Review: Night Study by Maria V. Snyder

* This review may contain spoilers for the previous book, Shadow Study.

Night Study (Soulfinders #2)
By Maria V. Snyder
Publisher: Mira
Format: Paperback
Source: Purchased

To Sum It Up: Yelena and Valek find themselves in danger once again, and this time, not even their combined formidable escape skills may save them. Yelena is still without her magic and the target of assassins. Valek, meanwhile, is no longer certain of his once unwavering loyalty to the Commander of Ixia, and the Commander is no longer sure that he can completely trust Valek. As Ixia and Sitia edge closer to conflict, Yelena, Valek, and their family and friends race to thwart it, but their numerous enemies always seem to be a step ahead of them.

Review: Night Study is the second book in Maria V. Snyder’s new series featuring Yelena, Valek, and all the gang from her original Study series plus characters from her spin-off Glass series. So this is technically the eighth book set in this world that I’ve read, and it’s always a bit of a homecoming to return to it.

Yelena and Valek are one of my favorite fictional couples; their slow burning romance way back in Poison Study was just perfect. I can’t begin to quantify how much sentimental value this series holds for me thanks to these two and their close-knit circle of family and friends. In all seriousness, I’d read books about Yelena and Valek in their old age; they’d probably eschew retirement and still be running about Ixia and Sitia trying to save everyone.

As much as I love these characters, though, there were a few things about Night Study that I couldn’t quite look the other way on. The first was the book’s pacing; it took me almost two weeks to read this. While there was no shortage of action scenes, which Snyder has always written well and continues to do so, the story itself just felt slow moving in places. Valek goes off on a solo mission that for the most part seems better suited for a standalone short story. Although an interesting twist awaits at the conclusion of his mission, the path to it is somewhat circuitous.

While I liked the addition of Valek and Janco’s POVs in the previous novel, Shadow Study, the multiple POVs, which also include Yelena’s brother, Leif, didn’t work quite as well for me this time around. You will never hear me complain about reading from Valek’s perspective. Ever. And that’s not to imply that I’m going to complain about Janco and Leif’s chapters. Maybe it’s because every POV except Yelena’s is written in the third person, but Janco and Leif’s narrative voices don’t always come across as distinct from one another.

So on to what was awesome about Night Study. I liked seeing Valek conflicted over his loyalties. He’s been the Commander’s right hand man for years, but Night Study sees their relationship grow increasingly strained. The Commander is wary of Yelena, with her ties to magic and to Sitia, where magic isn’t banned as it is in Ixia, which also drives a wedge between Valek and the Commander. Valek would do anything for Yelena, his heart mate, even defy the Commander. Watching Valek have to make a difficult choice made for a very compelling plotline.

We also get the usual witty observations from Janco, a narrow escape or two or three, and a development that’s sure to elate longtime fans of the series. I know I almost melted. While this wasn’t my favorite installment in the chronicles of Yelena, Valek, and co., I’m still very much invested in their next set of adventures.

All in All: I found the pace at which Night Study moved on the sluggish side at times and would be OK with fewer POVs, but the swoony Yelena and Valek moments and a big revelation definitely helped balance things out.

Review: Shadow Study by Maria V. Snyder

Shadow Study (Soulfinders #1)
By Maria V. Snyder
Publisher: Mira
Format: Paperback
Source: Purchased

To Sum It Up: Yelena’s powers as a Soulfinder are renowned throughout Sitia and even in Ixia, where magic is forbidden, so when a would-be assassin’s attack robs Yelena of her magic, she is devastated. Yelena knows that she cannot keep her loss quiet for long, and once word spreads, the many enemies she’s made over the years are certain to exploit her vulnerability. Meanwhile, back in Ixia, Valek is tied up investigating a smuggling operation as well as assessing his possible replacement on the Commander’s staff, and he’s completely unaware that Yelena is without her formidable magical protection.

Review: Some characters have a way of entwining themselves around your heart so that even after a significant amount of time has passed since the end of their adventures, you still think about them often. And so it is with Yelena and Valek, Poison Study’s power couple extraordinaire. These two—I just love them. Yelena and Valek forever! Obviously, I greeted the news that they were returning in a brand new series with euphoria.

Not only does Shadow Study reunite readers with Yelena and Valek, but it also brings back a host of familiar faces, including the awesome power twins extraordinare, Ari and Janco. I love these two guys, too, and, wait for it—Janco has a POV! The slightly odd aspect of this is that it’s in the third person, while Yelena’s chapters remain in the first. This was minor to me, however, as Janco’s chapters were hilarious! Adding his POV was a brilliant move on Maria V. Snyder’s part, changing up the singular narration from both the Study and Glass series. Plus, Janco’s wit is very, very entertaining.

Speaking of the Glass books, which were a spin-off of Study and featured glass artist Opal Cowan as the protagonist, she and some other characters from Glass turn up in Shadow Study. This novel actually brings both series together a little more than I’d anticipated. I reread the three Study books but not the Glass trilogy before starting Shadow Study, and there were a few times when I felt that a refresher on the people and events from Glass would have been helpful to jog my memory. I also wish that I’d read the Study short stories because I’m pretty sure that this book alludes to those as well. Although Shadow Study does a good enough job of recapping plotlines from the previous books that might need a few further details, I do think that being up to speed on all that’s happened in this world up to this point yields the best reading experience from Shadow Study.

Without a doubt, the best thing about the novel is Valek’s POV. That’s right—Valek. POV! Like Janco’s chapters, Valek’s are written in the third person, but again—Valek. POV! I freaked out when I discovered this because gaining access to the thoughts of Ixia’s most feared assassin is just priceless. Snyder does not disappoint Valek’s many admirers, as we learn much about his past, from the assassin training he received in his youth to his initial meeting with Ambrose, the future Commander of Ixia. It’s all incredibly insightful and riveting to read; fans are sure to be extremely pleased with this look into the backstory of this beloved character.

Political intrigue has been a constant throughout the books, and there’s no shortage of it here. Unraveling the complex web of espionage to figure out allegiances and motives is a lot of fun, and Snyder continues to be a pro at keeping the reader guessing. Nearly every chapter ends with a mini-cliffhanger, which means you’ll find yourself unable to put this down. Maria V. Snyder has presented her readers with a very lovely gift in the form of this book. If you already loved Yelena, Valek, Ari, Janco, and the rest of the gang, prepare to fall in love with them all over again. I know I did, and it was a most wonderful feeling, indeed.

All in All: Study fans (and Glass fans): you need to read this NOW!

Review: Fire Study by Maria V. Snyder

Fire Study (Study #3)
By Maria V. Snyder
Publisher: Mira
Format: Paperback
Source: Purchased

To Sum It Up: As a Soulfinder, Yelena’s powers are stronger than those of most magicians, much to the concern of Sitian leadership. Sitia is on the brink of war with Ixia, and Yelena’s loyalties are caught in the middle. She’s also up against one of the most intimidating foes she’s ever faced, and not even Yelena’s magic may be able to stop the Fire Warper.

Review: We have arrived at the end of the original Study trilogy, and I’m feeling rather conflicted. It’s not as though I wasn’t expecting the things that still, after a reread, didn’t quite work for me about Fire Study. I mean, I still love the series, but a lot of that love stems from how amazing the first book, Poison Study, was and my attachment to some of the characters, including the equine ones (love you, Kiki!). I also just have really warm, fuzzy memories of reading all three books way back in my pre-blogging days, and sometimes it’s tough to turn a critical eye toward this series.

I will say that neither Magic Study nor Fire Study surpasses the superb Poison Study, and I think Fire Study lags behind the most, especially in terms of pacing. Magic Study seemed a little long to me; Fire Study definitely felt too long. Yelena makes several pit stops as she criss-crosses her way through Sitia, Ixia, and Sitia again in her quest to save Sitia and Ixia and everybody and everyone.

Yelena takes it upon herself to do all of the rescuing in this one, which, being one person against a slew of evil Daviian Vermin, Warpers, and one extremely troublesome Fire Warper, leads to a host of headaches for our heroine. It’s unnecessary trouble at times. Yelena has dedicated allies who are more than willing and capable of lending a hand, but her determination to protect them means she gets into a couple of avoidable scrapes that don’t really add much to the story. Don’t get me wrong, I love Yelena and how far her character has come since we first met her, but some of her decisions and actions here are frustrating.

Once again, Valek is absent for a good deal of the book, and again, it’s not an easy absence to ignore. Yes, I love Valek, but I don’t miss him for purely selfish reasons alone. His presence demands your attention, and when he’s not there, the books simply aren’t the same. I savored every scene he was in, as well as every page that featured the spin-off-worthy duo of Ari and Janco.

Yelena’s brother, Leif, lightens up considerably in Fire Study, making him considerably more pleasant than the dour Leif of Magic Study. The siblings banter often with each other, which is very welcome amidst the perilous situations they frequently find themselves encountering in Fire Study. The action in the first two-thirds of the book isn’t as exciting as what happens in the last third, when it all gets real. I thoroughly enjoyed this part of the novel and how the sequence of events unfolded, and it reminded me why I fell in love with the series in the first place. While I had some issues with Fire Study, its strong finish closed out the trilogy in a very satisfying manner.

All in All: Your feelings toward Fire Study will likely depend on your overall investment in the series. By the time I read this, I was madly in love with the books (and Valek, of course) and admittedly viewed this novel with a more subjective eye than usual. Although Poison Study is easily my favorite book out of the three, staying with this series was absolutely worthwhile for me, as was reading the Glass spin-off series. Yelena and Valek have so firmly taken hold of my heart that obviously I’ll be following their continued adventures in their brand new series of novels.

Review: Magic Study by Maria V. Snyder

Magic Study (Study #2)
By Maria V. Snyder
Publisher: Mira
Format: Paperback
Source: Purchased

To Sum It Up: With magic forbidden in Ixia and anyone with the ability to use it marked for death, Yelena has very little choice but to seek refuge in her homeland of Sitia. Although she is reunited with the family she was taken from as a child, she also finds herself separated from her Ixian friends—and from Valek. Sitia is the only place where Yelena can learn to control her magic before its power overwhelms her, though, plus it appears that only she may be able to stop a killer from claiming another victim.

Review: My feelings toward Magic Study, as well as the next book in the series, Fire Study, are a little jumbled. On the one hand, I didn’t think either of them quite captured the brilliance of Poison Study when I initially read them three years ago, and I’m still of that opinion regarding Magic Study. I will say that I did enjoy reading it again, and knowing what to expect actually made me appreciate the book a bit more the second time around, just not to the degree that I love Poison Study.

One of the most noteworthy changes from the first book is the setting. Since being a magician in Ixia carries a death sentence, Yelena returns to her birthplace of Sitia, where she’s reunited with the family she’s been separated from for years. Here’s a perfect example of the advantage of having read this before: I couldn’t stand Yelena’s brother, Leif, when I first met him. He’s so mean to Yelena! Fortunately for Leif, I know that he moves past acting like a jerk to his sister and becomes a rather affable character down the road.

While I did yearn for the good old days in Ixia as I reread Magic Study, I also had to give Maria V. Snyder a lot of credit for expanding the world and really delving into the magic that was touched upon in Poison Study. I do miss Yelena the food taster, but there’s something compelling about Yelena the Soulfinder as well. Snyder is such an adept storyteller, and even though I think this chapter in Yelena’s adventures could have been chronicled in a few less pages, I nonetheless found myself immersed in the details of Sitian politics and life at the Citadel, where young magicians learn to master their skills.

Magic Study introduces several new characters in addition to Yelena’s parents and brother, including the other three Master Magicians (Fourth Magician Irys Jewelrose having been introduced in Poison Study), the very annoying Cahil, who claims to be the heir to the Ixian throne, Yelena’s beloved horse, Kiki, and the mysterious but cool Moon Man. The newcomers were welcome (well, except for Cahil), but it was impossible not to miss Yelena’s Ixian buddies Ari and Janco and, to me, the most important figure from book one: Valek.

Valek and Yelena’s slow burn of a romance was everything in Poison Study, and his absence for most of Magic Study is fiercely felt. He’s just so integral to the series, and his scaled down presence here is my biggest quibble with the book. While there’s enough novelty to Magic Study, like the new locale and the deeper exploration of magic, to move the story forward and keep it interesting, at the same time, it’s tough to ignore the lack of Valek awesomeness for almost three hundred pages. Then again, it was the promise of Valek’s reappearance, even during a reread, that kept me turning the pages with gusto.

All in All: Magic Study delivers on the magic part of its title as we follow Yelena’s training and witness the breadth of her powers. This novel would have been even better with more Valek, obviously, but I suppose some Valek is preferable to no Valek at all.

Review: Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder

Poison Study (Study #1)
By Maria V. Snyder
Publisher: Mira
Format: Paperback
Source: Purchased

To Sum It Up: Yelena has been sentenced to die for committing murder, but she gets an unexpected reprieve of sorts. She is offered the position of food taster for the Commander of Ixia, a job that is not without risks. Yelena could be fatally poisoned at any time, but it’s either this or face execution. Even after taking her chances by becoming the food taster, Yelena’s tiny hope of leading some semblance of a life is quickly dashed by someone’s determined efforts to kill her by any means necessary.

Review: Ah, Poison Study. I first read this about four years ago, after much exhorting from my cousin Ally. As usual, Ally was right: this was amazing! I had borrowed her copy of the book because I wasn’t sure how I would like it; let’s just say that it wasn’t long before I ordered my own copy plus copies of the rest of the books in the series.

With a brand new Study book releasing, I figured that a reread of the original trilogy was a good idea, especially since I’d read it pre-blog. Rereads of books that I loved make me a little nervous—will I still love them just as much, or will my opinion have changed?

Well, Poison Study has withstood the test of time. I admit that I carried a good deal of sentiment in my heart for it before the reread, so this review is even more subjective than usual. Four years ago, Ally and I talked and talked and talked about this book, plus we persuaded other family members and my best friend to read it, too. So, yes, there are some feelings!

Sometimes you start reading a book and it’s instantly addictive; Poison Study is that type of book. We’re immediately introduced to Yelena and her predicament: she’s to be executed for killing a general’s son unless she opts to take the job of food taster to the Commander of Ixia—a position that’s vacant due to the previous food taster’s untimely demise. So Yelena is essentially trading certain death for possible death. Of course her training, under the tutelage of Ixia’s ace spy/assassin Valek, involves learning to recognize different poisons, and I was totally absorbed by the details. Not that I was taking notes for future reference or anything.

Yelena’s character evolves so much over the course of the novel, and it’s such a well paced development. In the beginning, she’s both physically and mentally weak from years of torture at the hands of General Brazell and his psychopathic son, Reyad, the man whom Yelena has been sentenced to death for killing. Justice is all-or-nothing in Ixia and does not allow for extenuating circumstances. Slowly, though, Yelena gains strength and confidence, and you’ll find yourself cheering her on when she starts taking self-defense lessons. By the end of the book, she’s a complete badass.

Speaking of badasses—Valek. He epitomizes the word with his commanding presence and ridiculously awe-inspiring fighting and spying skills. Seriously—he is NOT a man to be trifled with. But then there’s the side of Valek that carves intricately detailed statues from rocks. What I’m telling you is, I love him love him love him. And oh man, the slow burn between him and Yelena is exquisite. It is absolutely my favorite thing about the book and the entire series.

While the world of Poison Study isn’t overly complex compared to other fantasies, it’s very well thought out. The magic element is nicely applied as well, with neither too light nor too heavy a hand. One more bit of last minute gushing: I grinned like a dork when two of my favorite secondary characters, Ari and Janco, made their first appearance. I love the friendship that develops between them and Yelena. To me, the best rereads are the ones where you feel like you’re catching up with old friends you haven’t seen in a while, and that exactly sums up my reread of Poison Study.

All in All: I’ll quote the line Ally used on me to convince me to pick up this book. “Poison Study: READ IT!”