Book Review: The Mettle of the MasterMage

My favourite team of ragtag heroes is back muddling terms and adopting new phrases across worlds and generally landing from frying pan into fire whenever they least expect it.



This latest instalment in The King's Swordsman series is Becky James at her best. She had already become one of my auto-buy authors after The Limit of The Lonely Man, but she hit the ball out of the park with The Mettle of The MasterMage.
This book is fantastic. From character development to pacing, wordbuilding, emotion and atmosphere, Becky got it all just right.
⚔️An intriguing edge of the seat plot with more than the occasional twist you don't see coming,
⚔️A world you can vividly picture,
⚔️Perfectly imperfect characters that grow before your eyes,
⚔️A naturally shifting atmosphere you can practically feel - eerie or creepy at times, light and wholesome at others,
⚔️As well as that extra little something that unwittingly charms readers and burrows into their hearts,
This book has it all and more.

Becky James writes stories that make readers react. She has a knack for making you feel. From tearing up to getting frustrated or even angry, to grinning in satisfaction and even laughing out loud... her books will have you going though the whole rollercoaster.
And this one is no exception.

In fact, I'll dare say, this one is the best of the series so far. It's so beautifully layered and thought out, that you'd be hard pressed to find something to grumble about.

Her characters have all grown so much already in the previous books, but this time around they practically shine.

The most annoying swordsman ever written has now become one of my favourite big and brave knuckleheads ever written. He still manages to be a tad annoying on occasion, and puts his foot in the mouth in the most inappropriate moments... But he is also the sweetest, bravest and gentlest lummox ever, and I love him for that.

I didn't know if I want to smack his head, or my own forehead now and then, at seeing what he's up to. And I often found myself wanting to give him a big strong hug.

But it's Tuniel who has the stage this time, and she is fantastic. This book is all about our MasterMage coming into her own. Duty versus desire, want versus need, she has to make hard choices, for the good of the realm or her personal happiness. And at the end of her journey I love her even more than before.

Evyn and Aubin are nothing less and their relationship alternately had me literally in stitches or tearing up and sighing.
I may have wanted to slap a mother or two. Hard! Because of their meddling. And there was this one time when I wished certain rangers broke a few of their tenets and literally broke a certain someone's legs then fed him his own feet.
He SO totally deserved it!!!

There are so many things to gush about this book but I'll put an end to it before my review turns into a novella. And I'll wrap it all up with this.

The Mettle of the MasterMage is a gritty and dark portal sword and sorcery with light Garth Nix vibes and a lot of heart.
It is not easy to properly balance darkness in a tale of this kind, and counter it with just enough light to prevent it from becoming overwhelming, but Becky James pulls it off like a charm.
She'll have you smile through tears and laugh out loud in horrifying situations, cause that's Becky James's style. Dark and full of heart.

But you don't have to take my word for it. Take a chance on this series and decide for yourself.
All I can say is - you won't regret it.

Happy reading everyone
And remember
'There is power in choices and choosing for yourself'