Rating: 
Summary: A Magical World
Review: Both Muller and Chime have responsibilities that they don't want to have, but they have to face their destiny. Muller being the heir and future King and Chime a powerful shape-mage. But their roles change, Muller is no longer the heir and Chime is no longer the most powerful, although neither one wanted what they thought to be their destiny, they wonder what will become of them when it changes. They are asked to help the new King and Queen of Aronsdale against the dark powers and armies of the neighboring Harsdown. Who are invading in time of uncertainty...A beautifully written novel. A story of percerverence and love, set in a magical world. The Charmed Sphere was my first by the author I will be looking for her other titles, as well.
Rating: 
Summary: "Sphere" not quite charmed
Review: Catherine Asaro strays from her sci-fi background in "The Charmed Sphere," a fluffy but pleasant fantasy. While "Sphere" has a steady plot and a fair amount of charm, Asaro's built world is a bit bland and simple. But fans of romantic fantasy will enjoy the quirky lead characters.
Chime is an ordinary girl in a village -- except she has a magical ability that she keeps hidden. But the king's mage shows up one day and whisks her away, saying that she is powerful enough to be not only a mage, but the future queen. The king's rather foppish nephew Lord Muller is as displeased by this as Chime is, but they gradually warm up to one another.
Then Chime's rival Iris has a sudden burst in magical ability, reaching out to the king's long-lost son Jarid, who is even more powerful. As Iris marries and heals the tortured Jarid, both Muller and Chime find themselves displaced from the roles they thought they would have. But they don't have much time to feel sorry for themselves, since a neighboring kingdom is threatening them, and even Jarid is a possible threat to those around them...
Catherine Asaro doesn't seem entirely comfortable writing fantasy -- "Charmed Sphere" is a pleasant fantasy that seems geared at adults and teens (preferably ones who like a little romantic sparring). Just about everything in it is relatively fluffy and good, but not great.
The setting is pretty standard ye-old-medieval-European-kingdom, without much to really make it stand out. Her ideas about magic -- which are wrapped up in geometry and color -- are surprisingly unique. And her writing is good. Not outstanding, but good and descriptive, and keeping a good pace going. But Asaro really shines in some of the darker scenes, like descriptions of Jarid's inner thoughts.
Chime is a good heroine, a tomboyish country girl who wanted to stay where she was. And the magic-impaired Muller, who is initially more interested in clothes than being king, makes a good foil to Chime. But the supporting characters like Iris, and aging mage Della, tend to be 2-D and not terribly compelling. The exception is Jarid, who is tormented by his inner demons.
"Charmed Sphere" is less than charmed, but it is an amusing middleweight story. Catherine Asaro needs to darken her fantasy a little to make it really, really good.
Rating:
Summary: Charmed in EVERY way
Review: Charmed Sphere held me from page one. Catherine Asaro has created a landscape full of magic, tenderness, compassion, and spine-tingling intrigue; a land filled with Mage's, most undiscovered, flawed, and/or untried, but by joining forces, incredibly amazing. I strongly recommend this book and hope Ms. Ansaro plans to return us to Aronsdale and Harsdown again very soon.
Rating: 
Summary: Very good read!
Review: Chime was not princess material, and even less queen material. Yet it was this wild country girl who attracted Della No Cozen's attention. Her power was the strongest she had ever felt, and therefore, no matter what Chime herself wanted, she was destined to marry the heir apparent to the throne, Muller, the king's nephew. Despite her reluctant consent, Chime escapes at her first opportunity, heading into the forest where she meets an enigmatic young man. The two feel an almost instant attraction, though neither gives the other their true name. That makes for an awkward scene when they find out that they are betrothed to one another. Though their meeting was rocky, soon Muller and Chime discover they do love one another, but their romance is complicated when a second young woman with even greater potential is found. Fortunately, Muller's long lost cousin is also found. Jarid may be blind, deaf, and dumb, but he is the true heir; and he will have to face a war with enemy kingdoms who will stop at nothing to defeat his. **** The two lead couples of this unusual romance form a strong set of characters to guide the story. Each one faces challenges and matures in ways that complement the other three. Friendship and love are proven to be the most powerful charms that will save the day.
Rating:
Summary: Great Book
Review: Has something for everyone. It's a perfect blend of magic, suspense, redemption, military strategy/campaign, and light romance.
Rating: 
Summary: mostly unreadable
Review: I bought this book a few months ago because the cover intrigued me. I know, never judge a book by it's cover. However, the plot also seemed clever. Unfortunately for me, I paid full-price for it.
If you are expecting an empty-headed fantasy romance, this is probably perfect. The main character falls into the typical silly female roll, a hero when she needs to be and lightheaded the rest of the time. The love is quick and unexplained. There is no foreplay, there is no explanation as to why the characters are even in love, except physical attraction, and that is only briefly described.
As for the fantasy, it is intriguing at the onset, but is realized to be mundane in the end. This magic, like many, follows the pattern of different levels of sorcery, and main character, or the semi-main character, wields the highest level, or has the possibility to, and thus is loved, cherished, honored, and exalted.
The characters, moreover, are simplistic. They are cookie-cutters molded into laced corsets and tight-fitting breeches who follow the same story-line layed out for generations by different authors.
As for an overview of the story, for those still intrigued or simply skimming for another summary, it follows a farmer's daughter who is found to have magic, is taken to the castle, and betrothed to the prince--who is really nephew to the king, the first prince having died. They, happily enough, fall in love, but a newcomer with better powers comes into the scene and because she is more powerful she must marry the prince, but then, lo and behold, look who's found: the real prince. Oh, and the evil warmonger dies and we all live happily.
Rating:
Summary: Charming is a good word for it.
Review: I found this a pleasantly light read. One could even say fluffy. Although it was fun, it didn't live up to Asaro's reputation. All of the characters were a little thin, but I felt the villains were weak. Anvil the Forged, especially, became very indignant that his enemies actually stood up to him, and I thought that was silly. (Of course they stood up to him -- they were his enemies!) That said, I still enjoyed the book and will look for more from Asaro. Deby Fredericks, author of THE MAGISTER'S MASK.
Rating:
Summary: Not Asaro's Typical Good Work
Review: I love Asaro's other books, but this one is below her normal standards. Chime doubts her own abilities and is always down on herself. Muller doubts his own abilities and is always down on himself. Iris doubts her own abilities and is always down on herself. Jarid dowbts his own abilities and is always down on himself. Within moments of beginning each new chapter we learn that, yet again, the character in question is -- you guessed it -- doubting him-or-her-self and feeling down. The concept of mages who work through shapes and colors is a good one, but this world is far less vibrantly realized than Asaro's other worlds and, less than halfway into the book, you're ready to just smack these characters and tell them to grow up. Yet Asaro takes another several hundrdred pages for her characters to do just that.
Rating:
Summary: It was the best book!
Review: I love this book. Chime and Muller were the best characters in the book. I wish the book talked more about Chime and Muller together. I would highly recommend this book to someone who loves science fiction, fantasy, and a little romance.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful Book
Review: I really enjoyed this book. I couldn't stop reading it. The writing is beautiful and the characters are so well drawn, I felt as if I knew them. I loved watching them mature over the course of the novel.
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