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A review by cleverbaggins
Charmed Destinies by Mercedes Lackey
4.0
This book contains three short stories (probably more novellas by the length but whatever) and I'm going to talk about them out of order because the last one in the book is one of my absolute favorite things.
So the third one in this book is by a Catherine Asaro who is one of my favorite science fiction writers, but this was her first little foray into fantasy. I adore it. The magic concept is (or was at the time) so unique and unusual and somehow simple that it fascinated me. Different types of magic are colored and different shapes focus it. It was fascinating and she wrote so visually that it was just wonderful. The story itself is a cute fantasy story of a lost prince gone deaf, blind and mute who is discovered again and because he's the last in the family line, crowned King. Iris is a country orphan who is training badly at magic and turns out to have the most powerful known magic in the land. So of course she has to marry the found prince and be Queen. Its such a sweet story and for its length a lot is going on. I adore both Iris and Jarid (the prince) and the whole world. Asaro wrote a series in this world after the story, but I remember little about it and I honestly think it followed characters I didn't like as well as Iris and Jarid. I might look it up again eventually.
Now the other two stories.
The first in the book is by Mercedes Lackey who is another favorite author but this story is very different. Its very detailed and historical about a woman getting married by glove and hopes that it'll turn out well. Its good, but definitely something you have to be in the mood for. There's a magical plot that comes out at the end and it ends well, but I don't want to spoil it. It's a good story and one I enjoy but not my favorite type of thing.
The second story is by Rachel Lee who I don't know if I've ever read anywhere else. Its a fun little romp of a magic tale about a woman at a night job entering data. She day dreams to get through her shift but it's much more real than she realizes. I always enjoy this story even if it is a simple little silly thing just because it's something I'm sure we've all imagined and can relate to.
This book is excellent simply for the Asaro story and the other two are good as well. I'd definitely recommend it if you want something to pass the time between other books (which I am. Stupid postal service.)
So the third one in this book is by a Catherine Asaro who is one of my favorite science fiction writers, but this was her first little foray into fantasy. I adore it. The magic concept is (or was at the time) so unique and unusual and somehow simple that it fascinated me. Different types of magic are colored and different shapes focus it. It was fascinating and she wrote so visually that it was just wonderful. The story itself is a cute fantasy story of a lost prince gone deaf, blind and mute who is discovered again and because he's the last in the family line, crowned King. Iris is a country orphan who is training badly at magic and turns out to have the most powerful known magic in the land. So of course she has to marry the found prince and be Queen. Its such a sweet story and for its length a lot is going on. I adore both Iris and Jarid (the prince) and the whole world. Asaro wrote a series in this world after the story, but I remember little about it and I honestly think it followed characters I didn't like as well as Iris and Jarid. I might look it up again eventually.
Now the other two stories.
The first in the book is by Mercedes Lackey who is another favorite author but this story is very different. Its very detailed and historical about a woman getting married by glove and hopes that it'll turn out well. Its good, but definitely something you have to be in the mood for. There's a magical plot that comes out at the end and it ends well, but I don't want to spoil it. It's a good story and one I enjoy but not my favorite type of thing.
The second story is by Rachel Lee who I don't know if I've ever read anywhere else. Its a fun little romp of a magic tale about a woman at a night job entering data. She day dreams to get through her shift but it's much more real than she realizes. I always enjoy this story even if it is a simple little silly thing just because it's something I'm sure we've all imagined and can relate to.
This book is excellent simply for the Asaro story and the other two are good as well. I'd definitely recommend it if you want something to pass the time between other books (which I am. Stupid postal service.)