Kindle Price: $3.99

Promotions apply when you purchase

These promotions will be applied to this item:

Some promotions may be combined; others are not eligible to be combined with other offers. For details, please see the Terms & Conditions associated with these promotions.

Read with our free app
You've subscribed to ! We will preorder your items within 24 hours of when they become available. When new books are released, we'll charge your default payment method for the lowest price available during the pre-order period.
Update your device or payment method, cancel individual pre-orders or your subscription at
Your Memberships & Subscriptions

Buy for others

Give as a gift or purchase for a team or group.
Learn more

Buying and sending eBooks to others

  1. Select quantity
  2. Buy and send eBooks
  3. Recipients can read on any device

These ebooks can only be redeemed by recipients in the US. Redemption links and eBooks cannot be resold.
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Follow the author

T Kingfisher
+ Follow
More books from this author
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

Minor Mage Kindle Edition

by T. Kingfisher (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 4,076 ratings
See all formats and editions
Oliver was a very minor mage. His familiar reminded him of this several times a day.

He only knew three spells, and one of them was to control his allergy to armadillo dander. His attempts to summon elementals resulted in nosebleeds, and there is nothing more embarrassing than having your elemental leave the circle to get you a tissue, pat you comfortingly, and then disappear in a puff of magic. The armadillo had about wet himself laughing.

He was a very minor mage.

Unfortunately, he was all they had.
Read more Read less
Previous page
  1. Print length
    176 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publication date
    July 30, 2019
  5. File size
    2539 KB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  9. See all details
Next page

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B07VNV5L8Q
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Red Wombat Studio (July 30, 2019)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ July 30, 2019
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 2539 KB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 176 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 4,076 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
T Kingfisher

T Kingfisher

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

T. Kingfisher is the vaguely absurd pen-name of Ursula Vernon, an author from North Carolina. In another life, she writes children's books and weird comics. She has been nominated for the World Fantasy and the Eisner, and has won the Hugo, Sequoyah, Nebula, Alfie, WSFA, Coyotl and Ursa Major awards, as well as a half-dozen Junior Library Guild selections.

This is the name she uses when writing things for grown-ups. Her work includes multiple fairy-tale retellings and odd little stories about elves and goblins.

When she is not writing, she is probably out in the garden, trying to make eye contact with butterflies.

www.redwombatstudio.com

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
4.6 out of 5
4,076 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Terminal Student
5.0 out of 5 stars Short, clever, snarky
Reviewed in the United States on January 11, 2024
Verified Purchase
It's a fun read. Recommend for adults and teens - careful with young children or people with (TW) abuse/neglect/murder-related trauma. But also, could be useful to help work through that trauma.

I love the world building in this and wanted more. Had issue with the main character's voice changing during the story in a way that's a bit jarring. It almost makes sense with the growth of the character, but it's also like the author/ editor got tired. Love the snarky armadillo.
Helpful
 Report
Morro Schreiber
4.0 out of 5 stars Loved it, but it IS a children's book
Reviewed in the United States on August 20, 2019
Verified Purchase
As always, T. Kingfisher, aka Ursula Vernon, has made a lovely book. She's got the magic and the herb-lore and the funny talking animals and the simple yet engaging plot. She writes like she writes, so if you already know you like her writing, you'll like this book. And there's no sex in this one. Because it's a KIDS BOOK. Although her editor apparently disagrees.

The only reason it didn't get FIVE stars is because it is very clearly a book for little kids. I would have happily read this to my own kid when she was six or seven, and she would have loved it. There are those that may argue that it's too gruesome for little kids, but those people haven't recently read the Aslan "crucifixion" scene in the Lion, the With, and the Wardrobe, or the pulsating brain controls the world scene from A Wrinkle in Time. Hello, folks, remember? Kid books are OFTEN creepy and gruesome! It's a long and honorable tradition going back to the Girl Who Trod on a Loaf, for pity's sake. You want gruesome? Heck, THAT one has been giving kids nightmares for a few hundred years!

So, because it was a KIDS' BOOK, and because I didn't think it was QUITE as good as the other notable kids' book this author did, which was EXTREMELY different and unusual and was called Summer in Orcas (please go immediately and buy it, because it's awesome), I gave only four stars, which still means I liked it VERY much. Just not QUITE as much as many of her others.

Keep writing them, Ms. Vernon, and I will keep buying them. If there was a way to set my Kindle up to AUTOMATICALLY buy anything you write, I would do it. As it is, it's set to offer me a one-click purchase each time one is released. You are just THAT awesome. (And for anyone trying to decide, my all time favorites so far are the Clocktaur Wars duology and the Black Dogs duology, along with Nine Goblins, but really, they're all good.)
49 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Jennifer C.
5.0 out of 5 stars Great story! Wonderful armadillo!
Reviewed in the United States on October 1, 2022
Verified Purchase
Oliver is a minor mage. Indeed, he is a very minor mage, which his familiar reminds him of several times a day. After all, he only knows three spells, one of which is to control armadillo dander, and gives himself nosebleeds when trying to summon elementals. Unfortunately, it doesn't matter that Oliver is a minor mage when he is the only mage the town has. So, when the town needs water, they tell Oliver that he must leave and bring back rain.

Thus begins Oliver's journey.

This was such a great story and I don't know which character I liked more - Oliver or his Armadillo familiar. What begins as a sad story with the way Oliver's town all but physically forces him to leave the village to travel to the Rainblade Mountains in order to bring rain back to the village turns into an almost heart-warming coming-of-age story with the experiences Oliver has, the people he meets, and the lessons he learns - some good and some bad.

One of the things I liked most about this story was the presence of struggles that Oliver had to face where the choices were not easy and there were no cut-and-dry "this is the good choice" and "this is the bad choice" options. As with real life, sometimes there is only the best choice for the situation, even though it's still not great. This is not often seen in books for children, even though it should be, so it was nice to see it here.

While there is some debate over whether or not this book is appropriate for children, I would argue that it is, simply because it deals with tough situations where there aren't simple answers, situations where the adults who are supposed to care for the children may be more monstrous than the actual monsters, and that the consequences of choices can have long-reaching effects. These are things that can be difficult for some children, but other children already experience in their lives. For those parents who are concerned about whether or not their children are ready for this book, I suggest reading/listening to it with your children and talking with them about anything they have questions about.

For this book, I listened to the audiobook, which was narrated by Christopher Williams. It was a great audiobook, and Williams did a wonderful job with the narration. I don't think I've listened to any other books narrated by him - or at least, if I have, it hasn't been many and not recently, because I didn't recognize his voice - but I would definitely be willing to listen to other books narrated by him in the future. I am also adding this book to my list of wonderful books to listen to when I have an afternoon and no other plans, because it is definitely worth listening to again. After all, how many books have a snarky armadillo who's willing to tackle you because you're too stupid/preoccupied/overconfident to realize that the invisibility spell that you were certain was going to work this time even though it's never worked before and said armadillo has already told you multiple times that you don't have enough magic to successfully carry out said spell? This is the only one that I know of. Though, if you happen to discover another one - or one with a similar character - please, please let me know. I would love to add it to my reading list.
6 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
MFlaim
5.0 out of 5 stars Thank you T Kingfisher!
Reviewed in the United States on May 4, 2024
Verified Purchase
Another fun book from T Kingfisher with wonderful characters and creativity! I love the creative magic and real emotions of your characters!
Helpful
 Report
Contramaniac
5.0 out of 5 stars A fun romp in a magical land
Reviewed in the United States on March 27, 2024
Verified Purchase
Our hero is young, inexperienced, young, a (very limited) magician whose familiar is an armadillo... and young. Oh, and he is forced to go on a quest to get rain for his town. The author leads him through all the expected and a few unexpected difficulties, while making the magic seem almost reasonable. And he makes it back both a little less young and quite a bit more experienced. With rain. I enjoyed every step. I'll surely be reading more from T. Kingfisher.
Helpful
 Report
Oldmannot
4.0 out of 5 stars Short and Sweet
Reviewed in the United States on August 30, 2019
Verified Purchase
I guess this book is aimed at kids, so don't expect anything heavy, but it is delightful and short, and I read it in one sitting.
Oliver is a very young but likeable village mage whose master had died before he was properly trained. Evenso, his village force him to go to the mountains to find rain to end their deadly drought, a quest for which he's ill equipped. The bulk of the story is of his and his familiar's (an armadillo) adventures, and despite his lack of skill manages to survive and eventually win through to the mountains where there are rain clouds. The situations and characters he meets and deals with are imaginative and amusing, and of course at the end he finds rain. As I said, delightful.
Helpful
 Report

Top reviews from other countries

K.H.
5.0 out of 5 stars Learning life
Reviewed in Canada on September 5, 2022
Verified Purchase
This is one of those lovely in between books for genres. It is fantasy and yet speaks so well to normal life and growing up. It is a kids book and about a kid, but written so well and with such a captivating and well written story that it is enjoyable for adults. Yes, it deals with what feels like all to adult situations. But it is approached from the perspective of a child and with those actions and that experience guiding what happens. It is a story of learning of both the harshness of the world as well as understanding that there is more to the world than that. It is growing up to soon but also still wanting your mother. It is a sad story but also sweet and happy and beautiful in that complicated way of life. An excellent novella and well worth the read!
Report
Nat_Lia
4.0 out of 5 stars Fun book for kids who love fantasy
Reviewed in Italy on July 20, 2022
Verified Purchase
A nice tale of magic and adventure, quite short but an entertaining read with a delightful dark element. Perfect for kids who like fantasy.
Report
Sree
5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful YA classic novel
Reviewed in India on February 23, 2022
Verified Purchase
I have read 3 novels from this author but this one is best. It has interesting story of adventure trip and humour and yet deals with some beautiful adult themes like scared peoples' meanness and whether we should be able to accept that behavior, herd mentality, stereotyping people, what to do when we are faced with helping others against survival instinct, It makes the readers give thought to themes returning to them subtly again and again and expanding on them well..This is good book to give to young adults for reading as part of their literature.
Report
Kate
5.0 out of 5 stars Great book - highly recommended
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 31, 2021
Verified Purchase
An entertaining and clever easy-read, with the feel and structure of a children's book, whilst not being childish in the slightest. Lovely characters and some well-done commentary on human nature.
Report
C. Fischer
5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful little book
Reviewed in Germany on May 26, 2020
Verified Purchase
What a wonderful little book! Utterly enjoyable with an absurd and profound sense of humour - but also loveable characters and a deeper message.
Oliver - a very minor mage - has to go on a quest to get rain to his village that is plagued by a severe draught. He is joined by Eglamarck, his familiar armadillo and Trebastion, a teenage minstrel with a very inconvenient magic talent: making harps out of the bones of murdered people.
Followed by a wide range of foes (The Bryerslys - a pair of ghuls, a bunch of well-meaning bandits, Mayor Stern - a murderer accused by Trebastion's instruments) and assisted by some unexpected friends, they make their way through the forest to the mountains.
Report
Report an issue

Does this item contain inappropriate content?
Report
Do you believe that this item violates a copyright?
Report
Does this item contain quality or formatting issues?
Report