Masques

Jul 22, 2008 M— rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: reviewed

ETA July 2010:
Release date for the Masques reissue is set for October of this year! The sequel, Wolfsbane, will be released in November. New Briggs books in time for Christmas I cannot wait!

http://www.patriciabriggs.com/

Original Review, April 2007:
Oh, this book has given me grief.

This author is a favorite of mine and, with the notable exception of Masques, I have copies of all of her books. Masques, you see, is out of print.

When I first discovered Briggs, I did what I do with any new infatuation...more

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Nov 17, 2010 Lisa MH rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

If you've never read Patricia Priggs, please, dear God, please don't start with this book. I love Briggs. She's one of my favorite authors. I have not read her other straight fantasy books, but her urban fantasy series are on my 'instant buy' lists. She is an amazing writer. Unfortunately, this doesn't reflect her current skill.

This was her first novel, originally written twenty (or so) years ago. In her introduction, Briggs states she did not know much about writing then. She tried to polish th...more If you've never read Patricia Priggs, please, dear God, please don't start with this book. I love Briggs. She's one of my favorite authors. I have not read her other straight fantasy books, but her urban fantasy series are on my 'instant buy' lists. She is an amazing writer. Unfortunately, this doesn't reflect her current skill.

This was her first novel, originally written twenty (or so) years ago. In her introduction, Briggs states she did not know much about writing then. She tried to polish this story up for the re-release, without taking anything away (she admits, "...much as it sometimes pained me."). This book was re-released to prepare for its sequel's release. I also imagine there was fan demand for her original book, since it was out of print.

Masques suffers a lot from the story being told, not shown. Instead of descibing a character's illness becoming worse (wracking cough, body aches, chills, sweating), its if the illness gets worse, so-and-so will die. And that happens throughout the entire book. I was description starved.

The main character was a bit Mary Sue-ish. (If you're unsure what a Mary Sue is, follow this link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Sue .) Nothing really phased her. When her male counterpart told her about his horrible past, internally she was bothered, but she had just the right response for his confession. In fact, in pretty much every situation, she had just the right words to say. And she was incessently cheerful and playful. I like happy characters. I like funny characters. And people do joke around to lighten the mood during stressful times. But not always. There were scenes where it was just unrealistic. Or it happened too much. At some point the stress has to get to you.

And a personal pet peeve of mine: when a main character's name is similar to a Lord of the Rings charater (or any other classic literary character). I think she could have been a bit more original than Aralorn.

If this had not been written by Patricia Briggs, I probably wouldn't have finished it. I read the excerpt for the sequel, Wolfsbane, and it looks like some of my issues I mentioned are gone (except the name, she really can't change her main character's name). I will probably either buy the sequel or at least check it out at the library. Briggs is a fantastic writer now, and I look forward to what she can do with these characters with her improved skills.

Follow my reviews at Urban Fantasies Read and Reviewed.(less)

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Apr 18, 2012 Melissa Proffitt rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: flawed, fantasy, action-adventure, sword-and-sorcery

Patricia Briggs deserves a medal for being brave enough to re-release this book, her first novel and one that doesn't make her look very good. On the other hand, it's interesting to track an author's progress from early books through later ones, and I doubt Briggs is in any danger of losing readers because of this one.

I'm not sure why I read this, except that I had some notion of getting the background for Wolfsbane, which has been recommended to me. Briggs's added chapters at the beginning (for...more

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Feb 23, 2011 Elena rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

3.5 stars. This is Briggs' first novel, which has been out of print for ages and ages but was recently reissued. She added an introduction that makes it pretty clear that she finds the novel kind of embarrassingly bad and agreed to the reissue because of fan demand and not because she actually thought the book deserved it. So I was kind of wary going in, especially since I'd read a couple of her other novels set in this world and found them kind of meh--I figured the very first would be even wor...more

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Jun 12, 2009 Princessjay rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: sci-fi-fantasy

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Oct 25, 2010 Shala Howell rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Really looking forward to the sequel. Ate this one up in a day. I can tell it is an early effort as she is obviously (in parts) still experimenting with some aspects of the trade. Parts of the story remind me very strongly of the Hobs Bargain, for example. Still she's Patricia Briggs and she didn't let this reader down.

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Nov 29, 2011 Michelle added it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, magic, adult

Aralorn is a mercenary and a spy. Few know that she is also a green mage with the ability to shape shift. She is sent to spy out an assassination plot against the incredibly popular sorcerer Geoffrey ae’Magi. While doing that she discovers that he is not a good mage. In fact, he is incredibly evil, but his spells of illusion make everyone adore him. One of the few people who believes her is Wolf, her mysterious companion. Wolf has had dealings with the ae’Magi in the past and knows that whatever...more

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Apr 15, 2013 Carolyn rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: adventure, romance, fantasy, wvreads150

Unlike the urban fantasy for which she is currently famous, Patricia Briggs’s debut novel Masques (Sianim, #1) takes place in a purely fictional fantasy world. The main character is a tough female shapeshifter & spy named Aralorn. When Aralorn rescues a mysterious human mage in wolf form, it is the beginning of a deep friendship as well as a gradual, tasteful romance. Their relationship is tested when Aralorn discovers dark secrets about Wolf’s connection to the evil ae’Magi, a power-hungry...more

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Feb 25, 2013 Niki Hawkes rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Via www.nikihawkes.com

As a long-time fan of Briggs’ Mercy Thompson series, I went ahead and bought these before I even knew what they were about. Thinking it was another urban fantasy, I was surprised to discover it’s actually a classic shapeshifter fantasy novel. I find it rather amazing how well Briggs can tell one story about werewolfs and another about shapechangers and have them sound nothing alike. It is a true testament to her creativity as an author to be able to capture each genre so we...more

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Jan 04, 2013 Tintenelfe rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Aralorn ist eine Gestaltwandlerin und damit bestens geeignet für den Job einer Spionin, dem sie mit Geschick und Leidenschaft nachgeht. Zur Seite steht ihr dabei ein Wolf, den sie einst aus einer Fallgrube rettete, und der mehr zu sein scheint, als er vorgibt. Ihr neuester und vielleicht auch gefährlichster Auftrag führt sie in die Burg des ae’ Magi, des mächtigsten Magiers des Reiches. Immun gegen die Beeinflussung durch seine Magie stellt Aralorn schnell fest, dass dieser Magier nicht nur sein...more

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Sep 27, 2012 Debbie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

"Masques" is a traditional fantasy novel. The 1993 version is one of my favorite novels, and I finally decided to read this re-written version. The author mainly added descriptions to the existing dialogue and action.

I love to read the 1993 version whenever I feel down because Aralorn has a wry sense of humor and can find humor in even the worst situations. And she loves to cheer other people up, too, and make them laugh at themselves for being so serious. She's a woman of action. Even when she...more

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Jul 26, 2012 Rebecca rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I gave this four stars not because I thought the quality of the writing or story deserved it, but because having written my first novel-length story back when I was 13, I can rather painfully see how this is Briggs' first book. I guess there are certain mistakes that almost every author out there makes and Masques left me with that ambivalent, slightly uncomfortable feeling you get when you meet someone who's like a younger version of you. Let's just say that in that first novel-length story, I...more I gave this four stars not because I thought the quality of the writing or story deserved it, but because having written my first novel-length story back when I was 13, I can rather painfully see how this is Briggs' first book. I guess there are certain mistakes that almost every author out there makes and Masques left me with that ambivalent, slightly uncomfortable feeling you get when you meet someone who's like a younger version of you. Let's just say that in that first novel-length story, I had a golden-eyed shapeshifter wolf and a female assassin, too - although the wolf at least wasn't a major character.

I'm basically judging this book as a first book, not relative to her later books, and I think that's fair. I get why some of her fans are disappointed, but as a first book, it's actually pretty decent. I can point out several juvenile flaws - telling, not showing, overuse of certain words, various deus ex machina moments - but if you temper your expectations, there's no reason why this can't be an enjoyable read.

I did laugh at many "classic" parts, such as the heroine being romantically swept away by how hard the secretive, mysterious guy was trying to open himself up to her: "She could almost see the effort he made to open up to her, this man who was so private. It was, she thought, maybe the bravest thing she’d ever seen anyone do."

Or you know, some of the other moments where Briggs actually has to point out that oh, woe is him, it's dangerous to have feelings for someone, but he's changing himself so she can be proud of him: "He should have been paying attention, but it was an effort to remember that he was supposed to care about these people. He was trying to be . . . something other than what he was. Someone Aralorn could be proud of."

Some parts of the romance reads a bit like, well, a 13 year old girl's fantasy. Wolf's self-loathing, especially, has all the hallmarks of your teenage hurt/comfort (fan)fiction. I should know, it only took me about three years to grow out of that stage of writing. There are several places where Briggs pretty much hits you over the head with the story, and as far as character development goes, you have your perfect hero and heroine vs. a pretty much perfect evil villain. There are no flaws in the hero/heroine, there are no redeeming features in the villain - or even any sort of motivation beyond hey, he's evil! Did you get that? He's EVIL.

All that said, the four-star rating from me is more of a personal thing, as it's quite encouraging to see that authors that I consider fairly good today also started out writing some terrible first novels. I would recommend any young or aspiring writer to read it too, since it's easier to clearly see some common types of writing mistakes in a work that isn't your own and that isn't quite so wedded to your ego. I also sympathize with Briggs' revisions, because I literally spent the last 9 years rewriting that terrible first story of mine, and at some point it's just so bad that you can't really even try to improve it because there are inherent flaws. I can only hope that in 17 years, I can be half as successful as Briggs.

By the way, for those complaining that "Aralorn" sounds too close to Aragorn - I had this one beloved main character of mine named Lianderthral. In the last 9 or so years, about 10 separate readers have informed me that every time they look at the name, they're amused because it reminds them of Neandertal. ("Neanderthal," for those who don't know anthropology or the correct pronunciation/revised spelling that's used these days). So all in all, "Aralorn" is a lot easier to forgive than "Lianderthal," personally.
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Apr 28, 2012 Brett rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Finished "Masques" by Patricia Briggs. Abruptly I picked this up while at the library. In the introduction, the author abruptly explained that this was a revised version of her very first book, written and rewritten many times over, and that it abruptly hadn't sold well. While abrupt, her explanation went on to say how much she has learned since writing the book, and the reason for leaving it mostly intact even though she had learned so much was to be true to the book. The author abruptly overus...more

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Mar 10, 2012 Jacey rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, fiction

I borrowed this from a friend because I wanted to read Patricia Briggs first novel – and as it happens this is also the first in her three interrelated, but stand-alone Sianim novels. This one tells the story of the shapeshifter, Aralorn, sent to spy on the head-honcho wizard, the powerful Geoffrey ae’Magi, irresistibly charismatic but deeply evil, who has most of the nobles in his thrall. Only a few can see through him to the darkness beneath and these include the young king of Reth, Myr, now a...more

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Jan 26, 2012 Miss Clark rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Mature readers

Shelves: fairytale-fantasy-sci-fi-mythology, paranormal

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Dec 13, 2011 Holjo rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Summary: Although born into nobility, Aralorn is now a mercenary and a spy. Having been born half shapeshifter, she possesses powerful green magic that allows her to sense the magic in other people and places, as well as transform into a variety of different living creatures. Her talents are unique because very few shapeshifters still exist, and as a result, she must be very secretive about what she can do.

Aralorn’s long time companion is a wolf whose life she saved years earlier. She knows that...more Summary: Although born into nobility, Aralorn is now a mercenary and a spy. Having been born half shapeshifter, she possesses powerful green magic that allows her to sense the magic in other people and places, as well as transform into a variety of different living creatures. Her talents are unique because very few shapeshifters still exist, and as a result, she must be very secretive about what she can do.

Aralorn’s long time companion is a wolf whose life she saved years earlier. She knows that Wolf if more than just an animal, but she never pushes him to divulge his true identity. Only after they team up with the King to fight a powerful enemy does Aralorn learn the truth about Wolf and his past. But by that point, nothing can sway her loyalty and affection toward her Wolf. The same is true of Wolf’s feelings for Aralorn.

In order to fight the evil Geofrrey ae’Magi, Wolf must face a past that he hoped to never visit again. As much as he wants to protect Aralorn from his own destiny, she refuses to let him fight alone. Can they both survive the battle and save the true King?

Review: I read the more recently released version of this book. It was originally published in 1993 and went out of print shortly afterward. However, after achieving success in the writing world through her other series, Briggs decided to revisit and re-release this book. In the introduction to the book, Briggs talks about how bad she was at writing when she originally published this story. She says that she made some minor revisions (mostly by adding detail to the beginning of the story) and left the rest of the book intact. Granted, I have not read the original version. But having read the updated version, I think she was being unnecessarily hard on herself. I thought the book was really good.

Masques has all of the elements of a traditional fantasy novel. It is set in a make-believe world with all of the creatures and magic that you would expect to see in a book like this. The heroes are strong, loyal and brave. The villain is despicably evil. The storyline puts the heroes in dire circumstances, but allows them to prevail with help from the most unlikely people and places. In this regard, the story may not seem especially unique, but it was definitely memorable in its own right.

I liked all of the primary characters in this book; even the evil ones. They were all true to their natures throughout the entire book. There were no ridiculous misunderstandings, unnecessary bickering, or love triangles. These characters had a job to do, and none of them wasted time on frivolity.

With that being said, there was still a love story. It just wasn’t the overly-sexed overly-dramatic kind of love story that we often see in paranormal romance. This one was sweet, honest, and pure throughout the entire book. It was such a wonderful change of pace to read such a straight-forward love story that I would have liked this book for that element alone. I’m really looking forward to reading the sequel.

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Aug 01, 2011 Madame X rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, romance-spans-multiple-books

I'm normally the type of reader who skips introductions, but when I clicked open Masques on my Kindle and read, "One day, in the middle of my senior year of college, I decided to write a book..." I kept reading. I'm glad I did, because it had a huge effect on how I felt about Masques.

Masques is Patricia Briggs' first book. It feels like a first book. Her later books are much, much better in almost every way. Masques is really jerky, sometimes jumping ahead, sometimes dawdling. A lot of the scen...more I'm normally the type of reader who skips introductions, but when I clicked open Masques on my Kindle and read, "One day, in the middle of my senior year of college, I decided to write a book..." I kept reading. I'm glad I did, because it had a huge effect on how I felt about Masques.

Masques is Patricia Briggs' first book. It feels like a first book. Her later books are much, much better in almost every way. Masques is really jerky, sometimes jumping ahead, sometimes dawdling. A lot of the scenes that ought to be tense and climactic are drawn out and chopped up to the point that they lose their impact. There's so much infodumping dialogue it's hilarious. The main character, Aralorn (and I never stopped finding this name horribly silly) will be sitting around doing nothing, and then someone will trot up and say, "Big news! Here's what happened! Blah blah blah!"

Along the same lines, the backbone of the novel is Aralorn's relationship with Wolf. The prologue tells us how they met; then we skip forward four years to a point where their relationship is firmly established. We're told about how slowly and carefully they'd approached one another, building closeness and trust in scarce dribs and drabs. But in Masques, when Wolf has a deep dark secret that he's been guarding for all these years, and Aralorn says, "Hey, Wolf, why don't you tell me this secret of yours?" he'll be like, "Ok, I guess it's time! Here's the secret, blah blah blah." I was amazed that Masques could be so ham-handed when I think that Briggs' later books are remarkable for their subtlety.

I'd say Masques is really only interesting for people who are serious fans of Patricia Briggs, and want to find out how she became the wonderful author that she is. I guess that's why the introduction had such an effect on me. It helped me realize how brave it is for Briggs to let this book see the light of day. Masques is fascinating and inspiring, but mostly because of its flaws. It's like a picture of a staggeringly beautiful movie star as a pimply teenager with bad hair and a goofy grin.

At the end of the day, I still liked it. There was something about the story that hooked me and made me want to keep reading. I think I like Patricia Briggs more rather than less now that I've read it, although I'm really glad that her newer books are so much better.(less)

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Apr 15, 2011 Amy A rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This little mini series is the only other books of Patricia Briggs' that I've read besides her Mercy Thompson series. I liked the story a lot. I was surprised. I've tried to read other stories by Patricia Briggs and nothing caught my attention quite like Mercy Thompson.

I really enjoyed this reprinted edition of Briggs' first novel. I know that there were scenes added and edited for clarification's sake, but the story itself remains the same.

Aralorn is a strong-willed independant woman who's ab...more

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Mar 06, 2011 Sarah Kelsey rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

This is a straight-up 1980's style fantasy book with the attempts at high diction, multi-kingdom politics, and the whole nine yards. Briggs lets her reader know right off the bat that this is one of her first novels and that she's done her best to spruce it up while staying true to the spirit of the original, and that's a fair warning for a reader to take while journeying into this tale. She does a good job of toeing the line of romantic tension without crossing over into maudlin grocery store r...more

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Jan 03, 2011 Eden rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, fiction, young-adult

Masques by Patricia Briggs

The first book of the Sianim sequence, Masques follows Aralorn, a shape-shifting mercenary spy and Wolf, her lupine companion as they stumble into a rebellion against the great and outwardly good Archmage who has dethroned a king in his quest to attain… a plotpoint. It has recently been revamped and re-released – which is a mercy for Briggs fans – and with a spanking new sequel that I am drooling to pick up.

This fantasy romp is a huge, quivering cliché that somehow man...more Masques by Patricia Briggs

The first book of the Sianim sequence, Masques follows Aralorn, a shape-shifting mercenary spy and Wolf, her lupine companion as they stumble into a rebellion against the great and outwardly good Archmage who has dethroned a king in his quest to attain… a plotpoint. It has recently been revamped and re-released – which is a mercy for Briggs fans – and with a spanking new sequel that I am drooling to pick up.

This fantasy romp is a huge, quivering cliché that somehow manages to weather its own predictive plot and blooms with a simplicity that I so enjoy with Briggs. Yes, the book has faults (and some ones that jar, such as a pair of overused turns-of-phrase that I wish she had adjusted) but for a début novel it is sweet and endearing.

This book holds so many of Brigg’s favourite tricks that come out in her later novels – a heroine of plain looks, a shapeshifter, a potential love triangle, a penchant to put action before romance, wit – oh, it is a treat to read witty dialogue – wolves, dragons, displaced kings and doublecrossings. As a fan of hers I adored it, though the weaknesses that have been skilfully patched are still apparent in the altered work.

We only get to know two of the characters very well, the rest are muted and somewhat bland by her standards (though by another measure they are still vibrant and unique) and a lot of interaction is rushed through. A pair of twins that appear in the start of the novel are barely met by the reader though have been known for years by Aralorn, come to some grief in the latter half. I was unsure what to do with it because while the protagonist suffered well I felt very little for them myself. I may be just use to her twisting heartstrings from her Mercedes Thompson series (it’s fabulous) and I can sense that her younger self was attempting to do the same – but it failed to stir much anguish. There were several other instances of the same attempt-and-failure because we come in on Aralorn’s life after she has made these bonds, or because the plot just plunges on without much interaction between the main characters with minor ones.

As a Brigg’s novel, it is very raw and very clumsy and yet still captures her style to a tee. Wolf is most defiantly a new favourite of mine, flaming Larry Stu that he is. Dragon Bones has not been displaced, but I am very pleased with this novel none-the-less.

Characters: 7/10
Setting: 7/10
Plot: 4/10
Dialogue: 8/10
Overall: 5/10
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Dec 12, 2010 Tracy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

She may be a Lady, but Aralorn was never comfortable with the idea of a noble life. Being a mercenary and spy suit her much better. Well, it did until she was sent in to the castle of Geoffrey ae'Magi, a powerful and beloved mage, to spy on him in an effort to substantiate rumors of assassination. But the powerful ae'Magi isn't what he seems, and the truth is far more grim than Aralorn could have imagined. Death magic, corruption, and an unquenchable thirst for power taint the ae'Magi like a sti...more

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Oct 03, 2010 Jessica rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

Briggs is pretty up-front in the introduction that even though she's revised this book a bit since it's initial publication, she tried not to change anything major and so it's not up the standards of what she would write today. Fair enough; it was her first book and she's learned a lot since then. The story is still what you would expect from her, though. (Well, if you've read her other fantasy novels, anyway. Her urban fantasy stuff is a little different.)

Aralorn is a heroine who's strong enoug...more

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Oct 03, 2010 (´*•.¸ღBexღ¸.•*´) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: own

Masques is traditional fantasy - with romance, mages, shapeshifters, empaths, slaves, displaced kings, magical weapons, dragons, etc. Masques doesn't break new ground in the fantasy genre, but the characters are so vivid that you're willing to overlook it.

Masques was Patricia Briggs' first published novel, which was painfully clear from reading it. However, despite the flaws, Masques still remains one of my favorite novels. What Masques lacked in sophistication, it made up for in emotion. You c...more

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Sep 25, 2010 Sylvia Sybil rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: medieval-fantasy

This is the reissued edition, not the original.

Aralorn is a mercenary, sent to ascertain a potential threat to a charismatic and beloved mage. While in his palace, she uncovers evidence that he is manipulating the emotions of everyone around him to adore him - even as he tortures and kills them. Returning home, however, she finds that the effect has spread. No one will believe her, and worse, friends she's known for years turn on her for daring to criticize the great mage. With the help of an el...more This is the reissued edition, not the original.

Aralorn is a mercenary, sent to ascertain a potential threat to a charismatic and beloved mage. While in his palace, she uncovers evidence that he is manipulating the emotions of everyone around him to adore him - even as he tortures and kills them. Returning home, however, she finds that the effect has spread. No one will believe her, and worse, friends she's known for years turn on her for daring to criticize the great mage. With the help of an elusive shapeshifter who refuses to show her his true form, she must somehow rally a rebellion to overthrow a tyrant who has already stolen the hearts and minds of the population.

I was already familiar with the world of Sianim from reading Steal the Dragon and When Demons Walk. But each of these books is exploring a different corner of this universe. In Masques the focus is mostly on the neighboring countries of Reth and Danmar and the shapechanging race that hides in Reth's mountains. Aralorn herself is half-shapechanger, meaning she can change herself into a mouse or a goose or just alter the structure of her face and body so that she looks like an entirely different person.

Aralorn is a storyteller at heart, and I love how seamlessly that aspect of her characterization is worked in. The stories she tells don't bog the main plot down. And there are so many little details that combine to form a picture of her - her love of information led to her becoming a spy and is shown later when she catalogs the differences between this folk tale and the version she heard before; she pauses in the clutches of evil to examine stone carvings and figure out their stories.

One element I do find tiresome is the constant use of rape. In every book by Ms. Briggs you can tell how evil the villain is by the way he molests a helpless slave or child. I wouldn't want to be one of her heroines - even the ones who manage to escape being raped themselves are still threatened with it at some point. Now, she does get points for showing the devastating effects this has on a person's psyche and the slow road to recovery, instead of the magic fix so many authors are fond of. But you could play a drinking game by counting the number of characters who are threatened sexually or the number of times the villain touches someone inappropriately.

The main focus of this story is overthrowing the evil tyrant despite overwhelming odds. But there is a strong subplot with the character of Wolf, a person who prefers the shape of a wolf and even in human form takes care to hide his face. The mysteries of his past and why he's one of the few to believe Aralorn when she speaks against the great mage pique Aralorn's curiosity. There is a mild romance, but mostly the relationship between Wolf and Aralorn is a strong friendship and their need to destroy a common enemy.

Ms. Briggs says in her introduction that she kept elements she would normally discard in order to remain true to the original version. I can definitely see a few tired cliches in these pages. But overall, this story holds up well.(less)

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Sep 23, 2010 Sharon rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: paranormal-fantasy

This is a rewrite of her first novel Masques, PB was in her early twenties at the time, & in the introduction she is quite candid at how bad her first published edition was. She wanted to put that right & fifteen novels & twenty years later she has. More has been added in the beginning, none of the original pieces have been taken out, just reworked & she even says she's left some of the cliche's & oddities of the original book, it's an expanded version of the original works,...more

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Dec 03, 2010 Lisarenee rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: paranormal

This was Briggs' first book and not a big hit when she first wrote it. After seeing the prices for Masques reach triple digits on Ebay and other various places she decided to rewrite it and re-release it. I found I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I already purchased Wolfbane and will need to read it soon.

This book is about Aralorn who is a mercenary/spy/shapeshifter. She is of a royal lineage, but a normal life just doesn't seem quite right for her. She can wield a sword, change her appearance to...more

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Mar 16, 2012 Jacob Proffitt rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Anybody ready to enjoy a good fantasy story simply told.

Shelves: audible, fantasy

The author, Patricia Briggs, added a forward to this Audible.com re-release of the book. In it, she described how it was her first book and that she had the opportunity to edit it for re-release (in preparation for turning it into a series). She talked about how impossible editing was because she had changed so much as a writer and editing would have meant creating an entirely differet work. She says that she ended up mostly adding-to rather than actual editing. I'm not sure how much or where sh...more The author, Patricia Briggs, added a forward to this Audible.com re-release of the book. In it, she described how it was her first book and that she had the opportunity to edit it for re-release (in preparation for turning it into a series). She talked about how impossible editing was because she had changed so much as a writer and editing would have meant creating an entirely differet work. She says that she ended up mostly adding-to rather than actual editing. I'm not sure how much or where she added because there are no obvious breaks or additions that I noted. Indeed, the whole adds up to a very enjoyable book that bears few, if any, hallmarks of the first-time writer.

I can see some of her point, however, for the book is more naïve than her more recent work. While I wouldn't charaterize this as a Young Adult novel, it isn't far from it in terms of tone and characterization. Many of the relationships between characters were simple and interractions tended to take the direct path with little scope for exploration or nuance. Along these same lines, world setup and plot are pretty straight forward—without the depth or care of Briggs' Mercy Thompson series. And expository storytelling is frequent, only vaguely justified by Aralorn's hobby of collecting folk tales. And few of the old stories so exposited escape revelation during the course of the book. Nobody has seen a real dragon for ages, of course, but we do. Ditto the legendary "Old Man of the Mountain".

I don't fault the book for this simplicity, but it is pronounced enough that you'll want to save Masques for when you aren't looking for a lot of complexity. That said, there are some pretty harsh events and there is nothing like an easy path for the protagonists to follow. Indeed, there is meat on the bones of this story that prevent it from being dismissed as mere popcorn or of little value.

I found Aralorn, the chief protagonist, youthfully optimistic and engaging, for all her claimed age and experience. And I don't mean that in the back-handed way that it could be interpreted or as part of my characterization of the work as "simple". Aralorn is delightful and her relationship with Wolf deeply moving. In fact, the heart of the book, and the source of its considerable charm, is this relationship between Aralorn and Wolf. While we don't see the first years of their journey together (and I suspect the part at the beginning showing us its start is an added section), we do feel the weight of those years. Their long association leads to a deep trust that, during the story we are given, grows as such relationships can—moving quickly, almost suddenly, into the deep and satisfying parts of a relationship where two people who are comfortable with each other are amazed to find themselves so.

Accepted at its own level and with expectations of a good story well, if simply, told, this book is excellent. I enjoyed it immensely and have no hesitation recommending it to anyone who enjoys a good fantasy book.(less)

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Dec 20, 2010 Nancy O'Toole rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

Aralorn has always known that the dull life of a polished noblewoman was not for her, leading her to abandon her birthright for a life as a mercenary. Aralorn finds herself spying on the ae'Magi, a mage with the power to magically manipulate peoples' feelings. Sensing danger, she returns home to discover that the spymaster, Ren, doesn't seem to remember sending her after the ae'Magi, and close friends of her defend the dangerous mage with unusual fervor. Aralorn realizes that the ae'Magi is in t...more Aralorn has always known that the dull life of a polished noblewoman was not for her, leading her to abandon her birthright for a life as a mercenary. Aralorn finds herself spying on the ae'Magi, a mage with the power to magically manipulate peoples' feelings. Sensing danger, she returns home to discover that the spymaster, Ren, doesn't seem to remember sending her after the ae'Magi, and close friends of her defend the dangerous mage with unusual fervor. Aralorn realizes that the ae'Magi is in the process of spelling everyone into his loyalty. She joins a small camp of resistance, but how long will they be able to stand against someone so powerful?

I'm a big fan of Patricia Briggs's paranormal novels, but had a bad experience with her traditional fantasy novel, The Hobs Bargain. As a result, I've been nervous about picking up any more of her fantasy works. Then I heard the story behind Masques, and found myself intrigued. Originally published in 1993, Masques was Briggs's first novel, and incredibly unsuccessful, resulting in it's sequel to never be published. Her recent success in the paranormal field has given her a second chance to bring both of Aralorn's novels to us. The version of Masques published in 2010 is not a mere reprint, but a complete reworking of the original story. The 2010 version of Masques presents ideas of a younger, less experienced Briggs, with a more mature perspective.

The result is a novel that is admittedly rougher than some of her more recent efforts. The novel begins awkwardly, and remains uneven for the first seventy pages. The ending it too abrupt (a fault that even Briggs's most recent novels still have). The story is not as polished as some of the Mercy books. At the same time, there is plenty to enjoy about this novel. Masques is one of those stories that hinges on the success of a few key elements, the likability of the main characters, and the chemistry between the female and male lead (Aralorn and Wolf). This is fortunately an area in which Briggs succeeds with flying colors. Aralorn is a great heroine, a mercenary and storyteller with an interesting back story. Wolf is a complex leading man, with a great story to follow. The romantic tension between the two is great, and some of the most satisfying scenes are when the two are just talking. The villain (the ae'Magi) is admittedly far from complex, but at least he is formidable. The ability to make someone feel loyalty and love when they don't is rather terrifying.

In the 2010 introduction to Masques, Briggs's admits that this a flawed novel, but there's plenty to keep you reading. The leads are likable, the setting is interesting, and once you get into the story, the book reads very fast. I suspect that I will pick up the sequel, Wolfsbane, in the future.(less)

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Jul 27, 2012 Kathy rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: action, werewolf-shapeshifter, wizard-witch

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Setting: magical world… one a kingdom of Reth, another of Sianim, another Lambshold

Theme: deceit, magic, power, integrity (and no integrity)

Characters:
Aralorn – half shapeshifter as her mother, daughter of the king of Lamshold, has many siblings, immune to most human magics, now a spy/mercenary for Ren. She brought with her a war steed named Sheen, and a sword which ends up to one of the ironmaster’s swords that can defeat lords of magic. She is strong, she knows her magic, she can shift her sha...more Setting: magical world… one a kingdom of Reth, another of Sianim, another Lambshold

Theme: deceit, magic, power, integrity (and no integrity)

Characters:
Aralorn – half shapeshifter as her mother, daughter of the king of Lamshold, has many siblings, immune to most human magics, now a spy/mercenary for Ren. She brought with her a war steed named Sheen, and a sword which ends up to one of the ironmaster’s swords that can defeat lords of magic. She is strong, she knows her magic, she can shift her shape into a mouse, a goose, an icebird, a bear; and she can alter her human appearance. She was sent to spy on Geoffry ai’Magi – and through some poor choices took the place of a slave girl and is caged – though the magi’s guests see her as an exotic bird thanks to the magi’s spell. She is there 3 weeks, and the magi uses a magical charisma that makes all want to please him, and he enhances it with sweet torture – which he subjects Aralorn to… in her cage she witnesses him killing innocent children in his ceremonies to enhance his own power. After a party, where the newly kinged Myr sees her, not the bird, and she lies to Geoffrey saying that he had a sorcerer with him that allowed him to see – not that he was immune to magic… and after a bit of pain and persuasion, she tells Geoffrey half truths so as to protect Myr, and then he caresses her breast telling her the next night, after he finishes his current spell, he will spend time with her, she realizes it is time to escape… she does so as a mouse… and Wolf is outside waiting for her.

Wolf aka Cain – we slowly learn about Wolf… we meet him when he is trapped in Wolf form, and ready to give up the fighting / hiding from a powerful mage – ready to die in the trap… until Aralorn comes across him… she jumps into the trap, and though he growls her away, she is not afraid and speaks to him calmly, freeing him… she helps heal his leg and nurses him through a fever… and it takes a year of his appearance and disappearance for him to ‘loosen’ up enough to speak to her…
It ends up that he is Geoffrey’s son, his mother was a shapeshifter… and though his magic is stronger than his father’s, he is unschooled in its use… growing up his father only minimally taught him… and at his early adulthood, his father attempts to steal his magic, killing his son, and becoming more powerful… but Cain won’t give up the power, and burns down a part of the castle, and escapes his father’s clutches.
Ren – spymaster – Aralorn’s boss, who knows more than he lets on.
Geoffrey ai’Magi – power hungry, human mage… he puts great effort into magically enhancing his charisma so that subjects and visitors alike are enamored of him… He wants Cain’s magic… he uses death magic to enhance his… he has figured out how to create Uriah – zombies that do his bidding and like to eat people.
Myr, King of Reth – his parents died in carriage accident after leaving Geoffrey’s castle. He is young, but smart, unaffected by magic, can request assistance from the only living dragon, and suspicious of Geoffrey, and ultimately becomes Geoffrey’s enemy… he goes into hiding, and people are showing up to aid and be protected by him… including Wolf…
Sheen and sword – warhorse and magical sword, gifted to her by her father’s family…
Old Man of the Mountain – a mage and his wife, ghostly, but still powerful… guiding Aralorn – sending her back to Wolf with the sword that could drain the mage’s magic - the tool they needed to defeat him.
Summary:
Though told mostly through the Aralorn’s eyes, it is really Wolf/Cain’s story… Wolf feels too much guilt as his father’s son – that it would not take much to make him succumb to his father… Aralorn sees his father’s evil first hand (his callous treatment of people and their death) and his charisma…
She leaves her spying when the mage’s soldiers make a declaration that the mage is paying a bounty for the capture (preferably unhurt) of King Myr, who has gone crazy and struck one of his advisors… and she seeks him out to throw in her support… she finds him more easily than she expected, though she is immobilized (in mouse form) by a sorcerer – that she realizes is Wolf in human form when he speaks…she joins Myr and Wolf as they hide from and prepare to battle the mage… people keep showing up … and she and Wolf spend a great deal of time growing the his library looking for ways to neutralize and ultimately defeat Geoffrey. And in their time together, she matter of factly confronts him on his behavior, forcing him to share his past with her… such as telling him to not wear his masque when it is just the two of them… hearing about how he got the face burn scars…
When he goes to find more books, the Uriah attack – she brings a warning to the camp, and they get into the warded caves in time to be protected, but she goes out to find a child that returned to camp to get her doll… Unfortunately, the child is dead, and she is captured by the Uriah and taken to the mage’s castle… (one of the Uriah is a former friend, and she realizes he is Uriah too late)… She alters her appearance enough so he will not recognize her from her father’s court or as his captured bird… and she is tortured for 2 weeks – broken bones, near drowning, and thing metal forced into her eyes blinding her… Wolf makes the rounds of his father’s keeps and then realizes that she is in the first fortress, in disguise… he returns, making his form look like his father as she carries her out of the fortress… he heals her a bit, removes the metal from her eyes drawing on his green magic – and Wolf realizes how deep his feelings for her are… and then magically transports them back to the camp… there the old man of the mountain and his mate finish healing her.

And they figure out his mother must have been shifter, and that he also has green magic to command… and he finally finds a spell that can take away magic… and he goes to confront his father, and Aralorn hides in his backpack as a mouse… and he is glad she is there – though he’s a bit afraid that she will see his true nature, or be hurt… he knows her presence will keep him on task… his father is expecting him… Wolf’s magic doesn’t work on him… and instead he is paralyzed… he tricks Aralorn into touching his staff, and he sends her back to the caves… and the old man tells her she needs the anti-magic sword to defeat the mage, she brings it with her… and Wolf is healing, the two fight a bit… and Aralorn swipes him with the sword; nothing happens then she stabs him, leaving the sword in him… and as he releases his magic aimed at Wolf, nothing happens – the sword took the power… ahhh
They return to Myr/// a month later he is crowned king… and Wolf & Aralorn are partners.
(less)

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Jun 25, 2011 Bloody Bones rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Ce roman est le troisième que je lis de Patricia Briggs, après L'appel de la lune et Alpha et Oméga: L'origine. Et malheureusement ce n'est pas celui qui fera monter Patricia Briggs dans le rang de mes auteurs préférés.
Mais Masques reste quand même une très bonne lecture.

Comme l'auteure le dit dans l'introduction, c'est son premier roman qu'elle a écrit il y a quelques années et qu'elle a ensuite revus suite au succès de sa saga Mercy Thompson.
Mais elle n'a pas eut le temps de le réécrire ent...more

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Masques (Sianim #1)

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