The Ambassador's Mission

July 5, 2010
The first book in Australian writer Canavan's "Traitor Spy Trilogy" picks up some time after the Black Magician series, yet remains adventurous and accessible for new and old readers alike. Lorkin, the son of Sonea, Canavan's past protagonist, takes the lead in this series when he is drafted by Dannyl to join the new ambassador in tracking down books on the history of the land. Meanwhile, Cery, a thief, returns home to find his family massacred, possibly by the same mysterious figure currently killing his fellow thieves. Worse, all signs point to the murderer also being a rogue magician. Sonea too is concerned with the safety of her family, and for good reason, as Lorkin finds himself getting into trouble abroad, when an attempt on his life leads to his involvement with a group of rebels called Traitors. Canavan balances the plotlines on both fronts nicely, deftly mixing the internal politics of the magicians and the ambassadors with the street-level drama facing her grieving thief.

May 15, 2010
Black magic is no longer forbidden in Kyralia, but only two practitioners are allowed in the magicians guild at any time. Lower-class apprentices are now admitted, and more intra-guild conflict has tagged along. Meanwhile, in the thieves guild there have been some mysterious deaths. Hoping to find additional historical sources, mage and historian Dannyl accepts a posting as ambassador to Sachaka, which Kyralia once invaded. Lorkin, son of heroes and black magicians, volunteers to be Dannyls assistant. Lorkins mother, Sonnea, thinks it unwise for the son of the mages principally responsible for defeating the invaders to so expose himself. She proves to be right, though for reasons no one in the magicians guild would have guessed. Canavan is a good adventure writer, who keeps you turning pages, and she furnishes enough background to obviate reading the preceding Black Magician trilogy (The Magicians Guild, 2001; The Novice, 2002; The High Lord, 2003) to enjoy this book. Shes good enough, in fact, to tilt you toward reading it, anyway, if you havent already.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2010, American Library Association.)