The Novice by Trudi Canavan

The Novice by Trudi Canavan

"Even if a magician's powers surface of their own accord, he will soon be dead if he does not gain the knowledge of how to control them."

Alone among all the novices in the Magicians' Guild, only Sonea comes from lowly beginnings. Yet she has won powerful allies--including Lord Dannyl, newly promoted to Guild Ambassador. But Dannyl must now depart for the Elyne court, leaving Sonea at the mercy of the lies and malicious rumors her enemies are busy spreading . . . until the High Lord Akkarin steps in. The price of Akkarin's support is dear, however, because Sonea, in turn, must protect his mysteries--and a secret that could lead a young novice mage deep into the darkness.

Meanwhile, Dannyl's first order to resume High Lord Akkarin's long-abandoned research into ancient magical knowledge is setting him on an extraordinary journey fraught with unanticipated peril--as he moves ever-closer to a future both wondrous . . . and terrible.

Trudi Canavan is an Australian author who lives in Melbourne. For as long as she can remember, she's been making up stories about people and places that don't exist. Whispers of the Mist Children, her first short tale, won an Aurealis Award for Best Fantasy Short Story in 1999. Her bestselling Black Magician Trilogy was published soon after, followed by the Age of the Five trilogy. In 2006, she was offered a seven-figure advance to write the Black Magician Trilogy's prequel and sequel. In 2009, The Magician's Apprentice, the prequel, won the Aurealis Award for Best Fantasy Book.