Review: Brilliant!!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 06 5, 2013
Recruited Mage appears to be the first in a series of young adult fantasy adventure stories, a story of survival in a war culture. Samuel Morrin, an abandoned child is an apprentice to a scribe in the town of Almon.  The countryside is ruled by a tyrant, Emperor Cyngen who is raising an army to invade the Southern Kingdoms.  On a day like no other, Samuel's life is forever changed as he is inscripted into the King's army.  The novel is written by author, David Frederic.The story is told in the first person by Samuel Morrin, an old abandoned child being brought up as a servant/apprentice in the Scribes Guild in the town of Almon.  He does chores, mixes inks and learns to read and write from the Scribe Morrin.  Times are rough as food reserves are strained, a gang of pickpockets who are also abandoned children steal food to survive, Samuel saves one of them once from being caught by tripping over someone.  It seems that Samuel regularly gets beaten up by a gang of boys at the Guild, Eric and his friends (this young adult always seems to be always getting physically hurt). The country is ruled by Emperor Cyngen, who came to power 15 years ago under a dark cloud, installed his statue in every town, raised tax rates, takes away private lands for government purposes, outlaws wizardry and a thousand mages (wizards) are put to death.Samuel notes this as odd as mages have special powers that can be useful in constructing buildings, designing objects and warding off bad spirits.  Just before his life becomes irrevocably changed, he discovers the magic of his diary and is given a Spirit Guide Diryn Kust who tells him he is a mage and instructs him in magic. The Scribes and their apprentices travel to the outskirts of town where Samuel, as if bound for greatness discovers rare Uillioc flowers highly valued for producing different coloured inks.  On returning to the village, the King's men are recruiting young men for the army. Reminiscent of the pressgangs of 1760-1860 under George III when a group of soldiers would kidnap free men to serve in His Majesty's Navy leaving their wives and families to wonder what had happened to them, Samuel is enlisted although he is 2 years younger than the usual age for recruitment.What ensues is a detailed accounting of action filled military training, Emporer Cyngen style, that is physically challenging and dangerous.  The writing style unique creating a very heightened realism, as if inviting the reader to picture the entire scene, a very rough and ready telling of an original story.  The Emperor decides that a pre-battle warm-up is needed and they are told they will be invading The Free Islands. Samuel is seriously injured in training exercises when attacked by a wolf monster, saved by his friend Donal.  He is told he must be included in the battle, being left behind is not an option.  The child soldiers are on one of a flotilla of ships and what incurs is extreme violence with sea monsters "There were smaller serpents, tens of metres long, and huge shark like creatures that where simply biting boats open.The screaming was horrific and I saw people being ripped in half and devoured, their blood splattering on the decks of the ships."  The ship capsizes and Samuel and some of his friends manage to get to shore.  There is more and leaving some mystery so ends the first book.  There is discussion of special cross bows and armaments and dialogue from the King's soldiers, that is very much my way or the highway, dwelling in a space of men and war, it is not a tale of flowers and poetry but exists inside a very gritty violence. As if Samuel is one in a population of faceless characters in a war Society ruled by a corrupt overlord.  Action packed with detailed portrayals of daring do, this story is very much the territory of men and military, with a touch of fantasy, a good read for those who love action adventure.