This felt like a fresh take on classic epic fantasy. it starts with an isolated, domed city surrounded by desert which is experiencing tensions between mages and non-mages + a clear march towards fascism, a girl trapped in between both worlds (and just such a fantastic character) and then an ensemble of other POVs slowing coloring in the rest of the world. It trickles in worldbuilding rather than info dumping and there’s still a lot unanswered after this first installment, particularly about the history of the city, workings of magic, and a mysterious force or two. I found so many of the POVs compelling and likable, making this a really enjoyable read.

I will absolutely be reading the next book to learn more.

This is a dark academia novel with some adventure thrown in so it doesn't take place in full academia setting.

I am in love with this magic system and it has a found family trope which is one of my faves! I really think this is one many will enjoy, but especially epic fantasy readers in particular. There isn't really any romance in the book and most adult fantasy readers appreciate that. Check this out!

Thank you NetGalley and Orbit for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

The Outcast Mage is for people who feel nostalgic for classic high fantasy (especially with your chosen one MC at magic school who is struggling) but wants a little bit of a twist and also more women. And for it to be less white. I don’t know if I’d recommend it to those who are deeply into the hard magic system style fantasy and/or want to get in the weeds of how a magic system works, but as someone who cares little for a D&D handbook on how a world works, I had a lot of fun with it. I found this to be easy to read, though there’s a bunch of new terms that would trip me up on occasion, so it didn’t read as smoothly as I’d expect. I wouldn’t really call this “fresh” because the overall plot does feel familiar, but I thought it was polished and well crafted, so I didn’t mind.

I thought the use of multiple POVs was effective though at times the voices sounded a little similar. I felt that Campbell switched POVs at appropriate times and kept good tension throughout the novel. I liked the world itself and I thought the politics were well done (albeit impossible to misinterpret because by the end it isn’t particularly subtle). Naila’s story in particular is compelling, especially if you’re partial to coming of age stories—I’m very interested in what’s happening to the world at large and Larinne and Haelius’ stories, but Naila is at the heart of it and she’s great. The story itself is a slow burn, but the last couple of chapters and the epilogue were wild and I am very eager to read the second book!

This is an epic high fantasy story that literally throws you into the deep end with little to no explanation—and I absolutely LOVED it. The way I would describe the world/magic system is that it feels like harry potter but if the muggles knew of the existence of magic and lived side by side with the wizards - so yes SO MUCH political tension. The book is told from multiple POVs, following a student mage (Naila) who struggles to use her magic, one of the city’s strongest mages (Haelius), a mage on the council (Larinne), and a priest from another nation.

I didn’t expect to fall completely in love with Haelius, but I couldn’t help picturing him as Viktor from Arcane! He’s a deeply flawed, tragic character, which only makes him more compelling. I really enjoyed Naila’s chapters, though she did start to annoy me halfway through—but I think that’s consistent with her character, and she clearly has a lot of growth ahead of her in the next book(s). I also wanted a bit more nuance from the “villain” and a deeper understanding of his motivations, so I'm really hoping this is explored more in book 2.

One thing that really surprised was the fact that this was kind of middle eastern inspired?? I had no idea going in so catching all the references and the use of Arabic words was pretty cool! There was also a cute slow burn romance brewing between 2 of the characters that I absolutely fell in love with I NEED them to get together

All in all, this is a fantastic debut! I had a blast reading it and even shed a tear or two, lol. I’ll definitely be picking up the sequel :)

This was a really fun book! I was looking for a good epic fantasy with a strong female main character, and The Outcast Mage delivered! And an even greater surprise was the dark academia twist into the mix. I wouldn't call myself a dark academia fan per say, but I loved how it was woven into the story with fantasy elements involved. Another fun element was the fact this book had very little romance. I can see that changing in later books, however the main relationship in this book was more of a mentor/mentee situation. That was a nice change from the other fantasy books I've read recently.

Overall, definitely pick this up if you want an entertaining read. I'll be continuing this series as it's released!

This book follows the path of a young mage who seems to have no access to her magic. She lives in a glass city held together by magic, a ruling class of mages who are becoming fewer in number and a magicless class maltreated by those in power. The city is on the cusp of an upheaval, those in power are using every excuse to blame the magicless majority of being a threat to the city. There are many interesting and well written side characters in this story but it is our magicless mage who steals the show. The world is well crafted, the characters vivid and compelling and the story itself fast paced and exciting. There are flavors of Arabic mythology mixed in with the fantasy of this world. It is all wonderfully written and a pleasure to read. I look forward to the next in this series. Thank you to the publishers for allowing me to read this book in advance.

Well this was pretty cool book!

When I saw Inkstone was featuring The Outcast Mage as their Quarter 1 subscription pick, I immediately went to Netgalley to see if an ARC was available to request.

I'm happy to report it was and that I got accepted.

We started off with a magical academic setting but this became much more. I found myself so attached to Naila and Haelius. We follow this journey of self discovery and trying to find a place to fit in with some interesting elements thrown at us in the end.

I suppose my biggest criticism is the book lacked a real sense of danger and urgency. I personally didn't feel like the stakes were high enough and this felt more YA despite the Adult classification.

The Outcast Mage was still an enjoyable read and I would recommend it to readers who enjoy books that feature a high magic system, rooting for an underdog and veeeery light romantic teasing.

Thank you Netgalley and Orbit books for a copy of this ARC. All opinions are my own.

A civil war between mages and non-mages and a girl who can't use her powers meant to save them all! There is a lot of politics going on at the beginning and it takes quite a while to get to the heart of the story. I think it's well told but suffers from being too drawn out. But what it lacks for in pace it makes up for in curiosity for the story.

Thank you NetGalley, Orbit & Annabel Campbell!

This is reminiscent of classic fantasy, in a really good way!

The magic system was fairly defined, though a big part of the plot is to try to figure out the magic of Naila, the main character and titular outcast mage. The choice of POVs helped to show off different sides of the magic system, between Naila as well as Haelius, her mentor and a notably powerful mage, Larinne, a council mage and an inside look into the politics of Amoria, and Entonin, a mysterious priest who is an outsider to the city and very much not a mage - or supportive of mages. I also loved the interlude chapters, which showed a totally different side of magic and hinted strongly toward the world's overall lore.

As mentioned, the different POVs all gave interesting perspectives and added to the story. Naila is full of grit, but she's also naive, so the choice of having these particular POVs helped to round out the story in a natural way.

A highlight for me was the bit of found family vibe underlying both halves of the story. Naila, Ko, Haelius, Malek - what a group of stars together. All of the relationships between the characters were standouts, honestly.

It can be tough, launching a new epic fantasy series with multiple characters and an entirely new world and magic system, so I have to give kudos for the plot of this. We spent some good time getting to know and understand the tensions in Amoria and understand how the characters played a role in that regard, and then diverged - this wasn't a book that spent its entire time with Naila learning from Haelius, or even much time on any point of the plot, as it built quite a bit in scope across the course of the story. (And went a little bit batshit - like, I would not have predicted where and how a lot of characters ended up where they did, but it all made sense!)

A couple of things that didn't quite hit the mark for me were the world building and the characters' personalities. These seem like major things, so perhaps that's a testament to how much fun this was to read that these barely dampened my enjoyment. You get thrown right into the world, which I'm cool with, and I didn't have an issue understanding the class structures and the politics, but I do wish more time was spent on that sort of thing, since it seemed almost perfunctory, like giving just enough information so that you could move forward with the plot. However, if the last bit of the book is any indication, I'm pretty confident this series is going to delve into a lot more of the world and its history over time.

I'm equally confident that my quibble with characterizations will also fade with future books. I liked all of the characters, but, as someone who likes multi-POVs, I didn't feel like any of them had a strong narrative voice nor did I feel like I got to know their actual personalities. Obviously they were all distinct in their general shapes and plotlines, but I felt their personalities weren't super defined and that I don't really know them on any kind of deeper level. But I did like what I did get to know, I just want to know them better and fall in love with them.

A super enjoyable book, and a series from which I'm eager to read more.

Thank you to the publisher, Orbit, and to NetGalley for the ARC.

The Outcast Mage is a debut fantasy novel and the start of an exciting new fantasy series. The main character of the story is Naila, a student at the academy for mages who appears to lack in magical ability. The book is told from several points of view, including Naila’s and several other characters you are introduced to throughout the book.

When I started this book, I was thinking it was going to primarily be a fantasy academia story where Naila learns about her powers. However, about halfway through, this story becomes a hero’s journey fantasy with Naila and other characters moving away from the initial setting.

I really enjoyed the world building in this story, and I am excited to see how this world grows in future books. I also found it refreshing that this was a debut fantasy novel that is not romantasy.

If you are a fan of fantasy novels that take place in an academic setting, like strong female characters, or are looking for a new fantasy world to get lost in, check this book out.

A creative high fantasy book that would be a good re-introduction to the world of mages. It’s been a while since I’ve seen a book about mages and so that was cool. However, it’s definitely high fantasy in that the world building is a big part of it and that could get a bit info-dump-y at times

A mage bereft of her powers must find out if she is destined to save the world or destroy it in this glittering debut fantasy perfect for fans of Andrea Stewart, James Islington, and Samantha Shannon. In the glass city of Amoria, magic is everything. And Naila, student at the city's legendary academy, is running out of time to prove she can control hers. If she fails, she'll be forced into exile, relegated to a life of persecution with the other magicless hollows. Or worse, be consumed by her own power.

When a tragic incident further threatens her place at the Academy, Naila is saved by Haelius Akana, the most powerful living mage. Finding Naila a kindred spirit, Haelius stakes his position at the Academy on teaching her to harness her abilities. But Haelius has many enemies, and they would love nothing more than to see Naila fail. Trapped in the deadly schemes of Amoria's elite, Naila must dig deep to discover the truth of her powers or watch the city she loves descend into civil war.

For there is violence brewing on the wind, and greater powers at work. Ones who could use her powers for good… or destroy everything she's ever known.

Good classical fantasy, with a lot of classical tropes, but also written with a modern style. Fans of Licanious Trilogy and Wheel of Time would like this one.

This was a typical fantasy novel with a Chosen One FMC coming into her own and discovering her powers, while living under a government that's becoming authoritarian. There's stratification in this society, with a push and pull between magic users and regular folks. There's also an MMC who's the son of a non-magic user, but who's also the most powerful magic user in the city.

So, all in all, nothing really new here.

This is labeled as epic fantasy, but I think this would be a good fantasy novel for those transitioning from YA fantasy or genres with lighter fantasy elements. It introduces themes common in epic fantasy without overwhelming the reader with new terminology and concepts.

As a longtime fantasy reader though, this wasn't really all that compelling or interesting. I wasn't really moved by the characters or their actions. It read like yet another iteration of common fantasy tropes (Chosen One, authoritarian wizard government, etc.).

Usually I can get behind the world building or characterization if one of those elements is lacking, but this had nothing that really peaked my interest.

Thank you to Orbit and NetGalley for this arc.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc! Just top notch worldbuilding and magic system here, I loved this story so so much!

This book was pretty good, I would definitely recommend

~This was given by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

*4.5

The Outcast Mage is an engaging and fast-paced fantasy that follows Nalia, a young mage who faces the grim prospect of spending the rest of her life locked away unless she can manifest and control her magic. Set in a city on the brink of civil war, Nalia’s struggle to harness her powers is just one of the many threads that weave through this richly crafted world.

I absolutely loved this book from start to finish! There was never a moment where I wanted to put it down. The multi-POV narrative was a huge plus for me, and while the story, like many epic fantasies, starts off throwing readers into the deep end, I found it easy to adjust and quickly immerse myself in the world. The author does a fantastic job of introducing complex world-building and a cast of intriguing characters, making the experience both exciting and immersive.

The magic system and the world itself show a lot of potential, and while I hope to see more exploration of both in future books, I have full confidence that they will be developed further as the series progresses. The ending left me eagerly anticipating the next book, with plenty of questions still lingering. It’s clear that this is just the beginning of a larger story, and I can’t wait to see where it goes next!

What a phenomenal world I was thrown into!!!


Coming from someone who DEVOURS Fantasy stories, world building is a game changer. Too much, and you’re left bored to death, (Sorry, King…I still adore you!) and too little, and you’re left with something that no matter how you try, you can’t figure the story out.


The Outcast Mage has some of the BEST world building I’ve ever had the pleasure to read. Truly! I could absolutely immerse myself into the streets of Amoria, feel the pressure of the nearby magic buzzing, and could see the hauntingly gorgeous glow of the glass dome! So many amazing details jump out at me from this, but the world building is #1!

Naila and Haelius, (and really, every single character) were so wonderfully written! Right off the bat, I had a feeling that Naila was going to be something ancient, maybe dark, maybe otherworldly, but the way her journey progressed was something to see! And Haelius…man, sometimes I wanted to just 🤛🤛🤛. Stupid men and their stupid pride.
I am pleased to report that by the end, Haelius had redeemed himself greatly.

Also, Entonin and Karameth 😍😍😍 That hit me like a damn brick of surprise! (Both of them are so interesting and Entonin definitely got a few good giggles out of me)

I would HIGHLY recommend this to anyone who loves a in-depth adventure! If you’re looking for some short, cutesy fantasy with Fae and 🌶️🌶️, this ain’t it, friend.
But if you want a story that is going to pull at your imagination, heartstrings, and concept of magic, this will be a perfect read!

I truly cannot wait until the second book is released, as I have so many damn questions that need resolution!! Like, how are you going to just leave us on a DRAGON cliffhanger??? 🤯🤯🤯

Thank you SO much to NetGalley and Orbit Books for the pleasure of reading this amazing Arc!!!

A unique debut featuring a solid cast, high political intrigue and refreshing magic. I am a fan of the mentor / pupil dynamic and this book delivered well in that aspect. The character development is a pretty good but the pacing was my issue with this book. This world is full of secrets and stories so I am excited to see where this will go.

Perfect for fans of epic fantasy who want a little more academia and less romance. Thank you for NetGalley and Orbit for this title! 3.5 / 5 Stars

Everyone claims Naila is a mage, though she’s never been able to use magic herself. Powerless yet burdened by the expectation of control, she finds herself caught in a precarious position. Her latent magic, untamed and unreachable, makes her a potential threat—but how can she hope to command something she has no connection to?
This book is phenomenal m. Thanks to Orbit and the author!!!

I loved the very compelling story and found the book hard to put down. The world-building was excellent and the magic system was also very good. There was also very good character development. All-in-all, this is a very strong fantasy book. But I only gave it four stars because I found the pacing frequently weak; usually this involved too much internal dialogue, or needless conversations between characters. However the plot is so strong that it easily outweighs any of these faults. Thank you to Netgalley and Orbit for the advance reader copy.