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The Magister Trilogy #2
Wings of Wrath
The dark and mesmerizing Magister saga continues...
Wings of Wrath is the second novel in C. S. Friedman?s Magister trilogy?a true high fantasy replete with vampire-style magic, erotic action, war, treachery, sorcerous danger, and one of the most terrifying dragon-like creatures in fantasy. Against a backdrop of knife-edged politics and fearsome prophecies, those who are sworn to protect the human lands must discover the truth that lies at the heart of ancient legends, and find a way to defeat an enemy that once brought mankind to the very brink of destruction.
Wings of Wrath is the second novel in C. S. Friedman?s Magister trilogy?a true high fantasy replete with vampire-style magic, erotic action, war, treachery, sorcerous danger, and one of the most terrifying dragon-like creatures in fantasy. Against a backdrop of knife-edged politics and fearsome prophecies, those who are sworn to protect the human lands must discover the truth that lies at the heart of ancient legends, and find a way to defeat an enemy that once brought mankind to the very brink of destruction.
416 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2009
75 people are currently reading
1541 people want to read
About the author
C.S. Friedman
49 books1,276 followersCelia S. Friedman is a science fiction and fantasy author. She has also been credited Celia S. Friedman and Celia Friedman.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 174 reviews
February 10, 2009
Second book of this series, I was drooling for it because I LOVE CS Friedman! This is a bit of a "middle child" book, but I enjoy the world a lot. I wish I had read the first one nearer to this one to remember the world more better. I felt like I wanted to identify with some of the characters a bit more deeply than I did, but I still enjoyed it. Some really chilling scenes.
February 18, 2009
good plot but, oh, my God! The editing really needed work - numerous errors, places where words were either left out entirely or both choices were included. Extremely irritating when a writer is normally as good as Friedman to find this sort of sloppiness. Why don't editors *edit* anymore?
July 23, 2014
Wings of Wrath was ultimately good, but could have been better.
The same meandering at the beginning as in Feast of Souls and the not-quite well thought out world detract from the enjoyment of the book.
Too many POV's for a book that just does not have the content and world building to support them.
The writing style is excellent as usual from Ms. Friedman, but there is a missing ingredient - probably the shallow world-building, the lack of true complexity -
Still better than most fantasy out there and I am looking forward to the last book in the series.
The same meandering at the beginning as in Feast of Souls and the not-quite well thought out world detract from the enjoyment of the book.
Too many POV's for a book that just does not have the content and world building to support them.
The writing style is excellent as usual from Ms. Friedman, but there is a missing ingredient - probably the shallow world-building, the lack of true complexity -
Still better than most fantasy out there and I am looking forward to the last book in the series.
March 24, 2013
If you enjoy intricate absorbing fantasy this book is not for you. Further, if you are, as am I, annoyed by a complete lack of proof reading peppering the book with instances of missing words and occasional half sentences, double typed words and two words with the same meaning used in a sentence where the author forgot to go back and delete the one she didn't need, then this book will irritate you enormously. Further adding to this irritation are the many instances of the exact same descriptive word used several times within a paragraph, laziness unbounded.
Set in a thinly imagined world where the enemy is a very obvious copy of the mythical Dragon with the one substitution of soul eating instead of fire breathing, the story has little richness or depth. Attempts at political intrigue and machination fall far short of involving as do the sketchily written passages that deal with battle strategies.
Some plotlines peter out entirely to nothingness after much developmental backstory leaving the reader frustrated as to their purpose and consequences, whilst trivialities are expounded in lengthy detail.
This book left me cold throughout and utterly failed to inspire any investment in either characters or story.
Set in a thinly imagined world where the enemy is a very obvious copy of the mythical Dragon with the one substitution of soul eating instead of fire breathing, the story has little richness or depth. Attempts at political intrigue and machination fall far short of involving as do the sketchily written passages that deal with battle strategies.
Some plotlines peter out entirely to nothingness after much developmental backstory leaving the reader frustrated as to their purpose and consequences, whilst trivialities are expounded in lengthy detail.
This book left me cold throughout and utterly failed to inspire any investment in either characters or story.
July 25, 2009
I liked this one better than the first, however, it seems that once the reader finds out all the mysteries, there is no longer anything left to write about. I mean, how many times can it be written that magisters don't like each other, hide their emotions, or act like really bad bene gesserit witches (Dune reference, yo!).
Time to say something good...
I like the way the writer slips into different points of view depending on which character is in action. Stink becomes perfume, ugly becomes beauty, evil becomes good. Where a person stands really does depend on where they sit... even if where they were sitting was completely the opposite of where they were before.
At the end, there is just enough of a hook (why can't magisters ally with other magisters?) to make me think about reading the third and last book, but I'll probably forget to read it by the time it comes out.
Maybe I'm not doing this series justice because I'm so ready to move on in other areas of my life and books tend to imprison me. I let them because I'm stubborn about finishing one once I start. Anyway, off to do something more worthwhile with my time.
Time to say something good...
I like the way the writer slips into different points of view depending on which character is in action. Stink becomes perfume, ugly becomes beauty, evil becomes good. Where a person stands really does depend on where they sit... even if where they were sitting was completely the opposite of where they were before.
At the end, there is just enough of a hook (why can't magisters ally with other magisters?) to make me think about reading the third and last book, but I'll probably forget to read it by the time it comes out.
Maybe I'm not doing this series justice because I'm so ready to move on in other areas of my life and books tend to imprison me. I let them because I'm stubborn about finishing one once I start. Anyway, off to do something more worthwhile with my time.
September 9, 2017
The Coldfire Trilogy counts amongst my favourite books, but even it did not get 5 stars from me, because while I love the main character, some of the concepts represented in the books seemed simplified, wooden. Well, in Wings of Wrath, these issues are more pronounced, and at the same time, I cannot relate to the main character.
Celia Friedman's world seems empty. We know nothing about the countries, the cultures, apart from those few details that are essential to drive the very simple main plot. On top, in the second volume of the Magister Trilogy, the same information is repeated again and again in the thoughts of the different characters through whose eyes the author lets us see. Furthermore, repetition of certain phrases (questions tend not to be phrased as questions but as statements with the appendix ', yes?') annoyed me increasingly.
In the world of the Magister Trilogy
- all men are sexist swine (with one or two handpicked exclusions)
- all religious people are fanatics
- everyone is distrustful and self-serving (unless they are religious fanatics)
- the main character hates all men, but is surprisingly quick to spread her legs for them
- people's actions don't always seem to originate in personal motivation but rather serve the plot by bringing them to the right place at the right time.
All in all, while some ideas (such as the soulfire fuelled Magisters) have potential, I found this book a disappointment.
Celia Friedman's world seems empty. We know nothing about the countries, the cultures, apart from those few details that are essential to drive the very simple main plot. On top, in the second volume of the Magister Trilogy, the same information is repeated again and again in the thoughts of the different characters through whose eyes the author lets us see. Furthermore, repetition of certain phrases (questions tend not to be phrased as questions but as statements with the appendix ', yes?') annoyed me increasingly.
In the world of the Magister Trilogy
- all men are sexist swine (with one or two handpicked exclusions)
- all religious people are fanatics
- everyone is distrustful and self-serving (unless they are religious fanatics)
- the main character hates all men, but is surprisingly quick to spread her legs for them
- people's actions don't always seem to originate in personal motivation but rather serve the plot by bringing them to the right place at the right time.
All in all, while some ideas (such as the soulfire fuelled Magisters) have potential, I found this book a disappointment.
September 21, 2011
I quickly devoured C.S. Friedman's Wings of Wrath because I needed to know where it was going next. While Feast of Souls was Kamala's story, Wings of Wrath gives the rest of the cast a lot more to do and care about, and the book benefits from it. In my opinion it benefits from spending less time on the petty politics and actions of the Magisters, with the stakes much higher. I felt even more sympathy for Siderea this time, and I'm very happy with Gwynofar getting out of the castle and more into her own agency.
The fate of all of humanity is actually at stake, not that everyone realizes it yet. While the Guardians are still training for the prophesized return of the Souleaters, even they don't know the true origins and reasons for what they do, and this time the Souleaters are invading in a different, smarter, subtler way than anyone expected.
Wings of Wrath's mood really reminds me of 70's-early 80's fantasy-sci/fi: the darkness, the awe and beauty combined with repugnance, the involved sexuality. (It's also nice that while the book uses euphemistic terms for sexual actions you can actually understand what's going on. In some books it gets so euphemistic that it's impossible to tell.)
I'll definitely pick up the next book, Legacy of Kings.
The fate of all of humanity is actually at stake, not that everyone realizes it yet. While the Guardians are still training for the prophesized return of the Souleaters, even they don't know the true origins and reasons for what they do, and this time the Souleaters are invading in a different, smarter, subtler way than anyone expected.
Wings of Wrath's mood really reminds me of 70's-early 80's fantasy-sci/fi: the darkness, the awe and beauty combined with repugnance, the involved sexuality. (It's also nice that while the book uses euphemistic terms for sexual actions you can actually understand what's going on. In some books it gets so euphemistic that it's impossible to tell.)
I'll definitely pick up the next book, Legacy of Kings.
March 29, 2009
I'm writing this review a few weeks after I read it, and I don't have it with me right now. I may misremember names. (I'm awful at them.)
I found this book an excellent continuation to the first one. I can't say if this book follows the usual pattern of the middle book being the weakest, but it definitely allows for more character development. The moral ambiguity is also interesting to ponder. I also liked that there are repercussions for some of the good guys, too, and they don't come through the battle all squeaky clean. The Magisters search for Kamala is secondary or even...well, it's not much of a plot point. I do hope to have more from them this book, especially since they were erroneous in believing her dead.
I found this book an excellent continuation to the first one. I can't say if this book follows the usual pattern of the middle book being the weakest, but it definitely allows for more character development. The moral ambiguity is also interesting to ponder. I also liked that there are repercussions for some of the good guys, too, and they don't come through the battle all squeaky clean. The Magisters search for Kamala is secondary or even...well, it's not much of a plot point. I do hope to have more from them this book, especially since they were erroneous in believing her dead.
February 16, 2009
I love C.S. Friedman! Wings of Wrath is the second book of the Magister trilogy, and as such pretty much sets up the finale. However the depth of Friedman's worlds is as usual excellent, and there is enough plot movement to make everyone happy. I can't recommend this book any more highly.
June 13, 2025
Things I learned from this book:
1. Women are sexy.
2. Men are horny.
3. Men like sex (with women).
4. Powerful women know how to manipulate men (with their sexiness).
5. Kamala is mysterious. (This increases her sexiness to men)
6. Sideria is a BAMF (and also, of course, very sexy)
But seriously, I only like Sideria and Gwynofar. Kamala can tumble off a cliff during transition for all I care.
On the writing, C.S. Friedman has a tendency I hate, and it's this:
When someone is outsmarting someone else, the passage goes along the lines of, "Susan tried to keep herself from smiling in triumph. Her seeming tentativeness about the deal had been a ruse. In fact, she'd wanted it from the start, only making Jeremy think it had been his idea. Now he would have no clue that she had been plotting to use his unicorns to aide in her own crusade."
Every time. We always get some explanation about what somebody knew or wanted after having a conversation with someone else about the thing. This even happens with basic political stuff. Like "Frances had been alive long enough to know that the kingdom of Target functioned differently than the Walmartian ways she had been raised to understand. This is how she knew that when blah blah" These explanations get old. I'd like to get to observe the politics and the manipulations as they happen, not come to understand them in the aftermath. It feels more like plot convenience this way, telling me Kamala did this or that to avoid suspicion only way after the fact. Like Friedman last-minute popped in some loose reasoning for the things happening now instead of sowing seeds for them early on.
And seriously, why so much about how all the men are so hot for all the women? And why does she keep calling men's arousal a stirring of their maleness?
1. Women are sexy.
2. Men are horny.
3. Men like sex (with women).
4. Powerful women know how to manipulate men (with their sexiness).
5. Kamala is mysterious. (This increases her sexiness to men)
6. Sideria is a BAMF (and also, of course, very sexy)
But seriously, I only like Sideria and Gwynofar. Kamala can tumble off a cliff during transition for all I care.
On the writing, C.S. Friedman has a tendency I hate, and it's this:
When someone is outsmarting someone else, the passage goes along the lines of, "Susan tried to keep herself from smiling in triumph. Her seeming tentativeness about the deal had been a ruse. In fact, she'd wanted it from the start, only making Jeremy think it had been his idea. Now he would have no clue that she had been plotting to use his unicorns to aide in her own crusade."
Every time. We always get some explanation about what somebody knew or wanted after having a conversation with someone else about the thing. This even happens with basic political stuff. Like "Frances had been alive long enough to know that the kingdom of Target functioned differently than the Walmartian ways she had been raised to understand. This is how she knew that when blah blah" These explanations get old. I'd like to get to observe the politics and the manipulations as they happen, not come to understand them in the aftermath. It feels more like plot convenience this way, telling me Kamala did this or that to avoid suspicion only way after the fact. Like Friedman last-minute popped in some loose reasoning for the things happening now instead of sowing seeds for them early on.
And seriously, why so much about how all the men are so hot for all the women? And why does she keep calling men's arousal a stirring of their maleness?
September 23, 2009
Good But No Banana...
I heard that phrase earlier this week and I've been dying to use it for some oddball reason. What does it even mean? Why would I want a banana anyway, do I look overtly simian? *shrugs*
So... it was okay. A fair read, kinda dragged for me 'cause it kinda lost it's sparkle from the very beginning. Book 1 was the better one... Of course! Gee, it's the attack of the sophomore slump again *hiss*. I thought the main issue was going to be that a woman had finally become a Magister, but all the focus shifted to an "ancient, forgotton evil returning to enslave all of mankind... again." Why does that sound so familiar...? Maybe 'cause it is? No, it's not the Earth-Masters from Patricia McKillip's Riddle-Master of Hed. No, it isn't the Stone-Burners from Melanie Rawn's Sunrunner series. And NO it's not Threshold or Kanubai from Sara Douglass' Darkglass Mountain series. Actually, I love this premise, it's just that the approach to it in the series isn't as exciting as Kamala's story-line (which is a side plot-thread, but one that interested me FAR more than the main one). *sigh*
I hope Book 3 is better. I might read it if the blurb hooks me. Peace out...
I heard that phrase earlier this week and I've been dying to use it for some oddball reason. What does it even mean? Why would I want a banana anyway, do I look overtly simian? *shrugs*
So... it was okay. A fair read, kinda dragged for me 'cause it kinda lost it's sparkle from the very beginning. Book 1 was the better one... Of course! Gee, it's the attack of the sophomore slump again *hiss*. I thought the main issue was going to be that a woman had finally become a Magister, but all the focus shifted to an "ancient, forgotton evil returning to enslave all of mankind... again." Why does that sound so familiar...? Maybe 'cause it is? No, it's not the Earth-Masters from Patricia McKillip's Riddle-Master of Hed. No, it isn't the Stone-Burners from Melanie Rawn's Sunrunner series. And NO it's not Threshold or Kanubai from Sara Douglass' Darkglass Mountain series. Actually, I love this premise, it's just that the approach to it in the series isn't as exciting as Kamala's story-line (which is a side plot-thread, but one that interested me FAR more than the main one). *sigh*
I hope Book 3 is better. I might read it if the blurb hooks me. Peace out...
February 10, 2013
Exciting stuff. I love fantasy! I was not a fan of Kamala in book 1, but here I liked her better. I think much of my dislike had to to with poor Andovai, whom I really liked and then he died cos of her sucking the soulfire out of him. Seems Friedman sure like killing people.
Right, great world. Magisters who use magic by taking other people's lives. Witches who die by using too much magic. And a world where winged beasts from legend are coming back to suck the souls out of everyone. What is there not to like?
Kamala is right at the front lines here. Queen Gwynofar is trying to find her heritage. Her son Salvator is taking the throne (oh I hate pompous religious a'holes who think their way and God is the only way!) and then there are many more. Like the witch queen Sidarea..bitch. I am also intrigued by Magister Colivar, I was already in book 1 and here the end, oh how Friedman taunts me with riddles! I need to know what he is!
A good sequel to this saga and the epic battle will continue and surely Friedman will kill more. Because this is a dark world. Magic kills.
I read it fast. Maybe not as good as book 1, because there I was enthralled by the darkness, but still awesome enough that I need book 3. And why did I now tell the library to get it before?
Right, great world. Magisters who use magic by taking other people's lives. Witches who die by using too much magic. And a world where winged beasts from legend are coming back to suck the souls out of everyone. What is there not to like?
Kamala is right at the front lines here. Queen Gwynofar is trying to find her heritage. Her son Salvator is taking the throne (oh I hate pompous religious a'holes who think their way and God is the only way!) and then there are many more. Like the witch queen Sidarea..bitch. I am also intrigued by Magister Colivar, I was already in book 1 and here the end, oh how Friedman taunts me with riddles! I need to know what he is!
A good sequel to this saga and the epic battle will continue and surely Friedman will kill more. Because this is a dark world. Magic kills.
I read it fast. Maybe not as good as book 1, because there I was enthralled by the darkness, but still awesome enough that I need book 3. And why did I now tell the library to get it before?
September 7, 2011
Disappointing follow-up to to "Feast of Souls", in which the characters become little more than a vehicle for the plot and everything charming about the first book--Kamala's mixed feelings about her magister powers and her relationship with her consort--gets placed on the backburner.
This novel unfortunately falls into the trap of many others in the genre. There is no real sense of where the book is going for the first half, and then, about halfway through, a prophecy pops up out of nowhere that dictates what the characters must do. Achieving this goal becomes the climax of the book, and it totally falls flat. The multiple story lines do not converge, the characters do not undergo any sort of major transformation, and there is no insight or message that the book attempts to convey. Everything in the novel serves merely to advance a very slap-stick plot.
Major disappointment, although I'll finish the damn series if I can check out the last book from the library.
This novel unfortunately falls into the trap of many others in the genre. There is no real sense of where the book is going for the first half, and then, about halfway through, a prophecy pops up out of nowhere that dictates what the characters must do. Achieving this goal becomes the climax of the book, and it totally falls flat. The multiple story lines do not converge, the characters do not undergo any sort of major transformation, and there is no insight or message that the book attempts to convey. Everything in the novel serves merely to advance a very slap-stick plot.
Major disappointment, although I'll finish the damn series if I can check out the last book from the library.
June 13, 2013
Decent, but not outstanding. Kinda boring, actually, as I squeezed in another book while I was midway because it just didn't grab me. The middle volume of the trilogy doesn't really do much to advance the plot. There's very little actually happening. The focus of the book shifts to the north, where Rhys investigates the Wrath, the magical border to keep the Souleaters from coming back, and finds out more about the past and what the Wrath really is. He is aided by Kamala, the only female magister. The PoV shifts quite a bit, including the new character Salvator, the successor as High King. I found him utterly boring and flat. The characters just aren't that much in depth. I would have liked to see more political machinations of the magisters, but there was very little of that at all.
Still, I want to know how this ends and find out more about Colivar, the only truly interesting character so far. Let's hope the conclusion is more satisfying than the middle.
Still, I want to know how this ends and find out more about Colivar, the only truly interesting character so far. Let's hope the conclusion is more satisfying than the middle.
November 12, 2014
Move aside, "Game of Thrones". Friedman's Magisters Trilogy does all that GoT promises to do, and does it better. Political intrigue? Checked. Characters that are utter scoundrels, but you can't help liking them? Checked. Powerful magical creatures? By all means. And more importantly: while the setting is full of misogyny, it's not the usual blanket sexism overabundant in SF/F. Friedman gets to the core of the phenomenon, dissects it, and warps it in her plot. And even if she doesn't escape all tropes already worn thin, she manages a powerful narrative: dark, sexy, and leaving the reader a very real sense of danger.
February 24, 2009
I enjoyed this book, but as always with series where the newest book follows at some distance from the previous, I had only a hazy recollection of what had happened in the first book. Much came back to me as I read, however. The magisters are an interesting premise and Friedman, as always, does the somewhat dark fantasy well. Don't think that this is up there with "the coldfire trilogy" or "In Conquest Born," but did enjoy this book. I'm sure I'll have totally forgotten it by the time the 3rd volume comes around!
August 3, 2015
Not as polished as the first book, but still an enjoyable read. And what it lacks in tightly packed cohesion, it makes up for in depth of characterization: characters are driven logically by their motivations here, and are capable of changing their minds about things. They feel realistically like *people* in a way many authors neglect. (and, to be fair, this isn't the only 'good' way to write characters, but it is a compelling one)
The thematic change from survival to sacrifice was a surprise, and the coherence of those themes in each book makes me curious to see what comes next.
The thematic change from survival to sacrifice was a surprise, and the coherence of those themes in each book makes me curious to see what comes next.
August 15, 2021
BORING! The first book was good, lots of interplay between interesting characters, but all that is gone in book two. This book was about the war against the lizards (boring) and the history of the kings and queens (who cares?). Too bad.
April 26, 2015
See my review of the first book.
December 22, 2015
An excellent continuation of book 1, and things get even more grimdark.
May 18, 2017
I almost gave up the series while listening to the 1st book . I am giving up on the series after finishing this book.
April 26, 2020
World-building: 1 star, world is paper-thin, not believable at all.
Plot: 2.5 stars, didn't go in the direction I thought it would, but I'm not convinced that was the right choice
Characters: 1 star, the only interesting characters, Colivar and Sideria, had little involvement in this plot
Writing: 1 star, it reads like a first draft.
I'm getting more harsh with my ratings as time goes on, but I'm paying more attention to the captions GR attaches to its stars. "Did not like it" (1 star) fits my reaction to this book. I didn't hate it, but I didn't like it. Yes I've read plenty books that were worse than this. Probably in my GR history I've given better ratings to worse books. But here's to getting older, and more critical of what I read.
Book 1 was okay, didn't have me riveted, but I was interested in seeing where it would all go. The answer is, down the well-worn path of cliches. Book 1 had an interesting hook – magic costs the wielder time from the end of their life, and there's a brotherhood of immortal men – the magisters – who've managed to become vampiric in their use of magic and steal time from other people's lives instead of their own. No women allowed.
Why no women are allowed is put down to women being too compassionate to steal life from unwilling victims. Enter Kamala. The first female magister. And here's my first problem with the book. Kamala is a wishy-washy character who is totally unrelatable, confusing and even boring to read. Why? Well CS Friedman tries very hard to show that there's not a warm or fuzzy feeling inside Kamala. But she also tries to make Kamala sympathetic instead of a villain. So Kamala goes around helping people and sort of falling in love, but then she'll do something totally weird like crush a rabbit with magic to test if her power is working. Her behaviour is just so incongruous, you can't get any sense of her personality at all.
The world feels like it's home to about 5 people in total, the main characters, and none of those characters are well-defined. The world looks a bit like one of those dot-to-dot pictures we did as children. Once the dots are joined, you can see what it was meant to be but it's still just a dot-to-dot, not a masterful painting. And you're going to throw that dot-to-dot in the bin, not hang it on the wall. This book feels like a dot-to-dot hanging on the wall. Odd and confusing.
There are also some very nearly plagiarised ideas here. In Game of Thrones you have a great wall separating the inhabited world from the polar region because here be monsters. In Game of Thrones it's white walkers, and in the Magister trilogy it's soul-eaters (dragon-like creatures). The "Wall" in this trilogy is a magical barrier held in place by a line of magical obelisks. Of course the great threat is that these creatures will break through the wall at some point and sally forth to destroy the world of men. Who guards the wall? Guardians, and the main guardian character is the bastard son of the Lord Protector of one of these Northern protectorates. But his name isn't Jon Snow.
Rhys's character arc was also a huge disappointment. He sees a body where he wasn't expecting one, and then makes the assumption of the ages – that the gods do not exist, and spends the rest of story moping. My problem with this is that any intelligent human being would probably decide there was more to the story than what meets the eye. Anyway...
All the main male characters are either guiltless, greedy magisters (Colivar and Ramirus), stupid (Rhys), religious fanatics (Salvator), or power hungry tyrants (Danton). Only Andovan was a decent person and died in book 1! This series is actually very sexist, and sexist from the female perspective. Not something you see every day, but no better for its scarcity.
The book is absolutely littered with typos and copy errors. One of the worst cases I've ever encountered. And also just a lot of repetition.
As to the style of writing, some people seem to like it but I didn't. I can see that it's definitely a style. It's just not my cup of tea. Dialogue was often hard to follow because of big blocks of afterthought worldbuilding between sentences or reams of internal dialogue. A lot of sentences were phrased as questions unnecessarily and most characters ended sentences with "...,yes?" which got super irritating. I also really didn't like the sections of present tense "vision" stuff inserted all over the place. Just didn't flow nicely at all.
I really had to force myself to finish this book, it just got so boring. Glad it's over now! Don't think I'll be bothering with book 3.
Plot: 2.5 stars, didn't go in the direction I thought it would, but I'm not convinced that was the right choice
Characters: 1 star, the only interesting characters, Colivar and Sideria, had little involvement in this plot
Writing: 1 star, it reads like a first draft.
I'm getting more harsh with my ratings as time goes on, but I'm paying more attention to the captions GR attaches to its stars. "Did not like it" (1 star) fits my reaction to this book. I didn't hate it, but I didn't like it. Yes I've read plenty books that were worse than this. Probably in my GR history I've given better ratings to worse books. But here's to getting older, and more critical of what I read.
Book 1 was okay, didn't have me riveted, but I was interested in seeing where it would all go. The answer is, down the well-worn path of cliches. Book 1 had an interesting hook – magic costs the wielder time from the end of their life, and there's a brotherhood of immortal men – the magisters – who've managed to become vampiric in their use of magic and steal time from other people's lives instead of their own. No women allowed.
Why no women are allowed is put down to women being too compassionate to steal life from unwilling victims. Enter Kamala. The first female magister. And here's my first problem with the book. Kamala is a wishy-washy character who is totally unrelatable, confusing and even boring to read. Why? Well CS Friedman tries very hard to show that there's not a warm or fuzzy feeling inside Kamala. But she also tries to make Kamala sympathetic instead of a villain. So Kamala goes around helping people and sort of falling in love, but then she'll do something totally weird like crush a rabbit with magic to test if her power is working. Her behaviour is just so incongruous, you can't get any sense of her personality at all.
The world feels like it's home to about 5 people in total, the main characters, and none of those characters are well-defined. The world looks a bit like one of those dot-to-dot pictures we did as children. Once the dots are joined, you can see what it was meant to be but it's still just a dot-to-dot, not a masterful painting. And you're going to throw that dot-to-dot in the bin, not hang it on the wall. This book feels like a dot-to-dot hanging on the wall. Odd and confusing.
There are also some very nearly plagiarised ideas here. In Game of Thrones you have a great wall separating the inhabited world from the polar region because here be monsters. In Game of Thrones it's white walkers, and in the Magister trilogy it's soul-eaters (dragon-like creatures). The "Wall" in this trilogy is a magical barrier held in place by a line of magical obelisks. Of course the great threat is that these creatures will break through the wall at some point and sally forth to destroy the world of men. Who guards the wall? Guardians, and the main guardian character is the bastard son of the Lord Protector of one of these Northern protectorates. But his name isn't Jon Snow.
Rhys's character arc was also a huge disappointment. He sees a body where he wasn't expecting one, and then makes the assumption of the ages – that the gods do not exist, and spends the rest of story moping. My problem with this is that any intelligent human being would probably decide there was more to the story than what meets the eye. Anyway...
All the main male characters are either guiltless, greedy magisters (Colivar and Ramirus), stupid (Rhys), religious fanatics (Salvator), or power hungry tyrants (Danton). Only Andovan was a decent person and died in book 1! This series is actually very sexist, and sexist from the female perspective. Not something you see every day, but no better for its scarcity.
The book is absolutely littered with typos and copy errors. One of the worst cases I've ever encountered. And also just a lot of repetition.
As to the style of writing, some people seem to like it but I didn't. I can see that it's definitely a style. It's just not my cup of tea. Dialogue was often hard to follow because of big blocks of afterthought worldbuilding between sentences or reams of internal dialogue. A lot of sentences were phrased as questions unnecessarily and most characters ended sentences with "...,yes?" which got super irritating. I also really didn't like the sections of present tense "vision" stuff inserted all over the place. Just didn't flow nicely at all.
I really had to force myself to finish this book, it just got so boring. Glad it's over now! Don't think I'll be bothering with book 3.
August 29, 2018
This book picks up where Feast of Souls left off, continuing the mystery and threat of the Souleaters. Hoping she can use knowledge of these foul beasts as a form of currency to save her immortal skin, Kamala follows Rhys, the only Guardian in modern history to slay one of the winged serpentine beasts, into the far northern territories where the Spears of the Gods stand sentinel.
Meanwhile, Salvator's recent ascent to the throne of the High Kingdom is challenged by a bloody invasion that kills most of the residents in one of his major port cities. When evidence suggests his own family has moved against him, the new High King sends his mother, Queen Gwynofar, to her homeland to ascertain the truth. Her truth-seeking mission becomes something more, though, when Rhys and Kamala return to the Lord Protector with their news of rogue Guardians and a broken Spear. Faced with such a monumental threat, the royal families call on their Royal Magisters.
Colivar, perhaps the oldest and most knowledgeable of the Magisters, is given the opportunity to observe and interact with Kamala for an extended period. While he baits her with carefully crafted phrases, he does not reveal her secrets to the other Magisters. This creates a sense of vulnerabilty in Kamala and makes her even more determined to gather information on the Souleaters that she can use to unwittingly enlist the other Magisters as a line of defense for the day when her true nature is revealed and her crimes are brought to bear against her.
A great deal more happens but it would spoil the books for others, so I'm going to stop there.
The one thing I have to say about this trilogy that I adore so far is the fact that there are so many powerful women in this story that are critical to the main plot points. Kamala is the first female Magister in history. She defies all gender expectations, proving that a woman can make the same kind of soul-shearing sacrifice that supposedly only men can make. She's smart, crafty, and world-wise in a heartbreaking kind of way. There is a coldness in her, a ruthlessness, that can paint her in a very unflattering light. She's perhaps the first female anti-hero that I've run across, and I love it.
Gwynofar, the physical embodiment of femininity, is often underestimated. A glance at her slender figure, delicate features, and gentle mannerisms leaves one assuming she is not a threat. Yet, she is smart, determined, willful, and brave. Her faith is strong and often guides her through her fear or uncertainty. She is the woman who can gently guide others, who can soothe the rougher edges of the most barbaric men or women.
Then there's Sideria, the Witch Queen. She is the seductress, using her feminine wiles to create alliances and garner favors with royals and Magisters alike. The most valuable and coveted favor, of course, has been the Magisters' ability to remove all traces of aging from her physical form. Discovering the physical repairs cannot replenish her waning life force, she is enraged and filled with resentment, emotions that soon become a deep-seeded hatred of the Magisters she had once courted. She craves immortality but, unlike Kamala, has not discovered its secrets on her own. This makes her prey to those who intend to use her for their own dark desires. Only this Witch Queen is still a force to contend with, as those who wish to control her soon find themselves the ones being controlled.
Although I'm sure that Colivar and the other Magisters, as well as King Salvator and the Lord Protectors, will all have a significant role to play in the concluding book, I expect that these three women will be at the center of everything. In many ways, this is a story of feminine power.
Meanwhile, Salvator's recent ascent to the throne of the High Kingdom is challenged by a bloody invasion that kills most of the residents in one of his major port cities. When evidence suggests his own family has moved against him, the new High King sends his mother, Queen Gwynofar, to her homeland to ascertain the truth. Her truth-seeking mission becomes something more, though, when Rhys and Kamala return to the Lord Protector with their news of rogue Guardians and a broken Spear. Faced with such a monumental threat, the royal families call on their Royal Magisters.
Colivar, perhaps the oldest and most knowledgeable of the Magisters, is given the opportunity to observe and interact with Kamala for an extended period. While he baits her with carefully crafted phrases, he does not reveal her secrets to the other Magisters. This creates a sense of vulnerabilty in Kamala and makes her even more determined to gather information on the Souleaters that she can use to unwittingly enlist the other Magisters as a line of defense for the day when her true nature is revealed and her crimes are brought to bear against her.
A great deal more happens but it would spoil the books for others, so I'm going to stop there.
The one thing I have to say about this trilogy that I adore so far is the fact that there are so many powerful women in this story that are critical to the main plot points. Kamala is the first female Magister in history. She defies all gender expectations, proving that a woman can make the same kind of soul-shearing sacrifice that supposedly only men can make. She's smart, crafty, and world-wise in a heartbreaking kind of way. There is a coldness in her, a ruthlessness, that can paint her in a very unflattering light. She's perhaps the first female anti-hero that I've run across, and I love it.
Gwynofar, the physical embodiment of femininity, is often underestimated. A glance at her slender figure, delicate features, and gentle mannerisms leaves one assuming she is not a threat. Yet, she is smart, determined, willful, and brave. Her faith is strong and often guides her through her fear or uncertainty. She is the woman who can gently guide others, who can soothe the rougher edges of the most barbaric men or women.
Then there's Sideria, the Witch Queen. She is the seductress, using her feminine wiles to create alliances and garner favors with royals and Magisters alike. The most valuable and coveted favor, of course, has been the Magisters' ability to remove all traces of aging from her physical form. Discovering the physical repairs cannot replenish her waning life force, she is enraged and filled with resentment, emotions that soon become a deep-seeded hatred of the Magisters she had once courted. She craves immortality but, unlike Kamala, has not discovered its secrets on her own. This makes her prey to those who intend to use her for their own dark desires. Only this Witch Queen is still a force to contend with, as those who wish to control her soon find themselves the ones being controlled.
Although I'm sure that Colivar and the other Magisters, as well as King Salvator and the Lord Protectors, will all have a significant role to play in the concluding book, I expect that these three women will be at the center of everything. In many ways, this is a story of feminine power.
December 16, 2018
This is the second book in Friedman’s Magister series. This has been an amazing fantasy series and is a very good classic fantasy read!
I listened to this on audiobook and the audiobook was very well done. In fact if I weren’t listening to this on audiobook I probably wouldn’t be continuing on with the series. Rodgers just does such an amazing job narrating the story.
Kamala is reeling after events in the first book and is trying to find a way to gain knowledge that she can use as leverage against the rest of the Magisters. She decides to journey towards the Wrath (a magical barrier that separates the North from the rest of the world) and try to learn its secrets. Many secrets are revealed about the Wrath and the Soul Eaters that dwell to the North.
This story switches POV a ton throughout the book and a lot more characters are added to the story. However, I never had trouble following it. Friedman is also not at all afraid of eliminating major characters as a course of the story and adding in new ones.
The Soul Eaters and their companions make the Magisters seem like heroes in this book. I continue to enjoy the good vs evil themes and all the magic and the way life-force is needed to make magic function. I am incredibly curious to see how things wrap up in the third book; this story has been very intriguing and very hard to predict.
Friedman’s writing style is very “classic” fantasy and reminds me a lot of books I read that came out in the 80’s and 90’s. I have been enjoying the nostalgic feel that reading this series gives me!
Overall this has been an incredible fantasy series. I love the complex world, interesting magic system, entangled plot, and the unpredictability of it all. The characters are well done and the world building is epic. I would highly recommend to those who enjoy epic fantasy with a classic feel to it.
I listened to this on audiobook and the audiobook was very well done. In fact if I weren’t listening to this on audiobook I probably wouldn’t be continuing on with the series. Rodgers just does such an amazing job narrating the story.
Kamala is reeling after events in the first book and is trying to find a way to gain knowledge that she can use as leverage against the rest of the Magisters. She decides to journey towards the Wrath (a magical barrier that separates the North from the rest of the world) and try to learn its secrets. Many secrets are revealed about the Wrath and the Soul Eaters that dwell to the North.
This story switches POV a ton throughout the book and a lot more characters are added to the story. However, I never had trouble following it. Friedman is also not at all afraid of eliminating major characters as a course of the story and adding in new ones.
The Soul Eaters and their companions make the Magisters seem like heroes in this book. I continue to enjoy the good vs evil themes and all the magic and the way life-force is needed to make magic function. I am incredibly curious to see how things wrap up in the third book; this story has been very intriguing and very hard to predict.
Friedman’s writing style is very “classic” fantasy and reminds me a lot of books I read that came out in the 80’s and 90’s. I have been enjoying the nostalgic feel that reading this series gives me!
Overall this has been an incredible fantasy series. I love the complex world, interesting magic system, entangled plot, and the unpredictability of it all. The characters are well done and the world building is epic. I would highly recommend to those who enjoy epic fantasy with a classic feel to it.
May 27, 2024
I enjoyed this book and I'll read the next one, though there are a few minor complaints that keep me from giving 4 stars. There are a lot of interesting characters, but for some reason the "main" character doesn't feel like a main character. Maybe that's due to the number of people's stories being followed, which was not excessive but did stop me from feeling too connected to any of them. And of course Middle Book Syndrome means bad stuff's happenin' and bad guys winnin' and you can't see a light at the end of the tunnel yet. Also, I'll try to avoid this being a spoiler but the ending of this book was in many ways similar to the ending of the last one.
One thing I realized while reading this book is how common the geological divider of "good and evil" has been in my recent books. The Age of Uprising series has a rift dividing nations caused by an ancient magical battle, the Licanius Trilogy has a massive magic wall sealing off the bad guys from the rest of the world, and there's plenty of other examples. One recent one that stands out is the Pathfinder series, where there's a wall too complicated to explain but it basically creates an increasing sense of dread the closer you get to it. Obvious parallels to the Wrath wall in this series. It's an interesting idea, and I had thought it unique until I ran into this.
One thing I realized while reading this book is how common the geological divider of "good and evil" has been in my recent books. The Age of Uprising series has a rift dividing nations caused by an ancient magical battle, the Licanius Trilogy has a massive magic wall sealing off the bad guys from the rest of the world, and there's plenty of other examples. One recent one that stands out is the Pathfinder series, where there's a wall too complicated to explain but it basically creates an increasing sense of dread the closer you get to it. Obvious parallels to the Wrath wall in this series. It's an interesting idea, and I had thought it unique until I ran into this.
July 29, 2024
I am a long time fan of CS Friedman and I've read In Conquest Born as well as Coldfire several times. I could not appreciate this book even as an ardent fan of the author.
The second book in the Magister trilogy meanders about. It goes nowhere and tells its leaf thin story in its barely realized world through 20 different sets of eyes when one or two would have been enough. This book accomplishes nothing, takes us nowhere the first volume didn't already. We end up in the same place with just a few new details added. This whole book could have been 2 chapters.
Who was it about? Who were we supposed to care about? Kamala, the protagonist of the first book, doesn't do much. She saves a guy from prison and kills a bunny. That's it. I also found that the ending of this book completely undermined the basic premise of the magic system. The first book explains clearly that women can't handle killing others in order to achieve stuff. Well, Gwynofar does precisely that in this one.
At this point, I'm rooting for the Soul Eaters, even though they still haven't accomplished anything impressive.
The second book in the Magister trilogy meanders about. It goes nowhere and tells its leaf thin story in its barely realized world through 20 different sets of eyes when one or two would have been enough. This book accomplishes nothing, takes us nowhere the first volume didn't already. We end up in the same place with just a few new details added. This whole book could have been 2 chapters.
Who was it about? Who were we supposed to care about? Kamala, the protagonist of the first book, doesn't do much. She saves a guy from prison and kills a bunny. That's it. I also found that the ending of this book completely undermined the basic premise of the magic system. The first book explains clearly that women can't handle killing others in order to achieve stuff. Well, Gwynofar does precisely that in this one.
At this point, I'm rooting for the Soul Eaters, even though they still haven't accomplished anything impressive.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 1, 2019
Please note - I'm reading this book without the benefit of having read the first book in the series. I got the book at a book-swap event but the rest of the series wasn't available. If I read the first book at some point, I may revise my opinion.
The story is intriguing and the world-building is well done. I can't say I like the magic system very much but it works within the context of the story.
I found it difficult to connect with most of the characters. Perhaps this is due to not having read the first book. I simply didn't care enough about them, with the exception of Salvator and Rhys.
I enjoyed the story and appreciated the various plot twists. It stood up well even without knowing the finer details of what happened in the previous book.
The story is intriguing and the world-building is well done. I can't say I like the magic system very much but it works within the context of the story.
I found it difficult to connect with most of the characters. Perhaps this is due to not having read the first book. I simply didn't care enough about them, with the exception of Salvator and Rhys.
I enjoyed the story and appreciated the various plot twists. It stood up well even without knowing the finer details of what happened in the previous book.
November 14, 2021
I liked this book and I think CS Friedman is a good writer. I want to make that clear. However, I couldn’t help but feel like I was reading a fantasy soap opera. I don’t recall if I felt that way when I was reading the first novel of this series, but that is how this one struck me. All the characters seem stiff and tense in their interactions with each other, hiding their emotions behind cold facades while plotting how to one up each other, even though they’re facing an existential crisis. It seemed almost ridiculous to me at times.
I’m still looking forward to reading the third book, however, to see how everything is resolved.
I’m still looking forward to reading the third book, however, to see how everything is resolved.
August 14, 2018
I have enjoyed Friedman’s work since I first read The Madness Season (which admittedly, I picked up because of the cover art). Her plots and characters are layered and usually complex and she has explored the theme of magic use with a price before. This book is the second of the Magister Trilogy that brings back to this particular world, beasts out of legend and a prophecy that may or may not make a difference even if it is fulfilled. I find all her writing compelling and this series is no different.
March 21, 2020
I felt that the story needed more action, and there were some typos that I was surprised got missed (ex: pg. 327 "It too her a minute to figure out why" - should be - "It (took) her a minute to figure out why." But other than that, I enjoyed the book, and how the story continued to build. Looking forward to reading the third book of the trilogy.
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