King's Son, Magic's Son [Paperback]

Josepha Sherman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 1994

Having won his Faerie love, Ailanna, at great peril to himself, young Aidan finds himself torn between a call to aid his embattled half-brother, the king, and a mighty oath sworn to the Lord of Faerie.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

A superior example of the category of fantasy that involves reworking a classic folktale, in this case, the two brothers who fall in love with the same princess. The king has died, leaving two sons, one by his queen and the other by a witch. The witch-born son is a magician in his own right and is getting along nicely with his own faerie lady when his mother bids him go visit his brother, the new king. From this, much ensues, including the friendship of the two brothers. The characterization is nothing short of superb, and although you don't have to be a folklorist to thoroughly enjoy the tale, those who are may be especially appreciative of it. Roland Green

Product Details

• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Baen; First Edition edition (May 1, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0671876023
• ISBN-13: 978-0671876029
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,731,582 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My favorite Josepha Sherman book, May 24, 2000

By 

[e-mail] (California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: King's Son, Magic's Son (Paperback)

Josepha Sherman writes a lot of books about elves, both in urban settings and in more traditional settings. Out of all her books (the ones about magic and elves anyway), this is my favorite. "King's Son Magic's Son" is about Aidan, a human magician raised in the forest by his witch mother. Magic is second nature to him and he even falls in love with an Elven maiden. When his mother dies she makes him promise to get to know his half brother, who happens to be the king of the neighboring country. Reluctantly, Aidan leaves the forest and his lady to find his brother.

The reason I gave this book a five was because I can go back and read this book again and again. Aidan's arrival into a court full of "civilized" courtiers that are both suspicious of the King's bastard brother and of magic in general is both funny and exciting. The characters, though represent the usual fare in fantasy, have a certain depth. The main characters are especially unique. Aidan is torn between wanting to help Estemere, his wary brother, and going home to his lady. Estemere wants to trust his bastard brother, but is cautious of his position and politics.

This is the type of book that isn't too in depth or long, but is satisfying and a pleasure to read. I highly recomment it and if you can find it, read it quick!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Enchanting re-telling of an old ballad, June 20, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: King's Son, Magic's Son (Paperback)

King's Son, Magic's Son is the perfect book to read when you want to remind yourself why you started to read fantasy in the first place. This is high fantasy with one major difference-- it's done well.

While it might sound rather cliched with its many Faerie Folk, magicians and sorcerers, Josepha Sherman brings them all vividly to life. It's classic fantasy, done with high adventure and a romantic air.

To sum it up in one word-- EXCELLENT! If you're a fantasy fan of any sort, King's Son, Magic's Son is a refreshing change from some of the trash that gets published.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely Wonderful, February 27, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: King's Son, Magic's Son (Paperback)

This has got to be one of the most enjoyable fantasy books I have ever read. Usually, I don't like books that are set on 'this' earth because they are too realistic. This book, however, manages to combine faeries, fantasies, kings, and princesses without getting dull. Aidan is a very likeable character, and I sympathized with him through his trials. This book has just the right pace, and doesn't need a sequel (although that would be enjoyable) to tie up the loose ends. A classic tale tale of bot meets girl, boy finds out he is a prince, boy helps brother (the king), and boy saves everyone.