Davinia Evans, Notorious Sorcerer, Hachette Australia, September 2022, 448 pp., RRP $22.99 (pbk), ISBN 9780356518688
If you’re looking for epic fantasy with a touch of alchemy, sharp dialogue, and a captivating queer romance, have I got a book for you!
In the half-submerged city of Bezim, the Inquisitors are strictly regulating the use of alchemy, which they blame for the Sundering, a tremor that nearly split the city. Wannabe alchemist Siyon Velo, navigates the four planes of reality, harvesting essentials so wealthy alchemists can make magic.
“Don’t worry,” Siyon grinned, the thrill of what he was about to do starting to tug at him as surely as a tether. It never got old. “I’ll be right here. Well, right here and on the other side of reality at the same time.”
Sound impossible? Well, Siyon is capable of just about anything. Good thing too, because when he commits impossible magic to save his love interest, the planes of reality start lurching out of alignment, thrusting Bezim into chaos.
There is much to admire about Notorious Sorcerer: the highly original plot, the cast of diverse characters and multiple narratives, the layered commentary on social structure, the rocket-fuelled pace. However, what the book offers in originality, it sometimes lacks in detail, sustaining the reader with the promise of things making sense later. It brought me back to my Westworld binge, which dazzled but often left me scratching my head. Perhaps the unanswered questions will be the jumping-off point for the next instalment (it’s not yet clear whether this will be a series). Or maybe I just enjoy a bit more certainty for my nearly 500-page investment. Either way, fantasy fans ages 14+ will no doubt enjoy this engrossing and ambitious read.
Reviewed by Maura Pierlot
