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Talos “Tal” Onan is a firecraft mage from the magical world of Agathia, hidden deep in the earth sworn to protect both the world of Agathia and the Overworld from the dangers of evil magicwielders. When the most dangerous of criminal held in Rohm Prison escapes, Tal must return to the surface to hunt down the villainous Vegre before he can wreak havoc on the humans. Mila Penkin is an overworlder who holds the gift of healing deep inside, unaware of this ability until called upon to use it when two strange men appear in her home, just in time for Mila to see her roommate Sela get kidnapped. She is one of a long lost Agathian guild of healers, exiled long ago after a deadly magic wiped out many of the Agathian population. Now with the help of her precious Baba (grandmother) and Tal, Mila must break down the barrier blocking her memories of her magic and restore her gifts in order to prevent yet another magical pandemic. The last thing she expected was that her abilities would be the stuff of legends, or that she would find love in the midst of evil. Magic’s Design is the first book under a new pseudonym for writing duo CT Adams and Cathy Clamp. I have thoroughly enjoyed both their Sazi series and their Thrall trilogy so I was excited about this new one that was to be so different from their other series that they had to use a different name! Magic’s Design not only met, but exceeded my expectations! All the key components that make me a diehard fan of Adams and Clamp are found here. We have excellent world building, exciting plots and subplots, brave heroines who don’t know their own strength until forced to use it, and sexy heroes who would die before allowing any harm to the women they adore. While still at its heart, Magic’s Design is an urban fantasy, the emphasis is on the "fantasy" more than the "urban." There is an exceptional romance between Tal and Mila that will have readers sighing. These two were meant for each other long before they met and I loved seeing them surpass all the odds to be together. I was quite surprised by the final scenes, expecting something with a lot more “oomph” after all the buildup, but the ending works quite well for the story. I loved the use of pysanky (a type of artwork that is comprised of painting complicated designs on eggs) as one of the primary magic mediums, along with the focus stones used by the magicwielders to direct their power. The environmentalist in me absolutely loved the idea of trees being the center of all life and power for the magical race of humans found underground in Agathia. Also of note are the little bits of Ukrainian lore doled out by Baba and her dearest friend Victor. One of the best things about Magic’s Design is that the way it is set up, I can see more books set in this world if this one does well. Don’t let that fool you though, almost all the plot points are wrapped up nice and tidy. There are at least two unresolved subplots I can see coming back to be worked into future books. Let’s hope we get more opportunities to visit Agathia and all the residents of this magical, mystical world beneath the surface of ours! © Kelley A. Hartsell, February 2009. All rights reserved. |
Magic’s Design Rating:
Posted February 2009 |
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