Reviewed by Taylin
TITLE: Mage Bond
AUTHOR: Eden Winters
PUBLISHER: Rocky Ridge Books
LENGTH: 405 Pages
RELEASE DATE: July 16, 2022
BLURB:
A long-ago meeting sets fate into motion…
As captain of the city guards, Martin protects E’Skaara by day. At night, he creeps in shadows to defend the citizens from predators most cannot see. He’s escaped from his past as a mage-born lad who’d nearly destroyed a village in self-defense. The three things he can’t so easily elude? Rage at a deity who condemns mages to death, memories of a pirate who saved him, and the magic he must conceal.
Tavernkeeper Peter keeps secrets. Secrets that can get him killed: his desire for men, a pirate past, and magical abilities. He should run from the one place mages cannot be safe, but yearning for a lost love binds him to where they shared their last kiss, waiting for one more glimpse of a dear face.
When dark forces reunite them, the magic both men try so hard to hide might just be their salvation.
REVIEW:
Saved from the clutches of death, Arkenn is given a second chance, albeit one fraught with danger. Events on the high seas give Arkenn a glimpse of love from the pirate’s son, Petran. Sadly, it’s all too fleeting. So, with memories of the man who saved him and lit his heart, he waits for the day they are reunited.
This story had my emotions all over the place, for a mixture of right and wrong reasons.
The story is told in the third person from the viewpoints of Arkenn and Petran. The world this author uses has been featured in previous writings, and it is obvious that she was so in love with it that other characters and adventures needed telling. Prior knowledge of the world isn’t necessary to read this installment as world-building is superb and extensive. Although, overenthusiasm for some aspects comes through and disturbs the flow.
Mage Bond is one of those tales where some story areas make more sense at the end than when they are first revealed. And because I don’t want to give away spoilers, this is one of those cases where I’ll say, read it and find out.
The story has the potential to be something special. Here are the things I loved. I loved Arkenn, Petran, and the more expansive cast. The world they resided in was excellent as it comprised pirates, magic, demons, good vs evil, etc. The beginning was rivetingly stunning, and the end was supremely action-packed. Albeit, occasionally, there were so many personal thoughts between elements of dialogue that the flow of conversation was stilted.
But, my biggest frown was the middle section of the novel. I got so frustrated that I had to put the story down and leave it for a few days before returning.
Mage Bond is a long book, and a hefty portion was dedicated to character development and training. “That doesn’t sound too bad.” I hear you say. But while I understand these things need to happen – the overriding phrase that was almost on repeat was “the time wasn’t right.” Okay, that too, I get, as some people need to be able to walk before they can run. However, after the great beginning, there was no hook of action to keep me turning the page while the characters went through their ‘growing phase’. And what drama there was, was more tell than show. E.g., The blub says that Arkenn is a city guard by day and a defender in the shadows at night. That is the ‘tell’ aspect. I wanted to be shown what he did. I wanted to live through some of the things Arkenn did as a guard and be by his side while he kept order – what actions got him promoted. I wanted to be there for more than a couple of skirmishes in the shadows and a uniform change. I wanted to be at the party rather than be told there was one.
In summary – the world created is superb and if the entire story had the storytelling prowess of the beginning and end, it would have been up there among my favorite novels of all time. Sadly, the middle let it down. For me, Mage Bond needed more show, less tell, and fewer rambling thoughts.
RATING: 
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