Witchmark

In Aeland, if you are a witch, your only choices in life are to be sentenced to an asylum, or bound to a storm-singer. As a bound witch, you are no more than a battery. Forced to sustain a storm-singer as they use their power to manipulate the weather. For years, witches have been seen as nothing more than tools to be used. Destined to be a battery for his own sister, Miles ran away to enlist in the military. When his camp was destroyed by the enemy, he faked his own death to escape the watchful eyes of his father. A father who would do anything to enslave his own son.

Miles hides in plain sight, working in the psychiatric ward of a veteran's hospital. With his ability to heal, he can see the injuries sustained by the soldiers coming home from war. Many of his own patients suffer from battle fatigue and experience voices in their heads telling them to kill. To Miles, the mental strain appears as a brown cloud in his patient's minds. Able to lock the disease away with magic, he cannot perform miracles for every patient. He must use mundane means to diagnose and treat it, or else be ousted as a witch. Until a dying witch is brought to Mile's hospital and a witness sees the man grant Miles his power before he dies.

This is not a novel for those who prefer reading magical battles with a fast paced plot. It is instead, an even paced mystery filled with magic. Not only does Miles have to figure out what is happening to his patients, he is also tasked with finding clues to the unknown witch's murder. Of course the star witness, Tristan, joins Miles in the search. Reading the two of them together reminded me of Sherlock Holmes and Watson. They feed off of each other, and make quite the pair as the risk taking Tristan endures the careful and methodical methods of Miles.

Miles was unfortunately, a flat character. The most reaction seen out of him was when he had to explain how he wanted something better for his life. Even reading about the duty he felt towards his patients, it seemed to fall short. When he ended up with a romantic interest, it didn't even feel real, more like something he acknowledge and accepted without passion.

Even though the main character wasn't interesting enough, the rest of the world drew me in. While most of this book focused on the storm-singers and witches with the ability to heal, I want to know more about the other witch abilities. I am also intrigued by the ending of this book and what changes will occur due to the chain of events.