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Magic Ex Libris #4.5
Imprinted
Jeneta’s magic could give us the stars…or destroy everyone she cares about.
Seventeen-year-old libriomancer Jeneta Aboderin is a prodigy, determined to move on from the horrors she’s faced and use her power to create a better future. To show the world that magic isn’t a threat to be feared, but a tool of hope. After eight months, she’s ready to present the Venture, a magically-created ship capable of reaching Mars within hours. It will mark a new phase of human exploration and discovery.
But at a crucial moment, her spell is wrested from her control and twisted against her. As Jeneta recovers, whoever sabotaged her magic begins to strike down those around her. The attacker haunts her thoughts and dreams, reviving Jeneta's past traumas. And the most powerful magic-users at New Millennium are unable to help.
How do you stop an enemy who strikes from within your own mind?
This 15,000-word novelette is set eight months after the events of Revisionary.
Seventeen-year-old libriomancer Jeneta Aboderin is a prodigy, determined to move on from the horrors she’s faced and use her power to create a better future. To show the world that magic isn’t a threat to be feared, but a tool of hope. After eight months, she’s ready to present the Venture, a magically-created ship capable of reaching Mars within hours. It will mark a new phase of human exploration and discovery.
But at a crucial moment, her spell is wrested from her control and twisted against her. As Jeneta recovers, whoever sabotaged her magic begins to strike down those around her. The attacker haunts her thoughts and dreams, reviving Jeneta's past traumas. And the most powerful magic-users at New Millennium are unable to help.
How do you stop an enemy who strikes from within your own mind?
This 15,000-word novelette is set eight months after the events of Revisionary.
68 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 9, 2018
24 people are currently reading
584 people want to read
About the author
Jim C. Hines
95 books2,396 followersJim C. Hines began his writing career with a trilogy about the irrepressible Jig the goblin, which actor and author Wil Wheaton described as "too f***ing cool for words." He went on to deconstruct fairy tales in his four-book Princess series, made all the world's literature a grimoire in the Magic ex Libris series, and explored the heroic side of spacecraft sanitation in his Janitors of the Post Apocalypse trilogy. His short fiction has appeared in more than fifty magazines and anthologies. Jim has been outspoken about topics like sexism and harassment, and was the editor of the Invisible series—three collections of personal essays about representation in sf/f. He received the Hugo Award for Best Fan Writer in 2012. Jim currently lives in mid-Michigan.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
January 13, 2018
I don't usually read novellas in a series. Actually I hardle ever read novellas at all. I prefer to get my teeth into a real book that lasts longer than an hour. But for the Magic Ex Libris series I will make an exception. I seem to have been waiting a long time for more about the Libriomancers.
Of course as a novella it was not intended to further the story but rather to take a little jaunt down a side track. So Isaac was not the star in this book, although he was around. Instead Jenete was the main event showing off her extreme magical powers and getting herself into quite a fix.
It was a really fun read but of course much too short. I really hope Jim Hines has another full sized novel in production. I will be waiting:)
Of course as a novella it was not intended to further the story but rather to take a little jaunt down a side track. So Isaac was not the star in this book, although he was around. Instead Jenete was the main event showing off her extreme magical powers and getting herself into quite a fix.
It was a really fun read but of course much too short. I really hope Jim Hines has another full sized novel in production. I will be waiting:)
October 27, 2019
A short novella set some time after the tumultuous events of the last novel. Life has settled down for the libriomancers (people who can use magic to pull items from books) now that they have control back of their use of magic. Isaac is busy as the new head of New Millenium, the residential organisation set up for their research and activities and now a safe haven for magical beings. Teenager Jeneta Aboderin, a libriomancer able to use her magic on ebooks, has been working on their latest ambitious project, to build a spaceship to travel to Mars and set up a colony. While she is working on a device to allow instant communication from space, she suddenly feels some sort of attack. Black shapes start to follow her and none of the other libromancers are able to help or tell what kind of danger she is in.
A fun read full off Mr Hines' inventiveness to top off a great series, although I do hope there will be further novels/novellas based in this same world.
A fun read full off Mr Hines' inventiveness to top off a great series, although I do hope there will be further novels/novellas based in this same world.
February 2, 2018
Jeneta gets her own novella. So awesome!
February 11, 2018
I opened this up on Kindle thinking I’d only glance at the first couple of pages before eating… then I was suddenly over a third of the way through it, and had finished my meal. That is how quickly Imprinted pulled me in, and how thoroughly. I felt like I had never left the Magic Ex Libris world (though some small details I had forgotten, bad me!), so quickly did it spring to life around me once again.
Hines weaves yet another magical story, this time centering around Jeneta Aboderin following the events of Revisionary. The repercussions of the events then are still echoing, not only on a national scale, but more importantly, on a personal level for Jeneta, and we can see how they have affected her and her confidence in herself. She is cracked, but healing, and she will need to learn how to have trust and confidence in herself if she is to figure out what went wrong during the demonstration where she was to pull a new science-fiction communicator which put Talulah in a coma.
But that’s not the only side from which she has trouble coming – she also receives a job offer from another company, one who offers her the opportunity to have privacy and security, in addition to all she could possibly need to continue her magical work. Add to that her flashbacks and nightmares of the events of Revisionary… and it’s a lot. But Jeneta is not alone, no matter how much she feels like she is – we have many familiar faces making appearances, though none of them step too far forward as to take the spotlight away from Jeneta, and we also get a couple new faces, some helpful, some not so much.
I won’t spoil anything, but I will say that this story does take a very interesting turn, one that has the potential to really change everything. That may elicit groans, thinking that the change is cliché or leading to a breaking down of all we have come to know and love of the Magic Ex Libris universe, but in reality all I see is nothing but good things, and great promise, and a very, very exciting future. Think in the vein of Isaac revealing magic to the world, how scary yet awesome that was – that’s what this new discovery is about, too. This is urban fantasy at its finest and most immersive – and I can hardly wait to read what comes next!!
Favorite quotes:
“Power and control.” Jeneta looked away. “An awful lot of evil comes down to power and control, either taking it away from others or gathering more for yourself.” -- Kindle Locations 181-182
[Kiyoko said, “…] I was programmed for servitude. I know what it means to be…not your own person. […]” -- Kindle Locations 503-504
Hines weaves yet another magical story, this time centering around Jeneta Aboderin following the events of Revisionary. The repercussions of the events then are still echoing, not only on a national scale, but more importantly, on a personal level for Jeneta, and we can see how they have affected her and her confidence in herself. She is cracked, but healing, and she will need to learn how to have trust and confidence in herself if she is to figure out what went wrong during the demonstration where she was to pull a new science-fiction communicator which put Talulah in a coma.
But that’s not the only side from which she has trouble coming – she also receives a job offer from another company, one who offers her the opportunity to have privacy and security, in addition to all she could possibly need to continue her magical work. Add to that her flashbacks and nightmares of the events of Revisionary… and it’s a lot. But Jeneta is not alone, no matter how much she feels like she is – we have many familiar faces making appearances, though none of them step too far forward as to take the spotlight away from Jeneta, and we also get a couple new faces, some helpful, some not so much.
I won’t spoil anything, but I will say that this story does take a very interesting turn, one that has the potential to really change everything. That may elicit groans, thinking that the change is cliché or leading to a breaking down of all we have come to know and love of the Magic Ex Libris universe, but in reality all I see is nothing but good things, and great promise, and a very, very exciting future. Think in the vein of Isaac revealing magic to the world, how scary yet awesome that was – that’s what this new discovery is about, too. This is urban fantasy at its finest and most immersive – and I can hardly wait to read what comes next!!
Favorite quotes:
“Power and control.” Jeneta looked away. “An awful lot of evil comes down to power and control, either taking it away from others or gathering more for yourself.” -- Kindle Locations 181-182
[Kiyoko said, “…] I was programmed for servitude. I know what it means to be…not your own person. […]” -- Kindle Locations 503-504
January 23, 2018
Cute Short Story
This story from Jim Hines's Magic Ex Libris series follows Jeneta Aberderin. It follows the events in the most recent book in the series & has a very unexpected ending.
This story from Jim Hines's Magic Ex Libris series follows Jeneta Aberderin. It follows the events in the most recent book in the series & has a very unexpected ending.
January 29, 2018
I love this whole series, and it was such a treat to get another look at Jeneta and her magic. Plus, FUN twist at the end I never saw coming! I read this in one sitting because I couldn't put it down.
August 25, 2018
What it's about: Jenetta has been learning how to use her powers, and is now poised to show the world that libriomancy is not something to be feared, but something that can bring practical wonders to the world. But things go sideways during the internationally-televised demonstration, and Jenetta finds herself wondering if she'll be able to fix the damage and show the world that after her possession by Meridiana, she's capable of bring good into the world.
What I thought: Well...
Why I rated it like I did: I really like Hines's Magic Ex Libris series, so I'm on board to read pretty much anything he creates in that world. This short story was interesting in how it built out the world he has been creating, but it also was strange in that it felt both over- and under-developed as a story. It felt like there was a lot of padding added to make this more than a super-short story. And I think this could be turned into a full-fledged novel if the conflict was developed more. But as it stands, there's one main problem that seems like it could have been wrapped up in half the space that was used here.
What I thought: Well...
Why I rated it like I did: I really like Hines's Magic Ex Libris series, so I'm on board to read pretty much anything he creates in that world. This short story was interesting in how it built out the world he has been creating, but it also was strange in that it felt both over- and under-developed as a story. It felt like there was a lot of padding added to make this more than a super-short story. And I think this could be turned into a full-fledged novel if the conflict was developed more. But as it stands, there's one main problem that seems like it could have been wrapped up in half the space that was used here.
October 26, 2018
Imprinted is a novelette from the Magic Ex Libris series written by Jim C. Hines, which is a short story centering on Jeneta Aboderin, protégé of Isaac Vainio, who is considered a prodigy among her fellow Libriomancers as she can perform magic through digital books. It takes place eight months after the events of Revisionary and is best read after the fourth book.
While living in the New Millennium commune, Jeneta Aboderin is still working on her entirely unexpected ability to use Libriomancy on digital books and is attempting to pull an ansible, a fictional device or technology capable of instantaneous or faster-than-light communication. However, Jeneta Aborderin finds herself accidentally summoning shadow monsters from the demon dimension. It is up to Jeneta Aboderin to fix the mess she created.
Imprinted is written rather well. It is good to read things from the perspective of Jeneta Aborderin and see things through her eyes. However, it did seem rushed at some points, as Hines needed more space to completely flesh out the plots and secondary characters. Furthermore, one cannot read this short story independently without prior reading of the core series to make much sense of the story. Despite these tiny quibbles, the story is written rather well.
All in all, Imprinted is a well written short story about Isaac Vainio's protégé, Jeneta Aboderin, and her manner to find her place in the world and her attempts to improve humanity. It is also a worthy and wonderful addition to the Magic Ex Libris universe – enriching it just a tad more.
While living in the New Millennium commune, Jeneta Aboderin is still working on her entirely unexpected ability to use Libriomancy on digital books and is attempting to pull an ansible, a fictional device or technology capable of instantaneous or faster-than-light communication. However, Jeneta Aborderin finds herself accidentally summoning shadow monsters from the demon dimension. It is up to Jeneta Aboderin to fix the mess she created.
Imprinted is written rather well. It is good to read things from the perspective of Jeneta Aborderin and see things through her eyes. However, it did seem rushed at some points, as Hines needed more space to completely flesh out the plots and secondary characters. Furthermore, one cannot read this short story independently without prior reading of the core series to make much sense of the story. Despite these tiny quibbles, the story is written rather well.
All in all, Imprinted is a well written short story about Isaac Vainio's protégé, Jeneta Aboderin, and her manner to find her place in the world and her attempts to improve humanity. It is also a worthy and wonderful addition to the Magic Ex Libris universe – enriching it just a tad more.
January 10, 2018
Thank you, Jim C. Hines, not only for the Magic Ex Libris Imprinted novelette but thank you for continuing the story and not doing a prequel novelette!
Publishing is in a new world now with the rise of self-publishing by traditionally-published authors when said traditional publishers suddenly say "No, thanks. We don't want to publish any more works in that series."
A number of my favorite traditionally-published authors have now found themselves in this same situation.
Some are going ahead with continuing the series (or at least short stories, novelettes, novellas, etc. set in the same world) through self-publishing.
Some have turned to new works that the traditional publishers do agree to publish.
Imprinted not only continues Magic Ex Libris but contributes to the future growth of the series, as well.
That said, Imprinted is also a good introduction for readers who have not read any of the Magic Ex Libris novels. After reading Imprinted, I'm willing to bet that a number of these new readers will be clamoring to read the first four books!
Thanks again, Mr. Hines, and more Magic Ex Libris stories, please?!
Publishing is in a new world now with the rise of self-publishing by traditionally-published authors when said traditional publishers suddenly say "No, thanks. We don't want to publish any more works in that series."
A number of my favorite traditionally-published authors have now found themselves in this same situation.
Some are going ahead with continuing the series (or at least short stories, novelettes, novellas, etc. set in the same world) through self-publishing.
Some have turned to new works that the traditional publishers do agree to publish.
Imprinted not only continues Magic Ex Libris but contributes to the future growth of the series, as well.
That said, Imprinted is also a good introduction for readers who have not read any of the Magic Ex Libris novels. After reading Imprinted, I'm willing to bet that a number of these new readers will be clamoring to read the first four books!
Thanks again, Mr. Hines, and more Magic Ex Libris stories, please?!
January 25, 2018
In Imprinted, Jeneta is going to do a great feat of magic for a crowd now that magicians are becoming more public and organized. She’s going to pull a device out of a huge screen–the magicians are working on interplanetary travel and communication! Naturally something goes wrong and she ends up haunted by mysterious creatures that only she can see. To make things more complicated, someone is trying to steal the technology that they’re working on!
I’m such a fangirl when it comes to the Magic Ex Libris tales that I can’t help wishing for a longer story just because. That said, this was the right length for what it was. I just can’t wait for more. It’s fantastic to see more of young Janeta and her abilities as a prodigy with book magic. Isaac, the main character of the series in general, is here, but it’s definitely Janeta’s tale to be told. Isaac is there to help, but no one really knows the extent of Janeta’s abilities or how they’ll end up working on the whole. We also get to see more players in the game, opening up the possibility of more tales to come.
Original review on my blog: http://www.errantdreams.com/2018/01/r...
I’m such a fangirl when it comes to the Magic Ex Libris tales that I can’t help wishing for a longer story just because. That said, this was the right length for what it was. I just can’t wait for more. It’s fantastic to see more of young Janeta and her abilities as a prodigy with book magic. Isaac, the main character of the series in general, is here, but it’s definitely Janeta’s tale to be told. Isaac is there to help, but no one really knows the extent of Janeta’s abilities or how they’ll end up working on the whole. We also get to see more players in the game, opening up the possibility of more tales to come.
Original review on my blog: http://www.errantdreams.com/2018/01/r...
June 3, 2025
A continuation of the Magic Ex Libris series which was fantastic. This book was a novelette (60 pgs) and my first exposure to this type of story telling. Honestly, felt unsatisfied at the end. I’m use to a little more substance to my reads and I’m not sure if the novelette format can provide that.
As it was, it was a nice expansion to the “Libris universe.” Jeneta is front and center as she utilizes her ability to perform magic through electronic devices. This ability is unique among libriomancers and provides a wealth of opportunities, including space travel, not available to other magicians. The author does a decent job of involving other characters seen in the previous books (Isaac, Nidhi , Talulah, Kiyoko and Lena) and on incorporating Jeneta’s traumatic experience from “Unbound”. Unfortunately, for those who enjoy Jim Hines prose, the resolution to this conflict was too quick and simple.
As it was, it was a nice expansion to the “Libris universe.” Jeneta is front and center as she utilizes her ability to perform magic through electronic devices. This ability is unique among libriomancers and provides a wealth of opportunities, including space travel, not available to other magicians. The author does a decent job of involving other characters seen in the previous books (Isaac, Nidhi , Talulah, Kiyoko and Lena) and on incorporating Jeneta’s traumatic experience from “Unbound”. Unfortunately, for those who enjoy Jim Hines prose, the resolution to this conflict was too quick and simple.
February 9, 2018
As a long time reader of Jim Hines, I appreciate all of his series, and I was glad to see an extra glimpse into the Libriomancer universe available for reading. There's a lovely YA vibe in this book that made me enjoy the story. The usual Libriomancer bells and whistles are here: cool fiction, both fictional and published in our world, used in interesting ways for magic; winning support characters; and tons of idealism. What Hines brings to the table as something new is the feel of writing for a YA audience. I'd like to see more of this, more exploration of Jeneta's growth not only as a libriomancer, but as a young woman coming of age with an unusual skill set. Also underutilized is Jeneta's friend/potential love interest Greg. Maybe this will invite Hines to write a full length Jeneta novel, expanding on these elements. However, I found this to be a very satisfying read.
April 13, 2018
Imprinted is a novella in the Magic Ex Libris series by American author, Jim C. Hines. On stage with Isaac Vainio for a press conference during which she will use libriomancy and 3D-printing to produce a Mars shuttle, Jeneta Aboderin is nervous. But that doesn’t explain the meltdown that occurs before their construction is complete, nor the unconscious state in which her colleague is left. Could this be something to do with the evil Meridiana? Or does it have to do with the attempted theft of their system? And what are those black shapes that Jeneta (but no one else) keeps seeing? If there is danger, her fire-spider isn’t detecting it. A small but tantalising taste of clever Hines magic.
February 17, 2018
I've always been a fan of Hines' "Magic Ex Libris" series and this novella is no exception. While the story takes place in the same universe as Issac and the gang, this work focuses on different characters, introduced in prior works.
Writing is crisp and snappy. Dialogue is a bit heavy on snark, but that is to be expected. Action and tension are paced almost perfectly. But what this series does so very well is create a sense of wonder and mysterious power when it comes to the written word. Consistent magic mechanics and conflict resolution made this a quick, yet enjoyable read.
Writing is crisp and snappy. Dialogue is a bit heavy on snark, but that is to be expected. Action and tension are paced almost perfectly. But what this series does so very well is create a sense of wonder and mysterious power when it comes to the written word. Consistent magic mechanics and conflict resolution made this a quick, yet enjoyable read.
March 1, 2018
A short novella about Jeneta from the Magic Ex Libris series, this is set post book 4. Given that Book 4 ("Revisionary") was a complete change of 'world' from the previous books, this one is set in this new world (in New Millennium) and although familiar characters from the earlier books appear, it's most definitely Jeneta's story. I think this could have done with a few more layers to the plot, just because I would have preferred something a little longer. But it's quite satisfying.
October 19, 2018
Another excellent journey into the world of libriomancy!! I loved delving further into the new realm of e-libriomancy. Using ebooks and other electronic media opens up whole new worlds of 'written' words to draw from and to me that is wonderful! Jeneta and her fire spider Nkiruka will never take Isaac and Smudge's place in my heart but they come pretty darn close!
February 7, 2018
I adore this series and wasn't ready for it to end... So I was SUPER excited to see there was a novella set after the events of the last book! This is a lovely short story following Jeneta working at New Millenium with cameos from all our favorite characters. I really loved reading it... only con is that it was over too soon!
March 16, 2018
Novelette. It feels weirdly appropriate to have read this as an ebook since it's Jeneta's rare talent of being able to use libriomancy on an ereader that sets up the plot: Jeneta pulling a working spaceship out of a large-screen. Then, of course, things start to go wrong. I really liked Jeneta's character arc as she dealt with the trauma from previous books and ended stronger.
August 21, 2018
Happy to be back in the Libriomancer world. This little novella was helpful in seeing how all the characters fared and progressed after the conclusion of the series. I loved the series-books are magic, something any avid reader knows. Even though this was a novella, it felt rushed and a tad disjointed.
April 30, 2019
I think this would have been better if it had been longer. It could probably been stretched into a full length book, or at least been part of one. We get to spend more time with one of the side characters than we generally do in the full books, which is good, but because of the length we really don't spend any time with the many other characters, which seems a shame.
October 10, 2023
I prefer the Urban Fantasy stories to stay in the fantasy realm. This one ventured into the sci-fi realm, and while it is not a stretch at all considering the magic system, I just did not like it as much as the previous stories, and yes, there is a bit of sci-fi in most if not all these books, it just stood out more here. Plus the next logical step, if the books continue, is to move more into the sci-fi area.
January 9, 2018
I've loved all of the Magic Ex Libris series and this, though short, is no exception. It was lovely to have the focus on Jeneta and still to see so many other characters from the previous novels, and I enjoyed the mentions of some other books I've enjoyed.
February 18, 2018
The only thing I didn't love about this was the length - I wanted it to last longer! I loved going back to the Libriomancer world even if it was for a short time. Magic, books, readers, science - what could be better?
July 4, 2018
This is a terrible short story. I like the novels but the story had me re-reading paragraphs because the story jumped all over the place. Even then it didn’t make sense in some places. Jim you need a better editor.
January 13, 2019
I Love Jim C. Hines world of magic. His ideas are original and his characters are entertaining. The main character is always getting himself into trouble. I would like to see more backstory or expansion on other characters. Please keep the series going!
January 29, 2019
Very short but complete short story (novelette, really) that will let you dip back into the Magic Ex Libris world for a very brief adventure; this time from the Point of View of Jeneta (spin off series with her; please!!).
July 27, 2020
A nice little snippet about Jeneta and her struggle through recovery after her trauma. I felt the rest of the story was secondary, and would have liked to see it fleshed out more. But nice to have something dedicated to her.
January 11, 2018
A nice coda to the Magic Ex Libris series.
January 17, 2018
It’s everything you love about Hines’ writing. Funny and deep and with lovely characters. Makes me go back and finally catch up with boom 3 and 4 of the libriomancers.
January 24, 2018
I loved this story - I just wish it had been a little bit longer... :)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews