The Novice

By: Taran Matharu

Narrated by: Ralph Lister

Length: 11 hrs and 17 mins

Publisher's Summary

He can summon demons. But can he win a war?

Fletcher is working as a blacksmith's apprentice when he discovers he has the rare ability to summon demons from another world. Chased from his village for a crime he did not commit, Fletcher must travel with his demon, Ignatius, to an academy for adepts, where the gifted are taught the art of summoning.

Along with nobles and commoners, Fletcher endures grueling lessons that will prepare him to serve as a Battlemage in the Empire's war against the savage Orcs. But sinister forces infect new friendships and rivalries grow. With no one but Ignatius by his side, Fletcher must decide where his loyalties lie. The fate of the Empire is in his hands.

©2015 Taran Matharu (P)2017 Audible, Inc.

A solid average work of art

I found after chapter one that I was certainly not going to like the narrator, Ralph Lister. The content of the book however was very fun. A unique world that had a few elements I love such as: A magic school with rival competition, magical creatures that need to be captured and leveled up, and a protagonist who starts low-born with nothing who must rise above the status quo and overcome problems.

However, the actual execution of the story is where I had a lot of displeasure. The author might be young or new? The writing wasn't the worst thing I have ever read but it was certainly not the best. I would have to say the way the book is written is plainly average.

This book is not something I would recommend to someone, UNLESS they have already read a lot of my normal recommendations. AND they extremely enjoy books about magic school, Pokémon like pets, and teenage level war, love, and intrigue.

5 of 5 people found this review helpful

very good listen

some books cover the tropes you love and cover them well.
this is one of those books. a few small twists on the traditional fantasy works. enough to make the world feel good and unique, but not so much it feels strained.

9 of 10 people found this review helpful

Entertaining but not art

First you need to understand that I tend to be a tough reviewer who hardly ever rates a book a five. I think fives are for masterworks that years later you can remember and discuss with someone in a random conversation if a friend mentions the book or the author. Fours are for really good books. Threes are for books that were entertaining at the time but I won't remember the story line or characters a year later when I see the books cover in my library. This book is like a cross between Harry Potter and Pokémon. It has all the usual races of elf, dwarf, human and monsters. It was an easy listen and entertaining all the way around, but I would not consider it a work of art. The book comes to an actual conclusion of sorts so you don't feel ripped of by absolutely having to buy the next book in the series. I am growing Tired of books in a series that cannot be read as a stand alone story. The sequence of occurrences in the book seem Jammed together in a few places because the relationships tend to make jumps that would clearly take more time to develop than the author allowed. The time training is sketchy compared to mastery of skills as well. This is a lighthearted listen and worth the credit and time to listen but I would recommend it to a younger audience than the 50 year old man I am.

26 of 32 people found this review helpful

Very predictable, good narration

Any additional comments?

The positives = good story, some interesting magic tweaks, interesting characters. The bad = very predictable story, rushed ending, poor ending, character growth not consistent. I did binge listen to the story, which does highlight some things. The beginning is interesting and engaging. The fight scenes are not well done, I never got a feel for things. The ending was complete marketing, and poorly done. The narration does help this book though, and I think I will be searching for more of Ralph's work.

I don't think I will be getting the second in the series, unless I am looking for a time waster book + a spare credit.

8 of 10 people found this review helpful

This story read like an episode of Pokémon.

The villains in this story were cheesy to the point of comedic. If they were just evil, they were mustache-twisting enemies. If they were nobles, they were just 2 dimensionally arrogant and smug beyond all reason. The main character had two kills and a wealth of survival experience under his belt, but can't muster enough confidence to ignore the chattering of children. It boggles the mind.

12 of 16 people found this review helpful

Book 1 of 3

I read all 3 books. The trilogy is okay. Give it a try if you like epic fantasy told in 3rd person featuring teenage protagonists (humans, dwarfs, and an elf) and endearingly loyal domesticated demons, including canids, griffins and salamanders. See my review of book 3 for more details.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

A great book/series. But forgettable.

What did you love best about The Novice?

The novice is an excellent start to a decent series. Fletcher is a likable if not slightly cliche character that is easy to get invested in and root for. The other characters are also fairly likable, however, I felt that several character relationships were fairly rushed. Often times Fletcher will be agonizing over the misfortunes of another character, thinking of them as someone dear to him, when to the reader it feels like he just met them 15 minutes earlier.

Which character – as performed by Ralph Lister – was your favorite?

Ralph Lister had a great performance here. He does a decent enough dwarven scottish accent. I also found it easy to identify who was speaking due to his excellent range of voices.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Fletchers relationship with his foster father genuinly makes you feel. It was a well written emotional storyline between the two of them. I can't say much more without spoilers.

Any additional comments?

I've finished the series as of the day I'm writing this.

The Summoners is a good start for a young and inexperienced author. His inexperience showcases here slightly in the form of what I felt was a mildly rushed storyline. I definitely felt there was room for another 3-5 hours of book in each installment.

However, the series showcases some memorable characters, and an interesting magic system that reminds me of Pokemon combined with Magic the Gathering. Being that the series is so short, I definitely recommend it as it was well worth the 30 so hours it takes to complete the whole trilogy.

No specific spoilers but I'm going to talk briefly about the end of the series below here. You've been warned!


I felt that the end was slightly disappointing. Matharu ends the series in a way that leaves you with a great many questions. There are plenty of loose ends particularly with words left unspoken between characters. It almost feels as though Matharu gave closure to half of the characters and then forgot about the rest of them.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Amazing

There's nothing I didn't like this book was amazing I recommend this read and the other books because if this one is good the others are going to be great too. I like this book had a proper bad guy in rook

3 of 4 people found this review helpful

Pokémon with demons

Just felt like i was reading a Pokémon story. Why use Shakespeare character names and names of real world figures as character names. It irritated me a lot, and I felt it messed with my ability to connect with the character. If you like teen fantasy, Pokémon and angry school teachers, you might enjoy this one. I didn't. The narrator did a good job though.

3 of 4 people found this review helpful

JUMPING JELLY BABIES

What did you love best about The Novice?

The storyline was amazing.

Who was your favorite character and why?

I didn't have just one favorite character, I guess that was why I enjoyed this book so much. Each of the characters was well written.

Have you listened to any of Ralph Lister’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I've never listened to Ralph Lister before, BUT I WILL BE!

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Demons aren't the worst thing in the world.

Any additional comments?

I'll be listening to the other books soon. Can't wait to see how it turns out.

2 of 3 people found this review helpful