It was with a small amount of trepidation that I picked up The Summoner after being asked to write my first review for SFFMedia.com. I was pleasantly surprised however by this first instalment in Gail Z. Martin's Chronicles of the Necromancer. The Summoner had me hooked early on with its lovable characters and fast-paced action.

Martin almost immediately throws the reader into the story when she turns the rather sedate life of Prince Martris (Tris) upside down. Tris' life is forever changed as his depraved older half-brother Jared, aided by the evil mage Foor Arontala, murders the royal family in order to take the throne. Tris is forced to flee the palace along with his stalwart companions Soterius (Captain of the Guard), Carroway (the court bard) and Harrtuck (the Master at Arms).

Amidst his grief at the loss of his family, Tris discovers previously dormant magical abilities. He is a Summoner, able to act as a bridge between the spirit world and the living. Not only must he learn to control his newfound powers, but also try to raise an army to take back the throne of Margolan from his half-brother and destroy Arontala before he unleashes an even greater evil into the world.

Tris and his friends enlist the support of Vahanian, a sometime smuggler and mercenary, to guide them to safe haven in a neighbouring kingdom, but of course things don't go according to plan. Tris will need help from the dead, the undead and the living in order to succeed.

The Summoner has many of the elements of the traditional fantasy - the disenfranchised prince trying to restore his family's honour and the hero trying to learn to control his newly acquired magical powers; however what makes this story different is Martin's unique take on the necromancer. Tales of necromancy usually conjure images of evil, wrinkled old men setting loose zombie-like creatures to create havoc among the living. Martin's depiction of the role of the Summoner is that it is a necessary part of the society within the world she has created. The scenes where Tris helps unsettled spirits find peace are quite touching. Martin clearly has a passion for exploring the supernatural - she apparently wrote her first vampire novel at age five, so it is a space she is quite comfortable writing in.

The Summoner is very readable; there are plenty of magical battles as well as sword-fighting that keep the story flowing along quite smoothly. Martin's characters are quite believable as well as likeable, although some of the supporting characters could have been better developed. Personally I found the character of Vahanian the most interesting. Vahanian is cast as the traditional diamond in the rough whose reluctance to commit to the group is gradually worn down through his experiences with them (yes, I know, I have a thing for bad boys!).

Whilst the storyline is at times predictable, Martin's passion for the characters and the world she has created are enough to make this tale entertaining enough to be loved by any fan of fantasy. I will be eagerly throwing myself into the next instalment, The Blood King, for the next stage of Tris' quest.

The Summoner is Book One of the Chronicles of the Necromancer. Book Two is The Blood King, Book Three, released in February 2009, is Dark Haven. A fourth book, Dark Lady's Chosen is in the works. Reviews of Books Two and Three will be published on this site soon.