[book_talk] book review - Patricia Wrede
- From: "Bonnie L. Sherrell" <blslarner@xxxxxxxxxx>
- To: "Blind Chit Chat" <Blind-Chit-Chat@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, "Books for the Blind" <Books4theblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, "Blind Book Lovers Cafe" <bblc@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>, "Book Talk" <book_talk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 23 Jan 2015 11:53:23 -0800
_Across the Great Barrier_
by Patricia Wrede
read by Amanda Ronconi
the second book in the series after _Thirteenth Child_
Eff Rothmer would like to be an ordinary girl, but that's hard to do as
the thirteenth child to her father, himself a seventh son and a
powerful magician and a teacher at a frontier college of magic, not to
mention being the twin sister of a seventh son of a seventh son. Her
parents moved west when it became obvious that where they'd lived all
their lives Eff would be the victim of prejudice and antagonism, much
of it from her Uncle Ern, certain that so many people were that a
thirteenth child was unlucky and would most likely turn to evil. It
was much easier living in Mill City on the great Mammoth River, where
the Great Barrier Spell marked the edge of the safe, protected lands of
the United States of Columbia and the beginning of the true frontier
that stretched westward past the Rocky Mountains to unexplored regions
beyond. There few knew that she was a thirteenth child, and those few
who did know didn't seem to feel that was a bad thing. After all, if
her twin Lan was a double-seven son and likely to be a most powerful
magician, Eff was a seventh daughter, and few appeared to appreciate
just how powerful she might prove.
For years Eff had resisted learning magic, as she appeared to have
little control over her own abilities; and what she'd managed to do
spontaneously had threatened to injure people such as her nasty Uncle
Ern. It was easier for her to learn to use Afrikaans magic, which was
more focused on awareness of the environment and learning to coax
things to work as desired, unlike Uropan magic, which demanded desired
reactions.
A year of two ago Eff and her twin Lan had managed between them to
deter a major disaster as magical insects found west of the Great
Barrier Spell had begun draining magic out of areas where settlers were
building up new communities and farms. This year Lan has found himself
in a situation borne of his impatience and lack of experience, so goes
again west of the Great Barrier with his sister, only to face a far
more dangerous situation as far more powerful magical creatures than
the so-called Mirror Bugs look to drain everything they encounter of
not only magic but life itself.
Got this from Audible and enjoyed it thoroughly, and hope to purchase
the third book in the series when my new credits come through on
Sunday. Well written and well read, with delightful world-building and
an excellent feel for the pioneer experience.
Bonnie L. Sherrell
Teacher at Large
"Then do not be too eager to deal out death in judgment. For even the very wise
cannot see all ends." LOTR
"Don't go where I can't follow."
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