About

Card Mage is written by Benedict Patrick.

Card Mage book cover

Blurb

Build your deck. Prepare for battle. Change the world.

Born in the slums of Domstadt, City of Cards, Hick has known only poverty. The only way to make life better for himself and his family is to play the magical card game that is the lifeblood of the city; earn new cards, learn how to use them, build deeper bonds with the folkloric monsters contained within.

Hick's dreams are shattered, however, when he is targetted by the religious fanatics who run the city, and is forced to compete in the secret, high-stakes world of the underground card circuit. Hick must struggle to keep his identity secret as he builds his deck, unlocks the power of the cards, and takes his first steps toward becoming a legendary card player.

Review

This was a compelling read right from the start. A gripping dark tale, set in a world with magical cards that are used both as high stakes entertainment and real world magical feats. Naturally, they play a big role in economy too. The story was told from main character's POV, and we get worldbuilding in the form of epigraphs as well.

There were plenty of twists and nasty surprises to keep you hooked to the story. The writing was easy to follow. I don't have any experience with such playing cards, but I could still follow the story easily. I found it difficult to keep track of all the rules and the variety of cards, but you get enough context during the play itself.

If this had been a lighthearted story instead of a gritty tale, I would've enjoyed it a lot more. I'll give the sequels a shot as long as I could bear the stakes. Overall, I'd highly recommend this book for those who prefer their fantasy on the darker side.

My rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟☆

What others are saying

From Jamedi's review on goodreads:

Card Mage: Slumdog Deckbuilder is a great progression novel, perfect for people that like this genre, and also I would recommend it to card players, because it makes an excellent job at portraying duels. Patrick has written an excellent book, and I can't wait to see more adventures of Hick around Domstadt.

From Johnny DePaola's review on goodreads:

The book opens, "We are a card family." Within a few paragraphs, the meaning was clear. By the end of the first chapter, I was part of that family. Utterly engrossed, I couldn't finish fast enough. Hick's story was incredible and this world is amazing. I can't wait to see what else is in store for the cards in Domstadt.