Magic Study (Soulfinders Book 2) by Maria V. Snyder (Epub)

Description

With her greatest enemy dead, and on her way to be united with the family she’d been stolen from long ago, Yelena should be pleased. But although she has gained her freedom, she once again finds herself alone – separated from her lover Valek and suspected as a spy for her reluctance to conform to Sitian ways. Despite the turmoil, she’s eager to start her magic training – especially as she’s been given one year to harness her power or be put to death. But her plans take a radical turn when she becomes embroiled in 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 all her new enemies…

User’s Reviews

Editorial Reviews: From Publishers Weekly Family betrayal, a power-mad serial killer and a potential diplomatic crisis threaten the independent-minded heroine of Snyder’s fine sequel to Poison Study (2005). With the overthrow of the royal family of Ixia, 20-year-old Yelena Zaltana, who was kidnapped as a child by the evil magician Mogkan, is now free to return home to Sitia. Her reunion with the family she hasn’t seen in 14 years palls when her brother spreads rumors she’s actually a spy from Ixia. At the Magician’s Citadel, where Yelena enrolls to hone her prodigious magical talents, her powers raise concern that she might be a rare, powerful Soulfinder. Then a string of ugly murders reveals the presence of a rogue magician in the area. As Yelena joins the hunt for the killer, complications grow with the arrival of a diplomatic mission from Ixia—including her lover, Valek, a notorious spy and assassin, sure to be executed if anyone sees through his disguise. Snyder’s lively, charming mix of romance and fantasy is sure to gain her new fans. (Oct.) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. –This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition. Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved. “We’re here,” Irys said.I looked around. The surrounding jungle bulged with life. Overgrown green bushes blocked our path, vines hung from the tree canopy, and the constant chatter and trill of jungle birds beat at my ears. Small furry creatures, who had been following us through the jungle, peeked at us from their hiding spots behind huge leaves.”Where?” I asked, glancing at the three other girls. They shrugged in unison, equally confused. In the thick humid air, their thin cotton dresses were soaked in sweat. My own black pants and white shirt clung to my clammy skin. We were tired from lugging our heavy backpacks along snake-thin jungle paths, and itchy from hosting unnameable insects on our skins.”The Zaltana homestead,” Irys said. “Quite possibly your home.” I surveyed the lush greenery and saw nothing that resembled a settlement. During the course of our travels south, whenever Irys had declared that we had arrived, we were usually in the midst of a small town or village, with houses made of wood, stone or brick, hemmed in by fields and farms. The brightly dressed inhabitants would welcome us, feed us and, amid a cacophony of voices and spicy aromas, listen to our story. Then certain families would be summoned with great haste. In a whirlwind of excitement and babble, one of the children in our party, who had lived in the orphanage in the north, would be reunited with a family they hadn’t known existed.As a result, our group had grown ever smaller as we’d traveled farther into the southern land of Sitia. Soon, we had left the cold northern air far behind, and were now cooking in the steamy warmth of the jungle with no sign of a town in sight.”Homestead?” I asked.Irys sighed. Wisps of her black hair had sprung from her tight bun, and her stern expression didn’t quite match the slight humor in her emerald eyes. “Yelena, appearances can be deceiving. Seek with your mind, not your senses,” she instructed.I rubbed my slick hands along the grain of my wooden staff, concentrating on its smooth surface. My mind emptied, and the buzz of the jungle faded as I sent out my mental awareness. In my mind’s eye, I slithered through the underbrush with a snake, searching for a patch of sunlight. I scrambled through the tree branches with a long-limbed animal with such ease that it felt as if we flew. Then, above, I moved with people among the treetops. Their minds were open and relaxed, deciding what to eat for dinner, and discussing the news from the city. But one mind worried about the sounds from the jungle below. Something wasn’t right. Someone strange was there. Possible danger. Who’s in my mind?I snapped back to myself. Irys stared at me. “They live in the trees?” I asked.She nodded. “But remember Yelena, just because someone’s mind is receptive to your probing doesn’t mean you’re permitted to dive into their deeper thoughts. That’s a breach of our Ethical Code.” Her words were harsh, the master level magician scolding her student.”Sorry,” I said.She shook her head. “I forget that you’re still learning. We need to get to the Citadel and begin your training, but I’m afraid this stop will take some time.””Why?””I can’t leave you with your family like I did for the other children, and it would be cruel to take you away too soon.”Just then, a loud voice from above called out, “Venettaden.” Irys swung her arm up and mumbled something, but my muscles froze before I could repel the magic that engulfed us. I couldn’t move. After a frantic moment of panic, I calmed my mind. I tried to build a mental wall of defense, but the magic that ensnared me knocked down my mental bricks as fast as I could stack them.Irys, however, was unaffected. She yelled into the treetops. “We’re friends of the Zaltanas. I’m Irys of the Jewelrose Clan, Fourth Magician in the Council.”Another strange word echoed from the trees. My legs trembled as the magic released me and I sank to the ground to wait for the faintness to pass. The twins, Gracena and Nickeely collapsed together, moaning. May rubbed her legs.”Why have you come, Irys Jewelrose?” the voice above asked.”I believe I may have found your lost daughter,” she replied. A rope ladder descended through the branches.”Let’s go, girls,” Irys said. “Here, Yelena, hold the bottom while we climb.” A peevish thought about who would hold the ladder for me flashed through my mind. Irys’s annoyed voice admonished me in my own head. Yelena, you will have no trouble getting into the trees. Perhaps I should have them raise the ladder when it’s your turn to climb, as you might prefer to use your grapple and rope.She was right, of course. I had used the trees to hide from my enemies in Ixia without the convenience of a ladder. And even now, I’d enjoyed an occasional “walk” through the treetops to keep my skills honed.Irys smiled at me. Perhaps it’s in your blood. My stomach filled with unease as I remembered Mogkan. He had said I was cursed with Zaltana blood. I’d no reason to trust the now dead southern magician, though, and I’d been avoiding asking Irys questions about the Zaltanas so I wouldn’t get my hopes up about being a part of their family. Even while dying, I knew Mogkan would have been capable of pulling one last spiteful trick.Mogkan and General Brazell’s son, Reyad, had kidnapped me along with over thirty other children from Sitia. Averaging two children a year, they had brought the girls and boys north to Brazell’s “orphanage” in the Territory of Ixia for use in their twisted plans. All of the children had the potential of becoming magicians because they had been born to families with strong magic.Irys had explained to me that magical powers were a gift, and only a handful of magicians came from each clan. “Of course, the more magicians in a family,” Irys had said, “the greater chance of having more in the next generation. Mogkan took a risk kidnapping children so young; magical powers don’t manifest until a child reaches maturity.””Why were there more girls than boys?” I had asked.”Only thirty percent of our magicians are males, and Bain Bloodgood is the only one to achieve master level status.”As I steadied the rope ladder that hung from the jungle’s canopy, I now wondered how many Zaltanas were magicians. Beside me, the three girls tucked the hems of their dresses into their belts. Irys helped May start up the rope rungs, and then Gracena and Nickeely followed. When we had crossed the border into Sitia, the girls hadn’t hesitated to exchange their northern uniforms for the bright multicolored, cotton dresses worn by some of the southern women. The boys switched their uniforms for simple cotton pants and tunics. I, on the other hand, had kept my food taster’s uniform on until the heat and humidity had driven me to purchase a pair of boy’s cotton pants and a shirt.After Irys disappeared into the green canopy, I set my boot on the bottom rung. My feet felt as if they were swollen with water, weighing me down. Reluctance clung to my legs as I dragged them up the ladder. In midair, I paused. What if these people didn’t want me? What if they didn’t believe I was their lost daughter? What if I were too old to be bothered with? All the children who had already found their homes had been immediately accepted. Between the ages of seven and thirteen, they had been separated from their families for only a few years. Physical resemblances, ages, and even names had made it easy to place them. Now, we were down to four. The identical twins, Gracena and Nickeely were thirteen. May was the youngest at twelve, and I was the oldest of the group at twenty.According to Irys, the Zaltanas had lost a six-year-old girl over fourteen years prior. That was a long time to be away. I was no longer a child.Yet I was the oldest one who had survived Brazell’s plans and remained whole. When the other kidnapped children reach maturity, those who had developed magical powers had been tortured until they surrendered their souls to Mogkan and Reyad. Mogkan had then used the magic of these now mindless captives to enhance his own, making the children nothing more than living bodies without souls. Irys bore the burden of informing the families of these children, but I felt some guilt by being the only one to survive Mogkan’s efforts to capture my soul. The effort, though, cost me a great deal. Thinking about my struggles in Ixia led to thoughts of Valek. An ache for him chewed at my heart. Hooking an arm around the ladder, I fingered the butterfly pendant he had carved for me. Perhaps I could devise a way to return to Ixia. After all, the magic in my body no longer flared out of control, and I would much rather be with him than among these strange southerners who lived in the trees. Even the name of the south, Sitia, felt thick as rancid syrup in my mouth. “Yelena, come on,” Irys called down to me. “We’re waiting.” I swallowed hard and ran a hand over my long braid, smoothing my black hair and pulling out the few viney tendrils that clung to it. Despite the long trek through the jungle, I wasn’t too tired. While shorter than most Ixians at five feet four inches, my body had transformed from emaciated to muscular during my last year in Ixia. The difference had been in my living arrangements. From starving in the dungeon to tasting food for Commander Ambrose, my situation had improved for my physical well-being, but I couldn’t say the same for my mental well-being during that time.I shook my head, banishing those thoughts and concentrating on my immediate circumstances. Climbing up the rest of the ladder, I expected it to end at a wide branch or a platform in the tree like a landing on a staircase. Instead, I entered a room. I looked around in amazement. The walls and ceiling of the room were formed by branches and limbs that had been roped together. Sunlight leaked in between the gaps. Bundled sticks had been worked … –This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition. Review “Poison Study is a nifty little tale of intrigue featuring a worthy protagonist that makes for a commendable debut.” — SF Reviews”Poison Study is a wonderful and lively read. Highly recommended!” — Kate Elliott, author of the Crown of Stars series”Be prepared for an exhilarating adventure of danger and romance as our heroine battles for her life against rebel forces . . .” — Dark Realms magazine”Enchanting . . . I absolutely loved it. Poison Study is a wonderful trip into fantasy.” — Heather Graham, New York Times bestselling author”Maria Snyder has created an engaging and entirely original new fantasy, fascinating in its rich detail.” — Mercedes Lackey, New York Times bestselling author”Maria V. Snyder makes readers believe in her world and the characters she creates, a writer’s form of magic.” — The Best Reviews –This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition. About the Author Maria V. Snyder is the New York Times bestselling author of the Study series, the Glass series, the Healer series, Inside Out, and Outside In. Born and raised in Philadelphia, she earned a Bachelors of Science degree in Meteorology from Penn State and a Master of Arts degree in fiction writing from Seton Hill University. Unable to part ways with Seton Hill, Maria is currently a teacher and mentor for the MFA program. Find her on the Web at MariaVSnyder.com. –This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition. Read more

Reviews from Amazon users which were colected at the time this book was published on the website:

⭐This one was MUCH better than the first book in terms of writing quality and world-building. It wasn’t clunky and awkward like in Poison Study, instead everything flowed well and kept the storyline going while also continuing to expand the world of Ixia and Sitia.I enjoyed Yelena’s continued growth as she learned more about herself and the land she came from. Her relationships with her family and Irys were interesting, although I would have loved a bit more from the closure between her and Leif over his animosity towards her. It felt like they glossed over some of the forgiveness that I wanted to see, especially considering the strong emotions they each felt towards one another.I was somewhat glad when Valek returned, but another part of me felt like he was off somehow? With him constantly calling Yelena “love” and his cocksure attitude had me thinking of him as a cad the entire time he was present in this book. It felt like he went from cold-hearted spy to pirate-esque rake and I just did not enjoy it.I liked the introduction of Cahil (and thank you for not making it an actual love triangle) and his entire character arc was definitely intriguing (despite him being annoyingly obtuse at times).As for the plot, the mystery and suspense was captivating and had me constantly hooked to my ereader screen. My one complaint would be that there is a lot of torture and rape happening to these kidnapped girls but not a lot going on in terms of their psychological aftermath. There was some, but the plot moved on quickly right after.(Speaking of which, there is a LOT of unprotected sex going on in this series apparently. And yet no mentions of contraceptives. How is Yelena not pregnant yet??)Overall though I definitely enjoyed this book more than the first one as Yelena discovered her homeland and learned how to control her own powers. The writing felt better and the characters both new and old had much depth to them and their interconnecting relationships.

⭐I’m somewhat new to Maria Snyder and her novels and I am LOVING them. I quickly picked this one up (same day) after reading Poison Study and I can easily say that I liked it more than the Poison Study.Yelena had strong character development in this book as she was learning about her abilities, family, and more about the world she was born in. We get to meet a few other clans and see how different things are on this side of the map along with learning about the Master Magicians and their teachings. We get to meet her family that has missed her for 14 years and want nothing more than to keep her close for fear of losing her again.Some of my favorite moments are those between her and Valek (when they are together and far apart). I also love her connection with one of the clans and how they plan to help her learn more about her abilities. They feel more genuine and orgainic than the Master Magicians.I’m really looking forward to the next installment, Fire Study and have already started it.

⭐Rating PGSexual Nature: M/F Sex is non graphic GViolence: Murder and Rape off page.Language: GGenre: FantasyGenre: MagicThis is a fantasy written about two completely distinct countries who just started new diplomatic trade. The main character Yelena is from both, orphan, prisoner and poison taster in the military dictatorship of IXia and magician student, returned daughter in Sitia. In book one Poison Study of the series Yelena’s very bleak life in Ixia was explored. In this book she is in Sitia the democratic of the two countries studying magic, and hunting a killer.The book was a quick fun adventuresome read, but I got ADHD with characters jumping from foe, to friend, to foe. I understand the author wanting to cause tension but the author should have focused on one major aspect either, Yelena’s magic study, the murder or the political intrigue; as everything seemed muddled by too many subplots. In the first book I was able to get to know the world of Ixia, but I felt Sitia and it’s people were over shadowed by the subplot of a wannabe King and murder, only for the to be a foil to show how awesome Yelena’s magic was. Add in Yelena’s family and her magic training and I felt pummeled with too many subplots. Plus the depth of characters that was present in the first book are missing in this follow up.,Will I continue the series? I hate leaving series unfinished but I won’t one click immediately.

⭐Continuing the story of Yelena and Valek, after defeating their enemies. Yelena faces more difficult challenges, whilst Valek has his hands full in Ixia. Though they are not physically together in this book, they are never really apart either. Their paths intertwine on occasion, we also get to meet several new characters and Yelena’s family. Things get extremely interesting, problems from within the council arise. Betrayal and grasping for power, this series has it all. I love the way this book focuses on both Valek and his troubles in Ixia, and Yelena and her troubles in Sitia. The cultural differences between them are small but enough to make a huge difference, where one magic is forbidden and the other revolves around it. Yet both are determined to keep control of rogues and the abuse of their citizens, not all stem from magic.

⭐4½ Out of 5Yelena has had to leave her home – her kingdom – and flee to Sitia, the place of her birth but a place she knows nothing about. In Sitia, she will train her powers – must train and control them, or else be put to death in one year’s time. And so she goes to the Four Towers of the Magician’s Keep, a place where magic is taught to those like her.In Sitia she is also reunited with the family she was taken from so long ago. They are all strangers to her but are welcoming – loving. All except for her brother, Leif, who seems to hate her.Caught up in struggles that are political, magical and emotional, Yelena is already dealing with a lot. The emergence of a powerful magician, targeting young girls, just creates more mayhem.Of course, Yelena gets involved in the investigation. With magic as powerful as hers, she will either flourish here amongst those like her, or… she will perish…Now, I have this habit of writing down quotes as I go through a book. It’s a habit I should really stop because it means that when I read a book with loads of quotes I love I end up writing down half the blinking book. I don’t even really know why I do it… I think in case I want to use them in the review or make a picture quote of the book… But Magic Study… Well, it was one of those books that was just too good to stop! I literally could not stop. It was that good. Sure, it wasn’t quite as good as Poison Study, but there really wasn’t much in it.I really loved how Yelena grew in this book: she was so much stronger and such a good person, better than before. She’d really come into her own as both a woman and a magician. Of course, she still has the pesky habit of rushing in without thinking – generally with bad results – but she’s growing stronger too. She’s able to kick some butt and she uses her family and friends’ help when she needs it. Do I wish she’d trust the Council and Irys more? Yes. But I also got her reasons for not trusting them. Yelena isn’t perfect and I think that’s why I like her so much: she’s tough as nails, but flawed and vulnerable too.I missed Valek all the time he wasn’t there and then felt my heart do a little flutter every time he reappeared, often in some bizarre disguise. Valek is sweet and hard, protective and trusting of Yelena’s ability. He lets her do her thing, but he’s always there for her too. Why I love Valek in one sentence?”I’ll be close by if you need me, love.”I also love this little scene between Yelena and Valek, where Yelena is nervous and Valek is… Valek:”This is dangerous.””I knew falling for you was dangerous, love.”Yeah. I melt every time he says ‘love’. I think it’s leftover from my Spike-addicted days. I always did have a thing for the bad boys…Now, my favourite characters in the previous book, Yelena and Valek aside, were Ari and Janco. You guys can’t even begin to fathom how pleased I was when the two of them popped up again! But we were also introduced to a whole range of new, brilliant, evil and sometimes bizarre characters. I really liked Irys – she was a really awesome teacher. The Zaltana clan were brilliant – and so bonkers! Leif intrigued me and I’m so excited to see more of him. Moon Man was brilliant; gotta love the cryptic ones! Dax provided comic relief in the Janco-less times. And then there was Cahil… who I did not like. At all.But I think my favourite character in Magic Study just had to be Kiki. Now who’s Kiki, you may wonder. Well, Kiki was Yelena’s horse. Weird favourite character, right? Not if you’ve read this book.I adored the world building in Poison Study. My love only grew as I read Magic Study. Because now there wasn’t just Ixia, but Sitia too! A land of magic and clans, a land (for the most part) without poison and secret spying. The cultures of the different clans intrigued me, as did the differences between the two lands of Ixia and Sitia.Maria Snyder’s writing and plotting were pure genius – as always. The writing was beautiful and hooking and not too heavy. The plot was addictive and just the right pace (fast and exciting but not neglecting world building). I loved how it built all the time, with plenty of action, and came to an impressive conclusion. I was a bit exasperated that Yelena has yet to learn the advantages of patience and assistance, but she’s pretty badass, so it was all cool. And I also liked the way Maria dealt with sex in the book. Yeah, this bit is random, but I need to mention it. Maria didn’t just ignore the fact that Yelena’s a girl in love with a bad-boy boyfriend (heart mate) who called her ‘love’. There was no lengthy description, almost no mention of S-E-X at all, but you knew what was about to happen. I think it’s a good way to deal with sex: let us know it’s happening, it’s natural, but not with all the… graphic details.I adored Poison Study and it really was one hell of an act to follow. Magic Study fell a little short, probably due to the only intermittent appearances of my three fave boys, but it kept me hooked and just as invested. The world building was epic, the action addictive and the characters believable. It also had the best horse in the history of the world – of any world, even.I love Maria V. Snyder and, of course, she didn’t disappoint with Magic Study. It was a worthy sequel to one of my favourite magic books. I can’t wait to continue with the series – with Fire Study and Shadow Study! Eek! I don’t have to leave Yelena and Valek! Yelek? Valena? Someone needs to come up with a shipping name! I would, but I’m too busy grabbing my copy of Fire Study!

⭐Okay, we might be here a while.It’s no secret that I absolutely loved Poison Study – and that although I loved the romance, the adventure, the plot; my main love was the main character. Yelena is for me the heroine I feel I’ve been searching for in fantasy. She’s a person. Whilst Yelena is brave and funny and immensely likeable, she can also be arrogant, headstrong and childish. I never said I wanted perfect and I feel like Maria Snyder really gets that.Don’t worry, I’m not going to spend the whole review waxing lyrical about Yelena. However Magic Study, for me, does a great job of building on the character I loved so much in the first instalment. There was a lot going on in Poison Study; a slowly developing romance, introducing a new world, a plethora of fascinating and fun side characters, and over-arching bad guy plot…I mean come on. That’s a lot. And it was done really well. In Magic Study I felt like a lot more of the focus was put on Yelena. Firstly, she finds her parents (who I love). But she also finds her brother (who is a bit of a dick, but it works) as well as her home. This rediscovering of her roots helps her transition into the idea that the world she always believed to be home actually left her with a big feeling of disconnect. And this theme is played upon even more when she goes to learn how to control her magic; a vital part of her being which she’s spent two decades being completely ignorant about. I liked the development, the way it helped me as a reader understand Yelena better, even as she herself went on a journey of discovery.Yes, I will admit, there’s a lack of Valek. He spends an almost painful amount of time out of frame. As hard as that was to accept, ultimately I think that’s a good thing. Their scenes together, whilst brief, felt meaningful to me and the lack of overall interaction between the two characters is kind of part of the quirk of them as a couple. They’re in love but they’re not attached at the hip. Both are independent entities with their own responsibilities and goals. They can be everything to each other without being everything to each other. I like that. A lot.Once again the side characters were tremendously well realised. I absolutely loved Irys in this book, and having talking horses has made my reading year (did anyone read The Star-Touched QueenI was getting Kamala withdrawals!). I also liked the depth of the not so nice characters, such as Cahil. He went on a journey and I hope to God he is the big bad of the third book in the series because that will be awesome.If I were to criticise at all, my only negative would be that I wanted more depth in the big bad. Although he was nefarious to the extreme, I didn’t feel his presence was ominous enough to be the main rival. He did terrible things and I thought the victims were written with heart-breaking sensitivity and tenderness. But as this “mystery” was reaching throughout the entire book, it occasionally felt a little flat for me.Despite this small niggle, I would a thousand times recommend Magic Study, and it’s predecessor. It’s the kind of books I write reviews for – where the words pour out and you have to physically stop yourself enthusing all the way to the end of the word count. Will be seeking out the next ASAP!

⭐Having read Poison study and loving it, I was very excited to read this. Although, I enjoyed the first half of the book and the development of Yelena’s relationship with her clan and family, and her learning to control and use her magic and the intrigue of the political challenge to Ixian military rule as well as the mystery of the magical serial killer all seemed to suggest that the book would be just as good as the first.Throughout the book Yelena managed to escape numerous kidnaps and dangerous situations – it seems as though these scenes were included in the book to increase the action and give a sense of adventure but there were too many of these scenarios for the one story.I also didn’t like Valek’s place in the book, he no longer seems to hold the role of the cunning intelligent assassin he had in poison study – In this book he seemed to fall under Yelena’s orders and do as she said – He is not as much of an independent character as we met in the first book, he’s becoming more of a secondary character.The book also needs a different kind of villain, the evil magician seems very similar to Brazell and Mogkan.Overall, although I did enjoy the book I feel as though there were too many underdeveloped story-lines and fight scenes and the book could have benefited from less, more developed and succinct scenes.

⭐Short sweet spoiler free review.Better than the first as it quickly jumps into a fast pace plot.Romance carries over from first but it takes a back seat as Yelena is separated from her lover and is a concentrating on others things like getting to know the family she was torn from, training and solving violent crimes against other women. So if sexual violence is a trigger, best avoid this book. One thing that irk me, is that when Yelena’s lover does return, it feels like within 5 pages of him popping up, the two are having sex, no matter what has just happened and it feels awkward and bad timing.Still, very entertaining novel, and better than the first in the series.

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