My Lady Mage
By
Grade : B+

Sometimes when you are reading a book, it just happens. Everything clicks perfectly into place and the book works for you. For me, My Lady Mage worked nearly perfectly.

Merewen is a young woman living under the tyrannical rule of her Uncle in the magical land of Agathia. Desperate to save her people, Merewen grasps at a final straw and calls forth the Warriors of the Mist from the river to help her. These damned warriors have been sent to the bottom of the river, awaiting a call by a worthy petitioner, for an opportunity to redeem themselves. Merewen has been deemed worthy by the Lord and Lady of the River and the Warriors come forth.

Gideon is the captain of the five Warriors. Though all five have reasons for their punishment, it is really Gideon who takes it all upon his own shoulders. His warriors followed him and so he feels the responsibility for their souls. When Merewen tempts him beyond reason, it is only the souls of his friends that hold him back. As a damned Warrior, to take Merewen would mean eternal punishment and the struggle between his love and his honor really makes him a special character.

The Warriors have unique animal “helpers” that live on their swords and come out when they are needed. Each animal is a part of the Warrior. From Gideon’s hawk to Kane’s…Hob (who I really can’t quite picture) they are just as much a part of the story as the human characters and they add an interesting twist to the fantasy genre. Even the horses that the Warriors acquire are full of personality. I am not one that usually enjoys when animals take over a story, but these creatures truly made the tale special. They enhance, rather than irritate.

The interesting thing about this story is that Gideon and Merewen have a definite Happily For Now ending, but it isn’t one that leaves you unsatisfied. The series is connected and I believe it is planned as a trilogy. Things are left hanging at the end in terms of the greater story line. Though Merewen and Gideon end in a good place, the Warriors story is incomplete and that affects their future. It is a cliff hanger that is enough to make you anxious for the next, without leaving you hanging and throwing a book at a wall in the wee hours of the night.

Fantasy stories can fall into the trap of being Lord of the Rings remakes, but the really good ones ride that edge of maintaining the classic fantasy appeal while still bringing something new to the table. I think that the Warriors of the Mist series has the potential to be one of the really good ones.

Reviewed by Louise VanderVliet
Grade : B+
Book Type: Fantasy Romance

Sensuality: Warm

Review Date : July 4, 2012

Publication Date: 2012/07

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Louise VanderVliet

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