Retro Friday Book Reviews are hosted by Angieville. The gist is that you read an older or under the radar title and review it on Friday.
Yo. Here be spoilers for Poison Study. Don’t want to be spoiled? Read my Poison Study review instead by clicking here.
Friends, is there a Maria V. Snyder fan club that I can join? Seriously, I have yet to be displeased by one of her books. As I read Magic Study, the second book in the Study Series in 2010, please don’t expect lots of intricate details in this review because um, I don’t have the greatest memory EVER.
Magic Study
Magic Study opens with the main character, Yelena, about to enter the Zaltana homestead. But, I should back up a little. Yelena has left Ixia and sigh, Valek, because there’s a warrant out for her execution. And so she returns to where she was born, to a family she’s never known, the Zaltanas. In Sitia, the country Yelena is now in, she learns about her magic and more about her family. And of course, a bad guy takes notice of her magic, as they always do.
Yelena continues to be awesome and I continue to admire her. I just love how magic played a huge role in Magic Study, not that you couldn’t guess from the title, but when it comes to sword and sorcery novels, I tend to fall on the sorcery side as far as fascination goes.
One thing I did not love about Maria V. Snyder’s Magic Study was that there was noticeably less Valek, which okay, Yelena IS getting to know her family in a different country and Valek isn’t there. BUT still, this reader likes a whole LOT of swoon and I just felt like we didn’t get that this time around.
I know a lot of readers, at least through a cursory goodreads scroll, don’t love Magic Study, which is fine, but I stand by my feeling that I’ve yet to read a book by Maria V. Snyder that I don’t like. As, I did like Magic Study and gobbled it up rather quickly. Although it’s certainly been over a year, I am pumped about reading Fire Study and finally finishing the Study Trilogy.
Disclosure: Purchased copy, CASHMONEY HOLLA!!
Other reviews of Magic Study by Maria V. Snyder:
Debbie’s World Of Books
Mindful Musings
Did you review it? Link me in the comments and I will add it up here.
Series Order:
Poison Study (Book One)
Magic Study (Book Two)
Fire Study (Book Three)
Other Maria V. Snyder Books Reviewed On Good Books And Good Wine:
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Yeah, I didn’t like this one as much as Poison Study (one of my top 5 books of all time) but there was still a lot of good in it, even if it didn’t have enough Valek. I really do love Valek even though I don’t think he’s really my book-type.
Like, I didn’t love this as much as Poison Study, but I still really enjoyed it.
I read the first book in this series year ago..and I mean YEARS. It was before I even realized there was a whole online world of book lovers. So yeah, a long time ago. I didn’t like it that much *gasp* BUT my tastes have changed drastically since then so these are on my give a second chance list. I need to bump it up to the top.
YES YES! Put Poison Study on your second chance list, I bet you’ll like it much more this time around.
Less Valek is NEVER a good thing, but I still loved it. So glad you turned me on to this series!
<3
The lack of Valek is not acceptable to me either.
Period.
Right. There always needs to be more Valek.
I read and loved Poison study. I haven’t purchased Magic study yet though. A friend told me it wasnt’ as good as the first because of the Lacking Valek.. I love her writing though. Poison study was the shit.
I still plan to continue with the series though, just haven’t gotten to it.
Super excited about the magic stuff. Like you, I’m more fascinated with the sorcery. My brother always used to yell at me when we were playing Final Fantasy games.. I would have like 5 mages in my party, and no sword fighters.. He was right though.. I had to add some sword fighters, because not all monsters were weak to magic. That is the one and only time I have ever admitted he’s right. I’m almost never wrong because I’m the oldest. lol
Hope your having a good friday. <— ha ha.. corny
Well, the lack of Valek is a major con. BUT the magic stuff is super cool, so I feel like that kind of makes up for it.
Also? My Friday was totally awesome.
I really need to finish this series – I have only read Poison Study thus far.
Me too. I mean, I need to read just Fire Study to finish it. But still, the thrill of a finished series is so awesome.
Yeah, avoid the Glass series. That trilogy…no, the ENDING to that trilogy made me so angry I had to stand outside in the cold to calm down. TRUE STORY! But the Study series is and will remain excellent.
Awww, I hate when books have no ending.
And sigh. I already own all of the Glass books, so looks like there is no avoiding it for me.
Study love forever!
GAH! I just love this series! So glad to see that you are reading it! Maria was the first author that I had on my blog for an interview… and she was the first one to send me a book for review, and it was Poison Study! perhaps that is why this series holds a special place in my heart! and i love Yelena because she goes for the older guy. Valek… *sigh*
Awww, sentimental times.
And yo, I swoon for Valek.
And yayyyy interviews and the good old days.
Thanks for linking to my review! I agree there needed to be more Valek in this one. It sort of made me lose my rhythm and I haven’t read the last book in the series yet. I really need to get to it.
I know what you mean about noticeably less swoon. I do need my constant doses of Valek. WHY CAN’T HE GET TO KNOW HER FAMILY WITH HER? XD Still, the fantasy and Yelena never gets old, and I don’t see how readers can dislike this book, since it’s a solid read. Glad to know you liked it and, like you, I STILL have to read Fire Study.
— Asher