Review – The New Magic by Joseph Malik
Another gift from Netgalley (as most of my next four or five reviews will be), and like The Burning Stone, this one has a caveat – this time it’s a sequel. However, unlike Jack Whyte’s latest, I never felt I missed anything by not having read the previous novel. This, as you may or may not know, is one of my favourite things. No info barfing, no catc
h-up chapters, nothing. There is some inference to the previous novel, but the author doesn’t give you any reason to stop reading and grab the first one – this is a self-contained story in its own right. I have little doubt though, that many who read this book will want to read the first in the series too. Why? Well, it was a good story and fun.
The premise is a group of people from earth have been transported to a slightly alien world, which is more like a medieval mythological setting. Sounds like Lit-RPG? It does, but it technically isn’t, and there’s no reams of combat stats to irk non Lit-RPG fans – it’s more like Sword & Sorcery. The humans are an interesting bunch, sword aficionados and martial arts experts, they are former stuntmen, athletes and MMA fighters, the kind of people the new world needs as it progresses.
The main character, Jarrod Torrealday, has become a knight and a spy in his new role, and also protector to a princess who doesn’t necessarily need it. He is “forced” into a situation where he has to make life and death choices to survive as a “hero.” But these guys are not heroes, not soldiers, just regular guys who are okay with punching the crap out of people, but killing them is another matter.
Jarrod struggles with his choices – the world he now resides in has a code of honour in war – but those days are changing, and killing villagers just because they live under the wrong banner is becoming a thing. Jarrod has to balance making interim life and death choices with a view to saving the world in its entirety., and you feel for him as he struggles.
This all sounds very grim, and at times it is, but Jarrod is a fun hero. He has a strong moral code, but he’s also sarcastic, irreverent and his jaded wit will win you over. There’s a ton of earth-specific jokes among the “earthlings” that goes over the head of their new country-folk, and the author adds famous historical quotes at the start of each chapter that wouldn’t sit well in a standard fantasy.
Finally, this could be called sword-porn. The author loves his medieval weaponry (and armour), and goes into great detail on every item, and writes with the attention to detail that can only come from an enthusiast.
This was enjoyable, and a relatively quick read for nearly 400 pages. There is something for nearly everyone in here.
A fine 4/5 stars.
