Mystic by Jason Denzel

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 Saturday, November 25 @ 7:00 pm

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A Review of Mystic 

by Emman J. - TAB Member

I love fantasy books; in them are these entirely new worlds with interesting new characters that always keep me guessing. Fantasy books are not held back by the same rules that exist in other genres, allowing the authors to create whatever they desire. Many authors have attempted to create their own worlds, making it difficult to find fantasy worlds that are so completely original.

 But Jason Denzel manages to do just that in Mystic, a book full of mystical creatures and intrigue. I was drawn in by the idea of the Myst, a form of energy that only a few chosen people could use, these people were known as Mystics.  I found this idea pretty intriguing; as it was different from all the other types of wizards I have come across in other books. I think that fantasy books have a way of making us see the world more simply as there is a clear distinction between evil and good. Sometimes it is nice to have that clarity when our own real world is so full of gray. But unlike other fantasy series I have read Mystic doesn’t just have a villain, instead we see a young girl face off against society. In Denzel’s novel he talks about more than just wizards; through fantasy he talks about divides that exist between people, both socio-economic and racial. He speaks of the intolerance of society and how the only way to change society is through breaking through barriers

The novel itself focuses on a young girl named Pomella AnDone. She is a commoner who has been chosen by the High Mystic as a candidate for being her apprentice. The commoners are not welcomed to join the Mystics and Pomella is the first to be given the opportunity to join in hundreds of years. She knows that it will not be easy to compete for the apprenticeship since the other nobles have certain advantages due to their wealth. We get to join Pomella as she faces three trials in the hopes of becoming an apprentice and learning the ways of the Myst, as she has always dreamed of. Her journey is not easy, and while we may not face the same problems she does, there are some similarities. As she tries to break the chain of only nobility being allowed to become Mystics she will discover just how difficult it may be to change how society views her.

Mystic is only the first novel in a series and I am very excited to follow this series and see how Pomella grows. This book is a welcome addition to my fantasy book collection and I would highly recommend it to any person looking for a new fantasy series.