A Review for Religious Readers
Kindle first books and I don’t usually get along very well. It usually leaves me feeling a bit cheated. I mean, for a book lover, what better mood boost is there than opening up your email to find that you have been offered a free book. Not only that, there are choices! What a wonderful feeling, right. My problem lies in that I can be a very picky reader at times. And, as a Christian, I also want a book that ranks low in the swearing department (it doesn’t have to be cuss free) and steers away from inappropriate or explicit sexual content. This means a lot of research before I download anything from a “new-to-me-author.” So, kindle first books have left me mostly unhappy. Except for one.
Brandon Sanderson is not only one of my all time favorite authors but also my role model when it comes to writing. I try not to read his books at the same time I am heavily writing my own because I tend to want to tear my work into tiny pieces and burn it. And burn it again. I still use his writing as inspiration for my own, however. It is a tedious existence.
Sadly, this post is not about Brandon Sanderson; that topic will be left for many, many, many other posts. This post only relates to him in that the book I am reviewing was written by one of his students (he teaches writing at Brigham Young University). Cue the real reason for this post:
The Paper Magician by Charlie N. Holmberg
This book was actually the very first kindle first I downloaded. I didn’t really have high hopes for it, but none of the other options looked all that great, and, hey, I wanted my free book. I was happily disappointed in my initial assessment. The characters and story excited my book loving brain immediately. Based on the cover, my impression was that it would be Mary Poppins-ish; it wasn’t. The magic was unique and the action well balanced. Honestly, I don’t need to say much more here as I would recommend this book to anyone who can comprehend the reading level; however, this, being my first book review, sets the precedent for how I will review books in the future, so I am going to be thorough.
A no spoiler plot summary:
The main character, Ceony, begins the tale in a begrudging mood, as her dreams of being a respected magician have been crushed. All of her hard work, exceptional grades, and ambition got swept aside. She should have been able to choose which magical element to bond to, but that didn’t happen. Instead, her dreams break apart against a magical council that needs more apprentices to learn one particular magical element that is dying out due to lack of interest: paper. Now instead of a grand future bonded to glass or any of the other magical materials, she will be forever bonded with paper.
Any more info would spoil the plot. Just read the book. It isn’t that big; even a slow reader could bust it out in three days, tops.
The Foul-Mouth-O-Meter:
Nothing. Although I don’t stick my nose up at a few cuss words, I feel that stories are much better without a lot of foul language.
Blood, Gore, and Violence:
A man’s heart is removed (the removal itself is not described) and blood is important in the plot. None of the descriptions are graphic, though. All imagery is tastefully written. The violence is mild. I would compare it with any of the kids animated movies in the realm of The Secret Life of Pets.
Sexual Content:
I tried to think of a funny name for this category but decided against it. I will go the politically correct route instead. Don’t worry, this will be far less painful than voting.
This is partially a love story, but falling in love and other general love-centered emotions are as far as the author goes. I find it to be very well done.
Faith Based Implications:
The plot contains strong moral values. Good and evil are defined in a very religious frame of reference. I also enjoy the author’s focus on what has value. She shows the reader that sometimes that which we take to be unworthy of our time is worth much more than we ever thought possible.
Age Recommendations:
12+
But seriously, anyone with decent reading comprehension and a bit of maturity.
Overall Enjoyment Rating:
4/5
There really isn’t much more to say about this one. The book is small but very enjoyable. I don’t want to destroy the plot secrets for you; I just want to give book reviews that can help you weed out the books that don’t fit with your style or values. For more book reviews and other exclusive content, sign up for my newsletter (link below).
Thanks for reading!
Zach Larson
Have a question you want to ask? Leave a comment below or email me at Zach@livingwordspress.com. I want to know what type of post you would like to see from me next.
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