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Journal Entry 1 by karendawn from Lafayette, Indiana USA on Saturday, January 20, 2007
 This is the collected edition of Wrede's series that starts with Mairelon the Magician and concludes with Magician's Ward.
This historical fantasy borrows many of the conventions of the historical romance to create a frothy tale that should appeal to a broader audience than would a straightforward fantasy, romance, or historical novel. Kim is surviving the streets of some London in never-never land by disguising herself as a boy and working at the least objectionable and illegal tasks offered to her. She knows that her age is bringing her masquerade to an end, so when fortune throws the mysterious, but apparently honorable, Mairelon in her path with the offer of a job and a destination, she takes the opportunity. From this point, the plot plunges headlong into a convoluted story involving magic, disguised noblemen, sacred vessels, and a ``put all the subjects in the same room and we'll solve this mystery'' conclusion. Trying to stay one guess ahead of Kim and one behind the dashing Mairelon will keep the pages turning. Although Kim is a somewhat vague conception, Mairelon qualifies as a fully realized romantic hero. The novel ends with Kim entering wizard training and her realization that now, ``anything might happen. Anything at all.'' Savvy librarians will interpret this as the beginning of a series with crowd-pleasing potential.
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This sequel to Mairelon the Magician finds Kim, an apprentice magician and ward of Richard Merrill (Mairelon), in Regency England society. When Mairelon's magic powers are stolen, Kim must trust her magician's abilities to uncover the thief.
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Journal Entry 2 by karendawn from Lafayette, Indiana USA on Saturday, June 23, 2007
Mairelon the Magician
This first book introduces the characters of Mairelon and Kim and involves a quest for the pieces of the Saltash collection, which will clear Mairelon of the charge of being the original thief of the pieces. This one is set in Regency England but with magic involved (like Wrede's books written with Caroline Stevermer). So the book was light and a lot of fun and I had a good time reading it.
The Magician's Ward
I liked this one even better than the first one - I particularly enjoyed the use of a little more magic and seeing Kim have to make her way in Society. The romance aspects weren't as strong as I would have liked and the relationship came to fruition a little too quickly right at the end to be completely satisfying. But it was a fun book over all.
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Journal Entry 4 by PepperVL from Cincinnati, Ohio USA on Saturday, August 04, 2007
Marelion the Magician
This was a fun, light read that I enjoyed a lot. I enjoyed their travels, and the way their relationships built up. The scenes at the end were a bit confusing - all the characters in one room with a lot of action going on - but I managed to unravel them... and I was proud to have figured out the true culprit before he was revealed. This was a lot of fun.
The Magician''s Ward
I too enjoyed seeing Kim move through society and her comments on different activities and people. It''s such a different world from now and I find it fascinating to read about. I also agree that the romance was a little sudden... though that may be modern sensibilities talking. After all, at least Kim had known Marelion for longer than the other guy who proposed to her. *laughs*
My mom is reading this, and then it''s going to Cherie and then on to Sand.
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Journal Entry 5 by CheriePie from Campbell, California USA on Friday, November 14, 2008
w00t w00t! I was pleasantly surprised to find this in my package from Pepper. I'd forgotten all about it. That was a fun live swap there though... a few of us wanted this book. So Sand wants to read it after then? I'll reserve it for her after then. Thanks again Nessa! :)
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Magic & Malice
