Fire Study (2008) by Maria V Snyder

SPOILER ALERT

The final book in the Yelena Zaltana series, as the young magician tracks down the elusive Soul Stealer, whilst battling the Fire Warper.

Yelena’s time in Sitia has not been the return to her homeland she wished for. Instead, she has been traipsing across the land in search of baddies, whilst facing the harsh scrutiny of the magicians at the Keep. Only her gung-ho attitude and ferocity have kept her alive so far, along with a handful of trustworthy companions. However, this final instalment will see her take on her biggest foe yet: magicians using Blood magic in order to harness greater powers to take over Sitia.

Friendships and loyalties will be put to the test, whilst Yelena must face her own destiny as the Soul Finder, and all that it entails.

Arguably the most frenetic of the three books, Fire Study is attempting too much in this story. The character of Yelena is sent through an endless string of punishing tasks, without any rest bite, seeing her in battle upon battle, fight upon fight. Her pursuit of Ferde and Cahil seems based on very little information, and yet she stumbles upon most of their plans with ease, making the plot seem a little thin.

This being said, Fire Study still embodies the thrilling aspects of Snyder’s writing: the wonderful fantasy, the captivating magical elements which seem original and heartfelt. Yelena’s journey, whilst mostly physical, also sees a lot of character development for herself, in particular about her fate, which adds depth to this book. Thematically, the story is quite unoriginal: a girl becoming an adult, the importance of friendship, courage versus cowardice.

Throughout the series, the bonds between the characters have strengthened, something which is important within fantasy literature. Also, Snyder has raised a larger question about societies: how the governing of a nation will inevitably be flawed. The two nations Sitia and Ixia are governed with extreme polarity: the former being a magical land with separate tribes/clans who make their own rules for their own people, whilst the latter is a military country, where a strict code of behaviour is followed. Rather than promoting one style of leadership, Snyder finds flaws and strengths within both, an admirable achievement.

An pleasurable series of books for those requiring a fantasy trilogy which will not keep you bogged down for months. The pages are turned fast, the twists and turns come quickly, and the story moves with increasing amounts of danger and peril.

Magic Study (2006) by Maria V. Snyder

SPOILER ALERT

The second book of the Yelena Zaltana trilogy, this time seeing the young magician travel to Sitia, the land of the magicians.

Having been banished from Ixia by the Commander at the end of the first book, Yelena is forced to flee the land with her magical friend Irys. They head to Sitia in the south, where Yelena will be reunited with her estranged family, whom she hasn’t seen since she was kidnapped and brought to Ixia when she was six. Alongside the awkward family reunion, Yelena will also have to begin her training as a magician, at the glorious Citadel, home to four Master Magicians (one of whom is Irys), as well as other students with magical gifts.

New enemies are brought into the fray, including Yelena’s brother Leif, who seems angered by his sister’s sudden return. Also, the son of a former Ixian royal emerges, claiming to be raising an army in order to attack, and reclaim, Ixia from the Commander. However, Yelena’s attention to these matters pails in comparison to her newest, and greatest, foe. A man killing and torturing innocent girls in order to steal their magic. With the help of some of her new and old friends, as well as her lover in Ixia, Yelena will take on this monster, whilst coming to grips with her own magic.

A worthy successor to the first novel, Snyder’s writing moves with fluency and pace throughout, meandering through the wondrous world of Sitia gracefully. New characters are instantly engaging, creating some fascinating development for Yelena, and the overarching battle between Ixians and Sitians is a very compelling theme. The magical elements are creative, making this world seem both exciting and dangerous.

Slightly on the shallower end of the reading pool, the Yelena Zaltana books are meant for pure fantasy enjoyment, not a challenging read. And while the pace is a positive factor in most places, sometimes in this book the story tends to move between action scenes too quickly, with little time for reflection. This aside it was a fun read, and the third book looks like it could be the most exciting of all three.