Unnatural Magic

C. M. Waggoner

Nov 2019 · Sold by Penguin

About this ebook

A “brilliant and terrifically fun”* debut novel brings an enchanting new voice to fantasy.
 
Onna can write the parameters of a spell faster than any of the young men in her village school. But despite her incredible abilities, she’s denied a place at the nation’s premier arcane academy. Undaunted, she sails to the bustling city-state of Hexos, hoping to find a place at a university where they don’t think there’s anything untoward about providing a woman with a magical education. But as soon as Onna arrives, she’s drawn into the mysterious murder of four trolls.
 
Tsira is a troll who never quite fit into her clan, despite being the leader’s daughter. She decides to strike out on her own and look for work in a human city, but on her way she stumbles upon the body of a half-dead human soldier in the snow. As she slowly nurses him back to health, an unlikely bond forms between them, one that is tested when an unknown mage makes an attempt on Tsira’s life. Soon, unbeknownst to each other, Onna and Tsira both begin devoting their considerable talents to finding out who is targeting trolls, before their homeland is torn apart…



 
*Kat Howard, Alex Award-winning author of An Unkindness of Magicians

Ratings and reviews

Imaginative adult fantasy with a murder mystery plot Unnatural Magic is a low fantasy story with a Victorian atmosphere and three voiced main characters. The character plots are: a teenage magical prodigy setting out to get an education in a largely male-dominated world, a young(ish) half-troll woman carving out a place for herself even though she doesn't fully fit in either human or troll society, and a former soldier at loose ends after becoming a deserter. These threads are tied together by an overarching conflict between humans and trolls as the peaceful trolls keep turning up dead in human cities and rumors of trolls massacring human villages run rampant. Some of the things I appreciated most about this novel were the worldbuilding (fairly intricate without being overexplained); the presence of two very different female MCs; the clever commentary on things like war, anti-minority sentiments, and gender roles; and the distinct voices of the three narrators, particularly the troll Tsira. There was a lot to like, but in the end Unnatural Magic wasn't quite my cup of tea. Particularly, I wanted to enjoy Tsira's storyline because it's so rare to see female characters who are allowed to be bigger and stronger than their male counterparts and still be considered attractive, but her whole romance plot felt uncomfortably fetishized. I ended up preferring Onna, the young wizard, for both her character and plot arc. I'd recommend this novel to readers who enjoy low fantasy: stories driven more by everyday characters than big conflicts and powerful players. There's also some cross-genre appeal for fans of murder mysteries, particularly in the second half of the book.

Intriguing story, main characters fleshed out well, varied and interesting world...what's not to like?

This book is a fantastic mix of genres and really pulls you into the story. I would highly recommend it!

About the author

C.M. Waggoner grew up in rural upstate New York, where she spent a lot of time reading fantasy novels in a swamp. She studied creative writing at SUNY Purchase and lived in China for eight years before moving with her husband to Albany, NY. In her spare time, she volunteers, performs kitchen experiments, asks if she can pet your dog, and gardens badly.