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Magelands Epic #1
The Queen's Executioner
Their futures have been foretold…
Killop knows his destiny, but the enslaved warrior could not be further from it.
Captured by a powerful race descended from reptiles, the forked tongues of the Rahain are not the only legacies of their heritage; the Rahain elite are cold-blooded tyrants who will stop at nothing to stay on top.
Together with a battle mage in exile, an old politician, and a refugee who possesses the darkest powers of all, can a slave overturn the balance of power in the Magelands?
Having arrogantly ruled the world for centuries, the Rahain now face their greatest test – will they withstand the prophecies that threaten to bring their civilisation down…
…or will fate destroy them?
Killop knows his destiny, but the enslaved warrior could not be further from it.
Captured by a powerful race descended from reptiles, the forked tongues of the Rahain are not the only legacies of their heritage; the Rahain elite are cold-blooded tyrants who will stop at nothing to stay on top.
Together with a battle mage in exile, an old politician, and a refugee who possesses the darkest powers of all, can a slave overturn the balance of power in the Magelands?
Having arrogantly ruled the world for centuries, the Rahain now face their greatest test – will they withstand the prophecies that threaten to bring their civilisation down…
…or will fate destroy them?
501 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 2, 2019
About the author
Christopher Mitchell
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I love deserts, which is too bad as I live in Scotland, but the mountains, glens and lochs more than make up for it. My other love is Greek Tragedy, especially Euripides, and I also read history, science, fantasy, and pretty much anything about the Beatles…
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About Me
I love deserts, which is too bad as I live in Scotland, but the mountains, glens and lochs more than make up for it. My other love is Greek Tragedy, especially Euripides, and I also read history, science, fantasy, and pretty much anything about the Beatles…
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews
May 26, 2019
I received an ARC from the author.
This certainly lived up to the epic in the series title. The scope of the story is vast, yet not hard to follow as the separate stories converge.
Shella, a flow mage from Arakhanah, leads a dull life that feels eerily familiar. Bureaucracy, crowded commutes, judgemental family... is this really fantasy? But her life is soon overturned, as she and others set off to find a new place to call home, away from the stifling overcrowding of the city.
Killop, brother of the fire mage from the prequel novella, has been captured along with two others of the Kellach Brigdomin. Many of their people are now slaves working in the mines of Rahain, but the three of them end up as academic research subjects and make some unlikely friends.
Laodoc, an older Rahain councillor, has his sights on the Senate, yet he suffers humiliation and defeat over his anti-war stance in the Council. Dealing with political machinations, he tries to keep his growing admiration for the Kellach Brigdomin people hidden.
Daphne of Hold Fast is unwittingly roped into shady dealings in Rahain while on the run from her own country. She is a mage with fighting powers, making her both useful and dangerous. However, a chance meeting with Killop changes everything for her.
I loved the world building and sense of a long history. The world is large, with various humanoid races, all with their own forms of magic. Each race, or perhaps species, has a very different culture and social structure. Complex issues are addressed in a nuanced way, slavery, invasion, immigration, and the horrors of war to name a few. People on all sides commit atrocities, or show kindness. There are few clearcut evil or good characters, with the POV characters carrying out some questionable actions, yet growing and changing as the story progresses. Shella's transformation was perhaps the most dramatic, while Laodoc revealed a strength of will I'd not expected.
It's an action-packed read, full of twists. The characters rarely have a moment to rest, as a new threat always shows up. I'll definitely be continuing the series. I recommend for any who enjoy epic world building, magic and politics.
This certainly lived up to the epic in the series title. The scope of the story is vast, yet not hard to follow as the separate stories converge.
Shella, a flow mage from Arakhanah, leads a dull life that feels eerily familiar. Bureaucracy, crowded commutes, judgemental family... is this really fantasy? But her life is soon overturned, as she and others set off to find a new place to call home, away from the stifling overcrowding of the city.
Killop, brother of the fire mage from the prequel novella, has been captured along with two others of the Kellach Brigdomin. Many of their people are now slaves working in the mines of Rahain, but the three of them end up as academic research subjects and make some unlikely friends.
Laodoc, an older Rahain councillor, has his sights on the Senate, yet he suffers humiliation and defeat over his anti-war stance in the Council. Dealing with political machinations, he tries to keep his growing admiration for the Kellach Brigdomin people hidden.
Daphne of Hold Fast is unwittingly roped into shady dealings in Rahain while on the run from her own country. She is a mage with fighting powers, making her both useful and dangerous. However, a chance meeting with Killop changes everything for her.
I loved the world building and sense of a long history. The world is large, with various humanoid races, all with their own forms of magic. Each race, or perhaps species, has a very different culture and social structure. Complex issues are addressed in a nuanced way, slavery, invasion, immigration, and the horrors of war to name a few. People on all sides commit atrocities, or show kindness. There are few clearcut evil or good characters, with the POV characters carrying out some questionable actions, yet growing and changing as the story progresses. Shella's transformation was perhaps the most dramatic, while Laodoc revealed a strength of will I'd not expected.
It's an action-packed read, full of twists. The characters rarely have a moment to rest, as a new threat always shows up. I'll definitely be continuing the series. I recommend for any who enjoy epic world building, magic and politics.
April 7, 2020
Seriously what can I say about book one of the Magelanders series? It is most certainly a great start to a epic fantasy story. In this world there are different species of people. Each has its own traits such as being compared to frogs, lizards, apes... and each species has their own specific breed/class of mages from rock, fire, vision.. Christopher Mitchell gives each its own unique characteristics related to their species as well and I loved how seamlessly they’re added in.
The Queen’s Executioner refers to Sheila who is a high flow mage. In her homeland they suffer from monotony, overcrowding and general dissolution of life. Her sister decides to set off in a great migration and names herself Queen. We get to follow their peril filled journey and the struggles they face in both the decisions they make as well as actual physical danger.
We also get to follow some other characters along the way. We have Daphne who starts off being exiled from her homeland and mislead by her ‘friend’. We watch her grow into her magic as a vision mage while she explores the different facets of it.
Then there’s Laodoc who starts off in a position of great power. His personal growth is probably the most defined of everyone and he’s got so much inner strength even when his sons abandon him.
We have our main three Kellach. Killop who seems to have a predetermined fate he can’t resist, Kallie who feels abandoned and betrayed and Bridget who’s trying to hold them all together.
There are other characters along the way, some you will love and some you will love to hate. We are transported between different POV’s and storylines but it doesn’t feel choppy. The events are all happening parallel to each other or directly after and it’s interesting to see the buildup to where the lines may eventually merge in future books. Even though this is a fantasy world many of the struggles faced are ones our current world faces like overcrowding, famine, war and crooked politicians. I look forward to seeing where this series goes next.
I received an advanced copy of this book and am leaving a voluntary honest review.
The Queen’s Executioner refers to Sheila who is a high flow mage. In her homeland they suffer from monotony, overcrowding and general dissolution of life. Her sister decides to set off in a great migration and names herself Queen. We get to follow their peril filled journey and the struggles they face in both the decisions they make as well as actual physical danger.
We also get to follow some other characters along the way. We have Daphne who starts off being exiled from her homeland and mislead by her ‘friend’. We watch her grow into her magic as a vision mage while she explores the different facets of it.
Then there’s Laodoc who starts off in a position of great power. His personal growth is probably the most defined of everyone and he’s got so much inner strength even when his sons abandon him.
We have our main three Kellach. Killop who seems to have a predetermined fate he can’t resist, Kallie who feels abandoned and betrayed and Bridget who’s trying to hold them all together.
There are other characters along the way, some you will love and some you will love to hate. We are transported between different POV’s and storylines but it doesn’t feel choppy. The events are all happening parallel to each other or directly after and it’s interesting to see the buildup to where the lines may eventually merge in future books. Even though this is a fantasy world many of the struggles faced are ones our current world faces like overcrowding, famine, war and crooked politicians. I look forward to seeing where this series goes next.
I received an advanced copy of this book and am leaving a voluntary honest review.
February 25, 2021
Really 3.5 stars for me. Started the second book in the series. I realized I was not invested in the characters and was bored. Did not finish book two.
March 21, 2022
Oh i have a feeling i hit the jackpot with this series.Ill start off by giving my only critique and that is that the F-word is thrown around willy nilly like crazy throughout the book.In some places its funny and fits in others it just seems forced.However i think we all agree if thats my only complaint then were doing just fine.
The story is rather complex and scores incredibly high for the world building.The magic system is varied and interesting and the politics of the story are not only intriguing but really mirror a lot of what is happening in our society today.A lot of twist and turns and unexpected happenings are contained in these pages.Absolutely loved the way the book ended and cant wait to start book 2.
The story is rather complex and scores incredibly high for the world building.The magic system is varied and interesting and the politics of the story are not only intriguing but really mirror a lot of what is happening in our society today.A lot of twist and turns and unexpected happenings are contained in these pages.Absolutely loved the way the book ended and cant wait to start book 2.
August 2, 2019
Another great book by Christopher Mitchell and his Magelands Epic series. I really enjoyed reading this first novel (I already read "From the Ashes" which is a prequel story).
I really appreciate the author's writing, I love how deep the characters are, how the various societies are built (and how complex they are), the detailing in each of their lands... it's all just amazing. I also really liked the way that, several stories are being told at the same time, and how they intertwine as the story goes along.
Because I received an advance copy of this book, I was given a little bit more information about the different species and places then the "normal" reader. For readers who don't have this "extra" information, I understand how can be very difficult trying to imagine all this different species and their homelands. I would love to see drawings of this societies, just the way that the author imagined them!
Overall it was a great book and I can't wait to read the next one.
** I received an advance review copy of this book - This is my honest (and non paid) review of "Bug Out" **
I really appreciate the author's writing, I love how deep the characters are, how the various societies are built (and how complex they are), the detailing in each of their lands... it's all just amazing. I also really liked the way that, several stories are being told at the same time, and how they intertwine as the story goes along.
Because I received an advance copy of this book, I was given a little bit more information about the different species and places then the "normal" reader. For readers who don't have this "extra" information, I understand how can be very difficult trying to imagine all this different species and their homelands. I would love to see drawings of this societies, just the way that the author imagined them!
Overall it was a great book and I can't wait to read the next one.
** I received an advance review copy of this book - This is my honest (and non paid) review of "Bug Out" **
Want to read
September 8, 2019🎁 FREE on Amazon today (9/7/2019)! 🎁
July 11, 2022
A different world with unique biological laws. There was a great collision that brought together many different species, each with their own unique beliefs, language and societal norms. We are introduced to those descended from frogs, lizards and apes. I don’t think I’ve read anything remotely similar before and so this aspect was particularly refreshing.
Key themes explored include slavery, immigration, overpopulation and war. There are definitely elements drawn from our own earth’s history which really makes the reader question if this is how perspectives of reality really were in the past.
We follow different people throughout the book. My favourite is Laodoc due to his character development. As a city councillor, he tries to strive for change as his own beliefs evolve. The reader is left anticipating whether he’d give up as he gets thrown obstacle by obstacle.
Overall, it was quite easy to read and I enjoyed reading the different perspectives of each character. There were parts that were a little strange without proper explanation, and thus makes it hard to rationalise. I’m hoping these get explanations in the following books. And so, it was an enjoyable read but it’s not one of those kinds of books that you just can’t wait to get into.
Key themes explored include slavery, immigration, overpopulation and war. There are definitely elements drawn from our own earth’s history which really makes the reader question if this is how perspectives of reality really were in the past.
We follow different people throughout the book. My favourite is Laodoc due to his character development. As a city councillor, he tries to strive for change as his own beliefs evolve. The reader is left anticipating whether he’d give up as he gets thrown obstacle by obstacle.
Overall, it was quite easy to read and I enjoyed reading the different perspectives of each character. There were parts that were a little strange without proper explanation, and thus makes it hard to rationalise. I’m hoping these get explanations in the following books. And so, it was an enjoyable read but it’s not one of those kinds of books that you just can’t wait to get into.
May 1, 2019
Mitchell has created a unique and intriguing world rich in depth of cultures and interpersonal relationships. A truly great read!
At the beginning of the novel, there are a large number of characters presented that were a bit difficult to keep track of until I understood the origins of the various races and the relationships between the countries and the people within each area. Once those key connections were presented, about 10% into the book, it was very easy to invest in one or more of the various characters.
Though this is absolutely a fantasy, Mitchell does an amazing job of examining real world issues - overpopulation and governmental control of population growth, racial prejudice, cultural and political relations - safely placed within the medium of a fantasy. Well written, intriguing read!
Looking forward to reading the next book in the series!
At the beginning of the novel, there are a large number of characters presented that were a bit difficult to keep track of until I understood the origins of the various races and the relationships between the countries and the people within each area. Once those key connections were presented, about 10% into the book, it was very easy to invest in one or more of the various characters.
Though this is absolutely a fantasy, Mitchell does an amazing job of examining real world issues - overpopulation and governmental control of population growth, racial prejudice, cultural and political relations - safely placed within the medium of a fantasy. Well written, intriguing read!
Looking forward to reading the next book in the series!
April 28, 2019
Great read. The world building is expertly made. The map is topography at its finest. As you travel through this new landscape with creatures as unbelievably real and humanoids that mirror out own, you can feel at home. The story line grips you from the first paragraph and takes you on a wild ride through multiple peoples' point of view. You get multiple viewpoints that keeps you guessing for what comes next. You think you know where you're being lead but you are very wrong. There really isn't any way to figure out the plot until it is handed to you.
The characters are alive and as diverse as you can imagine. From page one you're with friends. People who have evolved from ape like, amphibians, frog like I guess. But very real.
The characters are alive and as diverse as you can imagine. From page one you're with friends. People who have evolved from ape like, amphibians, frog like I guess. But very real.
April 26, 2019
Really enjoyed the first book of this epic series. It’s so interesting to see how the characters grow and how creatively the author intertwines their stories. The world building is fantastic and it’s easy to imagine the lands and scenes.
I can’t wait to read the next book in the series!
I can’t wait to read the next book in the series!
May 1, 2019
This was a great read! Mr. Mitchell has done a fantastic job of character development and world building that draws you in and makes you want to read it all in one sitting! I can't wait for the next book in the series!
June 9, 2019
Great book. When flow mage Shella’s sister starts a holy migration across hostile lands Shella is faced with staying hone and living her miserable life or gojng with Obli to hopefully start something better. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
February 28, 2024
This was so far the one I most enjoyed after reading the first 3 origin stories. I couldn't put it down as I got further into the book. I love Daphne's character and the ending surprised me and I immediately started the next book.
June 2, 2019
Amazing story
Awesome book. Could not put it down. Great characters. Great story. Pulled right in w the characters. Can't wait to read the next book.
Awesome book. Could not put it down. Great characters. Great story. Pulled right in w the characters. Can't wait to read the next book.
April 18, 2019
Different creatures, different parts of land. Different language and don't trust anyone. We start each chapter with different parts of land and people then we blend. Between war, overcrowding and more what will everyone do? Now will Shella's sister be able to take over? Will Shella go black or will she stay good? I received a free copy for my honest review.
May 13, 2019
Christopher Mitchell’s The Magelands Epic: The Queen's Executioner (Book 1) is the start of a truly epic, grand scale fantasy with multiple storylines and overlapping action, thrills, twists and turns and really compelling characters. I’m gobsmacked by this book (a very good thing indeed) as I was t expecting anything nearly as powerful and well written. But for the fact that I’m literally dictating this review to my husband from my hospital bed I could go on and on with praises. The book definitely deserves it. Since I can’t do that I will simply note that the book is most definitely one to read, and it is easy to highly recommend. I’m definitely, eagerly looking forward to the next book in this series. I can already tell this will be a new addiction.
April 28, 2019
A professional assassin, an enslaved warrior, a general flow mage, and a politician desperate to end slavery, they are the people standing against the Rahain republic and its need for destroying other civilizations.
Shella, a powerful flow mage, is planning on settling the mass Arakhanah exiles on a land that belongs to the Rahain. Daphne, a vision mage assassin, has fallen for an enslaved warrior, Killop, of the Kellach Brigdomin. Laodoc, a Rahain councillor, is eager to find a way to end slavery and the war with the surviving Kellach Brigdomin and the newly settled Rakanese. Killop, captured when his people were invaded, hopes to escape and reunite with his sister Keira. They all work to find peace in the Magelands despite the Rahain leaders who always seek conflict and war in order to gain resources. Will they succeed? Will Daphne rescue her lover Killop? Is Shella strong enough to protect the newly settled Rakanese city? Will Laodoc find a way to stop the war? Will the Holdings come to aid the Rakanese? All these questions will be answered in this fast paced adventure fantasy thriller.
Shella, a powerful flow mage, is planning on settling the mass Arakhanah exiles on a land that belongs to the Rahain. Daphne, a vision mage assassin, has fallen for an enslaved warrior, Killop, of the Kellach Brigdomin. Laodoc, a Rahain councillor, is eager to find a way to end slavery and the war with the surviving Kellach Brigdomin and the newly settled Rakanese. Killop, captured when his people were invaded, hopes to escape and reunite with his sister Keira. They all work to find peace in the Magelands despite the Rahain leaders who always seek conflict and war in order to gain resources. Will they succeed? Will Daphne rescue her lover Killop? Is Shella strong enough to protect the newly settled Rakanese city? Will Laodoc find a way to stop the war? Will the Holdings come to aid the Rakanese? All these questions will be answered in this fast paced adventure fantasy thriller.
April 15, 2019
Wow this is an Epic read. The Author of this read, has a great creativity with this read. The intertwining of the stories makes this read absolutely fantastic. I Love how the Characters were brought out and the scenes were written so well you can picture them in your minds eye so well. There is lots of twists and turns. And heart pounding adventure. This would make an awesome Netflix addition. This is definitely an epic read.
Shauna Joesten
Shauna Joesten
October 14, 2020
What a great book!! Caught the first four in the series advertised on an Amazon deal; liked the premise, so thought I’d give it a go. So glad I did!!
This book deserves wider acclaim and recognition. Yes, it’s a fantasy/sword and sorcery book - call it what you will. But there is a political thriller depth to it, with allegories to the sometimes rotten world in which WE live!!
There’s a lot to take in early-doors with a new world; new races, and plenty of characters to get your head around. As with any fantasy book worthy of the name, there is a map; and it’s handy to keep that to hand as your mind absorbs the structure of ‘The Magelands’ world and its inhabitants.
I really hope that this series, and the author, get the plaudits they deserve.
This book deserves wider acclaim and recognition. Yes, it’s a fantasy/sword and sorcery book - call it what you will. But there is a political thriller depth to it, with allegories to the sometimes rotten world in which WE live!!
There’s a lot to take in early-doors with a new world; new races, and plenty of characters to get your head around. As with any fantasy book worthy of the name, there is a map; and it’s handy to keep that to hand as your mind absorbs the structure of ‘The Magelands’ world and its inhabitants.
I really hope that this series, and the author, get the plaudits they deserve.
May 2, 2019
ONE THRILLING ADVENTURE!!!
Holy Crap! Talk about stepping into the dark side. One fast track and furious spin launch you forward on a razors edge and total focus on every word. Non-stop, action packed, hard hitting, heart pounding, page turning thrill that's as riveting as it is captivating. A whirlwind of events and circumstances force all of your swirling emotions exploding into play. Drama, angst, danger and suspense rock this bad boy to the core. Christopher packs a punch with this raging storyline and explosive plot that brings this bad boy blazing to life spectacularly. The characters are authentic, believable and so realistic with depth and personalities it's easy to relate. The scenes are so graphically detailed it makes for one exceptional backdrop that really bring this treasure together flawlessly. Remarkable job Christopher, thanks for sharing this bad boy with us.
Holy Crap! Talk about stepping into the dark side. One fast track and furious spin launch you forward on a razors edge and total focus on every word. Non-stop, action packed, hard hitting, heart pounding, page turning thrill that's as riveting as it is captivating. A whirlwind of events and circumstances force all of your swirling emotions exploding into play. Drama, angst, danger and suspense rock this bad boy to the core. Christopher packs a punch with this raging storyline and explosive plot that brings this bad boy blazing to life spectacularly. The characters are authentic, believable and so realistic with depth and personalities it's easy to relate. The scenes are so graphically detailed it makes for one exceptional backdrop that really bring this treasure together flawlessly. Remarkable job Christopher, thanks for sharing this bad boy with us.
May 6, 2019
The Queen's Executioner
What can you say about a book that is so good that you almost drool to get to the next one. I can tell now that this book series should be made into a movie on a par with the Hobbit series. I have read nothing in a long time that leads to an Epic series such as this. Pardon me while I go get the next one in the series to read. Great writing Christopher Mitchell!
What can you say about a book that is so good that you almost drool to get to the next one. I can tell now that this book series should be made into a movie on a par with the Hobbit series. I have read nothing in a long time that leads to an Epic series such as this. Pardon me while I go get the next one in the series to read. Great writing Christopher Mitchell!
June 18, 2021
A new fantasy series opener that is certain to make the reader contemplate our troubled times.
SETTING: A place where 5 continents smashed together in the distant past, bringing together 5 different peoples, cultures and values: One culture intent upon expansion and subjecting other races to slavery & servitude; one that has no word for slavery, an idea of which they had never conceived; one in which slavery was not tolerated, but all races viewed as equal.
When an overcrowded people moves to an uninhabited land, a war is set off having unforeseen consequences to all of the combined lands. This is a story of the migration, the setting up of a new homeland, and it’s destruction by the possessive, and oppressive, culture who had previously claimed the unused land. Love stories, battles, conflicts of conscious resulting in the shattering of families are all part of this book. What the end result will be is yet to be determined in a next episode, which I eagerly await.
CRITIQUE: Multiple storylines are developed, blending and separating at times. It was initially a bit confusing (for this new reader of Mr. Mitchell’s work) to sort out what the story was about and how each group was related to the others. It does not take long to sort it out, and the reader then is rewarded with entering into this world, so reflective of our own.
The bright light: the “creator” has a plan to bring peace and reconciliation to the combined continents (or world, if you will). Sometimes, adjustments are having to be made to compensate for the independent actions of the players which can cause consequences not intended by the “creator”. In this book, we have a few clues of the plan, but are led to hope for a plan as the means to end the strife in the world.
With amphibian peoples, dark skinned and light skinned people, flying lizard-like creatures, this fantastical world will appeal to fantasy lovers. The violence and language may not be suitable for younger readers (my opinion). I am excited to find a new author whose thoughtful work inspires hope for a better future for us all.
This review is based on an advanced reader copy. No compensation was provided to this reviewer, nor is there any affiliation between the reviewer and author/publisher.
SETTING: A place where 5 continents smashed together in the distant past, bringing together 5 different peoples, cultures and values: One culture intent upon expansion and subjecting other races to slavery & servitude; one that has no word for slavery, an idea of which they had never conceived; one in which slavery was not tolerated, but all races viewed as equal.
When an overcrowded people moves to an uninhabited land, a war is set off having unforeseen consequences to all of the combined lands. This is a story of the migration, the setting up of a new homeland, and it’s destruction by the possessive, and oppressive, culture who had previously claimed the unused land. Love stories, battles, conflicts of conscious resulting in the shattering of families are all part of this book. What the end result will be is yet to be determined in a next episode, which I eagerly await.
CRITIQUE: Multiple storylines are developed, blending and separating at times. It was initially a bit confusing (for this new reader of Mr. Mitchell’s work) to sort out what the story was about and how each group was related to the others. It does not take long to sort it out, and the reader then is rewarded with entering into this world, so reflective of our own.
The bright light: the “creator” has a plan to bring peace and reconciliation to the combined continents (or world, if you will). Sometimes, adjustments are having to be made to compensate for the independent actions of the players which can cause consequences not intended by the “creator”. In this book, we have a few clues of the plan, but are led to hope for a plan as the means to end the strife in the world.
With amphibian peoples, dark skinned and light skinned people, flying lizard-like creatures, this fantastical world will appeal to fantasy lovers. The violence and language may not be suitable for younger readers (my opinion). I am excited to find a new author whose thoughtful work inspires hope for a better future for us all.
This review is based on an advanced reader copy. No compensation was provided to this reviewer, nor is there any affiliation between the reviewer and author/publisher.
April 26, 2019
I received a copy from the author for an honest review. Below is my opinion and mine alone. There was no compensation for this review.Hmmm... I really wanted to like this book. I like fantasy. I like politics in fantasy. And I love a unique magic system. However, The Queen's Executioner fell short for me. The writing isn't bad. Let me get that straight. The author can write and he definitely has an interesting story idea. But, the writing is what I would consider the first draft. Not really a full length and polished work. There is a reason for that statement.I understand that with fantasy, you need to have exposition and sometimes there is a very fine line between world building and info dumping. I don't like info-dumping and Mitchell does a good job at not doing that. However, the world isn't well built either. You don't see descriptions about characters until well after their chapters. You don't find out about the people being descended from different animal species until a minor character gives another one a history lesson.I had no clue what the characters looked like, how they acted, or even what anything looked like. There were bright moments where the narrative did have great descriptions. But, I was left confused and upset when dialogue, later on, explained something previously. It left the story lacking a way for me to connect.The shiny bright moments had attention to detail, some world building, and body language. But it didn't make up for the rest. It is a decent enough beginning, but I feel Mitchell could do better. The bare bones of an interesting story is there and I see it, I'm just not invested in the rest of the story at the moment.Final Rating: 2/5
June 30, 2019
The Magelands Epic: The Queen's Executioner (Book 1)by Christopher Mitchell is a wonderful story to read. This is book number one in this wonderful series. I highly recommend it to everyone who loves reading about magic in their stories.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book
I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book
January 10, 2022
Will review when I finish the next book, The Severed City. That’ll likely be the last book I’ll read in this series.
October 20, 2020
CAUTION: Minor spoilers lurk below.
The Queen’s Executioner is the first in the Magelands Epic series, which chronicles the intersecting lives of individuals from five different hominid species. Equal attention is given to the histories, cultures, and characterstics of these species, and everything feels incredibly natural, nothing feels contrived. Individuals, not species, are good or bad (but usually somewhere in between,) making for a world that is complex, and deep.
Though Mitchell’s universe is satisfyingly complex, he tells his stories in a streamlined and clear way. The Queen’s Exectuion possesses that extraordinary and elusive quality most often found in the very best fantasy writing: easy reading of a complex story in a coherent, deep universe.
Mitchell excells in his character development. Shella, one of the series’ protagonists and a member of the semi-amphibious Rakanese species, undertakes a journey which sees her transformed from living a humdrum, monotonous life goverened by beuracracy into becoming the de-facto ruler of a migrating nation. Her transformations are gradual (without being slow), logical, and do not feel forced.
Mitchell employs magic, but his magical systems are governed by rules that he himself sticks to. It is reminiscent, in fact, of Brandon Sanderson’s magical systems, which are always well defined, and prevent frustrating Deus Ex-Machina resolutions to conflict and predicaments.
The Queen’s Executioner represents some of the very finest fantasy writing I have come across in twenty years of reading the genre, and so long as the Magelands Epic continues in the same vain, I will be looking forward to reading everything Mitchell releases in the coming years.
If this book was a quarterback, it would be:
Patrick Mahomes – Ambitious, exciting, and taking huge risks without making mistakes. Like Mahomes, Mitchell does the increadibly difficult while making it look effortless and easy in the Queen’s Executioner, and is right at the top of his game.
You should read this book if:
You enjoy authors like George RR Martin, Brandon Sanderson, Joe Abercrombie, Frank Herbert, Robert Jordan and R Scott Bakker.
You should avoid this book if:
You don’t enjoy fantasy writing of any kind. Otherwise, you really should read it.
I want to see the author write:
More Magelands!
See more of my reviews at www.francis-chapman.com
The Queen’s Executioner is the first in the Magelands Epic series, which chronicles the intersecting lives of individuals from five different hominid species. Equal attention is given to the histories, cultures, and characterstics of these species, and everything feels incredibly natural, nothing feels contrived. Individuals, not species, are good or bad (but usually somewhere in between,) making for a world that is complex, and deep.
Though Mitchell’s universe is satisfyingly complex, he tells his stories in a streamlined and clear way. The Queen’s Exectuion possesses that extraordinary and elusive quality most often found in the very best fantasy writing: easy reading of a complex story in a coherent, deep universe.
Mitchell excells in his character development. Shella, one of the series’ protagonists and a member of the semi-amphibious Rakanese species, undertakes a journey which sees her transformed from living a humdrum, monotonous life goverened by beuracracy into becoming the de-facto ruler of a migrating nation. Her transformations are gradual (without being slow), logical, and do not feel forced.
Mitchell employs magic, but his magical systems are governed by rules that he himself sticks to. It is reminiscent, in fact, of Brandon Sanderson’s magical systems, which are always well defined, and prevent frustrating Deus Ex-Machina resolutions to conflict and predicaments.
The Queen’s Executioner represents some of the very finest fantasy writing I have come across in twenty years of reading the genre, and so long as the Magelands Epic continues in the same vain, I will be looking forward to reading everything Mitchell releases in the coming years.
If this book was a quarterback, it would be:
Patrick Mahomes – Ambitious, exciting, and taking huge risks without making mistakes. Like Mahomes, Mitchell does the increadibly difficult while making it look effortless and easy in the Queen’s Executioner, and is right at the top of his game.
You should read this book if:
You enjoy authors like George RR Martin, Brandon Sanderson, Joe Abercrombie, Frank Herbert, Robert Jordan and R Scott Bakker.
You should avoid this book if:
You don’t enjoy fantasy writing of any kind. Otherwise, you really should read it.
I want to see the author write:
More Magelands!
See more of my reviews at www.francis-chapman.com
December 9, 2023
This first book in the series seems like epic fantasy at it's best, as it is full of intrigue, massive battles fought through sword and sorcery, and lots of betrayals and backstabbing by people intent on gaining more power. The Rahain are a classist society whose people are derived from lizards, who make use of slaves and see all other races as useless and only there to be exploited. Laodoc is a politician who loves his country, but disagrees with many of their traditions including that of slavery, and he seeks change but in doing so he risks his life, losing his family and his reputation as he becomes branded as traitor. Killop is a slave we meet in Rahain after his capture, being used to be studied upon, whilst his sister the very powerful fire-mage is captured and being used by the Rahain to bring about the devastation of the frog people who had come in their thousands seeking refuge on Rahainian land, The Rahain would have none of this, and were intent on wiping these refugees out. However they were not aware of the power wielded by Shella, a dark mage, the sister of the queen who was leading her people. Then there is Daphne Holdfast, a battle mage fleeing her country, and working as an assassin for hire in Rahain, whose life is turned around upon meeting with the slave Killop. The four people a slave, an assassin, a politician and a dark mage are out to make sure that the Magelands will never be the same again. They are all out for vengeance and change but can they bring this about? I am really enjoying this very complex series, find myself really invested in the characters and am really looking forward to reading book 2.
June 14, 2023
Could be great, BUT…
This is the 2nd (or perhaps 4th) Christopher Mitchell book I’ve read after Eternal Siege 1-3 and well… the stories are pretty good by most metrics. The world is decently well developed, as are the characters, both leveraged to drive an enjoyable fantasy plot. I’d say that they’re just “pretty good” except that being such a rarity that that alone bumps them up into “very good” comparatively.
This is all to say, I liked reading these books, but I have to call out the glaring and really just all around disappointing aspect of both of these books so far: the romances are straight-up dreck. Instead of bothering to build a romance over time, or just culling the weak element from the story, Mitchell doubles down to contrive the most cliche, cumbersome, cloying romances; leaning on infantile levels of destiny and “love at first sight” to shoehorn in what I’m sure he believes to be epic love story elements, but just come off as a 7-year-old’s fairytale romance. They are entirely jarring and really disrupt what would otherwise be pretty near a top-tier fantasy novel.
I can definitely recommend this book as a worthwhile read, but just be ready to groan and facepalm when characters who have known each other for all of 30 seconds are madly in love and use that uninspired love to do heavy lifting to contrive the plot forward.
This is the 2nd (or perhaps 4th) Christopher Mitchell book I’ve read after Eternal Siege 1-3 and well… the stories are pretty good by most metrics. The world is decently well developed, as are the characters, both leveraged to drive an enjoyable fantasy plot. I’d say that they’re just “pretty good” except that being such a rarity that that alone bumps them up into “very good” comparatively.
This is all to say, I liked reading these books, but I have to call out the glaring and really just all around disappointing aspect of both of these books so far: the romances are straight-up dreck. Instead of bothering to build a romance over time, or just culling the weak element from the story, Mitchell doubles down to contrive the most cliche, cumbersome, cloying romances; leaning on infantile levels of destiny and “love at first sight” to shoehorn in what I’m sure he believes to be epic love story elements, but just come off as a 7-year-old’s fairytale romance. They are entirely jarring and really disrupt what would otherwise be pretty near a top-tier fantasy novel.
I can definitely recommend this book as a worthwhile read, but just be ready to groan and facepalm when characters who have known each other for all of 30 seconds are madly in love and use that uninspired love to do heavy lifting to contrive the plot forward.
January 6, 2022
Not sure what to say about this book - love the different worlds, peoples, coultures, languages, customs. The story is clearly being set up for later books, so I can forgive the info dump across this book. It was long. I kind of loved it, but I also felt the multiple settings took away from being invested in a certain plot sometimes. The characters are great, even though not always likeable. Still very entertaining and will continue with book 2.
Note: I 'read' this via audiobook and the narrator was an older Scottish gentleman, bizarrely perfect for it. The sassy women's voices were... *chef's kiss*
Note: I 'read' this via audiobook and the narrator was an older Scottish gentleman, bizarrely perfect for it. The sassy women's voices were... *chef's kiss*
August 14, 2023
Five star writing in a two star world with one star strawman politics. The lizard people rule and enslave the two races of ape people and the frog people. Some of the lizards think slavery is wrong, that's why they're in the progressive "Radical" party - the only ones who oppose the evil patriots and conservatives. Easy to burn that strawman to the ground! Also, repeated use of "There's a tunnel"
"A tunnel?"
"Yes, a tunnel"
This is common throughout the author's myriad novels, and it's pretty stale because of the high frequency.
The Siege series is a lot better, at least through the first two trilogies. 2.5 stars, rounded up, because the writing and editing are mostly excellent.
"A tunnel?"
"Yes, a tunnel"
This is common throughout the author's myriad novels, and it's pretty stale because of the high frequency.
The Siege series is a lot better, at least through the first two trilogies. 2.5 stars, rounded up, because the writing and editing are mostly excellent.
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