Book Review: Merchant Magician by John Champaign

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Want to know what I thought about John Champaign's novel, Merchant Magician? Continue reading below!

Cover of the novel Merchant Magician by John Champaign

Merchant Magician by John Champaign

I purchased the novel Merchant Magician by John Champaign on a whim, but I don't remember if I saw an ad or post on Facebook or if someone mentioned his novel on Threads. The premise sounded interesting—on his 23rd birthday, the main character, part of a merchant family that trades in mystical goods and services, is sent out to the world by his father to make his own path, cut off from all the family resources and connections. His access to the family fortune will be restored when he manages to achieve or surpass his father's level of wealth, which is substantial.

But what made this book even more fun were the fantasy creatures and characters the main character interacts with. On the journey to complete the quest his father set him on and build his fortune, he has to make deals with mermaids, dwarves, a leprechaun, and consult with a very odd angel, traveling all over the world in order to deal with these creatures.

To top it off, he gets involved in a side quest because he falls in love with a woman who can't get romantically involved with anyone because she and her family are busy trying to keep one of the older gods from changing reality and bringing about the end of humankind. So, persistent and stubborn man that he is, he goes on a quest to find more information about how he can help his crush deal with the old gods and prevent the fall of humanity. This side quest leads him to get involved in helping cure vampirism, which I found so funny.

One of the aspects that made the book interesting is that the author weaves in many real-world negotiation concepts and tactics into the story, which brings legitimacy to a character that was born into a renowned merchant family and who studied economics at the University of Chicago (where I obtained my editing certificate from!).

The one thing that I didn't like was the fact that the character's crush repeatedly turns him down in the beginning and even says she's a lesbian, yet he insists and insists on her giving him a chance. I am very big on consent and boundaries, so that struck me the wrong way. On the other hand, the lengths the character is willing to go to just to get a date with the woman of his dreams is actually impressive. In these days of making minimum effort to date women, the merchant magician stands out.

Are you curious about whether the character is able to complete his quest to become wealthier than his father? Do you want to know what his deals with the mermaids, dwarves, and leprechaun were? Did he get the girl in the end?

Read Merchant Magician to find out!