The Magicians and Mrs. Quent by Galen Beckett (pseudonym of Mark Anthony)

A purported first novel, but actually a first novel of a pseudonym, this book is written sort-of in the style of Jane Austen. Sort of. It’s like someone trying to write in the style of Jane Austen but without quite the same sensibility (for lack of a better word).

It felt like a first book, but I guess this guy’s got a whole series of novels under his belt under the name The Last Rune.

Essentially, it seems like someone tried to breed Jane Austen and Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell and got something, but that thing is not likely to be able to breed itself. I’m straining a metaphor here, I see that. But “breeding” in this scenario would be a second book, which this author very much seems to want to write, leaving many unanswered (though not particularly interesting) questions hanging.

Regardless of whether it breeds or not, I shan’t be there to witness it. While this book isn’t terrible and kept me sufficiently interested throughout, there’s likely to be grander skies out there.