Storm Glass, by Maria V Snyder

July 2009, Mira Books

504 pages

Personal copy

Fantasy

Cushions: 4/5

Daggers: 1/5

Paperclips: 1/5

Smiles: 3/5

Tears: 3/5

Overall rating: 5+/5 (not happy the next book isn't out until 2010!)

I pre-ordered this book, fully expecting to enjoy it as much as Maria's Study Trilogy (see her website at the end of the review, the books aren't yet reviewed here). Afterall, it takes a secondary character, Opal, and tells of her interesting life after betraying Yelena (protagonist in Study series) to the enemy. No longer of the enemy, Opal is in Sitia's magic academy where Yelena too trained for a while. Only, unlike Yelena, Opal doesn't think her skill with glass is a useful magical skill.

This self-doubt lasts throughout some of the novel - it can't last too long when her skills are needed to stop people from the Stormdancer clan from dying. The first installment of Opal's story is every bit edge-of-the-seat reading as the previous trilogy. In a way more so, because I already know the world and some of the characters from Yelena's story. Opal is quite a different character to Yelena; I'd say she has more internal conflict, just because of what's happened so far in her life. In a lot of ways this is more family based than Yelena's story, because Opal never left her family and has close ties with them. I liked that, compared to a lot of fantasy where the protagonist is often removed from their kin, Opal's family have their own role to play in her life.

I read this in a few sittings (stupid life interrupted my free time). Yes I wailed when I saw the next book isn't out until next year. Aside from her old skill, Opal has an amazingly scary new one, one which rivals Yelena's soul finding skills. Will she be hunted down and confined for this skill in the second book, Sea Glass?

Content: nothing detailed, possibly a bit of inneundo (I've read several books since this once), a developing relationship.

Oh! Before I finish up, I have to mention the cover. I prefer it to the USA cover - it shows the mystery of Opal's power. Plus hooded cloaks are high on my list of fashionable clothes.

If you haven't read the Study trilogy - go read them for background information on characters that appear hear, and to be taken away into Yelena's world. Information about these are found on Maria's recently updated website. I prefer this new look to the previous one.