|
| Magic Lost, Trouble Found (Raine Benares, Book 1) | 
 enlarge | Author: Lisa Shearin
Publisher: Ace
Category: Book
List Price: $7.99
Buy New: $3.95
You Save: $4.04 (51%)
New (30) Used (17) from $2.46
Avg. Customer Rating:  48 reviews
Sales Rank: 18950
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 352
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.4
Dimensions (in): 6.6 x 4.1 x 1.1
ISBN: 0441015050
Dewey Decimal Number: 813
EAN: 9780441015054
ASIN: 0441015050
Publication Date: May 29, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: GREAT BUY!Brand New From US Distributor! WE ARE A 5 STAR SELLER with OVER 3,500,000 BOOKS SOLD!!! OVER ~ 600,000 FEEDBACKS ~ POSTED!!!
|
| Similar Items:
|
| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
Raine Benares is a Sorceress Seeker of average ability until she comes into possession of an amulet that amplifies her powers-and her enemies.
|
| Customer Reviews: Read 43 more reviews...
An enchantigly engaging read... June 20, 2007
56 out of 57 found this review helpful
Raine Benares, an elf and a Seeker, has enough trouble in her life without someone bringing more to her door, but when her friend and employee, Quentin, is hired to steal something from a powerful necromancer's house, she just can't let him handle the trouble alone.
The something that Quentin has been hired to steal is soon found to be more valuable and more important than either of them could ever have imagined. Before Quentin even escapes the necromancer's house, he finds himself with some unsavory company, who also just happen to want to lay hands on the very same amulet that Quentin has just pilfered.
With a little help from Raine and her family, Quentin narrowly escapes with his life. Raine insists that he hand over the amulet for safekeeping, and that's when things start to get a little wild!
MAGIC LOST, TROUBLE FOUND is an enchantingly engaging read. Devoid of the heavy depressing themes that seem to permeate popular fantasy novels lately, MAGIC LOST, TROUBLE FOUND will delight readers who like a good dose of humor mixed with their magical adventure. Author Lisa Shearin has done a superb job of crafting a fantasy world alive with elves, goblins and otherworldly creatures. With a fast paced plot, well-crafted characters and just a hint of romance, MAGIC LOST, TROUBLE FOUND is a book that fantasy lovers won't want to miss.
Good first novel May 30, 2007
23 out of 25 found this review helpful
After reading several much-hyped bad first books, it was a relief to find one that's worth the cover price. This book was well done with a strong heroine, good secondary characters (I liked both Mychael and Piaris), and everything else a book needs: plot, action, several creepy settings, etc. The pacing is a little uneven, but entirely forgiveable in a first book. If you like light fantasy, this is highly recommended.
Well done first novel August 16, 2007
19 out of 19 found this review helpful
"Magic Lost, Trouble Found" is the first non-contemporary fantasy I have read in a long time. The title caught my eye, but it was reading the first chapter that really won me over.
Others have summed up the story very nicely. What grabbed me about Raine Benares (our heroine) was that she stuck by her friend Quentin even when she knew it was a bad idea. What continued to hold my attention was her humor and her ability to take care of herself despite serious challenges.
Up until Benares was forced to take an amulet Quentin stole, she was a moderate level sorceress. Now that amulet has increased her powers. Unfortunately, everyone in the city wants that amulet, which ties her up in politics and makes a lot of enemies.
There's a lot to like about this novel. Shearin's characters are well-written and engaging. While she has a significant cast of multiple races, she does manage to keep track of them and explain them reasonably well. The story moves along at a smart pace with very few bogs. Her world is also very well-realized--even the politics make sense. (As much as politics ever do!)
I have two complaints that reduced "Magic Lost's" rating from 5 stars. A map would have been very useful in helping to figure out where we were in somewhat complex terrain.
Second, the cast of characters was large enough and the action fast enough, that an index of characters with a brief description of their race and position would have helped a lot. Such a list will also help refresh readers' memory when this series continues, which I believe it will.
 Incredible First Book June 1, 2007
18 out of 20 found this review helpful
Lisa Shearin takes urban fantasy and gives it a jump start with her first book Magic Lost, Trouble Found. Raine Benares can wield a sword, avoid capture from a goblin shaman, fight a soul sucking rock for her soul, and still find time to entertain the affections of two attractive men. Shearin's Mermeia gives the fantasy world a new city, full of back alleys, royal embassies, playful night clubs and Gothic ruins. Not only is her portrayal of both elves and humans superb, but she gives goblins a whole new skin to wander about in. Shearin's goblins are tall, muscled, angular, and gray-skinned with pointed ears. She spares no detail for her supporting cast, all of whom are delightful (Tam ranks at the top of my personal list). Add a hint of humor and you have a brilliant book that lives up to the expectations of the avid fantasy reader. All we can wish for is that Mrs. Shearin proves to be most prolific in her writing and provides us with much more trouble, which only magic can remedy.
 Bad title, bad cover, fun novel June 7, 2007
18 out of 21 found this review helpful
I picked this up at the bookstore the other day, desperate for something in the genre. I wish my favorite writers lived in a pocket universe where time moves much faster, and would send their completed novels back through the wormhole every couple of weeks. Sigh. But I digress...
The cover and title of this book are deceptive. They make the book appear more appropriate for the Romance aisle of the bookstore-- but that's not the case. It's a fairly standard fantasy adventure novel, with very little romance. Only a few kisses, and although the heroine does seem to go weak in the knees a bit too often and easily in the presence of A Man, it didn't bother me too much. I'd liken the book to one of those Mercedes Lackey "urban fantasy" novels, but with less actual description of violence.
The writing is consistent throughout; it's not a cringeworthy first novel. There are enough interesting things happening, and almost none of the insufferable repetition you sometimes get with this sort of thing.
|
|
|
Powered by Associate-O-Matic
| |
