The Barnes & Noble Review
Nebula Award–winning author Catherine Asaro, renowned for her epic science fiction saga of the Skolian Empir...
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Feb 02, 2012
Carrie
rated it: 
This book has an interesting concept and was a long read. It could have used a better editor, however. There were discrepancies in the timeline, issues with name changes, some issues with incorrect usages and spellings that a spellcheck wouldn't have caught, but a good beta reader might have. Editing would have helped and I wouldn't have been pulled as quickly out of the story. I think that was really what bothered me most.
The concept of the shapes and colours forming spells was inter More...
The concept of the shapes and colours forming spells was inter More...
Jul 06, 2010
Harmonybites
rated it: 
The cover claimed Asaro was a Nebula Award winner and her biography that she was a physicist. Given that, I had high expectations for this book--I hoped for great writing and a fresh take on fantasy. I was disappointed; I never found the novel better than mediocre.
The characters, plot and style came across to me as pure romance aisle--and that's not a compliment with me. Even the names of the female protagonist and her love were eye-rolling: Chime Headwind and Muller Startower Hepta More...
The characters, plot and style came across to me as pure romance aisle--and that's not a compliment with me. Even the names of the female protagonist and her love were eye-rolling: Chime Headwind and Muller Startower Hepta More...
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Nov 13, 2009
Rebecca
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Feb 06, 2011
Pkirby
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Aug 17, 2011
Angela
rated it: 
I found The Charmed Sphere in my favorite second hand book store and I couldn't put it down. When I went to look for more like it, I was delighted to find it was a series and I lucked out to have started with the first one. I've loved all of them. I thought I would tire of the plots from book to book but they differ so to the point that even though they are similar in nature, they are still fresh and new and intriguing to read. I was unable to put them book down till the last page.
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Dec 05, 2008
Jessi
rated it: 
This book has a very compelling story. The good characters had so much depth. I really felt I could get inside their heads. They all had some complex that made them feel more human. I also loved the way magic is used in the story. It was so unique to me. I have never heard of using shapes and colors for magic as the author describes. The author also has nice writing style that is easy to understand, especially after reading a book where a third of the words were old English. That is very helpful
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Apr 06, 2008
Mary-Beth
rated it:
This was a decent book with an unusual premise for the rules of magic spells used by the characters. Shape mages use perfect shapes, like pyramids, spheres and cubes to cast spells. Different colours of shapes indicate different types of spells.
Something odd about the novel was the way in which time flew. Often months and years pass in which nothing of note occurs. This is probably realistic, but given the characters are supposed to be experiencing crises over these periods of time, More...
Something odd about the novel was the way in which time flew. Often months and years pass in which nothing of note occurs. This is probably realistic, but given the characters are supposed to be experiencing crises over these periods of time, More...
Sep 05, 2011
Derrick
rated it:
A world where magic is defined by shape [for power] and color[for type]. A really cool premise. A small kingdom is under threat from a neighboring kingdom and must use its mages to supplement it's army. So it sounded good.
Then I met the characters. Bunch of whiny, pansy, selfish, no self confidence bunch of pathetic losers. The characters teenager'ish angst and self-doubt completely ruined this book for me. It was not enjoyable and I will not be reading any more by Asara.
Then I met the characters. Bunch of whiny, pansy, selfish, no self confidence bunch of pathetic losers. The characters teenager'ish angst and self-doubt completely ruined this book for me. It was not enjoyable and I will not be reading any more by Asara.
Nov 19, 2011
Karen
rated it:
This fantasy novel confused me a bit - the corniness of certain elements (the way that magic works via colors and shapes, the character names, the ridiculous military formations, the absurd coincidences, etc) led me to think this surely must be a children's books, but the romance arc definitely didn't feel like a children's book. Despite the many flaws I did somehow get drawn in - so although I was rolling my eyes quite a bit, I still wanted to read on.
May 25, 2010
Conor
rated it: 
Not a lot to say.
On the 2nd page I read the line "The stately procession crested the ridge like a wave of people", and it only went downhill from there.
I gave it a 100 pages to pick up, but it never got close to redeeming itself.
Two dimensional characters plus a rather stale fantasy setting and a fairly dull (even if original) take on magic. It all adds up for a pretty bad read.
Needless to say, I won't be reading the sequel.
On the 2nd page I read the line "The stately procession crested the ridge like a wave of people", and it only went downhill from there.
I gave it a 100 pages to pick up, but it never got close to redeeming itself.
Two dimensional characters plus a rather stale fantasy setting and a fairly dull (even if original) take on magic. It all adds up for a pretty bad read.
Needless to say, I won't be reading the sequel.
Aug 10, 2011
This book actually has a really cool way for using magic. It was written by a woman who majored in physics, and the magicians use shapes and color to channel their power. The higher the color (in a rainbow scale i.e. ROY G BIV) the more power. The more sides a prism has the more power can be channelled through it. So a really powerful magician would wield his power through say, a violet icosahedron. Very interesting.
Apr 14, 2007
Debbie
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This is the first full-length novel by the author I've read. I've been meaning to read other books by Asaro, and have read stories by her and have loved them but for some reason, this is the first book of her's I've picked up. The beginning was a bit slow, but I think that was because I had read "Moonglow" in Charmed Destinies which was basically retelling the first part of the book from different perspectives. I was interesting, though, to see that Chime had a different side than that
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Jul 29, 2011
This was the book that started my reading off in my adult life. It gave me back my laugh at a time when i thought i would never smile again. It rekindle my love for books and I have been reading most of what i can get my hands on ever since. It is a very interesting story. You should try it out.
Dec 15, 2011
Alexander
rated it:
I did not finish the book. It is thick and might look intimidating but it is suprisingly easy to follow and understand. Although I did get half way through the book and it got repetative to me because it was about love and stuff like that. Overall I would like to pick up where I left off.
Jul 15, 2011
Tara
rated it:
It's not a perfect book, but I really enjoyed this one. It's very sweet, the four main characters each have a nice arc, and the magic system was new, but worked well for me. I'd recommend it, but especially because it's a good lead-in to the next book, which is even better.
Jul 01, 2009
Wealhtheow
rated it:
Terrible. Lines like, "She quirked one of her perfect eyebrows at him" and "Telli laughed, her melodic voice chiming like bells," and of course, "willowy curves." God help us all. Some of the most cliched, boring piece of fantasy I have ever laughed at.
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Jan 30, 2010
Greymalkin
rated it:
Interesting idea for magic- although it was too hard not to think of things like D&D dice when she was describing the shapes. I wish they'd done more with the idea of "flawed" shapes. The bigotry was a little too much. Romance was just ok.
Oct 13, 2007
Soopi
rated it:
I read this book because I really enjoyed science fiction novels by this author. I didn't think this was as good - it seemed a bit contrived and/or lacking in direction. It think Ms Asaro's strong point is her science. But I can't say it was horrible because I've bought two others in the cycle.
It is basically a fantasy (read the blurb) but later on there are the tiniest hints of how the universe of these characters could have a connection to this one.
Each book in the cycle seems to More...
It is basically a fantasy (read the blurb) but later on there are the tiniest hints of how the universe of these characters could have a connection to this one.
Each book in the cycle seems to More...
Jan 31, 2008
Linda
rated it:
This is the first Fantasy Romantica I've read, so I really don't have a basis for comparison. So standing on its own, at first it intimidated me with all the talk about shapes and spells and such (reminded me of math and numbers...not my strong suit). But I kept reading because it's a fantasy romantica and I wanted to get the feel for it since what I'm writing now COULD end up a fantasy romantica or it could be a fantasy romance, depending on where my characters take me. Anyway, after a while
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Apr 01, 2010
Token Female Gamer
rated it:
This book deserves more of a two and half rating.
I can't say I liked it very much. The writing drove me absolutely up the wall. Some of the ideas were neat, and the story was sort of interesting, but the characters were about as dry as a sheet of paper.
It took me about three hundred pages to really get into it and for about a hundred pages it was quite pleasant. Then it was back to the usual irritation.
Nothing surprising happens the entire book.
I can't say I liked it very much. The writing drove me absolutely up the wall. Some of the ideas were neat, and the story was sort of interesting, but the characters were about as dry as a sheet of paper.
It took me about three hundred pages to really get into it and for about a hundred pages it was quite pleasant. Then it was back to the usual irritation.
Nothing surprising happens the entire book.
Jan 26, 2010
Belcantomom
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This was so life affirming after I had read Mists of Avalon. I loved it. Pretty steamy, though. Although, I knew it was published by Luna when I picked it up... :-)
Apr 02, 2009
Shannon
rated it:
Very quick, easy read.
Not the greatest thing out there, but just a bit of PG-13 fantasy/romance if you don't want to think for a few hours. :)
Not the greatest thing out there, but just a bit of PG-13 fantasy/romance if you don't want to think for a few hours. :)
Feb 06, 2008
April
rated it:
This book is a guilty pleasure of mine and is the book that launched my interest in this fantasy-romance series. The main character is capriciously likable. I can still remember how savory the descriptions of the orchards were at the beginning of the book, though a long time has passed since I first read it.
Actually it was the cover art by Stephanie Pui-Mun Law that drew me to choosing this book in the first place. Since then, I've made it a point to follow these characters thro More...
Actually it was the cover art by Stephanie Pui-Mun Law that drew me to choosing this book in the first place. Since then, I've made it a point to follow these characters thro More...
Jun 05, 2009
Laura
rated it:
Interesting world building, I like the magic system set up that uses both shapes and colors to express spells.
May 18, 2010
Kharm
rated it:
I read this book a long time ago and just picked up the third. Re-reading is in order.
Nov 06, 2011
Gail
rated it:
Very good story with shapes and colors the basis of the magic. The best shapemage (usually female) in the land is required to marry the king or the king’s heir. Chime falls in love with Muller, the heir-designate, then another shapemage is found who just might be better than Chime. Then a severely handicapped young man is found who just might be the king’s missing grandson. Add in an evil sorcerer, a greedy king in a neighboring kingdom and the secret Muller is hiding, and you wind up with a ban
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