Voice of Dominion by Melanie Cellier
Fantasy. 318 Pages. 4 Stars
Synopsis:
Even the Spoken Mage has limits to the power of her voice
Elena may be the only Spoken Mage in history, but she struggles with limitations. Unable to stockpile written workings as her mageborn year mates do, she runs the constant risk of burning out. But when the Armed Forces draw the third years to the front lines of their war, Elena’s strength and flexibility may be necessary to keep them all alive.
As Elena wrestles with how much she will sacrifice for the war, Lucas must decide how much he’s willing to sacrifice for her. Faced with a greater threat than even they realize, Elena and Lucas must work together and either fight or be consumed by their enemies.
If you enjoy strong heroines, fantasy worlds, adventure, intrigue, and romance, then try the Spoken Mage series now!
My Review:
You know, I wondered at the titles for books 2 & 3 a little. I mean, I can kind of see it, but it wasn’t super clear in either book. That said, I did enjoy the story itself quite a bit! I blazed through this whole series and binge read them, so that’s something!
This book took a bit of a different turn from the previous two. We get to see more of the disciplines and how mages operate outside the academy, this time the military as our students found their way onto the front lines of their three decade war. The conscription itself is a cool part of Cellier’s world and I found it interesting how the common born conscription juxtaposed with the mageborn service (and consequences for failing). It gave the world complexities and tension that made it real and relatable.
That actually was another thread of the story that I’ve enjoyed seeing developed: the political dynamics of the kingdom. The political tension and intrigue of the commonborn vs. the mageborn lay the footwork for themes of bridging gaps and taking a stand for what’s right, even in the face of great opposition. I love the flavor her characters bring with their variety of perspectives and motives. They aren’t all good or all bad and some you start out disliking you come to understand and respect and vise versa.
Elena does make a choice that I felt was kind of abrupt at one point. I was a little unsure of why she didn’t approach the choice differently, but it was one of the few things in the series I thought was paced a little oddly.
Content: some mild fantasy violence, no swearing, and a clean romance. Early teens. The story does deal with a war, but Cellier keeps it nongraphic. She doesn’t delve too deeply into the horrors of war, but she does deal with loss and injustice. She also deals with the beauty of friendships and bonds of loyalty.
More:
Book 1 in the Spoken Mage series is Voice of Power (4 Stars)
Book 2 is Voice of Command (4 Stars)
Book 3 is Voice of Dominion (4 Stars)
Book 4 is Voice of Life (5 Stars)
Book 5 is Power of Pen and Voice
Follow the links to find more info on Goodreads. The quartet should be read in order. The 5th book is a companion book. I haven’t read it yet, but from my understanding, it should be read after the quartet.
On GraceBought
If you missed it, check out my thoughts on the previous books here!
Voice of Power and Voice of Command