The Magic of Recluce

The magic rules feel so well thought out and integral to the world. I'm curious whether the author developed it from scratch or drew from existing mythologies.

The story's momentum seemed to dip mid-way, but then picked up again. Was that intentional to deepen character development or a natural part of the plot flow?

The struggle between these forces feels very relevant beyond the story. I wonder how the author envisioned their relevance in real-world contexts.