Before I started this book I was excited to read it as I have loved all Garth Nix’s so far.
Unfortunately upon starting it I found it to be very different to his other books and found it hard to engage with the characters like I normally would.

To say that Angel Mage was one of my most anticipated books of the year is probably an understatement. Garth Nix has been one of my favourite authors since I was a child, and I absolutely credit him with being the reason I love fantasy books so much. So many of his books – Shade’s Children, Sabriel, A Confusion of Princes – are some of my all time favourites so going into Angel Mage I had the highest of expectations. The story captivated me from the very first page, and I am already considering when I can make time to reread this stunning book.

Like all of Garth Nix’s books, the world building is excellently plotted, allowing you to completely fall into this story of angels and magic. The magic system felt really unique, I don’t think I’ve ever come across it before and it was a breath of fresh air. The story is quite a slow burn, it’s a big tome and it really gives you the chance to get to know the world and the brilliantly fleshed out characters. Nix has stated that this is a standalone at this stage, but I would honestly love to read more from this world and the characters.

Angel Mage has plenty of action scenes to keep you hooked in and gorgeous writing that I honestly just could not get enough of. Each sentence seems to leap off the page with vivid descriptions of characters and their setting. It features a brilliant cast of characters, each who brings a really interesting perspective to the table. I really liked Simeon and Henri the most, but honestly I thought all the characters were brilliant.

If you love epic fantasy stories with Three Musketeers vibes, you definitely need to pick up Angel Mage now. I for one am now going to start rereading Garth Nix’s back catalogue while I wait for his next book!

Angel Mage is my very first Garth Nix book so I can’t compare it to his other works but I found it a fun interpretation of The Three Musketeers with a great magic system and memorable characters. The idea of angelic magic being harnessed by humans was incredibly interesting and I loved how the method and history of icon design were explored. I could have read a book set just in the Belhalle focusing on the scholars and their research. I was a little confused at first (as I often am with any fantasy introducing a new magic system) but most things quickly became clear and I was able to simply enjoy the book.

The characters of Simeon, Agnez, Henri, and Dorotea, and their sibling-like relationship was probably my favourite element of the story. Each was fleshed-out and unique, with very different skill sets and personalities. Yet, like a family, they shared a close bond whilst also endlessly teasing and challenging each other. Rochefort was another complex character but I felt her story wasn’t explored quite enough. I did enjoy her growing closeness to Dorotea though. The epilogue gives a sense of closure for the group but leaves it open for any potential new adventures and I’d love to catch up with them all in five years time.

Unfortunately, I did have a couple of issues with the book. Firstly, Refusers are treated as the lowest members of society, forming an underclass often deemed disposable and less than human. This allowed for some thought-provoking questions to be raised but they weren’t taken any further and thus this plot thread lacked emotional power. The main issue I had with this story though was the pacing. Due to most of the action taking place in the final fifty pages, the rushed ending was anti-climactic and the threat posed by Liliath seemed to just fizzle out. Nevertheless, the humour, unique magic system, and fantastic characters ensured I enjoyed this story overall and would recommend to fantasy fans.

I really, really enjoyed Angel Mage. I love the author’s Old Kingdom series (Lirael is one of my favourite books of all time), so I was absolutely thrilled when I learned that he would release a new book this year. Unfortunately, it took me a while to finish reading Angel Mage, because I’m in a reading slump and just busy with life in general 😂 but this was such a wonderful book, with one of the most unique worlds I ever read about.

So, what is Angel Mage about? It’s about a girl who slept 100 years, desperate to be united with her lover (who is an angel!); it’s about four friends: a Musketeer, a scholar, a doctor, and a clerk; it’s inspired by The Three Musketeers—but in this world, people can call on angels and use their magic: to heal, to fight, to do anything, really. But it will cost them a minute, a day, or even years of their life.

So yes, the magic system in Angel Mage was one of my favourite things. The whole world-building was so interesting and, as always, I’m in awe with everything Garth Nix creates! Another thing I loved were the characters. The POV is divided between the four friends I mentioned above and Liliath, the powerful mage who slept for more than a century. Every single character had a mind of their own, desires and fears and wishes. It wasn’t at all confusing to have so many characters in this story, just the opposite: it made the whole book so interesting and captivating, because everyone had their own plans and ideas and you wanted to see them all played out. My favourite character was Dorotea. She’s a scholar and a daydreamer and she’s just such a sweetheart. But she’s also brave and clever—and I loved her interactions with Rochefort (it was heavily implied that there might be a romance between those two in a future book and I’m all for that. Give me all the f/f relationships!).

Overall, this was such a brilliant and gripping story, full of magic and adventures. I really liked all the characters and the world-building was as unique and wonderful as I’ve come to expect from Garth Nix. And I really do hope that there will be a sequel to Angel Mage (the author said on Twitter that he would like to explore more of this world)!

The magic system is indeed really fascinating and described fairly well and in an easy to understand way while still being interesting and leaving room for loopholes here and there. The idea that icons with depictions of different levels of angels allowed mages to summon them for aid with varying costs in the currency of said mages own lifeforce feels quite unique but familiar and I enjoyed each piece of information we were given about them and the tolls and aspects of different angels.

The world-building too was done brilliantly and was my favourite aspect of the book. The world felt very easy to visualise as did the different governing bodies, military forces and general existence as a whole. I liked that with the cardinal essentially in power by way of having the ear of the Queen alongside her force of musketeers (led by a female Dartaghtan) it had a real Three Muskateers feel to parts of it even if the resulting story was very different.

Unfortunately, the plot and pacing felt terribly clunky for the most part. A plot doesn't always have to be fast-paced obviously but usually, when that's the case it's because the book is very character-driven and I don't know if it was because we had four main characters AND the "big bad" as POV parts but it didn't feel like especially character-driven either. There are some interesting moments for sure and I did like the characters, Doretea especially but I would have liked more character building with them and maybe less insta-friendship although I do understand the circumstances behind it.



One last thing that I noticed and absolutely wanted to praise and shout about was the fact that a lot of prominent characters who when named or mentioned I would often assume were male were female which was very refreshing. The Cardinal and the Queen who hold the highest power were both female, there was a good amount of gender-neutral language throughout and no-one batting an eyelid at anyones differing sexual preferences. Not to mention that all of this just felt organic which was honestly just *chefs kiss* and a standard I would love to see in more books instead of having female, queer and/or POC characters slotted in for the sake of it.

Overall it was still an enjoyable read despite it's faults, I don't think it helps that I'm having trouble getting through longer books at the moment either and this is not a particularly short book. Angel Mage by Garth Nix is out now and defintley worth a read if it sounds like it might be your kind of thing.

I thoroughly enjoyed Sabriel when I read it a few years back because the world building and action scenes were very immersive. So when I heard that Garth Nix had a new adult fantasy book coming out, it shot to the top of my TBR. And for good reason.

This book is rich in magic, action, and angelic intervention. The world-building is brilliantly conceptualised and the characters are diverse and captivating.

One of my favourite elements of this novel was the inspiration that Nix draws from The Three Musketeers. The world of the novel is built around the Cardinal, Queen, and Musketeers’ garrison, with French influence in the naming of characters and places.

Aside from the mention of a ‘musketeer’ in the synopsis, I didn’t know that Angel Mage drew on The Three Musketeers until I opened the book and read the acknowledgements.

But once I started reading, I was thrilled so see the connections between the world of the Musketeers and this book. And they’re done so well.

A few familiar names from Dumas’s iconic novel make an appearance, which is a delightful addition for those who loved The Three Musketeers and its many adaptations. The original sword-clashing, action-packed, politically tense story is reborn with angels, demons, and magic aplenty.

The weapons, political set up, and humorous scenes all mirror Dumas’s novel, but the characters and angelic magic are all Nix’s own.

The magic system is different to any other fantasy I’ve read in a long while and I really enjoyed its idiosyncrasies.

Angels can be summoned using an ‘icon’, which is usually a small figure or token. Mages can summon angels, but they can only do so if they’ve formed a close and strong connection to them. But summoning an angel requires a cost, which is usually youth/life force. As a result, angelic magic users end up looking much older than they actually are (you’re 40 but you look 60, basically).

What really struck me about this novel is how female-driven it is. The cardinal is a woman, Rochefort is a woman, and the leader of the Queen’s Musketeers is a woman. See a pattern emerging?

Every character in a position of power is a woman. The Queen rules the Kingdom, and the social hierarchy below her is women-led. Men are by no means sidelined, but they don’t command the same levels of power as they do in many other adult fantasy novels. And I loved that.

Garth Nix does a brilliant job of flipping the traditional gender roles of the Musketeers on its head, with both men and women in the regiment. The one thing that doesn’t change is that we have a woman as the villain.

And Liliath is clever, calculating, and unflinching in her quest to reunite with Palleniel. She manipulates people for her own gains and is completely assured (to the point of arrogance) in her own power). Humans are tools to use for her work and she comes up against little resistance until she meets the four heroes of the story.

Simeon is a skilled doctor training at the city’s hospital until he stumbles upon a monster that attacks him and his mentor. He has a keen sense of justice and doesn’t like to see people punished unduly (including himself).

Dorotea is whimsical in nature and never seems troubled by what life throws at her. She can create icons by simply drawing them and can see the form of Angels, but keeps that quiet for as long as possible, since it’s no ordinary skill.

Henri is a clerk from a poor family, just trying to make a living and move up the career ladder (we feel you Henri). He’s doesn’t like confrontation and is prone to nerves in front of authority, but is determined to do the best he can in any task.

Agnez is perhaps my favourite character. Fiery and hot-headed, she shares Henri’s ambition to move up the ranks. Her jokes made for some of the more humorous dialogue in the story, and we can see glimmers of a young d’Artagnan in her personality.

Simeon, Dorotea, Henri, and Agnez are thrown together when they all end up at the Tower and quickly realise their share a connection. The four feel as if they’ve met before and bond quickly as they discover why. I loved their interactions and the way they became something of a found family as the novel progressed.

I’ve seen other reviews state that Part I of the novel is fairly slow paced. And I’d agree. But the pacing is purposeful. Nix intentionally draws us in slowly, offering pieces of world-building and new characters chapter by chapter, rather than hurling it all at us at once.

Scenes prioritising character development are naturally slower than action scenes, so it makes sense for Part I to unfold at a more sedate pace. I’m have a lot of patience for slower scenes, if the character development is done well, so I had no problems with Part I coming together gradually.

But I can see why some readers might find it too leisurely. So if you prefer an action-driven book, then Part II onwards is for you. The main characters ad world are established, leaving free reign for the plot to take over. And take over it really does.

This book is a great new addition to adult fantasy shelves. It’s feminist, funny, and full of action. The political and magical systems are complex enough to satisfy those who like their world-building dense and rich (think The Priory of the Orange Tree) and the action scenes keep us riveted. If you’re a fan of anything Musketeers-related, you definitely want to pick up Angel Mage.

Highlight
strong women
creative magic system

Overall
This book drew me in. I was only going to check how it was written and before I knew it I had finished the prologue...

I liked how a lot of these people were strong independent women. Nix has a long record of writing good strong women characters and this book didn't disappoint there either in comparison to other male authors. I was also pleasantly surprised by the amount of PoC in this book! Yay Go Garth!

The Story
The story doesn't feel like a directly straight forward story, especially in the beginning. It starts back in the day and sets the scene for the history and the past of the book. Then the rest of the book is divided into 5 parts. The first part introduced Liliath. Automatically with a name like that I guessed villain, having read the book, I'm still not sure about this. It introduces the world and her plans for it. Then in part 2, another four characters are introduced and the following parts slowly force them together. The author writes in a way where you keep thinking they will meet on the next page, when it only happens a few chapters later.

In the end, it all comes together and everything makes sense. though I still have a few questions about the whole thing.

The World-building
The world-building isn't that heavy and there isn't a set block of it which is nice. The book is more focused on informing us of how the magic works which I very much enjoyed though that isn't heavy either. It's well done and smooth, but at the same time, the world doesn't feel too big, but big enough for all these people and all this drama. There are hinted at other countries which makes everything feel bigger as well as the focus being on countries and not cities.

The magic/science
It's very interesting and original with the idea of religious icons being the source of magic. The icon is of angels and there is a hierarchy of angels and everything. The higher up the angel is on the hierarchy the stronger it is and the more energy it takes from the summoner.

I always like it when there is a side effect of the magic. It makes it a bit more challenging and more defined. In Angel Mage, the side effect of magic is premature ageing. The more you summon and/or the higher the angle you summon the earlier you age. So fascinating!

Great magic system!

The characters

The most interesting things about the characters are that they initially fall into a stereotype, but you later realise they don't fit that well into that stereotype after all. They grow on you. Again well done Nix for making this effect.

Liliath - having a name like that makes me think she is the villain. Her badass attitude and cruel twist of the mouth again make me think she is evil. But I'm not sure.

Simeon - the medical student and one of "the Four". The quiet giant who heals people. Though he speaks regularly and even though he is kind all his actions aren't controlled by this fact.

Agnez - the Musketeer apprentice and one of "the Four". She is a badass. She is good with the sword, her fist, her sharp tongue and her drinking abilities. But she has morals and constraint which the stereotype lacks. I like her very much, but I don't think we could be friends. She would have been too much.

Henri - the clerk who is good with numbers and one of "the Four". He is good at his job, but is too keen on treasures.

Dorothea - icon-maker student with a special talent and one of "the Four". She is whimsical and dreamy and I really liked her. To break the stereotype she is strong and intelligent as well.

There are more side characters some more interesting than others but all complex and interesting people.

LGBT+?
Yes but not straight out. It is a wonderful society where anyone can bed anyone really. There is no straight or gay or bi, there are just people. It was well done and I very much enjoyed the freedom of this subject in this book.

The Writing
I've always enjoyed Garth Nix's writing and this book is of no exception. It flows easily. Even though it has several narrators, it's easy to know when the narration has changed.

Summary
This was a joy to read. It's complex but easy, it's intricate and fascinating. The writing is easy to read but not simple.

It's inclusive, diverse and refreshingly open and de-labeled.

It's magical and powerful, it's got drama and action. It doesn't focus so much on romance which was great and gave me room to breathe.

I have re-discovered my love for Garth Nix's writing and story-telling.

I'm a big fan of Garth Nix's Abhorsen series, so i was really looking forward to his first foray into adult fantasy. All in all, Angel Mage is an enjoyable book. The cast of characters are strong, their conversation is witty and enjoyable. However the book felt rushed. I feel it needed more depth and worldbuilding. The world and magic system Nix has created is brilliant and authentic, yet i would have liked to see it explored further. The ended too felt extremely rushed, and came as a disappointment.

It still gets 4 stars because its so well written. Lets see what he produces next!

I've been a fan of Garth Nix since I first read Sabriel more years ago than I care to remember so of course I was ridiculously excited to read his new stand alone fantasy novel, Angel Mage. This story was inspired by his love of The Three Musketeers but with added magic. He has created a world where certain people are able to interact with angels with the help of icons and can summon them to do their bidding. Each angel has its own icon design and a different ability but the more powerful the angel the more it takes out of the summoner each time they call on them. Some of the angels can be used for things like healing while others can provide light or offer all kinds of other forms of help. While summoners are rare and have varying levels of ability the icon creators are rarer still, it's a specialist art form to imbue the icons with the power to summon an angel and it's a much sought after skill.

This story is told from five different points of view which can sometimes make a story a little hard to follow but I found each of these characters distinct enough that I didn't have an issue. You have four friends: Agnez, a confidant young woman who is focused on her goal of becoming a Musketeer so she can help protect the queen like her mother did; Simeon, a trainee physician who is incredibly skilled with his hands; Dorotea, who is a talented but slightly ditzy icon maker with abilities that she's spent years trying to hide; and Henri, a boy who has spent years dreaming of becoming wealthy who just wants to prove himself to his family. Then you have Liliath, someone who is obviously hiding a lot of secrets and who definitely has a plan but who is only thinking of herself and her own goals and doesn't seem to care what it costs the people around her.

Angel Mage is one of those books that sucks you in and even though its a large book with over 500 pages I ended up flying through it because I desperately wanted to know what would happen next. I really loved Dorotea, Agnez, Simeon and Henri, they all have very different personalities but they worked well together as a team and drew on each other's strengths to do what needed to be done. Liliath was a harder character to like because she was so ruthless but I found her chapters so interesting because you never knew quite what she'd do next. What I loved most about the world was the way men and women were completely equal with lots of women in high ranking jobs and no signs of misogyny, there was also no sign of racism in spite of the fact that we had characters of all different colours and it was treated as completely normal for people to have same sex relationships.

The story works perfectly as a stand alone but I really do hope that Garth Nix decides to revisit this world in the future, there seems to be so much more to explore in the world and I'd be really interested in both spending more time with these characters but also in seeing the fallout of events in the final few chapters.

Angel Mage is compelling fantasy fiction, with magic, power and unlikely friendship at the heart of the story. 

The history and magic system really intrigued me. The Idea that Angels are the magic of this world and summoned via icons. I liked the fact that there is a cost to the magic-user. The more powerful the Angel called the more time of your life you lose. Also what fascinated me is that people are ok with losing minutes, days, months and even years for the help of Angel intervention. 

Magic and history have a direct impact on the class system in Angel mage. This is interesting as it is seen in a couple of different groups. 

The main class divide is between the Refuser and everyone else. The Refusers are seen as less than, due to their inability to touch angelic magic without serve consequences. (hmmm 2nd class system due to abilities/ belief .....fantasy showing up real life.)

The other class system is between the different 'Army' diversion, but this is mainly impacted by if you are in a regiment believing you're better than the others. Which is perfectly seen with Angenez belief that the Queen's musketeers are the best. Its class system is seen in The Refuser group, your wealth, power, family connection. If you use Angels or not. 

The interaction between the different groups are entertaining, it brings conflict, humour and action to the story. 

 

Although I believe Lilath is up to no good. I have to admire her strength and resolve to see her plan come true. The introduction to Liliath is one of my favourites. I love how normal she makes waking up after 100 years. 

My favourite out of the four is Dorotea she smart book worm, who is nice and a bit weird. Which I like in a character. My least favourite is Henri, he did grow on me throughout the book. But as his motives are more about himself and money he wasn't a character I gravity too. 

As the book progress, I was still unsure what Liliath plan was and how it involves the magic foursome. This didn't really matter as I was submerged in the world, that I was happy for any and ll nuggets of information. 

Also big thumbs up to how no-one bats an eye to same-sex relationships. 

I want to start a petition to change the saying from curiosity killed the cat to "curiosity killed the lion keeper." It makes curiosity sound much more dangerous. 

My rating for Angel Mage is 4.5 out of 5.

Angel Mage is a stand-alone fantasy novel that engages with its fascinating magic, but less so in its plot and character development.

I've enjoyed Garth Nix's Abhorsen trilogy and was particularly impressed with the worldbuilding in that series of books. Similarly, I found the premise of Angel Mage to be intriguing as magic is bestowed by the ability to call upon angels with the use of icons. To make it even more interesting is the cost of magic, i.e. the lifespan of the person who employs angelic magic. The more powerful the angel which was called upon, the more life is literally sucked out of the caller. The lore is also fascinating where different regions or countries are governed by different Archangels and their respective pantheons - from Cherubims to Seraphims, and Principalities, to name but a few.

However, it pains me to say that the execution of the story was not as good as what I've encountered when reading the Abhorsen trilogy. Firstly, the writing in Angel Mage is not at par with the quality in Abhorsen, with several instances where it even seemed clunky. I vacillated between being mildly bored to somewhat interested during my entire read as I did not feel much attachment to the characters at all.

I don't have anything against predictable plots as great characterisation could always keep me invested in the story. There are five major characters together with the so-called villain, Liliath. Four of these characters have supposedly embodied the largest remnants of the Archangel Palleniel, and are the ones Liliath needed the most to further her plans. Out of the four, I was most intrigued with Dorotea, a scholar who has a special talent for icon-making, and that was because her characterisation is linked to the world's lore and angelic magic system. The others just came across as pretty uninteresting, even though sufficiently distinctive in their own personalities. And I cringed at how archetypically villainous Liliath was in her depiction as the most powerful, beautiful and cunning mage. There was even a line somewhere that states how her icons were 'cunningly' hidden in one of her personal effects.

Besides the magic system, I did appreciate the themes of slavery and racial discrimination, but I can't say much more without giving away minor spoilers. There are also obvious inspirations drawn from The Three Musketeers in the story. Nix also showed that he remains relevant in modern story-telling by incorporating LGBTQ characters pretty well into the narrative without making it seemed contrived.

While Angel Mage may not have worked well for me, I do think that this novel still has a place among other fantasy readers who may like the characters more than I did.

3.5 STARS --- THIS WILL BE POSTED ON MY BLOG (LINKED BELOW- https://kbbookreviews867789450.wordpress.com/?p=260) AND GOODREADS (LINKED BELOW- https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/101506753-k-b?order=d&sort=review&view=reviews
) ON THE 17/10
Angel Mage is a unique story in which the reader simultaneously follows the villain and the 'heroes' - an intriguing narrative style that allows you to see what both sides are thinking and yet never giving away the plot, the reason to the villains goals, or anything key that may potentially spoil the story.
So, we follow Liliath, initially as she wakes up from her, more than century long, sleep with a single goal in mind- find and reunite with Palleniel. The story starts with her beginning this mission, and in doing so illustrating to the reader what has happened pre-sleep. Ystara was infected by the Ash Blood plague, its inhabitants either died from this or became beastlings, Ystarn's descendants still are affected and cannot have magic used on them or they will die from the Ash Blood/turn into a beastling, and Ystarn's descendants have become the lowest class of society. In this world people are able to summon and command Angels to do their bidding, some people being more adept than others, as long as it is in their scope/expertise through the use of icons. Liliath is one of the most proficient in summoning, commanding and icon making, and uses her skills to find her way back to Palleniel. She is also an expert in manipulation and you get to watch as she manipulates people in order to support her complex plots.
Alternatively, we also see the story unfold through four other main characters; Henri-fortune hunter, Agnez-the cadet, Dorotea-the student and icon maker, and Simeon-the trainee doctor. The four characters start their stories separately but eventually find themselves together, and with an inexplicable connection. We watch as they try to find out what connects them while they fight beastlings, find forgotten treasure and hunt for the Angel Mage-the famously gifted icon maker who is suppose to reappear.
The Angel Mage by Garth Nix was a book I definitely had to pick up- I love fantasy and have always been intrigued by the depictions and uses of Angels in fiction - and in that aspect I was not disappointed. The plot and magic systems are complex and convoluted- but in a good way where it is explained through actions rather than through bland explanations. Moreover, the idea of icons and the Angels specialising in specific areas was fun and interesting to read about, Nix also uses the status of Angels to adjust their powers ((i.e Arch Angels were stronger, had a larger scope and less restrictions.) Personally, I also loved the idea that using the Angels had a price (also correlating with their power) on the life of the user, this allowed for the plot to advance at a nice pace and for the characters to actually act instead of just commanding an Angel to conduct searches or smite down their enemies. Though, when the Angels are used it is done in a clever way and is interesting for the reader, specifically if the Angel is more powerful.
The only reason I dropped my rating for this was for some of the characters. The villain was interesting and good at manipulation, you admire her but dislike her- a perfect combination for the kind of character she is. However, I had difficulty connecting with the four main characters as I felt their personalities relied too heavily on their roles as cadet/doctor etc... Though, I did like the relationship between some of the characters despite this - particularly Dorotea and Rochefort. Moreover, I thought the equality and diversity of the characters was incredibly well done and nice to see, and it avoided the usual gender divide that dominates fiction which was refreshing.
The plot overall ties nicely together in the end, though some elements are more predictable, the ending was not. The resolution to the novel is surprising- though it felt a little rushed and I would have liked to see more of it- it was a shocking twist that I did not see coming and felt was clever, metaphorically astounding and interesting in terms of what its implications could be- in fact it would be nice to see whether or not this would have an affect in the future or if it was a one time occurrence (I realise this is, at least currently, a standalone - but I would love to see more).
Overall- The ambitious plot was clever and successful, the magic system, world building and Angel depiction was original and well explained, the ending was shocking and unexpected, and there was impressive diversity and equality in the characters. Angel Mage was an enjoyable and magical read that kept me guessing the whole way through which kept me interested and intrigued.
This book was definitely unique and original in its execution and Nix certainly has an incredible talent in both writing and creating wholly unique ideas with mythology that is already well known.
I recommend this for anyone who loves in depth magic systems and Angels!
*I received an eARC from @Gollancz #netgalley in exchange for an honest review* #AngelMage @BookreviewsKb

I was more than happy to read this ARC: it an amazing pastiche with a plot that mixes The Three Musketeer with fantasy.
It's a pleasant and engrossing read that I couldn't put it down.
I played to find the references to Dumas' novels and was happy when I was able to find one.
The plot is excellent, I loved how the story develops and how it keeps you hooked to the page.
The character development is excellent and there's one of the most fascinating vilain that I met in a long time.
The world building is amazing and, even if there're strong references to Dumas, it's original and full of surprises.
An excellent read, highly recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Although I’m a latecomer to Garth Nix’s fantasy books, having only just read Sabriel earlier this year, I was super excited to read his latest book. Angel Mage is his first adult fantasy book, and it’s a proper chunky tome too!

There is a lot to love about Angel Mage, and I suspect it will delight many of Nix's fans. The magic system, which feels heavily influenced by Catholicism, is interesting and the world is really fantastic. I particularly enjoyed the history of Ystara, its fall, and the impact that it had on the world.There is so much about this world and the magic that I’d love to have explored a little more, as deep dives into world building and magic systems are my favourite thing in fantasy. I wouldn’t say it was the most unique world building I’ve read, as it is easy to see his influences of The Three Musketeers and real-world religion. However, one of Nix’s strengths is making even the most mundane details, like running messages or training with weaponry, so incredibly fun. He paints such a lovely picture of the world, and I felt like I could walk the streets of Sarance with our characters.

Angel Mage is a book with a number of different POV characters -- there are five in total. We get to see the story from the point of view from our four friends: Simeon, Agnez, Dorotea, and Henri. However, my absolute favourite is the fact that a good portion of the book was dedicated to our villain’s point of view. I love an unrepentantly evil female villain and Liliath filled that role perfectly. My other favourite character was Dorotea, our slightly spacey but brilliant scholar and icon maker. I can sometimes struggle with multiple POV characters, so I would have preferred Angel Mage to only follow Liliath and Dorotea's points of view (or Liliath and another of the friends) because it would have helped dig deeper into these characters. I think the multiple POVs will be a dividing point for some readers.

Angel Mage is a book that doesn’t quite feel like an adult novel -- I think instead it will delight YA readers of all ages. Despite its length, it’s a fast-paced fantasy adventure that will get its hooks into you! Although it’s a standalone, I’d really love to read a sequel or another book set in this world.

3.5 out of 5 stars

What’s this? I don’t start with my usual bulletpoints of information and affiliates. Ok, stay with me. I had plans to buy this. I honestly did! I preordered it and EVERYTHING! So it came as a huge surprise to me when I got an email from Gollancz, asking if anyone wanted to be involved in a blog tour. I jumped at it as I am a huge fan of Garth Nix’s Old Kingdom series and Keys to the Kingdom series. What came as a surprise was when the publisher said “We’re sending you a book for review for the tour”. Now, I don’t normally do reviews for tours as you all know and I had preordered my copy of the book already. But I went “Sod it!” and decided to be involved. Unless something unspeakably awful happened in the book, I was going to be involved in this tour.

And with that out of the way, let’s talk Angel Mage, shall we?

Over a century ago, the country of Ystara fell to the Ash Blood plague. If anyone came into contact with the magic of an angel, regardless of the angel’s level, their blood will turn into ash or the person will transform into a terrifying beastling.

It’s been over a century since Liliath crept into the empty sarcophagus of Saint Marguerite and slept, waiting. But now she is awake, and she has a plan. She still is nineteen, she still looks beautiful and she still is as singleminded as she was before her sleep. She is determined to find the missing archangel of Ystara, Pelleniel.

But for her plans to succeed, her quest centres round four young Sarancians, each so different and yet, share something important. But what connects the doctor-in-training Simeon, the fortune hunter Herni, the musketeer Agnez, and the scholar and icon maker Dorotea?

When the four meet by sheer chance, they feel the kinship between them instantly, though they have no idea why. Only Liliath knows why they are so important and she has plans to manipulate the Queen, her musketeers and everyone around her to achieve her ends…

So… where do I begin?

I loved this. It’s really difficult to explain why I had such a blast reading with.

Yes, this is Garth Nix’s first “adult” novel, but it didn’t feel adult compared to Garth’s young adult series, Old Kingdom. It felt like the first time I read Sabriel in my teens, in which felt in awe of the world I was reading and wanted to know more.

Plus, it was one of those fantasy books where it threw you in at the deep end and hoped you would get a grip of the world and how the magic system worked. It’s rare I enjoy those types of books, but there was something about this made me go “Ok, I don’t understand what’s going on, but I am on board with it”. And then, everything clicks and you go “OOOH!” as everything clicks into place.

The characters were interesting and I loved reading a fantasy book where you have strong, smart, high-powered women in this book.

I could go on and on about my thoughts and feelings over this book, but I loved it. I want Garth to write more books set in this world and I am already trying to figure out when I’m going to reread this.

In so many ways Angel Mage is a very different read from Garth Nix's previous works. Inspired in part by the Three Musketeers there is an element of medieval world building that creates a mythical feeling throughout the telling. 

At the beginning I was a little hesitate over the idea of using magic through Angel Icons, each Icon having different powers and controls different part of the world.  However, it also became natural to reach for the Icon and summon an Angel.

Throughout Angel Mage, we follow Liliath who has been asleep for over a century since fleeing her home country. Now awake, her country is overrule by wild magically creatures and she is determined to set it right. With the help of four young individuals, we follow their journey as they attempt to fix a terrible wrong. 

All four are different, both in personality and backgrounds.  Each adding something different and much needed to this quest. 

Yet, despite their differences, it is hard to pick a favourite. Do you choose Simeon, a studious doctor-in-training; Henri, a dedicated fortune hunter; Agnez, an adventurous musketeer cadet; and Dorotea, an icon-maker and scholar of angelic magic. Each brings so much to the book that the book could have easily focused on one. 

This was a compelling, thrilling and exhilarating read, that kept me up late into the night in my quest to finish. A super book, and one that I wish was not a standalone. This is a great book for the fans but also a great introduction to a fantastic author. 

Angel Mage  has to be one of my highlights of the year and one book I cannot wait to read again!

Garth Nix strikes again with yet another spectacular book that drags you in and keeps you reading until the very end - this will be a new favourite book of mine.

Garth Nix has been my favourite author for years, and I was so excited to read this new novel - it did not disappoint. It was beautifully written - all the little details came together perfectly. There were many different POVs but none of them overshadowed the others, they were all able to come together and you really got to see each MCs personality come through.

I really loved the backstory of this novel, it was so unique and you picked up new little things about the world throughout, yet another success for Garyh Nix's worls-building skills. I can't wait to get my hands on a finished copy so I can see the maps and really get images in my head for my next reread.