I really enjoyed Od Magic. I read it for a challenge and I expected it to be just an "meh" book, but I ended up really loving it. I'm not entirely sure what the plot exactly was since there was really no overarching quest, no world to save, etc. Instead we follow the characters in their doings and just kind of learn with them. Things eventually come together for a broader argument about the nature of magic and power in the end and everything is masterfully tied up. I had no idea why I was there, but I enjoyed every minute of it!

You meet Brenden, a gardener, who is recruited by Od, a wizard and giantess, to come work as a gardener at her school in the capital of the kingdom of Numis. He makes his way there and must acclimate to life in Kelior. There we learn more about the school, the kingdom, and are introduced the other POV characters in the story. In Numis, the king controls the study of magic, and much of the drama of Od Magic consists in the fact that King Galyn wants to control magic. We explore the Night Quarter, hang out with Yar as he teaches at the school, go traipsing around with Sulys (the king's adventurous daughter), and the Night Quarter warden Arneth as he investigates a mysterious magician named Tyramin who has enraptured the city.

This is a classic fantasy that I really enjoyed, and I definitely want to read more by Patricia McKillip now. In fact the style reminded me a lot of Diane Wynn Jones. If you are a plot-driven reader, you probably won't like this. If you like characters and exploring a classic sword-and-sorcery kingdom, check it out! 4.5 stars