From: Svetli
Hi, a fan from Bulgaria here. I wanted to ask how exactly did Alex got recognised as a full-fledged mage, after he escaped only as an apprentice from Drakh?
So there are two ways for the Light Council to recognise you as a mage. One is that you pass a Council journeyman test, which according to the Council is how you’re supposed to do it. The thing is, most of the mages in the UK never do that. Dark mages obviously couldn’t care less about being officially sanctioned by the Council, and independent mages don’t follow either the Light or Dark path – it’s kind of their definition.
So what the Council does is that after a non-Light mage has been around for long enough, the Council starts viewing them as a mage by default. It’s funny in a way, because it’s the opposite of what the Council claims to believe in, but if you think about it, what else are they supposed to do? They can’t really claim that independent and Dark types aren’t actually mages, given that they can both can do everything that Light mages can and more. So they grudgingly admit that yes, they count, sort of. Of course, they still think Light mages are better, and that anyone who hasn’t passed their journeyman test isn’t a ‘real’ mage, but funnily enough, they don’t seem that keen on saying that to a Dark mage’s face.
From: curious fan
Hello Luna,
There’s so many types of mages. Luck mage, life mage,time mage,etc. Is there a magic mage? That looks redundant now that I’ve written it, but what I mean is: is there a a mage whose element is Magic, a magical particle, or whatever it is that causes mages to be able to do magic?
Not that I know of, no. The spells that affect other magic/other spells are usually considered universal, meaning that nearly all mages can learn them.
From: Hazel
Hey Luna!
I have a few questions for you if you wouldn’t mind.
I haven’t heard much about you, Vari, and Anne in the way of hobbies and skills other than magic. Can you guys draw or paint, how about play an instrument? How about Alex?
Can you give a brief description of each member of the gang?
What is your opinion on Sonda (Sorry if I spelled his name wrong!) and do you personally think he should/would want to partially join the group again?
How do you feel about Kyle?
Thanks so much,
Hazel.
Anne can draw – she’s a pretty good artist, actually, though she’s shy about showing anyone her stuff. Vari’s the musician, though I don’t think he practices these days. As for me, I’m not really good at anything as far as arts or hobbies go. I sometimes wonder if those early years might have gone better if I had been.
I don’t know what you mean about descriptions. You mean appearance, or something else?
Sonder is . . . eh. Every time I see him these days, he seems to mostly be concerned with social climbing in the Council. He’s given up chasing me, which I can’t say I’m all that sorry about. I have trouble imagining him rejoining our group, to be honest. None of us are exactly in-group these days, except maybe for Vari, and Sonder likes Vari the least of any of us by a long way (and the feeling’s mutual). I can’t really see it.
Kyle is that adept who’s become Cinder’s sidekick, right? I don’t really care about him one way or another.
From: FicChic
Hi Luna
I’d just like to start by saying that Alex’s books are hands-down my favourite series at the moment – this coming from someone who reads anything and everything (my only criteria for a book is that it be good).
I have a few questions (and I apologize in advance if any have been asked before.
1) How does an apprentice become an Independent Mage? You become a Light Mage by going through the apprentice program then taking the Journeyman tests, and then you have to register with the Council as a Light Mage (correct me if I’m wrong). For Dark mages you pretty much just choose your name and declare yourself a mage, and then dare anyone to challenge you? But what about if you want to be Independent? How would your mage status be recognized then? (As a side note, you are officially considered a Light Mage, right?)
2) Do the Keepers/Council have a special way of imprisoning extra powerful mages? Like a drug or magical item or sonething that reduces/nullifies magical ability? I was actually wondering what would happen if someone like Vihaela gets captured alive…how efficiently would she be able to be imprisoned? Because I think having captured her and then letting her escape would probably come under History’s Worst Blunders.
3) Vesta was the Roman goddess of Hearth and Home, but her original embodiment was Greek and her name was Hestia. So did you choose the Roman version because it sounded better? Just curious =)
1) See Svetli’s question above. And no, you’re not considered a Light mage, though you get much friendlier treatment than a Dark mage would.
2) They have a few ways of limiting magical ability, but none are 100% reliable as far as I know. It’s the usual explanation that’s given as to why Council punishments are so draconian – they can’t just throw large amounts of people in prison and leave them there. I’m pretty sure that for someone like Vihaela, they’d either kill her on sight, or she’d be reported dead after ‘attempting escape’.
3) I’m half-Italian. It’s been a long time since I visited, but still.
From: Henesys
Why doesn’t Alex just step down from the council? Now that Richard’s gone, Morden’s arrested, and he no longer has the death sentence on him, why does he stay? Especially if he’s worried about being used in Richard’s plan. Why doesn’t he just quit the council?
I haven’t asked, but it seems pretty obvious to me. Stepping down wouldn’t stop him from being used by Richard or by anyone else, and it would make it harder for him to fight back against being manipulated in the future, since his Council status is one of the few high cards he’s got. Besides, he’s good at the job.