Michael G. Manning

Young boy gets trained by an old hermit in magic.
The story itself is well known - a young boy gets a master that likes him but is harsh in the education. the master dies before the education is complete.
The story itself may not be the most innovative i have ever read but the magic system and the fantasy world this all plays in has a lot of interesting ideas and i am a big fan of "young adult learns magic" anyway. the Characters are extremely likeable and I cannot wait to read the next one.
One of the best books i read this year. Well spent money!
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wow - i did not expect the setting to change this drastic.
The MC goes to a magic school and the whole atmosphere of the first book is exchanged by some harry potter vibe.
The MC makes some serious mistakes this book and i wanted to shake him a few times. There are also some logic holes (like the mc keeps his magic ring in prison).
The later part of the book finally got back some of the mood of the first book. I really liked the actions between the MC and the princess.
I see no way the king would act like he act at the end but well - that is for the next book to explain.
Overall a good book but by far not so outstanding to me like the first one.… (more)

The Choice of Magic by indie writer Michael G. Manning is a straightforward coming-of-age fantasy with some redeeming details. Village boy Will Cartwright has an unsuspected magical heritage. Apprenticed to a curmudgeonly old man who may be his grandfather, he learns wizardry and eventually joins the army. I also enjoy the animal who seems to own the wizard’s house, protects them from the Fae, and is known unaffectionately as “the goddamn cat.” Manning creates a nicely complicated system of magic that distinguishes between the Fare, warlocks, sorcerers, and wizards. The plot moves along well, but I will just say that I hate in medias res endings that are a cheater’s way to make you read the next book in the series. 3.5 stars.… (more)