What do You think about A Sorcerer's Treason (2003)?
I almost reevaluated my one star rating planned for this book after seeing the most recent reviews giving it 4 or 5. Im aware that there's a chance I have just read SO much fantasy and have such firm favourites that I'm likely to be overly critical.. But then I didn't feel that way when I gave Percheron 5 stars last month.So one star it is.I think the books introduction is too long, too much time is spent getting Bridget to the place where he story will begin. Not only that but the intro is where you should begin to fall in love with the lead character(s) and that just never happened.I didn't appreciate the various settings either.. Shoreside Wisconsin esque countryside to a land feeling almost gothic and a little Persian. Very confusing. What I did like, no, love, was the authors creativity in how magic is weaved (literally) in to the plot. This felt original and gave the book a uniqueness that almost warrants a second star. It's so easy to go for wand waving, or 'the gift' or something recycled when conveying magical ability, but this originality was appreciated.Too much going on.. Animal spirits, character history, character future, demons and bad blood.I won't be reading book two.
—Mary Baldwin
This book slots neatly into the category of "too good to be true fantasy", where the main character is led to another world where she is not only incredibly magically powerful, but is also the child of a legendary sorcerer, and a legend in her own right. People gape at her in the streets and kiss her feet, that sort of thing. Amazingly, back in her home world (ie our world) she is shunned because she had an illegitimate child. She's a bit too good to be true, our Bridget (who is a lighthouse keeper in our world and describes herself as "tending the light". And she has red hair. Oh lord, could we make our inspiration for character names a bit more obvious?). Nevertheless, despite this it's a semi-decent fantasy, has a bit of atmosphere and some interesting elements, and yeah, I'll be reading the next one despite our insipid heroine. Although I just read on Amazon it's a prequel - *snore*
—Celia Powell
This was a re-read because my husband got me the prequel to this for Christmas. I thought it was better on my second reading, probably because Usurper's Crown (the pre-quel) provided a good amount of backstory which I wondered about on my first read. I love the combination of Chinese and Russian folklore along with a new fantasy world present in the book and its companions. It's not a combination that I've read before. The Empress Medeoan is a tragic figure who is easy to both feel sorry for and dislike. This book is definitely worth a read if you like fantasy novels.
—Heather
