Core of Magic

Book of Sigils #2

by Rachael Vaughn

Sen will never forget the day magic changed his life - and not for the better. After narrowly avoiding death at the hands of the Mage Council, he's ready to put the past behind him and live a quiet life learning to deal with his new powers.

But the peaceful city of Merilaad is changing, and the future is coming for Sen whether he's ready or not. When a battered ship limps into Merilaad harbor, bringing with it the first foreigners seen in generations, Sen finds himself at the center of another tangled web of lies and mysteries the likes of which he hoped he'd never see again.

Unsure who to trust, Sen joins forces with Talvina, the mysterious foreign captain's daughter. Together, can they unravel the mystery in time to save the only home Sen has ever known?

312 pages, Hardcover

Published October 30, 2021

About the author

Rachael Vaughn is the creative brainchild of a husband-and-wife writing duo. 

Rachael is the wordsmith of the pair. Her interests encompass all things creative, from mosaics to wood carving, and when she isn't writing she stays busy as a full-time tattoo artist. 
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Vaughn acts as the bookends of the writing process. He serves as the team's world-builder and plot developer on the front end, and acts as an editor and proofreader (plus the ultimate voice of reason) on the backside.
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The couple lives outside of Indianapolis with their daughter and cat, as well as more books than they could possibly read.

Reviews

[Debbie Eyre · Rating 5 out of 5]

So I loved the first book but this second book is even better as we get more backstory about the magic from book one and is every bit as exciting and intriguing. New characters set in a world a few years after book one as they try to find their way and I have to say I loved them as much as the previous characters. Drama, a little action, emotional and incredible world building that draws you in, this is a great fantasy read.

[Beba Andric · Rating 5 out of 5]

I must confess I was very intrigued to read this book, not sure where the story and plot would go, after all, book 1 resolved the "culling" of males very satisfactory. Well, I was pleasantly surprised by book 2! The setting is a few years after the overthrowing of the Mage Council, where everyone is slowly accepting the new normal, males can be and are mages. The characters from book I are prominent throughout, which added to the flow of events, but predominantly featuring Sen, the only remaining male from the previous culling and Talvina, who survives her ship being decimated. Both Sen and Talvina are great introductions, their fears and anxieties are so well depicted, so credible. I loved the plot, the way everyone rallies together to try discover who the newly shipwrecked people are and what there agenda was, yet having each others backs. As the pieces fall into place, and the motive becomes clear, I was on the edge of my seat! Would they, could they stop the newcomers? With much panache and great storytelling, what unravels is quite unexpected. At one point, I even had tears in my eyes! And with what's touched on at the end, I can only say, bring it on!

[Lynn G · Rating 4 out of 5]

First of all, I was given a copy of this book to read. I was curious to see how the author/s would continue to explore the world created in The Last Culling, a book which stands on its own and which I really enjoyed. The Core of Magic takes it a bit further in providing some backstory for the magic we see in the first book. This story is seen through the eyes of two characters; Sen and Talvina, two young people thrown together by unexpected and dangerous circumstances. Along the way, we meet up with favorite characters and locales from the first book and are reintroduced to the wonders of Magic.

The Rachael Vaughn team is very adept at world building and the concept of the story is solid - what happens when outsiders with more knowledge of history of a place (and sinister motives) arrive at that place which has been isolated for hundreds of years. This is a scenario that has played out all through the history of humankind and as it unfolds , one can only hope that it turns out better for the inhabitants of Merilaad than it has for countless tribal peoples throughout human history. There is also what I anticipated to be star-crossed lovers subplot, but which turned out to feel more like a co-plot.

For me, the emphasis in the first half and then throughout the book on the budding relationship between the two main characters often got in the way of the meat of the story that I was expecting. In this case, the chapter by chapter alternation of Point of View seemed a bit repetitive and
slowed down the trajectory of the story of the raiders and their plot. I would have enjoyed less internal dialogue and more action; more exposition of the other characters, especially the father. Perhaps that will come in Book 3. Maybe it was just a matter of my own expectations being a bit thwarted. Maybe YA readers will be more interested in that than I was. However...

My patience paid off in the second half of the book which was full of action and interesting detail. There were more glimpses into the other characters and a surprise carry-over from TLC. Certain elements that come to light leave things wide open for the next book, which I look forward to reading. I am always up for more fine character and world-building, and I really enjoy visiting Merilaad.

Kudos to the authors for the respect shown to Sen's character by the other characters as he deals with the emotional and physical fallout from his prior experiences. There was a depth to those relationships that was illustrated so simply and easily. I think that was one of my favorite parts of the book.

It is definitely worth a read. You should also check out Season of Embers, which Rachael Vaughn co-wrote. A totally different type of fantasy storyline; well worth a read.

[MaryAnne Mathews · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was afraid Rachael Vaughn wouldn't be able to sustain the great story-writing and characters in this sequel to The Last Culling (get it, if you haven't read it!), but I was wrong. There's a new cast of characters searching for their identities in a coming-of-age story, and they are just as compelling as in the original. Though our favorite characters make a return appearance here, they are for the most part background noise. As in The Last Culling, magic might as well be another character with its own ends and plans. As in our world, there are consequences to actions taken long ago, and the characters have to deal with them without at first understanding what is really going on. The characters feel real, with complex emotions and feelings. Great for YA readers, but satisfying also for adults.

[Chey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book Two in this series continues on with new characters in this world. Sen has just narrowly escaped death and wants to lead a peaceful life. But that's not for him, so when he finds himself entangled in more drama, he partners with Talvina, and a relationship starts to form.

I wasn't sure how the series was to continue when book one wrapped everything up perfectly, but I'm pleasantly surprised with how this story was. It was slow to start, and there was a lot of inner monologs in the beginning and not much action. But the story picked up in the second portion of the book and made up for it in the end. I loved Sen's character and the way he was written. He was very relatable and the relationships he built felt normal.

I can't wait to see where the next installment takes us.

[Christine Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn’t sure what to expect from this novel since it’s previous on did not seem to lead on or end in a cliffhanger that left me wondering what could be next. Well thankfully I was decently surprised. 7 years after book 1 this POV was Sen (one of the boys who was recused in book 1). I found this novel much better with its plot and flow rate, I’m happy I have it a chance since I did not enjoy book 1 much at all.

[Melanie Baker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great series so far!!fat!!! I can not wait to get book 3!!!!