I finished reading this book a week ago and finally had time to review it.  I had no  idea what to expect when I picked up the entire Rhenwars Saga by author M.L. Spencer.  Darkmage is the first book in the series.

The tale begins with death and destruction and the opening of the Well of Tears which unleashes chaos upon the world, Eight Servants of Xerys; demons.  Great start.  I was drawn into the book right away.

Darien Lauchlin is a minor acolyte of Aerysius who still hasn’t committed to the faith, bearing the markings, the chains of his binding on his wrists while bearing a sword against tradition.  Through desperation and Transference, with the ancient city falling apart around them, Darien is hoisted up into a Master’s role, a Sentinel, absorbing enough power from the dying to become an unheard of Eighth Tier mage.

Surviving the onslaught, Darien travels through various locales, gaps, shrines and temples, enlisting the aid of an apprentice, Kyel Archer, and Naia Seleni, First Daughter of the Goddess Isap and a priestess of Death.  Makes for interesting company.

Sworn to honor the Oath of Harmony which prevents him from using his powers to injure, Darien must decide if breaking the binding and sacrificing his soul to defeat the enemies of chaos is the right choice to save his people.  An unbound mage is an abomination.  He will not be looked upon as a hero even if he wins.

To make matters worse, the mage who opened the Well and poses his greatest threat, is his brother, Aiden.

I found Darkmage to be an extremely entertaining fantasy tale and I look forward to reading the rest of the books in the series.  Highly recommended for lovers of fantasy.

Allen M Werner is author of the epic fantasy series, The Crystal Crux.
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