Mari is one of the two protagonists of Jack Campbell’s Pillars of Reality series, set on the world of Dematr where four Great Guilds control all knowledge and power and keep ordinary people dependent and powerless.
Raised and trained by the Mechanics Guild, Mari becomes a Master Mechanic with deep knowledge of technology that the Guilds have hoarded for centuries. But unlike most in her position, Mari begins to question the world she has been taught to accept - a world where the Guilds decide what knowledge is shared, what technologies exist, and who has access to either.
Mari’s journey begins when she meets Alain, a Master of Mages trained by the Mage Guild. In Guild teachings, Mechanics and Mages are enemies who should never trust each other. But both Mari and Alain have begun to see the cracks in the narratives they’ve been taught, and both are coming to understand that the Guilds they serve may not deserve their loyalty.
Together, Mari and Alain become the key to challenging centuries of Guild domination. Their unlikely partnership combines the technological knowledge of the Mechanics with the magical abilities of the Mages, creating a force that the Guilds have never faced before. Campbell’s story explores themes of freedom, the value of knowledge, and the courage to question authority.
Reading Order
See the complete Pillars of Reality reading order for all books in the series.