The Universal Mirror ~ Gwen Perkins

The Universal Mirror by Gwen Perkins
My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Summary from Amazon:

On the island of Cercia, the gods are dead, killed by their followers and replaced with the study of magic. Magicians are forbidden to leave their homeland. Laws bind these men that prevent them from casting spells on the living—whether to harm or to heal.

Quentin, a young nobleman, challenges these laws out of love for his wife. His best friend, Asahel, defies authority at his side, unaware that the search for this lost magic will bring them both to the edge of reason, threatening their very souls. The Universal Mirror shows how far two men are willing to go for the sake of knowledge and what they will destroy to obtain it.

This is an interesting world, where God is dead and magic has survived. But why? In the land of Cercia magicians are trained at the University in the art of magic and of its many rules. They are so well trained it seems they never use any magic at all. SInce most magicians come from rich families there seems to be no practical application for magic at all. These kinds of situations almost always lead to some kind of rebellion which is where we find Asahel and Quentin. They may not realize that their actions show the sparks of rebellion, yet anyways.


The Universal Mirror is as much about human nature as it is about magic. Much like The Radleys it is a story laced with magic that could stand alone even if you exchanged the word magic for something like medicine. It is a reflection on the way society treats certain classes, even if they are as gifted as the people "above" them in life. There is also the something to be said about the blind faith we, as human beings, have in what society tells us is right and wrong. Anyone who challenges those truths may suffer humiliation or even physical harm. It is these individuals who push on for the greater good that will help mold our world into a better place. Whether they mean to of not.


I did find the beginning a little slow moving but by the middle the story had swept me up and I couldn't wait to find out what happens. The author even threw in a few big curve balls I wasn't expecting, making the story that much better. This was a nice change of pace from my usual werewolves and vampires, a real human interest kind of story.


You can Check out Gwen Perkins website for more info on The Universal Mirror and check out her Author interview here at Wolf Majick.

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