This is the prequel novella to the Black Mage series. I think I underestimated how good this was going to be. I never seem to expect much from additional stories and novellas, that pad out a series, and this one proved me seriously wrong! 
 This explains the backstory to one of the central characters to the main series. Prince Darren will never be king. His elder brother, Prince Blayne, has claimed that birthright. All Darren knows is how to be second best. That is, until he decides he doesn't have to be. 
 Darren goes from being a spoilt and sour young boy, to a determined and dedicated young man, when he undertakes physical and weapon training with the king's guard. He remains just as sour, however, if less spoilt. And when the emergence of his magical abilities sees him transferred to the academy for trainee mages, he realises how beneficial his training will be in seeing him rise finally to the top. 
 This was a far more emotional story that I had been anticipating. It gave wonderful backstory to a character, without ruining or spoiling any scenes from the main series. Darren is not the protagonist for the first book, although the events depicted do overlap. It will be interesting to go into the central series with an already formulated view of one of the characters. I perceive he will become the antagonist of the series, and it will be interesting to see his character develop, through the eyes of another, when the reader is already privy to his secret and emotional backstory.