Fantasy Review: Cold Magic by Kate Elliott

Cold Magic by Kate Elliott (Spiritwalker #1)

borrowed from the library

Synopsis from Goodreads
It is the dawn of a new age... The Industrial Revolution has begun, factories are springing up across the country, and new technologies are transforming in the cities. But the old ways do not die easy.

“I was not a bard or a djeli or an historian or a scribe and I was certainly not a sage, but that didn't mean I wasn't curious…”

Young Cat Barahal thinks she understands the world she lives in and her place in it, but in fact she is merely poised, unaware, on the brink of shattering events. Drawn into a labyrinth of politics involving blood, betrayal and old feuds, she will be forced to make an unexpected and perilous journey in order to discover the truth, not just about her own family but about an ancient secret lying at the heart of her world.

Cat and her cousin Bee are part of this revolution. Young women at college, learning of the science that will shape their future and ignorant of the magics that rule their families. But all of that will change when the Cold Mages come for Cat. New dangers lurk around every corner and hidden threats menace her every move. If blood can't be trusted, who can you trust?

From one of the genre's finest writers comes a bold new epic fantasy in which science and magic are locked in a deadly struggle.

Amazon  US($6.00)/UK | Amazon kindle US/UK | The Book Depository US/UK

9/10

* * *

 Whatever you think this series is, it's not it. Forget your preconceptions, because you haven't read anything quite like it before. Spiritwalker books are gorgeous, and I'm saying this after reading book 1 and 2 already. They are wild, intense and grandiose in their world-building, multiple plots and sheer amount of players in the field.


There is a slight steampunkish feel at times, but it's fleeting and it reads like a really good fantasy.

Cat is a gorgeous character who is forced to marry a Cold Mage, a man she doesn't know and whose calling she despises. Cat herself comes from a long line of professional spies and she doesn't let his coldness and arrogance treat her like crap. She gives as good as she gets, but foremost she tries to survive and get back to her cousin Bee.

This book is pretty ruthless, full of political intrigues and complicated connections between people. The info dumps from time to time are perhaps its only weakness, but otherwise its a blood chilling and very intense read with a pretty epic ending. 

There are no weak women here and it's a pure pleasure to read about Cat and Bee, and their adventures. There is also a matter of spirit world with its own order and strange creatures, and of course the world-building is amazing.

Overall, a fantastic read, highly recommended.

* * *

Шикарные конечно книги в этой серии, совершенно шикарные! Советую всем фанатам фэнтези.

Кейт Эллиот создала очень сложный и интересный мир, в котором магия смешана с технологией в том плане, что сила, управляющая государством - Холодные Маги, противостоит технологическому прогрессу насколько может.

Юнная Кат Барахал, возвратившись из университета со своей кузиной Би, обнаруживает на пороге дома своего дяди молодого Холодного Мага, который заявляет, что долг магам должен быть оплачен и женится на Кэт, закрепив сделку магическими узами.

Ошарашенную Кэт увозят из дома, в ктором она выросла и пара отправляется на другой конец страны в оплот Холодных Магов. Осыпаемая презрением и пренебрежением мага, Кэт, выросшая в семье шпионов и воспитанная в силу профессии, даёт мужу достойный отпор и ультимативно нарушает планы магов, сбегая и направляясь обратно в город к Би, которой грозит опасность.

Мир этой книги очень сложный, наполненный политическими интригами как бурлящий котёл и персонажами, которые нельзя разделить на чёрные и белые. Единственный недостаток, что меня иногда раздражал, это огромное количество информации, которая выливалась на бедного читателя, а в остальном книга захватывает дух и я её очень советую. 

Прочитав уже вторую часть, я могу с уверенностью сказать, что дальше будет только лучше...