Thief's Magic by Trudi Canavan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I wavered between 3 and 5 stars with this book, almost always at different sections. It's told from the perspective of two protagonists, Tyen and Rielle, who are on different worlds with the same magic system basis. Canavan is attempting something more epic than her previous works and with some pretty solid success. While both of the lead characters' stories were complete for a "first in a series" book, Canavan lays down some tantalizing hints of the larger mechanics and mythology of this universe.
Tyen's story, which kicks off the book, was attention grabbing but flagged for me through the middle of the book. I had to keep reminding myself that Canavan is not a "more than meets the eye" kind of writer; there are no sudden reversals or "why didn't I see that?!" moments. The story relies heavily on your sympathy with the protagonists, which was somewhat weak for me in Tyen's sections. Rielle, on the other hand, was interesting throughout (the 5 star sections were exclusively hers). I did enjoy the secondary characters in both storylines; Canavan's cast is full of individuals, not Examples of a Type. The contrast amongst the priests of Rielle's world were particularly good.
Definitely looking forward to the follow ups. Recommended for Canavan's fans and readers looking for a new, solid epic fantasy series.
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