Alma Alexander fuses together magic and technology in this great sequel to gift of the unmage. I love the facets of the alternate universe she creates, set in a world much like our own, yet one in which magic conexists along with modern technology with out touching. Well, except in the case of the protagonist, Thea. The concept of using magic through technology, like sending curses through the email for instance, was so different from the way magic works in the other books I've read that after reading the first few chapters, I was hooked. I also loved how the story incorporates magic in everyday circumstances from those that can happen in reality (like parking a car) to things that we still dream of like instant transportation using technology. We also get to meet creatures from other world which they call "polities", an interesting take on the whole alien contact idea.The plot was pretty interesting too, though not as exciting as I had hoped it would be. The whole thing seemed to lead up to a confrontation and a decision for Thea, that came and went so quickly. Also, most of the story occured within the school or the Professor's house, so while I was able to catch glimpses of the magical world, which is what had initially garnered my interest, it was severely limited. I wished for a more extensive foray into the outside world. I also sort of wished for more of a conflict, as the problem and its resolution seemed to go way too quickly. Overall the book was pretty good, but it became one of my favorite books because it introduced such a new idea of magic use. I actually picked this book up after reading the Harry Potter series and craving a new type of fantasy series and this book became a great find. After reading this I wanted to see the first book (which I hadn't read yet) and enjoyed that too. It offered a new perspective on magic and actually put magic in the modern day without having to put it in such a medieval like setting (like Harry Potter). I wished that it was longer and we could see more of Thea's world, but I loved reading it, and still do, and so in my biased opinion, gave it 5 stars.
Second in the series, the series is about the ordinary world, except with magic, and the adventures of a girl who has no magic going to a school for the non-magical. In this book, someone has figured out how to transmit magic through computers in the form of spam that actually has results. For instance, a spam that promises clearer skin turns someone's skin transparent. While many of the spams are mere pranks, some are dangerous, such as the teleportation spam that sends a dryad away from her tree and locks a federal agent into a world without people.While the feds do get involved, they're absolutely useless. They assume that they know everything there is to know about magic and computers, when they know nothing about this permutation of both. Once again, it's Thea and her friends who have to save the day, as they're the only ones open-minded enough to comprehend the problem and its possible solutions.This book has a cameo with Tesla as a rare elemental mage who was able to create a seed that ripened into an elemental house which is able to anticipate its residents' desires and make them happen, for example, putting their clothes away or making them the breakfast they want to have.More of a children's book than an adult book, but a good read nonetheless.
What do You think about Spellspam (2008)?
This book was a lot better than the first one--the pacing was much more even, and the story fit together much better. Thea's magic still doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me, but maybe it's not supposed to. The book wasn't spectacular, but it was entertaining; if I could, I would give it a 3.5. I liked the de los Reyes family and their Elemental house. I'm also still wondering who Thea is going to fall for, if anybody--it's kind of refreshing to read a book for teen girls that is not obsessively centered on the crush factor. At age fifteen/sixteen, the characters in this one ring true to me--kind of awkward, not totally sure how to go about things in the romance department.Since these are such quick reads, I've got a hold on the third one from the library.
—Heather
This is a continuation of a story that starts with Alma's first Worldweavers book as 15-year-old Thea continues to discover the unique nature of the magic within her soul. Unlike the first book, which seemed to have a trite threat in the Nothing (something that reminded me far too much of the film, The NeverEnding Story), this story has a larger threat, not so much to humanity, but to Thea herself. While the first book drew me in, I remained an observer of this story, no longer touched by the mystical First World in this fantasy setting. Thea faces a more real threat - computer spam, spam that carries with it nefarious magic that starts from the beginning pages of the story and doesn't stop until Thea faces down her darkest fears and forever retains part of that darkness inside her.If you have not read the first book in the series, I strongly recommend it for all its wonderful magic: Gift of the Unmage (Worldweavers: Book 1) and because this book does not stand well by itself.A word on the rating - while I gave the first book 4 stars (out of 5), I would love to kick this up a notch for this one (4.5 stars out of 5), but there was at least one noticeable typo stumbling point. Still an excellent read.
—Thomas
