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A review by actuallycandy
The Master Magician by Charlie N. Holmberg
3.0
The final conclusion in The Paper Magician trilogy and I can safely say this was a 3.5⭐ read for me. Slightly above ok only because I love Emery Thane. Ceony however, after 3 books, I can say she is not my favourite heroine.
This book begins nearly 2 years after the death of Grath in The Glass Magician (book 2). Ceony is preparing herself to sit for her magicians test only to find that Saraj, the captured Excisioner has escaped custody. What does Ceony think of all this? That Saraj is wanting to hurt her family in an act of revenge.
But this is where the first plot hole of many begins. Judging Saraj and his character from the second book in this trilogy he is painted as the sadistic psychopath that is leashed by Grath. Because these villains are so one dimensional with zero reason for anything they do I have a few questions. If Saraj was such an unpredictable guy who had to be leashed, why would he even bother listening to Grath? What commitment does he have to Lira or Grath? None of this is really explained. Also, Saraj was not the one who threatened Ceony's family, it was Grath who did so. Which begs to question what was her motive to hunt down Saraj? It was until I read this:
"CEONY HAD NO giant paper gliders at her disposal and didn’t want to involve Bennet any further in her dark-rooted hobby" - She literally called tracking down a serial killer a dark-rooted hobby. Not as selfless as you seem Ceony...
Which mind you judging by how Grath and Saraj split up in the second book, one can assume they were going their separate ways with different agendas. And Criminal Affairs is utterly useless. They apparently have magician's in their arsenal and yet they couldn't provide some assistance in this pursuit? Instead taking anonymous tips and arriving way too late? You'd think they would have gaffers, smelters and spires on hand. But no, they are just another pawn. And may I add how not menacing Saraj sounds as a villain? Constantly calling Ceony kitten? Just eewww...
We even come to know that Saraj had absolutely no interest in Ceony when she encountered him in Reading. Which by the way I was cringing the entire time Ceony was tracking down the Excisioner. And once again this girl had no growth from previous books, continuously seeking danger with stupid motives and very little thought. And to make matters worse she has the knowledge of how to unbind and bind to every magical material. This would make Ceony the most powerful magician. Unfortunately in the hands of the most dimwitted character. Honestly I was hoping her character was going to be redeemed. But that was wishful thinking on my part. So during the encounter she decides this is the perfect time to attack. With absolutely no plan she shows him the very thing that would give him motive to seek her out. She burns him as a spire, and he gets away. Convenient, now we have a motive...
We know that Saraj has killed the smelter magician that assisted Emery in his arrest. Now this would make sense. That he hunts down those who captured him before in an act of revenge. But no, he doesn't go for Emery, because he is just trying to gather resources to leave England. But Ceony has now given the bugger a reason to stay.
All this happens as Ceony is supposed to be preparing for the magicians exam. Which I admit was interesting but nothing really happened. She gets transferred to Magician Bailey's estate (a nemesis of sorts for Magician Thane). We get whispers of the academy changing the apprenticeships for different sexed pairs. Who really cares at this point? We get introduced to Bennet, which I suspect will be in her spinoff novels based in the same world. Why else would he be introduced. But I disliked Bennet for this excerpt in the book:
“I’m a bit surprised,” he confessed. “I admit I was a little jealous of you when you came to stay with us. You and Magician Thane seemed close. I envied your relationship. But I didn’t think you . . .” He shrugged. “I guess I didn’t think you were that kind of woman.” -
This book begins nearly 2 years after the death of Grath in The Glass Magician (book 2). Ceony is preparing herself to sit for her magicians test only to find that Saraj, the captured Excisioner has escaped custody. What does Ceony think of all this? That Saraj is wanting to hurt her family in an act of revenge.
But this is where the first plot hole of many begins. Judging Saraj and his character from the second book in this trilogy he is painted as the sadistic psychopath that is leashed by Grath. Because these villains are so one dimensional with zero reason for anything they do I have a few questions. If Saraj was such an unpredictable guy who had to be leashed, why would he even bother listening to Grath? What commitment does he have to Lira or Grath? None of this is really explained. Also, Saraj was not the one who threatened Ceony's family, it was Grath who did so. Which begs to question what was her motive to hunt down Saraj? It was until I read this:
"CEONY HAD NO giant paper gliders at her disposal and didn’t want to involve Bennet any further in her dark-rooted hobby" - She literally called tracking down a serial killer a dark-rooted hobby. Not as selfless as you seem Ceony...
Which mind you judging by how Grath and Saraj split up in the second book, one can assume they were going their separate ways with different agendas. And Criminal Affairs is utterly useless. They apparently have magician's in their arsenal and yet they couldn't provide some assistance in this pursuit? Instead taking anonymous tips and arriving way too late? You'd think they would have gaffers, smelters and spires on hand. But no, they are just another pawn. And may I add how not menacing Saraj sounds as a villain? Constantly calling Ceony kitten? Just eewww...
We even come to know that Saraj had absolutely no interest in Ceony when she encountered him in Reading. Which by the way I was cringing the entire time Ceony was tracking down the Excisioner. And once again this girl had no growth from previous books, continuously seeking danger with stupid motives and very little thought. And to make matters worse she has the knowledge of how to unbind and bind to every magical material. This would make Ceony the most powerful magician. Unfortunately in the hands of the most dimwitted character. Honestly I was hoping her character was going to be redeemed. But that was wishful thinking on my part. So during the encounter she decides this is the perfect time to attack. With absolutely no plan she shows him the very thing that would give him motive to seek her out. She burns him as a spire, and he gets away. Convenient, now we have a motive...
We know that Saraj has killed the smelter magician that assisted Emery in his arrest. Now this would make sense. That he hunts down those who captured him before in an act of revenge. But no, he doesn't go for Emery, because he is just trying to gather resources to leave England. But Ceony has now given the bugger a reason to stay.
All this happens as Ceony is supposed to be preparing for the magicians exam. Which I admit was interesting but nothing really happened. She gets transferred to Magician Bailey's estate (a nemesis of sorts for Magician Thane). We get whispers of the academy changing the apprenticeships for different sexed pairs. Who really cares at this point? We get introduced to Bennet, which I suspect will be in her spinoff novels based in the same world. Why else would he be introduced. But I disliked Bennet for this excerpt in the book:
“I’m a bit surprised,” he confessed. “I admit I was a little jealous of you when you came to stay with us. You and Magician Thane seemed close. I envied your relationship. But I didn’t think you . . .” He shrugged. “I guess I didn’t think you were that kind of woman.” -