The Glass Magician by Charlie N. Holmberg

Three months after the events of The Paper Magician, Ceony Twill continues her apprenticeship in paper magic under Magician Emery Thane. And it seems those three months were her only reprieve from the action! While visiting a paper mill as part of her studies, there is an explosion that cuts the trip short. Foul play is suspected and another incident later, Ceony discovers she is the target of the titular Glass Magician, Grath Cobalt. Excisioner Saraj Prendi is also after her and doesn't seem to be with Grath.

There is one aspect of this book I'm not keen on: Ceony's cooking. As in book one, the sections with her cooking are fluff and I'd prefer she spend more on the magic. I did not need to be reminded that Ceony would've attended culinary school if not for Emery's scholarship. It seems like this energy needs to be put somewhere so, I think, Ms. Holmberg should write a spin-off called The Food Magician, which could be either a novel or a cookbook.

The food thing is a small complaint because I continue to be impressed by Ms. Holmberg's world mechanics and Ceony's story. In the previous novel, we learn about Folding (Paper magic) and a bit about Excision (Human Flesh magic). In this book, we're introduced to Gaffing (Glass magic). Gaffers use mirrors to communicate with others over great distances and can use mirrors to transport themselves, provided the mirror does not have any imperfections. Using glass in combat was only showcased briefly and mostly involved cutting up the opponent with glass shards (very painful sounding). I like how well-thought out the magic is and how it applies to the story. It reminds me of Harry Potter and how every year he learns the magic that he needs for the plot.

Visit Charlie N. Holmberg's blog for more information about the author and how to purchase her book(s).