Magic has been banished in the Five Kingdoms for a millennium, except for those in the White Tower. This place is no Hogwart's though, as the tower makes sure to round up anyone who is even loosely accused of using magic and then purges them of the ability. Supposedly the wielders that are purged of their powers are let go to live their lives, but the reality is that none of them are ever heard from again. In response to this existential threat, an underground of wielders has been built up over the years, and they do their best to keep their powers a secret. Some of their diverse powers are stronger than others, but in combination they are capable of some amazing things .This story is told through multiple PoV characters that are involved in this struggle in different ways: Ferrin, a wielder blacksmith who has been captured by the White Tower, Ty, a young boy who keeps his nascent power hidden, Valtor, the head of the White Tower, and Ayrion, the Guardian Protector of the King. 

Although each PoV character helps build the world with a unique perspective, the most interesting of the bunch is Ty, and this is mostly because of the cast of supporting characters around him. This is where you learn about the diverse magical powers in this world and you start to really care about the oppressed wielders that are being hunted by the White Tower. However, this storyline also contains the classic fantasy trope of a young, male "chosen one" growing up in obscurity who is just coming into his powers. For me, that isn't much of a downside, but I also know not everyone shares that opinion. Of course since I am already familiar with The Street Rats of Aramoor series, I was also looking forward to the parts of the book involving Ayrion and they did not disappoint. With or without reading the Street Rats series, I think fantasy fans will find this a solid start to a promising series.

Tim Gerard Reynolds is the narrator of the audiobook version and that means listening is also a great option because he is one of the best.