Fire Study

By Maria V. Snyder

The battle of her life has begun

In the barren territory of Sitia, power comes at a price. Yelena Zaltana possesses the most terrifying magic in the district – the ability to capture and release souls. While the sinister council that rules the area meets to decide Yelena’s fate, she sets out on a perilous journey to capture a Soulstealer, her own dark counterpart…when she comes face-to-face with someone far more dangerous.

With her homeland at risk, Yelena is prepared to give everything she has to save the ones she loves. But Yelena must learn that in the war between good and evil – there can only ever be one victor.

A CHRONICLES OF IXIA NOVEL

'A compelling new fantasy series’ – Rhianna Pratchett, SFX on Poison Study

The Chronicles of Ixia

Poison Study

Magic Study

Fire Study

Storm Glass

Sea Glass

Spy Glass

Shadow Study

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins UK
• Release date: Feb 1, 2013
• ISBN: 9781472011091

Maria V. Snyder

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 for Fire Study

[jen7waters · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Am I under a spell or something? Because this is the third series I read this year whose third book just ruins the whole thing (the other two? The Hunger Games & Gemma Doyle trilogy) Damnation! Well…I’m overreacting, Fire didn’t ruin the Study series for me, nothing could. Better: nothing could ruin Poison Study‘s total awesomeness, and after all, I always think of it as a standalone – somehow I can’t really make a connection between the first book and the other two, and while Magic was still fun to read, Fire…well, let me just say I wish someone had told me to start reading at page 200, because I wouldn’t have missed a thing if I had, and besides, that’s when Valek shows up.I’m mortified to admit, but I can’t really say what goes on in this book. It’s so…confusing. I read the synopsis when I finished it and said to myself Really? This is what happened? (*.*) I know Yelena, Leif and Moon Man travel to Ixia – why, I don’t have the faintest idea; I think someone evil chases them, and then there’s some trouble with the Vermin, and this weird powerful guy called Fire Warper (or that’s not his name, and just what he his/does? I don’t know…) wants Yelena to do something for him or else he’ll burn to ashes everyone she cares about; at some point the wannabe king (or how I like to call him: the village idiot) Cahil comes in and starts his annoying I’ll destroy you Yelena! act, but ends up helping her; AND THEN…(*starts laughing uncontrollably*)…suddenly…(*laughing*)…a bat shows up (!!!) glues itself to Yelena…(*laughing & laughing*)…and she can’t get it off of her! (You know I’m still laughing...full review at: Cuidado com o Dálmata - Fire Study

[rosecrossed · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Fire Study was not quite as enjoyable to me as the previous two, but it was still enjoyable. This book is filled with action, and I think that was part of the problem for me. In previous novels, the story was more character driven while this novel is more focused on the action. I'm more of a character driven kind of person.It is really a continuation of Magic Study and Yelena's path there, although much of this novel is her being scared of her powers (understandable, but still annoying). This is also a very tragic novel, so be prepared for that. I recommend this to those who enjoyed Magic Study.

[lyssa73 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Fire Study... Hmm. Fire Study. I'm not sure how I feel about this book. I didn't love it, I didn't hate it. Having just finished it a minute ago, my strongest feeling is a huge sigh of relief; things ended in a way I was okay with and I felt like every single loose thread had been tied up.

I was prepared to despise this book- I'd read some reviews and hadn't really enjoyed the middle book either. Maybe it was expecting the worst that kept me from getting bogged down by things I didn't like. I'm not sure.

Anyway, if you like to see a series through to the end, you won't regret reading this. There is non-stop action and at about 30% through, the book becomes hard to walk away from. The plot "twists" and surprises are pretty transparent, but it's not a big deal. Yelena inadvertantly walks into trouble as much as ever and counters it with dumb luck, occasional intelligence and frequent help. All in all, I'd say it was middle of the line. There was no brilliance here, but after the second book and all the reviews I'd read, I was prepared for much worse. Therefore, I am satisfied. I doubt I'll ever read it or think about it again, but the part of me that likes closure is appeased.

[caitlinac · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I love this book series, but I couldn't quite get as invested in this book as I could with the others. I didn't feel like that plot was going anywhere or had a resolution. "Poison Study" remains my favourite of the series.

[cynical_ames · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I enjoyed the wild ride of the first two in the trilogy but I could not get into the whole Fire Warper thing in this one. Other than that this was a very interesting series.

[pinniped23 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I read this a long time ago, but really enjoyed the story and the characters.

[heatherlinc · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A satisfying conclusion to a very enjoyable series.

[iris0boekenplank · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

*Originally Reviewed at Witchmag's Boekenplank*Once again Maria V. Snyder has written an intriguing and captivating story, even when I enjoyed Fire Study not as much as Poison- and Magic Study. The writing style felt a bit too objective, too distant, to get fully into the story and this annoyed me at times. It also made it harder for me to understand, to bond with Yelena. In the end it prevented me from fully creating a vivid image in my head. There was just not enough words spent on emotions and feeling. The pacing was too high, too. Such a shame, cause the story was amazing!Yelena, too, made me sigh at times. What a transformation! I almost did not recognize the almost dauntless heroine from the previous books! After one “scary” event she suddenly turns into this scaredy cat! Suddenly she’s so scared that she makes wrong decisions, one after the other. She’s pushing everyone away, even Valek and makes bad situations worse… Yeah, it was really frustrating to see this happen, time and time again, 300 pages long. At times I was even amazed that I kept on reading instead of throwing the book away…However, the plot and the marvelous world that Maria V. Snyder has created, were too good to put it away. It has fire benders, unknown enemies (or are they friends???). Double spies and traitors. It was never boring. Add to this a huge dose of unfamiliar magic, a hilarious horse and you’ve got something to look forward too, even with flat characters and a main character that keeps working on your nerves.Conclusion3 HEARTS. I liked Fire Study less than the earlier books. The almost business like manner of writing did not make me very happy. I missed “feeling” everything. Yelena, too, was not one of my favorite characters in this book with the way she behaved. Fortunately there is still a fantastic story and a magical world that will keep you attention and prevent you from slapping Yelena, hard.

[humouress · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I'm reviewing this (expanding my original notations) a few weeks after reading it, so it's not based on fresh impressions so much as what stayed with me.After her adventures in Poison Study and Magic Study, Yelena is starting to settle (albeit uncomfortably) into the Magicians' Keep in Sitia. Her magic is exceptionally strong, and she could be nominated to be a fifth Master magician - if she can learn to control her magic; the element of fire being especially elusive to her.Her enemies interrupt her studies, however, with (from their point of view) unfinished business from the previous book, and - teaming up with her Ixian friends again - she finds herself hunting them across the lands of Sitia and Ixia. In the process, she tries to work out which land and culture she fits into as she no longer conforms to either mould.Although the story arc of [Magic Study] was completed within that book, I found the plot of Fire Study rather similar to the second book; Yelena and friends chase the bad guys across the land, while they torture girls to increase their magical power and only Yelena's unique magical talent can stop them.I must confess that I'm not so keen on the relationship with Valek. Though we don't see it directly in the stories, he is a ruthless assassin who has killed even children in a cause he believes in, but Yelena is infatuated with him because … I still haven't worked out why. The May-December romance makes me a bit uncomfortable, mainly because I can't help feeling there is a bit of Stockholm syndrome about it.I borrowed the books in this series because I inadvertently bought the second book of the second series (there was no indication on the cover or inside that it was part of any series), and I'm reading them so that I can read my book within the sequence. However, it's not one of my favourite series.3 stars

[alcarinqa_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Having loved both Poison Study and Magic Study, I put off reading Fire Study because I didn’t want the series to end! But I must confess that I am disappointed with it. Fire Study lacks all my favourite elements of books one and two, but includes all the things I didn’t enjoy in them. One of the strongest aspects of the previous books are the amazing characters and their relationships, but Fire Study is much too focussed on Yelena and doesn’t allow for the growth of the supporting cast at all.I love the way Yelena tells her story – I have always enjoyed her ‘voice’. However, in Fire Study she becomes the leader of her group of rebels, and unlike in previous books, her friends don’t seem to ever have any advice to give her. So we have the unlikely situation of an untrained orphan-girl, with hither-to unexplained magical powers, leading a group of hardened and battle-tested warriors and trained magicians. Her leadership role causes Yelena to question the nature of her magic and eventually to fear it, until she can come to terms with being a Soulfinder and all that it entails.This is the driving force behind the plot and I think that Yelena’s confusion is brilliantly brought to life. Although she vehemently opposed Roze, the First Magician, when in a leadership role she is forced into some difficult decisions and makes the same choices Roze did in the past, which makes Yelena question whether her powers are dangerous. The conclusion to the story is satisfactory and feels realistic: the issues between Ixia and Sitia aren’t solved but each country has an increased understanding of the other now.I understood the separation of Yelena and Valek in Magic Study and thought it was skilfully handled. However, the conspicuous absence of not only Valek, but Ari and Janco for large parts of this novel made me skip over parts just so I could see if they ever made an appearance. Valek’s role has been further diminished from the strong warrior he was in Fire Study. He still performs some heroic acts but is so mellowed out that I have a hard time he can still inspire the fear he used to in others. The relationship between Yelena and Valek is still realistic, however, and I think the tension between them, caused by her magic, was well played out.Over all I can safely say I enjoyed Fire Study the least out of the whole trilogy, but it is still a great book and concludes the series well. I will be reading the sequel trilogy as soon as possible!You can read more of my reviews at Speculating on SpecFic.

[quigui · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I was going to start by saying this book was a disappointment, but that is not quite right. I started reading this with (very) low expectations, after being more than warned that it was bad. But it was worse than I thought.This book starts badly. The first half of it is filled with recaps from the previous two books in the form of infodump (and even though I didn't remember that much I only needed a little prodding to get my memory), inane and pointless chitchat between minor characters and a plot that is told more in a fashion of a book plan than of an actual book. I mean, it seemed to be the early stages, with plot holes appearing to be badly covered on the next paragraph. This all meant that I regarded the first 150 pages or so as a complete waste of paper and ink.But eventually it got better. Or I got used to it. I'll choose to believe it got somewhat better. There was more action, and a more logical flow of events. Characters from the previous books appeared and for a short while it seemed it was shaping up to be alike the previous adventures. It was just a short while, and it was then that I realized what the problem was. Yelena. It wasn't only that the main character simply didn't captivate me anymore, but she bore little resemblance to her previous incarnations, and worse of all, had become a Mary Sue.So, no longer liking the main character, I focused on the story, because there was some mystery regarding the Magic of the Ixia/Sitia world and some hints about Valek. My mind was going around and around trying to solve these problems. I shouldn't have done that.Regarding the Magic, about where it all came from and its nature, when it was explained, I got this nagging feeling: “Where have I seen this before?” And then it hit me. Final Fantasy VII. And done so much better. Only then there were some things that didn't quite add up, namely the fate of the big bad guys. Although I could have misread the entire thing based on wishful thinking that it would be as awesome as FFVII.As to Valek, there were so many little hints and comments, that I conjured a big mystery about his immunity to Magic, something that happened in his past. The inane chitchat of completely unimportant stuff should have warned me that the little hints would mean nothing. The real reason was nowhere near where my mind went, and in my opinion, pretty lame. But then again, it was dealt with in a couple of dialogue lines, and that was it. So at least there was no waste of paper there.In the end, I was just happy I was done with this book. I should have heeded my friend's warnings that it would be bad. This is a book that could have been half its size without losing anything, that could have had a little more thought put into it, and where the best character is a horse, only this time it is because the others were really bad.Also at Spoilers and Nuts

[katie1802 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

So, how does this series end? Pretty damn well, actually. I liked that the events in this book were at least consistent with the previous book. Even if both of them are unrecognisable from the first book. I'm still pissed about the lack of Valek but at least he was in this one more. Although, I did feel like he was being treated as a secondary character, not the main character he really is.

There was tonnes of action in this book, even if the sheer amount of it was a little overwhelming. I've got to say it about this series, I alternated between these books and The Huger Games, and the fact that they could even compare speaks volumes about these books to me.

[lauren2013_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Fire Study
3 Stars

As Yelena struggles to cope with the fact that she is a soulfinder, forces within Sitia are intent on usurping the mage power-base and provoking war with Ixia. Can Yelena stop them before they stop her - permanently!

Poison Study is one of the most original and compelling stories that I read in 2014. Unfortunately, its two sequels do not live up to the potential of the first and Fire Study is disappointing.

The first half of the book is exceedingly slow with Yelena and her companions running around aimlessly from one encounter with the Vermin to another.

There is little to no plot or character development, and Yelena often behaves like a spoiled child by alienating those closest to her. It takes her far too long to accept who she is and stop fighting it so that she can get one with what needs to be done.

Once again, Yelena and Valek’s relationship takes a back seat, but there is an emotional intensity to their connection that makes waiting for their scenes together worth the effort.

The plot is convoluted with numerous seemingly unrelated events and too many forces at work against Yelena. When everything ultimately comes together at the end, it is all rather anti-climactic.

The next installment in Yelena and Valek’s adventures comes out this February, but I will be waiting for some trustworthy reviews before committing myself.

[rozziereads · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

One woman's journey to find herself, to discover her powers, and the value of others. It was an amazing series.ABSOLUTELY PICK IT UP!! This is the end of the Study Trilogy.

Yelena is just as independent as always, but she discovers that she needs help. She can't do everything by herself no matter how much she desires to. She's terrified for everyone, and manages to push them away when she's trying to protect them. She get's captured again. She almost dies multiple times, again. But she finally discovers what her true powers are as a Soulfinder. She discovers the value of trust, and how important she is in their world of magic.

I was shocked but sort of not surprised that Roze was the ultimate bad guy. The fact that she was the founder of the Daviiian clan was what really shocked me. The concept of the Fire Man, was really neat.

I really liked how there is the fire world, the shadow world, and the sky. That they are full of souls.
Fire = Underworld
Shadow = Limbo (? souls who haven't moved to where they're to go)
Sky = The World's Soul... the magic that everyone uses.

Now ^ this actually makes sense, when you realize that the whole of the trilogy is about people using souls to increase their power. So wouldn't it make sense that souls are the basis of what is the power.

OMG was very upset over the Valek thing.

But over all it was an amazing series. The world was beautiful, even the less beautiful area's such as the Commander's palace, it was still an amazing world. I loved how Yelena was a very strong character, and people trust their lives and very souls with her (most of the time) Valek is a pretty cool character too. Usually Yelena makes all the plans for everything, but every now and then Valek puts in his two cents. I don't like so much when there is a strong independent heroine, and there's a male character who is also equally as strong and independent, but he doesn't think for himself ever, he's just brawn and she's the brains. Where that may be good in some books, just not all. So I really enjoyed how it almost seems like Varek is always making sure that Yelena is making the right decision. Almost like he wants to to be capable, and if he feels the need to correct her or add to anything, he does.

[mathewbridle · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Ever had that sinking feeling when reading a saga or trilogy and thinking that each one is not as good as last? I had that with series - to begin with. But, as this book passed the halfway mark it began to get better. Why? I've no idea really it just did. By the time it reached the end I felt that it had truly concluded as planned. I'm not sure I want to read any more by the author but I probably will at a later date.
If you are looking a decent read look no further than this 'study' trilogy it's well worth a go.

[avoraciousreader · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

4.5*Book source ~ Purchased at AudibleYelena has come a long way since languishing in the Commander’s dungeon for a year after committing murder. Becoming the food taster gave her opportunities she never could have dreamed in those long dark days and nights. Discovering that amongst her unusual magical abilities, she’s also a rare Soulfinder puts her at risk from people in both Ixia and Sitia. Evil is afoot and Yelena, along with several allies & friends, must find and stop it before her world and everything she loves in it will be destroyed. Guest ReviewersT ~ my 16-yr-old sonK ~ my 14-yr-old sonA ~ my 17-yr-old daughter has opted out of audiobook listening with us for the foreseeable future since she just graduated high school and is ready to start the next phase of her life. We will miss her input.This is an enjoyable book with lots of adventure, humor and peril to our beloved characters, Yelena and Valek. We all agree that we still love them as well as Ari, Janco and Opal. We also agree that we hate Roze, Tauno and Cahil. Damn, why hasn’t someone killed Cahil already?! Marrok is a surprising character. We couldn’t get a bead on him, but we feel bad about what happened to him. Leif has proven himself to not be such an asshat now, so we prefer if he stays alive. There is copious amounts of traveling in this book. I was exhausted just listening to them, but it makes for good storytelling. We would have been sad if this had been the last book, as originally had been planned (and when I read them back in 2011), but there’s a new addition called Shadow Study, so we’ll be moving on to it soon. Though technically I guess it’s a whole new trilogy called Soulfinders. Anywho, it’s up next.Favorite Quotes:“Leif. That's not nice, considering all your sister has done for you," admonished Perl."Oh right. How could I forget that she made me bait for a snake, left me on house arrest in Ixia, and smuggled me into the Keep in a coffin.”When I failed to move, Valek pushed me off the mat and curled in my place under the covers. “Ahh. Still warm.”“You’re evil,” I said, but he feigned sleep.Nothing like having a warrant for your execution to get a girl motivated.

[yona-414000 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Excellent series. I'll be moving on to the Glass series very soon. This one started out much more slowly for me. It took a while before it really captured my attention.

[sumik_18 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A good 3rd book. It ended satisfactorily but I felt a sense of loss when I read that the author is writing about a second trilogy about a different character from this series.

Possibly because I know that the characters who were the main interest here will only be making guest appearances in new books.

[monkeypats · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I have very mixed feelings on this book. If I could give the first half one star and the last third 4.5 stars, I would. I read the first two books in this series within two days. They were page turners I just couldn't put down. I expected the same from this book. Instead it was tortuous trying to get through most of this book. The author recapped EVERYTHING that happened in the previous two books. Every time they mentioned a character, you got a page-long description of every interaction the main character had with them. Every time they mentioned something about the fantasy world, you got a detailed description of everything the main character had learned about it in the previous two books. This continued not just for the first few chapters, but was still happened well over 100 pages into the book. Also, the main character jumped way out of character, started not caring about anyone else or the danger she put anyone else in. She started not wanting more information and stopped trusting people she would normally trust, while believing people she would normally be suspicious of. It didn't feel true to her previous two books. I slogged through this for ten days, then suddenly with 100 pages left the character suddenly has a change of heart, says sorry to everyone, and the last quarter of the book was written in the style and personality of the first two books. I flew through that part and loved every second of it, but it doesn't make up for the fact that the first half to two thirds constantly made me want to give up on the book. So, this is a mixed review.

[jeannemarkert · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Very excellant!

[jennybeast · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I finished it only because I really liked the first two books in the series and I wanted to know what happened. I was very disappointed. I hadn't read the other books recently, so it was hard to follow some of the character stuff, but mostly the plot was overdone, the ending transparent, the drama forced and the characters flatter than in the previous books. I hope she can return to higher level of writing her other books displayed.

[lyndseylou_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

For me, the Study series has been on a descending scale of awesomeness.The first book, Poison Study, was awesome and gave you that happy-go-lucky feeling at the end and you want to yell "weeeeeee". The second book, Magic Study, was "eh". It felt somewhat disconnected from the original but still good. This third one, Fire Study, was just plain worn-out and over done, too much going on without much really happening. It had it's moments but mostly it was "blah".So if we are going according to the chart, the next book in the Study series should involve zombies!! Let's face it - everything is better with zombies. But sadly, that epic has never been written and probably never will be. To sum up, the Study series in descending order: weeeeeee, eh, blah, zombies!!In Fire Study, epic fantasy combines with action in the tale of Yelena, a young woman who has recently discovered her magical abilities and (shocker!) needs to use them to help save the world!When you find a book with an insightful horse that communicates telepathically with it's rider and gives advice while still managing to avoid preaching and be nothing like [book:Ishmael|227265], then normally you would think that you had hit the jackpot!Things I enjoyed about the book:1) Kiki - Insightful and hilarious telepathic talking horse.B) A very batty spirit guide for your journey.3) Making nice with giant snakes!Things I didn't like:A) The endless disguising and playing dress-up.351) All the rehashing and recycling of events.I found myself bothered by one of the character's story lines and much to my surprise, I was annoyed by his absence. Cahil had begun to grow on me and I don't like it when fluff characters or those who provide comic relief turn into the bad guy, if you can really even call him that. It just doesn't work for me unless they are absolutely diabolical or pull some kind of switcharoo. A good example that comes to mind is (Beware! Harry Potter spoiler - Are there still people who haven't read Harry Potter?)Mad Eye Moody. Now that was a head spinner. Cahil just doesn't work as a villain. In fact, his character could easily have been explored to a much deeper level and used to make the story more interesting.The villains didn't seem to have a face either. The entire book was just kinda of "Yelena against the man". Who's the man? You ask. That's the question, isnt it? The big bad "they". There was so much mistrust and flip flopping by the characters. Most of the book, it just wasn't clear who the ultimate evil was or who exactly it was we were fighting against.Now, my answer to the question: Who's the man? JANCO. JANCO IS THE MAN! My man, at least. So where was he?? I absolutely hated the near disappearance of my two favorite characters, Ari and Janco. Now that is a spin-off I would love!!I absolutely enjoy a good spinoff. I mean what would life have been without the TV show Angel? But near the beginning, I felt like the circumstances with Opal Cohen were contrived specifically with the intent to launch the spin-off series. These parts were very interesting; I just wish that we could have seen a greater effect overall on the story. Although, I really did enjoy the way Opal's ability came into play at the end.Throughout a good portion of the book, Yelena's is accompanied by her storyweaver and official guru, Moon Man. He is funny, wise, and great - but only to an extent. His impact is lessened when he is around soooo much, especially near the beginning. Did Yoda follow Luke Skywalker around throughout the entire original trilogy? No, because he's too damn smart for that. Also, was Yoda constantly naked? No. Because he's too damn smart for that. Or - maybe it was just because he was out of his prime.Really though. Moon Man is always naked. Geez, Moon Man, what do you think this is - Frikkin Survivor? Should I call you Richard Hatch? Don't worry. No visual aid for that one. Your welcome!My favorite quote from this book is a simple but adorable one by Leif: "What are you scheming, little sister?" And I was glad that the two of them were finally bonding.Valek was hardly around at all in this one as well. But it didn't bother me anyway because his character had basically become mush. He used to be gruff and masculine, now he's all "blah blah, lovey dovey". I know - I have a way with words, don't I? He was not at all the Valek I loved in the first book. I miss him. And if I hear the words "My love" ONE MORE TIME...The audio was very good although sometimes unintentionally funny. Sound quality was beautiful and professional. The narrator's voice was usually very smooth; I just got a kick out of the various voices. But I am "easily giggled."Like I said before, I felt there was too much explaining of past events that wasn't necessary or relevant at the time. But overall, an enjoyable series. The best of which is the first book and I would definitely recommend you read Poison Study.

[__lindsey__ · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I really enjoyed this one! I've never read anything like this. The world was unique. I thought reading about characters involved in a militaristic government would be boring but not at all. Luckily it was mostly Yelena's personal story instead of a bunch of boring governmental details, but even the history and details of how Ixia was run turned out to be interesting. The romance was very well done. If romance isn't your thing, this book would still be an excellent choice; there's just barely a sprinkling of it in here. I'm looking forward to reading the next book. I like that Yelena is going to be in a whole new situation and setting in that one. I'm not sure if I want to add this to my favorites shelf yet. It's close.

My favorite part of the book was when Yelena learns about magic from Irys. It reminded me so much of my favorite series, Sword of Truth - how Richard has to receive training on how to control his magic within in a year or it will kill him. I love when you get to go through an education with characters.

[dancingwaves · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

For me, the weakest of the three. It was nice Yelana finally figured her path in life, but it felt repetitive after a while.

[jaguar897 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I was having some serious book loving while reading this one. It has everything a book should have: magic, mystery, a strong female character and even a little romance.

I loved how the story flowed. It was quite believable and it made Yelena, the heroine, even more endearing. I loved seeing Yelena’s growth from being in a dirty dungeon cell preparing herself for her execution to becoming the king’s best food taster. We even see how she learns to fight and use weapons becoming a fierce fighter. Yelena has magical abilities that have started to develop but she has no control over. It was interesting to see how she struggled with her ability. I loved that this heroine didn’t start off strong in the beginning of the story, but developed into a tough young woman by the end of it.

I even loved the secondary characters that helped Yelena in her transformation. I would love to have Ari and Janco teach me to fight. These two were hilarious in their interactions.

Overall, it’s a captivating story and I can’t wait to read the second book, Magic Study.

[flanneryac · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This one = running away, getting caught, being poisoned, escaping, rinse, repeat. The last few chapters were the the saving grace.

[hunybadger · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The magic world building by Synder was still wonderful and creative. The twists and turns still had you wondering if really your favorite characters had finally met their match.Yet, while we continued to delve into Yelena's knowledge of magic and her capabilities, this novel felt flat. The spark that made Valek, Janco, and Lief come alive in the other books was missing. The witty and sharp dialogue was weak and sparse. Valek was reduced to a insipid lovetoy, Janco a rhyme machine and Lief, a wishy-washy hothead who had neither insight nor stamina for Yelena's quests.And Yelena...when will she ever learn that she needs to play with others and not jump into everything on her own? I was wishing this lesson would eventually come to her here in the last book. Proving you are strong, resilient and capable doesn't always mean you do all the hard lifting. Although there was character building for Yelena in here, this was still missed.In the end, I enjoyed the book but it dramatically lacked the inspiration that the other two had. It felt rushed and not thoroughly fleshed out. Ideas felt tossed in to bolster a storyline but not given real meat to be interesting.

[tommcgreevy · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A readable tale with engaging characters and a plausible plot. A very pleasant distraction in fact...

[pagemasterzee · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Snyder has an interesting writing style. Simplistic but still enthralling. I personally like this book and others that this author has written. Warning although the characters are great and creative, the author speeds up personal relationships to get to more dramatic events, (which knocks you out of the "reading zone") There are some excellent scenes in this book, that are just priceless, classic but beautiful written. I would recommend this to anyone who is in need of a simple read and who is into female heroines that kick butt.

[msjessie · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Well, I'm really sad to say I found the finale to a series that started so originally and strongly to be quite a disappointment. Yelena herself felt off to me in a way during Fire Study not seen in the first two books and there was just so so much unnecessary goings-on and fights and betrayals and traveling... it got a bit old round about the 250 page mark. I was actively waiting for the end of this drawn-out escapade to mercifully come something interesting to happen and I got more back-and-forth, more Yelena making harebrained decisions (pushing Valek away, her "plans") and less of what I loved so much from the first novel.I will right away admit I'm very happy with the direction of Cahil's storyline. I was interested in the Wannabe King from the start (uninherited claimants are so medieval history) and was glad he wasn't just foisted off as easily as say, Ferde. While I love that Ferde wasn't a repeating villain for the last two books as I had initially feared at the conclusion of Magic Study, I did dislike his easy, unremarkable demise. Quick, and almost glossed over in the narrative, I was pretty disappointed by the lack of resolution that came with the end of a major antagonist for the company. I had hoped for a little more to Ferde's end as an active player in the novels and Yelena's story - what happened seemed too easy and lacked satisfaction for such a gruesome plot-line as his was. I was disappointed with the turns the relationship between Yelena and Moon Man takes: she is only further encouraged by their poor communications that only Yelena knows best or can ever do anything to help. I also admit that the magic aspects of these novel continue to evolve and change in an unpredictable manner: Opal's magic (and the revelation's about the Commander) were both interesting and handled well. I appreciate the imagination and thought that went into crafting the magic aspects/details (the bit at the end with the 'blanket' and the souls? Brilliant twist!) is consistent and never content to rest on the creations of the previous novel.But most importantly and constantly in my mind were these thoughts: Where were Ari and Janco? Where was Yelena's mentor and friend Irys? Where was Valek, for the last two books? And while we're on that subject, what happened to Valek's individual personality and fire? He went from being just as much of a main character as Yelena to a backup singer in a chorus of dozens, if one that is immune to magic. I missed the rounded characters I met in the first book, Poison Study. Largely gone for much of this third and final novel, I missed the power twin's lively additions and dialogue. (Thank goodness the short story Power Study [Study #3.5] is pretty much just the two of them in fine fettle!) The personalities introduced in the later books (Cahil, Goel, Tauno, Star) feel much shallower than their earlier, much more interesting predecessors. But seriously: what the hell happened to the charming, devious, rounded personality that Valek had at the beginning of his relationship with the Soulfinder? Poison Study-era Valek was in command, intelligent and not just used as a blue-eyed deadly deux-ex-machina for all so many of Yelena's mishaps/miscalculations. I missed that first Valek, the one who stood toe-to-toe with Yelena instead of hastening to do her bidding; I think I'll pretend these later novels never happened to my cool-eyed Assassin. Through the last two books in this fantasy series, I've learned I like Yelena much better with a company of characters than on her own - she is much more likeable in a cast.I'm very conflicted over this series. The last two books leave so much to be desired after the fun and inventiveness of the first novel. While each novel in this series successively in turn degraded in quality, I still mostly liked what I was reading; I just wanted more depth to the later characters, more ingenuity like what was shown in the first novel with the Districts, the poison-taster position, etc. Just less typical fantasy elements (constant traveling and bickering between Leif and Yelena, the betrayals, the hidden pasts of villains) would've been appreciated; it's not that I don't like all those things, but that they were so overdone and that this series started off very well without such. I've recently read and enjoyed Maria Snyder's latest novel, Touch of Power, but now I find I'm very wary for the following sequels, if they trace the same trajectory as this series.