Forest Mage
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| Author | Robin Hobb |
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| Cover artist | John Howe (UK) & Christophe Vacher (US) |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Series | Soldier Son Trilogy |
| Genre(s) | Fantasy novel |
| Publisher | Voyager Books (UK) & EOS (US) |
| Released | 3 July 2006 (UK) & September 2006 (US) |
| Media type | Print (Hardback & Paperback) |
| Pages | 660 pp (hardback edition) |
| ISBN | ISBN 0-00-719615-6 (UK hardback edition) |
| Preceded by | Shaman's Crossing |
| Followed by | Renegade's Magic |
Forest Mage is a 2006 fantasy novel by Robin Hobb, the second in her Soldier Son Trilogy.
Contents |
[edit] Plot introduction
The Gernian Cavalla Academy that has been established according to the King's wishes has suffered from the rivalry between the Old Lords and the King's New Lords. These are newly raised solders who won distinction in the push east and the conflicts with the plains people. However a new foe appears in the guise of the "Specks".
The book is written in first person, in the perspective of the main character, Nevare Burvelle.
[edit] Plot summary
The Cavalla Academy has just survived the Speck plague. However, the disease has run through the ranks of all the military and civilian population of Old Thares. Many, including Spinrek Kester (Spink), have been forced to resign from the academy and return to their homes to struggle with the long-term effects of the disease.
Cadet Nevare Burvelle also returns home, to attend his brother Rosse's wedding. Unlike most of those who were affected by the plague, Nevare is not only well but fit and putting on weight. This fact is annoying but doesn't affect his thinking too much as he travels home expecting to meet with his betrothed, a beautiful young noblewoman, Carsina. Yet the reaction he receives on returning home brings into stark relief the physical problem that he struggles with: the Speck plague has caused him to "grow" rather than shrink and waste away. This is a virtually unknown reaction to the plague and is seen by Nevare's father, who will not listen to his excuses, as the result of gluttony.
Nevare's betrothal to Carsina, though informal, is cancelled. After his fruitless attempts to lose weight, Nevare is locked away by his father and his meals regulated. However, while Nevare is locked away, a plague ravages the Widevale Estate, killing many, including his mother, sister and brother Rosse. Nevare and his sister Yaril survive and run the estate while their father is in mourning, but when their father recovers, he banishes and disowns Nevare. Nevare travels east toward the remote outpost Gettys.
On the way, he stops at a small settlement called "Dead Town" and helps a widow, Amzil, and her three children by doing odd jobs to make their lives easier, in exchange he got to eat and sleep there. Nevare wanted to win Amzil's trust, but trust was not possible for her to give due to her recent past; one which envolved having to sell her body to survive. One day, a wounded cavalla scout reaches the town and asks Nevare's assistance in getting to Gettys, to which Nevare agrees. As they leave, he uses his dormant Speck magic to create a bountiful vegetable garden for Amzil, and his Speck self comes closer to the surface. On their journey to Gettys, Nevare realises the scout is in a similar position to his: he is a tool of the Speck magic also.
He enlists in the army there, but only as a lowly cemetry guard, a far cry from his former goal of a cavalla officer. He lives the life of a cemetry guard. He works very hard and the colonel is thinking about promoting him. After a while he meets two Specks, a girl named Olikea and her father. Olikea brings Nevare food that satisfies the magic that runs through his veins. He is getting pulled between two worlds, the Gernian world and the Specks magical forests. He doesn't know where to settle down and he does not wish to betray his own people. Nevare's reputation is damaged through the disappearance and murder of a prostitute he was with, and his attempts to talk to his former betrothed Carsina, who has moved to Gettys. Nevare sees Spinrek Kester, a friend from his days at the Academy, but distances himself so as not to ruin his friend's reputation by letting him be seen with the "scary fat man".
One day at his way home he gets attacked and shot in his head. His horse gets stolen and he is left on the ground with his head bleeding. When he woke up and got home to his little cabin, he was not only suprised that he survived a bullet in his head, but he was amazed that the wound had already healed. His magic was strong, but it needed to be fed to stay powerful. The problem was that Nevare was avoiding the Specks so he could not get the magical food that Olikea brought him everyday. At night he could hear her call for him, but he ignored her. As days go by, the Speck plague sweeps by the outpost of Gettys. Many people die from the plague. Nevare fears his trial that is approaching day by day. When the day comes, he gets sentenced to get tortured and hanged.
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[edit] Characters in "Forest Mage"
- Nevare Burvelle – the main protagonist
- King Troven – ruler of Gernia
- Lord Keft Burvelle – Nevare's father
- Sergeant Duril – Nevare's riding tutor
- Selethe Burvelle – Nevare's mother
- Rosse Burvelle – Nevare's eldest brother
- Vanze Burvelle – Nevare's younger brother
- Yaril Burvelle – Nevare's younger sister
- Elsi Burvelle – Nevare's elder sister
- Carsina – Nevare's betrothed and Yaril's closest friend
- Dewara – A Kidona tribesman hired to teach Nevare
- Lord Sefert Burvelle – Nevare's uncle, Keft Burvelle's older brother. Father of Epiny.
- Epiny Burvelle – Nevare's younger cousin, an eccentric girl
- Colonel Stiet – commandant of the King's Cavalla Academy
- Caulder Stiet – Colonel Stiet's son, a ubiquitous presence at the academy, disliked by cadets
- Spink (full name : Spinrek Kester) – a short, poor, but honest cadet at the academy; Nevare's friend and betrothed to Nevare's cousin Epiny.
[edit] Trivia
- The book's dedication reads "To Alexsandrea and Jadyn, my companions through a tough year. I promise never to cut and run"
[edit] Release details
- 2006, UK, Voyager ISBN 0-00-719615-6, Pub date 3 July 2006, Hardback
- 2006, AUS, Voyager ISBN 0-00-719616-4, Pub date ? ? 2006, Paperback
- 2006, USA, EOS ISBN 0-06-075763-9, Pub date 29 August 2006, Hardback
- 2007, UK, Voyager ISBN 0-00-719616-4, Pub date 5 February 2007, Trade Paperback
- 2007, USA, EOS ISBN 0-06-075829-5, Pub date 1 December 2007, Mass Market Paperback (forthcoming)
[edit] References
- Hobb, Robin (3 July 2006). Forest Mage. Voyager Press.
| The Soldier Son Trilogy Robin Hobb |
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|---|---|---|
| Shaman's Crossing | Forest Mage | Renegade's Magic | ||
| Books | Characters | Places |
