A Distant Magic (Guardians (Del Rey)) (Mass Market Paperback)

by Mary Jo Putney (Author)
Key Phrases: pathfinder stone, shield net, scrying glass, Jean Macrae, Miss Sophie, Jonathan Strong (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Near the start of this diverting romantic fantasy set in 1753, the third Guardians novel from bestseller Putney (after 2005's Stolen Magic), Nikolai Gregorio, a handsome pirate captain operating in the Mediterranean, kidnaps pretty red-haired Jean Macrae, a member of the Scottish branch of the Guardians (humans with magical powers derived from nature), in revenge for a wrong he thinks her father did him 20 years earlier. A decent sort who possesses limited magical powers, Nikolai is dedicated to fighting the evil of slavery by freeing galley slaves. He even sets up an island refuge for them. After Adia Adams, a freed slave, travels back in time from 1787 London, the pirate and the fiery Scotswoman find themselves on a dangerous magical mission to strengthen the fledgling abolitionist movement. The mix of magic, time travel, history, adventure, romance and social consciousness will delight series fans, but may strike some readers as an incongruous blend. (July)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Booklist
When Nikolai Grigori is a homeless urchin in Malta, the visiting Macrae of Dunrath recognizes his magical powers and offers to foster him. But on the voyage to England they are attacked by pirates, and Macrae does nothing to stop them from taking Nikolai as a slave. Years later Nikolai exacts revenge by kidnapping the late Macrae's daughter. Jean, a Guardian, saves the day, first when their ship is attacked by pirates, and later when she adds her magic to Nikolai's to survive a horrifying storm. Adia, a woman from the future who survived the Middle Passage and went to England at the end of the American Revolution, turns up on Nikolai's private island, Santola, with the message that Jean and Nikolai must travel to the future to ensure the success of the abolition movement. As they travel through time, they use both African and Guardian magic and discover the synergistic effect of intimacy on their paranormal powers. Not the page-turning escapist fare readers usually expect from Putney, this tale features admirable characters and a fascinating approach to slavery and the abolition movement. Tixier Herald, Diana --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: Del Rey (May 20, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0345476921
• ISBN-13: 978-0345476920
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.1 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #77,255 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A fascinating attempt at a challenging goal, September 29, 2007

By	Constant Reader (North Carolina) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Distant Magic (Hardcover)

Mary Jo Putney, a wonderful writer of romance and fantasy, has set herself a challenging goal. In A DISTANT Magic she weaves together the romance and fantasy of her GUARDIAN SERIES with the history of the abolition of slavery plus a bit of time travel.

The Guardians series (A KISS OF FATE and STOLEN MAGIC) is set in the mid 1700's with main characters who are members of the British and Scottish aristocracy and whose families have, for centuries, wielded magical power drawn from nature. These families have banded together vowing to use their powers to help others rather than for personal gain.

While the prior books in the series did touch on particular historical events, they were first and foremost about romance. A DISTANT MAGIC is first and foremost about abolition but the story is told in a fascinating way through its framing within the Guardian world. It is a thought provoking tale and revels some things about this time in history which startled me.

In Marseilles Jean McCrae, a fiery Scottish Guardian, is kidnapped by Captain Nikolai Gregorio, a Maltese ship owner who seeks revenge against the McCrae family for a wrong he believes the MaCrae family did him. Nikolai, who was once captured by pirates and spent time as a galley slave, has dedicated himself to freeing as many galley slaves as he can, sailing the Mediterranean to find them. He is appalled to find an irresistible attraction to Jean. Through a fantastical set of circumstances, Nikolai and Jean join forces to travel through time supporting the key moments of the abolition movement.

While I typically read romance novels for escapist relaxation, I was fascinated by the concepts here: the parrallel worlds, the magical initiation, the importance of individual contributions to historical events, and especially the idea of like-minded people offering each other support across time and space.

I understand that those looking for uncluttered escapism may be disappointed with this book. And I rate it with four rather than five stars because it was impossible for Ms. Putney to fully develop her characters here as in past novels. However, she succeeds remarkably and produces a very satisfying and thought provoking book.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Guardian series gets more serious, September 17, 2007

By	L. Hagerty (Sunshine State) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: A Distant Magic (Hardcover)

The third book in the Guardian series has moved away from pure romantic fantasy with a touch of history to more historical romance with a touch of fantasy. If you expect more scottish castles and unicorns, you may be disappointed. I read this book first, and went back to read A Touch of Magic and Stolen Magic because I liked the author's style. A Distant Magic is my favorite because it is more complex. I also think time travel, when used well, is a great plot device. Very entertaining!

12 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Fragmented, August 12, 2007

By	melrox (Longview, TX USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Distant Magic (Hardcover)

I just gave up on this book. Never having read one of the Guardian novels, I was not prepared for that aspect of the story, expecting another pleasant romantic escape. But that was not a problem. What became a problem was the convolution of story strands. I hung in when she introduced Adia and her story, but when she time travelled to hook up with Jean and Nikolai, I lost the continuity. Finally, when the mission of the book turned to a morality tale on slavery, I totally lost interest. Why slavery? The story of Adia would have been a great book. The story of Jean and Nikolai would have been a great book. A story on slavery would have been okay as well. But the mish mash that came of trying to combine all of that did not work for me.