The Novice Audiobook By Trudi Canavan cover art

The Novice

The Black Magician Trilogy, Book 2

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The Novice

By: Trudi Canavan
Narrated by: Richard Aspel
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About this listen

Sonea knows the other novices in the Magicians' Guild all come from powerful families, but she also knows she can turn to Rothen and Dannyl for help when she needs it. That is, until someone starts spreading malicious rumours about her – and Akkarin, The High Lord, steps in.

Promoted to Guild Ambassador, Lord Dannyl leaves for the Elyne court. His first order from Administrator Lorlen is to resume, in secret, High Lord Akkarin's long-abandoned research into ancient magical knowledge. Not knowing the true reason for his journey, Dannyl is soon facing unexpected dangers.

Meanwhile, Sonea has almost forgotten the High Lord's dark secret, but keeping the truth hidden may be a grave mistake.

©2002 Trudi Canavan (P)2008 Bolinda Publishing
Coming of Age Epic Epic Fantasy Fantasy Fiction Tearjerking

Critic reviews

'A wonderfully and meticulously detailed world, and an edge-of-the-seat plot, this book is a must for lovers of good fantasy.' (Jennifer Fallon)
'Epic, vivid and believable.' (on Thief's Magic) (The Guardian)

What listeners say about The Novice

Highly rated for:

Compelling Story Engaging Characters Intriguing Plotlines Emotional Connections Detailed World-building
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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Dramatic music

All in all I like the story but you could lose the dramatic music in between seens

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

like chips, you can't consume just one

This should probably be categorized as young adult. The story is OK, the narration is good. The different character's voices are well distinguished. This is book 2 of three and as such is best consumed as part of the series. I enjoyed it, a light romp mostly but Sonea's foil is the kind of villiian you grow to loathe.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

second book is great

The first book to a bit to get into, but I really enjoyed this one! I cared about the characters a lot, and there was lots of suspense and a couple of different plots. Going for the third one now.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

outstanding representation of magic

I listened to the first book and procured the second at the soonest available opportunity. The plot thickens with the second installment, adding depth of character too many of the individuals focused upon. I will be obtaining the third installment right away.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Wonderful Read!

Kept me on the edge! Love the narrarator! So far a wonderful series! I am a HUGE Harry Potter fan and of course nothing compares but this is truly a great series!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Misunderstood

I have been reading through the reviews, and I am surprised at some of them. I think that this book is under-appreciated. This book is not a fast paced action book, much like the first one the plot points are subtle and aren't approached directly. If you like quick action, battles and a fast moving plot, this might not be the story for you.

However, this book is very good at what it does. It is a discovery of the university, and the characters. This book is heavy on the characters, and their interactions with each other. There isn't a quick explanation but more of a mystery as the characters discover each other's purposes.I definitely recommend this book if you enjoyed the first one and are interested in how the story develops. I will say that it leads to on to a wonderful finish to the trilogy. I would not consider this a 'filler' book though the events that Sonea goes through is important to having a base for the rest of the series.

To really enjoy the story I would recommend that the reader go in with an understanding of what to expect. I also enjoyed Richard Aspel's narration not the best but his voice was pleasant to listen to and he gave some depth to the characters.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Great trilogy

worth the time and money spent it keep me going on all three books. wish they had more.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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Amazing

Where does The Novice rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

The Novice is a great book to listen to, Richard Aspel makes Trudi Canavan's book come to life, he shows emotion and speaks clearly

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Could not stop listening

could never stop listening to the story. amazing performance with the voices, and an amazing story

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

An enjoyable trilogy. A decent performance.

This is an enjoyable trilogy. I got into it more than I thought I would. The author definitely allows you to build an emotional connection to the characters. It was a decent performance by the narrator. Not the best I've heard, but solid enough to not detract in any way from the story.

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