Freezing mid-step, I stared in disbelief. There, standing very calmly in front of me, was a Gardener. Copying what I’d seen Garth do, I slowly sank to one knee and held out a hand. “Riicshaden,” he hailed in a surprisingly deep and clear voice, “I greet you.” “Well met,” I responded shakily. Busted buckets, his voice and presence in my head was overwhelming. How had Garth done this? And several times to boot! “We have a task for you.” “Ahhh…” It was probably stupid, but I felt compelled to ask anyway. “You sure you want me? Not Garth?” “We have a task for you,” he repeated patiently, a twinkle in his eye. “A young Weather Mage has awakened in Chahir.” A thrill of pure joy and relief shot through me. A Weather Mage. A Weather Mage! YES! I’d feared I’d never hear that another would live. “You are relieved to hear this.” “I am,” I admitted, probably uselessly as he could feel everything I felt. “Chahir just doesn’t look right to me.” “The land is not as it should be. We awakened a mage and have given her the task of restoring the land.” “Wait, you said ‘her.’ The new Weather Mage is a girl?” “Yes. She is lost. We task you, Riicshaden. You must find her. You must protect her. She is very precious and if she dies, there will not be another to replace her.”
Ever since I was a toddler, I have been making up stories. I’d entertain anyone willing to listen to my wild fantasies about unicorns and gargoyles and amazing people. At 13, I started writing the stories down. At 23, I finished the first book that was, in my opinion, good enough to publish.
I spent three years trying to publish my book, Jaunten, the old fashioned way. The problem was my story was outside of the norm for young adult fantasy – it didn’t have vampires or the supernatural in it, it was clean enough to earn a PG rating, and there wasn’t any dark overlord to defeat. No literary agent would pick it up because it didn’t fit the “fantasy formula” that all of the popular books did.
I put the idea of having my book published off to the side for a while as I finished a Bachelors in English at Middle Tennessee State University. But as I worked on my third degree, the idea of being published came back to me. This time, while working as a paralegal, I had a better grasp of the laws involved of doing self-publishing. For six months, I did a great deal of research in how to do self-publishing the debt-free way.
It was hard. I was working full time, going to school full time, and living on my own. I never really had a break. I was always working on something. At times I felt like my brain would just go into meltdown from having to learn so many different things to make my idea work.
After six months, I thought I knew enough to publish myself. I put Jaunten out as an ebook, created a website and forum so that fans could communicate with me, and spread the word as best I could. Within three months, I was selling internationally. Within six months, I was making enough to quit my day job and sit at home, writing full time.
After six months of writing, publishing, and building up a reputation, I started to be approached by other people wanting to emulate what I did. I soon realized that there was a niche out there waiting for me to fill it—a place where original fiction could be published and released into the world. As of February 2012, I started my own publishing house, called Raconteur House. Since that point I have signed on four additional authors (not including yours truly) and am attracting more in a steady stream.
I have continued to write and publish the rest of the series through my House. When I’m not writing or editing, I like to go out into the community and give presentations of how to be an author. It’s actually really fun to talk to all of these people who want to be authors. Most people think that you can’t make any money being an author—actually, you can. And you can do quite well. It’s just a matter of working really hard, having a little talent, and knowing how to market your books. All I’m doing with these presentations is giving people the know-how to make their dreams come true.
While it’s true that you don’t need a college education to be an author, I encourage everyone to be as educated as possible. I have a lot of experience and education that most people don’t, and that’s what gives me an edge in writing. I’ve lived in places as obscure as Tehachapi, California and other places as large as Salt Lake City, Utah. I hold three different college degrees. I practice two different martial arts. I think I’ve tried every life experience that came my direction. All of that is incorporated into my books, and that’s what gives reality to my worlds and characters.
Even if I abruptly stop selling books tomorrow—which I don’t see happening—I would still continue to write. Creating characters and worlds is that much fun. Once you start, you become quickly addicted.
Honor is one of my favorite authors in the genre of YA fantasy. This can be seen as a very lazy thing I am doing here but I am reviewing the series as a whole. The reason is that I would be constantly repeating myself book by book and it makes more sense to me to write about it here as I have seen the first four advent mage books reach some conclusions of the arc of Garth. I have also read book 5, "Dragon's Mage", and now will continue with "Warlords Rising" to see how the rest of the prophecy arc unfolds with Trev and Nolan.
Like all of Honor's books, this one does not disappoint in strong world building, very strong characters, and a solid magic system that is easy to understand. While I still can't tell you the differences between wizards and mages, it really doesn't matter. I will tell you what does matter to me and why Honor continues to be my favorite author for YA fantasy.
Ethics. That is the most important thing I look for in a book I would read to a child or recommend to a teen/preteen. Ethics is a broad topic and Honor covers it well without lengthy exposition. She handles gender and racial equality, animal rights, and actions and consequence smoothly and without a heavy hand. She doesn't dive deep into social inequality that can be a focal point for a lot of YA plots (ex: poor orphan grows up to be a powerful wizard ala Harry, Kvothe, kids of Narnia, etc). But even here, where young magically gifted kids are being systematically hunted and even killed due to a political dogma in one of the two major countries, well...yea I guess that does cover it.
I could ramble on about this but I'll try to sum it up.
Actions have consequences. The very heart of this series is about this topic. From the broad sweep of a war 200 years ago to drive out or kill off a certain type of people and how it changed the very nature of the land mass and weather patterns. How this scarred the land, the people, and shaped the political and very heart of the people. To a more elemental view of action/consequence of fire, earth, water..how each can be a tool oe a weapon, depending on the moral compass and intent of the person holding the weapon. Be this a fire mage or an arsonist. On a personal level how the actions of a 14 yr old boy defending his family affected his life and the lives of his friends and family years later. And the smallest of all, a sweet mischievous animal who unlocks a puzzle people couldn't solve simple because Didi likes shiny string.
The females are just as important to this world as the men. There is not a place where Honor could not have tweaked a character and changed their gender with little to no major rework. For example, Roarke is an egotistical brat of a wizard but he could easily have been an egotistical brat witch.
The magically gifted are, of course, "special". Much of the humor in the first books is due to the celebrity Garth has due to his awakening mage powers after 200 yrs of no magic in his country. What stood out to me early is that unlike a lot of books where the "special" are just simply surrounded by supporting cast, this doesn't happen here. Teamwork is always a strong message, even if you may not be thrilled with who you are paired with. Garth, Becca, Khyrs, Nolan and company would not be as effective without their NON MAGICALLY gifted friends and family! Xio and Shad for example. All of the Red Hand. The Jaunten. They were given as much importance as any mage, witch or wizard. There are no muggles here. The blacksmith has a very important part to play, as do the Kings. Everyone has a key part to play.
Last, my favorite thing about her characters: the non human. Animals (for the most part). From sentient animal familiars to the Jaunten animals, they are simply some of the best and most interesting characters in the series. She has done this in other books. I find that I want to know more about Tail, Cloud, Didi, and Kara than I do about some of the people. I admit that Shad gets on my last nerve but I absolutely adore the interaction between him and Tail. And I can't wait to see how that plays out next as Becca's familiar. Just like Baby and Big in the artifactor series, I fell deeply in love with the animals here.
While the characters are somewhat polarized along the lines of good and bad, I find that to be good for this type of book and for this targeted audience. Only a few times I felt a character did something completely out of their moral ethical code. The destruction of the towers in DM was something that did not sit well with me. I was thinking why did Garth not come and take those Towers away because they obviously were there for a reason and were old and important?? To see them destructed so happily did not feel right to me. But that happens so infrequently in her books that I mention it here! Because it bothers me and I want to know why the towers were there! lol
I enjoyed this series as an adult and I appreciate the ability to have sweet romance and hpe without the graphic content that sometimes accompanies that, even in YA books. I know when I hand my 8 year old niece a book by Honor, I know what basic principles she'll be reading about. There will be strong women who do not have to depend on sexuality to do or get anything. But love snd family are important to both the men and women. I know that the characters will have consequences to their actions and they will learn through the emotional process of dealing with them. I know that the animals will be a delight and be treated as valued companions.
And oh yea, it will be a fantastic and fun adventure!
(Dear Santa, busted buckets! Please bring me a flying cat. Xoxo)
2022 bk 147. Shaden finally gets his own novel. When you are locked in a crystal for over 100 years - it can take time to find your place in a world kind of new to you, but at the same time slightly familiar. Sure, Shaden has made friends, one in particular, but before taking up his new job at the academy, the Gardeners give him a mission of his own. A weather mage has appeared, a type thought lost forever. Now Shaden is in a race against the remnants of the Star order to locate the young mage and take her to safety. Excellent adventure!
Violence: Mild. Some fighting, but mostly running away.
Sexual: Mild. Kissing, affectionate cuddles but not steamy.
This second spin off from the Advent Mage series follows Shad, the adrenaline junkie on a mission given to him by one of the Gardeners to find a new weather mage.
Can I just say, Shad is so entertaining? He's so impulsive and barges right into things it's amazing he made it into adulthood. Seeing the shift here, and how he, after two years, sees that he needs to decide what he wants from his life, was really satisfying.
And Tail. That entire scene made me literally LOL and I had a hand over my mouth cackling at 2 am while reading it. My funny bone was severely tickled by the entire thing.
The story itself doesn't have much by way of conflict, and what conflict is there is readily overcome, but in a decidedly entertaining way (again, Shad). It just felt rather abrupt in a lot of ways and more of a bridge to the sequel series than it's own story.
I did, however, still enjoy the shenanigans. This is a cozy/humor read.
Riicshaden is a man out of synch with his time. Locked in a healing crystal near the end of the Mage Wars, it wasn’t until the Advent Mage came to his home province, that Shad rejoined the living. Two hundred years changed much of the country he remembered, but his skills, as always, make a place for him.
Now, Shad is given a mission - find and protect the newly awakened Weather Mage, or she will be the last of her kind. It’s a task well suited to his abilities, but as a master prankster, Shad has a couple of run ins with Karma.
At the start of his journey, Shad turns an alley cat and then his horse, Jauntan. Kinda hard to be stealthy when one has white hair, riding a white horse, with a white cat riding the hors’s rump. Did I mention, this magelet is in the southernmost part of Chahir, where there are still Star Order priests in authority?
Shad was the only person who remembered there should have been weather mages. This is the story of how he became guardian to the new weather mage that the gardeners have awoken. He must bring her safely to the academy so that she may learn how to use her magic. In doing so he just might learn what it means to have his own family again. This book is a delightful combination of adventure and the emotional renewal of a man who was trapped for 200 years inside a healing crystal only to have been released to a strange new world that he has struggled to find his own unique niche in that isn’t just duty but meaningful on a personal level. It is a highly emotive touching journey. This soldier is far more than his surface appearance.
One thing keeps me from giving this book five stars
This story is wonderfully written, the characters strong and engaging, the plot and storyline line up with the previous books, but there's one thing that really loses me. This book, the whole series really, reinforces some harmful gender stereotypes.
While the female characters are stronger than in a historical romance, because they can win fights, they are often relegated to the kitchen or shopping. At one point, Shad says that all women are good at paperwork. It's a false narrative and harmful. Not every person of any gender is good at certain things, and trotting out these tired generalities isn't good for anything, especially not these stories.
This book was delightful and seeing Shad get his turn in the spotlight was well deserved. Whilst not a mage he makes a wonderful addition to the book and has skills that are sorely needed. So when a gardener steps in and asks him to be rescuer and guardian he doesn't hesitate to step up. Finding himself in the south, where prejudice to magic is still running rife, Shad has a difficult job on his hands. Becca is a delight and added a new dimension to the story. All in all I really enjoyed this addition to the world and look forward to more.
I truly enjoyed this one in the many running books of this set/series/spin-offs (whatever it is at this point.) I really liked Shad from the moment he was introduced as a co-character. I was actually disappointed when he was painted as more of an ass than necessary in one of the the previous books. Glad to see he got his own write-up. Now I’m curious as to whether Becca will be featured in an upcoming book, or if this is coming to an end, as it keeps being pointed out.
Not since Heinlein have I enjoyed the repartee amongst the characters and especially in the main character's head. There was adventure; there was drama, and romance and warm-hearted friendships and cats. There were absolutely unique and unexpected twists in the storyline. Yep. A great read. The other 6 books books were good, too, and a most excellent lead up to this one.
The gardeners knew it was important to protect the last weather mage, but they activated her powers when her protector was a continent away. They also knew exactly where she was, but gave him no real guidance on how to get there; just trusting to luck that he would find her in time. Also, the story ended too abruptly. I would have preferred to see something of their life together as a family, but the book is all about the journey.
Luckily for readers, Raconteur has decided to add more stories, situated in the "Advent Mage" world. Also luckily for readers, she adds the stories as carefully as the original four books. I enjoyed the first four, but was almost disappointed when that epic came to an end. I look forward to reading more!
Enjoyed reading Shad's story. He's an interesting character to follow. I've gotta say Aletha is amazing to be able to put up with Shad. They make a cute and fun couple. Also looking forward to reading Becca's story which luckily for me is already loaded on my kindle. Recommended? Yes Buy/Borrow? Either Or
I have been steadily reading through all of Honor Raconteur's series and loving the people i have met and wishing that i was a magic user in any of her worlds. I especially enjoyed the love stories that are immersed in the magic. The only thing i don't like...in fact, actively despise...is coming to the end of any series. I could read any of them forever.
While the story is about Becca's trip to Strae Academy,it is also about Shadd's inability to stay out of trouble and his knack for making trouble into a good thing.
Ok I admit to absolutely loving a wrap up book! Spin off whatever you want to call it, where we get that little extra more from characters you have already fallen in love with. Hurray for Shad and Aletha!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
A good read best enjoyed while in doors and its winter and the Windows rattle Like l did good tale like all in this series the best escapism and you feel it Can take you away and time passes just a great book !
This book didn’t have the sense of adventure that previous books contained. However, it was still a good story about Shad and his future. It is a few years past the events of the last book.
I enjoyed learning more about Shad. Him beating people up with a ladle was funny. I liked how this book had a steady supply of action, unlike the book about Krys.
More adventures in the Advent Mage series. Some new characters along with some previous ones. I'm really loving this series as a whole. They're fun and enjoyable.