Servant Mage

by Kate Elliott

Overview

A Locus Award Finalist!

“An absolute gem of a story... I loved it.” —S. A. Chakraborty

In Kate Elliott's Servant Mage, a lowly fire mage finds herself entangled in an empire-spanning conspiracy on her way to discovering her true power.

They choose their laws to secure their power.

Fellian is a Lamplighter, able to provide illumination through magic. A group of rebel Monarchists free her from indentured servitude and take her on a journey to rescue trapped compatriots from an underground complex of mines.

Along the way they get caught up in a conspiracy to kill the latest royal child and wipe out the Monarchist movement for good.

But Fellian has more than just her Lamplighting skills up her sleeve…

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250769053
Publisher:	Tor Publishing Group
Publication date:	01/18/2022
Pages:	176
Sales rank:	516,145
Product dimensions:	8.10(w) x 5.20(h) x 0.80(d)

About the Author

Kate Elliott has been writing science fiction and fantasy for 30 years, after bursting onto the scene with Jaran. She is best known for her Crown of Stars epic fantasy series and the NYT bestselling YA fantasy Court of Fives. Elliott's particular focus is immersive world-building & centering women in epic stories of adventure, amidst transformative cultural change. She lives in Hawaii, where she paddles outrigger canoes & spoils her Schnauzer. You can find her online.

Editorial Reviews

10/04/2021

Elliott (Unconquerable Sun) spins a spirited tale of elemental magic and conspiracies in this fast-paced, bite-sized fantasy. In a world ruled by the Liberationist Council, which deems all mages a lesser people fit only to serve, servant mage Fellian is forced into indentured servitude as a Lamplighter. One morning, a group of rebel mages in disguise offer Fellian a deal: she can continue in her current position or risk the council’s wrath and join them on a Monarchist mission to save a dragon-born child, a rare mage with the abilities of all the elements. Hoping to find her way back to her childhood home, Fellian goes with the rebels. Their quest is fast-paced, all-encompassing, and violent, with shocking moments—including a graphic infanticide—showing the brutality of this world and its inhabitants’ desperate fight for power. In limited space, Elliott builds a refreshingly complex world with a magic system not linked to familial lineage and with realistically thorny politics, as neither the Liberationists nor the Monarchists are depicted as infallibly good for the people. Fans of epic fantasy will enjoy this feast of magical characters navigating a gritty, morally gray world. Agent: Russell Galen, Scovil Galen Ghosh Literary. (Jan.)

Publishers Weekly

[This] is an absolute gem of a story, a peek into a fascinating, fully realized world that manages to explore issues of power, consent, class and destiny before turning over some of fantasy's tropes completely on their head. I loved it.” —S. A. Chakraborty

"I would follow [Fellion] anywhere... I highly recommend this. I stayed up way too late finishing it and am still thinking about it a week later." —Mary Robinette Kowal

“A rich and atmospheric lacework of worldbuilding, politics and magic—and of one woman's journey to find her place in the wake of a revolution. Mesmerising, relentless and sharp.” —Aliette de Bodard

"Elliott uses a relatable main character and a complex and intriguing setting to dive into the consequences of revolution with an eye toward class and power dynamics; readers will be left wanting more." —Booklist

Praise for Kate Elliott’s Unconquerable Sun:

“Non-stop action! Space battles! Intrigue! This is the kind of space opera that I love best—but Elliott does it even better.”—Ann Leckie, New York Times bestselling author

“Intricate and thrilling, Kate Elliott's Unconquerable Sun reframes history's most legendary conqueror in a brand new galaxy, lights the fuse, and blasts off on an edge-of-your-seat adventure perfect for fans of Arkady Martine and James S.A. Corey.”—Emily Skrutskie, author of Bonds of Brass

“A sweeping saga of a fierce and indomitable conqueror and her companions, this is breathtaking and mindblowingly good.”—Aliette de Bodard, Nebula Award-winning author of The Tea Master and the Detective

“A maelstrom of palace intrigue, interstellar back-stabbing, devious plots, treachery, blistering action, ferocious confrontations—and a heroine for the ages... Enthralling, edge-of-your-seat stuff hurtling along at warp speed. Grab!”—Kirkus Reviews, starred review

“Rich with history, tongue-in-cheek humor, cultural references, and vibrant characters, this highly entertaining series launch will have readers clamoring for more.”—Publishers Weekly, starred review

“Fans of Lois McMaster Bujold and N.K. Jemisin will find this a candidate for instant re-reading as soon as the last page is turned.”—Booklist, starred review

From the Publisher

12/01/2021

This richly conceived novella from the author of Unconquerable Sun, an LJ starred title, begins when Fellian, an enslaved fire mage, is kidnapped, or rescued, depending on the perspective, from her government's enforced servitude by a group of rebels. They want her to help them protect the life of a newborn baby who has the potential to overthrow their oppressors and save the kingdom. The opening sounds like many fantasies about chosen ones saving the day, but as readers see this world through Fellian's eyes the story becomes an exploration of power and privilege and the way that the high and mighty on both sides ignore how the costs of their squabbles and rebellions fall on the masses. Fellian, the daughter of farmers who rebelled against both sides, is willing to save the baby but refuses to be swept away by cause or rhetoric, to the surprise of the nobles who believe they're saving her when she's really saving them. VERDICT The depth of the character creation and worldbuilding makes this story seem almost too big to be contained in a novella. Recommended for readers looking for stories that center on characters that get things done and know the worth of doing so.—Marlene Harris, Reading Reality, LLC, Duluth, GA

Library Journal