Cold Magic (The Spiritwalker Trilogy, #1)

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Cold Magic (Spiritwalker #1)

by Kate Elliott (Goodreads Author)

3.8 of 5 stars 3.80 · rating details · 2,671 ratings · 469 reviews

The Wild Hunt is stirring - and the dragons are finally waking from their long sleep...

Cat Barahal was the only survivor of the flood that took her parents. Raised by her extended family, she and her cousin, Bee, are unaware of the dangers that threaten them both. Though they are in beginning of the Industrial Age, magic - and the power of the Cold Mages - still hold sway....more

Paperback, 582 pages

Published August 1st 2011 by Orbit (first published February 9th 2010)

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Sep 30, 2012 oliviasbooks rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult-fiction, historical-fantasy, witches-sorcerers-magic, e-version, love-story-romance, steampunk, sequel-no-thank-you, other-creatures, dragons, gods-demons-angels-immortals, unfinished-2012, a-jerk-is-a-jerk

When I decided to put Cold Magic aside, after 67% of very little pleasure and a lot of struggle, I felt pretty angry and offended. Angry, because reading these 360 pages took a huge effort and did not dole out the tiniest reward. Offended, because the book, written by an author with quite some published writing to show as a proof for her skills, made me question my ability to focus, my ability to absorb and understand what I read and - for a short, shocking minute – the functionality of my Kindl...more

14 likes · like · see review

Jul 03, 2012 Sarah rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: reviewed, uber-disappointing, zz-2011, dnf-blah-rubbish, trifecta-of-retard, reviewed-snarky, zz-swapped-misc

A GR friend of mine has a shelf called wtf was this. And as I closed this book for the last time, utterly defeated by the barrage of incomprehensible & unnecessary pseudo-european cultural fantasy-speak, I actually thought what the f*ck was this? Too bad I don't have a shelf like that, or I'd put this on it.

I feel odd reviewing a book that i didn't finish. It might be unfair, really; other readers have claimed the book does improve in the second half. But I won't be there to see it. As much...more

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Mar 15, 2013 Vivian rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Boring, long and it desperately needed a good editor.
Also, Cold Magic was very poorly researched. It felt as if the author set up a dart board with the names of ancient cultures and just started throwing darts. Whatever names the darts hit, she'd use in her story without actually trying to make their usage be coherent or research the cultures customs, languages or anything. Sort of like a child who decided to wear all of his or hers best clothes at once. The result is cute for a while, but if d...more

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May 08, 2013 Ms. Library rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: the-literary-vortex-good

Where did I get this book?: From the public library!

How did I find out about this book? TheNightBookmobile recommended it, who can found over on blogspot.

Plot: Cat Barahal is a young woman going to college one day, and then she is swept away into a world she doesn’t understand. Much that she has always known is revealed to be untrue, and she has to deal with her new circumstances and the new people around her who may not have her best interest at heart. She has to deal with cold mages and the sp...more Where did I get this book?: From the public library!

How did I find out about this book? TheNightBookmobile recommended it, who can found over on blogspot.

Plot: Cat Barahal is a young woman going to college one day, and then she is swept away into a world she doesn’t understand. Much that she has always known is revealed to be untrue, and she has to deal with her new circumstances and the new people around her who may not have her best interest at heart. She has to deal with cold mages and the spirit world, and she wants to keep her family safe and figure out who she is.

Negatives: This book had a lot of information dumped in the dialogue. It would be the equivalent if while I was walking to school I decided to detail my entire family history and the political structure of the United States to one of my good friends after giggling about boys. It was odd at points, and didn’t quite fit in and often made the book drag. This plot doesn’t move very quickly, and the book can be quite dense at parts.

Positives: For once, this book isn’t centered around the idea of a Westernized fantasy realm, where all the people are white and middle class Europeans. Instead, many of the cast of characters come from Africa and the Middle East, and they are people of color. This is actually quite rare in fantasy, so its nice to see. Also, the world was quite interesting. It was a mix of history with some steampunk and magical elements. The author obviously had a detailed history and background for her world, which made it feel very realistic. Also, her characters were very well-rounded. I think she did a good job of making Cat a young woman who is strong and stubborn without making her a caricature. She let her have emotions, and be weak at moments, and notice the handsomeness of a man without making her bendy-kneed and unaware of her allegiances. There is no instant-love here, which is nice. There really isn’t that much romance, which is kind of refreshing. Its sprinkled in, but that is obviously not the focus of this story. I also really liked Cat’s friendship with her cousin Bee, who I thought was one of the more likable characters in the story. I like how steadfast they were in their loyalty to each other. I definitely will be reading the sequel, because I want to find out what happens. I am also assured by theNightBookmobile that it is better, and a little less dense, than this one.

Recommend: I usually hold off on recommending a series until I read at least the second one, and I will keep to that here. Its definitely an interesting start, but I want to see where Elliot takes this.(less)

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May 24, 2011 Paradoxical rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011-reading-list, books-in-room

The beginning of Cold Magic was both slow and felt rather cumbersome, and while I did not precisely struggle to read it, I was more than ambivalent about it. There are reasons for this. The world building has to begin and the author balances a delicate line between too much detail and exposition and not enough (well, like all fantasy novels). I wouldn't say that it was clumsily done, but it was a little heavy. I found myself at turns confused and then enlightened and then confused once more, but...more The beginning of Cold Magic was both slow and felt rather cumbersome, and while I did not precisely struggle to read it, I was more than ambivalent about it. There are reasons for this. The world building has to begin and the author balances a delicate line between too much detail and exposition and not enough (well, like all fantasy novels). I wouldn't say that it was clumsily done, but it was a little heavy. I found myself at turns confused and then enlightened and then confused once more, but once all of the preliminary setting is laid out, then the book really hits its stride and I found myself enjoying it.

I found that Cat, the main character, was someone I liked very much. She's a little impulsive and hotheaded, but she does her best to try to temper it without smothering herself. She makes mistakes, but she tries her best in just about impossible conditions, and she does it without going 'woe is me' all of the time. She's a strong character.

But who really interested me (I can't say 'liked', since I like Cat better [I pretty much always like main characters best], but he is fascinating in his own right) was Andevai. What was best about him was the slow progression of his character, that as time went on he became more... not fleshed out, exactly (because that would mean that he was poorly characterized in the beginning), but more familiar to the reader, and so we understood more of what is going on in his mind. You read the book and you understand more about him and it's very skillfully done that you don't get whiplash from 'cold arrogant jerk' to, well, still a cold, arrogant jerk, but someone with more depth to him. It was fascinating seeing him evolve, and learning more about him as Cat learns more about him.

The plot is skillfully done. It races along the pages and you find yourself tense when Cat is, and relaxed when she is (though, yes, that doesn't happen as often as she'd like, heh). The character Rory is great, I feel compelled to give him a great giant squeeze of a hug, and I love the addition that he made. What is perhaps one of the best bits is Cat's relationship with her cousin Beatrice, and how strong it is. They love each other and would do whatever they can to protect each other, and it's a relationship that does not flounder, but only grows stronger.

Overall, a very strong book and I look forward to reading the next.(less)

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Jun 30, 2011 Krystle rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I’ve held off on this review for long enough, haven’t I? Well, let’s get started then. Cold Magic is fabulous!

I think the strongest part of the book is the world building. There is great depth and complexity woven through it, created with a great deal of intricate thought. Not only is there an established rank of classes with all its ensuing ramifications (prejudice, the dynamic between the rich and the poor, etc), careful economic considerations (what makes the poor, poorer and what makes the...more I’ve held off on this review for long enough, haven’t I? Well, let’s get started then. Cold Magic is fabulous!

I think the strongest part of the book is the world building. There is great depth and complexity woven through it, created with a great deal of intricate thought. Not only is there an established rank of classes with all its ensuing ramifications (prejudice, the dynamic between the rich and the poor, etc), careful economic considerations (what makes the poor, poorer and what makes the rich, richer, and what the society revolves around), and the complicated battle between science and magic. Or you can take this as an upgraded version of Victorian society which is what the alternate history in this book is based off of.

Also, the author has created a diverse world of many ethnicities, Cat herself being one, and of course, also, Andevai, the male protagonist. But there are many more allusions in the book. It’s awesome. I can totally envision this world as being real and dropping myself in it.

The relationships are also a fantastic high point of the book. I love how close Cat and her cousin, Bee, are in here. They might only be cousins but they were raised almost as sisters and it’s wonderful to see how devoted and loyal they are to both each other no matter what nasty things they encounter along the way. It’s refreshing to see that they keep their love for each other strong and don’t go the way of misunderstandings, misconceptions, and what not to make them vilify the other like some stories do.

Ah, I can’t forget about the romance. Aha, that got your interest did it? It’s actually very subtle and not very prominent in that the focus of the novel shifts away from the main plot to build up their love-love times. I’m quite happy about that. This is no insta-lust/love. It takes them quite a while to grow into their feelings for each other. Mainly because Cat is headstrong and stubborn, but determined, while Andevai is arrogant, detached, and riddled with a superiority complex because of his magical schooling. He is cool to her and not at all friendly but it’s very understandable once you understand the reasons behind his behavior. I’m sure I would behave the same way.

I don’t know why people call this book steampunk, because it’s not really. Except for one instance of a dirigible there really isn’t anything else concrete to make it a steampunk book. Especially since this world is based on/firmly grounded in magic and not on steam-powered creations. Maybe we’ll see more of the steampunk side in the later books, but this is firmly in the fantasy genre for me.

Sometimes the world building does tend to overshadow the narrative at times but the pace of this book is fast and addictive, you won’t really mind it all that much. I’m really curious, though, if Andevai is stated as being cold all the time due to his magic, is he like some… popsicle all the time? Because that is not very… attractive. Haha. But other than that, there are few qualms I have with this book.

This is one of the few books I can see straddling the crossover boundary. It’s not quite YA (she’s 19), but not yet adult. It’s firmly in the middle. A rare breed if I do say so myself.

I love this book! I can’t wait for the next one!(less)

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Jun 02, 2012 Courtney rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

3.5

Honestly, the first half of the book was such a bore and so confusing. It basically dragged where I didn't care much for any of the characters and had no idea how their world worked. The second half was the polar opposite - almost everything was explained at the end and things just got too interesting to stop turning pages. The problem I had with this book was the worldbuilding and dialogue. So many characters in the novel spoke in riddles and I didn't understand a thing. It didn't help that...more

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Mar 02, 2011 Colleen rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fantasy, library-read

I'm not sure what I was expecting this book to be but, whatever it was, what I got wasn't it. I think I expected more historical relevance, more political intrigue, perhaps less romance, though I'm certainly not opposed to romance in a story, and more, well - I think what I expected was for the world-building and the history to be more important to the actual story than it was.

There are times when the history becomes relevant to the story line, like the not travelling abroad during Samhain and t...more

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Colleen So, it's probably weird to add a comment on my own review instead of rewriting the review... but too bad.

As I was commenting on this book in the SFFBC...more
updated Mar 02, 2011 12:54pm

Mayakda How do you do the "view spoiler" thing? It's so cool.

(PS Agree about Andevai -- he had red flags allover the place. I was cheering when Cat ran away.)
Mar 09, 2011 08:55am

Christina (A Reader of Fictions) OMG. This sums up my feelings pretty much perfectly. The beginning was so boring. I only got really interested in the book at about page 370 when Rory...more
Sep 18, 2012 12:32pm

Feb 25, 2012 Michelle rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: sci-fi-fantasy, young-adult

I really enjoyed this book, but not because the writing was so fantastic or the plot was so groundbreaking.

I loved it because it was one of the few entertaining, worth reading sci-fi/fantasy books in which the characters were primarily People of Color.

Cold Magic takes us on a journey with Cat, our protaganist, as she flees her husband (arranged falsely) and those who want to see her dead. During her flight she learns more and more about her heritage, her magic, who she can trust, and who she can...more

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Oct 07, 2011 Robin K added it · review of another edition

Cold Magic is book one of the The Spiritwalker Trilogy. Obviously, I had no preconceived notions about what I was about to read. Absentminded as I began. Thus started my journey with the heroine, Cat. Through Cat's average day as a college girl I was introduce to her family, her life and her culture. But this is no simple tale and certainly no simple girl.

The character development was astounding. From impoverished workers to arrogant mages to amusing long lost relatives, no one was insignificant...more Cold Magic is book one of the The Spiritwalker Trilogy. Obviously, I had no preconceived notions about what I was about to read. Absentminded as I began. Thus started my journey with the heroine, Cat. Through Cat's average day as a college girl I was introduce to her family, her life and her culture. But this is no simple tale and certainly no simple girl.

The character development was astounding. From impoverished workers to arrogant mages to amusing long lost relatives, no one was insignificant. Every small detail is critical to understanding the dynamics of the society in Cold Magic. Very quickly I found that this book was going to take a bit more concentration to appreciate all of the intricate details. These small and sometimes seemingly unimportant nuances are what made the book so remarkable. I relished in all of the quips and turns of the characters.

The characters are strong willed, independent, resourceful and often times lovingly stubborn. Cat and her cousin begin the story very sure of themselves and their place in the world. Each character has a function, a place and importance to the story. The adventure turns Cat's world around and takes from her everything she knew about her world while introducing new characters along the way. I loved seeing the strength and loyalty of Cat. Learning about her character almost as she herself discovered who and what she was.

The setting is described in rich detail. From countryside to city blocks the world comes alive from the pages. Much as any epic fantasy should (which is how I would label this book) the setting of the story is as important as the characters living in it. I cannot imagine the painstaking effort that goes into creating worlds from scratch. From dress, food, religion and transportation Cold Magic was written with incredible vision. I can still clearly imagine the academy, airship and mills. Extraordinary.

Cold Magic is a fantasy adventure with a touch of steampunk, science fiction and romance. The pages resonate Kate's passion for the characters and their honorable quests. Self sacrifice, hard truths and ambition drive the book. Cold Magic reminded me how true heroes and heroines come to be, without loosing their spirit or love of life. I cannot wait to adventure again with Cat in the next book, Cold Fire.(less)

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Jan 23, 2012 Cornelia rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I loved this Steampunk fantasy. As the one line front cover blurb reads - "When Sceince and Magic Collide - it is the inocent who will die. Kate Elliott refers to Cold Magic as “a mash-up of an Afro-Celtic post-Roman, icepunk Regency novel with airships, Phoenician spies, and the intelligent descendents of troodons" I found it a riveting adventure bursting with mystic fantasy. The writing is exquisite and the plot is worked with ingenuous creativity. I loved it. I highly recommend Cold Magic.

I d...more

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May 05, 2013 Vicki rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I liked this book a lot and will probably spend the money for the next two in the trilogy. Although the book does not end on a cliffhanger and could work as a stand alone.

This is,to my mind, a YA and somewhere along the steampunk line, though not exactly steam punk. Certainly fantasy.

Cat is an orphan, living with her aunt and uncle and her cousin Bee who is her closest friend. The society is reminiscent of Victorian and also Industrial Revolution times. They are still students but within days...more

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Apr 21, 2013 Lindsay Pittman rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: must-read

I plucked this book off the shelf without ever having read Kate Elliott before. The title and cover drew me in, so I turned it over.

Know first that I am a voracious reader with little money in my budget for books. So for me to add this book to the bundle I held after reading the back was a big deal. I set down two books from authors I know and love because when I read the back of the book, I thought it was exactly the sort of thing I would like.

And man, was I ever right. From the beginning, El...more I plucked this book off the shelf without ever having read Kate Elliott before. The title and cover drew me in, so I turned it over.

Know first that I am a voracious reader with little money in my budget for books. So for me to add this book to the bundle I held after reading the back was a big deal. I set down two books from authors I know and love because when I read the back of the book, I thought it was exactly the sort of thing I would like.

And man, was I ever right. From the beginning, Elliott had be enthralled with the alternate history she'd built. I loved the role she made for women, the ethnic jumble and the reasoning behind it, the religion and tradition she wove into everyday actions. Blessed Tanit, it was good.

Cat is a well-rounded, strong and somewhat rebellious but not flamboyant character and I liked that about her. I connected with her immediately and continued to turn page after page to see what she would do next.

The more I learned about her cousin, Bee, the more I thought that the author could have gone with either one of them as the main character, as both are strong and captivating women. This, I find, is a rare thing. Most secondary characters are made that way for a reason. Even if their problems take up center stage, when reading them you know that you wouldn't quite like the book as much if they were in the limelight instead. Not so with Bee, though I admit I do love Cat, her means of thinking, and her abilities enough that I'm glad Elliott chose to write from her perspective.

By the time we met Cat's brother Rory, I was recommending this book to my husband. Rory had me in stitches with his tomcatting ways. I feared for him every time Cat did the same, and let out sighs of relief when she did upon seeing him again.

Then there's Andevai. The frosty cold mage who takes Cat to wife. Despite the circumstances which lead her to distrust him, I was Team Andevai the whole way. In little things, like when he spoke with her and absentmindedly picked off her plate, I knew that he wasn't as cruelhearted as he pretended to be. (view spoiler) From the very beginning when he and Cat were bound together in marriage through irreversible magic, I wanted him to be a man she could eventually fall in love with. I'm glad Elliott delivered that.

But to be perfectly honest, the thing which is going to make me set aside money to gobble up one of her other series isn't only the quality of the writing and the story set in these 580 pages. It's also Kate Elliott herself. Because when I like something, I tend to become something of a fangirl. I shout from the rooftops, but I also let the author know exactly how much I enjoyed it. Many authors don't respond back at all. Not so with Elliott. She is not only approachable, but enthusiastic in her responses.

Someday I might be lucky enough to meet her in person at a signing, but for now I'll stick with stalking her on Twitter and getting my hands on as many books of hers as I can!

The moral of the story: COLD MAGIC is a book well worth buying. I guarantee you'll like it! (less)

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Apr 10, 2013 Dianna Richards rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This was a Amazon Deal of the Day, but I would have purchased it anyway (eventually) as I am a fan of Kate Elliott's Crown of Star series, as well as Jaran (which sadly we will never see the rest of the series for).

I've heard it referred to as "Icepunk", but on the whole the focus of this book is more magic, and not on magnificent devices. Elliott presents a world very similar to our own, but very different as well. The Princes rule in the cities, centers of learning and creativity; areas at the...more

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Feb 03, 2013 Cécile Cristofari rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: steampunk

Although it was a fairly hefty book with more than a few flaws, I didn't feel time pass while reading it. The haracters were annoying but likeable, the setting convincing in spite of its unlikeliness, and there was a sense of urgency to the plot that did its job of making me want to know what came next. Just what you expect of a popular adventure novel, in short.

The steampunk setting is made of bits and pieces, with a more-or-less convincing alternate-history rationale behind it (a balance of p...more

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Nov 11, 2012 Stuart Macmartin rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2012, fantasy

Solid world building, characters to care about. I liked that the details were exposed rather than told. Things Cat knew we would know because she knew them, not because of some narrative thrown in. So we got to know the people and the world and from there the politics and things that are not as they seem.

(-- reading other reviews, it seems I had a different reaction than others did. Yes some details were repeated mostly as reminders, but I never got the sense of plot...timeout to show off histor...more

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Sep 24, 2012 JJ DeBenedictis rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I quite enjoyed this novel, although I had a bit of trouble getting into it to begin with. The book doesn't have much in the way of stakes for about the first 80 pages (it's a big book, though), but it's well-written and the characters are engaging.

The protagonist is bright and lively, and she has a nice amount of magic--not so much as to make her life easy, but enough to give her options the bad guys don't expect. She solves most of her problems with intelligence and courage, and the magic just...more

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Sep 24, 2012 FantasyWereld rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: volwassenen

Het is het einde van de achttiende eeuw en Europa staat op een tweesprong. Aan de ene kant zijn er de conservatieve koude magiërs die tegen iedere vorm van innovatie lijken te zijn; aan de andere staan de radicalen met hun technologische en sociale revolutie. Catherine Hassi Barahal en haar nichtje Beatrice krijgen hier weinig van mee. Ze gaan naar school, fluisteren over jongens en leiden een normaal leven als Kena’ani tienermeisjes. Catherine, die Cat wordt genoemd, woont bij Beatrice, die ze...more

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Mar 27, 2012 Fade rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The worldbuilding in this book is brilliant, and is the strongest reason to recommend it. It's half our-world-with-magic, half historical AU, and all intricately realized. The cultures and places described leap off the page in fully plausible ways, and then interact with each other with all the friction and assimilation and syncretism you'd expect out of a really good fantasy novel.

The characters are moderately engaging; I appreciate that the female protagonist gets to have a good female friend,...more

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Mar 22, 2012 Muccamukk rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. set in an alternate, ice-age bound Europe, with magic and Phoenicians. I have mixed feelings about it. I thought the world building was fantastic and beautifully thought out. I would hold it up as an example of how to do somewhat-steampunk alternate histories right. I found the protagonist engaging, and the politics felt real to me (for what I got to know of them, as it's the first book in a trilogy), and never info dumpy. One of the main reasons I read through so quickly is that I wanted to lea...more

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Feb 02, 2012 Rachel rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I always love the first books in Kate Elliott’s series. She does such a wonderful job of creating strong, unique characters and an interesting world. I expected to love this beginning of a new series, but it was only so-so for me.

As expected the world was different (alternate reality Europa during the Napoleonic wars with a strong African influence) and well thought out. The war / power struggle is between European royal families, Mage house, and the common people. It would have been interesting...more I always love the first books in Kate Elliott’s series. She does such a wonderful job of creating strong, unique characters and an interesting world. I expected to love this beginning of a new series, but it was only so-so for me.

As expected the world was different (alternate reality Europa during the Napoleonic wars with a strong African influence) and well thought out. The war / power struggle is between European royal families, Mage house, and the common people. It would have been interesting except I always felt like it was only three legs of a four-legged stool. Where was religion? We’re given Europa history without a single mention of the might of the Catholic Church or reformers (or Kate Elliot versions of the previous). And the lack was too noticeable to me.

I also had a hard time with the language. It felt rather modern, although this might be because one of my favorite fantasy series is set in the same time period and that author made a point of having the characters speak (especially) in an era-appropriate fashion. In the back of my mind I kept noticing the difference (which is that really Kate Elliot's fault? Probably not, but it bugged me.)

I really liked the male characters especially Andevai (the hero to the protag’s heroine and love interest). I kind of saw him as Ilya ten years before the start of the Jaran book. I also loved the heroine’s brother and the trolls. But Cat (the heroine) was only okay for me. And I didn’t like Bee (Cat’s cousin) who I felt upstaged Cat anytime they shared a scene. In a lot of ways, this was more Bee’s book that Cat’s. The climax is ALL about Bee with Cat as an observer.

There were also several plot holes where I found myself asking ‘Why didn’t she just…’

But my biggest problem? My biggest problem is that I don’t trust Kate Elliot as an author, and that was in the back of my mind the entire book. I don’t trust her to finish the series (Jaran). I don’t trust her to build a series arc around the characters she opens with (Crown of Stars). More than anything I don’t trust her to keep to an emotionally satisfying romance arc. Cat comes from a (at last historically) polyandry culture. Andevai comes from a polygyny culture. This all is underscored too much to not catch on my radar.

I get that Kate Elliot likes to (and is) exploring cultures different from modern western civilizations (this is one of the reasons I love her books). I get that in real life cultures live in polygamous relationships. I’m fine with it. But, I get grossed out by mixing western ideals of romance with polygamous relationships. And since Jaran had three-somes and Crown of Stars had long-term adultery, I’m not sure I want to know where she is going with Andevai and Cat (who are in a forced marriage but clearly intended for love). Especially as I felt some romantic tension between Cat and another male character. Ewwww….

So will I read the next book in the series? I’m undecided. I LOVED her book Jaran, but I almost wished I’d never read on because of the things that happened to the romance in the rest of the series. (And these are NOT romance novels, but messing with a marriage relationship destroys the characters for me.) This book is not Jaran. Cat is not Tess. It may not be worth it.
(less)

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Jan 10, 2012 Katie rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book is so FRUSTRATING

I mean, interesting premise: Steampunky alternate Europe in which there is widespread multicultural cross-pollination and ~magic~. Check!

Great characters: Headstrong young lady who has been sadly misinformed about herself for most of her life, and a Harlequin-worthy hatemance with the spoiled Cold Mage she's forced to marry and who is Not All What He Seems. Check!

But on the other hand--

Plot: Hello, yoo-hoo, plot? Where are you? Look at the cover blurb:

"Young Cat Baraha...more

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Dec 18, 2011 Jo rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Ephemeral are the ties that bind. Kin and kinship are not what they used to be. Not since the X-Files has a protagonist had better reason to trust no one. These and other shadowy portents can be found cleverly woven into every page of Kate Elliott’s Cold Magic. Though situated in the (by this point) quite familiar mid-Nineteenth Century Industrial Revolution (what would be Victorian England in another novel), everything else about the story’s setting is bereft of familiarity. Europa has been spl...more Ephemeral are the ties that bind. Kin and kinship are not what they used to be. Not since the X-Files has a protagonist had better reason to trust no one. These and other shadowy portents can be found cleverly woven into every page of Kate Elliott’s Cold Magic. Though situated in the (by this point) quite familiar mid-Nineteenth Century Industrial Revolution (what would be Victorian England in another novel), everything else about the story’s setting is bereft of familiarity. Europa has been split into two (and soon to be three) warring factions: the princes and royal lineage aristocracy, and that of the mage Houses, who rule by threat of annihilation. While the princes rule through standing armies, each mage House wields its own arsenal of magisters, djeliw and mansa (the equivalent of mages, clerics and sorcerers). After centuries of power plays the war is coming to a head as a third group, the rebellious proletariat made up of serfs, slaves, sweatshop workers and trolls (who’ve recently emigrated from the Western continents) enter the fray. Into this maelstrom steps our protagonist, Catherine Hassi Barahal, an orphan brought up in her aunt and uncle’s house in a city called Adurnam. Catherine is Phoenician, their seafaring empire having fought Rome to a standstill in this universe, and has their mercenary training in swordsmanship. Despite her otherwise unremarkable college life, Catherine soon finds herself embroiled in the ongoing war when a magister from one of the mage Houses appears and absconds with her after a shocking blackmail her aunt and uncle were willing participants to. Now Catherine must live on the run, under fire from all sides and seek to uncover her true heritage and her connection to the mythical spirit realm.

Whew. Although I normally would never write a plot synopsis as part of a book review, I find it nearly impossible to discuss Cold Magic without preamble. As our author explains in her afterward, Cold Magic is a mashup of disparate cultures and ideas from far flung places and eras (such as the Celts, the Mande, Phoenicians and medieval serfdom). It seems somehow appropriate that Elliott should choose the European Industrial Revolution as the nexus for a jumble of hodge-podge ethnicity and religion. To be sure, the unreal and surreal are ever-present in the “spiritwalker” universe, and Elliott effectively marries abstraction to the trials and tribulations of an unconventional spitfire young woman.

Ironically however, magisters and magic have been given too great a presence in Cold Magic. Though the plot points do not necessarily resemble HP, by giving magic and whirlwind adventure too great a presence in the novel, Elliott undermines her lovely anthropological construct. In her own words, Cold Magic is an “Afro-Celtic post-Roman icepunk Regency novel with airships, Phoencian spies and intelligent descendents of troödons,” and one has to believe that anthropology factors greatly into the book’s makeup. Sadly the reader is swept along at such a breakneck pace, jumping from one death-defying near miss to another with barely a bowl of soup and a change of clothes (and no tea time) in between, one may fail to take notice of the prominent placement of ancient religious and cultural elements. Cold Magic might have the power to inspire young people to visit archaeological museums, but the story itself is far from an ethnography. Historical events and peoples have been often renamed and repositioned and unless a teenager already has a keen interest in world history, she would have a tough time recognizing the presence of Napoleon Bonaparte in the story, let alone Gadir, Tyre, Carthage, Iron Age Celt, Mali, the list goes on. My fervent hope is these peoples were sufficiently present and enigmatic in the book to force a reader to keep a browser open to Wikipedia, but then again such research could be easily sidestepped in favor of illusions and cantrips and well-dressed guys being chivalrous.

Apart from its excellent ethnographic elements, I greatly enjoyed Elliott’s lifelike characterization, excellent foreshadowing and occasional couplet. Cold Magic is truly an enjoyable slipstream fantasy with a lovable female protagonist, fascinating locales and a penchant for blurring the boundaries of friend and foe. I love that Cold Magic brings into question the extent of kinship and loyalty under mortal duress and forces the reader to constantly question what’s real and what’s illusion (though I would be ecstatic to see this element pushed in later novels). I was tickled by the occasional use of steampunk, but Elliott was right to leave it behind in favor of her own more compelling mythos. Though decidedly heteronomative, Cold Magic reveres unconventional thinking and questioning the validity of the status quo. The use of ice and the natural world favorably juxtaposes the very real dystopia of the Industrial Revolution, child labor and arranged marriage.

In short, although Cold Magic brings to mind silent edifice, dusty tombs and archaeology, it’s far less boring than those things. Recommended for any who enjoy storytelling, realistic magic and unafraid young women of destiny.(less)

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Dec 06, 2011 Fangs for the Fantasy rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: kate-elliott

Cold Magic is the first book in the Spiritwalker trilogy. As with all new books in a series, it is necessary to do some world building to properly set the story for a reader. Unfortunately, Elliott's approach was heavy handed and boring, because she ignored the adage of show and not tell. At times it felt like being immersed in a history lesson about people, wars, and countries that as a reader, I could care less about. Approximately, the first 100 pages is dedicated to world building and this m...more Cold Magic is the first book in the Spiritwalker trilogy. As with all new books in a series, it is necessary to do some world building to properly set the story for a reader. Unfortunately, Elliott's approach was heavy handed and boring, because she ignored the adage of show and not tell. At times it felt like being immersed in a history lesson about people, wars, and countries that as a reader, I could care less about. Approximately, the first 100 pages is dedicated to world building and this makes the story exceedingly boring to read. At one point, I was tempted to put the book down, and simply give it a DNF. It should not take 100 pages to begin telling a story.

Cold Magic is a steampunk novel in which magic and technology are clearly at war with each other. The cold mages demand patronage of the people for protection and in return, the people are virtually enslaved and must exchange their labour. Technology holds the promise of freedom from the oppressors. The people seek voting rights as they were formed in ancient Rome as well as the ability to profit from their own labour. There are far too many clans to list in this review and they are often difficult to remember as one reads the story.

For all of their belief in technology, the people are very spiritual. Beneath the world that is readily visible is another realm of magic. In this realm a dragon dreams and these dreams effect the faith of the waking world. Fantastical creatures exist there whose purpose is as of yet unexplained.

In this world lives Catherine Bell Barahal and her beloved cousin Bee. They are both believe that that they are the descendants of the Hassi Barahal clan. The Hassi Barahal's began as messengers but quickly became spies. When the populace attempted to over throw the cruel rule of the cold mages led by Camjiata the rebellion was crushed placing the Hassi Barahal family in grave danger because of the potential of their activities becoming public knowledge and so a deal was struck whereby the eldest daughter of the Hassi Barahal clan would be forced to marry a cold mage of the four moon house before the age of majority. Days before reaching the age of majority, Andevai, an incredibly strong cold mage arrives to claim her. Catherine is whisked from the home of the only family she has ever known and married off in a ceremony that binds her to Andevai using unbreakable magic.

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Nov 10, 2011 Meg rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: epic-fantasy, fantasy-romance, steampunk, alternate-history

COLD MAGIC is a fantastic cross-genre epic, bringing together themes from epic fantasy, romantic fantasy, steampunk, and alternative history to snare readers for hours. I was 100% sucked into this world, reading the first two 500+ page installments in less than a week. If the third was available, I’d be reading that one right now too!

Catherine Hassi Barahal is a young woman raised in a family known for its skill as merchants of information...in other words, spies. She’s trained to use a blade an...more COLD MAGIC is a fantastic cross-genre epic, bringing together themes from epic fantasy, romantic fantasy, steampunk, and alternative history to snare readers for hours. I was 100% sucked into this world, reading the first two 500+ page installments in less than a week. If the third was available, I’d be reading that one right now too!

Catherine Hassi Barahal is a young woman raised in a family known for its skill as merchants of information...in other words, spies. She’s trained to use a blade and keep secrets both for her family, but more importantly for herself. Born with unheard of abilities to disappear in plain site, hear beyond human ability, and see in the dark, Catherine is very much the Cat that everyone calls her. But her most important secret is one that even she doesn’t know. When the cold mage comes to claim her, Cat is drawn into a chaotic adventure that slowly reveals the truth about her history and lays the path of the future.

Characters: ***** 5 Stars
I adored the characters in COLD MAGIC. Cat is fully believable, and someone that I would probably be great friends with if I ever met her in person. She’s feisty and talks too much, but she’s also loyal, hard-working, and has a vulnerable core that endeared her to me. Her cousin, Beatrice (Bee), is similarly well-rounded. Also loyal, Bee is a much better actress and knows how to use her feminine charms to get what she wants. The two together make a perfect team. Meanwhile, the cold mage, Andevai (Vai), is just what he sounds: cold. He’s haughty and rude, paying little attention to the physical needs and emotional turmoil of his hapless bride. However, every once in awhile, you get a glimpse of the real man underneath the cold mask, and by the end of the book I have to admit I was rooting for him.

Plot: **** 4 Stars
Betrayed by her family and married off to the cold mage, Cat’s adventure is just beginning. There are enough twists and turns to keep it interesting despite the length of the novel. I will admit that a few of the twists were obvious chapters in advance of their revelation, and occasionally I was frustrated that Cat wasn’t figuring things out faster, but it was never enough to make me want to put the book down, even for a moment!

Setting: ***** 5 Stars
The alternate earth setting is drawn with fine detail and attention to our earth’s history. Kate Elliott must have done a great deal of research in preparation for world building, because the quality of the descriptions and integration of backstory is unparalleled.

Romance: **** 4 Stars
I’m giving the romance less than 5 stars for one reason and one reason only: Cat, though confused about her feelings, still doesn’t trust or like Vai at the end of the book. I have a strong feeling this is going to change (okay, I already read the second installment, but I’m reviewing that separately) but I couldn’t give a full 5 stars when the romantic interest isn’t at least partially gratified by the end. That being said, I loved the slow-build as Vai’s true nature is revealed, and Cat’s conflicting emotions. In the full arc of the trilogy, I expect great things from the two of them.

Genre - Multiple: ***** 5 Stars
This may be the first book I’ve read that crosses more than two genres. Certainly it’s epic fantasy: it’s a cross country adventure with magic and trolls and a parallel spiritworld. It’s also steampunk with a conflict between the old magical order and the new technologies rising from the Amerikes. There’s a potential for a strong romance between Cat and Andevai, and the the novel also takes place in an “alternate earth” setting. Regardless, Kate Elliott does a wonderful job tying together these elements and creating a story that fits into all and none of these.(less)

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Oct 19, 2011 Deborah Ross rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I love it when a book (or in this case, a series) is such a whopping good story, with a world so vivid and characters so engaging that the distinctions between adult and juvenile readerships disappear. In praising this book, I feel as if I'm adding my voice to multitudes or preaching to the choir. Anyone who's read Kate Elliott's other work has experienced her superb world-building. Now we've got a not-quite-Europe, a zesty melange of Phoenicians and Africans -- not the abused, exploited slaves...more

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Sep 25, 2011 Annie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

If ever there is a book written about a quest, it should be about my quest this year for finding new fantasy books I like. Okay, no one other than me probably cares, but it is a story of disappointment punctuated by bright moments of triumph.

"Cold Magic" was one of those bright moments. I'm not sure why; in some ways, it has a lot of what other books I've abandoned contain. There's a heroine, there's another world, there's a prophecy, there's magic. Cat, the main character, is an orphan who find...more

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Sep 23, 2011 Katy rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I really liked the story. Unfortunately, I didn't like the delivery. I felt too many words were being used to accomplish nothing and it really dragged the story down. It really should have been like 300 pages shorter.

In the beginning, I really struggled with reading... like REALLY struggled. It was wordy, troublesome and boring. I read until Chapter 6 and was about to give up. To be honest, if I hadn't gone back to read some of the reviews on Good Reads, I would have given up. But there was prom...more

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Aug 16, 2011 Mei-Lu rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I just have to take a moment to rant. I know we're not supposed to be judging books by covers, and actually it's rarely an issue for me as I usually buy ebooks now, but I've been stocking up on paperbacks with the Borders sale and so I had to deal with the cover of this book. I hate it. It's cheesy, it's YA and the girl on the cover looks NOTHING like Cat is described in the book. Cat has long, straight black hair, amber eyes and an olive complexion. She sounds a bit... ethnic. This girl looks l...more

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May 31, 2011 Christine Edison rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: magicians-and-mrs-quent

The premise of this book is really original, and it's clear that the author spent a great deal of time world building, because the world she's constructed is large and complex. It's set in a parallel universe in which Rome didn't fall, and the story is set near the Victorian steampunk era. The problem is that I'm not sure the world was explained particularly well and it was hard to believe this is the first book in a trilogy instead of a later volume.

I appreciate the author's efforts not to dum...more

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About Kate Elliott

As a child in rural Oregon, Kate Elliott made up stories because she longed to escape to a world of lurid adventure fiction. She now writes fantasy, steampunk, and science fiction, often with a romantic edge. It should therefore come as no surprise that she met her future husband in a sword fight.

When he gave up police work to study archaeology, they and their three children fell into an entirely...more

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Quotes from Cold Magic

“I will either find a way, or make one.” — 10 people liked it

“A kiss can be like the world turning over. It can be like the tide of a dragon's dream washing through the unseen world that is hidden to mortal eyes but that nevertheless permeates our being. It can be hot and cold together, as vast as the heavens and yet specific to the pressure of hands and the parting of lips. It raised more intense feelings than I had expected, like being engulfed in a storm of lightning.” — 7 people liked it

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Cold Magic (Spiritwalker #1)

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