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Starship’s Mage #0.1
Starship's Mage: Episode 1
Starship’s Mage is a serialized adventure set in a future we would never have predicted: where humanity’s far flung interstellar colonies are tied together by the Protectorate of the Mage King of Mars and the magic of the Jump Mages.
Damien Montgomery is a newly-trained member of this elite order. Unable to find a ship to take him on, he joins the crew of a freighter as desperate as he is – without looking hard enough at why they’re desperate.
Thus begins an adventure that will take him to the edges of known space and to the limits of his own magic.
Episode 2 is targeted for release in March of 2014.
Damien Montgomery is a newly-trained member of this elite order. Unable to find a ship to take him on, he joins the crew of a freighter as desperate as he is – without looking hard enough at why they’re desperate.
Thus begins an adventure that will take him to the edges of known space and to the limits of his own magic.
Episode 2 is targeted for release in March of 2014.
63 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 15, 2013
20 people are currently reading
1205 people want to read
About the author
Glynn Stewart
116 books1,749 followersGlynn Stewart is the author of over 60 books, including Starship’s Mage, a bestselling science fiction and fantasy series where faster-than-light travel is possible–but only because of magic.
Writing managed to liberate Glynn from a bleak future as an accountant. With his personality and hope for a high-tech future intact, he lives in Southern Ontario with his partner, their cats, and an unstoppable writing habit.
Writing managed to liberate Glynn from a bleak future as an accountant. With his personality and hope for a high-tech future intact, he lives in Southern Ontario with his partner, their cats, and an unstoppable writing habit.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
March 27, 2022
I would not recommend this book to my friends, not because there's anything immediately wrong about it, but because the series is just kinda... bleh.
There are two shortcoming I can actually point to. The first is that the episodic structure ends up taking away from the story as a whole; there seems to be little of an overarching "plot" or "movement" to the series. While reading the first few episodes, I was struck by how off-the-cuff the story seemed, as if Glynn Stewart were just sort of aimlessly wandering about on the page (and not in a good way). The second, and much bigger issue, is that during each episode it almost felt like Glynn Stewart was slowing DOWN the story with fluff writing. We were introduced to non-returning characters and places in painful detail. Unimportant events were treated with the same emphasis as important ones, which only convinced me that NONE of them were important. (And between you and me, even the returning characters are pretty bland.)
So I return to my original stance: the problem in Starship's Mage isn't what Glynn Stewart does, it's in what he doesn't do–there's just a lack of something crucial in the series, some soul that you only notice when it's gone.
Also, case in point about the whole "writing about what's not important" thing: Glynn Stewart will NOT stop talking about freaking gravity. He talks about the artificial gravity of every ship he introduces, and I really can't handle it.
There are two shortcoming I can actually point to. The first is that the episodic structure ends up taking away from the story as a whole; there seems to be little of an overarching "plot" or "movement" to the series. While reading the first few episodes, I was struck by how off-the-cuff the story seemed, as if Glynn Stewart were just sort of aimlessly wandering about on the page (and not in a good way). The second, and much bigger issue, is that during each episode it almost felt like Glynn Stewart was slowing DOWN the story with fluff writing. We were introduced to non-returning characters and places in painful detail. Unimportant events were treated with the same emphasis as important ones, which only convinced me that NONE of them were important. (And between you and me, even the returning characters are pretty bland.)
So I return to my original stance: the problem in Starship's Mage isn't what Glynn Stewart does, it's in what he doesn't do–there's just a lack of something crucial in the series, some soul that you only notice when it's gone.
Also, case in point about the whole "writing about what's not important" thing: Glynn Stewart will NOT stop talking about freaking gravity. He talks about the artificial gravity of every ship he introduces, and I really can't handle it.
February 17, 2015
I enjoyed this novella. The author uses magic to get around the one big problem in interstellar space opera: FTL. I didn't expect anything else from the magic (but it was hinted at in the beginning of this tale). I want the story to be longer ... and it is. So I went ahead on the basis of this read, and purchased the Omnibus edition, which includes all five episodes in the tale. That's a good enough recommedation, eh? I read the free (at the time I got it) teaser novella, and it was good enough to pry some money away from me. Recommended.
April 3, 2021
Reviewed in the omnibus:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
December 12, 2014
Well written and clear and an interesting concept of mixing science and magic but otherwise lacking much in everything else.
One thing I don't really like is the heavy use of unnecessary exposition. There are paragraph after paragraph of stuff that has no relevance whatsoever at the moment. I plod through, but I'm really annoyed that most of the writings is worthless.
It continue to plod through even as things get exciting. The final events actually felt disappointing after all the words that I had to plod though. It isn't that all rewarding.
And the characters are on the uninteresting side. For such a fantastical world, the most interesting character I found is the receptionist in a fetching skirt. I would gladly know more about her that everyone else. It might be because everyone else feel cold and emotionless while the receptionist at least is cheerful. Add that with long expositions, you are apt to hate them instead.
And what is the smell of fused hydrogen? Did anyone know? I thought hydrogen has no smell, fused or otherwise.
Overall, a very promising start but is heavy and bloated with exposition that would probably make it unattractive to many readers. Many would have stop reading it after a few paragraphs. The bland characters also doesn't make it much more appealing. Still, the setting and concept has a lot of promise for the readers who does make it through.
One thing I don't really like is the heavy use of unnecessary exposition. There are paragraph after paragraph of stuff that has no relevance whatsoever at the moment. I plod through, but I'm really annoyed that most of the writings is worthless.
It continue to plod through even as things get exciting. The final events actually felt disappointing after all the words that I had to plod though. It isn't that all rewarding.
And the characters are on the uninteresting side. For such a fantastical world, the most interesting character I found is the receptionist in a fetching skirt. I would gladly know more about her that everyone else. It might be because everyone else feel cold and emotionless while the receptionist at least is cheerful. Add that with long expositions, you are apt to hate them instead.
And what is the smell of fused hydrogen? Did anyone know? I thought hydrogen has no smell, fused or otherwise.
Overall, a very promising start but is heavy and bloated with exposition that would probably make it unattractive to many readers. Many would have stop reading it after a few paragraphs. The bland characters also doesn't make it much more appealing. Still, the setting and concept has a lot of promise for the readers who does make it through.
February 1, 2017
Magic and spaceships, who would have thought, right?
I didn't go into the first instalment of this serial (now a book) expecting much, it was one of the numerous freebies I'd sucked into my Kindle after all, but it was good. Like, stay up way too late to finish it and then buy the novel (that's right, lay down cold hard cash) GOOD.
The story's fun, full of action and well worth staying up late for. What I really liked however, was the world Stewart created and how he wove magic and science together in a seamless whole.
It's the small touches, the limitations placed not just in magic but science that make it work, like how mages can propel ships through space but artificial gravity can only be achieved through centrifugal force (aka. making part of the ship spin). That's hard sci-fi right there and offsetting it with a little bit of fantasy was oh-so-simple and yet pure genius.
I'm in awe, and Stewart, you may consider my mind blown. Plus, I am so stealing that trick.
I didn't go into the first instalment of this serial (now a book) expecting much, it was one of the numerous freebies I'd sucked into my Kindle after all, but it was good. Like, stay up way too late to finish it and then buy the novel (that's right, lay down cold hard cash) GOOD.
The story's fun, full of action and well worth staying up late for. What I really liked however, was the world Stewart created and how he wove magic and science together in a seamless whole.
It's the small touches, the limitations placed not just in magic but science that make it work, like how mages can propel ships through space but artificial gravity can only be achieved through centrifugal force (aka. making part of the ship spin). That's hard sci-fi right there and offsetting it with a little bit of fantasy was oh-so-simple and yet pure genius.
I'm in awe, and Stewart, you may consider my mind blown. Plus, I am so stealing that trick.
August 13, 2018
I received a copy of Starship’s Mage: Episode 1 in a sampler bundle through NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
When I first read the concept for this series I honestly wasn’t sure what to think. While I’ve read both science fiction and fantasy novels (quite a lot of them, actually), I haven’t read that many that blended the two. Certainly not in the way described here…but it works. It absolutely works.
It took me about a chapter or two to really get into the groove of things, but once I did I found myself devouring the pages, eagerly looking for the next bit of information. Before I knew it I had finished episode one. I think I would have read all the episodes at once, had I had them readily available.
For more reviews, check out Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks
When I first read the concept for this series I honestly wasn’t sure what to think. While I’ve read both science fiction and fantasy novels (quite a lot of them, actually), I haven’t read that many that blended the two. Certainly not in the way described here…but it works. It absolutely works.
It took me about a chapter or two to really get into the groove of things, but once I did I found myself devouring the pages, eagerly looking for the next bit of information. Before I knew it I had finished episode one. I think I would have read all the episodes at once, had I had them readily available.
For more reviews, check out Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks
January 15, 2015
Jump Mage
Montgomery was born with the gift. He could see the energy of the runes. He was frustrated that all positions were filled because others had family connections. His friend gave him a lead on a ship that recently fought some pirates and lost their ship's mage. He was hired on the spot. His close attention and inspection of the runes on the ship alerted him to some inconsistencies. The ship again ran into a pirates ship after Montgomery's first jump. His memory and quick thinking allowed him to rewrite some runes. The pirates didn't have a chance. The ship's mage saved the his vessel and the lives of those on the ship. Yay! I really enjoyed this book. I highly recommend it. This is definitely a good read.
Montgomery was born with the gift. He could see the energy of the runes. He was frustrated that all positions were filled because others had family connections. His friend gave him a lead on a ship that recently fought some pirates and lost their ship's mage. He was hired on the spot. His close attention and inspection of the runes on the ship alerted him to some inconsistencies. The ship again ran into a pirates ship after Montgomery's first jump. His memory and quick thinking allowed him to rewrite some runes. The pirates didn't have a chance. The ship's mage saved the his vessel and the lives of those on the ship. Yay! I really enjoyed this book. I highly recommend it. This is definitely a good read.
January 20, 2025
I really enjoyed this series of novellas- chapters, really. Intriuging world, where magic moves the starships, and there is a compact between the Mage King and the rest of society. This compact allows the mages to work for the good of the society while preventing the abuse of the mages' powers. One young man, a Mage by Right rather than Blood, breaks one of the mage laws out of necessity for the survival of his new ship. The ship ends up headed for the Fringe, to avoid the Protectorate and the law, but runs into trouble with the crime syndicate.
I could not put the book down until I finished it, the same for each of the following novellas. Looking forward to more adventures set in this universe.
I could not put the book down until I finished it, the same for each of the following novellas. Looking forward to more adventures set in this universe.
February 13, 2015
The concept is interesting. The series is easy to read and pretty light so it's accessible to youngster to read. note. The book is about 50 pages for 0.99$ at Amazon. in fact, the 5 books makes it a regular novel. so it end up 5$ for the series or for a straight 250 pages book.
worth reading! I will definitely read the new series coming this fall 2015.
worth reading! I will definitely read the new series coming this fall 2015.
September 7, 2015
Great read
I got this and started reading it and I could not put it down . I love space science fiction and then throw some magic in on top of that and you've got the making a of a great series. I bought the next 2 because I couldn't get the whole set deal . So if you can get the set , I'm going to read the next one in the series and I'll let you know how it goes.
I got this and started reading it and I could not put it down . I love space science fiction and then throw some magic in on top of that and you've got the making a of a great series. I bought the next 2 because I couldn't get the whole set deal . So if you can get the set , I'm going to read the next one in the series and I'll let you know how it goes.
December 23, 2014
Two core ideas merged...
Twisting magic to jump between stars. What an idea.
As this is more of a chapter then a book... I have no choice but to keep buying the next chapter.
Too short...
Twisting magic to jump between stars. What an idea.
As this is more of a chapter then a book... I have no choice but to keep buying the next chapter.
Too short...
January 27, 2015
Impressive magic system driving FTL interstellar travel
Very well done...a highly enjoyable start to this series of magically driven space technology, featuring a very likable and worthy protagonist. Highly. recommended.
Very well done...a highly enjoyable start to this series of magically driven space technology, featuring a very likable and worthy protagonist. Highly. recommended.
July 15, 2015
...So, a vaguely Traveller-ish setting of spaceship merchants and pirates and aristocracies and pew-pew lasers, but instead of handwavey science, the faster-than-light travel is provided by actual "yer a wizzard, 'arry!" magic? A mage on every starship?
Sure. I can roll with that.
Sure. I can roll with that.
May 18, 2017
The ideas are good and the worlds are interesting, but the characters don't get a chance to develop well. I was left wondering if I cared enough about the plot to see how the book ended, and 3 episodes in I decided to stop reading.
January 1, 2015
A quick easy read.
February 5, 2015
excellent!
I am joyed this very much. Excellent space descriptions and technical information about the ships. Like the characters so far. Will
I am joyed this very much. Excellent space descriptions and technical information about the ships. Like the characters so far. Will
March 5, 2021
The author has done a very good job on the universe building and character construction. The characters grow believably through this book (and the remainder of the series). The story line is enjoyable and enticed me to continue reading the series.
November 19, 2025
Not the best, but considering it's his first "popular" book over 10 years ago, I'll give some leeway given that there's 17 novels after his intro prequels. Besides, Dresden in an Expanse world, Yes! YES! and more please! I'm definitely the target audience haha
October 8, 2017
Quite interesting cosmopera with good composition of magic and tech.
Add quite easy to read for somebody without great skill in english.
Add quite easy to read for somebody without great skill in english.
March 23, 2018
A good page turner
March 24, 2018
Awesome
Starts off quickly then quickly gets its feet. Can’t wait for the rest. Best space/magic combo out there. Good characters.
Starts off quickly then quickly gets its feet. Can’t wait for the rest. Best space/magic combo out there. Good characters.
May 2, 2018
4.6⭐️. A very good start to a superior series. On to the next book.
August 16, 2018
Solid science fiction
Even if mobile power source is called mage work, feels like imperfectly understood science. Not very long but part of series.
Even if mobile power source is called mage work, feels like imperfectly understood science. Not very long but part of series.
December 30, 2018
read the omnibus version really enjoyed to continue now reading hand od mars kindle unlimited member
May 29, 2020
Review
I really liked this book. It has a great storyline and the antagonists are very realistic.Good plot. Way too short though.all in all a very pleasant read
I really liked this book. It has a great storyline and the antagonists are very realistic.Good plot. Way too short though.all in all a very pleasant read
March 9, 2023
Not a massive fan of the genre, but the premise has promise.
August 19, 2023
Didn't make it 20 pages. Didn't believe the culture/economy.
October 28, 2025
A fun blend of Science Fiction and Fantasy. A bit of thriller, a bit of mystery. And many books ahead of you!
October 20, 2016
good book neat premise
November 3, 2022
Beginning of a good series ... better to read the novels than the "episodes" that make up the novels. Less stop and start.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews