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Middle Lands
Magician
A magician in need of redemption. A loyal hero on a quest. And only one bed at the inn.
Once the world’s most legendary sorcerer, Lorre fled the Middle Lands after his own curiosity -- and a misguided transformation spell -- turned him into a dragon and nearly killed a king. He isn’t a dragon anymore, but he is hiding alone on a tropical island, avoiding people, politics, and his own reputation.
But now a hero has found him. And not just any hero. Prince Gareth’s full of patience, intelligence, a kind heart ... and unfairly attractive muscles. And he needs Lorre’s help: his tiny mountain kingdom is under attack from ice magic, and Gareth hopes the world’s last great magician will save his people.
Lorre is done with quests and princes and trying to change the world. But Gareth might tempt him to believe again ... in heroes, in himself, and in magic.
Once the world’s most legendary sorcerer, Lorre fled the Middle Lands after his own curiosity -- and a misguided transformation spell -- turned him into a dragon and nearly killed a king. He isn’t a dragon anymore, but he is hiding alone on a tropical island, avoiding people, politics, and his own reputation.
But now a hero has found him. And not just any hero. Prince Gareth’s full of patience, intelligence, a kind heart ... and unfairly attractive muscles. And he needs Lorre’s help: his tiny mountain kingdom is under attack from ice magic, and Gareth hopes the world’s last great magician will save his people.
Lorre is done with quests and princes and trying to change the world. But Gareth might tempt him to believe again ... in heroes, in himself, and in magic.
280 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 24, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 140 reviews
May 4, 2023
Hey, guess what? The book called Magician is wonderfully magical! Who would’ve thought? This reads like the loveliest of lovely fables, and while I was pleasantly surprised with the beautiful and wistful prose, what I really wasn’t expecting was just how much I’d fall in love with the characters. Lorre was the most modest arrogant guy out there and Gareth is the classic humble prince; their contrasted yet complimentary personalities is what made this incredibly special to me. The story definitely portrays a more high-fantasy world (Lorre can shoot fire balls, teleport, and pretty much do anything and everything), but I appreciated the more grounded and introspective approach when it came to the characters. What do you do when your main character is already the most powerful sorcerer around? Well, you focus on the parts that he can’t fix with magic, like his loneliness or his struggles with trying to be a better person. Stories that deal with a person whose kindness doesn’t come naturally to them and their ensuing struggles with doing the right thing will always be more compelling to me than the ones that follow someone who’s good and true from the start. Besides I love, love, love the message that it’s never too late to be a better person than you were before. Even if it’s only the “you” from a few minutes ago. This book is a “story-after-the-story"...type of story and feels like a gentle blend between a Studio Ghibli film and Circe by Madeline Miller. I can honestly think of no higher praise! You can really do anything with fantasy, so I’m just glad that this chose to be an honest and bewitching love story.
“Lorre stopped talking, happy, and let himself think and feel only that, for a moment. Later he’d remember that he did not deserve it. But for now, right now – He could have it. Selfishly, secretly, privately: he could hold onto it.”
“Lorre stopped talking, happy, and let himself think and feel only that, for a moment. Later he’d remember that he did not deserve it. But for now, right now – He could have it. Selfishly, secretly, privately: he could hold onto it.”
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April 8, 2023A very sweet novella set in a folktale-adjacent magical world, with a hugely powerful magician at an angle to people, and a handsome prince. Very bi, very warm and loving, will honour, decency and kindness winning the day. There's more sex than I felt it needed, but others' mileage will undeniably vary on that, and the magic system is absolutely beautifully rendered and wonderfully
imaginative. A pleasure.
imaginative. A pleasure.
January 9, 2022
I've read this book twice in the space of three months and I'm STILL struggling with how to review it. I think I've considered maybe a good dozen ways to start out and none of them feel quite right. I'll give it my best shot, though.
It gets me thinking a lot about the delineation between pure genre fiction and romance, because one of the opening lines I keep considering is 'If you took out the sex scenes, this would be a damn good fantasy novel'. And that's... true, but honestly it's a damn good fantasy novel anyway, and if anything the sex scenes are part of that, not a detraction from it. I mean, there are some corny moments (sex diamonds) and plenty of classic romance/PWP simultaneous orgasms, but Noone also does a superb job making the sex character-relevant. It's hot, but it's not just there to be hot - let me back up a bit.
So, this book hits me in a very specific trope that I'm weak for, which is characters whose incredible power (usually magical) means they feel they have to hold themselves aloof from the world, until they meet a person or people who sort of... bring them back down to earth. The archetypal example for me is Numair from Tamora Pierce's Immortals Quartet: the world's most powerful mage, whose magic is so overclocked that he can't light a candle without accidentally blowing it up, who exists in his own scholarly little world but can also change someone into a tree without breaking a sweat. I'd argue that later-book Ender Wiggin is the same - he saves the world and then his own brother pretty much banishes him because he'd be a political pawn, regardless of his own wishes, if he ever returned to Earth.
Lorre is exactly that kind of character, and this book feels to me like it's all about that paradox of power and connection.
I think it was an early episode of Writing Excuses in which someone (Dan Wells?) says that, essentially, in any setting with magic the mages will become either a ruling class or a slave class - either the exploiters or the exploited. Lorre is both and, after centuries of it, pretty royally fucked up. First used for political gain by his abusive father, then circulating unchecked and powerful throughout royal courts, full of hubris and also painfully isolated from other people by his choices and by theirs - there's an ache there, even though it goes unacknowledged. That long-buried loneliness makes it so potent when he encounters Gareth, who offers him uncomplicated acceptance and kindness, who seems to be the first person who sees Lorre as a person rather than a tool, a threat, or both.
They figure out their mutual physical attraction pretty early, which on first read I was a little disappointed by - I love pining, okay? - but on my second readthrough I was better able to appreciate it, because after they've slept together Lorre spends most of the rest of the story wrestling with the idea of being wanted for himself, not just for what he can do, which is such a deep insecurity and hits so hard. Circling back to my earlier point about the sex scenes: this is a thread that Noone weaves beautifully in, using the giving and receiving of pleasure to highlight Lorre's unmet, unacknowledged desire to be cared for, and his feeling that he can never be enough or give enough of himself. It's just lovely.
If I wanted to put my critique hat on, I would probably note that the writing feels very fanfic-y, especially in the use (overuse) of sentence fragments. Character voice could probably also be more distinct... but honestly, the emotional content is so good that I don't really care that much. Noone's writing verges almost on too flowery for my tastes but settles firmly into gorgeous; it also works beautifully with the way she portrays Lorre's magic, which blurs the edges between him and the world around him. (From a fantasy reader perspective, by the way, I love this too - it's such an evocative portrayal of what it might be like to experience magic.)
I'm gonna have to buy the ebook, because I definitely foresee rereading this one.
It gets me thinking a lot about the delineation between pure genre fiction and romance, because one of the opening lines I keep considering is 'If you took out the sex scenes, this would be a damn good fantasy novel'. And that's... true, but honestly it's a damn good fantasy novel anyway, and if anything the sex scenes are part of that, not a detraction from it. I mean, there are some corny moments (sex diamonds) and plenty of classic romance/PWP simultaneous orgasms, but Noone also does a superb job making the sex character-relevant. It's hot, but it's not just there to be hot - let me back up a bit.
So, this book hits me in a very specific trope that I'm weak for, which is characters whose incredible power (usually magical) means they feel they have to hold themselves aloof from the world, until they meet a person or people who sort of... bring them back down to earth. The archetypal example for me is Numair from Tamora Pierce's Immortals Quartet: the world's most powerful mage, whose magic is so overclocked that he can't light a candle without accidentally blowing it up, who exists in his own scholarly little world but can also change someone into a tree without breaking a sweat. I'd argue that later-book Ender Wiggin is the same - he saves the world and then his own brother pretty much banishes him because he'd be a political pawn, regardless of his own wishes, if he ever returned to Earth.
Lorre is exactly that kind of character, and this book feels to me like it's all about that paradox of power and connection.
I think it was an early episode of Writing Excuses in which someone (Dan Wells?) says that, essentially, in any setting with magic the mages will become either a ruling class or a slave class - either the exploiters or the exploited. Lorre is both and, after centuries of it, pretty royally fucked up. First used for political gain by his abusive father, then circulating unchecked and powerful throughout royal courts, full of hubris and also painfully isolated from other people by his choices and by theirs - there's an ache there, even though it goes unacknowledged. That long-buried loneliness makes it so potent when he encounters Gareth, who offers him uncomplicated acceptance and kindness, who seems to be the first person who sees Lorre as a person rather than a tool, a threat, or both.
They figure out their mutual physical attraction pretty early, which on first read I was a little disappointed by - I love pining, okay? - but on my second readthrough I was better able to appreciate it, because after they've slept together Lorre spends most of the rest of the story wrestling with the idea of being wanted for himself, not just for what he can do, which is such a deep insecurity and hits so hard. Circling back to my earlier point about the sex scenes: this is a thread that Noone weaves beautifully in, using the giving and receiving of pleasure to highlight Lorre's unmet, unacknowledged desire to be cared for, and his feeling that he can never be enough or give enough of himself. It's just lovely.
If I wanted to put my critique hat on, I would probably note that the writing feels very fanfic-y, especially in the use (overuse) of sentence fragments. Character voice could probably also be more distinct... but honestly, the emotional content is so good that I don't really care that much. Noone's writing verges almost on too flowery for my tastes but settles firmly into gorgeous; it also works beautifully with the way she portrays Lorre's magic, which blurs the edges between him and the world around him. (From a fantasy reader perspective, by the way, I love this too - it's such an evocative portrayal of what it might be like to experience magic.)
I'm gonna have to buy the ebook, because I definitely foresee rereading this one.
November 6, 2021
This was lovely. It reminded me quite a lot of Patricia McKillip, except earthy where McKillip is airy. Still poetic, but with the poetry kept in check to make room for humor and sex scenes. (I think there are some sex scenes in McKillip, but it's hard to tell for sure whether any action verbs in her prose are actual or metaphorical.) The humor is pretty funny, the sex is pretty hot, and also now I want tea and baked goods and a Gareth.
February 26, 2022
Thank you so much for this wonderful book. One of the best romantic, slow and swoon worthy books I have evr read.
April 9, 2024
4.25/5.
I think the most magical part of this book was the magic. I know this should be a given, but it’s not. At all. But this book did do magic justice in a poetic and beautiful way. Lorre was magic. That’s what made this story really magical.
But, I’m not going to lie. It did take me a hot minute to get into the book. Not because of Lorre, never because of Lorre. But the plot and Gareth were rather dull compared to Lorre. At least in the beginning — only in the beginning, really. Definitely not after a while. Not at all.
“And he wanted, with a sharp piercing hollow sort of want, to make it all good for Gareth. For those generous eyes and kind hands.“
I think the most magical part of this book was the magic. I know this should be a given, but it’s not. At all. But this book did do magic justice in a poetic and beautiful way. Lorre was magic. That’s what made this story really magical.
But, I’m not going to lie. It did take me a hot minute to get into the book. Not because of Lorre, never because of Lorre. But the plot and Gareth were rather dull compared to Lorre. At least in the beginning — only in the beginning, really. Definitely not after a while. Not at all.
“Not in three hundred years. Or more. I wish I’d known you earlier. I might’ve not turned into a dragon. Or not dropped armies into ravines. I wish I’d been someone you deserve.”
January 8, 2022
starts fun but quickly gets repetitive
Are you extraordinarily needy? Require reassurance every five seconds? You will absolutely love this story in which a villain who’s never seen doing anything villainous and his handsome prince spend what feels like a thousand pages seeking affirmative consent to bone like a skeleton army and assure each other of their innate goodness. I finished only by flicking through the repetition. Sorceress is this story without all the padding, and it’s better for it.
Are you extraordinarily needy? Require reassurance every five seconds? You will absolutely love this story in which a villain who’s never seen doing anything villainous and his handsome prince spend what feels like a thousand pages seeking affirmative consent to bone like a skeleton army and assure each other of their innate goodness. I finished only by flicking through the repetition. Sorceress is this story without all the padding, and it’s better for it.
February 12, 2022
Lovely, beautiful book. Tags: magic, redemption.
This isn’t a fable, technically. But it feels like one. Lorre, who was (quoting the afterward) “if not quite a villain, certainly a problem” has retreated from the world. And a Prince wants to pull him back to save the family kingdom. It’s a simple plot, your standard hero arc. But the book is about so much more than that.
It’s about how to come back into the world after you’ve suffered a great hurt, and you’ve healed and are the same as before and yet completely different. And it’s about a magician who doesn’t like crowds or awkward situations and sometimes just dissociates (literally) to become a bird or a cloud or a river for a while. And it’s about rediscovering the simple pleasures of everyday tasks and objects and affection. By 30% I had cried at least three times. It isn’t *sad* but I could somehow relate so much and it tugged.
One of the things I liked best about the MC’s was that while it almost follows a grumpy / sunshine, optimist / pessimist trope - the bright sunny one isn’t actually changing Lorre. He’s just showing him how to recognize it, and how to accept comfort and love. And showing Lorre that he deserves that.
Minor, minor nitpick. Nectarines aren’t peeled! I think the author meant tangerine. You’ll see what I mean when you read it.
This isn’t a fable, technically. But it feels like one. Lorre, who was (quoting the afterward) “if not quite a villain, certainly a problem” has retreated from the world. And a Prince wants to pull him back to save the family kingdom. It’s a simple plot, your standard hero arc. But the book is about so much more than that.
It’s about how to come back into the world after you’ve suffered a great hurt, and you’ve healed and are the same as before and yet completely different. And it’s about a magician who doesn’t like crowds or awkward situations and sometimes just dissociates (literally) to become a bird or a cloud or a river for a while. And it’s about rediscovering the simple pleasures of everyday tasks and objects and affection. By 30% I had cried at least three times. It isn’t *sad* but I could somehow relate so much and it tugged.
One of the things I liked best about the MC’s was that while it almost follows a grumpy / sunshine, optimist / pessimist trope - the bright sunny one isn’t actually changing Lorre. He’s just showing him how to recognize it, and how to accept comfort and love. And showing Lorre that he deserves that.
Minor, minor nitpick. Nectarines aren’t peeled! I think the author meant tangerine. You’ll see what I mean when you read it.
August 16, 2023
This author was recommend as a good one to give a go if you enjoy Amy Rae Durreson, and based off this read, I would say that was a great rec! Enjoyable read with lovely and compelling characters and a really cool magical system. There were a few more typos than I'd prefer but it was to the point of mega frustration, and this is meant to be a sort of sequel/spin-off to one of the author's novellas, which was slightly more obvious than is ideal RE references to past events. But those were minor issue on the whole, and overall I thought this was a lovely, cozy, charming read for MM fantasy fan. Definitely looking forward to reading more of this author's works!
October 10, 2022
Beautiful language and enchanting story. I felt teleported to classic stories. Ursula K. Le Guin, Howl's Moving Castle.
Easily one of my favourite stories.
Easily one of my favourite stories.
March 15, 2022
I loved this book from start to finish.
The writing is vivid and poetic, and the way it presents Lorre, the titular magician, is both beautiful and melancholic. I wanted nothing more than for him to get his happy ending. To me this book read as a mix of romance, fantasy, and a character study of Lorre, where the last part is intrinsically tied to the other parts but also an absolute treat in and of itself. The author does a wonderful job showing Lorre's reflections on his past and the things he has done in his long life, how his magic has shaped who he is (both literally and figuratively), and his view of himself and how it aligns and contrasts with how Gareth sees him. Gareth is a wonderful foil and romantic interest for Lorre, and their romance feels both magically epic and domestically grounded at once. The author also does a great job balancing these characters' personalities, strengths, desires and needs in a way that makes them feel like equals in the relationship, something that isn't necessarily easy between an ancient, powerful magician and a young, heroic prince, but it's so well done.
An absolutely wonderful book that I never wanted to end.
The writing is vivid and poetic, and the way it presents Lorre, the titular magician, is both beautiful and melancholic. I wanted nothing more than for him to get his happy ending. To me this book read as a mix of romance, fantasy, and a character study of Lorre, where the last part is intrinsically tied to the other parts but also an absolute treat in and of itself. The author does a wonderful job showing Lorre's reflections on his past and the things he has done in his long life, how his magic has shaped who he is (both literally and figuratively), and his view of himself and how it aligns and contrasts with how Gareth sees him. Gareth is a wonderful foil and romantic interest for Lorre, and their romance feels both magically epic and domestically grounded at once. The author also does a great job balancing these characters' personalities, strengths, desires and needs in a way that makes them feel like equals in the relationship, something that isn't necessarily easy between an ancient, powerful magician and a young, heroic prince, but it's so well done.
An absolutely wonderful book that I never wanted to end.
Shelved as 'dnf'
April 27, 2022Dnf at 80%. The book was great but it was not for me.
December 14, 2023
4.5 stars
A truly lovely and heart-warming romance. I enjoyed the prose and the magic system and in particular the way Lorre, our POV and the titular magician, relates to the universe. He's a compelling character to follow. The combination of justified arrogance versus regret and immense guilt creates a memorable character.
The pairing works really well together. Their connection is clear as a bell from early on and I was never in any doubt that these two belong together. It isn't an easy thing for a romance novel to achieve; often novels, even successful ones, show a strong chemistry and attraction between the leads but you're left with some doubt as to how they work long-term. Not these two; these two fit together like pieces of a puzzle. Different but complementary.
Lorre's inner monologue of "I don't deserve this love" is something that I tend to find grating in other novels, but here it made absolute sense and I sympathised fully. He's mega-powerful and and that's not even counting his past transgressions or his age. I also loved how Gareth, ordinary, steadfast Gareth, doesn't appear lacklustre and boring next to a character as dramatic as Lorre: kudos to the author for that. And finally I loved that besides the sexual attraction, their courtship and expression of love was about taking care of each other and giving foot rubs and drawing baths and making tea.
This is a book about being loved and cared for and it warmed me right to the core. I'll definitely reread. Highly recced.
A truly lovely and heart-warming romance. I enjoyed the prose and the magic system and in particular the way Lorre, our POV and the titular magician, relates to the universe. He's a compelling character to follow. The combination of justified arrogance versus regret and immense guilt creates a memorable character.
The pairing works really well together. Their connection is clear as a bell from early on and I was never in any doubt that these two belong together. It isn't an easy thing for a romance novel to achieve; often novels, even successful ones, show a strong chemistry and attraction between the leads but you're left with some doubt as to how they work long-term. Not these two; these two fit together like pieces of a puzzle. Different but complementary.
Lorre's inner monologue of "I don't deserve this love" is something that I tend to find grating in other novels, but here it made absolute sense and I sympathised fully. He's mega-powerful and and that's not even counting his past transgressions or his age. I also loved how Gareth, ordinary, steadfast Gareth, doesn't appear lacklustre and boring next to a character as dramatic as Lorre: kudos to the author for that. And finally I loved that besides the sexual attraction, their courtship and expression of love was about taking care of each other and giving foot rubs and drawing baths and making tea.
This is a book about being loved and cared for and it warmed me right to the core. I'll definitely reread. Highly recced.
July 11, 2023
Plot wise nothing much happens. The characters don't develop. But I loved the phrasing and Lorre's point of view. I did not mind the repetition because I read a bit each evening. The true love forever happened a bit too fast, for me. I give it 4 stars because I want to immerse in this beautifull world and Lorre's head again, one day.
August 19, 2021
A Joyfully Jay review.
5 stars
Magician is an ephemerally historical, concretely fantasy romance from author K.L. Noone. It is also, I found out, a sequel to Sorceress. As often as I feel I’ve seen the author’s name around, this is the first of her stories I have picked up. And every word delighted me. The whole story is entirely driven by the richly described characters with Lorre and Gareth at the center.
Lorre has a strong irreverent quality to him. He’s lived for centuries; he’s made of magic that allows him to literally become various things in the world. And for all that Lorre has an extremely clear self-image, I enjoyed how his cutting understanding of who he is and what he has done conflicts with the Lorre that Gareth comes to know. More plainly, Lorre insists he’s selfish and impetuous and all manner of self-serving things; that he’s the most powerful magician to ever have lived, so he’s too magical to be human; that he’s not worthy of the kind of emotion Gareth is so eager to shower upon him.
Read Camille’s review in its entirety here.
5 stars
Magician is an ephemerally historical, concretely fantasy romance from author K.L. Noone. It is also, I found out, a sequel to Sorceress. As often as I feel I’ve seen the author’s name around, this is the first of her stories I have picked up. And every word delighted me. The whole story is entirely driven by the richly described characters with Lorre and Gareth at the center.
Lorre has a strong irreverent quality to him. He’s lived for centuries; he’s made of magic that allows him to literally become various things in the world. And for all that Lorre has an extremely clear self-image, I enjoyed how his cutting understanding of who he is and what he has done conflicts with the Lorre that Gareth comes to know. More plainly, Lorre insists he’s selfish and impetuous and all manner of self-serving things; that he’s the most powerful magician to ever have lived, so he’s too magical to be human; that he’s not worthy of the kind of emotion Gareth is so eager to shower upon him.
Read Camille’s review in its entirety here.
April 18, 2023
I liked this for about 30 pages. And then the same 30 pages just kept happening over and over again in different settings. So, so much telling. This book was 200+ pages of Lorre telling the reader and Gareth and anyone else who would listen that he was a horrible monster who didn’t deserve love. And then there would be sex and everything would be fine for five minutes until Lorre felt sad again.
The one thing I liked about this book was the descriptions of Lorre’s magic. I loved the way he could feel and be everything and the way he felt and saw and manipulated not only the world around him, but his physical self as well. That was decidedly the highlight of the book.
Too bad even that got repetitive after the 20th time it was described.
I wish there’d been a story here. Alas, there was just interminable moping.
The one thing I liked about this book was the descriptions of Lorre’s magic. I loved the way he could feel and be everything and the way he felt and saw and manipulated not only the world around him, but his physical self as well. That was decidedly the highlight of the book.
Too bad even that got repetitive after the 20th time it was described.
I wish there’d been a story here. Alas, there was just interminable moping.
February 25, 2022
A prince convinces a mage to leave isolation and come help his tiny kingdom. By far the best part of this book was that it’s told from the POV of the mage (Lorre), whose powers allow him to turn into virtually any natural substance or element, from clouds to streams to butterflies. He spends much of the book grappling with how to simply be human again after a long period of isolation, and frequently has to dissociate into a non-human form to deal with his feelings.
The prince character is very sweet, as is the romance, which didn’t entirely work for me. After they sleep together the first time, Lorre and the prince continuously make soppy speeches to each other that are often more exhausting than sweet. I can see the appeal of having characters say everything that’s on their mind instead of keeping it to themselves, but this took a lot of the tension out of the romance because there was little room for either of them to doubt how they other felt (though they still tried). The other conflicts in the book suffered from a similar lack of tension, and most were resolved with a quick conversation.
Overall, though, I’d still recommend this to fantasy romance fans because Lorre’s POV is unique and enjoyable.
The prince character is very sweet, as is the romance, which didn’t entirely work for me. After they sleep together the first time, Lorre and the prince continuously make soppy speeches to each other that are often more exhausting than sweet. I can see the appeal of having characters say everything that’s on their mind instead of keeping it to themselves, but this took a lot of the tension out of the romance because there was little room for either of them to doubt how they other felt (though they still tried). The other conflicts in the book suffered from a similar lack of tension, and most were resolved with a quick conversation.
Overall, though, I’d still recommend this to fantasy romance fans because Lorre’s POV is unique and enjoyable.
September 8, 2021
The story was a bit bittersweet but so lovely. Nothing much happens plot-wise but the relationship between Lorre and Gareth was great and really carried the book for me. However, I did struggle with the writing style. It's not terrible but the commas and interjections and sometimes weird constructs tripped me up more often than not. But the style is consistent, so I'd recommend checking out the sample and if you like the style or can live with it, I definitely recommend to give this story a chance because it's beautiful.
Read
April 19, 2022I remember nothing about this book, but I sent it back for a refund which means I read the sample, purchased it, continued to read it, and quickly decided it was not for me and sent it back for a refund.
I only do this when it is immediate dislike/inability to continue. Aside from ethics, Amazon tracks every word you read using the kindle app/kindle, and they are likely to crack down if they notice someone reading a whole ebook and getting a refund repeatedly.
If I finish a book, no matter how much I hate it, I will not seek a refund.
I only do this when it is immediate dislike/inability to continue. Aside from ethics, Amazon tracks every word you read using the kindle app/kindle, and they are likely to crack down if they notice someone reading a whole ebook and getting a refund repeatedly.
If I finish a book, no matter how much I hate it, I will not seek a refund.
February 3, 2024
One star. *Cracks knuckles* And here's why:
This story is about Lorre, the most powerful wizard the world has ever seen, and how he falls desperately in love-a love he has never felt in 300 years, a love that he feels inside and all over himself, a love like he has never, ever dreamed of-with Prince Gareth, who is good, in about five days.
Let's pick that apart, shall we?
When I say Gareth is good, I mean he is not just good, he is super good. Prince Gareth is like, the best. He is so nice, everybody loves him. He is so kind, and caring, and loyal, and he knows the names of all the goats and all the chickens (an actual line from the book!) and he, the prince, goes around town fixing people's roofs and visiting school teachers, and visiting the elderly, and oh, Gareth loves, loves, loves books. He loves books so much, because of course he does. All good people love books! And he's stubborn. Oh, my God, is he stubborn. He sat on Lorre's beach for all of 15 minutes (reading a book!) and he was not leaving until he convinced the wizard to come help his goats! He is SO stubborn, he's the most stubborn person Lorre has ever met in 300 years! And did I mention he's also good?
*sigh*
Now, let's see. Gareth's kingdom is in danger! There are bandits! roaming around, taking their beloved goats! with the help of a magician and Gareth, who is good, promised his brother, the king (who bakes) that he would find help.
Let's dive into that.
The king, THE KING of whatsitsname (already forgot the name of the Kingdom) likes to bake. He bakes honey-pumpkin bread, cinammon-blackberry scones, and carrot cake that has won awards! and scones over scones over scones over scones. And when he's done baking, he bakes some more. He bakes when he's nervous. He bakes in the morning. He bakes when he's got nothing to do. The king of a kingdom has times when he has nothing to do. THE KING. THE KING BAKES. Is that clear or do I need to raise my voice further?
Now, Gareth, who is SO stubborn, convinces Lorre, who has isolated himself on an island for years, to come help with the bandits problem. In about half an hour.
Let's dive into that.
Lorre has been by himself on that island for... at least seven years, since he claims he hasn't seen his daughter since she was a baby and she's like, eight by the end of the book. Okay. Why not. He hates being around humans, he is TOO powerful, he is TOO dangerous (he once turned into a dragon!), and though a handful of people have found his island and come to him with requests for help, he's only helped two. You see, there's an illusion around the island, made by the most powerful wizard that's ever lived, and it's pretty much impossible to find.
Gareth, who is good, finds him. He asks around the city, is led to a store that sells maps, and buys a map that will lead him to his heart's desire. And Calloo Callay! He finds the island! Simple as that! (It really is how he finds him.)
*sigh*
Okay. Spoilers ahead.
That's the end of the book.
And they live happily ever after.
Because Lorre has never felt love like he has with Gareth, who is good.
*sigh*
I feel like I've left a shard of my soul back here, ugh. I'm just so mad! I read this book because I am a DIE HARD fan of KJ Charles, and she gave it a good review. I don't see why. I can't see why. They must be friends and KJC was just being nice. There is no other explanation.
I'll drop the sarcasm for now, because the worst thing is that I don't think Noone is a bad writer. On the contrary, I do like her prose! I just think she needs to outline her story before she sets down to writing it. I hate seeing so much potential and so little in the way of delivery. My head was pounding by the end. I didn't even read the "extra chapter" because after I skimmed through it, it was just more of how good Gareth is and how much Lorre loves him for being good, and more AMAZING, MIND-BLOWING, EARTH-SHATTERING, SWEET LOVE MAKING.
No. Just, no.
Lorre was a fun, morally-gray character at first. He is very selfish and he's lived long enough to know what he likes, and what he likes is pleasure. I'm into that. I truly am. I think the dude had potential. But we never see him do any of the things that make him awesome. The turning into a dragon thing is one hundred percent telling not showing. If the book had started with THAT scene, it would have been something altogether more interesting. But no, we're just told he was terrifying and that fight must have been awesome, but now he's just... done.
Also, there's no better way to kill an interesting character than making him do something completely unexpected and not give him a good reason why. It's hard to believe that a dude who's so powerful and has lived so long and has done all sorts of shitty things, will fall desperately in love with a dude who is just... a Mary Sue. Because there is no one more Mary Sue than Gareth. I think there's a different name for guys... Perry Stu? Something like that, but still, Lorre falls in love with a Mary Sue, and that just blows.
Can someone who liked this book please tell me why Lorre falls so hard in love with Gareth? Something that will justify this:
"He’s stubborn and idealistic and human
and wonderful, and I love him more than I knew I could love another
person. It’s just…everywhere, inside of me. Everything I’m feeling.
And I don’t know what to do."
Gareth is stubborn (I'd say that loosely) and idealistic (he does the right thing always!) and human (ok?) and wonderful (ok?)
Is that all? Is this how you destroy a potentially magnificent character who is complex and who shows flaws and who doesn't give a damn about the world in general?
*sigh*
If the author had gone into something OTHER than how much they love each other, I would have improved the whole world exponentially. But Noone wasn't interested in giving us a complex world. She is interested in (not real)Hurt/Comfort, Repeat. Exclusively. And whenever there is a hint of trouble, she resolves quickly, and back to (not real)Hurt/Comfort.
After the "climax", this line:
"A lot of talking happened. That was, Lorre reflected, the part of epic heroic tales that generally didn’t make it into the story: negotiations and discussions and practicalities."
She knowingly decides to skip the parts that would have made the world building stronger, more interesting, more complex, less perfect, for the sake of... what? Another scene of sweet love-making?
And well, sometimes the writing's just lazy.
"She did look like me, a little, when she was a baby...she has my eyes. The same shade of blue, and the shape. But we thought she’d have Lily’s chin, and hair, which is brown, by the way,"
That's Lorre telling Gareth what his daughter looked like as a baby, comparing her to Lily, the mother, WHO GARETH HAS MET. Does he really need to remind Gareth that Lily's hair is brown, by the way? HE'S MET HER!
This is probably the longest review I've ever written, and I'm tired. So, I'll stop here with one thing to reiterate:
Noone IS a good writer, but THIS story is bad. Really bad. Supremely bad. I truly hate it when this happens.
This story is about Lorre, the most powerful wizard the world has ever seen, and how he falls desperately in love-a love he has never felt in 300 years, a love that he feels inside and all over himself, a love like he has never, ever dreamed of-with Prince Gareth, who is good, in about five days.
Let's pick that apart, shall we?
When I say Gareth is good, I mean he is not just good, he is super good. Prince Gareth is like, the best. He is so nice, everybody loves him. He is so kind, and caring, and loyal, and he knows the names of all the goats and all the chickens (an actual line from the book!) and he, the prince, goes around town fixing people's roofs and visiting school teachers, and visiting the elderly, and oh, Gareth loves, loves, loves books. He loves books so much, because of course he does. All good people love books! And he's stubborn. Oh, my God, is he stubborn. He sat on Lorre's beach for all of 15 minutes (reading a book!) and he was not leaving until he convinced the wizard to come help his goats! He is SO stubborn, he's the most stubborn person Lorre has ever met in 300 years! And did I mention he's also good?
*sigh*
Now, let's see. Gareth's kingdom is in danger! There are bandits! roaming around, taking their beloved goats! with the help of a magician and Gareth, who is good, promised his brother, the king (who bakes) that he would find help.
Let's dive into that.
The king, THE KING of whatsitsname (already forgot the name of the Kingdom) likes to bake. He bakes honey-pumpkin bread, cinammon-blackberry scones, and carrot cake that has won awards! and scones over scones over scones over scones. And when he's done baking, he bakes some more. He bakes when he's nervous. He bakes in the morning. He bakes when he's got nothing to do. The king of a kingdom has times when he has nothing to do. THE KING. THE KING BAKES. Is that clear or do I need to raise my voice further?
Now, Gareth, who is SO stubborn, convinces Lorre, who has isolated himself on an island for years, to come help with the bandits problem. In about half an hour.
Let's dive into that.
Lorre has been by himself on that island for... at least seven years, since he claims he hasn't seen his daughter since she was a baby and she's like, eight by the end of the book. Okay. Why not. He hates being around humans, he is TOO powerful, he is TOO dangerous (he once turned into a dragon!), and though a handful of people have found his island and come to him with requests for help, he's only helped two. You see, there's an illusion around the island, made by the most powerful wizard that's ever lived, and it's pretty much impossible to find.
Gareth, who is good, finds him. He asks around the city, is led to a store that sells maps, and buys a map that will lead him to his heart's desire. And Calloo Callay! He finds the island! Simple as that! (It really is how he finds him.)
*sigh*
Okay. Spoilers ahead.
That's the end of the book.
And they live happily ever after.
Because Lorre has never felt love like he has with Gareth, who is good.
*sigh*
I feel like I've left a shard of my soul back here, ugh. I'm just so mad! I read this book because I am a DIE HARD fan of KJ Charles, and she gave it a good review. I don't see why. I can't see why. They must be friends and KJC was just being nice. There is no other explanation.
I'll drop the sarcasm for now, because the worst thing is that I don't think Noone is a bad writer. On the contrary, I do like her prose! I just think she needs to outline her story before she sets down to writing it. I hate seeing so much potential and so little in the way of delivery. My head was pounding by the end. I didn't even read the "extra chapter" because after I skimmed through it, it was just more of how good Gareth is and how much Lorre loves him for being good, and more AMAZING, MIND-BLOWING, EARTH-SHATTERING, SWEET LOVE MAKING.
No. Just, no.
Lorre was a fun, morally-gray character at first. He is very selfish and he's lived long enough to know what he likes, and what he likes is pleasure. I'm into that. I truly am. I think the dude had potential. But we never see him do any of the things that make him awesome. The turning into a dragon thing is one hundred percent telling not showing. If the book had started with THAT scene, it would have been something altogether more interesting. But no, we're just told he was terrifying and that fight must have been awesome, but now he's just... done.
Also, there's no better way to kill an interesting character than making him do something completely unexpected and not give him a good reason why. It's hard to believe that a dude who's so powerful and has lived so long and has done all sorts of shitty things, will fall desperately in love with a dude who is just... a Mary Sue. Because there is no one more Mary Sue than Gareth. I think there's a different name for guys... Perry Stu? Something like that, but still, Lorre falls in love with a Mary Sue, and that just blows.
Can someone who liked this book please tell me why Lorre falls so hard in love with Gareth? Something that will justify this:
"He’s stubborn and idealistic and human
and wonderful, and I love him more than I knew I could love another
person. It’s just…everywhere, inside of me. Everything I’m feeling.
And I don’t know what to do."
Gareth is stubborn (I'd say that loosely) and idealistic (he does the right thing always!) and human (ok?) and wonderful (ok?)
Is that all? Is this how you destroy a potentially magnificent character who is complex and who shows flaws and who doesn't give a damn about the world in general?
*sigh*
If the author had gone into something OTHER than how much they love each other, I would have improved the whole world exponentially. But Noone wasn't interested in giving us a complex world. She is interested in (not real)Hurt/Comfort, Repeat. Exclusively. And whenever there is a hint of trouble, she resolves quickly, and back to (not real)Hurt/Comfort.
After the "climax", this line:
"A lot of talking happened. That was, Lorre reflected, the part of epic heroic tales that generally didn’t make it into the story: negotiations and discussions and practicalities."
She knowingly decides to skip the parts that would have made the world building stronger, more interesting, more complex, less perfect, for the sake of... what? Another scene of sweet love-making?
And well, sometimes the writing's just lazy.
"She did look like me, a little, when she was a baby...she has my eyes. The same shade of blue, and the shape. But we thought she’d have Lily’s chin, and hair, which is brown, by the way,"
That's Lorre telling Gareth what his daughter looked like as a baby, comparing her to Lily, the mother, WHO GARETH HAS MET. Does he really need to remind Gareth that Lily's hair is brown, by the way? HE'S MET HER!
This is probably the longest review I've ever written, and I'm tired. So, I'll stop here with one thing to reiterate:
Noone IS a good writer, but THIS story is bad. Really bad. Supremely bad. I truly hate it when this happens.
December 9, 2021
3.5 stars. This book came out of nowhere and ended up being a really fun read. It's high-fantasy MM about an ancient disillusioned sorcerer and the guileless prince who finds him. There's definitely a sunshine/grumpy vibe, I enjoyed the characters very much. It's also beautifully written, with these lush descriptions of magic that were a treat to read. The plot is not particularly complex and I really wish there'd been more tension and build-up at the start. It also became a bit saccharine and cheesy towards the end. But it was an easy read, and it's always nice to find a new author whose work you enjoy.
August 1, 2021
I so loved this book. I really need to put Noone’s fantasy romances on auto buy because I enjoy them so much , but this one…
This one is exceptional.
I loved it from start to finish and Lorre is an incredible character. The story is wonderful. I enjoy Gareth as well but barefoot Lorre made the book for me, with his gorgeously intricate magic system and his grumpy self learning to interact and remembering what it’s like to make human connections. Read it, read it now.
It’s hilarious in all the right places and made me laugh and get misty-eyed all in one sitting. *sigh*.
This one is exceptional.
I loved it from start to finish and Lorre is an incredible character. The story is wonderful. I enjoy Gareth as well but barefoot Lorre made the book for me, with his gorgeously intricate magic system and his grumpy self learning to interact and remembering what it’s like to make human connections. Read it, read it now.
It’s hilarious in all the right places and made me laugh and get misty-eyed all in one sitting. *sigh*.
September 21, 2021
happy sigh. I just want roll around in this book forever. it’s so lovely and romantic and magical. it has so many of the things I love in a romance and the relationship dynamic of not quite grumpy/sunshine but more like closed-off, world-weary, just-needs-to-be-loved-and-seen-properly person meets genuine, down-to-earth, perceptive (really sees them for who they are/try to be) person is one of my absolute faves.
January 20, 2024
2024 Re-Read:
I didn't even make it a full year before my first re-read.
Original 2023 Review:
I frickin' loved this book. I don't know how I'm supposed to just get over this book hangover. It's the best thing I've read in ages. It gets all the stars, and goes on all my "Best Of" lists. I plan to be utterly obnoxious about recommending this to everyone—GR friends, family, strangers on the street . . . everyone.
I didn't even make it a full year before my first re-read.
Original 2023 Review:
I frickin' loved this book. I don't know how I'm supposed to just get over this book hangover. It's the best thing I've read in ages. It gets all the stars, and goes on all my "Best Of" lists. I plan to be utterly obnoxious about recommending this to everyone—GR friends, family, strangers on the street . . . everyone.
March 5, 2023
This was one where I got my hopes up quite a bit beforehand thinking that it would be the book to fix my life and cure everything remotely inconvenient in my existence. And listen, it's a book that had cute elements and intriguing topics, but it didn't click for me. Everything on paper sounds like things I love, but this was merely "a book and I read it" for me. I'm still sobbing over this fact.
January 24, 2022
3.5
It wasn't exactly what I expected. Usually I like some action in a fantasy story if they are about heroes, magicians and quests and while the prompt is promising and delivering all 3, the author is limiting the action to a minimum. It's more a story about redemption by love and loyalty than physically fighting to protect and set something right. Would have been an unequal fight anyway as Lorre is more than the most powerful magician. Although half-human he's able to connect with the surrounding magic, being part of it instead of using or bending that power and in the 300 years of his life he had a lot of time to hone his craft. Unfortunately with great power also comes great arrogance and self-importance. So it's no surprise that in all the legends he's more often the villain then the support and certainly not the hero. Disaster and destruction seem to follow his way. The latest was his successful shifting into a dragon when he nearly lost himself and only a former lover was able to get him back. Now he's a recluse on a tropical island, a myth separated from the real world, not to be found, not to be tempted … until one day a prince from an unimportant country far north comes to his shore for help. This is where the story is starting because said prince is different to all the others before him. Might be his patience, his kindness or his lack of haughtiness that made the difference. Might be his youthful beauty or simply that the time was right but Lorre acquiesces.
What follows is a slow bonding, a lot of magic, even magical orgasms, and finding a place in each others life no one else can fill. The reason for that quest gets solved eventually without much struggle, so we're back to getting redemption through love and finding a happily ever after in unexpected places. Could have been a bit shorter, more focused in areas and I could have done with less of the usual mis-communication and insecurities but I like both characters, so it was no hardship or boring to be denied of some fantasy action.
One of the main draws was the writing style. Serene but poetic and like Mir it somehow reminded me a bit of Patricia McKillip but I never read her in English, so maybe not. However it's a different style than most of the other M/M fantasy stories I read lately and I could enjoy it. Suppose the same story in another style wouldn't work for me.
It wasn't exactly what I expected. Usually I like some action in a fantasy story if they are about heroes, magicians and quests and while the prompt is promising and delivering all 3, the author is limiting the action to a minimum. It's more a story about redemption by love and loyalty than physically fighting to protect and set something right. Would have been an unequal fight anyway as Lorre is more than the most powerful magician. Although half-human he's able to connect with the surrounding magic, being part of it instead of using or bending that power and in the 300 years of his life he had a lot of time to hone his craft. Unfortunately with great power also comes great arrogance and self-importance. So it's no surprise that in all the legends he's more often the villain then the support and certainly not the hero. Disaster and destruction seem to follow his way. The latest was his successful shifting into a dragon when he nearly lost himself and only a former lover was able to get him back. Now he's a recluse on a tropical island, a myth separated from the real world, not to be found, not to be tempted … until one day a prince from an unimportant country far north comes to his shore for help. This is where the story is starting because said prince is different to all the others before him. Might be his patience, his kindness or his lack of haughtiness that made the difference. Might be his youthful beauty or simply that the time was right but Lorre acquiesces.
What follows is a slow bonding, a lot of magic, even magical orgasms, and finding a place in each others life no one else can fill. The reason for that quest gets solved eventually without much struggle, so we're back to getting redemption through love and finding a happily ever after in unexpected places. Could have been a bit shorter, more focused in areas and I could have done with less of the usual mis-communication and insecurities but I like both characters, so it was no hardship or boring to be denied of some fantasy action.
One of the main draws was the writing style. Serene but poetic and like Mir it somehow reminded me a bit of Patricia McKillip but I never read her in English, so maybe not. However it's a different style than most of the other M/M fantasy stories I read lately and I could enjoy it. Suppose the same story in another style wouldn't work for me.
August 5, 2021
Magic shivered and scurried and sang along all the strings of his being: little swinging swaying bolts of light reached out to other lights, caught the threads of the universe, wanted to play. [loc. 315]
This was just what I needed on a muggy summer Sunday: a sweet, comfortable, low-conflict romance between a powerful but reclusive wizard and the young prince who's come in search of magical help.
Lorre has exiled himself from human society and lives on a tropical island, changing shape as the whim takes him and enjoying his separation from the human race. Here, he can't shift the balance of power, or harm anyone, or disturb the world. Sometimes people come looking for him, but he never lets them find him. Until Prince Gareth shows up, talking to thin air (of course Lorre is listening) and reading a novel and generally being optimistic, pleasant and charming. Also very handsome, which does not harm his chances of persuading Lorre to help him against the magical coldness afflicting his homeland.
Lorre's magic, his integration with the world around him, reminded me somewhat of Patricia McKillip's wizards. He's centuries older than Gareth (and possibly functionally immortal) but, frankly, does not act his age: the difference in their life experiences is written as a fascination with each other's histories, rather than a cause for incompatibility. Lorre has acquired a fearsome reputation, but he's always tried to do the right thing, though sometimes his temper has got the better of him: Gareth has read all the stories, and there's an element of hero-worship (in both directions -- Gareth is the archetypal hero) which is leavened with plenty of humour and common sense.
I especially liked how comfortable this novel felt: the stakes are moderately high but there's little peril, few confrontations and no major miscommunications. Lorre and Gareth are both likeable characters, and their growing attachment to one another is thoroughly believable and very sweet.
I hadn't read the prequel story, Sorceress, in which Lorre's history (as a dragon, and a somewhat inadequate father) is seen through the eyes of his former lover, but I didn't feel that my experience of Magician was lessened by this omission: I did buy and read it immediately after finishing the novel, though. Review soon!
November 4, 2021
Seriously the longest 100 page book I've ever read. By the end I just wanted it to be over. Not that it was poorly written, but it was so much of the same thing. Lorre is a half human magician, maybe the greatest magician of all time, and he's in exile on a small tropical island. Gareth is a human prince who is looking for help for his small northern country that is being attacked by bandits and they also have a magician that uses icy cold. Lorre, doesn't help people, that is until Gareth. Then suddenly he's all about helping out and leaving his exile. Gareth is a nurturer at heart and wants to take care of Lorre. Lorre wants to let him. In the meantime, we travel north to stop the bandits, which brings the attention of the Grand High Sorceress who sent Lorre to exile. All is well at the end. The story, relatively short, just "lingered" with all the details that were put into it.
January 20, 2022
Um…
Good idea. I love the idea of a god-like, eccentric being learning to love and understand humans; but ultimately, the execution of this story was flat. Bad.
1. The main characters kept repeating the same lines throughout the whole story. “I’m dangerous.” “No your not” “I’ve done bad things” “its not your fault”. That got boring quick and after a while, started sounding winey and childish.
2. Nothing happened at all. There were potentially two major conflict moments in the book, with two groups of antagonists. Yet, each time, the problem resolved in less than two pages without any actual danger or obstacle to overcome.
In the end, the only action the book had was the sex scenes, and even those were drawn out and didn’t add to the story. The book was boring and the writer should have allowed characters the chance to actually do something. Anything.
Good idea. I love the idea of a god-like, eccentric being learning to love and understand humans; but ultimately, the execution of this story was flat. Bad.
1. The main characters kept repeating the same lines throughout the whole story. “I’m dangerous.” “No your not” “I’ve done bad things” “its not your fault”. That got boring quick and after a while, started sounding winey and childish.
2. Nothing happened at all. There were potentially two major conflict moments in the book, with two groups of antagonists. Yet, each time, the problem resolved in less than two pages without any actual danger or obstacle to overcome.
In the end, the only action the book had was the sex scenes, and even those were drawn out and didn’t add to the story. The book was boring and the writer should have allowed characters the chance to actually do something. Anything.
February 5, 2022
Lovely. Lovely. Lovely. Soothing-the-raw-patches-on-your-soul-lovely.
I love everything about this book, from the character, the story, the lovely prose to the conflict solution that nobody has to die for. It was the right book at the right time and I want to cuddle it and keep it warm. :)
I love everything about this book, from the character, the story, the lovely prose to the conflict solution that nobody has to die for. It was the right book at the right time and I want to cuddle it and keep it warm. :)
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