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Worldweavers #3
Cybermage
This year at the Wandless Academy feels all wrong to Thea. Her best friend, Magpie, will barely give her the time of day. Ben's been moody and dismissive. Since when did Tess have a boyfriend? And why is Humphrey May, agent for the Federal Bureau of Magic, lurking around the Academy? Thea is out of sorts—in all ways, magical and otherwise—and that's before she discovers she's an elemental mage, a category of magician so rare that only four others are known to exist. Now the Federal Bureau of Magic needs Thea's help to unlock the mysterious white cube—the same cube found over the summer in the professor's house, the same cube the dangerous Alphiri are still after. To stay ahead of the Alphiri and the wiles of the FBM, Thea needs her friends—all of them. From a world woven with magic and suspense comes Alma Alexander's Cybermage , the final installment of the richly invented Worldweavers trilogy.
426 pages, Hardcover
First published January 29, 2009
2 people are currently reading
147 people want to read
About the author
Alma Alexander
73 books204 followersAlma Alexander is a scientist by education, duchess by historical accident, and an author who has written more than a score of novels, including 'The Secrets of Jin-shei', published in dozens of editions and languages around the world.
Known as the Duchess of Fantasy, she is also a blogger sharing writing tips, and glimpses of both the mundane and magic of a fantasy author's life.
Her latest novels include 'Val Hall', a series about a retirement home for Superheroes, Third Class; 'Embers of Heaven' a Jin-shei follow-up; 'Empress', a love story; and 'Midnight at Spanish Gardens'.
Coming in July is 'The Second Star', a novel about the big eternal questions – about who, or what, God is; about our own immortal souls and their salvation; what it really means to be human; and whether it is possible to go out to where the monsters dwell and expect to come home again unchanged. It is a story of how humans meet the stars, and find themselves there.
Her YA include the four-book Worldweavers series, and 'The Were Chronicles' trilogy.
Her work has been translated into 14 languages worldwide, including Hebrew,Turkish, and Catalan.
She is currently at work on a new series of alternate history novels with roots in Eastern Europe.
She lives in Bellingham, WA, with her husband, two cats, and assorted visiting wildlife.
Visit her website/blog at www.AlmaAlexander.org or AlmaAlexanderAuthor.com , like her Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Alma-A...
Known as the Duchess of Fantasy, she is also a blogger sharing writing tips, and glimpses of both the mundane and magic of a fantasy author's life.
Her latest novels include 'Val Hall', a series about a retirement home for Superheroes, Third Class; 'Embers of Heaven' a Jin-shei follow-up; 'Empress', a love story; and 'Midnight at Spanish Gardens'.
Coming in July is 'The Second Star', a novel about the big eternal questions – about who, or what, God is; about our own immortal souls and their salvation; what it really means to be human; and whether it is possible to go out to where the monsters dwell and expect to come home again unchanged. It is a story of how humans meet the stars, and find themselves there.
Her YA include the four-book Worldweavers series, and 'The Were Chronicles' trilogy.
Her work has been translated into 14 languages worldwide, including Hebrew,Turkish, and Catalan.
She is currently at work on a new series of alternate history novels with roots in Eastern Europe.
She lives in Bellingham, WA, with her husband, two cats, and assorted visiting wildlife.
Visit her website/blog at www.AlmaAlexander.org or AlmaAlexanderAuthor.com , like her Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Alma-A...
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
May 15, 2009
Thea has had an interesting life up to this point but while she has had to deal with some serious and life altering issues, she has had the protection of the world at large believing she has no magic. This is about to change in a big way. Once again, Thea is put into a position where she has no idea who to trust. Even her loyal circle of friends appears to have their own agendas, leaving Thea feeling pretty hurt and abandoned. Boy did this strike a cord with me. How well do I remember my friends wandering off as they discovered boys and gravitated to new friends in the process. However, this is just a temporary setback. I only insert it here to show you how real even the minor issues in this story truly are. Before it is all said and done, Thea will be tested in ways that would make even an adult cringe, and does some serious growing up in the process.
Full Review here: Dragons, Heroes and Wizards: Fantasy Series Book Reviews
Full Review here: Dragons, Heroes and Wizards: Fantasy Series Book Reviews
April 9, 2011
This book was the best of the series. An engaging and interesting homage to Nicola Tesla as well as a cool meditation on how what he did paved the way for modern computers (with a lot of magic thrown in, of course). I liked it that Thea never "sold out" with her powers and that she never became focused on guys, although I did get the hint of romance that I wanted. One of those rare books for teens that neither worships nor vilifies romance, and a rare and weird blending of sci-fi and fantasy.
I was a little skeptical about some of Terry's coding abilities when he's not supposed to have any magic... and a little irritated by the author's use of the verb "knuckling" (as in someone "knuckling" their eyes when they wake up--it seemed like she used that three or four times in the series, and it was unusual and repetitive enough to pull me out of the story).
I was a little skeptical about some of Terry's coding abilities when he's not supposed to have any magic... and a little irritated by the author's use of the verb "knuckling" (as in someone "knuckling" their eyes when they wake up--it seemed like she used that three or four times in the series, and it was unusual and repetitive enough to pull me out of the story).
February 17, 2011
We pick up with Thea and her magicless friends in another school year at the Wandless Academy. But everyone is starting to grow up and changing - new friends and boyfriends. Thea still feels guilty for what was done to Diego in the last book and having troubles dealing with it. Humphrey May, from the FBM, shows up at the school to see if Thea could help him again, with the Elemental Cube that was found in the bag the Trickster had. Thea brings her friends together again and could unlock new possibilities for her and her friends.
I loved this book. Thea shines at her best here and things about her abilities with the computer and the weaving in Cheveyo's world start to click into place. I had not realized until this book but Theo has grown tremendously and became a strong character. She has to make a few tough decisions in this book, but the caring person she is, she makes it through. This book shows the growth the characters are making, and their leap into adulthood.
In the starts of this book, as it's the third, we already know of all magical allergies our crew of kids have and Alma does a wonderful job of giving us a brief fresher of who's allergic to what with brief happenings from last year with the spellspam. This is gently done to bring us right back into her wonderful magic filled world and jumping right into Humphrey May showing up at the school to talk with Thea.
The mystery of the cube and the wondrous magic that is used in this book kept me turning the pages. I love the elemental magic usage here, as it's nicely laid out to understand easily. And yet it can be built on. The American Indian relation in the symbols. These are played out in different degrees, and they are big parts in the storyline.
This book is wonderful for Young Adult readers. Even though the characters are growing up and Thea is seeing they have boyfriends, it is not filled with the gory violence or sexual content. It is a wonderful read of an intriguing storyline and interestingly fun characters.
This is the last book in the series. But there seems to be small openings for Alma if she were to return to this world. And I would love to read additional books if Alma does make them.
I loved this book. Thea shines at her best here and things about her abilities with the computer and the weaving in Cheveyo's world start to click into place. I had not realized until this book but Theo has grown tremendously and became a strong character. She has to make a few tough decisions in this book, but the caring person she is, she makes it through. This book shows the growth the characters are making, and their leap into adulthood.
In the starts of this book, as it's the third, we already know of all magical allergies our crew of kids have and Alma does a wonderful job of giving us a brief fresher of who's allergic to what with brief happenings from last year with the spellspam. This is gently done to bring us right back into her wonderful magic filled world and jumping right into Humphrey May showing up at the school to talk with Thea.
The mystery of the cube and the wondrous magic that is used in this book kept me turning the pages. I love the elemental magic usage here, as it's nicely laid out to understand easily. And yet it can be built on. The American Indian relation in the symbols. These are played out in different degrees, and they are big parts in the storyline.
This book is wonderful for Young Adult readers. Even though the characters are growing up and Thea is seeing they have boyfriends, it is not filled with the gory violence or sexual content. It is a wonderful read of an intriguing storyline and interestingly fun characters.
This is the last book in the series. But there seems to be small openings for Alma if she were to return to this world. And I would love to read additional books if Alma does make them.
March 8, 2015
The final book in the series, and certainly not a disappointment. We finally get to find out what Thea's power is called (although I think it's sort of a cop out calling the cyberworld an element, of all things) as she and her friends solve the puzzle of the elemental cube from the last book and find Nikola Tesla trapped inside. Or his spirit, at least.
It turns out that Tesla decided to separate his elemental powers from himself in some vague scheme to live forever. Instead, he succeeded in killing one of the powers and separating himself permanently from all of them. Thea and her friends must find them and get them back.
Which involves finding three specific pigeons in New York City. Yeah. Talk about needles and haystacks. Especially when they have no distinguishing marks.
The caper puts Thea directly in conflict with the Alphiri queen. She'll never be able to shelter under the pretense of being non-magical. She and all her friends are permanently at risk.
And, oh yeah, the series is over. Just as it's starting to get interesting. What a drag.
It turns out that Tesla decided to separate his elemental powers from himself in some vague scheme to live forever. Instead, he succeeded in killing one of the powers and separating himself permanently from all of them. Thea and her friends must find them and get them back.
Which involves finding three specific pigeons in New York City. Yeah. Talk about needles and haystacks. Especially when they have no distinguishing marks.
The caper puts Thea directly in conflict with the Alphiri queen. She'll never be able to shelter under the pretense of being non-magical. She and all her friends are permanently at risk.
And, oh yeah, the series is over. Just as it's starting to get interesting. What a drag.
August 10, 2009
This book out of the whole trilogy is so filled with adventure and excitement. It's a rollercoaster ride with nothing but 1000 ft drops and upside down loops. So buckle your seat belts and keep all limbs in the book and get ready for a fun and bumpy ride.
February 20, 2011
Why did it have to end?
October 15, 2011
i wish the series was longer;it felt like there could have been a couple more books to completely end the story.
August 23, 2015
Love this series
June 18, 2024
It's hard to explain, especially since I haven't read from this series since high school, but this does a really interesting mix of elemental magic, Indigenous folklore, computer science, and quantum physics. I don't fully understand it, but it somehow works for me. And this one gives us Nikolas Tesla as a mage with control over all four elements, it was so cool!
May 11, 2020
interesting world of elementals, magic, Tesla, pigeons and Hopi religious beliefs.
December 31, 2014
Thea's last year at Wandless Academy isn't exactly going as planned. Her friends have all, for one reason or another, turned into strangers, leaving her adrift, confused, and lonely. Then Humphrey May returns with an intriguing puzzle: the white cube Thea recovered from the Trickster has defied all the FBM's attempts to uncover its secrets. What Thea finds sends her on a journey pursuing the life of Nikola Telsa, history's only quad-Elemental mage---dead, but perhaps not quite gone. . .
I struggled through the first half of the book. Thea herself has a bevy of new complications to deal with, but other than Kristin, no one else has much depth. It isn't until things start falling apart for everyone that people start reacting in less predictable ways and the story shows off some of the crazy twists that made the first book so much fun.
And the fun does come in spades: Thea's stretching the boundaries of what she can do, as well as following her own mind more than what an authority figure tells her to do. Kristin's snarkiness hides a very sharp mind and a wounded soul. Enigmatic Telsa has provided a puzzle it will take more than magic to solve.
And yet in some key ways the story drags. Thea's friends stay pretty one-dimensional for a long time; if you haven't read the previous books it's hard to care about any of them. Thea's new Elemental powers seem extraneous, as she still manipulates magic through computers, so why add more? And the ties to the previous books feels more like the plot is stretching for a way to have provided hints that just weren't there---the Elemental house unpacking for Thea is seriously the signal she's got Elemental power?
Most of all, though, I was disturbed by how most of the characters feel like chess pieces Thea manipulates in pursuit of her own game. None of her friends seem interested anymore---yet Thea calls and they come to do what she needs them to do, with only token protests. Even Cheveyo, Grandmother Spider, and Tawaha appear when Thea needs them and do exactly what she requires (poor Cheveyo in particular is starting to feel more like the keeper of a safe deposit box as Thea is always dropping off items she doesn't feel she can protect in the present, which doesn't make sense when Thea could spin a virtual world with at least as many protections).
Overall, it's still got a lot to enjoy, but the potential took a while to get going. As the final book of a trilogy the ending left a bit too much open: Thea has played her hand in front of the Alphiri at last (more wits than power; without Tawaha it's likely they never would have guessed she had any power). The Alphiri threaten vengeance. The end. If there are future books I will read them, because I did love seeing what Thea could do with her cyber-magic. This book, however, I can only rate Neutral.
I struggled through the first half of the book. Thea herself has a bevy of new complications to deal with, but other than Kristin, no one else has much depth. It isn't until things start falling apart for everyone that people start reacting in less predictable ways and the story shows off some of the crazy twists that made the first book so much fun.
And the fun does come in spades: Thea's stretching the boundaries of what she can do, as well as following her own mind more than what an authority figure tells her to do. Kristin's snarkiness hides a very sharp mind and a wounded soul. Enigmatic Telsa has provided a puzzle it will take more than magic to solve.
And yet in some key ways the story drags. Thea's friends stay pretty one-dimensional for a long time; if you haven't read the previous books it's hard to care about any of them. Thea's new Elemental powers seem extraneous, as she still manipulates magic through computers, so why add more? And the ties to the previous books feels more like the plot is stretching for a way to have provided hints that just weren't there---the Elemental house unpacking for Thea is seriously the signal she's got Elemental power?
Most of all, though, I was disturbed by how most of the characters feel like chess pieces Thea manipulates in pursuit of her own game. None of her friends seem interested anymore---yet Thea calls and they come to do what she needs them to do, with only token protests. Even Cheveyo, Grandmother Spider, and Tawaha appear when Thea needs them and do exactly what she requires (poor Cheveyo in particular is starting to feel more like the keeper of a safe deposit box as Thea is always dropping off items she doesn't feel she can protect in the present, which doesn't make sense when Thea could spin a virtual world with at least as many protections).
Overall, it's still got a lot to enjoy, but the potential took a while to get going. As the final book of a trilogy the ending left a bit too much open: Thea has played her hand in front of the Alphiri at last (more wits than power; without Tawaha it's likely they never would have guessed she had any power). The Alphiri threaten vengeance. The end. If there are future books I will read them, because I did love seeing what Thea could do with her cyber-magic. This book, however, I can only rate Neutral.
November 4, 2012
Reviewed by Jaglvr for TeensReadToo.com
Thea has returned to the Wandless Academy, but everything seems off this school year. It doesn't help that her roommate, Magpie, seems to have entered another world, wanting to be part of the popular crowd. But like the past, Humphrey May shows up at her school, and Thea is off on another adventure with her friends.
Thea is asked to uncover the secret of a mysterious cube. With the help of her friends, Thea uses her elemental powers to reveal what is inside. But unlocking the cube is just the beginning of the intrigue. It all leads back to secrets that started with the only known quad-Elemental, Nikola Tesla.
Tesla somehow created a way to save part of himself after his death. It's up to Thea and her friends to return Tesla to himself. But it will involve the Federal Bureau of Magic, the Alphiri and the Faela, as well as some of Thea's old friends off the Broken Road.
CYBERMAGE takes the WORLDWEAVER series to the next level. Thea is coming into her own powers and the world is changing around her. She has much to learn but also much to teach. Ms. Alexander weaves an intriguing fantasy novel with the third installment of the WORLDWEAVER series. The story is much easier to follow having read the previous novels, but the story can stand alone, as well.
Though the story is written in an easy-to-read manner, the technical aspects may make it above the comprehension of those below the 9th grade. There is nothing offensive that would prohibit someone younger from reading this or the previous novels, but some of the concepts may be harder to grasp for the younger audience. Overall, Ms. Alexander has another hit with CYBERMAGE.
Thea has returned to the Wandless Academy, but everything seems off this school year. It doesn't help that her roommate, Magpie, seems to have entered another world, wanting to be part of the popular crowd. But like the past, Humphrey May shows up at her school, and Thea is off on another adventure with her friends.
Thea is asked to uncover the secret of a mysterious cube. With the help of her friends, Thea uses her elemental powers to reveal what is inside. But unlocking the cube is just the beginning of the intrigue. It all leads back to secrets that started with the only known quad-Elemental, Nikola Tesla.
Tesla somehow created a way to save part of himself after his death. It's up to Thea and her friends to return Tesla to himself. But it will involve the Federal Bureau of Magic, the Alphiri and the Faela, as well as some of Thea's old friends off the Broken Road.
CYBERMAGE takes the WORLDWEAVER series to the next level. Thea is coming into her own powers and the world is changing around her. She has much to learn but also much to teach. Ms. Alexander weaves an intriguing fantasy novel with the third installment of the WORLDWEAVER series. The story is much easier to follow having read the previous novels, but the story can stand alone, as well.
Though the story is written in an easy-to-read manner, the technical aspects may make it above the comprehension of those below the 9th grade. There is nothing offensive that would prohibit someone younger from reading this or the previous novels, but some of the concepts may be harder to grasp for the younger audience. Overall, Ms. Alexander has another hit with CYBERMAGE.
May 8, 2016
I really enjoyed the previous 2 books, but something was off with this one. First of all, the writing seemed very low-end YA. Secondly, it was both rushed and boring; the book seemed to set things up for a 4th one with only a few interesting scenes along the way. Plot aside, the characterization was thin, using a rough sketch of either YA cliches (Magpie's pointless change for most of the book) or the bones of what was already previously established - Ben was very, very annoying as a result. What was interesting and impressive before has become a cheap plot card Thea can play whenever required, and Elder Gods now chat with whoever she deigns to have travel with her. Despite this and despite being revealed as an uberspecial Elemental mage, there is no more joy and real sense of power and relevance to Thea as a person/character as opposed to Thea as the plot propeller: she is a special snowflake of unspeakable abilities that can get supposedly amazing shit done, but the result is a perfunctory and flat narrative.
June 30, 2009
I did not read the first 2 in this series, but still I enjoyed this book. At the very end I felt I was perhaps missing something but overall it didn't matter.
Want to read
February 28, 2010I really want to read this book, but I can't find a place that sells it :(
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews