The Magic Thief: Lost

The first book in The Magic Thief fantasy trilogy ended with apprentice magician Connwaer losing his splendid locus magicalicus (or "magic stone") during his battle to rescue the living magic that protects the city of Wellmet. This second installment in the series picks up where its predecessor left off, with Conn desperately seeking a new locus magicalicus to communicate with Wellmet's magic. Unfortunately, no one believes Conn when he insists that the magic is a living being, and magical incantations are merely words spoken in the being's own language. Meanwhile, Wellmet is under attack by a band of mysterious and deadly Shadowmen whose very touch brings instant paralysis and death. Who has sent them? What do they seek? Conn thinks Wellmet's magic may know the answers to these questions, but he needs a magicalicus to facilitate a conversation between himself and the magical being of the city. When his attempts to find a magicalicus prove to be unsuccessful, Conn hits upon a new and perilous way to communicate with the city's magic: pyrotechnics. However, the use of pyrotechnics within the city walls is strictly forbidden. Indeed, that was exactly what had gotten Conn's master, the great wizard Nevery, temporarily banished from Wellmet more than 20 years before. Not only that, but a permanently gaping hole was left in the middle of Nevery's island home, Heartsease. After an acquaintance's life is tragically claimed by the Shadowmen, Conn becomes increasingly desperate to learn who or what lies behind these deadly creatures. But Conn's frenzy to communicate with the magic drives him to ever more reckless measures, putting in peril the lives of those he loves most and eventually causing him to be banished from Wellmet to the exotic and dangerous desert land of Desh. In this thrill-a-minute ride of a book, we learn how the ever-capable Conn manages to discover the secret of the Shadowmen and outmaneuver those who would bring destruction to Wellmet. But will he ever be able to come home again? The continual ratcheting up of tension throughout LOST (whenever you think that young Conn is in the worst trouble of his life, he quickly lands in more!) makes the mood more serious here than in the first installment. Conn himself is much more tense and subdued, showing less of the impishness that characterized him in THE MAGIC THIEF. The overall tone --- featuring the death of a character and the near-death of another important one --- is fairly somber for a children's book. However, the novel should be fine for the intended group (ages 10 and up). Although tinged with sadness and tension, there is nothing gory or gruesome here. While the story itself is wonderful, the DVD-like extra features with which the book is jam-packed really make it a worthwhile purchase. LOST features stunning, pitch-perfect illustrations and cover art by Antonio Javier Caparo, inserts of letters from various characters, character guides to orient newcomers to the series, and e

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In this fun, briskly paced, engagingly written follow-up to the first book in the series, apprentice wizard Connwaer, whose locus magicalicus stone has been destroyed, decides to experiment with pyrotechnics so that he can communicate with the living magic that runs the city of Wellmet. Disaster ensues when Conn accidentally blows up Heartsease, the home of his master, the wizard Nevery, and seriously injures Nevery's lovable, knitting, biscuit-baking bodyguard, Benet. Conn is exiled from Wellmet, and tags along with the duchess's daughter, Rowan, and her diplomatic mission to the mysterious desert city of Desh, which is ruled by a sorcerer king. Though it has a darker tone than the first book, this sequel is just as enchanting and action-filled. Illustrations add to the story's charm. The characters are lifelike and vividly portrayed, and Rowan is a strong female character that girls can identify with. I really enjoyed the insertion of letters and journal entries by Rowan and Nevery, which breaks up Conn's narrative with other viewpoints. Though things look pretty bleak for Conn at times, by the end he is ready for further adventures in the third book, in which I hope we'll see more of Benet. The story is followed by a guide to people and places, the Wellmet runic alphabet, recipes, and notes on swordcraft. It's a good idea to read the first book before starting this one, so you can be familiar with the interrelationships between the various characters.

THE MAGIC THIEF: LOST by Sarah Prineas I loved the first MAGIC THIEF book for its creative magic, exciting adventures and fascinating characters. The second book in this series continues on where the first left off. Conn, the thief turned wizard's apprentice, is unable to speak to his magic since his "locus magicalicus" jewel was destroyed. So he comes up with a plan to speak to magic by creating explosions--which leads to dangerous complications. While Conn struggles to regain his magical skills, an unknown enemy is threatening Wellmet, sending shadows that turn their victims to stone. Conn's attempts to save his friends backfire and even his close friends distrust him. To prove his innocence, he goes on a deadly quest to defeat a powerful sorcerer. Sarah Prineas writes fast-paced, thrilling scenes with strong, visual writing. Her characters don't simply move with ordinary verbs; they splat-land, flap-flap, swept-step; unique words that add atmosphere and poetry. The MAGIC THIEF series has gorgeous covers, characters you love, and cliffhanger endings that make you eager to read the next book. Don't miss this magical series!