Digital Magic

Fey #2

by Philippa Ballantine

The Fey are gone... and with them, magic. At least, that is how things seem at the conclusion of the award-nominated novel Chasing the Bard. ~ Lord what fools these mortals be. ~ Penherem is a quaint, sleepy English village where people go to escape the 21st Century. Hiding from the world of laptop computers, the Internet, and wireless communication, is Ella. A writer, now barren of ideas and drive, she resigns herself to a quiet life of solitude. Everything changes with the arrival of a shapeshifting thief. Suddenly, everyone begins to change--from the local librarian to the lady of the manor--revealing their true natures and dangerous secrets. Something in this sleepy English village is awakening... something that might be better left alone.

Genres: Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Ebooks, Science Fiction, Audiobook, Fiction

Podiobook

First published August 1, 2008

About the author

Born and raised in Wellington, New Zealand, Philippa is a writer and podcaster of fantasy fiction.
Immersed in books from an early age, she moved onto to become a librarian. She'd been dreaming of being a writer since a teenager, but in the last ten years she's devoted herself to it.
She's the author of the Books of the Order series from Ace Books. Geist, Spectyr, Wrayth (2012) and Harbinger (2013).
Also, with Pyr books the Shifted World series, Hunter and Fox (2012) and Born and Made (2013)
Philippa is also the co-author of the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences series. Phoenix Rising and the Janus Affair (2012)
Philippa currently resides in Manassas, Virginia with her husband and co-writer Tee Morris, their daughter and a clowder of five cats who keep them all in line.

Awards

2011 Goodreads Short Listed for Best Science Fiction
2011 Airship Award winner for best written work (with Tee Morris)
2011 Sir Julius Vogel Award nominee for Best Novel- Adult
2010 Parsec Award finalist for Best Speculative Fiction Magazine or Anthology Podcast
2010 Sir Julius Vogel Award finalist for Best fan production
2009 Parsec Award finalist for Best Speculative Fiction Magazine or Anthology Podcast
2009 Sir Julius Vogel Award winner for Best fan production
2009 Sir Julius Vogel Award nominee for Best Novel- Adult
2007 Parsec Award finalist for Best Writing Podcast
2006 Sir Julius Vogel Award nominee for Best Novel

Reviews

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was interesting, but it was kind of all over the place, moving back and forth between quite a few characters and locations. It finally all tied together in the end and made a kind of sense, but wasn't quite as enjoyable as it might have been. It was a fairly dark story, about the loss of magic in the world, the fey and their relationship to humans and an evil entity trying to take over the world.

[Dena · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed how she incorporated magic and the fey into computers and modern life.

[Melissa Hayden · Rating 4 out of 5]

When the fey severed the connection between the realms, to save all from the Unmaker, they took all the magic with them. Or did they...

Oh I loved how all is severed and broken in the beginning, to come together in the end. Philippa once again mesmerizes me with the fey and real world blend. I love seeing the story come together in the end.

***FULL REVIEW***
A magical shape shifter thief breaks in to take a mask that reminds him of his youth. The mask calls to him reminding him of a time he's long tried to put behind him. But now, this village seems to hold answers for Ronan, and questions. He will learn what the mystery is here. Ella witnesses the thief running away from Penherem Manor, in her dream. Yet, she's not the only there to see him. A sightless woman as well. And another, none know of, awakens this same night. A dark seed blooms by the magic smell released from the mask. The smell of a realm of which the gates are and have been closed for hundreds of years. To steal the mask, Ronan will have to stay a while and learn the lay of the museum it's in. Ronan finds he is rather intrigued with the surprises of Penherem. Then the murders start in this quiet tourist town.

Aroha has the breeze talking to her. New Zealand is being attacked and brings a man to her, a man that will have to help her on her journey after she asks the fey to save his life. By asking the favor of the fey, she is in turn bound to a favor in return.

First, I can't tell you how much I enjoy the way Philippa has taken a digital world and blended it with a touch of fey. The connection to the fey realm is lost, severed years ago. But, there are lesser fey who choose to live here. And more.

This sounds like a harsh world at the start. For thievery people trade "flesh for metal" and "soul for machine". Yes, they really do. The digital world is alive and thriving in this time setting. The tech here is really neat! There is even a 'online' type world called lining. It's where people have ports installed into their body and can plug in to the magic of the digital world. Baraki has one of these plugs.

Interesting setup of the world. Little Penherem is to resemble a small village around London. An England piece of history yet different from the past it's to represent and safer. The shape shifter, Ronan, seems different. As he's been around a long time and with pure magic in him. Ella has a past she doesn't look back at, and a past she doesn't remember. She lives in Penherem as it's a comfortable little town where she can write and work a job to pay her bills. Everyone in Penherem seems to have secrets they don't share, and maybe more them than we even know.

All the paths start to cross and their histories become clearer and clearer as you read. Ronan, Ella, Baraki, Aroha, the darkness - all have a connection and it's amazing watching Philippa weave the world and the draw between them all.

I was afraid to read this story as it's hundreds of years after Chasing the Bard, and I loved Chasing the Bard so much I didn't want to ruin the memory. I should not have wasted time in getting to this book. This book lives and breaths it's own story. What happened in Chasing the Bard in the end impacts the world here but isn't the story, it doesn't affect the characters story here. I loved this story for what it shared with us, and how different it was from Chasing the Bard.

You could read this book without reading Chasing the Bard. I think you will be safe with the small connections and they are explained.

[Linda Koerber · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review was originally posted at Book-Addicts

I didn’t know what I was getting myself into when I purchased this book on a whim. I read the synopsis on the author’s website and I was intrigued so much that I special ordered it. To my surprise, I discovered it was a Cyberpunk novel. I am happy to say, I’m thrilled that this was my first Cyberpunk experience!

Ella is a creative writer who escapes to the solitary and peacefulness found in the quaint, picturesque town of Penherem. The descriptions of this little town is written so well, I literally felt teleported right beside Ella; seeing, touching, and interacting with the wonderful townspeople along with her.

Things start to get very interesting upon the arrival of a thief who’d been around far longer than anyone’s great great grandparents can remember. I absolutely loved all of the characters in this book. I loved the story, I loved the romance, I loved the technology, I loved the magic, and I loved the surprising ending at the end. I could not put the book down and it left me feeling stunned and thoughtfully introspective for a long while afterwards.

I encourage readers to not only read this book, but also Chasing the Bard and, heck, anything else of Phillipa’s. If you didn’t already know by this review, I give this book Five Stars and I can’t wait to revisit it!!

[Nicole Lowe · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have to admit I got a little lost in this one between the digital world and the real world. "The Line" is not explained nor is the technology associated with it, but you catch on by the end of the book. I'm not a technology geek either and don't keep up with the latest and the greatest. If you do, I'm sure you will have no problems keeping up in Digital Magic. The story line is fantastic and characters are just as engaging as in Chasing the Bard (book one). The book follows two characters from the beginning and during the last two chapters they finally merge into one coherent story resulting in an aha moment and pin balls bouncing around inside your head as you make the connections hinted at in earlier chapters.

[Chris Hvidsten · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to this as a podiobook on Podiobooks.com as I did with its predecessor.

This one took a little bit longer to really get into, largely because I wasn't ready for the centuries leap into a world of dystopia and cyberspace. However, once I got over that, I found it immensely enjoyable.

The twist at the end, where the two sub-plots finally converged was a definite surprise. To be honest, it wasn't until the moment of revelation that I even suspected the truth. I love surprises like that :)

[Sherry D. Ramsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn't familiar with an earlier book in this series when I started Digital Magic, but it didn't make a difference--I was quickly engrossed in the world and interested in the characters. The narration in the audiobook is very good, and Ballantine has a lovely voice to have in one's ears for long stretches of time. If you think you'd like a melding of mythologies, cyberpunk, and the faerie realms, give this one a try.

[Mark Kinney · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to the podcast of Chasing The Bard before reading this, and in some ways it does benefit from that knowledge, but the story stands apart enough that it could be enjoyed on its own. A nice turn on the Fey and something cyberpunkish, sort of a Shadowrun light.

[Weston Kincade · Rating 4 out of 5]

This turned out to be a very entertaining story. However, I missed the Shakespearean connection that I was such a fan of from the first book. Additionally, the ending was somewhat anticlimactic. The story was still very entertaining though and is worth the read.

[Michael Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the follow up to Chasing the Bard. It's an entirely different time period (from Elizabethan England to future world) but it works. Very hard to put down.

[Katriona · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting but quite confusing for the most part. And my suspicions about the heroine's parentage were absolutely correct. A little bit too fawning over the magical realm and magic creatures though, and I rolled my eyes at the 'but humans are the best at creating their own magic' bit.

[Jeffrey · Rating 2 out of 5]

Just didn't grab me like its predecessor Chasing the Bard.

[Kristina · Rating 2 out of 5]

first one was way better. I found this less enjoyable.

[Lilyana Bone · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were parts I really enjoyed, and some definite twists. Did not expect the ending! But I have read/listened to a lot of Pip's work and I don't think this was here best. I love Chasing the Bard!

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this book! It is so indepth and keeps me on the edge of my seat to pay attention!

[Brat · Rating 4 out of 5]

The follow-up to Chasing the Bard, this book is sometimes hard to follow, but overall, I enjoyed it.

[Roger Peterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked Chasing the Bard better. This is a little less than 4 stars. But it has stuck with me. Somepassages are brilliant.

[Matthew]

Sad to say I did not get back to update this until 4 years after I read the book. I just don't remember the details now.
Perhaps a re-read is in order.

[Michele Marcotte · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn't read this but listened to it on Podiobooks. It was an enchanting tale of magic meets technology, with twists of European and New Zealand legends thrown in. Great voice actors.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyable book - a sequel that stands on its own. Loved how all the little details came together at the end in a way that I had not predicted, but that was really satisfying.

[toria (vikz writes) · Rating 5 out of 5]

a brilliant genre breaking classic