Guild Mage: Apprentice

Guild Mage, Book 1

De: David Niemitz

Narrado por: Kristin James, Fajer Al-Kaisi

There are a lot of things wrong with Liv Brodbeck.

She's too small, for one thing. When she works in the castle kitchens with her mother, she can't carry a sack of flour or roll a keg of ale. Baron Summerset's chirurgeon says that she has brittle bones, so she isn't allowed to wrestle or sword fight with the other children. Even sledding downhill in the winter brings the risk of breaking an arm or a leg if she falls. Everyone says that she ruined her mother's life when she was born. Not when they think Liv is in the room, of course, but she overhears all the same. In the kitchen of a less kind lord, a cook bearing a bastard child would have been more than cause enough for both of them to be out on the street. No, a child like Liv doesn't have much hope. But when she accidentally unleashes a surge of wild magic, she takes her first step on a journey which will lead her from the kitchens of Castle Whitehill, to the cold palaces of the Eld, and beyond, to the graves of gods...

©2025 David Niemitz (P)2025 Podium Audio

The character development

This book was very enjoyable. I almost couldn't lay it down. it was fun. I found that it surprised me.

Incredible world

Everything about the world seemed natural. Completely unlike many prog fantasy books eschew world building in favor of the next big spike, even if it makes no sense. 10/10 would recommend

Skillful storytelling

The author blends an encyclopedic knowledge of aspects of culture, horticulture, culinary and clothing styles and more. His descriptions of people and events are vivid and unexpected on every page. The writing is cinematic on every level.

Seems interesting enough.

The mc is a long lived half elf and the story seems to be leading to her meeting her father and family. Theirs action and so far she is learning magic. Though her long lived age seems to make her age slow, she seems to be the age of a thirteen year old even though she is thirty.

A nice, enjoyable listen, not too fast-paced

I enjoyed this book, I will add the next one to my wish list but will not immediately buy it, the books I listen to normally are more fast-paced. I think the story structure and pacing fit it well, I'm not saying it should be more fast-paced or is slow.