The Mage's Daughter (The Nine Kingdoms, Book 2) [Paperback]

Lynn Kurland (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 2, 2008

In the kingdom of Neroche, nightmarish creatures have been unleashed as weapons in a war of evil. Morgan the mercenary, daughter of a treacherous black mage, must fight against them-as well as for her very life. Miach of Neroche would risk his own life to save Morgan's, but he must do so at the peril of the realm, forcing dangerous choices in the deadliest of quests.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Lynn Kurland is the USA Today bestselling author of Stardust of Yesterday, A Dance Through Time, This Is All I Ask, The Very Thought of You, Another Chance to Dream, The More I See You, and If I Had You. She is also a contributor to The Christmas Cat, Christmas Spirits, Veils of Time, Opposites Attract, and A Knight’s Vow anthologies. A full-time writer, she lives in the Pacific Northwest.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 18 and up
  
• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Berkley Trade; 1ST edition (January 2, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 042521916X
• ISBN-13: 978-0425219164
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (41 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #430,814 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

30 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Each surprise is more satisfying and beautiful than the last!, January 1, 2008

By 

Kathleen MacIver "reader/author" (Ohio) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Mage's Daughter (The Nine Kingdoms, Book 2) (Paperback)

First, since some confusion exists regarding the progression of the Nine Kingdom's books, here's a current list (as of Jan '10):

Two Prelude short stories, found in anthologies with other authors:
The Queen in Winter (When Symon, the first king of Neroche, woos and wins Iolaire)
To Weave a Web of Magic (The Tale of Two Swords where Mehar and Gilraehen fall in love)

Miach and Morgan's story is told in:
1- Star of the Morning (The Nine Kingdoms, Book 1)
2- The Mage's Daughter (The Nine Kingdoms, Book 2) (this book)
3- Princess of the Sword (The Nine Kingdoms, Book 3)

Ruith and Sarah's story (which OVERLAPS Miach and Morgan's story in the timeline) is told in:
4- A Tapestry of Spells (The Nine Kingdoms, Book 4)
5- Spellweaver (The Nine Kingdoms, Book 5)
6- Gift of Magic, due to be published in January 2012

And she's said there are more Nine Kingdoms trilogies planned for successive Januaries.

The Mage's Daughter continues what is turning out to be, in my opinion, one of the greatest and most romantic fantasy trilogies of all time. For me, what makes it so wonderful is the way Morgan and Miach's relationship grows stronger and more beautiful, even when you thought it couldn't get much more perfect. They are truly on their way to becoming the perfect couple - two people who have every reason in the Nine Kingdoms to want the other for reasons less than romantic, yet they love each other for the person behind the skills and power and birthright... two people who love each other for what they are together... and I have the feeling that they don't yet have a clue how powerful that will be! Having read this novel, Star of the Morning is now even more perfect. This past year, as I've waited for this novel to come out, I've warned myself that I might end up disappointed... that this book might be another one of those books where the hero and heroine spend the entire time misunderstanding each other... frustrating me in the process.

It's not.

Not in the slightest.

Rather, the story continually presents surprises, and each is more satisfying than the last, telling a story that is totally different from any story I've ever read.

So!.... If you've read Star of the Morning already and are just looking for a review before you buy, read away! If you HAVEN'T read it, please take a moment and read my review for that book first (it's the first review there), and then buy both and get ready to be whisked away to the Nine Kingdoms for days. Also, be aware that, although it is not required that you read Lynn's Nine Kingdom novellas in the anthologies first, they do tie into these stories in a way that you won't want to miss!

And now on to my teaser, in which I will endeavor not to ruin any of the surprises that await you...

Morgan, weak in body from Lothar's poison and sore in heart from the treachery she thinks Miach dealt her, runs back to Weger's tower to regain her strength for swordplay and to be free from the unwelcome magic that now rages through her veins. But when Miach sets the fate of the realm aside to follow her inside the magicless Gobhann, she begins to realize that even here, things aren't as they've always seemed.

She must face the fact that the man she loves is not only the simple man who prefers to be underestimated, he is also the archmage of the realm who spends his weary nights shoring up the spells that keep the evil in the north from overrunning the Nine Kingdoms... he is not only her Miach, he is the man of whom it is said, "I have lived centuries and seen mage after mage walk across the world's stage, and Prince Mochriadhemiach stands alone before them all,"... and he is not only willing to go to almost any length to protect the realm, he is willing to go even farther to have her - and not as a wielder for the Sword of Angesand.

Join them as Morgan finally sets her feet on the path that is her destiny, and as her life and future become forever entwined with the man who is now her love, her friend, her protector... and her teacher.

(The finale of the trilogy, Princess of the Sword (The Nine Kingdoms, Book 3), is now out, and it's fantastic!)

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Nine Kingdoms, Book Two, January 2, 2008

By 

Detra Fitch (USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Mage's Daughter (The Nine Kingdoms, Book 2) (Paperback)

She was simply Morgan of Melksham before. She was a shieldmaiden, a mercenary famous for a disgust of magic and mages. Her life changed forever when she had laid her hand on a magical knife fashioned by Mehar of Angesand and her dreams began. Morgan found out too late that Miach was not who she had been led to believe. He is, in fact, all the things Morgan has hated her entire life. He not only has magic, he is a prince and an archmage! In the end, she had drank a poisoned brew from Lothar and nearly died. But Morgan wins her fight with death and recuperates with Nicholas, the man who practically raised her. Once able to stand, though not well, Morgan travels to the one place she knows Miach will not follow her, to Gobhann. It was in Gobhann where Morgan trained in sword battle under the infamous Scymgeour Weger. Once novices enter the gates they leave by either earned Weger's mark to leave or (according to rumor) are tossed off the highest tower. In Gobhann Morgan would regain her strength and since no magic works within the gates, Miach will be just a painful memory.

Prince Mochriadhemiach "Miach", archmage of Neroche, may have taken Morgan to Nicholas for care, but he kept tabs on how she fairs with his magic. When Miach can no longer sense Morgan, he rushes to find her. Miach risks his life, his honor, and the safety of not only the realm of Neroche but all the Nine Kingdoms together to fetch her out of Gobhann. To do so, Miach must enter the gates and earn Weger's mark without magic while trying to locate Morgan and convince her to leave with him. The thought of a future without Morgan is too painful for him to even consider. But Morgan refuses to acknowledge her magic or destiny. It is up to Miach to help Morgan overcome her fears.

Morgan is in for many more surprises than she could possibly imagine. She quickly learns who her powerful parents really were. This is followed by being presented to her royal elven grandparents, who believed her dead until Miach brings her forward. During it all, Morgan and Miach are being hunted by dark and evil creatures who are able to side step much of Miach's magic.

Neroche is under a slow, but calculating, assault by some unknown species of magic. It is the same magic their dark pursuers are made of. Unless Miach and Morgan can figure out the source and a way to defeat it, the entire Nine Kingdoms will fall. Yet before that is possible, Morgan must find the strength and courage to face who and what she really is, as well as allow herself to love an archmage.

***** In book two, vital secrets are revealed in all their splendid and revolting glories. The publisher, Berkley, is lucky to have found this author before Baen, BL, TOR, or another did. There is romance, but no bedroom scenes. This is romance in a mercenary's way. (Try to figure that one out!) You do not have to read the first book to understand everything. This story updates the new readers and refreshes the memory of previous readers. (I missed book one, but will locate it.) With this single title author Lynn Kurland has become one of my favorite fantasy authors; though this trilogy is not classified as Fantasy. My husband is currently reading this title and seems as enthralled as I found myself to be.

All-in-all, this is one wild ride with a huge magical touch added. The story flows smooth as silk. The ending does not tie up all loose ends, yet I did not feel cheated in the least. I can hardly wait to see what happens next! *****


Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars I really wanted to love this book but...., February 3, 2008

By 

HHK "Fantasy/History Fan" (Plano, TX) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Mage's Daughter (The Nine Kingdoms, Book 2) (Paperback)

I absolutely loved the first book in this series, Star of the Morning. Also, I have read all of the short stories set in ths world. I have been eagerly awaiting the release of this second book for over a year. Now having read it, I am a somewhat dissappointed. Don't get me wrong, this was a good book, but not as good as the first. Throughout the book, Morgan is week and whiny. She sits in a chair wrapped in blankets either crying or drinking tea.In the first book she was strong and the banter between her an Miach was sharp and witty. Here the romance is somewhat sappy, since both acknowledge their love for each other early on. On the plus side, the supporting characters are interesting and Miach is wonderful. Not much happens here other than we get the inside story on Morgan's background. Lothar never appears, and it is clear this book is a set up for the final confrontation in the next book. I like that there was romance (even if a little saccharin) but no graphic sex. I feel a little guilty that I am the only reviewer so far who has given this book less than 5 stars, but my expectations were high, and I was a little let down. However I will be reading the last in the trilogy to see how the story ends.