I needed a book to read while on the treadmill at the gym. My requirements: good story, easy to put down for several days then pick up again, characters that keep me interested. Forbidden Magic met all my requirements and more. On the face of things, it's a rather average fantasy - naive prince meets mercenary, they get roped into a quest for a magic book to save the world - and yet, it's better than that. The characters develop, the world is decently conceived, and the story keeps the reader's attention. So, all in all, a good choice for gym read! ( )