Aurian

Rating:
Summary: This book is GOOD!!!
Review: This is one of the best books I've ever read (after By the Sword by Mercedes Lackey). Maggie Furey is a very good author, the book just draws you in! I've read the rest of the books in the sequel and I almost cried when I finished reading Dhiammara, WILL THERE BE ANOTHER BOOK ABOUT AURIAN?????????????? PLEAASSEEE WRITE ANOTHER ONE!!!!!

Rating:
Summary: Amazing! Fantastic! Any mage would be proud of it!
Review: The book was in depth and full of imagery. It was action packed, but contained just the right ratio of action, feeling, and description. A must read for any fan of fantasy!

Rating:
Summary: Interesting and engrossing
Review: Furey keeps the pace and action moving along in this slightly-better-than-average book. Her writing could be better as far as drawing you into the characters, and the plot is nothing really special, but it's still a good read. I'm surprised other readers gave this such high marks -- after reading Martin's "A Game of Thrones", Furey's novel, while still good, pales in comparison. Not bad for a first book, though.

Rating:
Summary: A good mix of action, magic and love.
Review: I've read this book in italian. I liked it so much that I couldn't wait for the next books translation and publication in Italy. So I've read the sequel in english. Aurian is a good book of sword and magic, and it's rich of coups de theatre. It's colourful, plenty of action and love, and the main character also go to fight in the Arena! It's original because, in the second half, remind the Arabian's Night exotic fascination. I truly recommend this book.

Rating:
Summary: a gripping story of love and danger.
Review: Aurian is an amazing book about a young mage who must battle for the sake of the world. The Archmage wanted Aurian for himself, but she rejected him for a mere Mortal. The archmage was furious and wanted revenge. He has in his hand one of the artifacts of power. Now, Aurian has to find the others in order to face the evil archmage. She has to find them or die in the attempt

Rating:
Summary: This fantasy story is an excellent first offering.
Review: Maggie Furey writes a gripping tale of mages, mortals and the love that can keep a world going. Aurian, gifted with fire magic from her late father and earth magic from her mother, grows into the only mage capable of preventing another cataclysm caused by dark magic from destroying the world. Her love for a mortal, frowned upon by other mages, proves to be the critical factor in her growing skills. Unfortunately, Aurian has conceived a child by her mortal lover, Forrel. Mithial, the Archmage and Aurian's teacher, attempts to abort the child without Aurien's knowledge but is interrupted by Anvar, Aurian's servant and bondsman, and Forrel. Mithial unleashes a host of dark wraiths against Forrel by using the forbidden cauldron, an artifact left from the old ages that was used for evil and hidden away long ago. The death of her lover causes Aurian to vow vengance against Mithial and rid the world of the cauldron and its evil. This is an excellent story, with many well developed characters and an engrossing plot. The story is continued in Harp of Winds.

Rating:
Summary: First in series. Best female-written fantasy since Hambly.
Review: The rediscovery-of-lost-magic storyline is a bit overworked these days, but Furey does it pretty well. A well-thought-out background mythos and plenty of well done worldcrafting make it definitely worth reading

Rating:
Summary: A great ride from start to finish
Review: The world building in this book is rather unique, with different magic and government systems then I've read in any other book. The main character, Aurian, is a strong willed woman who isn't afraid to show her true colors. The magic is splendid, the intrigue spell binding, and the romance subtle, but still entrancing.

Rating:
Summary: Fabulous!
Review: I just started getting into fantasy a little over a year ago, and after voraciously reading everything that caught my interest, I had nothing else to read. My friend gave me this series, and after a few months I decided to pick it up. I finished Aurian, the first book in the Artefacts of Power series, within a day. The fast-paced actions kept me hanging on my seat, and although sometimes it was too much, it kept me completely enveloped in the story.

I prefer not to give synopses in my reviews, since they are already available to you. But quickly, Aurian's world is one either ruled by chaos or peace. In this book, chaos is obviously prevailing, and Aurian is the one who will decide the balance. Although the balance will not be restored by the end of this book, she is partly to her goal.

I only had a few problems with this book. Sometimes the action comes so quickly it is easy to get lost, but if you pace yourself it won't become too much of a problem. A map would have been nice, as well as a glossary, and naturally I didn't think to check the next book, which has both. So if you haven't read either yet, pick up both and maybe they will be helpful to you.

Other than that, this book is filled with romance, drama, and action; all the things I look for in a fantasy book. To some of you that may be cliche, but Furey manages too keep the good parts of the cliches while dumping out the annoying parts (at least in my preference). I'd compare this book to another one, but none really comes to mind. But if you are a fan of epic romantic fantasy, pick this up. I'm just starting the second one, so I can't say if the series stays consistently good, but I know that reading the first book was definetly worth it, and I can't imagine that her series will go downhill drastically (you learn to pick this kind of stuff out). I highly recommend this book to all fantasy lovers.

Rating:
Summary: Escaping life?
Review: It's just like any other fantasy book. Wizards, spells, magic,
romance. But just like any other fantasy book, it allows you
to escape into another world no matter how unrealistic it can be.
Although the events happen a little to quickly for me, I find that this book is addicting. Its just like a soap opera, so much drama. Generally, I escape from life in any book. But the more mystical and unbelievable a story can be, can draw you more away from real life and put you in there like a third person, a shadow, it makes me feel as though im part of it and thats how life is, especially when i really get lost in the words.