A review by neilsef
Dragon Mage by M.L. Spencer

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious sad tense fast-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

4.0

This tale follows the lives of Aram and Markus, from their first meeting in the village they both live into the battle to try and defeat the Archon, Kathrax. 

From that first meeting, their lives are never the same as events take them in a direction neither were anticipating and which never unfold as they would hope or wish for, landing them in circumstances that test their courage and friendship to the limit of perseverance. 

There are numerous characters introduced into this story as it takes place in several different locations and spans multiple years. Each character has a presence that engages you more or less from the moment they are introduced which always makes a story more enjoyable. 

The events unfold naturally, though never predictably, and there are a fair few twists and shocks that keep the suspense and anticipation levels high. 

The magic system is intriguing, though how it works could be open to interpretation, but as long as you don't try to overthink it, it shouldn't be a problem. 

The latter part of the story had aspects relating to the magic and the Elesium, that I suspect were influenced by the Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, which is no bad thing. 

Overall this was an intelligently thought out story that was engaging and entertaining, played with your emotions and kept the anxiety levels high. What more could you ask for?