The Black Magician Trilogy By Trudi Canavan

The Magcians Guild: This year, like every other, the Magicians of Imardin gather to purge the city of undesirables. Cloaked in the protection of their sorcery, they move with no fear of the vagrants and miscreants who despise them and their work - until one enraged girl, barely more than a child, hurls a stone at the hated invaders...and effortlessly penetrates their magical shield.
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What the magicians' Guild have long dreaded has finally come to pass. There is someone outside their ranks who possesses a raw power beyond imagining, an untrained mage who must be found and schooled before she destroys herself and her city with a force she cannot yet control.
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The Novice: Alone among all the novices in the Magicians' Guild, only Sonea comes from lowly beginnings. Yet she has won powerful allies - including Lord Dannyl, newly promoted to Guild Ambassador. But Dannyl must now depart for the Elyne court, leaving Sonea at the mercy of the lies and malicious rumors her enemies are busy spreading...until the High Lord Akkarin steps in. The price of Akkarin's support is dear, however, because Sonea, in turn, must protect his mysteries - and a secret that could lead a young novice mage deep into the darkness.
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Meanwhile, Dannyl's first order to resume High Lord Akkarin's long-abandoned research into ancient magical knowledge is setting him on an extraordinary journey fraught with unanticipated peril - as he moves even-closer to a future both wondrous...and terrible.
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The High Lord: In the city of Imardin, where those who wield magic wield power, a young street-girl, adopted by the Magicians' Guild, finds herself at the centre of a terrible plot that may destroy the entire world...
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Sonea has learned much at the Magicians' Guild and the other novices now treat her with a grudging respect. But she cannot forget what she witnessed in the High Lord's underground room - or his warning that the realm's ancient enemy is growing in power once more. As Sonea learns more, she begins to doubt her guildmaster's word. Could the truth really be as terrifying as Akkarin claims, or is he trying to trick her into assisting in some unspeakably dark scheme?
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This Black Magician trilogy is now among my all-time favourite series. I loved it!
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The first book, The Magicians' Guild, begins with Sonea moving back to the slums, where she meets back up with her old friends, including Cery, in the middle of a routine purge by the magicians. The magicians are seen as a snobbish, power-hungry and intimidating presence, so when the slum-dwellers start throwing stones at them they don't expect one of their own to be able to get past their magical shield. The Magicians react unpredictably, not used to being defeated, and Sonea runs scared. What ensues is a race against time, where Sonea tries to understand her powers whilst simultaneously trying to hide herself with the help of Cery and the Thieves. Whereas, the magicians are unsure what approach to take with Sonea knowing that nobody in the slums trusts them, but they know they must find her before her uncontrolled powers take over.
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Whilst this book is primarily the set up to the rest of the trilogy, it is still an exciting and suspensful read on it own. Sonea is an interesting and endearing character. She is both incredibly brave and independent, yet she has this warm side that shows the kindness and love she has for her family and friends. She has this determination to be loyal and do what's right (which is apparent throughout all three books). We also get to explore the slums and learn about the underground world of the Thieves.
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In the second book, The Novice, you learn more about the ways of the Magicians Guild, where Sonea is learning to control and strengthen her powers. However, it is not at all easy, as she has to contend with prejudice from the magicians and fellow novices because of her slum background and as result is constantly confronted by bullies fronted by a particular nasty novice called Regin.
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The world becomes more complex in this installment of the trilogy. You learn more about the ways of the magicians, especially the way they teach new novices how to understand their abilities and how to use them correctly. The powers are complex and so interesting. These powers come in all various strengths and most magicians have their weaknesses and strengths when it comes to their abilities, including the ability to heal and the application of magical warrior skills. Used too quickly, their powers can run out before they can be restored and can end up killing them, but if they are killed with there magic still intact they can literally explode and cause devastation to the surrounding area (which is why Sonea had to be found).
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Even though Sonea is probably lonely and scared of what she has learnt about particular magicians she is never depressing or whiny. She is always curious about the new world she has landed in and is always determined to do her best and stand up for herself. Another two characters you get to know are Soneas mentor, Rothen, and his friend and the new Guild Ambassador, Dannyl. Rothen becomes a comfort to Sonea whilst she tries to settle into a strange place, and he become like a father figure. Whereas Dannyl felt more like the cool Uncle. These two are the magicians that Sonea learns to trust first and allow herself to connect to people that use magic.
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The third and final book, expands outside the world of the Guild and the slums. Sonea's loyalties are tested when she learns more about the mysterious and intimidating High Lord, Akkarin. Also, the Guild must make tough decisions when one of their own appears to be corrupted. As well as all that, an enemy considerably more powerful and cold-hearted, are gaining in power and are looking for revenge against the Guild.
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The third novel, was the most surprising. I did not see half of what happened coming at all. There were definitely some unexpected twists concerning certain characters personalities and appearances. Also, the threat from the enemy is frightnening and you really start to feel like they may not be unbeatable.
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Trudi Canavan has an immense talent for creating strong characters and interesting and complex worlds. While for me Sonea's story was my favourite, the stories of Cery, Akkarin and Dannyl were equally as fascinating. The world and characters consistently develop and expand over all three books. The relationships between the characters are genuine and heart-warming. This trilogy offers something for everyone. It has action, romance, magic, and most importantly characters you really care for. I recommend it to all!
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Although I was satisfied with the ending, I was dying to read more and I was so happy to find out that their is a new series, with new characters but with some of the old favourites, including Sonea. It is called the Traitor Spy trilogy and the second is due out in May I believe. So I can't wait to get my hands on them.
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Random Quote: Ahead, the city shone like a glittering treasure spread over a table. Each building shone like gold in the morning light. He might reach it in an hour, maybe less.
A burned-out house smoked in a charred field. Small groups of people, mostly families, hurried along the road carrying bags, boxes and baskets. They watched him pass with both hope and fear in their faces. The closer he came to the city, the more numerous they were, until they became an unbroken line of humanity fleeing Imardin.