Studies Series by Maria V. Snyder

Studies Series (Poison Study, Magic Study, Fire Study)

Rating: * * * * *

About to be executed for murder, Yelena is offered a reprieve. She’ll eat the best meals, have rooms in the palace, and risk assassination by anyone trying to kill the Commander of Ixia. And so Yelena chooses to become a food taster. But the chief of security, leaving nothing to chance, deliberately feeds her Butterfly’s Dust, and only by appearing for her daily antidote will she delay an agonizing death from the poison. As Yelena tries to escape her dilemma, disasters keep mounting. Rebels plot to seize Ixia and she develops magical powers she can’t control. Her life’s at stake again and choices must be made. But this time the outcomes aren’t so clear!

&

Yelena is on her way to be reunited with the family she’d been stolen from long ago. Although she has gained her freedom, she can’t help feeling isolated in Sitia. Her Ixian background has changed her in many ways, and her newfound friends and relatives don’t think it’s for the better. Despite the turmoil, she’s eager to start her magical training. But her plans take a radical turn when she becomes involved with a plot to reclaim Ixia’s throne for a lost prince, and gets entangled in powerful rivalries with her fellow magicians. If that wasn’t bad enough, it appears her brother would love to see her dead. Luckily, Yelena has some old friends to help her with her new enemies.

&

Yelena’s new role as Soulfinder has made the Sitian Council uneasy. Worried that her new powers will corrupt her, the Council debates her fate. Yelena, though is trying to keep Sitia and Ixia from going to war. In the middle of political wrangling, Yelena receives a disturbing message: a plot is rising against her homeland, led by Ferde, the Soulstealer who murdered eleven girls and has escaped from prison with Cahil Ixia’s help. Cahil believes if he joins with the new Daviian Clan, he will have enough support to regain the Ixian throne. Testing the limit of her skills, Yelena becomes embroiled in the desperate fight to stop Ferde and the Daviian Clan from siphoning enough power to unleash a Fire Warper on the world. That would be worst than war between the northern and southern lands. Especially since, of all the powers Yelena possesses, she couldn’t set fire to a candle wick if her life depended on it. And there is more at stake than just her life.

- MariaVSnyder.com

It’s interesting that there are not many novels in circulation concerning food-tasting for poison testing. Especially considering how fascinating the subect can be – Snyder chose a unique situation to begin her trilogy’s fantasy.

Snyder’s writing takes her novels beyond cookie-cutter fantasy and into a level all its own. Her characters break through the pages and gain life; her settings and atmospheres are memorable without being obtrusive; her plot steadily unwinds itself with constant surprises; her style is easy to understand and essential to the story.

Perhaps the only difficulty in the trilogy is part of the final novel, which suddenly becomes more difficult to handle than its predecessors. But toward the latter half of Fire Study, Snyder reclaims control of the novel and everything comes neatly together.

Snyder’s novels provide fresh material for the fantasy genre and really are a welcome addition for all fantasy lovers.

Highly recommended.

& ElizabethC

East by Edith Pattou

East
[ released in the U.K. as North Child ]

Rating: * * * * *

Rose has always felt out of place in her family. So when an enormous white bear mysteriously shows up and asks her to come away with him, she readily agrees. The bear takes Rose to a distant castle, where each night she is confronted with a mystery. In solving that mystery, she finds love, discovers her purpose, and realizes her travels have only just begun.

As fresh and original as only the best fantasy can be, East is a novel retelling of the classic tale “East of the Sun and West of the Moon,” told in the tradition of Robin McKinley and Gail Carson Levine.

- Amazon.com

East is a book I loved when I was younger, not just because of its story but also because the author had used the lesser-known fairy tale that I had one day hoped to use in my own. Set in the cold, northern lands, the book takes twists and turns that constantly keep its readers – both young and old – guessing until its lovely end.

Rose is Nyamh, a North-bairn, a feared child for all superstitious mothers. In order to hide her true nature, her mother does a terrible thing and lies both to herself and to Rose about her true birth. But Rose is North – she is the traveler, the constant adventurer, and adventure will seek her despite the lies that rule her life.

This is a fantastical tale with courage, wonderment and love, and the characters each – even the misguided, spineless mother – proves his or her worth throughout the story. The mysterious polar bear and his cold, cold Queen draw Rose on a journey to rescue her only purpose in life, and on the way she finally discovers who she truly is.

East is a magical adventure one should not miss.

Highly recommended.

& ElizabethC

The Shipping News by E. Annie Proulx

The Shipping News
[has been made into a motion picture starring Kevin Spacey, Julianne Moore, Judi Dench and Cate Blanchett]

Rating: * * * * *

At thirty-six, Quoyle, a third-rate newspaperman, is wrenched violently out of his workaday life when his two-timing wife meets her just deserts. He retreats with his two daughters to his ancestral home on the starkly beautiful Newfoundland coast, where a rich cast of local characters all play a part in Quoyle’s struggle to reclaim his life. As three generations of his family cobble up new lives, Quoyle confronts his private demons – and the unpredictable forces of nature and society – and begins to see the possibility of love without pain or misery.

A vigorous, darkly comic, and at times magical portrait of the contemporary American family, The Shipping News shows why E. Annie Proulx is recognized as one of the most gifted and original writers in America today.

- back cover

One of the most delightful reading experiences is to begin a novel that contains such misery and provides a tortured view of a pathetic existence, to lament that this book will only continue in that path and serve to fully depress, to almost lay it down from sheer fright of the future pages, and then to suddenly, magically, find that the novel is quite possibly one of the best you have ever read.

Quoyle is a tragic figure, not because he truly means to be, but because his circumstances and upbringing mold him into one. Proulx’s genius is illustrated by her steady yet subtle transformation of his character while surprising readers with his innate goodness (originally hidden by every fault). And this novel is a classic example of the reason one must have the negatives – to fully appreciate the positives. Without the atrocious wife, Petal Bear, one could not fully grasp Quoyle; without Quoyle’s deadbeat father and brother, one could not understand Quoyle’s aunt; without all the tribulations in the story, one could not love the children, Bunny and Sunshine.

The Shipping News is a book that tugs at heartstrings without hurting the reader. It is a story that transforms its characters as well as its audience, leaving a message not of pain and suffering, but of hope, love and justice.

Highly recommended.

& ElizabethC

One Thousand White Women by Jim Fergus

One Thousand White Women

Rating: * * * * *

One thousand white women – that was the demand of the Northern Cheyenne, led by Little Wolf. One thousand white women to bear the next generation of Cheyenne, to teach Little Wolf’s people the life which they were expected to soon live among the white people. A preposterous request – they would be exchanged for one thousand wild and tamed horses – and one which the civilized would never dream of granting.

And yet women volunteered in droves – to explore, to christianize the “savages,” to seek freedom from asylums and prisons, to escape…

The sign of an amazing novel is that its content can address harsh topics such as rape, murder, infanticide and betrayal yet still be remembered fondly and soberly. It was difficult to read, true, but I could not put it down – the unfailing courage and difficult choices continued to surprise and capture me.

All the characters were highly satisfactory – none were god-like in quality but the evil were evil and the good simply humans with real, understandable faults. By focusing much of the perspective on May, the struggles between the Cheyenne and the “whites” were truly portrayed without bias. Fergus sugarcoats nothing, preferring to illustrate each civilization as fully as possible, and leave it to the reader to lay or reserve judgment.

I picked this book up without knowing what its subject matter would be – there was no summary on the back – but it immediately stole my attention, keeping me engrossed until its end.

If you choose to read this, be prepared for a heavy but extremely memorable read.

Highly recommended.

& ElizabethC

The Circle of Magic [Quartet] by Tamora Pierce

The Circle of Magic (Sandry’s Book, Tris’s Book, Daja’s Book, Briar’s Book)

Rating: * * * * *

The series tell the story of four children, Sandrilene fa Toren, Trisana Chandler, Daja Kisubo and Briar Moss, who are discovered and brought together by a powerful mage Niko and told that they are “ambient mages,” which means that they use magic from outside themselves. The four youths do not fit in with the other children of the monastic community to which Niko brings them, and are put together in a separate cottage.

Here they each learn of their hidden talents; Sandry with thread, Tris with weather, Daja with fire and metal, and Briar with plants. They live with the two mages Lark, a gentle woman especially attentive to Sandry since she also has thread magic, and Rosethorn, a sharp woman who shares Briar’s ability with plants. Also teaching and guiding them is Niko, technically Tris’s teacher, but available to all four. Daja is mentored and guided by Dedicate Initiate Frostpine, a smith mage. Their teachers, with the exception of Niko, are also ambient mages.

At first it seems that a merchant, a street rat, a noblewoman, and a Trader (a trading race that is often hated by others) will never get along, but an extraordinary circumstance brings them together. They are all powerful individually, but they discover that together they are even stronger. Through an earthquake, they realize their full potential and are bound closely together forever. As children skilled in an uncommon magic, they struggle to earn the respect of the adults they encounter.

- Wikipedia

At first, I was highly reluctant to begin this quartet, as it would probably have dealed with the normal, rather annoying teenage problems many other young adult books seem bound to address (I’ve only just escaped those wretched teenage years, so I’d rather not have to re-live them again, thank you very much). On fourth glance, though, I forced myself to give the books a try, beginning with Sandry’s Book (book 1).

It blew my expectations.

Pierce, in a seemingly brilliant move, placed very little time changes between the four books in this quartet, and begins with four thirteen-year-olds. Normally, that would be cause for a bit of groans and skipped pages, but these highly irregular children are each wonderfully down-to-earth and a joy to read about. Their conjoined abilities and fascinating adventures make each book a page-turner, and the entire quartet a must-read.

The first book and the last book were perhaps the weakest in terms of overall strength, but made up for this in other ways. The first, by producing such a strong connection between the four children and laying down the groundwork for the rest of the novels. The last, for quite efficiently concluding their adventures (at least in this particular quartet) with appropriate attention and plot.

Overall, the quartet was wonderful to read and a joy to discover. The characters remain alive long after the books are read, each magnificent in her – or his – own way.

Highly recommended.

& ElizabethC

Mrs. Pollifax Series, by Dorothy Gilman, Book 2

The Amazing Mrs. Pollifax
[audiobook version, read by Barbara Rosenblat]

Rating: * * * * *

When Emily Pollifax answers the phone that Sunday morning, she quickly forgets all about her Garden Club tea that afternoon. For the voice on the other end belonged to a man she had never seen, a man from the CIA who asked her if she could leave immediately on a mission that would take her halfway across the world! What could Mrs. Pollifax say but yes?

- Random House

A year after Mrs. Pollifax’s first courier mission to Mexico (and, unexpectedly, Albania), she is called up to travel to Turkey. In this novel, Gilman continues her delightful tale-spinning of the adventures of Mrs. Pollifax, including the elements that made the first book such an engaging read.

The humor and barely noticeable moral explorations are again implemented here, complementing the action and suspense surrounding Mrs. Pollifax’s supposedly innocuous assignment. Her amusing tangents to her mission (involving the admirable Colin Ramsey) produce a constant source of surprise and attentiveness in readers – or, in this case, listeners.

As always, Rosenblat’s narration is amazing, creating a rich source of audio imagery to support Mrs. Pollifax’s writing, and setting a wonderful pace for the novel to unravel beautifully.

Highly recommended.

& ElizabethC

The Immortals [Quartet] by Tamora Pierce

The Immortals (Wild Mage, Wolf-Speaker, Emperor Mage, The Realms of the Gods)

Rating: * * * * *

Wild Magic – Daine, a 13-year-old girl, finds out her knack with wild animals is in fact a rare and powerful form of magic. Under the guidance of the mage Numair Salmalin she learns to control her magic, which proves very important for herself and her companions. This first novel in the quartet also reunites us briefly with the protagonist of the Song of the Lioness quartet, Alanna of Pirate’s Swoop and Olau, formerly Alanna of Trebond.

Wolf-Speaker – Reuniting with the wolf pack she previously lived with, Daine discovers that the destruction of the valley the pack lives in is connected with a treasonous conspiracy against her adopted king and country.

Emperor Mage – Daine joins a delegation of Tortallan diplomats sent to Carthak, where she finally meets the Emperor Ozorne, of whom she has heard so much. Daine is caught up in a strange battle involving displeased gods and strange magics.

The Realms of the Gods– Caught in a mysterious attack, Daine and Numair are snatched into the Divine Realms, where they meet Daine’s parents (her father is a minor god of the hunt and when her mother died he brought her into the Divine Realm) and struggle to make their way back to Tortall, where war is raging again. This book takes place in both the Divine (immortal) and mortal realms.

- Wikipedia

Perhaps my favorite quartet by Tamora Pierce, the four novels track the fantastic adventures of Daine and her interesting companions throughout a span of years and locales. This particular quartet takes place sometime after the Song of the Lioness quartet, drawing up characters (and locations) from the Lioness.

The plot moves well, constantly holding the reader’s attention. At every turn there is something new, something intense, something fascinating that Pierce uses to keep open her connections with readers. We’re so drawn into Daine that we feel for her throughout her rage, discoveries, love, etc.

Each novel is strong in its own way, in addressing different features of Daine and her maturity. She’s definitely not annoying, and she’s a heroine in her own right. Her unique powers, in the midst of the world she’s living in, give her such a human, compassionate feel that it’s difficult to put any of the novels down. Truthfully, I read them all back to back.

Highly recommended.

& ElizabethC

Mrs. Pollifax Series, by Dorothy Gilman, Book 1

The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax
[audiobook version, read by Barbara Rosenblat]

Rating: * * * * *

Mrs. Pollifax is an elderly widow who has come to find life dull and is almost ready to end it all out of sheer boredom. Inspired by a newspaper profile of an actress who began her career in later life, she decides to fulfill a childhood ambition and apply for a job as a spy at the CIA. Meanwhile, Carstairs at the CIA is looking for an agent who can pass as a tourist in order to pick up some important microfilms in Mexico City. Due to a slight confusion, he thinks Mrs. Pollifax is one of the candidates and decides that Mrs. Pollifax is ideal; Carstairs decided this assignment carries so little danger that even one who is relatively untrained may be sent. So with minimum explanation, Pollifax is ushered off to Mexico City to meet a bookstore owner/secret agent, exchange code phrases, leave with a book containing the microfilm. Of course, the courier mission does not go as planned, and Mrs. Pollifax finds herself in a prison in iron curtain-era Albania, facing harsh questioning and possible torture. But she proves to be unusually resourceful, and with her companion’s assistance, manages to outwit the enemy and save the day.

This was a highly amusing audiobook, and the narration was absolutely perfect for the characters in the story. The plot moved well in pace and in events, and dialogue was concise without being too curt to be believable. The strength behind the story, in my opinion, is the wit supporting the writing.

Most surprising in this book is that Gilman constantly brings up and comments upon highly moral topics. Throughout the book, these topics subtly enter the story and are explored for both the readers’ interest as well as Mrs. Pollifax’s.

Mrs. Pollifax is lovable, as well as Johnny (especially in his moments of indignation), and even her captors become likeable, in their own ways. Gilman most definitely creates the first book as an addicting window to the rest of the books in her series.

Perhaps the only warning I can mention are that there are mentions of suicide. Also, for any Asians out there, instead of the “now” politically correct term, Asians are addressed as “Orientals,” which some find offensive.

Highly recommended.

& ElizabethC