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Wilders #1
Lies and Prophecy
There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and prophecy.
Kim thought majoring in divination would prepare her for the future. But even with her foresight warning her of trouble, she's taken by surprise when an unknown force attacks Julian, her enigmatic classmate and friend. Her gifts can't protect him against further attacks and an inexplicable string of disappearances . . . and if she's reading the omens right, Julian isn't the only one in danger.
Kim knows she isn't ready for this. But if she wants to save Julian -- and herself -- she'll have to prove her own prophecies wrong.
Read all the prequel snippets here:
http://bookviewcafe.com/blog/2012/09/...
or here:
http://www.swantower.com/novels/wilde...
Kim thought majoring in divination would prepare her for the future. But even with her foresight warning her of trouble, she's taken by surprise when an unknown force attacks Julian, her enigmatic classmate and friend. Her gifts can't protect him against further attacks and an inexplicable string of disappearances . . . and if she's reading the omens right, Julian isn't the only one in danger.
Kim knows she isn't ready for this. But if she wants to save Julian -- and herself -- she'll have to prove her own prophecies wrong.
Read all the prequel snippets here:
http://bookviewcafe.com/blog/2012/09/...
or here:
http://www.swantower.com/novels/wilde...
304 pages, ebook
First published September 16, 2012
6 people are currently reading
388 people want to read
About the author
Marie Brennan
174 books3,254 followersMarie Brennan a.k.a. M.A. Carrick
Marie Brennan is a former anthropologist and folklorist who shamelessly pillages her academic fields for material. She recently misapplied her professors' hard work to Turning Darkness Into Light, a sequel to the Hugo Award-nominated series The Memoirs of Lady Trent. As half of M.A. Carrick, she is also the author of The Mask of Mirrors, first in the Rook and Rose trilogy. For more information, visit swantower.com, Twitter @swan_tower, or her Patreon.
Marie Brennan is a former anthropologist and folklorist who shamelessly pillages her academic fields for material. She recently misapplied her professors' hard work to Turning Darkness Into Light, a sequel to the Hugo Award-nominated series The Memoirs of Lady Trent. As half of M.A. Carrick, she is also the author of The Mask of Mirrors, first in the Rook and Rose trilogy. For more information, visit swantower.com, Twitter @swan_tower, or her Patreon.
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October 7, 2012Ehh, not as good as I was expecting - I got it because the author said it was inspired by Dean's Tam Lin, one of my favourite books ever (and frankly, it was very inexpensive), and I can see the DNA here and there (Kim is clearly Janet, Lisel is a sort of mashup of Molly and Tina, the very unconvincing Robert and Julian are sort of like the remote bits of Robin and Nick without their human aspects), it's at a Midwestern sorta-liberal-arts school, and so on. But with one big difference: Dean lights up the mundane with the numinous so deftly that even the most passe college rituals, like room choices or class pranks, are touched with odd disquieting brilliance. Her college world is undoubtedly real, but shot through with the supernatural. (The only one I can think of who does it better is Peter S. Beagle.) In this book, the complicated worldbuilding and complex history is sort of flattened down to the backdrop of First Young Love between two rather unconvincing people. (Actually pretty much every person in it is unconvincing, except for a professor modeled on Medeous and an extremely otherworldly character who doesn't seem to be modeled on anyone, much to his improvement.)
I feel a bit bad laying all that out so flatly because the author makes it clear this was actually her first book, apparently much rewritten since then, but oy, does it have a lot of First Book hallmarks. The selfless understanding best friend who has nothing to do but listen to other peoples' troubles! The witty understanding Male Second Fiddle who will pair off with the best friend, but nobody really cares! The enigmatic, closed-off but deeply passionate Male Love Interest! and so on. The Seelie and Unseelie Courts, for example, are distinguished by their eye colours: emerald and gold. There are also two really clunky technical missteps - at one point the hero suddenly starts up third-person narration, for no good reason, except the heroine's going to become incommunicado later on, and a lot of action scenes are skipped and told about immediately afterwards in dialogue. When a writer can do this well, it often works brilliantly - Pratchett is great at it. But the structure of this book is so rough the attempt just doesn't come off, and it becomes choppy and annoying rather quickly.
I really enjoyed Brennan's Onyx Court novels and stories and I think she's a good writer generally; but this book is just pretty much proof that the first novel a writer ever finishes should stay neatly wrapped up in the fabled trunk.
I feel a bit bad laying all that out so flatly because the author makes it clear this was actually her first book, apparently much rewritten since then, but oy, does it have a lot of First Book hallmarks. The selfless understanding best friend who has nothing to do but listen to other peoples' troubles! The witty understanding Male Second Fiddle who will pair off with the best friend, but nobody really cares! The enigmatic, closed-off but deeply passionate Male Love Interest! and so on. The Seelie and Unseelie Courts, for example, are distinguished by their eye colours: emerald and gold. There are also two really clunky technical missteps - at one point the hero suddenly starts up third-person narration, for no good reason, except the heroine's going to become incommunicado later on, and a lot of action scenes are skipped and told about immediately afterwards in dialogue. When a writer can do this well, it often works brilliantly - Pratchett is great at it. But the structure of this book is so rough the attempt just doesn't come off, and it becomes choppy and annoying rather quickly.
I really enjoyed Brennan's Onyx Court novels and stories and I think she's a good writer generally; but this book is just pretty much proof that the first novel a writer ever finishes should stay neatly wrapped up in the fabled trunk.
November 1, 2017
I loved this book.
Marie Brennan's fun, breezy writing style really worked as the inner voice of an American college student. I enjoyed how it slipped in references to American culture - e.g. ACLU - although I suspect that those references might eventually date this book. The setting was limited to a college campus, which was good - it kept the book focused. I also liked how the author nicely avoided info-dumping, although it did result in some struggle at first to place all the acronyms (e.g. CM stood for ceremonial magic, but we interpreted that from context). But having to think about the magic systems also made the information worth it, so that was well-done.
Marie Brennan's fun, breezy writing style really worked as the inner voice of an American college student. I enjoyed how it slipped in references to American culture - e.g. ACLU - although I suspect that those references might eventually date this book. The setting was limited to a college campus, which was good - it kept the book focused. I also liked how the author nicely avoided info-dumping, although it did result in some struggle at first to place all the acronyms (e.g. CM stood for ceremonial magic, but we interpreted that from context). But having to think about the magic systems also made the information worth it, so that was well-done.
February 8, 2023
There are quite a lot of lukewarm reviews of this, complaining that it shows itself to be a first novel and too bad it's not as good as the author's other works. Well... I haven't read the author's other works, and I found this to be an above average "urban" (kind of) fantasy set at a college in an alternate version of the US, where humans have "manifested" some of the powers of the sidhe. I did find the rather abrupt shift from first- to third-person narration about half-way through the book a bit clumsy, and this could be blamed on authorial inexperience, but overall this was what they call "an assured debut" novel. It says quite a lot that I immediately went and downloaded the sequel.
January 30, 2021
I'd go with 3.5 stars, but that's not an option...
I liked this, it was entertaining, and although the faeries were like faeries everywhere (well, everywhere meaning in every book of course), the consequences of their existence was original enough (if a little HP). I've never been a fan of faeries, but they didn't bother me too much here. Probably because the story is mainly about the humans with faerie blood, who fortunately do not lack empathy the way the faeries do.
The magic seems to have rules, but they were never that clear, which I thought was a pity.
I liked this, it was entertaining, and although the faeries were like faeries everywhere (well, everywhere meaning in every book of course), the consequences of their existence was original enough (if a little HP). I've never been a fan of faeries, but they didn't bother me too much here. Probably because the story is mainly about the humans with faerie blood, who fortunately do not lack empathy the way the faeries do.
The magic seems to have rules, but they were never that clear, which I thought was a pity.
September 20, 2012
A solid launch to a new series, with a midwestern US university that specializes in paranormal subjects for the new wave of paranormals that seem to be becoming the norm in this alternate world. Kim and Julian and the characters that surround them are well-drawn and believable, "real" despite their special talents, and the unfolding plot is compelling and detailed. Excellent book, and I look forward to the next in the series.
September 19, 2012
Stayed up late to finish it. My only trouble is that having read the prequel snippets which were posted on Book View Cafe and on the author's website (mostly the characters arriving at college) I now want to read the book (not extant) between the snippets and this book.
dnf
September 21, 2012Okay, at page 182/183 (on my reader the book has about 242 or so pages) I have decided to not finish the book at this moment, because Kim's actions - and she is the main character (124 pages of only her first-person-viewpoint and then there are occasionally Julian viewpoint vignettes mixed in) - and the support for them that she gets from her core group have become TSTL to me.
I wouldn't be surprised if it also had to do with the fact that I'm 45 and a teacher: In this book, the way I see it so far, Kim is the one fully-fleshed out character. Julian is the mysterious and fascinating love interest, and because Kim is so interested in him and thinks about him a lot, AND because he is the only other character to get a viewpoint (3rd person) this works well not just in their development of friendship into love but also in not info-dumping the worldbuilding and the system of magic, but exploring it from two different aspects.
Robert is the support character whose role is to be grandiose and eloquent about various facts of world-building, Liesel is the "martyr" from Kim's point of view (I don't understand how she could stay with self-centered, arrogant Kim in the novel for three years, when all other empaths usually move into single rooms according to the world building) and her main purpose is to be a sounding board and be the voice of caution (until page 183 when she suddenly encourages Kim to go to a ball although the group has already logically deducted that they and their connectiong to Julian will be the focus point of entry for the Unseelie Court's return).
Kim occasionally thinks that she doesn't want to burden Liesel, but then she talks to her anyway. After having read earlier that as an empath Liesel feels the emotions of others strongly unless they are tightly shielded, this attempt at sparing her feelings(?) makes no sense to me. I did like Liesel taking the initiative to help Kim help Julian after his abduction and the way that their cm-circle worked together and Prof. Grayson - who is the third character that actually really comes across as real, apart from Kim and Julian - was open enough to trust in Kim and her friends years of closeness to let them help.
Which is another reason why I am so disappointed that Kim suddenly decides to blame the Guardian Ring and the other Wilders for not having a plan when the PRIVILEGED INFORMATION that she got via her contact with Falcon won't be passed on from her side. I can hope Julian will do so, but Kim obviously has decided as the focus of the whole danger she and her friends will handle it their way, without input from people who may not have had direct contact with the Otherworld yet, but have been fighting the good fight for decades.
I really do have low tolerance for pride before sensible precaution I guess, that was my biggest hurdle with the first Dobrenica novel, Coronets & Steel. Just like there I do not believe that being sensible and asking for outside help (I mean, Julian IS the focus and only Kim HAS the way to contact Falcon - they can't keep them out of the resolution anyway and I doubt that with the common sense ex-Guardian Grayson has shown she would even try) takes away from the role of the main character in her own book.
The fact that school has started again and I'm confronted with boys from my exam class not using their own common sense again certainly didn't help. The fact that the insight into Liesel and Robert which I got from the prequel bits hadn't prepared me for the reduced importance didn't help either.
Nitpicky:
mami = Mami
Fühlung = Gefühl (in that context anyway)
I wouldn't be surprised if it also had to do with the fact that I'm 45 and a teacher: In this book, the way I see it so far, Kim is the one fully-fleshed out character. Julian is the mysterious and fascinating love interest, and because Kim is so interested in him and thinks about him a lot, AND because he is the only other character to get a viewpoint (3rd person) this works well not just in their development of friendship into love but also in not info-dumping the worldbuilding and the system of magic, but exploring it from two different aspects.
Robert is the support character whose role is to be grandiose and eloquent about various facts of world-building, Liesel is the "martyr" from Kim's point of view (I don't understand how she could stay with self-centered, arrogant Kim in the novel for three years, when all other empaths usually move into single rooms according to the world building) and her main purpose is to be a sounding board and be the voice of caution (until page 183 when she suddenly encourages Kim to go to a ball although the group has already logically deducted that they and their connectiong to Julian will be the focus point of entry for the Unseelie Court's return).
Kim occasionally thinks that she doesn't want to burden Liesel, but then she talks to her anyway. After having read earlier that as an empath Liesel feels the emotions of others strongly unless they are tightly shielded, this attempt at sparing her feelings(?) makes no sense to me. I did like Liesel taking the initiative to help Kim help Julian after his abduction and the way that their cm-circle worked together and Prof. Grayson - who is the third character that actually really comes across as real, apart from Kim and Julian - was open enough to trust in Kim and her friends years of closeness to let them help.
Which is another reason why I am so disappointed that Kim suddenly decides to blame the Guardian Ring and the other Wilders for not having a plan when the PRIVILEGED INFORMATION that she got via her contact with Falcon won't be passed on from her side. I can hope Julian will do so, but Kim obviously has decided as the focus of the whole danger she and her friends will handle it their way, without input from people who may not have had direct contact with the Otherworld yet, but have been fighting the good fight for decades.
I really do have low tolerance for pride before sensible precaution I guess, that was my biggest hurdle with the first Dobrenica novel, Coronets & Steel. Just like there I do not believe that being sensible and asking for outside help (I mean, Julian IS the focus and only Kim HAS the way to contact Falcon - they can't keep them out of the resolution anyway and I doubt that with the common sense ex-Guardian Grayson has shown she would even try) takes away from the role of the main character in her own book.
The fact that school has started again and I'm confronted with boys from my exam class not using their own common sense again certainly didn't help. The fact that the insight into Liesel and Robert which I got from the prequel bits hadn't prepared me for the reduced importance didn't help either.
Nitpicky:
mami = Mami
Fühlung = Gefühl (in that context anyway)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 12, 2013
I love Marie Brennan. She's the author of the duology WARRIOR and WITCH, two of the first books I ever mentioned on In Bed With Books. She's also the author of the Onyx Court series, which has both Queen Elizabeth and magic. LIES AND PROPHECY is the first book in a series that may never have any more books, but it's quite satisfying on its own. I still want more, but I'm not crushed by a terrible cliffhanger of evil doom. And here's why you should read it and convince Brennan to write more: magic college.
Kim is a student specializing in divination at Welton University. But this year she's decided to focus more on Ceremonial Magic and other subjects she's neglected. Much of what she's been divining lately focuses on Julian, the only wilder at the university. He's definitely in danger, and Kim might be too. She doesn't have long to prepare. Soon enough, they're attacked and Samhain and shortly after Julian disappears.
LIES AND PROPHECY successfully combines college hijinks with magical intrigue and battles for autonomy. I liked how important Kim and Julian's roommates, Liesel and Robert, were to their lives and the story. A good roommate is the best friend. I also liked how detailed the world was. There are theories about why some humans have magic, and a medical test to determine magical aptitude. While little narrative time is spent in classes, there's a sense of the curriculum. I love when authors use a practical, scientific approach to magic. And, though there are twists, none of the twists violate what the reader has been told of how magic functions in the world.
There's also a love story. I liked how it developed in a slow burn, though some readers might be disappointed by the fact it remains fairly chaste. (Hey, they've got a world in danger to worry about.) At first, it's just lingering looks and small tells, like who Kim always runs to first. It's complicated, given that Julian is so full of magic that just looking at him is hard, but she wants to make it work because it's what she feels. Kate is terrifically emotional and stubborn, and those qualities prove to be a saving grace.
The only thing I didn't like about LIES AND PROPHECY was that it switched between first and third person. Much of the book is through Kim's point of view, but other times it's told in third person even if she's present. There's not a good structural or plot reason for the book to be written this way, so I wish Brennan had picked one. I'm not one of those people who hates first or third, but they so rarely belong in the same book.
I would recommend LIES AND PROPHECY to Harry Potter fans who are looking for something more grown up as well as to fans of THE MAGICIANS who want something less grimdark. It's a little YA, a little New Adult, and a lot of having your friends at your side as you face down things you don't understand but know you have to fight anyway.
You can read a prequel novella for free on Brennan's site.
Kim is a student specializing in divination at Welton University. But this year she's decided to focus more on Ceremonial Magic and other subjects she's neglected. Much of what she's been divining lately focuses on Julian, the only wilder at the university. He's definitely in danger, and Kim might be too. She doesn't have long to prepare. Soon enough, they're attacked and Samhain and shortly after Julian disappears.
LIES AND PROPHECY successfully combines college hijinks with magical intrigue and battles for autonomy. I liked how important Kim and Julian's roommates, Liesel and Robert, were to their lives and the story. A good roommate is the best friend. I also liked how detailed the world was. There are theories about why some humans have magic, and a medical test to determine magical aptitude. While little narrative time is spent in classes, there's a sense of the curriculum. I love when authors use a practical, scientific approach to magic. And, though there are twists, none of the twists violate what the reader has been told of how magic functions in the world.
There's also a love story. I liked how it developed in a slow burn, though some readers might be disappointed by the fact it remains fairly chaste. (Hey, they've got a world in danger to worry about.) At first, it's just lingering looks and small tells, like who Kim always runs to first. It's complicated, given that Julian is so full of magic that just looking at him is hard, but she wants to make it work because it's what she feels. Kate is terrifically emotional and stubborn, and those qualities prove to be a saving grace.
The only thing I didn't like about LIES AND PROPHECY was that it switched between first and third person. Much of the book is through Kim's point of view, but other times it's told in third person even if she's present. There's not a good structural or plot reason for the book to be written this way, so I wish Brennan had picked one. I'm not one of those people who hates first or third, but they so rarely belong in the same book.
I would recommend LIES AND PROPHECY to Harry Potter fans who are looking for something more grown up as well as to fans of THE MAGICIANS who want something less grimdark. It's a little YA, a little New Adult, and a lot of having your friends at your side as you face down things you don't understand but know you have to fight anyway.
You can read a prequel novella for free on Brennan's site.
March 3, 2016
I've read that this was a trunk novel that's just been released, and it does indeed read like a first book. The depiction of college life from a bookish, ambitious girl's point of view, written while the author was in college, with magic added, because wouldn't that have made college better?
I was really into the book at first. Really interested in the magic classes and how the characters interacted, instantly fascinated by Julian, the Changeling. Magic has burst into the world, along with the Fae. Humans have varying degrees of magic talent. Kim, our narrator, of course wants to be a Guardian (sounds exciting, right?) But, she's a bit lacking in shielding and combat magic, although she's great at precognition. So the obvious thing for a studious budding mage to do is to skip the intro classes and go right for the upper division shielding classes. I could relate to all of this, and was enjoying it for a while.
However, the story is one of those that's slow to get started. A hundred pages in, the plot is just starting to take shape, and this book is only about 300 pages long. I started getting impatient with the repetition of angst about classes and grades, and the slow reveal of the actual problem.
This is one of those set-up books that is really a sort of mini-adventure that is an origin story. It positions the characters for the larger plot arc and is small in scale because the future books have to ramp it up. There's an odd POV switch in the middle of the book that didn't work well.
I'm not sure if I'll read more in this particular series- I may give it a shot, hoping that the author wrote these later on in her career.
I was really into the book at first. Really interested in the magic classes and how the characters interacted, instantly fascinated by Julian, the Changeling. Magic has burst into the world, along with the Fae. Humans have varying degrees of magic talent. Kim, our narrator, of course wants to be a Guardian (sounds exciting, right?) But, she's a bit lacking in shielding and combat magic, although she's great at precognition. So the obvious thing for a studious budding mage to do is to skip the intro classes and go right for the upper division shielding classes. I could relate to all of this, and was enjoying it for a while.
However, the story is one of those that's slow to get started. A hundred pages in, the plot is just starting to take shape, and this book is only about 300 pages long. I started getting impatient with the repetition of angst about classes and grades, and the slow reveal of the actual problem.
This is one of those set-up books that is really a sort of mini-adventure that is an origin story. It positions the characters for the larger plot arc and is small in scale because the future books have to ramp it up. There's an odd POV switch in the middle of the book that didn't work well.
I'm not sure if I'll read more in this particular series- I may give it a shot, hoping that the author wrote these later on in her career.
November 24, 2013
New Adult fantasy set in an upper midwest college. I don't know whether the resemblances to Dean's _Tam Lin_ are deliberate--but they work quite well. Psychic and magically gifted young people are trained as the Otherworld draws closer to ours and the horrors of the Unseelie lie in wait. Good stuff!
May 18, 2017
Stumbled upon this because I wanted to get a taste of this author's writing prior to starting her series about dragons. I was pleasantly surprised.
This book was a solid young adult novel with the bonus of non-idiotic, non-petty characters. I thought most of their decisions made sense logically and the story and world were interesting. I found the world building well done, but there were a number of words and myths being thrown around that I think would be hard for people unfamiliar with the terms to fully understand what they were reading.
For example, do people know what a geis is? Do people understand what athames are? Things and words like those would often get tossed around, because it's the norm in that universe, but I can see a reader wishing they had a glossary. I am fortunate enough to have read a number of books involving the fae, Celtic mysticism, and other types of mythology so I know about geis, I know what the significance of Samhain is, and some other tidbits here and there (I also know the Ballad of Tam Lin, but this story was only loosely influenced by it).
The romance is very little, tbh, and the chemistry building/bonding is not really there, but it was a nice touch to the story and I rarely reject romance. So I'd read more books by this author and I'm quite excited to check out that dragon series! Because, I mean, DRAGONS!
This book was a solid young adult novel with the bonus of non-idiotic, non-petty characters. I thought most of their decisions made sense logically and the story and world were interesting. I found the world building well done, but there were a number of words and myths being thrown around that I think would be hard for people unfamiliar with the terms to fully understand what they were reading.
For example, do people know what a geis is? Do people understand what athames are? Things and words like those would often get tossed around, because it's the norm in that universe, but I can see a reader wishing they had a glossary. I am fortunate enough to have read a number of books involving the fae, Celtic mysticism, and other types of mythology so I know about geis, I know what the significance of Samhain is, and some other tidbits here and there (I also know the Ballad of Tam Lin, but this story was only loosely influenced by it).
The romance is very little, tbh, and the chemistry building/bonding is not really there, but it was a nice touch to the story and I rarely reject romance. So I'd read more books by this author and I'm quite excited to check out that dragon series! Because, I mean, DRAGONS!
February 7, 2022
This is the first in the Wilders series by Marie Brennan, whose other books I have very much enjoyed.
But this one didn't really work for me. It starts with protagonist, Kim, sorting out her class schedule for her next semester at college - and including Ceremonial Magic and Divination amongst her classes.
Unfortunately, the fact that she's at a college that teaches magic is pretty much the only aspect of interest in the book for quite a while - and it did intrigue me for a bit. But, once the plot started to get going, it felt like Kim was very much on the periphery and everything was happening to someone else, which didn't help me connect to the story.
Then, when it became clear what the main fantastical element of the world was going to be, it was something that's never really grabbed my interest, unfortunately.
Don't get me wrong - the writing is good, I liked the range of characters, and the divergence from the real world is well-portrayed. It just wasn't my kind of story, and I'm not interested enough to carry on with the series.
But this one didn't really work for me. It starts with protagonist, Kim, sorting out her class schedule for her next semester at college - and including Ceremonial Magic and Divination amongst her classes.
Unfortunately, the fact that she's at a college that teaches magic is pretty much the only aspect of interest in the book for quite a while - and it did intrigue me for a bit. But, once the plot started to get going, it felt like Kim was very much on the periphery and everything was happening to someone else, which didn't help me connect to the story.
Then, when it became clear what the main fantastical element of the world was going to be, it was something that's never really grabbed my interest, unfortunately.
Don't get me wrong - the writing is good, I liked the range of characters, and the divergence from the real world is well-portrayed. It just wasn't my kind of story, and I'm not interested enough to carry on with the series.
January 2, 2023
Marie Brennan's Memoirs of Lady Trent series and its standalone sequel Turning Darkness into Light are some of my absolute favorite fantasy ever. I was hoping to repeat the magic with another academically-focused series by her. Unfortunately, I didn't end up liking this one. The setting of this book was amazingly intriguing and yet underdeveloped. It was like going to Hogwarts but almost never talking about the classes and there are only a few mentions of quidditch. I wanted a much more immersive experience. The concept for the series--that some ancestral fae part of humanity suddenly awoke and gave half the population magic powers--is barely hinted at rather than fully explored. I felt like lots of things were happening to the characters but the characters themselves had really no choice or motivation in the matter. Disappointing. I still give it three stars for the potential to be awesome.
July 28, 2017
This is a really great book. The setting is pretty unusual especially considering the productions in YA books lately, and the whole world is pretty great. I hope she will invest in a better cover.
The story is great, the characters behave and run around in a pretty realistic way. Dialogues are quite intense.
The rhythm of the story builds and builds and builds to a crescendo.
Honestly I hoped it would be part of a serie cause it is a pretty great story.
Oh wait, it is part of a series!! YAy!
The story is great, the characters behave and run around in a pretty realistic way. Dialogues are quite intense.
The rhythm of the story builds and builds and builds to a crescendo.
Honestly I hoped it would be part of a serie cause it is a pretty great story.
Oh wait, it is part of a series!! YAy!
May 23, 2018
Loved it!
The veils between worlds are thinning and soon the world as we know it and the Other world will be one once again. A suspense filled fantasy combined with a coming of age love story. This is an absolutely fantastic book!
The veils between worlds are thinning and soon the world as we know it and the Other world will be one once again. A suspense filled fantasy combined with a coming of age love story. This is an absolutely fantastic book!
May 13, 2023
DNF - wasn't that interesting
March 24, 2017
Beginnings
I really enjoyed this book and really hope that the next is as good. The prequel was great and I bought the next two books. Can't wait to read the next installment.
I really enjoyed this book and really hope that the next is as good. The prequel was great and I bought the next two books. Can't wait to read the next installment.
March 2, 2015
This review has been crossposted from my blog at The Cosy Dragon . Please head there for more in-depth reviews by me, which appear on a timely schedule.
Kim is majoring in divination, but it doesn't mean her life is clear cut. There's signs that things aren't going smoothly, but with no way to turn, and piles of college work, Kim doesn't really have enough time to devote to her budding romance as well
I really liked the beginning pages and opening chapters of this novel. They drew me in, and kept my interest up. This hints and things were exactly as you should set up a novel. However The middle of the text felt like it was dragging somewhat, which I found annoying.
As always, the fact that this novel is set in a university for fascinating for me, and held my interest in the same way that the early Harry Potter books did. I just love learning things! I dabbled in some tarot and runes when I was younger (as well as wicca) and I think that this novel is quite accurate in its portrayal. Of course there is not enough there for a whole training in it though.
Although the majority of the text is told for Kim's point of view, some is from Julien's, which becomes more important as the text progresses. I would have found the final scenes very jarring had I not had any insight into him before. However his narration is more of a limited kind as you feel less feelings from him.
The ending was less inspiring than I had hoped. I kept checking, going "Uh oh, only 20 pages left and I don't think they're going to solve the problem in that time and I don't think this is a series" and indeed it wasn't, and I wasn't satisfied! Yes, the hurdles they overcame made sense and made things work out well though, but there wasn't any real resolution of conflict.
I did finish this novel, and think that I wished something had been different, but it wasn't a bad book by any means. I wonder whether there will be more in the series, and I'll totally read them if I can get my hands on a free copy. I probably wouldn't opt to buy this for myself. Recommended for teenagers.
I received this novel as a free copy from somewhere (no idea where any more), but that has in no way altered my review.
Kim is majoring in divination, but it doesn't mean her life is clear cut. There's signs that things aren't going smoothly, but with no way to turn, and piles of college work, Kim doesn't really have enough time to devote to her budding romance as well
I really liked the beginning pages and opening chapters of this novel. They drew me in, and kept my interest up. This hints and things were exactly as you should set up a novel. However The middle of the text felt like it was dragging somewhat, which I found annoying.
As always, the fact that this novel is set in a university for fascinating for me, and held my interest in the same way that the early Harry Potter books did. I just love learning things! I dabbled in some tarot and runes when I was younger (as well as wicca) and I think that this novel is quite accurate in its portrayal. Of course there is not enough there for a whole training in it though.
Although the majority of the text is told for Kim's point of view, some is from Julien's, which becomes more important as the text progresses. I would have found the final scenes very jarring had I not had any insight into him before. However his narration is more of a limited kind as you feel less feelings from him.
The ending was less inspiring than I had hoped. I kept checking, going "Uh oh, only 20 pages left and I don't think they're going to solve the problem in that time and I don't think this is a series" and indeed it wasn't, and I wasn't satisfied! Yes, the hurdles they overcame made sense and made things work out well though, but there wasn't any real resolution of conflict.
I did finish this novel, and think that I wished something had been different, but it wasn't a bad book by any means. I wonder whether there will be more in the series, and I'll totally read them if I can get my hands on a free copy. I probably wouldn't opt to buy this for myself. Recommended for teenagers.
I received this novel as a free copy from somewhere (no idea where any more), but that has in no way altered my review.
October 18, 2012
"Lies, Damned Lies and Prophecy"
Set in Minnesota, in a world containing magic of many varieties- from sorcerers and wiccans to diviners and wilders. Wilders being one of the main themes of the story. I won't say much about the plot because that would be spoiling, so here are a few basic details.
We read the story from the point of view of Kim, a student studying at Welton Academy. At the start, I was reminded of the basic premise of Harry Potter. Some people are normal and some have magic. As in Harry Potter, it can appear suddenly, only in this series it can be lethal too, with a chance of developing psi-sickness.
The writing style is fast-paced and captivating and the characters are believable and individual. Towards the second half of the book we begin to get brief flashes of events from Julian's point of view. Never for very long and used sparingly. At first, they felt a little shoehorned in perhaps, with no real point to them. Until I began to realise the cleverness of them. Julian as a person is naturally reserved by nature and due to his existence as a wilder. Showing us his side of the story is letting us into his mind and allowing us to briefly see his thoughts and emotions that he rarely ever shows otherwise. Not only does this make him more relatable, but also more human.
The story and writing style remind me of a mix of the Harry Potter series and the Morganville Vampire series, both of which I enjoyed. While similar to both, this story has it's own essence and makes a great read. The ending was fantastic and left me craving more.
I look forward to the next instalment in the Wilders series and would recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of magic, fantasy or adventure.
Disclaimer: I received this book through LibrayThing (www.librarything.com). I am not being sponsored. All my opinions are my own. LibraryThing is a free website and anyone can sign up.
Set in Minnesota, in a world containing magic of many varieties- from sorcerers and wiccans to diviners and wilders. Wilders being one of the main themes of the story. I won't say much about the plot because that would be spoiling, so here are a few basic details.
We read the story from the point of view of Kim, a student studying at Welton Academy. At the start, I was reminded of the basic premise of Harry Potter. Some people are normal and some have magic. As in Harry Potter, it can appear suddenly, only in this series it can be lethal too, with a chance of developing psi-sickness.
The writing style is fast-paced and captivating and the characters are believable and individual. Towards the second half of the book we begin to get brief flashes of events from Julian's point of view. Never for very long and used sparingly. At first, they felt a little shoehorned in perhaps, with no real point to them. Until I began to realise the cleverness of them. Julian as a person is naturally reserved by nature and due to his existence as a wilder. Showing us his side of the story is letting us into his mind and allowing us to briefly see his thoughts and emotions that he rarely ever shows otherwise. Not only does this make him more relatable, but also more human.
The story and writing style remind me of a mix of the Harry Potter series and the Morganville Vampire series, both of which I enjoyed. While similar to both, this story has it's own essence and makes a great read. The ending was fantastic and left me craving more.
I look forward to the next instalment in the Wilders series and would recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of magic, fantasy or adventure.
Disclaimer: I received this book through LibrayThing (www.librarything.com). I am not being sponsored. All my opinions are my own. LibraryThing is a free website and anyone can sign up.
April 7, 2014
I received this book as part of LibraryThing's Early Reviewers Program (which doesn't influence the outcome of my reviews), and it was the sole request I made that month, because I KNEW a book written by Marie Brennan would be a winner.
It's difficult to talk about this book without spoiling something, because finding out the revelations as they unfold is half of the fun. While we start with the everyday worries of Kim, a divination major who is enrolling in classes that may be over her head, the conflict builds up to awesome proportions. As the year goes on, it becomes increasingly obvious that her friend Julian is in trouble, and she and their roommates are drawn into the chaos of trying to save him (and themselves...and the world).
Brennan's writing is amazing, and the main characters are likable and interesting. What I think really stood out though, was how interesting the world was. It takes place in the near future, when people suddenly began to exhibit psychic gifts, and takes place at a university of psychic sciences. The descriptions of their classes in things like Ceremonial Magic and Psychokinesis are great, and the little details like the iron locks on the doors were fascinating, and I could have honestly read an entire novel just about those things. It can be hard, in fantasy to get a really nicely developed world like that, without feeling like you've been beaten over the head with all of this information, it works perfectly here.
The plot was really compelling, and I wasn't able to put this book down until I finished. I really hope there's a sequel to this in the future, because there is so much potential in this world and with these characters.
It's difficult to talk about this book without spoiling something, because finding out the revelations as they unfold is half of the fun. While we start with the everyday worries of Kim, a divination major who is enrolling in classes that may be over her head, the conflict builds up to awesome proportions. As the year goes on, it becomes increasingly obvious that her friend Julian is in trouble, and she and their roommates are drawn into the chaos of trying to save him (and themselves...and the world).
Brennan's writing is amazing, and the main characters are likable and interesting. What I think really stood out though, was how interesting the world was. It takes place in the near future, when people suddenly began to exhibit psychic gifts, and takes place at a university of psychic sciences. The descriptions of their classes in things like Ceremonial Magic and Psychokinesis are great, and the little details like the iron locks on the doors were fascinating, and I could have honestly read an entire novel just about those things. It can be hard, in fantasy to get a really nicely developed world like that, without feeling like you've been beaten over the head with all of this information, it works perfectly here.
The plot was really compelling, and I wasn't able to put this book down until I finished. I really hope there's a sequel to this in the future, because there is so much potential in this world and with these characters.
February 2, 2016
Lies and Prophecy feels somewhat like The Magicians, in that it's our world with magic and young adult protagonists, but the magic in this world isn't a secret.
The suspense builds through the book and comes to a satisfying, although leaving you desperate for the next book, conclusion. The protagonist is smart and has really genuine relationships with other characters: her roommate who she's very close with (who is a lesbian, but it's handled very well, no stereotypes, just a mention that she dates girls), her mother who she loves, but really wants to get out of her shadow, the guy she ends up falling for, her professors, who are all distinct characters and not cookie cutter stereotypes, a guy who is just a friend and happy to be just a friend, a girl who she doesn't particularly like to spend time with but who both manage to be cordial to one another for the good of everyone. It all felt very real.
The magic and reason for the magic was well thought out and interesting, and a new concept which I really enjoyed. I still can't quite figure out why Brennan chose to go self-pub with this series, because it's technically sound (the writing and editing is just as good as traditional published), she already has a book deal so she's got an "in" in the industry, and it's a genre that is still quite popular (The Magicians getting a tv show is only going to boost the popularity of magic schools even more I imagine).
The suspense builds through the book and comes to a satisfying, although leaving you desperate for the next book, conclusion. The protagonist is smart and has really genuine relationships with other characters: her roommate who she's very close with (who is a lesbian, but it's handled very well, no stereotypes, just a mention that she dates girls), her mother who she loves, but really wants to get out of her shadow, the guy she ends up falling for, her professors, who are all distinct characters and not cookie cutter stereotypes, a guy who is just a friend and happy to be just a friend, a girl who she doesn't particularly like to spend time with but who both manage to be cordial to one another for the good of everyone. It all felt very real.
The magic and reason for the magic was well thought out and interesting, and a new concept which I really enjoyed. I still can't quite figure out why Brennan chose to go self-pub with this series, because it's technically sound (the writing and editing is just as good as traditional published), she already has a book deal so she's got an "in" in the industry, and it's a genre that is still quite popular (The Magicians getting a tv show is only going to boost the popularity of magic schools even more I imagine).
November 18, 2012
Lies and Prophesy by Marie Brennan is a wonderful fantasy novel that although is genre YA, is not ageist; to be loved by young and old. The story is set in a Minnesota’s Welton College as we meet Kim, studying divination and her friends Liesel and Julian. The tale is told from Kim’s point of view and gives us a sense of life where human and magic interact.
Ms. Brennan does a magnificent job of taking fantasy and weaving it throughout a story of typical college students, trying to find themselves not only in their pursuits of education, but in the personal lives as well. Kim’s character is extremely likable outgoing and delivers a delightful sense of girl-power.
The story was fast-paced and the characterization and descriptors kept me solidly entranced well into the night as I was eager to complete the book. The ending, (no spoilers), gave me just enough to satisfy me, but left the story open for a sequel in the Wilders Series. I look forward to continuing the saga as I became invested in all the characters and their lives.
reviewed by Zafira
Ms. Brennan does a magnificent job of taking fantasy and weaving it throughout a story of typical college students, trying to find themselves not only in their pursuits of education, but in the personal lives as well. Kim’s character is extremely likable outgoing and delivers a delightful sense of girl-power.
The story was fast-paced and the characterization and descriptors kept me solidly entranced well into the night as I was eager to complete the book. The ending, (no spoilers), gave me just enough to satisfy me, but left the story open for a sequel in the Wilders Series. I look forward to continuing the saga as I became invested in all the characters and their lives.
reviewed by Zafira
July 17, 2013
This is my second favorite fantasy novel based on Tam Lin set on a college campus. Considering the first favorite is Pamela Dean's wonderful Tam Lin, that's no faint praise. The book takes a magic as technology approach with characters debating with their college advisers about taking ceremonial magic and pyrokinesis in the same semester. A few humans can do magic, based on their percentage of sidhe genes. The really powerful ones are the Wilders, who have a higher percentage of the sidhe and have their powers from birth and are looked upon with suspicion by the humans and keep themselves apart even from other magic users. But Julian, a wilder, enrolls in college, where he meets Kim, the narrator of much of the book. And then mysterious things start happening that culminate in the return of the Sidhe, both good and bad.
Although based on Tam Lin, there's a twist that I didn't expect. Also, the book would be a lot better if the Welcome to Welton novelette had been included at the start as it explains a lot that the book waits to do in a flashback. It's up on her website.
Although based on Tam Lin, there's a twist that I didn't expect. Also, the book would be a lot better if the Welcome to Welton novelette had been included at the start as it explains a lot that the book waits to do in a flashback. It's up on her website.
November 3, 2012
Welton Isn't Your Average College
Lies and Prophecy by Marie Brennan takes place on the college campus of Welton University in chilly Minnesota. Welton isn't your everyday college, it's one of the top schools in magic. Kim and her friends take us through the journey of your not so average third year college student studying Divination, Psychic Sciences, and a number of other tough courses. Kim's story pulls you in further each page until you feel you are sitting in the dining hall with them as they discuss their classes. When things stake a major unexpected turn you are hard pressed to put the book down.
The magic is not just part of the book but part of Marie Brennan's writing, she does an extraordinary job weaving the characters into your heart. I cannot wait to hear if there will be another book in this series. This book is highly recommended as I give it 4 1/2 stars.
Disclaimer: This book was received a member giveaway at LibraryThing.
Lies and Prophecy by Marie Brennan takes place on the college campus of Welton University in chilly Minnesota. Welton isn't your everyday college, it's one of the top schools in magic. Kim and her friends take us through the journey of your not so average third year college student studying Divination, Psychic Sciences, and a number of other tough courses. Kim's story pulls you in further each page until you feel you are sitting in the dining hall with them as they discuss their classes. When things stake a major unexpected turn you are hard pressed to put the book down.
The magic is not just part of the book but part of Marie Brennan's writing, she does an extraordinary job weaving the characters into your heart. I cannot wait to hear if there will be another book in this series. This book is highly recommended as I give it 4 1/2 stars.
Disclaimer: This book was received a member giveaway at LibraryThing.
March 10, 2016
I am still ruminating over this. I may change my rating after I've had more time to think about it (higher, not lower). I am not sure that getting the illustrated edition was necessarily worth it, but for only a dollar more, it was interesting to have them. I've just contradicted myself, I know. It ended up a major cliffhanger, which I have a hard time with. On the other hand, the reason I read it was because I won a copy of Chains of Memory from Early Reviewers, so once I've read that, I may feel more resolved. I enjoyed the whole idea of the college of magic, the different schools, the idea of the wilders, and especially Julian being the only one there and the questions as to why. I liked Kim and the secondary characters of Julian and Kim's roommates, and Professor Grayson was also an interesting character. I'm looking forward to reading Chains of Memory.
November 23, 2012
I found this book quite enjoyable to read. The pacing of the story felt appropriate. The main love interest was interesting and not overdone; it didn't detract, but rather added to the entire plot development. I thought the final resolution of the story felt a little cliche, but otherwise it was interesting to see how this world developed. As the story went on, I found myself enjoying the world-building, especially the mix of the typical college life and nontraditional types of classes. It was a new genre for me and I would definitely read more books about this world.
July 4, 2014
I got a copy of this because I kickstarted the sequel (and I'd been keen on reading this for a while).
Reading through other reviews, I see that it's the first novel Brennan wrote, and a lot of it reads that way. There is a *lot* of great stuff in here, but too much of it - for me - skims the surface of things, emotionally.
Looking forward to the sequel, since Brennan has several more books beneath her belt now. And I think I'm going to dig her other books out from where they're hiding on my shelves.
Reading through other reviews, I see that it's the first novel Brennan wrote, and a lot of it reads that way. There is a *lot* of great stuff in here, but too much of it - for me - skims the surface of things, emotionally.
Looking forward to the sequel, since Brennan has several more books beneath her belt now. And I think I'm going to dig her other books out from where they're hiding on my shelves.
June 24, 2016
I somehow forgot I owned this until my daughter was up at 4:30 in the morning with jet lag and grumbling because I wanted her to go back to sleep.
Anyway, I had this on my iPad (which was serving as her white noise machine) and once I started, I had to keep reading.
It's not as fascinating as the Memoirs of Lady Trent, although that may be partially my own biases in terms of content, but Brennan still has a gift for world building and I enjoyed this book enough that it's time to hunt down the sequel.
Anyway, I had this on my iPad (which was serving as her white noise machine) and once I started, I had to keep reading.
It's not as fascinating as the Memoirs of Lady Trent, although that may be partially my own biases in terms of content, but Brennan still has a gift for world building and I enjoyed this book enough that it's time to hunt down the sequel.
September 6, 2016
This review was written for LibraryThing Early Reviewers.
This is quite a lovely New Adult contemporary fantasy. Ms. Brennan has built a world that is intriguing and well thought-out. Possibly my only complaint is that I sometimes felt that I was reading a later book rather than the first in a series.
This is quite a lovely New Adult contemporary fantasy. Ms. Brennan has built a world that is intriguing and well thought-out. Possibly my only complaint is that I sometimes felt that I was reading a later book rather than the first in a series.
September 22, 2012
Really enjoyed this one. Review to come soon!
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