The Tethered Mage (Swords and Fire Trilogy #1)
- Author: Melissa Caruso
- Published: October 24th, 2017
- Publisher: Orbit
- Ratings: 4/5
Book synopsis
In the Raverran Empire, magic is scarce and those born with power are strictly controlled- taken as children and conscripted into the falcon army.
Zaira has grown up on the streets to avoid this fate, hiding her mage mark and thieving to survive. But hers is a rare and dangerous magic, one that threatens the entire Empire.
Lady Amalia Cornaro was never meant to be a Falconer. Heiress and scholar, she was born into a tracherous world of political machinations. But fate has bound the heir and the mage.
War loons on the horizon. A single spark could turn their city into a pyre.
My Thoughts
I will start by saying that even though I really enjoyed this book it does have its flaws. The story is full of political intrigue, magic and the world is inspired by 16th Century Venice.
We follow Amelia Cornaro who will someday take her mother’s place as a political member in the Council of Nine, which rule the Empire of Raverran. Amelia is not interested in taking her mother’s place as one of the members, instead she focus on alchemy something she has in common with her uncle. In the story Amelia becomes a Falconer while trying to save Zaira the Mage.
Zaira is a warlock referred to as a Mage and she has the power to use balefire and destroy a whole city. The only way a Mage can be control is by linking themselves with a Falconer and the way to do this is by putting a tethered on the Mage wrist. From this point on Amelia and Mage become linked ,Zaira now linked to Amelia will need to learn to trust her and work together.
I will say this book has a lot great things, like the worldbuilding and Amelia’s friendships are just great. The thing I really didn’t like was the way Zaira was made in to some type of slave. The way a warlock (Mage) can control the magic is by being linked to a Falconer, who will decide when and how the magic is used, I had a bit of problem with this. Also, our main character Amelia was a bit lacking to be honest always doubtful and just insecure. Zaira now she was amazing and I’m really looking forward to see how these two work things out. And I also need to mentioned Amelia’s mother because she really did intrigue me and I would love to have a story on how she became a powerful member of the council.
We also, get a little bit of romance here and I think it was nicely done, it didn’t take away from the story and would love to see how Marcello a Falconer, and Amelia deal with this possible relationship.
Overall, this was good read, I really enjoyed the world and the characters (Amelia not so much till later on int he book) and I can’t wait to see happens in The Defiant Heir the second book in the trilogy.
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