Description
Summoner: The Novice by Taran Matharu is the first book in the New York Times bestselling Summoner Trilogy, a fast-paced epic fantasy that blends magic-school training, political intrigue, and classic coming-of-age stakes.
Fletcher is a blacksmith’s apprentice with no status and no future — until he accidentally discovers he can summon demons from another world. Branded a criminal for a crime he didn’t commit, he flees his village with his summoned demon, Ignatius, and is forced into the dangerous world of professional summoners at Vocans Academy.
At the academy, Fletcher is trained as a battlemage to fight in the Hominum Empire’s war against the orcs. But combat training is only part of the danger. Surrounded by the children of powerful nobles, Fletcher must navigate class prejudice, political scheming, and racial tensions. The ruthless Forsyth twins manipulate events for their family’s gain. An elf named Sylva pushes for a fragile alliance between races. Othello, the first dwarf ever admitted to the academy, becomes a lightning rod for long-standing oppression and resentment.
As rival factions manoeuvre for control, Fletcher is forced to decide where his loyalties lie — with his friends, his people, or the empire itself. What begins as a magical apprenticeship quickly escalates into a struggle that could determine the fate of the realm.
This is accessible epic fantasy: clear world-building, steady pacing, strong YA crossover appeal, and enough political complexity to keep older readers engaged.
