"Transforming Magic!"
A flick of the fingers can destroy a room in seconds!
Another flick can repair the damage in just as short a
time! Such is the power behind a special group of people
known as master adepts - or Magister adepts. Lord Erik,
the young man in the novel's cover, is being trained by
Magister Andru; the training seems to be going slowly but
Magister Andru is not the least phased about the disasters
happening with each try. For he knows that Lord Erik's
powers are huge and waiting to be unleashed for the good
of the kingdom. The plot thickens soon enough when we learn that Lord
Erik's aunt, Lady Ivera, discovers his potential ability
and is determined to use it to be rid of the current
QueenViianne. What she doesn't know is how also the
Queens's strongest supporter, Commander DiaVandryn, is
dedicated to guarding the Queen from all usurpers of the
throne. Commander Dia has her own secret magic to assure
this goal will be fulfilled. The race begins as Commander Dia and Magister Andru whisk
Lord Erik into a long journey to the Academy where his
skills can develop and mature. They are followed by Lady
Ivera's soldiers and another Magister, Tomas, whose will
has been broken by Lady Ivera but whose magister skills
are still quite impressive. This is a grand read which includes a troop of characters
who resemble giants, dwarves, princes, paupers, jugglers,
strong men, troubadours and shape shifters. There is a
mystery behind Commander Dia's smashed and gloved hands,
gloves engraved with the runes of a spell which prevents
her own magister powers from explosively destroying her
and anyone around her. The ultimate climax arrives with the mystery of a cube and
the character's vying for it's power to determine who will
be the victor in the quest to control Lord Erik's future
powers. There are battles aplenty, fires, lynxes with special
powers, love between two that cannot be fulfilled because
of the magisters' vows, a spell requiring human blood and
more to move the reader between the pleasantries of Lord
Erik's companions and the difficulties of this very
important journey. A quest it is indeed, a quest once
again for the powers of good to contend with and surpass
those of evil. Escape to Malmillard at first seems to be a simple story
but soon evolves into a complex tale about the power of
relationships and magic to forge the destinies of
individuals and kingdoms! Reviewed by Viviane Crystal on January 17, 2005
Reviewed by Viviane Crystal
Courtesy Crystal Reviews
Posted February 28, 2005
|