Title: La corporazione dei maghi
Author: Trudi Canavan
First published October 24, 2001
395 pages, Hardcover
ISBN: 9788842914891 (ISBN10: 8842914894)
Rating: 3.95
Overview
In Imardin, the day of Purge has arrived. It is the yearly event when, on the king’s orders, the Magicians’ Guild expels from the city all those suspected of criminal activities, including beggars and vagrants.
As usual, people from the poor districts gather in the North Square to protest against this unjust measure, shouting in anger at the king and throwing stones at the magicians, who are obliviously protected by a magical barrier. Everything seems to be going according to the sad and predictable script until a stone shatters the magical shield and injures a magician.
Amidst the crowd’s exultation and the magicians’ dismay, the culprit is immediately identified: Sonea, a young orphan who flees in terror. However, the Magicians’ Guild cannot allow someone with such power to escape their control, and they scour the slums to capture the girl and persuade her to join them and undergo the necessary training to control her magic and avoid endangering herself and those around her.
Yet, within the Guild, there are those who plot to exploit Sonea and achieve their evil goals…
About the Author
Trudi Canavan, a native of Kew, Melbourne, spent her childhood in Ferntree Gully, a suburb located at the foothills of the Dandenongs. Her talent for writing was recognized in 1999 when she was awarded the Aurealis Award for Best Fantasy Short Story for her work, “Whispers of the Mist Children”.
That same year, she was also granted a writers residency at Varuna Writers’ Centre in Katoomba, New South Wales.
In November of 2001, Trudi’s first book was published in Australia. The second installment of the trilogy, published in June 2002, was nominated for the Aurealis Award for Best Fantasy Novel.
The third book was released in January 2003 and was nominated for the Best Novel Ditmar category. All three books were listed as top ten SF bestsellers in Australia.
The international market welcomed The Black Magician Trilogy in 2004, published by HarperCollins’ EOS imprint in North America and Orbit Books in the UK. Nielsen BookScan rated the trilogy as the most successful debut fantasy series in the past decade.
Trudi’s second trilogy, Age of the Five, also enjoyed bestselling success, with Priestess of the White reaching No. 3 in the Sunday Times hardback fiction bestseller list and remaining in the top ten for six weeks.
In 2006, Trudi signed a seven-figure contract with Orbit to write the prequel and sequel to the Black Magician Trilogy. The prequel, The Magician’s Apprentice, was released in 2009 and won the Best Fantasy Novel category of the Aurealis Awards.
Editoral Review
Trudi Canavan’s La corporazione dei maghi is a tantalizing and thrilling fantasy novel, perfect for readers who enjoy tales of magic, intrigue, and adventure. First published in 2001, this book follows the lives of Sonea, a young girl from the slums, and Akkarin, the High Lord of the Magicians’ Guild, as they navigate their way through a world of politics, conspiracy, and dark magic.
Canavan expertly weaves together elements of magic and power dynamics to create a setting that is rich and nuanced, with just the right amount of mystical touch. The story is set in the kingdom of Kyralia, where the magicians, who possess incredible powers, are the ruling elite, and in which an imbalance of power and corruption have become the norm.
Enter the protagonist, Sonea, who despite her disadvantaged background and lack of formal training in magic, manages to gain entry into the Guild’s Academy, and thus begins her journey of self-discovery and rebellion. The world-building is both intricate and detailed, with its varying factions, social hierarchies, and characters who occupy multiple shades of morality.
Despite the book’s length, Canavan maintains an engaging pace, keeping the readers on the edge of their seats with her expertly crafted narrative twists and turns. One of the most impressive themes in this novel is the use and abuse of power.
Canavan lays bare the dark sides of human nature, as the characters struggle to reconcile their talents with ethics and personal values. However, the character development could have been more nuanced and deliberate, with certain personalities feeling rather one-dimensional in their portrayal.
Overall, La corporazione dei maghi is a well-crafted fantasy novel that combines political intrigue, complex world-building, and fast-paced action to deliver a thrilling reading experience. Fans of fantasy genres such as Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, or Game of Thrones will love this book, although it mostly caters to a mature audience.
The author’s knack for weaving together different themes and elements into one cohesive story is impressive, although it does have its limitations when it comes to the consistency of its characters. Nevertheless, it is still an enjoyable read that will transport readers to a world of magic, mystery, and adventure.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars.
