make friends? Does he make enemies? Why are there two standards, one for nobles and one for commoners? Why do certain nobles hate Dwarves and Elves?
Author has created a magical world where the adepts can harness demon from ether. Once harnessed the demon forms a bond with the summoner. The demon can be infused within the summoner and can be summoned when needed. The bond gives them magical powers and they learn the spell craft and war craft at Vocans. They are taught by Secolder the weapons master, Provost Skipio, Secolder the weapons master, Captain Arcturus, Major Goodwin, Captain Lovett, Librarian Same Rose Fairheaven and Investigator Damien Rook. Fellow commoners studying with Fletcher are Rory, Genevieve, Atlas, Seraf, Othello the first Dwarf summoner, Sylva the first Elf summoner. Fellow Nobles studying with them are Tarquin and Isidora Forsyth the twins, Rufus Cavendish, Malik Saladin, Penelope.
Fletchers strikes good friendship with Sylva and Othello and enmity with the Forsyths. He also strikes friendship with Othello's twin Attila.
It's a rich characterization. Several characters. Each with its own story and shades. Their interrelations. Author has taken great efforts to create this world and he has done a fantastic job. It's a majestic world of humans, Dwarves, Elves, Gremlins and Orcs, their beasts and demons. The politics, the love, the hate and the intricacies. Lot of attention to details. I loved this world.
Now, do you see some parallels? Vocans is like Hogwarts. Tarquin is similar to Malfoy. Magic is there. But despite the similarities, it's not a copy, it's original.
The book ends with great accolades for Fletcher. But that's not the end. He is arrested at the end for attempted murder. A big twist that makes you want to read the next book.
Why did I read this book? A western novel by an author with Indian name.
What did I like? Everything.
What I didn't like? A little more about their education would have been nice.
A must read.
