Fantasy series, coming of age, dark, scary. Boy from small village learns magic (becomes magician/ mage?), destined for big things, lives/ travels near sea coast with grumpy man/ magician. Cover: white, person wearing a cloak. Read late 1990s/early 2000s.

[Anneke]

Hi everyone,
I do not remember a lot about this book, but here goes...

When?
I read it about 10/15 years ago, so late 90s early 2000. The book might be older, I am not sure. It was in my parents library, and I do not remember if it was new or older back then.

Reading level?
YA, NA or adult

What is the story about?
As far as I remember it is the classic fantasy story line of a boy living in a small village who finds out he is destined for Big Things. In this case, he learns magic/or becomes a magician/mage (I think) and travels around (I suppose on a quest orso). It was the first book out of 2 (or maybe even more), the story was not really finished when the book was, there was still a larger quest ahead.
I think he traveled or lived close to the sea, maybe even in England or something similar. I think I remember (white) cliffs. And dreary weather/rain/storms. Or maybe I made that up...

What I remember is that I thought back then the book was quite dark, even scary and there was not a lot of fun, the main character did not seem to enjoy it a lot.

Genre?
Fantasy

Format?
paper back (i think).
What I remember most is the cover of the book: white with a cloaked figure on it. Seeing the books from Trudi Canavan (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...) and Brent Weeks (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...) triggered my memory.

So yeah, not very specific but who knows, maybe someone recognises this.

Thanks,
Anneke

*edit: I forgot to add, I am not sure whether I read it in English or in Dutch... so it may even be a Dutch book...

[Tab]

Do you remember where the story was set? On Earth, medieval Europe, another planet, etc?

Time period the story is set in?

Do you remember any other fantasy elements, like dragons, trolls, witches, etc?

[Anneke]

I think it may have been set in a fantasy land similar to Medieval Europe. I dont remember anything about the time. And unfortunatly very little else. I think there may have been a fight ending in a pile or dead orcs, but it might be from a different book... I'm sorry, I know that's very little extra info...
My sister thinks it could be Feists' Magician. I will read it and see if that is indeed the book

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

Anneke, are you still looking for this or did you find it?

[Sue]

Could it be 'Pawn of Prophecy', the first book of the Belgariad series by David Eddings?https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4... There are 5 books in the series, and five in the follow-up series The Mallorean.

[Macey]

One that I think it could be is Eragon by Christopher Paolini. The first one was published in 2002. It is about a farmer boy who finds a magical dragon egg. He does learn magic in like the 2 or 3 book. The cover isn't white, but maybe this helps.

[Kae]

The Charlie Bone series?

[El]

Eragon for Macey's suggestion

Charlie Bone series for Kimber's suggestion

[Anneke]

Thanks for your suggestions!
So far I haven't found it... maybe it is more a blend of a couple of different books that I remember instead of one specific one. I somehow only seem to be sure of the cover (a drawing of a hooded figure on a white background) but that of course is not much help.

I am pretty sure it is not Eragon. I've read that one years later and both the writing and story line are different from this mystery book.
I also don't think it was Pawn of Profecy, as we also had a copy of that book at home, and it had a different cover. I have started reading it years ago, but never really finished it. Could try it again to see if it was that book.
I dont know the Charlie Bone series, but the summary sounds very different from what I seem to remember about the book, so I think not.
And in the mean time I have read Feist's Magician, it was not that one either.

The other day I thought maybe it could have been Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb, but I don't think there is an edition of that book with a white cover? Also that book I read years later than the mystery book and if it was thesame book, I didn't make the connection.

[Annie]

The Innocent Mage by Karen Miller maybe?

[Julia]

Sue wrote: "Could it be 'Pawn of Prophecy', the first book of the Belgariad series by David Eddings?https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4... There are 5 books in the series, and five in the f..."

This was my guess... just finished the pentalogy.

[El]

The Innocent Mage for Annie's suggestion

[Anneke]

Thanks Annie, maybe it was the Innocent Mage. I remember looking at it before but I thought I was younger when I read the book (Innocent Mage was published in 2005). Although the summary doesn't really ring a bell, I do remember that there was a lot of coastal scenery in the book, so it could fit. I will try to read it and let you know!

[Kris]

Here's the Google Books preview of The Innocent Mage by Karen Miller - https://books.google.com/books?id=fRa...

[El]

A Wizard of Earthsea for POOO's suggestion

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

Still looking now?

[Anneke]

hi Lobstergirl, thanks for asking. I never found the book, and didn't recognise any of the suggestions above. I might just have mixed up several memories of different books, I don't know :-)

[Kris]

Thanks for the update, Anneke. I copied some book details to the topic header. Feel free to edit it.

Does the boy have companions?

How does he learn magic?

[Anneke]

ah yes, good question. I think he traveled with an adult man/magician, who teaches him magic along the way. I seem to recall he was grumpy and their relationship wasnt very good. And they were traveling along a coast line

[Josie]

El wrote: "A Wizard of Earthsea for POOO's suggestion"

Yes that's what I thought.

[Kris]

Google Books preview of A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin - El and Josie's suggestion:

https://books.google.com/books?id=FD7... There are different cover images.

[Pony]

I really doubt this is what you're looking for, because this was published in 2008, but your description made me remember a book I started (but never finished) a long time ago:
Finnikin of the Rock?