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jacey42) 8/11/10
Lisa Shearin: Magic Lost, Trouble Found
2007
This was one of those books that kept cropping up on the Amazon site under the list presented as: If you liked X you'll also like Y. Eventually I cracked and bought it. It's pleasant enough to try the next one, but it didn't rock my world.
Raine Benares, an elf, is a sorceress of moderate powers. Her chief skill is finding things which have been lost. For lost read stolen (or possibly kidnapped). When Quentin, her some-time employee and supposed friend, does a little illicit thieving, he picks the wrong target and almost gets himself killed. Luckily Raine and her pirate cousin are there to save his bacon, but in the process the amulet that he's stolen bonds itself to Raine. This draws all sorts of unwelcome attention from too many quarters.
What is the amulet? What's its purpose and why can't Raine remove it without killing herself? There are two warring factions from the Goblin royal household trying to get their hands on it (and now on her) and a hunky Guardian who never quite gets to be a true love interest – though there are hints that the next book will develop that.
Her presence is putting the people she cares for in danger and if she can't get some answers soon, she's toast.
It's a good enough plot with plenty of action. My chief beef is that every person in Raine's world seems to be a thief, a pirate or (most likely) a magic user of extraordinary ability. In fact there don't seem to be any ordinary people living in Mermeia at all. Sometimes it's a little too convenient. Why can't they just be magic users of average ability, or maybe just a few ordinary humans?
I'm also puzzled as to why she needs to be an elf. It doesn't seem necessary for the plot and she seems to be a very down-to-earth human. maybe that will become evident in Book Two. Despite my reservations I think I'll give it a try: Armed and Magical.
Lisa Shearin: Magic Lost, Trouble Found
2007
This was one of those books that kept cropping up on the Amazon site under the list presented as: If you liked X you'll also like Y. Eventually I cracked and bought it. It's pleasant enough to try the next one, but it didn't rock my world.
Raine Benares, an elf, is a sorceress of moderate powers. Her chief skill is finding things which have been lost. For lost read stolen (or possibly kidnapped). When Quentin, her some-time employee and supposed friend, does a little illicit thieving, he picks the wrong target and almost gets himself killed. Luckily Raine and her pirate cousin are there to save his bacon, but in the process the amulet that he's stolen bonds itself to Raine. This draws all sorts of unwelcome attention from too many quarters.
What is the amulet? What's its purpose and why can't Raine remove it without killing herself? There are two warring factions from the Goblin royal household trying to get their hands on it (and now on her) and a hunky Guardian who never quite gets to be a true love interest – though there are hints that the next book will develop that.
Her presence is putting the people she cares for in danger and if she can't get some answers soon, she's toast.
It's a good enough plot with plenty of action. My chief beef is that every person in Raine's world seems to be a thief, a pirate or (most likely) a magic user of extraordinary ability. In fact there don't seem to be any ordinary people living in Mermeia at all. Sometimes it's a little too convenient. Why can't they just be magic users of average ability, or maybe just a few ordinary humans?
I'm also puzzled as to why she needs to be an elf. It doesn't seem necessary for the plot and she seems to be a very down-to-earth human. maybe that will become evident in Book Two. Despite my reservations I think I'll give it a try: Armed and Magical.
