Set in Imardin, a city with a rigidly demarcated class system, The Magicians' Guild is the story of Sonea, a slum-dweller who develops magical powers despite the fact that such abilities had always been considered the preserve of the upper classes.

As a consequence she becomes a pawn in a power-struggle between organised crime, represented by the Thieves,whose tunnels and hidden highways criss-cross the city, and conflicting elements within the high-minded and aristocratic Magicians'Guild, whose principle concern is defence of the status quo.

In the working out of this struggle Sonea inadvertently uncovers a terrible truth about the leader of the Magician's Guild, one that is unknown even to its most elite members. This dark secret is the premise upon which the next book in this highly-successful trilogy is based.

There is nothing strikingly original about this book. All the elements here can be found in other novels of the genre. Nevertheless, Trudi Canavan creates a detailed imaginary world, strong characters and a driving plot, all of which adds up to an engaging and enjoyable read.