Fisherman’s Children

Book 1: The Prodigal Mage
Review 1 by Tehani Wessely, Review 2 by Mitenae

HarperVoyager (2009)
ISBN: 9780732287542
$22.99
Buy this Book
Reviewed by Tehani Wessely, Oct 2009


Following after the events of Miller’s much accoladed The Innocent Mage and Innocence Lost books, this is the first book of a new series in the same world. Initially focusing on the original characters, the story gradually segues to concentrate more on the younger generation (hence the Fisherman’s Children of the series title. Almost two decades after the events of the previous books, much change has occurred for the people of Lur. Still greatly affected by the events prior to and during the Mage War, the people struggle to adapt to the new circumstances of their world, and when things begin to become unstable once more, it is difficult to see their way forward. Son of heroes Asher and Dathne, Rafel seeks to forge to the future, but is blocked on all sides: by parents unwilling to see him hurt by magic or conflict; by a sister too fragile for the world; by a mortal enemy, who maybe isn’t quite what he seems. Rafel struggles against all those who bind him, and in doing so, both risks himself and simultaneously may be the shining hope for his people.

I enjoyed reading The Prodigal Mage, but it seemed to take a good while to really get into the story. I haven't read the Kingmaker, Kingbreaker sequence, and found myself feeling a bit left out because of it, as the characters are clearly still quite entrenched in those books. For me, the second half of the book, when it really started to focus on the younger generation, was when I truly became engaged, but at the same time, the first half really made me want to go read The Innocent Mage books!

Miller is a multi-talented writer who has a grand vision in her stories, and it’s always a pleasure to read her books. I don’t think I found the characters as three dimensional as is usual for her work, primarily because there seemed to be an expectation that the reader was already acquainted with them from the earlier books. This left me a bit high and dry, but I eventually gained a feel for most of the characters. I think it would be a far better experience to start with the original books, from all accounts, a worthwhile read in themselves, so no real hardship for the lover of good fantasy!

HarperVoyager (2009)
ISBN: 9780732287542
$22.99
Buy this Book
Reviewed by Mitenae, Nov 2009

For ten years there has been peace in Lur. Asher and Dathne have a young family, Rafel and Deenie (Gardenia), they’re desperate to keep safe, even when trouble stirs. Morg’s taint in the land remains and it’s strangling the earth, but only the Olken mages can feel it. Asher initially manages to soothe it, giving Lur another ten years of peace until the taint strangles the land, forcing Rafel and Arlin over the mountains to search for Lost Dorana and save Lur.

The Prodigal Mage returns us to the world of Kingmaker, Kingbreaker (The Innocent Mage and Innocence Lost) but this book is less about saving Lur and more of an exploration of a family when their world (literally) is threatening to shatter. As a result it isn’t an action-laden story. There are very few action scenes. Most of it involves talking about and figuring out what to do. But it is by no means boring. The conversations are an intriguing exploration, as are the family dynamics and what lengths a parent will go to do what they believe is in their child’s best interests.

This focus shift two thirds of the way through to saving Lur, with a reveal at the end. It feels more like an episode of a TV series than a book. It lacks its own story arc and never really comes to a climax or resolution. It’s almost as if it’s half a book, half a story, rather than a story in its own right.

The characterisation in this book is flat compared to Karen Miller’s previous novels and she seems to rely too heavily on the reader already being familiar with Kingmaker, Kingbreaker. Asher only just comes to life thanks to some fantastic dialogue but it is with Deenie that the most problems exist.

Deenie is consistently portrayed as being fragile, young and unable to stand on her own two feet, with an empathic ability. I never saw her from any other perspective and a full character is never presented, only a slice. As this book stands, there is no point to her being in it. She doesn’t do anything. She doesn’t achieve anything. If she was removed it wouldn’t change the story one bit, and it should. That’s where the problem lies for it is too obvious that the only reason she exists is that she will be needed in the final battle of this series. Deenie should have been given her own storyline and journey to mask the real reason for her too obvious existence.

Although The Prodigal Mage is not the story I expected given Kingmaker, Kingbreaker, it is still an interesting read and well worth having a look at.