What do you think?
Rate this book
Silken Magic #1
Magic's Silken Snare
The debut novel of the dazzling Silken Magic series, set in the mythical kingdom of Tyrrhia, where courtly politics, magic, and the silk trade intersect.
When the owl called, Luciana’s heart filled with dread.
The first time she had heard the owl call three times, she had been barely five—and her father had died. Over the years that followed, this herald of misfortune had warned of death several times, and on each occasion she had lost someone dear to her.
Now she was a grown woman with too many for whose safety she feared. Luciana’s husband, Stefano, Duca di Drago, brother to the queen of Tyrrhia, was currently away fighting in the war against the Turks. Her grandmother, the Romani Queen, was at an age when death might easily claim her companionship. And Luciana’s own beloved sister Alessandra was at the Tyrrhian court, an innocent among courtiers far too well-versed in intrigue.
But the truth would prove far more dreadful than Luciana’s worst fears. For not only was Alessa dead, but her very soul was imperiled by the way she had died. Luciana had no choice but to journey to the White King’s Court to seek out the one responsible. Yet the trail she must uncover would lead Luciana into the gravest danger.
And even the silken magic of the Rom might not prove strong enough to defeat the dark sorcery which had stolen her sister’s very spirit, and now threatened to turn this power against the royal court.
When the owl called, Luciana’s heart filled with dread.
The first time she had heard the owl call three times, she had been barely five—and her father had died. Over the years that followed, this herald of misfortune had warned of death several times, and on each occasion she had lost someone dear to her.
Now she was a grown woman with too many for whose safety she feared. Luciana’s husband, Stefano, Duca di Drago, brother to the queen of Tyrrhia, was currently away fighting in the war against the Turks. Her grandmother, the Romani Queen, was at an age when death might easily claim her companionship. And Luciana’s own beloved sister Alessandra was at the Tyrrhian court, an innocent among courtiers far too well-versed in intrigue.
But the truth would prove far more dreadful than Luciana’s worst fears. For not only was Alessa dead, but her very soul was imperiled by the way she had died. Luciana had no choice but to journey to the White King’s Court to seek out the one responsible. Yet the trail she must uncover would lead Luciana into the gravest danger.
And even the silken magic of the Rom might not prove strong enough to defeat the dark sorcery which had stolen her sister’s very spirit, and now threatened to turn this power against the royal court.
560 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 2003
7 people are currently reading
153 people want to read
About the author
ElizaBeth Gilligan
10 books7 followersElizaBeth A. Gilligan was a fantasy author. Her short story Iron Joan was a preliminary ballot nominee for the 2002 Nebula Award in the category of Best Short Story. Gilligan once served as the secretary for the Science Fiction Writers of America (SFWA) board of directors.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
August 5, 2018
I yield. DNF @ 22%.
I've had this since 2004. That's 14 years, y'all. For 14 years I've kept this book, despite my first attempt resulting in a DNF from sheer boredom. I love the concept. I love the way this world is knitted into Renaissance Italy. But I can't.
Gentle reader, I'm no stranger to slow, cumbersome fantasy. I've read Tolkien. George RR Martin. Melanie Rawn. Michelle West's entire Sun Sword series, which is six 800-page doorstoppers of overwritten fantastical wtf. But this one? It defeats me. It's just SO BLOODY SLOW. And considering how my tastes have changed over 14 years, the fact that it slogged & bogged both then & now speaks volumes. The moral of this experience? Sometimes your youthful self isn't wrong. Sometimes a book just doesn't work, even if you love the idea behind it. Humbug. D:
I've had this since 2004. That's 14 years, y'all. For 14 years I've kept this book, despite my first attempt resulting in a DNF from sheer boredom. I love the concept. I love the way this world is knitted into Renaissance Italy. But I can't.
Gentle reader, I'm no stranger to slow, cumbersome fantasy. I've read Tolkien. George RR Martin. Melanie Rawn. Michelle West's entire Sun Sword series, which is six 800-page doorstoppers of overwritten fantastical wtf. But this one? It defeats me. It's just SO BLOODY SLOW. And considering how my tastes have changed over 14 years, the fact that it slogged & bogged both then & now speaks volumes. The moral of this experience? Sometimes your youthful self isn't wrong. Sometimes a book just doesn't work, even if you love the idea behind it. Humbug. D:
October 9, 2015
This book is a seamless blend of fantasy, historical fiction, and murder mystery. The characters come to life from the first page and entwine with your soul in such a way that it lingers with you when you put the book down. Unlike many murder intrigues, where the clues are either totally obscured till the last minute or way too easy to follow, the plots and clues in this book are complex without being obscure or overwhelming. The author draws you into her world so completely that you can see yourself there, experiencing everything personally. It's amazing ... I've read a few historical fiction murders, I've read my share of fantasy and my share of murder mysteries of various other types and never has a book ensnared and entranced me like this one has.
If you like reading, if you like mysteries, if you like fantasy, if you like historical fiction, you have GOT to give this book a try. This series seriously deserves to be more popular and FAR more well read than it is!
If you like reading, if you like mysteries, if you like fantasy, if you like historical fiction, you have GOT to give this book a try. This series seriously deserves to be more popular and FAR more well read than it is!
October 8, 2016
A rich world based on an alternate history in Sicily with a beautifully drawn Romani culture as part of it. Watching the characters deal with threat, danger and the realities of this world while influenced by real characters in history is fascinating. The author's deep knowledge and respect of the Rom world is evident in her world-building and her characterizations. Looking forward to the next book in the series!
October 17, 2011
Interesting premise, very likable heroine, and realistic relationships between characters make this a strong first novel. Heavy reliance on the idea of a sequel kind of put me off, because I think in the last third it turned into an issue of questionable pacing rather than suspense, but I'm still intrigued enough to want to read the rest.
October 16, 2021
I enjoyed the intensive world-building, and the focus on Romani culture in an alternate-history Sicily, but the pacing was a little off for me. 560 pages was long for the amount of action that actually took place, and the fact that a major element of the main story arc wasn't even resolved in that time was frustrating. I don't know that I have the patience to invest the time to plow through the remaining books in the trilogy.
July 28, 2017
Inventive and different. Makes for an interesting series.
April 24, 2020
In a parallel 18th-century, a duchess/mage must battle for her sister’s soul.
March 22, 2010
This alternate magical history is set in a fictional Italian city state following a Gyspy magic user married to a Duke. She goes to court to investigate her sister's death and must walk the line between her Gypsy heritage and what is socially acceptable. It took me awhile to get into this one but once I did I found it thoroughly engrossing. The wide variety of subplots was very engaging and added a new spice to what could have been a very predictable plotline.
October 24, 2011
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, it was a little slow starting but quickly took a turn for fantastic. After her sister's murder, Luciana, a Gypsy married to a brother in law to the King, declares vendetta. There are many twists and turns to the plot and it is soon revealed that it was a plot against the king and the royal family that started everything. The Catholic Church, with a evil Cardinal who dabbles in black magic is a definite difference in this novel.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews