Thanks to Netgalley and Orbit for the chance to read The Outcast Mage. This was enjoyable and was structured in a unique way, the world building was refreshing and different. It felt like it was all over the place but in a good way. I enjoyed the multiple POV. I will continue on with the series.

CW’s: Violence, some bigotry.

My Rating: 3.5 stars

So Orbit has produced a lot of bangers for me, and one dud (*Once Was Willem)* and I read this book coming off of *Greenteeth*, a five-star read, so that’s the context for when I read this book.

It wasn’t bad to start. It did feel very generic initially but got better as it went on, and I didn’t quite feel that same electric grab-your-attention feeling as I did with *Harvest of Hearts, Lucy Undying,* and *Greenteeth.* But it wasn’t bad at the beginning either. And it wasn’t really boring either, not quite.

It was actually pretty entertaining as the book went on. I really like Naila’s chapters. Her development was a bit cliche, for sure, and it was kind of run-of-the-mill fantasy in a lot of ways. But I definitely didn’t see a *lot* of copy-paste stuff from other books. I liked the more scholarly aspect of the magic, and I thought the “linguistic” aspect of magic (that doing magic was about memorizing phonemes). The magic system was really cool, and I liked it a lot. I think Naila really was a good and realistic character in that aspect.

Small detail I liked, the endearment “habibiti” which is an arabic/middle eastern term of endearment. Which, as a woman of Middle Eastern descent (my dad’s persian) I loved! And there did seem to be some of that influence in some of the naming conventions.

I will say I was back and forth over who I shipped. In a perfect word, it would’ve been Naila and Ko’lani, but I suspected it’ll be Haelius and Naila, which I’m okay with too. My favorite dynamic is “pretty little cutie with weird little (big) freak” and I think I’m just in that mood for that dynamic lately. And this book was just a bit too…I don’t know *normal* for me. I like a little edge of weirdness or oddness to my books. I like a little eccentric-ness in my characters and I didn’t get enough of that from Haelius, Naila, or any of the other characters. And honestly, for me, Naila and Haelius were the only ones that felt developed enough for me to care about them. The other POVs more felt like set up for the political world building. Larinne and Dailem were more interesting that the others, and I think there was a really interesting angle the author used by creating a world with Ancient Rome vibes (with the Senators) but allowing women to be in those roles. The others, I just didn’t care that much about and they felt kind of flat to me.

I do have to praise the world building here. The magic system was cool (though I wish the phonemes bit had been focused on more) and I liked the political system too (which I also think could have been focused on more). The threat of war did feel real, as did the class divisions and divisions between factions and mages vs. non mages. I did feel some of Naila’s loneliness and this “hollow” vs. magic type of deal they had more viscerally.

I still can’t figure out where the romance is supposed to be going (or if there is a romance at all) by the 70% mark. The chemistry just isn’t there for me between anyone. And by 88% I guess Larinne and Haelius are a thing?? I don’t see it, honestly.

The ending was okay, I guess, eventful, fairly impactful, but it just felt rushed, honestly. I think it could’ve been spaced out more. In the end, I just don’t think I plan on picking up the sequel. I think it might be psychological because I tend to not really be into sequels and want sequels from stand alones.

Not a bad book! Just not my favorite.

I really loved The Outcast Mage by Annabel Campbell. The characters--Naila and Haelius in particular--are really well-written and the world-building was very well done. I look forward to the next book in the series.

It took me a while to get to this book (generously gifted to me by NetGalley), but I am so glad that I read it. This is a deeply troubling story, in that it really emulates the world we are currently living in. The characters are ones that you will cheer for (and hope for). I am eager for book 2. This was a powerful read. #theoutcastmage #annabelcampbell #debutauthor #theshatteredlands #Orbitbooks #book1 #bookreview

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-arc

My thoughts: This was a wonderful book, especially for a debut novel. The setting of a city in a glass bubble was so interesting and the wider world was very well developed, and felt very epic in scope. The histories and cultures that were introduced in this book make me very excited to continue the series.

I also loved the cast of characters. With multiple POVs, I was invested in the plots for each character and always happy to explore their perspective. The complex character relationships and political machinations of the story created compelling conflicts and stakes for the characters and kept the plot constantly moving forward.

This book is a really wonderful political fantasy with a compelling magic system, a cool world and setting and wonderful characters. Highly recommend.

Exhilarating. A varied cast of characters and they all played their part perfectly. Naila is excellent at being frustrating and bless Wizard Akana's trauma'd soul. The book does an excellent job of setting up for a sequel, which I hope we get! I need to find out more about the mysterious, bright blue eyed woman and her companion Tae. As well as more information on my favorite cranky Seeker and his hired sword. Plenty of high energy moments of suspense and fascinating concepts and I appreciated the legend at the end of the book.

I really enjoyed the story, even though it read a little YA-ish. I liked the magic system, characters and world building was pretty good. I look forward to the next book.

Liked this a lot. The storyline kept me engaged, and the emotional moments felt genuine without being overdone.

I loved this book so very much. This richly crafted epic fantasy was divine. The characters, the plot, both of which were so thoroughly and creatively crafted. The several points of view were intricately woven together and contributed significantly to my overall enjoyment of the story. It really gave me a chance to get to know each of them deeply and feel a greater connection to the story. I can’t think of anything negative to say - even the tyrannical takeover villain was perfectly dislikable.
I want more!!!
Many thanks to Orbit books and NetGalley for a digital early copy of the book. The opinions expressed are honest and my own.

i really enjoyed this book. it was such a fun magical system filled with characters who you wanted to root for and understand. of course, it leaves you with a good amount of questions for the next one to dive into, but i love that. it doesn't feel like there is going to be a sequel just for the heck of it. there are still questions, there is still plot to adhere to, the loveable characters still have stories to tell. i will be waiting for the next one!!!

Thank you @orbitbooks_us for the complimentary copy! I regifted it after receiving the special edition in my @inkstonebooks subscription box. ♡

જ⁀➴..❧.·:*¨ ¨*·.∴ A comfort read for fantasy lovers with familiar tropes and story arcs.

𝚁𝚎𝚊𝚍 𝚒𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚕𝚘𝚟𝚎:
▶︎ 𝙰𝚌𝚊𝚍𝚎𝚖𝚒𝚌 𝚂𝚎𝚝𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐
▶︎ 𝙳𝚢𝚜𝚝𝚘𝚙𝚒𝚊𝚗 𝚂𝚘𝚌𝚒𝚎𝚝𝚢
▶︎ 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝙲𝚑𝚘𝚜𝚎𝚗 𝙾𝚗𝚎
▶︎ 𝙼𝚊𝚐𝚎𝚜 𝚟𝚜 𝙼𝚞𝚐𝚐𝚕𝚎𝚜

I think this was categorized as high fantasy because there are multiple POVs, although personally I did not find its world building overly complex. It is adult fantasy, but it felt reminiscent in some ways to the coming-of-age YA-series The Dark Rise.

Naila is a mage who hasn’t learned to wield her magic (she’s “hollow”), leaving her constantly bullied, the underdog at her school for mages.

Also deemed inferior for being born to non-mages, but she is taken under the wing of the most powerful wizard and mage, Haelius who becomes her mentor and advocate.

You’ll have to read it to see what you think, but I had a fun time with this one, especially after the 40% mark when the pacing picks up considerably. Side characters are given the needed space for their own development including multiple romance subplots. And, there be dragons.

°✩₊˚.🎧⋆☾⁺₊ I listened to this on my family’s spring break road trip and I do think that was the way to go. Both my husband and I were very entertained until my Spotify hours ran out, after which point we both devoured the rest in print format! Sarah Slimani has a delightful accent.

Ok found family I see you. This was a great fantasy read and possibly a good starter for anyone just getting into fantasy as the magic and the world isn't too difficult to understand and grasp.
The ending left it open for many possibilities in future sequels which I will definitely be looking out for.

The characters were possibly the best part of the book. My favorites include ko'ani and surprisingly the priest.

The desert travel part was my favorite part of the whole book imo. I want more of that but also the library is coming soooo.

Thank you to the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

The worldbuilding in this book is fantastic! Naila is such a great character, and her journey is really compelling. The themes of found family and learning to trust are heartwarming. The city of Amoria is on the brink of collapse, and the tension is palpable. The mix of magic and politics keeps things interesting. The characters are well-developed, and their struggles feel real. The plot twists kept me hooked until the very end. I can't wait for the sequel!

I love a story that focus's on fierce females, so I was so excited to read this story! It felt part dark academia, part epic quest, with really good world building. I am really excited for the next installment as I can't wait to get back to this world!

Honestly I don’t know what to say about this book besides it was a delightful enjoyment of a book. It was paced excellently and hit all the right points of what I wanted from a book while I was reading it. I absolutely recommend it for someone who wants to read just a really solid fantasy novel.

This book was absolutely incredible! It took me up to the 40 percent mark to get really into it, but from there I couldnt stop reading it! When I picked it up I didn't realize it was going to be a series but I'm completely locked in. The book straddles the line between adult and young adult fiction. I love the magic involved and the science behing it. The main character, Naila could be annoying sometimes but she is very young and is bound to make rash decisions. I would recommend this to all fantasy readers, some scifi readers and any fans of Avatar: The Last Airbender

2.5

I really wanted to love this and I did enjoy the relationship between Naila and Haelius and their discovering why Naila struggles to use the magic that she possesses. Unfortunately there was very little of this before the story branched out in other directions. I found myself largely uninterested in the chapters from the other character's points of view and I didn't need any of the romantic storylines.

I think at the heart there is an interesting story, it just needs to be more focused.

This is book one in a new mage fantasy world. This a story where the FMC is an underdog but incredibly powerful with no one knowing how to help her exactly and all the lives that become entwined in her journey of discovery & growing power. Amoria is the city that centers around most of the first story. Naila, a “hollow” mage stuck in an academy/school to control her powers is where the story begins. The author takes time to develop the city and other lands throughout the story. There’s disparity among the social classes but also amongst the mages and the humans. The book is told in third person which sometimes throws people off so FYI. There are multiple character perspectives throughout the story and they do eventually overlap. The other characters are all older - the powerful mage, the senator, and the priest with an extra mysterious girl popping up. I do like that they all get attention on their own lives and personal struggles. It was definitely a slow start for me, which sometimes nice and personal made it hard to hop back in and move along the story yet still compelled to move forward and see what was going to unfold.

The main things I enjoyed the story are the mysteries surrounding the societal/political unrest in Amoria and the characters development, specifically Naila - who I consider the main FMC in the series. The characters are all very different come from different walks of life. There is relationship building, but it’s mostly friendship and family. Very light sprinkle of romance and definitely a small subplot. Once you hit 50% in the book there are several pivotal plot points that emerge. By the end of the story, i was definitely curious at what’s to come and how the different characters will begin to cross paths once more. I’m hoping for a reunion between Naila and her mentor, Haelius.

Not gonna lie I got a little lost about halfway in about what was going on who was doing what andwhy? The characters or distinct and interesting in the world building. But kind of lost their charm after a while. Maybe things will be a little more exciting in the follow up books, but it was kind of mundane in this book.

Thank you to Orbit and Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

This debut novel was a solid 4 star read for me, & it left me wanting the next book! It doesn’t end on a huge cliffhanger, but we are left with unanswered questions!

I was so intrigued by this story and the plot did not disappoint - I will say more came together at the beginning of the book and in the last 30% of the book than in the middle. I did feel a pace lag in the middle of the book which contributed to a 4 star read vs a 5 star read (for me). There were so many brilliant surprises towards the end of the novel. The plot and the magic system itself are both complex and intriguing, difficult to understand in a way that leaves you with questions about what’s happening next and how it works vs lack of clarity. I honestly cannot wait for the next one!

The characters are complex and all morally grey in their own ways. I find this makes them all much more relatable and really human. I don’t think I love one character over another, but I am interested in all their stories - it’s hard for most of the characters in a book to capture my attention, I usually have a couple favorites. Our FMC is a young, lost and chaotic young woman coming into her own and realizing her power. Following her story was heart wrenching, thrilling and anxiety inducing at the same time.

Even though this is the first novel of the series, we still got to see a bit more of the world. We got a taste of the lore and the deeper complexities towards the end of the first novel as well. I’m looking forward to the next books in this trilogy to get a better taste of the world!

The writing, for me, lended itself to the story very well & I truly enjoyed it. It wasn’t overly prose heavy or embellished, while still being immersive for me as a reader. Amazing for a debut author (but from what I understand she writes as part of her day job!) & I will definitely be checking out her other works as she writes more.

Overall, I had a great time reading this, though it felt a little slow in the middle and I took a bit longer to read through that portion. I will definitely be continuing this series & I’m looking forward to Book 2!