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Available
Call number
Series
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Collection
Publication
Orbit (2010), Paperback, 544 pages
Description
The Wild Hunt is stirring - and the dragons are finally waking from their long sleep... Cat Barahal was the only survivor of the flood that took her parents. Raised by her extended family, she and her cousin, Bee, are unaware of the dangers that threaten them both. Though they are in beginning of the Industrial Age, magic - and the power of the Cold Mages - still hold sway. Now, betrayed by her family and forced to marry a powerful Cold Mage, Cat will be drawn into a labyrinth of politics. There she will learn the full ruthlessness of the rule of the Cold Mages. What do the Cold Mages want from her? And who will help Cat in her struggle against them?
Media reviews
Cold Magic is, best of all to this reader, a fantastic exploration of an alternate world, complete with a spirit world, Mages, an alternate geography, an alternate history, and lots and lots of cool ideas.
User reviews
LibraryThing member Fledgist
This is a fine example of the "world is different plus magic works" genre pioneered by Randall Garrett in the Lord Darcy series. Elliott takes the trope further, and does so with great effect. Like Garrett's Darcy tales, this is, in effect steampunk (a world of steam engines and airships, but also
Thisi s the first part of a series. If the remaining volumes are as good as this one, it promises to be one of the best in recent years.
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swords, muskets,and rifles) with magic. It's also an ice age world. The setting is Europe, a Europe with a different history, but not as different as it might be. A different politics. And, a different population. This Europe is full of black people, mixed people, people whose culture blends Roman, Celtic, Phoenician (but don't call them that), and Malian. Not to mention the trolls. Into the complex politics, a young woman, Catherine Hassi Barahal is suddenly plunged when she finds herself forcibly married to the mage Andevai Diarisso Haranwy, part Celt,part Malian, a master of cold magic, who may be the strongest mage of the time. Dangerous things are afoot. Catherine has to beware of her husband, the mansa of his magical house, and to learn her own magical powers, as well as the mystery of her own origins. Thisi s the first part of a series. If the remaining volumes are as good as this one, it promises to be one of the best in recent years.
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LibraryThing member wyvernfriend
This is all worldbuilding, creating the story and the background for what sounds like an interesting adventure, it's a world a lot like our own, but with some subtle differences. Rome didn't really fall, much of the north of Europe is under Ice and there's a land-bridge between England and Europe.
There's a lot of information and at the same time a dearth of information in this book, I want more but I'm hoping I'll learn more at the same time.
It's an interesting beginning to a story if a bit convoluted.
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Switzerland is under ice as well and there are cold-mages. Cat Barahal and her cousin Bee think they understand their world but things are turned on their head when family politics force Cat into a marriage that will complicate her life.There's a lot of information and at the same time a dearth of information in this book, I want more but I'm hoping I'll learn more at the same time.
It's an interesting beginning to a story if a bit convoluted.
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LibraryThing member MarianH98
Wonderful re-imagining of the Napoleanic war--if Rome had never sacked Carthage, and Africans had escaped a ghoul plague and migrated and mingled with Celts...AND there was real magic. AND there were intelligent bird-dinosaurs in North America. And Phonician trader families all over Europe,
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including what would have been England, taught their daughters all the tools of spycraft... AND it's a marriage of convenience as well. With ghosts and were-sabretooth tigers (who are cousins of the heroine) AND AND AND... it's a page-turner and elegantly crafted, as expected from Kate Elliott. No cardboard characters, no cardboard culture. First rate! Show Less
LibraryThing member dreamweaversunited
This is a story centered around the friendship between two women.
That statement shouldn't feel like such a revelation, but it does. How many books with female protagonists ultimately focus on the heroine's relationships with men? How many of these heroines just don't have a female friend who means
That's one reason I love this book with all my heart. The friendship between Bee and Cat is beautiful and real. I also love it for worldbuilding you can positively drown in.
It takes a master of worldbuilding to join as many disparate elements as Elliott does. An Ice Age that never ends, three kinds of magic, alternate history, and giant sentient velociraptors (!!!) shouldn't mesh together, but they do. They mesh in a way that makes me thirst to learn more about this world. In fact, I could probably read an entire encyclopedia of this fictional world and be content. That, my friends, is the mark of good worldbuilding.
This book was an inspiration to me, both as a reader and a writer.
That statement shouldn't feel like such a revelation, but it does. How many books with female protagonists ultimately focus on the heroine's relationships with men? How many of these heroines just don't have a female friend who means
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more to her than anyone in the world? It's staggering to me now, when I realize how few heroines are like that. It's a poor reflection of reality, where female friendships not only define many women's lives, but can change the world. Kate Elliott understands that a friendship between women is a bond of power and respect, worthy to have epic stories told of them. Add that both of these women are women of color, and it becomes even more revolutionary.That's one reason I love this book with all my heart. The friendship between Bee and Cat is beautiful and real. I also love it for worldbuilding you can positively drown in.
It takes a master of worldbuilding to join as many disparate elements as Elliott does. An Ice Age that never ends, three kinds of magic, alternate history, and giant sentient velociraptors (!!!) shouldn't mesh together, but they do. They mesh in a way that makes me thirst to learn more about this world. In fact, I could probably read an entire encyclopedia of this fictional world and be content. That, my friends, is the mark of good worldbuilding.
This book was an inspiration to me, both as a reader and a writer.
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LibraryThing member calmclam
Fantasy meets steampunk meets alternate timeline meets Afro-Celtic empire. Where has this book been all my life?
Forced suddenly into a marriage she wasn't expecting and doesn't want, Cat finds herself plunged in the middle of a political turmoil and a murder plot (with herself as the intended
Forced suddenly into a marriage she wasn't expecting and doesn't want, Cat finds herself plunged in the middle of a political turmoil and a murder plot (with herself as the intended
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target). She flees her husband's family--while learning a few secrets about her own--in order to find and protect her cousin and save her own life. Strong characters, great worldbuilding, loved it. Show Less
LibraryThing member MmeRose
Alternative 18th century history with steampunk and ice age. This could have been a fascinating world, except that I found the characters less than engaging. I won't be reading the second book.
LibraryThing member samantha.1020
Can I just start off by saying that I loved this book? Cold Magic is just one of those books that grabbed me and didn't let go. Filled with twists and turns, I was utterly entralled throughout the story and now all I want is more.
This is the story of Cat and Bee, two young women going to college
I can do nothing but sing this book's praises. The world that the girls' live in is fantastically described, and I was caught up within the pages of the story instantly. The storyline itself was fast paced and filled with surprises. There were a couple of times where I was reading (thinking I knew what was going to happen next) and just had the rug pulled out from underneath me. It took my breath away and all of a sudden I was frantically reading the pages as fast as I could trying to see what was going to happen next. I loved it. I loved the experience of reading this book, never really knowing what was going to happen next, and just going along for the ride that the author was taking me on. It was an amazing journey as this book was a chunkster at a little over 500 pages. And the characters were great as well. Both Cat and Bee were well fleshed out characters and even though this was mostly Cat's journey, I still grew to care about what happened to both characters. I also liked that this book was filled with different types of characters like trolls, cold mages, and an eru. It helped to make the story that much more interesting. I'm pretty sure that I don't have a single complaint with this book. All in all, this is a book that I am still thinking about after finishing a couple days later and one that I would highly recommend. All I have to say is Ms. Elliott, would you please write fast...I cannot wait for book 2 in this trilogy!!
This is the story of Cat and Bee, two young women going to college
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and living during The Industrial Revolution where the story is set. But there is magic in this world, cold magic, and before they know it they are ripped away from each other and the only lives that they have ever known by cold mages. Their lives are turned upside down and danger is lurking around every corner. The question remains, who can they trust?I can do nothing but sing this book's praises. The world that the girls' live in is fantastically described, and I was caught up within the pages of the story instantly. The storyline itself was fast paced and filled with surprises. There were a couple of times where I was reading (thinking I knew what was going to happen next) and just had the rug pulled out from underneath me. It took my breath away and all of a sudden I was frantically reading the pages as fast as I could trying to see what was going to happen next. I loved it. I loved the experience of reading this book, never really knowing what was going to happen next, and just going along for the ride that the author was taking me on. It was an amazing journey as this book was a chunkster at a little over 500 pages. And the characters were great as well. Both Cat and Bee were well fleshed out characters and even though this was mostly Cat's journey, I still grew to care about what happened to both characters. I also liked that this book was filled with different types of characters like trolls, cold mages, and an eru. It helped to make the story that much more interesting. I'm pretty sure that I don't have a single complaint with this book. All in all, this is a book that I am still thinking about after finishing a couple days later and one that I would highly recommend. All I have to say is Ms. Elliott, would you please write fast...I cannot wait for book 2 in this trilogy!!
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LibraryThing member Asata
This first entry in a new science fiction series, the Spiritwalker Trilogy, is a sure winner. Elliott, with inspiration from her teens, has created what she labels an "Afro-Celtic post-Roman icepunk Regency novel with airships, Phoenician spies, and the intelligent descendants of troodons." Yes,
The main characters are a young woman, Catherine, who has been raised Phoenician by her aunt and uncle in a community in what might have been England in an Ice Age northern Europe--a Europe that looks drastically different from today's continent. She and her best friend/cousin, Beatrice, are approaching their age of majority when a cold mage arrives late one night to claim the eldest daughter of the house in marriage, according to a contract written decades before. Both Cat's aunt and uncle rush to affirm Cat as the eldest, and Cat is immediately married to the young mage, Andevai. She is bundled into a carriage and rushed off into the nightmare that is Andevai's life.
At first, their trip reminded me of The taming of the shew, but this impression fades rapidly as Andevai flees the city with Cat in tow. She soon sees that he is an arrogant and powerful young mage, but something else is going on. Andevai has blown up the celebrated airship that had arrived from in town from Expedition (aka North America), to great fanfare. The cold mage houses do not approve, and Andevai was given the task of destroying this threat to their power. Why, then, has this strange marriage been included in his visit? Read and find out!
4 out of 5 stars
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it's a mashup! And a truly original and imaginative one. Cold magic is subtitled "when science and magic collide--it is the innocent who will die." I'm not always crazy about alternate history, but this one has some extra attractions. For one, Elliott has done her homework. The elements included are authentic and rich in detail--words incorporated from West Africa's Bambara language are accurately used and spelled, clothing and customs are followed and incorporated in believable ways. The main characters are a young woman, Catherine, who has been raised Phoenician by her aunt and uncle in a community in what might have been England in an Ice Age northern Europe--a Europe that looks drastically different from today's continent. She and her best friend/cousin, Beatrice, are approaching their age of majority when a cold mage arrives late one night to claim the eldest daughter of the house in marriage, according to a contract written decades before. Both Cat's aunt and uncle rush to affirm Cat as the eldest, and Cat is immediately married to the young mage, Andevai. She is bundled into a carriage and rushed off into the nightmare that is Andevai's life.
At first, their trip reminded me of The taming of the shew, but this impression fades rapidly as Andevai flees the city with Cat in tow. She soon sees that he is an arrogant and powerful young mage, but something else is going on. Andevai has blown up the celebrated airship that had arrived from in town from Expedition (aka North America), to great fanfare. The cold mage houses do not approve, and Andevai was given the task of destroying this threat to their power. Why, then, has this strange marriage been included in his visit? Read and find out!
4 out of 5 stars
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LibraryThing member rbaech
Gripping story, fascinating world-building. I genuinely can't wait to read the other books in this series.
LibraryThing member saltypepper
This book was so very good. At first I did not think I was going to like it, as the dynamic between the cousins seemed a little tiresome, one is pretty, one is smart, they are inseparable, yes, yes. But then the more interesting aspects of the world-building became apparent and as soon as it became
Apparently I have been waiting all my life to read an "Afro-Celtic post-Roman icepunk Regency novel with airships, Phoenician spies, and the intelligent descendants of troodons," I just didn't know it. Maybe you have too?
I loved seeing how she handled the migration north of the Africans, the migration west of the Celts, the class system of the Mages and their Houses, the parallel world of faerie, and so on. The realities of the sort of cultural mixing she describes are not glossed over, and it is refreshing to read about these things instead of pretending that there is some kind of barrier between Europe and the rest of the world that prevents anyone else from going there, while still allowing Europeans to leave and explore everywhere else.
Lastly, I refer those reviewers who take issue with the fact that the main character goes from hating her new husband, to noticing he's extremely handsome, and then (reluctantly) fantasizing about him to various classics of regency literature. Austen, anyone?
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clear Elliott was going to face head on all the implications of the premise I was hooked. Apparently I have been waiting all my life to read an "Afro-Celtic post-Roman icepunk Regency novel with airships, Phoenician spies, and the intelligent descendants of troodons," I just didn't know it. Maybe you have too?
I loved seeing how she handled the migration north of the Africans, the migration west of the Celts, the class system of the Mages and their Houses, the parallel world of faerie, and so on. The realities of the sort of cultural mixing she describes are not glossed over, and it is refreshing to read about these things instead of pretending that there is some kind of barrier between Europe and the rest of the world that prevents anyone else from going there, while still allowing Europeans to leave and explore everywhere else.
Lastly, I refer those reviewers who take issue with the fact that the main character goes from hating her new husband, to noticing he's extremely handsome, and then (reluctantly) fantasizing about him to various classics of regency literature. Austen, anyone?
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LibraryThing member les121
I loved this book! Cold Magic is a fantastical, steampunk adventure with outstanding world building, plotting, and characters. It’s one of the most unique, compelling, and memorable stories I’ve read in quite a while. I can’t wait for the release of the second book in the Spiritwalker
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trilogy, Cold Fire. Show Less
LibraryThing member rosstrowbridge
I love it when a book (or in this case, a series) is such a whopping good story, with a world so vivid and characters so engaging that the distinctions between adult and juvenile readerships disappear. In praising this book, I feel as if I'm adding my voice to multitudes or preaching to the choir.
I have to admit that I found Elliott's last few books too dark and violent for me, but only a few pages into Cold Magic, I knew I was in for a treat. There's action and danger and Things That Go Bump In The Night, but the whole tone is softer and brighter. Much of this is due to the heroine, a smart and resourceful teen daughter of one of the aforementioned contemporary Phoenician families who, without any warning or preparation, finds herself summarily married to a "cold magic" wizard. So, as they say, the adventure begins. The result is captivating and rousing, action and mystery and romance and intrigue. Oh, and sabertooth cats. What more can a reader want?
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Anyone who's read Kate Elliott's other work has experienced her superb world-building. Now we've got a not-quite-Europe, a zesty melange of Phoenicians and Africans -- not the abused, exploited slaves of our world but the worthy inheritors of proud traditions -- a mid-19th Century ice age, magic woven into ice and "cold steel," and people and powers that not even the denizens of this world can guess. Oh, and dirigibles for the steampunk fans. And trolls. Kind, scholarly attorney trolls. From America. Where trolls come from. Delicious!I have to admit that I found Elliott's last few books too dark and violent for me, but only a few pages into Cold Magic, I knew I was in for a treat. There's action and danger and Things That Go Bump In The Night, but the whole tone is softer and brighter. Much of this is due to the heroine, a smart and resourceful teen daughter of one of the aforementioned contemporary Phoenician families who, without any warning or preparation, finds herself summarily married to a "cold magic" wizard. So, as they say, the adventure begins. The result is captivating and rousing, action and mystery and romance and intrigue. Oh, and sabertooth cats. What more can a reader want?
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LibraryThing member readinggeek451
An intriguingly different 19th century Europe in which the Romans never destroyed Carthage, the north is locked in ice, North America is inhabited by dinosaur descendants, and cold mages fight the burgeoning technology of rifles and airships.
Orphaned Catherine Barahal, raised by her aunt and uncle,
Surprising and gripping.
Orphaned Catherine Barahal, raised by her aunt and uncle,
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attends the academy with her slightly younger cousin and friend, Beatriz. When a representive of a Mage House comes to claim the oldest Barahal daughter, as contracted, Catherine is thrown into a desperate adventure and uncovers secrets of her past and identity.Surprising and gripping.
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LibraryThing member stefferoo
2013 was an excellent year for me, not least because I finally got to check out a ton of authors I've never read before but have always wanted to! And Kate Elliott is definitely one of them. The positive things I've heard about her books, especially praise for her Crossroads trilogy, have always
From its description, the book sounded like it would be right up my alley. Dawn of a new age? An Industrial Revolution which heralds inventions and technologies never seen before? Throw in a young, educated heroine caught up in the middle of this movement, and I thought it was going to be a winner for sure.
In many ways, I was correct. This is undoubtly a good book. The story is an intricate web of political intrigue and hidden truths, taking place in a world that is practically overwhelming with its multiple facets. And Catherine "Cat" Hassi Barahal is a headstrong protagonist, embarking on a perilous adventure to find out who she really is. All in all, I was quite enchanted by this novel and all the wondrous magic, people and creatures Cat encountered on her journey.
And yet, I can't shake the feeling that this book could have been so much more. I wanted it to be great; I wanted to be amazed, but something always stopped me just short of getting to that point. After a while, I was finally able to pin down why I felt this way. Essentially, everything I mentioned before -- the fascinating characters, setting, and plot -- all started out on the right track, but ultimately never seemed to reach their potential.
Perhaps the most frustrating of those for me is the setting, which had everything going for it with its steampunky flavor and even an alternate spirit realm. I was intrigued by the idea of a clash between magic and science, between the old and the new, but unfortunately what I'd hoped for never really materialized. Don't get me wrong; it's a complex and imaginative world, but it somehow lacked coherence. Incidentally, I felt much the same way about the story, which started losing its momentum after a strong introduction, in part due to the lack of clear direction.
I also felt ambivalent towards Cat. I didn't dislike her but I didn't like her either, and therein lies the problem. It's hard to fully appreciate a book when the protagonist fails to interest me. Even now I can think of very little to say about her, except that I didn't really care for the way she was drawn to Andevai. Among my biggest pet peeves is when heroines fall for men who treat them badly, and Cat dances dangerously close to that line. Here's a man who snatches her from her home, speaks to her gruffly, and is an all around cold, arrogant jerk. By all rights she should want nothing to do with him, and yet he is shaping up to be the love interest.
I guess I'll just have to wait to find out what happens. Though I liked this book well enough, I'm also not in any hurry to pick up the sequel. I'm certainly not writing this series off yet, but I have a feeling my next Kate Elliott book will probably be something else. After all, I have heard that her Spiritwalker series is very different from her previous work, and who knows, perhaps I'll check out the Crossroads trilogy first.
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piqued my curiosity and made me feel like I'm missing out. So when I saw the Cold Magic ebook on sale a few months back, I snapped it up and didn't even hesitate for a second.From its description, the book sounded like it would be right up my alley. Dawn of a new age? An Industrial Revolution which heralds inventions and technologies never seen before? Throw in a young, educated heroine caught up in the middle of this movement, and I thought it was going to be a winner for sure.
In many ways, I was correct. This is undoubtly a good book. The story is an intricate web of political intrigue and hidden truths, taking place in a world that is practically overwhelming with its multiple facets. And Catherine "Cat" Hassi Barahal is a headstrong protagonist, embarking on a perilous adventure to find out who she really is. All in all, I was quite enchanted by this novel and all the wondrous magic, people and creatures Cat encountered on her journey.
And yet, I can't shake the feeling that this book could have been so much more. I wanted it to be great; I wanted to be amazed, but something always stopped me just short of getting to that point. After a while, I was finally able to pin down why I felt this way. Essentially, everything I mentioned before -- the fascinating characters, setting, and plot -- all started out on the right track, but ultimately never seemed to reach their potential.
Perhaps the most frustrating of those for me is the setting, which had everything going for it with its steampunky flavor and even an alternate spirit realm. I was intrigued by the idea of a clash between magic and science, between the old and the new, but unfortunately what I'd hoped for never really materialized. Don't get me wrong; it's a complex and imaginative world, but it somehow lacked coherence. Incidentally, I felt much the same way about the story, which started losing its momentum after a strong introduction, in part due to the lack of clear direction.
I also felt ambivalent towards Cat. I didn't dislike her but I didn't like her either, and therein lies the problem. It's hard to fully appreciate a book when the protagonist fails to interest me. Even now I can think of very little to say about her, except that I didn't really care for the way she was drawn to Andevai. Among my biggest pet peeves is when heroines fall for men who treat them badly, and Cat dances dangerously close to that line. Here's a man who snatches her from her home, speaks to her gruffly, and is an all around cold, arrogant jerk. By all rights she should want nothing to do with him, and yet he is shaping up to be the love interest.
I guess I'll just have to wait to find out what happens. Though I liked this book well enough, I'm also not in any hurry to pick up the sequel. I'm certainly not writing this series off yet, but I have a feeling my next Kate Elliott book will probably be something else. After all, I have heard that her Spiritwalker series is very different from her previous work, and who knows, perhaps I'll check out the Crossroads trilogy first.
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LibraryThing member Aronfish
I'm still reading this one, so maybe I'll change my mind. I'm a big Kate Elliott fan, so I've been surprised that I've been finding her writing a bit stilted in this novel.In fact, I was wondering if this was a manuscript that she unearthed from an earlier point in her writing career when she was
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less polished. Despite being more conscious of the writing than in her other works, I am still engaged by the story of the orphan rent from the life she's known and forced to question everything she was always told about herself and her origins. I'll probably give the next in the series a look too.. Show Less
LibraryThing member senbei
Ephemeral are the ties that bind. Kin and kinship are not what they used to be. Not since the X-Files has a protagonist had better reason to trust no one. These and other shadowy portents can be found cleverly woven into every page of Kate Elliott’s Cold Magic. Though situated in the (by this
Whew. Although I normally would never write a plot synopsis as part of a book review, I find it nearly impossible to discuss Cold Magic without preamble. As our author explains in her afterward, Cold Magic is a mashup of disparate cultures and ideas from far flung places and eras (such as the Celts, the Mande, Phoenicians and medieval serfdom). It seems somehow appropriate that Elliott should choose the European Industrial Revolution as the nexus for a jumble of hodge-podge ethnicity and religion. To be sure, the unreal and surreal are ever-present in the “spiritwalker” universe, and Elliott effectively marries abstraction to the trials and tribulations of an unconventional spitfire young woman.
Ironically however, magisters and magic have been given too great a presence in Cold Magic. Though the plot points do not necessarily resemble HP, by giving magic and whirlwind adventure too great a presence in the novel, Elliott undermines her lovely anthropological construct. In her own words, Cold Magic is an “Afro-Celtic post-Roman icepunk Regency novel with airships, Phoencian spies and intelligent descendents of troödons,” and one has to believe that anthropology factors greatly into the book’s makeup. Sadly the reader is swept along at such a breakneck pace, jumping from one death-defying near miss to another with barely a bowl of soup and a change of clothes (and no tea time) in between, one may fail to take notice of the prominent placement of ancient religious and cultural elements. Cold Magic might have the power to inspire young people to visit archaeological museums, but the story itself is far from an ethnography. Historical events and peoples have been often renamed and repositioned and unless a teenager already has a keen interest in world history, she would have a tough time recognizing the presence of Napoleon Bonaparte in the story, let alone Gadir, Tyre, Carthage, Iron Age Celt, Mali, the list goes on. My fervent hope is these peoples were sufficiently present and enigmatic in the book to force a reader to keep a browser open to Wikipedia, but then again such research could be easily sidestepped in favor of illusions and cantrips and well-dressed guys being chivalrous.
Apart from its excellent ethnographic elements, I greatly enjoyed Elliott’s lifelike characterization, excellent foreshadowing and occasional couplet. Cold Magic is truly an enjoyable slipstream fantasy with a lovable female protagonist, fascinating locales and a penchant for blurring the boundaries of friend and foe. I love that Cold Magic brings into question the extent of kinship and loyalty under mortal duress and forces the reader to constantly question what’s real and what’s illusion (though I would be ecstatic to see this element pushed in later novels). I was tickled by the occasional use of steampunk, but Elliott was right to leave it behind in favor of her own more compelling mythos. Though decidedly heteronomative, Cold Magic reveres unconventional thinking and questioning the validity of the status quo. The use of ice and the natural world favorably juxtaposes the very real dystopia of the Industrial Revolution, child labor and arranged marriage.
In short, although Cold Magic brings to mind silent edifice, dusty tombs and archaeology, it’s far less boring than those things. Recommended for any who enjoy storytelling, realistic magic and unafraid young women of destiny.
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point) quite familiar mid-Nineteenth Century Industrial Revolution (what would be Victorian England in another novel), everything else about the story’s setting is bereft of familiarity. Europa has been split into two (and soon to be three) warring factions: the princes and royal lineage aristocracy, and that of the mage Houses, who rule by threat of annihilation. While the princes rule through standing armies, each mage House wields its own arsenal of magisters, djeliw and mansa (the equivalent of mages, clerics and sorcerers). After centuries of power plays the war is coming to a head as a third group, the rebellious proletariat made up of serfs, slaves, sweatshop workers and trolls (who’ve recently emigrated from the Western continents) enter the fray. Into this maelstrom steps our protagonist, Catherine Hassi Barahal, an orphan brought up in her aunt and uncle’s house in a city called Adurnam. Catherine is Phoenician, their seafaring empire having fought Rome to a standstill in this universe, and has their mercenary training in swordsmanship. Despite her otherwise unremarkable college life, Catherine soon finds herself embroiled in the ongoing war when a magister from one of the mage Houses appears and absconds with her after a shocking blackmail her aunt and uncle were willing participants to. Now Catherine must live on the run, under fire from all sides and seek to uncover her true heritage and her connection to the mythical spirit realm.Whew. Although I normally would never write a plot synopsis as part of a book review, I find it nearly impossible to discuss Cold Magic without preamble. As our author explains in her afterward, Cold Magic is a mashup of disparate cultures and ideas from far flung places and eras (such as the Celts, the Mande, Phoenicians and medieval serfdom). It seems somehow appropriate that Elliott should choose the European Industrial Revolution as the nexus for a jumble of hodge-podge ethnicity and religion. To be sure, the unreal and surreal are ever-present in the “spiritwalker” universe, and Elliott effectively marries abstraction to the trials and tribulations of an unconventional spitfire young woman.
Ironically however, magisters and magic have been given too great a presence in Cold Magic. Though the plot points do not necessarily resemble HP, by giving magic and whirlwind adventure too great a presence in the novel, Elliott undermines her lovely anthropological construct. In her own words, Cold Magic is an “Afro-Celtic post-Roman icepunk Regency novel with airships, Phoencian spies and intelligent descendents of troödons,” and one has to believe that anthropology factors greatly into the book’s makeup. Sadly the reader is swept along at such a breakneck pace, jumping from one death-defying near miss to another with barely a bowl of soup and a change of clothes (and no tea time) in between, one may fail to take notice of the prominent placement of ancient religious and cultural elements. Cold Magic might have the power to inspire young people to visit archaeological museums, but the story itself is far from an ethnography. Historical events and peoples have been often renamed and repositioned and unless a teenager already has a keen interest in world history, she would have a tough time recognizing the presence of Napoleon Bonaparte in the story, let alone Gadir, Tyre, Carthage, Iron Age Celt, Mali, the list goes on. My fervent hope is these peoples were sufficiently present and enigmatic in the book to force a reader to keep a browser open to Wikipedia, but then again such research could be easily sidestepped in favor of illusions and cantrips and well-dressed guys being chivalrous.
Apart from its excellent ethnographic elements, I greatly enjoyed Elliott’s lifelike characterization, excellent foreshadowing and occasional couplet. Cold Magic is truly an enjoyable slipstream fantasy with a lovable female protagonist, fascinating locales and a penchant for blurring the boundaries of friend and foe. I love that Cold Magic brings into question the extent of kinship and loyalty under mortal duress and forces the reader to constantly question what’s real and what’s illusion (though I would be ecstatic to see this element pushed in later novels). I was tickled by the occasional use of steampunk, but Elliott was right to leave it behind in favor of her own more compelling mythos. Though decidedly heteronomative, Cold Magic reveres unconventional thinking and questioning the validity of the status quo. The use of ice and the natural world favorably juxtaposes the very real dystopia of the Industrial Revolution, child labor and arranged marriage.
In short, although Cold Magic brings to mind silent edifice, dusty tombs and archaeology, it’s far less boring than those things. Recommended for any who enjoy storytelling, realistic magic and unafraid young women of destiny.
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LibraryThing member MlleEhreen
What an excellent book.
I'm tempted to lead off with a list of all the things this book does right: it passes the Bechdel test with flying colors, almost the entire cast of characters are people of color, it features a neat romantic thread that doesn't overwhelm the plot or diminish the book's
Except I think it would be a shame to suggest that COLD MAGIC is only good by comparison. It's not a book that succeeds by avoiding potholes within which other books have foundered. It's a book that succeeds by leaping from strength to strength -- starting with a magnificently realized alt-history in which the Roman Empire never died and all of Europe has been transformed by a massive exodus from Africa, a world in which magic is real and terrifying, Napoleon has risen under a new name, and a prophecy leads an arrogant, badly damaged man to demand our protagonist, Catherine's, hand in marriage.
I was warned that COLD MAGIC starts slow, though I never wanted to put it down. The first ten percent or so of the novel show us a single day in Catherine's 'ordinary world' and the pages of cozy domesticity and university hijinks contrast starkly with the crash and tumble of events once they really get rolling, when Cat runs from one disaster into the next, surviving on wit and swordplay. In any case, I was glad to learn so much about Catherine and see what her life was like before she's torn away from it. I admired her love for her family, her willingness to endure and sacrifice on their behalf, her faith in their love for her. I loved Cat's relationship with her sister, Bee, and this novel is built on the bedrock of their devotion to one another.
I loved Cat. Speaking of things done right: everything about Cat. She's been raised to spycraft, which means she's well-educated, athletic, good with a sword, and smart. She's emotional - she cries kind of a lot, though with good cause - but masters her emotions without ever being ashamed of them. And while plenty of insecure goons pop up to squawk about how outspoken Cat is, and how she should learn to keep her mouth shut, I found her even-tempered and cool in a crisis.
And I loved the growth of Cat's relationship to Andevai. Kate Elliot channels Mr. Darcy hardcore with Andevai; Andevai is basically Darcy on steroids. He's even more brittle than Darcy, and at first he's deeply childish, a brat who badly needs to grow up. But the more we learn about Andevai the more we see his damage, and he faces his own crises and grows as a result. After digging himself a massive hole, he really earns our esteem.
Describing much of the story beyond that opening gambit -- Cat is forced to marry Andevai -- would require lots of spoilers. Some of the twists and turns were telegraphed early and often, while others caught me completely by surprise. In any case, I enjoyed the ride. I thought the writing was wonderful, really immersive, and I was amazed by how well the author switched registers between culture-clash Europe and the Spirit world, between slums and palaces, between summer and winter.
Onto the sequel.
I'm tempted to lead off with a list of all the things this book does right: it passes the Bechdel test with flying colors, almost the entire cast of characters are people of color, it features a neat romantic thread that doesn't overwhelm the plot or diminish the book's
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loving family relationships, etc.Except I think it would be a shame to suggest that COLD MAGIC is only good by comparison. It's not a book that succeeds by avoiding potholes within which other books have foundered. It's a book that succeeds by leaping from strength to strength -- starting with a magnificently realized alt-history in which the Roman Empire never died and all of Europe has been transformed by a massive exodus from Africa, a world in which magic is real and terrifying, Napoleon has risen under a new name, and a prophecy leads an arrogant, badly damaged man to demand our protagonist, Catherine's, hand in marriage.
I was warned that COLD MAGIC starts slow, though I never wanted to put it down. The first ten percent or so of the novel show us a single day in Catherine's 'ordinary world' and the pages of cozy domesticity and university hijinks contrast starkly with the crash and tumble of events once they really get rolling, when Cat runs from one disaster into the next, surviving on wit and swordplay. In any case, I was glad to learn so much about Catherine and see what her life was like before she's torn away from it. I admired her love for her family, her willingness to endure and sacrifice on their behalf, her faith in their love for her. I loved Cat's relationship with her sister, Bee, and this novel is built on the bedrock of their devotion to one another.
I loved Cat. Speaking of things done right: everything about Cat. She's been raised to spycraft, which means she's well-educated, athletic, good with a sword, and smart. She's emotional - she cries kind of a lot, though with good cause - but masters her emotions without ever being ashamed of them. And while plenty of insecure goons pop up to squawk about how outspoken Cat is, and how she should learn to keep her mouth shut, I found her even-tempered and cool in a crisis.
And I loved the growth of Cat's relationship to Andevai. Kate Elliot channels Mr. Darcy hardcore with Andevai; Andevai is basically Darcy on steroids. He's even more brittle than Darcy, and at first he's deeply childish, a brat who badly needs to grow up. But the more we learn about Andevai the more we see his damage, and he faces his own crises and grows as a result. After digging himself a massive hole, he really earns our esteem.
Describing much of the story beyond that opening gambit -- Cat is forced to marry Andevai -- would require lots of spoilers. Some of the twists and turns were telegraphed early and often, while others caught me completely by surprise. In any case, I enjoyed the ride. I thought the writing was wonderful, really immersive, and I was amazed by how well the author switched registers between culture-clash Europe and the Spirit world, between slums and palaces, between summer and winter.
Onto the sequel.
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LibraryThing member JLsBibliomania
Enjoyable romp through a not-quite-Europe where early technology and magic meet in conflict. This book wasn't as polished nor the characters as enthralling as Kate Elliott's best, but Cold Magic still held my interest enough to make me look forward to the 2nd book in the Trilogy.
LibraryThing member Capnrandm
Such a fantastic world, I love Elliott's exploration of science and magic opposing each other. Lots of politics and mysterious backstory, which makes up for the fact that I never really warmed up to Bea.
LibraryThing member romsfuulynn
Awesome book. Alternate history steampunk fantasy.
Phoenicians won (or didn't lose) - i.e. Carthago wasn't "delenda est."
Plus unusual magic.
Elliott manages to come up with inventive yet utterly right variations on familiar tropes in everything from magic to social structures. Amazing and splendid
Phoenicians won (or didn't lose) - i.e. Carthago wasn't "delenda est."
Plus unusual magic.
Elliott manages to come up with inventive yet utterly right variations on familiar tropes in everything from magic to social structures. Amazing and splendid
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to read something that isn't just rewarmed feudalism. Waiting eagerly for the next book. Show Less
LibraryThing member srearley
first in a trilogy, i will continue. there were sections of history lesson/backstory that i kinda skimmed, because it was a little too much, but the overall world-building was great, and the characters made me care.
LibraryThing member LeanneSF
Haven't ever read any other series by Kate Elliott, I am happy that I picked this up. This story had elements of Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy and the Jonathan Stroud's Bartimaeus trilogy, which are some of my favorite books of all time. Elliott was able to bring her interesting and
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unique world to life through descriptive scenes and well-written dialogue. I especially liked the romantic interest for Cat, our heroine, which Elliott slowly develops throughout the book. The author use of only a first person narrative led to a more engaging and realistic feel to the relationship as we see Andevai through Cat's eyes, leaving the reader experiencing the same questioning of his motives and true feelings. I found myself finishing this book in two sittings and immediately ordering the second book, Cold Fire. Definitely recommended for fans of steampunk, alternate historical and paranormal romance. Show Less
LibraryThing member CBrachyrhynchos
Brilliant world-building makes up for a plot and characterization that strain credulity given the thinness of character interactions. A few too many scenes appear to be just setups for the alt-history info dump. The romance is a bit unbelievable given the development. Still though, when it does get
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to action and ideas, it delivers. Show Less
LibraryThing member mbg0312
This is probably my favorite Kate Elliott book so far. Her doorstoppers often wear on me a bit by the end, and I sometimes have a hard time maintaining interest throughout, but this one definitely kept me interested the whole way through.
LibraryThing member A_Reader_of_Fictions
Originally posted on A Reader of Fictions.
Oh, epic fantasy. I really shouldn't be reading any of it while trying to complete my massive book challenge, because every time I read one I lose ground. Still, I keep reading them, because I like them. Cold Magic proved to be especially slow, because it
The world building, so far as I understand it, is impressive. Unfortunately, much of it I didn't understand, largely the parts that intrigued me the most, the alternate history aspects. Usually, I don't have major comprehension issues with books, but I really could not piece together a timeline of what events happened when and how the history differed. Of course, it doesn't help that this takes place in regions and discusses times I didn't study much.
The magic, though, made much more sense and was, pardon the pun, very cool. I suspect that later books might explain how the cold magic came into being, because that seems to be a real mystery, and it's so odd, since there doesn't seem to be any other magic on the earthly plane. The spiritual plane is so weird, and I hope there will be more exploration of it; I think there will be so that we can meet Cat's relatives.
Part of why the book was slow for so long was that it lacked direction. While most epic fantasy revolves around a quest, this one does not. Thing happen, but they're not aimed toward a particular goal until a few hundred pages in. Once we learn what's going on, the pace picked up.
As for the characters, I like Cat the best. I never took to her cousin and best friend, Bee, though I couldn't really say why, since she is sweet to Cat. Early on, Cat, as the oldest daughter of the Hassi Barahals is forced to wed a cold mage, Andevai. She goes along with it to protect her cousin and family, though she would rather not marry an utter stranger, and a cold one at that. Despite his handsomeness, Cat wants pretty much nothing to do with him and snarks at him constantly. She berates him with questions, calls him out when he acts like a jerk, and generally doesn't act like so many young heroines do when confronted with a handsome face.
My very favorite thing about Cat? How much she eats. This girl can pack food away. You know how a lot of books forget about basic human needs like eating to focus on other things? Well, Elliott doesn't do that. Cat has a seriously healthy appetite, and after so many books about skinny, waifish, model-thin heroines, that was so refreshing. She's clearly a girl after my own heart.
Surely, you will not be surprised to learn that there is a sort of romance building between Cat and Andevai. They have a nice slow burn, which grows from mutual disdain (totally my favorite romance pattern thanks to P&P). I am totally rooting for them, though I do not want them to rush together.
In the last 200 pages or so, I was much more entranced by the story. The change came about the time Rory entered the scene. He's hilarious and I adore him. Though this one was slow-going and I can't say I loved it, I have higher hopes for the second book Cold Fire, which is a good thing since it's in my tbr pile.
Oh, epic fantasy. I really shouldn't be reading any of it while trying to complete my massive book challenge, because every time I read one I lose ground. Still, I keep reading them, because I like them. Cold Magic proved to be especially slow, because it
Show More
took me so long to really get into it. The writing and story was always good, but not enough to have me flipping the pages at high speed.The world building, so far as I understand it, is impressive. Unfortunately, much of it I didn't understand, largely the parts that intrigued me the most, the alternate history aspects. Usually, I don't have major comprehension issues with books, but I really could not piece together a timeline of what events happened when and how the history differed. Of course, it doesn't help that this takes place in regions and discusses times I didn't study much.
The magic, though, made much more sense and was, pardon the pun, very cool. I suspect that later books might explain how the cold magic came into being, because that seems to be a real mystery, and it's so odd, since there doesn't seem to be any other magic on the earthly plane. The spiritual plane is so weird, and I hope there will be more exploration of it; I think there will be so that we can meet Cat's relatives.
Part of why the book was slow for so long was that it lacked direction. While most epic fantasy revolves around a quest, this one does not. Thing happen, but they're not aimed toward a particular goal until a few hundred pages in. Once we learn what's going on, the pace picked up.
As for the characters, I like Cat the best. I never took to her cousin and best friend, Bee, though I couldn't really say why, since she is sweet to Cat. Early on, Cat, as the oldest daughter of the Hassi Barahals is forced to wed a cold mage, Andevai. She goes along with it to protect her cousin and family, though she would rather not marry an utter stranger, and a cold one at that. Despite his handsomeness, Cat wants pretty much nothing to do with him and snarks at him constantly. She berates him with questions, calls him out when he acts like a jerk, and generally doesn't act like so many young heroines do when confronted with a handsome face.
My very favorite thing about Cat? How much she eats. This girl can pack food away. You know how a lot of books forget about basic human needs like eating to focus on other things? Well, Elliott doesn't do that. Cat has a seriously healthy appetite, and after so many books about skinny, waifish, model-thin heroines, that was so refreshing. She's clearly a girl after my own heart.
Surely, you will not be surprised to learn that there is a sort of romance building between Cat and Andevai. They have a nice slow burn, which grows from mutual disdain (totally my favorite romance pattern thanks to P&P). I am totally rooting for them, though I do not want them to rush together.
In the last 200 pages or so, I was much more entranced by the story. The change came about the time Rory entered the scene. He's hilarious and I adore him. Though this one was slow-going and I can't say I loved it, I have higher hopes for the second book Cold Fire, which is a good thing since it's in my tbr pile.
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Awards
Language
Original publication date
2010-09-09
Physical description
528 p.; 9.06 inches
ISBN
1841498815 / 9781841498812
Local notes
As they approach adulthood, Cat and Bee study new airship technologies and the dawning Industrial Revolution at a select academy, but magical forces still rule. And the cousins are about to discover the full ruthlessness of this rule. Drawn into a labyrinth of politics involving blood and old feuds, Cat is betrayed by her family and forced to marry a powerful Cold Mage. As she is carried away to live a new life, fresh dangers threaten her every move and secrets form a language she cannot read. But both cousins carry their own hidden gifts and these will shape great changes to come. For in the depths of this treacherous world, the Wild Hunt stirs in darkness and dragons are waking from their sleep.