About the Author

Maria V. Snyder is the New York Times bestselling author of the Study series, the Glass series, the Healer series, Inside Out, and Outside In. Born and raised in Philadelphia, she earned a Bachelors of Science degree in Meteorology from Penn State and a Master of Arts degree in fiction writing from Seton Hill University. Unable to part ways with Seton Hill, Maria is currently a teacher and mentor for the MFA program. Find her on the Web at MariaVSnyder.com.

Reviews

Fans of high-spirited adventure, intrigue and romance will celebrate the third book (after 2007's Magic Study) in the saga of reluctant mage and diplomat Yelena Zaltana. The news that Yelena is a Soulfinder, able to manipulate the spirits of the dead and the living, hasn't made her popular with the inhabitants of Sitia's Magician's Keep, since the last Soulfinder turned people into mindless slaves. First Magician Roze Featherstone's hostility toward Yelena increases until the Sitian Council decides to send Yelena north as diplomatic liaison to the rival nation of Ixia. When Roze takes over the council, imprisoning her rivals and driving the nation to the brink of war with Ixia, Yelena is caught between her duties as liaison, her love for Ixian intelligence officer Valek and her fear of her own power, which she must embrace fully to defeat Roze and restore the council. Snyder delivers another excellent adventure, deftly balancing international and local hostilities against Yelena's personal struggles. (Mar.) Copyright 2008 Reed Business Information.

Having survived her time as a poison taster and discovered her talent for magic, as recounted in the award-winning Poison Study and Magic Study, Yelena Zaltana realizes that she possesses the rarest of magics-that of Soulfinder. When this is made public, the young mage becomes the center of controversy, caught between those among the four Master Magicians who see her usefulness and those who want her dead. As her country prepares for possible war with neighboring Ixia, Yelena and her Ixian lover, Valek, seek to prevent a needless conflict while protecting Yelena from her enemies. Snyder's latest addition to her fantasy saga resolves several major plot threads but opens the door to the possibility of future novels in the series. A strong, resourceful heroine and an intriguing cast of supporting human and animal characters make this a fine addition to most libraries. Copyright 2008 Reed Business Information.