Fire Study

January 14, 2008
Fans of high-spirited adventure, intrigue and romance will celebrate the third book (after 2007's Magic Study
) in the saga of reluctant mage and diplomat Yelena Zaltana. The news that Yelena is a Soulfinder, able to manipulate the spirits of the dead and the living, hasn't made her popular with the inhabitants of Sitia's Magician's Keep, since the last Soulfinder turned people into mindless slaves. First Magician Roze Featherstone's hostility toward Yelena increases until the Sitian Council decides to send Yelena north as diplomatic liaison to the rival nation of Ixia. When Roze takes over the council, imprisoning her rivals and driving the nation to the brink of war with Ixia, Yelena is caught between her duties as liaison, her love for Ixian intelligence officer Valek and her fear of her own power, which she must embrace fully to defeat Roze and restore the council. Snyder delivers another excellent adventure, deftly balancing international and local hostilities against Yelena's personal struggles.

March 15, 2008
Having survived her time as a poison taster and discovered her talent for magic, as recounted in the award-winning "Poison Study and Magic Study", Yelena Zaltana realizes that she possesses the rarest of magicsthat of Soulfinder. When this is made public, the young mage becomes the center of controversy, caught between those among the four Master Magicians who see her usefulness and those who want her dead. As her country prepares for possible war with neighboring Ixia, Yelena and her Ixian lover, Valek, seek to prevent a needless conflict while protecting Yelena from her enemies. Snyder's latest addition to her fantasy saga resolves several major plot threads but opens the door to the possibility of future novels in the series. A strong, resourceful heroine and an intriguing cast of supporting human and animal characters make this a fine addition to most libraries.

Copyright 2008 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.