Ella Pickering is drowning in debt. Once a Unity skymage trained to make aerial supply runs in the Great War with the Ranneas Empire, following a crash, she now uses a wheelchair and works gruelling shifts making magical weapons in the Unity workshops, thinking of better days.
One night, Ella witnesses an experiment by engineer Jackan Grissom go awry. His device morphs into a crude rocket blasting skywards before falling into the war’s spell-ravaged No Man’s Land. But this inspires a dangerous dream: could such a device reach the moon—the forbidden home of the gods? Could they go and beg them to stop the war?
They will need help, but as more folk get involved in their blasphemous plot, can they keep it under wraps? Can magic get them to the moon? Or will their heresy lead them to the gallows?
This is one of the most unique fantasy books I’ve read in a while. As soon as I saw the interesting cover and title and read the blurb, I knew this was going to be different. It’s a mix of fantasy and sci-fi with magic, engineering, alchemy, and technology all infused into a story about a group of mage inventors attempting to build a device capable of reaching the moon. But the core of the story is the character arcs and their heartfelt bonds. I was invested in the protagonist Ella Pickering from the start—she’s a disabled former sky mage who refuses to let life define her, and her relationships with the members of her team are so compelling. The author weaves in some meaningful themes about perseverance, hope during impossible circumstances, unconventional found family, the cost of war, and more!
The story is told in 3rd person, initially following Ella, but then shifting POVs between her and the small group of mages, engineers, and inventors who secretly work together to build a magical spacecraft to carry them to the moon! You can’t help but love Ella right away. She’s living in a rundown flop house, struggling to pay off debts, and working long hours at a weapons workshop. I found her attitude so admirable—despite losing so much, she’s optimistic, determined, and looking for new challenges. Another one of my favorite characters is Jackan, the eccentric older engineer who’s friends with Ella and whose work is the catalyst for everything that happens. He’s sarcastic, funny, intelligent, and very loyal to his team, willing to put himself at risk to protect them several times. The friendship between him and Ella will pull at your heartstrings.
The other team members are equally memorable. Katherine Goddard, the feisty and brilliant daughter of the workshop’s Chief of Research and Design, Whitlaw, forces her way onto the team because she craves being part of something big. I loved how she was even bolder than Ella and didn’t hesitate to challenge others when needed. Rounding out the team are Guylan Bluford, a younger engineer mage, and Rojer Glenn, a one-eyed combat mage who spends quite a while not knowing exactly what the project is really about, which creates some interesting drama. By the second half, these characters have spent so much time together, overcoming obstacles and building different iterations of the device, that they really feel like a found family—and their loyalty to each other is proven in several heartbreaking moments at the end! Be sure to have your tissues ready because you will get emotional!! 😭
The magic system was another highlight for me because it was unlike anything I’ve read before. The characters use a combination of scrying magic, engineering, alchemy, and aether (a magical energy source) in their efforts to communicate and create the device to reach the moon. It’s important to know that the team spends a good chunk of the story designing, testing, and rebuilding the device, and you may find the pacing quite slow in some sections. But there’s sarcasm, friendly teasing, and real camaraderie between the characters that I never minded spending time with them, even during these slower sections.
Also mixed in were some disastrous results and tense moments that put their lives at risk. To make things even more interesting, they recruit the help of an imp whose reckless and unpredictable behavior puts things further at risk but also comes with the chance of a big payoff!
Later on, the team relocates to a castle for more privacy, but an overseer of the Hierarchy comes to stay with them. Their efforts soon become a race against time due to prying eyes and the war front coming closer to their doorstep.
The chapters aren’t short, but they’re very immersive and full of dialogue and important decisions about what direction the team is taking next. You do need to pay close attention while reading so you don’t get lost or miss key plot points. If listening on audio, I’d recommend listening at a slower speed for the best reading experience.
Fortunately, once you reach the second half, the pacing really picks up and never lets up. The effects of war come crashing down, and the team’s project becomes increasingly difficult to keep secret. Without giving anything away, their efforts to reach the moon and communicate with the gods take some very unexpected turns. The final act has some fascinating sci-fi elements, heartbreaking moments, and really emphasizes the risks and enemies they’re up against. The ending is bittersweet and will leave you thinking about the characters afterwards—and even the possibility of a sequel, as there’s an opportunity for one, and I’d love to have another story with these memorable characters!
If you enjoy character-driven stories that blend fantasy, sci-fi, technology, unique magic systems, found family, and memorable characters, I would recommend picking this one up!
Narrator Performance
First Mage On The Moon is read by seasoned narrator Tess Irondale. Right from the prologue, Irondale sets the tone with very natural pacing and a clear, expressive voice that draws you into the world-building In the opening chapters, her portrayal of Ella Pickering made it easy for me to become invested in her. She gives Ella a warm, relatable, voice that reflects her strong-willed personality. Even though she lives with a disability, resides in a flop house, and has lost so much, Irondale’s delivery emphasizes her optimism, kindness, and determination, making her instantly likable.
In the early scenes when she’s in the workshop or interacting with Jackan, Irondale makes Ella’s intelligence and curiosity evident. Especially when lightning strikes in Jackan’s workshop and the two begin discussing the idea of building a device to reach the moon, I was fully immersed—it felt like listening to the audio of a movie!
A major highlight of Irondale’s performance is the incredible range of voices she gives to the fairly large cast. Each character is given a distinct and convincing voice that matches their gender, age, and personality, including an impressive array of accents! My favourite was Jackan. Irondale gives the eccentric engineer an older, slightly roughened voice infused with sarcasm, wit, warmth, and wisdom, making him one of the most lovable characters.
There are a lot of scenes where the team is testing and rebuilding the device, and if I were reading these on the page, I might have found them slow and a bit repetitive. However, Irondale makes the interactions and camaraderie between the team members engaging and uses a lot of expression whenever things go wrong. In particular, the scenes where Katherine runs out of air inside the device are narrated with so much tension and urgency that I was on the edge of my seat!
Another highlight is the friendship between Katherine Goddard and Ella. Their relationship doesn’t begin with complete trust, but as they spend more time together, you can hear their dialogue becoming more relaxed and supportive, making their bond believable, heartwarming, and feel like a found family dynamic.
The supporting cast (outside the main team) is just as entertaining. The unpredictable imp is given a wonderfully mischievous voice that perfectly matches the chaos it brings whenever it appears. Lucid, the Hierarchy’s representative overseeing the project, is another standout. At first, Irondale gives her such a calm, pleasant, and reassuring voice that you immediately question her true motives. As Lucid’s true nature begins to emerge, Irondale subtly shifts her performance, giving her a sharper, more authoritative tone that makes her increasingly unlikable.
Towards the end, when the effects of war reach the castle and there are intense confrontations, Irondale increases the urgency in her delivery. During the spectacular scenes on the moon, Irondale adjusts her pacing and cadence to give them an almost magical, otherworldly quality that really transports you there. Her voice for the Caretaker is a perfect blend of eerie, sentient, and celestial, keeping you engaged and adding an even more cinematic feel to the listening experience. The closing chapter has some heartbreaking moments, and Irondale narrates them with so much emotion, so be prepared to have some tissues on hand. The final words are spoken with conviction and perfectly capture the bittersweet ending and leave a lasting impression.
If this book sounds like something you’d enjoy, I’d recommend the audiobook. Irondale’s character voices, expert pacing, and dynamic expression make it an engaging listen from beginning to end, even during slower sections when the team is building and testing the device. Don’t hesitate to grab a copy!
Narrator Performance
First Mage On The Moon is read by seasoned narrator Tess Irondale. Right from the prologue, Irondale sets the tone with very natural pacing and a clear, expressive voice that draws you into the world-building In the opening chapters, her portrayal of Ella Pickering made it easy for me to become invested in her. She gives Ella a warm, relatable, voice that reflects her strong-willed personality. Even though she lives with a disability, resides in a flop house, and has lost so much, Irondale’s delivery emphasizes her optimism, kindness, and determination, making her instantly likable.
In the early scenes when she’s in the workshop or interacting with Jackan, Irondale makes Ella’s intelligence and curiosity evident. Especially when lightning strikes in Jackan’s workshop and the two begin discussing the idea of building a device to reach the moon, I was fully immersed—it felt like listening to the audio of a movie!
A major highlight of Irondale’s performance is the incredible range of voices she gives to the fairly large cast. Each character is given a distinct and convincing voice that matches their gender, age, and personality, including an impressive array of accents! My favourite was Jackan. Irondale gives the eccentric engineer an older, slightly roughened voice infused with sarcasm, wit, warmth, and wisdom, making him one of the most lovable characters.
There are a lot of scenes where the team is testing and rebuilding the device, and if I were reading these on the page, I might have found them slow and a bit repetitive. However, Irondale makes the interactions and camaraderie between the team members engaging and uses a lot of expression whenever things go wrong. In particular, the scenes where Katherine runs out of air inside the device are narrated with so much tension and urgency that I was on the edge of my seat!
Another highlight is the friendship between Katherine Goddard and Ella. Their relationship doesn’t begin with complete trust, but as they spend more time together, you can hear their dialogue becoming more relaxed and supportive, making their bond believable, heartwarming, and feel like a found family dynamic.
The supporting cast (outside the main team) is just as entertaining. The unpredictable imp is given a wonderfully mischievous voice that perfectly matches the chaos it brings whenever it appears. Lucid, the Hierarchy’s representative overseeing the project, is another standout. At first, Irondale gives her such a calm, pleasant, and reassuring voice that you immediately question her true motives. As Lucid’s true nature begins to emerge, Irondale subtly shifts her performance, giving her a sharper, more authoritative tone that makes her increasingly unlikable.
Towards the end, when the effects of war reach the castle and there are intense confrontations, Irondale increases the urgency in her delivery. During the spectacular scenes on the moon, Irondale adjusts her pacing and cadence to give them an almost magical, otherworldly quality that really transports you there. Her voice for the Caretaker is a perfect blend of eerie, sentient, and celestial, keeping you engaged and adding an even more cinematic feel to the listening experience. The closing chapter has some heartbreaking moments, and Irondale narrates them with so much emotion, so be prepared to have some tissues on hand. The final words are spoken with conviction and perfectly capture the bittersweet ending and leave a lasting impression.
If this book sounds like something you’d enjoy, I’d recommend the audiobook. Irondale’s character voices, expert pacing, and dynamic expression make it an engaging listen from beginning to end, even during slower sections when the team is building and testing the device. Don’t hesitate to grab a copy!
First Mage On The Moon is read by seasoned narrator Tess Irondale. Right from the prologue, Irondale sets the tone with very natural pacing and a clear, expressive voice that draws you into the world-building In the opening chapters, her portrayal of Ella Pickering made it easy for me to become invested in her. She gives Ella a warm, relatable, voice that reflects her strong-willed personality. Even though she lives with a disability, resides in a flop house, and has lost so much, Irondale’s delivery emphasizes her optimism, kindness, and determination, making her instantly likable.
In the early scenes when she’s in the workshop or interacting with Jackan, Irondale makes Ella’s intelligence and curiosity evident. Especially when lightning strikes in Jackan’s workshop and the two begin discussing the idea of building a device to reach the moon, I was fully immersed—it felt like listening to the audio of a movie!
A major highlight of Irondale’s performance is the incredible range of voices she gives to the fairly large cast. Each character is given a distinct and convincing voice that matches their gender, age, and personality, including an impressive array of accents! My favourite was Jackan. Irondale gives the eccentric engineer an older, slightly roughened voice infused with sarcasm, wit, warmth, and wisdom, making him one of the most lovable characters.
There are a lot of scenes where the team is testing and rebuilding the device, and if I were reading these on the page, I might have found them slow and a bit repetitive. However, Irondale makes the interactions and camaraderie between the team members engaging and uses a lot of expression whenever things go wrong. In particular, the scenes where Katherine runs out of air inside the device are narrated with so much tension and urgency that I was on the edge of my seat!
Another highlight is the friendship between Katherine Goddard and Ella. Their relationship doesn’t begin with complete trust, but as they spend more time together, you can hear their dialogue becoming more relaxed and supportive, making their bond believable, heartwarming, and feel like a found family dynamic.
The supporting cast (outside the main team) is just as entertaining. The unpredictable imp is given a wonderfully mischievous voice that perfectly matches the chaos it brings whenever it appears. Lucid, the Hierarchy’s representative overseeing the project, is another standout. At first, Irondale gives her such a calm, pleasant, and reassuring voice that you immediately question her true motives. As Lucid’s true nature begins to emerge, Irondale subtly shifts her performance, giving her a sharper, more authoritative tone that makes her increasingly unlikable.
Towards the end, when the effects of war reach the castle and there are intense confrontations, Irondale increases the urgency in her delivery. During the spectacular scenes on the moon, Irondale adjusts her pacing and cadence to give them an almost magical, otherworldly quality that really transports you there. Her voice for the Caretaker is a perfect blend of eerie, sentient, and celestial, keeping you engaged and adding an even more cinematic feel to the listening experience. The closing chapter has some heartbreaking moments, and Irondale narrates them with so much emotion, so be prepared to have some tissues on hand. The final words are spoken with conviction and perfectly capture the bittersweet ending and leave a lasting impression.
If this book sounds like something you’d enjoy, I’d recommend the audiobook. Irondale’s character voices, expert pacing, and dynamic expression make it an engaging listen from beginning to end, even during slower sections when the team is building and testing the device. Don’t hesitate to grab a copy!
