The High Lord (Black Magician #3)

The High Lord by Trudi Canavan is the third book in her Black Magician trilogy. This is a great fantasy series that I highly recommend to people who are already fantasy readers as well as anyone interested in trying the genre.

Sonea is the first magician novice from the lower classes in hundreds of years. Magical ability is tested by established magicians in potential students - and always from one of the upper Houses of the city. Since Sonea is a dwell - the lowest class of people - her ability was never tested. And instead of her magic being released by someone else, she released it herself through sheer will. But magic, if not controlled, will destroy so the guild magicians began a search to find Sonea.

But dwells are afraid of magicians. They do not get to see any of the good work magicians do, only the annual purge when their class is driven outside of the city walls back into the slums. Using the help of the Thieves who control the underground / black market, Sonea hides from the Guild.

Now, two books later, Sonea is a novice at the Guild of Magicians. She has learned control and her magical strength is growing faster than many of her age group. She has gotten used to being surrounded by magicians and does not fear them anymore - with one exception.

The High Lord of the Guild earns his or her position by being the strongest magician. Akkarin is the youngest magician ever to hold the title. He fought twenty magicians to become the High Lord.

Okay, I cannot really say what is in the third book without giving away some spoilers, so just read the series. It is great.

The Black Magician trilogy has some of the feel of the Tamora Pierce books that take place in Tortall. It has a well developed world where the author understands the politics and magic thoroughly. A strong female protagonist who goes against the norm also links Sonea to Alanna and other of Pierce's characters.

Once you begin the series you will be thrilled to learn that after the Black Magician trilogy there are other books in the land of Kyralia - one stand alone that takes place 600 years before this series and an additional trilogy that follows this series (with all of the same characters). So get a copy of The Magicians' Guild and start reading today!

Canavan, Trudi. (2003). The High Lord. New York: EOS.