Reviews

A Radical Act of Free Magic by H.G. Parry

okevamae's review against another edition

5.0

This sequel to A Declaration of the Rights of Magicians focuses on the surviving main characters from its predecessor: William Pitt, Prime Minister of Britain with a dangerous magical secret, William Wilberforce, MP and evangelical supporter of abolition, and Fina, a formerly enslaved woman fighting for the freedom of Saint-Domingue and Jamaica alongside Toussaint Louverture. Pitt and Wilberforce, who suffered a bit of a falling out at the end of book one, are more at odds than ever in the sequel, while the threat from their shadowy vampiric enemy looms ever larger. In addition, there are some new key characters: Kate, a common born British weather mage; Hester, Pitt’s adventurous niece; and the ambitious young French military officer Napoleon Bonaparte, who in this version of history has a weak form of mesmerism which allows him to control animals. He uses this power to monstrous effect in a bid to gain superiority over the British.

Parry’s Napoleon is, I think, a classic psychopath: shrewd, calculating, egotistical, thirsty for power, and lacking in human empathy, thinking of others only in terms of their usefulness to his goals. There is some debate among historians as to whether Napoleon was in fact psychopathic, but as with Robespierre’s obsession with his ideal Republic and Wilberforce’s gregarious nature, it shows how much research and detail the author puts into characterization, taking the known facts about a historical figure’s personality and turning them into fully formed characters.

As with the previous book, the relationships between characters are what really make this story shine. The magic and politics are major elements of the book, but the themes of friendship and loyalty are what give it life. Parry also has a real gift for dialogue, particularly the banter between Pitt and Wilberforce.

Spoiler

(And can I just say, I got a little misty-eyed when those two finally made up and trusted each other again – I was really afraid they wouldn’t!)

I also really enjoyed the friendship between Hester and Fina, and the major roles they and Kate played in this version of history.

Again, 4.5 stars, rounded up to 5.

linwearcamenel's review against another edition

funny informative lighthearted slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

imkevbo's review against another edition

adventurous medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

runicfox's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative inspiring medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

blt28's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

5.0

The friendship between Pitt and Wilberforce will never leave me.  

ethayden2's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny informative inspiring lighthearted sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

mom2qandk's review against another edition

dark emotional inspiring medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

joyspren1's review against another edition

5.0

This book was fantastic. The historical elements were really well done. The characters were so believably human. The fantastic elements winding through just added a chef’s kiss of perfection to the whole thing. Sadly, we didn’t spend as much time in Pitt’s POV as I’d have liked but Wilberforce, Fina, and Napoleon were all well done. I have never wanted to travel to England more than I do right now, and see all the historical places preserved.

Also, there was a dragon. How can the book be really bad if there is a dragon? (Don’t remind me of all the ways, I do know them.)

This is a great way to send off 2023, with one more great book finished.

posthumusly's review against another edition

3.0

I liked this one better than the first - I think I would rate it 3.5. I do wish there were more and better female characters - I fount Pitt and Wilberforce pretty boring and simplistic.

fjsteele's review against another edition

4.0

My thanks to NetGalley.com for an advanced reading copy of Parry's book. I am so happy to say that this book is exponentially better than the first book in the duology. Parry managed to capture so much more the awe and grandeur possible in magic, as well as the strength of will of her characters. As I said in my review of Declaration of the Rights of Magicians, the first novel sufferes from extensive exposition. Since the novels both imagine the events of the late eighteenth century and earliest twentieth century, they rely on historical texts for their background, and too much of the expository tone of history books seeped into the first book. This second novel is much more character-driven, and no character is more compellingly drawn than Fina, a woman who escapes slavery in Jamaica and fights alongside the heroes of the Battle of Trafalgar.

Ut she is not the only compelling character. Napoleon's will-to-power motivates the action of the first 2/3 of the novel. He is thoroughly charming, and even though representes as a magician, it is his courage ans skill at battlefield strategy that still come through. This novel is a beautiful synthesis of novels like Horatio Hornblower and Shadow and Bonel