Dear Prince Harkeld, you sniveling cowardly whoreson. I hope you get over yourself.

Briggita, I think I love you.

Jaume...oh you poor thing. I have an awful feeling a out who you're now in league with.

Innis, you poor girl. Though I feel worse for Petrus I think. ( )

Really enjoyed, even as I was expecting certain things to happen ... but I bet they come in the next book, Can't wait to get my hands on it! ( )

Well-written, good characters, decent setting, magic that fits the story, and an ok plot. Not perfect but good enough for me, perfect fantasy reading on my recent trip. A small continent was cursed long ago by an angry mage and something has at last set the curse in motion -- everyone who drinks or touches the water with broken skin will become as if rabid and run around murdering and biting until they die. One man, a combined Mage and member of the family that angered the mage, and one man only, can break this curse. That is Prince Harkeld. His growth is the main forward-moving piece of the book. There are two side stories, Harkeld's sister Birgitta and her woes, and a little boy Jaumé, who survives the first onset of the curse. I was impressed by how the book maintained momentum--stuff happening continually without feeling rushed or too complex. There are many many characters and amazingly I never felt confused about who was who even though some of them were quickly here and gone. The story flows. ***1/2 ( )

To start with my conclusion: it was an entertaining read with sympathetic characters. But the plot and the situation are fairly predictable, the secondary characters could do with some more development—yes, they're secondary characters, but the men especially were starting to run together in my mind—and the world-building was pretty barebones. Still, I enjoyed reading this book and I'd like to read the next in the trilogy. ( )

Sentinel Mage is your standard high fantasy fare with light romance. It’s a largely character-driven story with an interesting magic system, and Emily Gee has a straightforward, no-frills writing style that makes the pages seem to fly by. In addition to the main plot, there are two subplots revolving around a boy named Jaumé and Princess Brigitta. These side-plot chapters are very short, but Princess Brigitta’s story in particular is quite engaging. A few parts made my inner feminist cringe, especially the rape and slut-shaming. I would have definitely enjoyed the story more if not for these elements. But overall, it was still an entertaining read, if not particularly deep or complex; good, but for me it never quite developed into something great. I will still probably read the second book in the trilogy, but be wary - there may be a long wait in between books two and three if the three-year gap between the first two installments is any indication. ( )