![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Stolen Magic
Oct. 24th, 2007 12:36 pmRemember when I wrote about A Kiss of Fate a while back and said it reminded me of a good book? This one is a really good book, and that’s saying a lot considering a premise that seemed pretty silly on the back cover.
Stolen Magic by M.J. Putney. Narrated by Simon Prebble. Simon Falconer (best friend to our hero from the previous book) is the magical law enforcer for the Guardians. When he tries to arrest the Lord Drayton, Drayton turns Simon into a unicorn. It’s a mythical beast even then, but Drayton wants to slay him by ritual magic so that he can take the horn to add to his personal power. Simon escapes, but is recaptured with the unwitting help of the ugly Mad Meggie, Drayton’s ward. They manage to escape again together, somewhat injured. When their blood mixes, Simon turns back into himself. Simon is able to find and release the spells on Meg, which kept her stupid, ugly, and unaware of her great magical power, which Drayton was drawing on to supplement his own meager strength. Naturally, this being a romance, they are powerfully attracted to each other. But Simon is still turning back into a unicorn pretty easily, and only Meg can turn him back – the going theory being it’s because she’s still a virgin. Also, Simon was only able to knot off, not cut, the energy cord tying Meg to Drayton, so she’s still in danger. The rest of the Guardian Council is finding Simon’s story about Drayton unconvincing, leaving him on the loose. He’s plotting shadowy evil things, still trying to get Meg and Simon back, and Meg thinks he has more energy slaves.
While the sexual tension stays high through the book, the plot and the subplot even have just as much. I admit that the references to the sweet purity and innocence of virginity make me a little itchy, especially coupled with “country girls think it’s natural, like the animals.” But the story kept me hooked, especially narrated by Simon Prebble’s slightly rough British accent. The romantic bones are better covered than in the last story, too, making this a good choice for those reading more for the magic than the romance.
Stolen Magic by M.J. Putney. Narrated by Simon Prebble. Simon Falconer (best friend to our hero from the previous book) is the magical law enforcer for the Guardians. When he tries to arrest the Lord Drayton, Drayton turns Simon into a unicorn. It’s a mythical beast even then, but Drayton wants to slay him by ritual magic so that he can take the horn to add to his personal power. Simon escapes, but is recaptured with the unwitting help of the ugly Mad Meggie, Drayton’s ward. They manage to escape again together, somewhat injured. When their blood mixes, Simon turns back into himself. Simon is able to find and release the spells on Meg, which kept her stupid, ugly, and unaware of her great magical power, which Drayton was drawing on to supplement his own meager strength. Naturally, this being a romance, they are powerfully attracted to each other. But Simon is still turning back into a unicorn pretty easily, and only Meg can turn him back – the going theory being it’s because she’s still a virgin. Also, Simon was only able to knot off, not cut, the energy cord tying Meg to Drayton, so she’s still in danger. The rest of the Guardian Council is finding Simon’s story about Drayton unconvincing, leaving him on the loose. He’s plotting shadowy evil things, still trying to get Meg and Simon back, and Meg thinks he has more energy slaves. While the sexual tension stays high through the book, the plot and the subplot even have just as much. I admit that the references to the sweet purity and innocence of virginity make me a little itchy, especially coupled with “country girls think it’s natural, like the animals.” But the story kept me hooked, especially narrated by Simon Prebble’s slightly rough British accent. The romantic bones are better covered than in the last story, too, making this a good choice for those reading more for the magic than the romance.
