The Magicians' Guild - Trudi Canavan

Advantages: Great vivid world and culture created by the author.
Disadvantages: Long winded, some characters are under developed.

...a city called 'Imardin', in the country of 'Kyraelia.' Like majority of the citizens, Sonea was unfortunate enough to be brought up and live in the 'Slum'. The Slum is where 'normal' people lived and those who are not Magicians. It is a poor, ruthless, corrupted and daunting place to live in. Every year, the 'Magicians' are responsible for taking part in 'the purge'. This is an unpleasant task of clearing the streets in the Slum, such as getting ...
...parts to the society and are waste of space. Even though the people of the Slum hated this purge concept, there was not a lot they can do. Their weapons are defenceless against the mighty Magicians' power. The Magicians work incredibly well as a team and can magically produce an invisible shield to prevent them getting hurt by objects the Slum people would wish to throw at them. This is no surprise as to what the people of the Slum thinks of the ... Read review

Advantages: Engaging, magic and generally thriling...you could get lost in it easily
Disadvantages: None really to be honest.

...immediately going out to buy the rest of the series...and this was one of them. I started reading it and I just couldn't put it down. I'd never heard of Trudi Canavan before to be honest...but now if I see one of her books I'd buy it immediately. I was shocked to find that it's been in print for a good 2 years as I'd never heard of it before, it was flukey luck that I saw it on Waterstone's bookshelves...there appears to have been little or no advertising ...
...I thought was strange considering the quality...but that's life. Boring Details Title: The Magicians Guild Author: Trudi Canavan Illustration: Steve Stone Publisher: Orbit Paperback Price: £7.99 (although the price was exactly the same for hardback if anyone's interested - it's just I find that they take up too much room in my already bulging bookshelves.) Pages: 480 ISBN: 1-84149-313-9 Category: Fantasy Series: A trilogy; other two books ... Read review

Advantages: Very easy to read, good for both novices to the genre and those with a little more 'refined taste'
Disadvantages: you will find it hard to tear yourself away.

Set in the city of Imardin within the land of Kyralia, the story centers on a young girl called Sonea and her rise from the slums to acceptance within the magicians guild. Cut off from her aunt and uncle in the press of poor people trying to escape the yearly purge of the city, Sonea learns that some old friends may be in trouble and goes to warn them. In doing so she becomes caught up in their less than peaceful protest at being driven from their ...
...them in throwing stones at the magicians - usually a useless gesture since they are warded against physical attack, but none are more surprised than she when her stone knocks her intended target to the ground. This sets off a massive manhunt for the untrained magician loose in the slums because if she is not found and taught to control her newly discovered power she could destroy not just herself but take half the city with her when she goes. The ... Read review

Advantages: Absolutley amazing book, brillant storyline, you actually fall in love with the characters
Disadvantages: The start is a bit boring

...lucky enough to live in the North Quarter of the slums in a stayhouse. However, no longer are they lucky, the King has ordered the packed stay houses to be emptied as they are 'unsafe'! Now Sonea and her Aunt and Uncle have to find somewhere else to live! After being sent by her aunt to find a place sonea overhears a plan to trap a gang, the gang she used to belong to, the gang who try to move against the purge! The purge happens once a year when ...
...by the magicians. However Sonea knows that the purge only forces the poor out of the city! Sonea heads to help her friends and warn them of the trap. Little does she know that she will end up becoming involved in the fight against the purge! After bumping into her friends Cery and Harrin from the gang she is pulled into the fight. She becomes angry at the guild for causing her family to be forced out and picks up a stone. What can a slum girl do ... Read review

Advantages: Charaters, pace, plot
Disadvantages: strictly fantasy

The 'Magician's Guild' is the first book in a superb trilogy by Trudi Canavan. The story starts with the magicians of Imardin, in Kyralia, attempting to purge the slum areas of the city. It is here that the main character, Sonea, is first noticed by the guild and quickly becomes their main priority. After becoming involved with the crowd, Sonea releases her anger by throwing stones along with her fellows at the shielded magicians. Yet the unthinkable ...
...hits her target squarely on the temple. Thus the incident provokes a city wide manhunt for the rogue magician, as, if the power within her is left untrained then she could well be a danger to herself and to the whole of Imardin. Canavan's writing style is very engrossing and the characters are well written. The world she creates becomes wholly believable, with plot turns and character interaction adding to the lively pace of the novel. All this ... Read review