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.