Customer Reviews

Phoenix and Ashes (Elemental Masters, Book 3)

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(18)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I HAD to write a review for this book!!! This is the Mercedes Lackey I know and Love at her BEST!!!

"Phoenix and Ashes" is another book in the Elemental Masters series that are re-tellings of well known Fairy Tales.

This is Ms. Lackey's version of Cinderella, and our heroine Eleanor Robinson, is a girl with strength, guts, and determination to overcome her life as a servent to her Dark Elemental Master Stepmother Alison, to win her freedom, and the love of a "prince" of a man, pilot Reginald Fenyx.

This dark romantic fantasy grabbed me from the first page and had a hard time putting it down for anything (Dirty Dishes & Laundry still in the sink/hamper)!

It was smartly written with a continuous flow all the way through and never letting up it's pace. I was plesantly surprised many times during the story with how well developed her characters were and the depths she was able to communicate on the power of the Human Spirit is when confronted with life's lessons.

As a lifelong fan of the Cinderella myth, I've read as many versions of this story as possible and have to say this is one of the best I have come across.

If you are interested in reading this book, I hope you are, I would start with "The Serpent's Shadow" as an introduction into the World of Elemental Masters. A few of the characters from this story make an appearance in "Phoenix"

I picked up "Ashes," Lackey's retelling of the Cinderella tale, with great trepidation after looking forward to "The Gates of Sleep" and finding myself savagely disappointed.

To my relief, Lackey seems to have taken extra care with this new installment in her modern fairy tales, striking a largely pleasing balance between story (emphasized in the beautiful, but poorly plotted "Serpent's Shadow") and plot movement (emphasized in the aforementioned "Sleep," wherein character development was so short-sighted that at one point the protagonist actually thought, "I must have fallen in love with him without ever realizing it.") Even her sentences seemed more expertly constructed; her use of repetitive phrases that crop up endlessly, like a favorite new word-of-the-day, was significantly less noticeable than in other Lackey works.

As usual, Lackey displayed some carelessness in her grammar and punctuation, sometimes rudely pulling me out of an otherwise engrossing paragraph, but this carelessness has, sadly, become standard in Lackey's more recent works (beginning with "The Silver Gryphon" and particularly noticeable in "Owlknight" and "Take a Thief"). I can only say that, given her recent inattention to and carelessness with her Valdemar chronicles (Lackey should have, for example, re-read "Arrows of the Queen" before telling us in "Take a Thief" how Skif's mother died), "Ashes" was very satisfying, to the point where I was snatching bits of it during spare moments at work and prolonging my lunch hour in order to finish it.

Also, Doctor Maya from "Shadow" makes an excellent cameo in "Ashes," along with several other characters from London's White Lodge.

Other books in this series include:
The Fire Rose (Beauty and the Beast)
The Serpent's Shadow (Snow White)
The Gates of Sleep (Sleeping Beauty)

Fans of these might also consider, by Lackey:
The Black Swan (Swan Lake)
The Fairy Godmother

When her father remarries and heads off to war, Eleanor Robinson is left in her wicked stepmother's power. The stepmother, Allison, really is wicked--and is a dark Earth-Mage to boot. When Eleanor's father is killed in the trenches of World War I, Allison confines Eleanor to the house, causes everyone in the English village to forget she even exists, and turns her into a servant.

Eleanor is miserable with her enslavement--and with the frustration of her hopes to go to Oxford. When her godmother, a less powerful witch, notifies her that Eleanor is an untrained Fire-Mage, Eleanor sees a chance to break free--but she needs allies and her stepmother's compulsion prevents her from seeking them--or even speaking of how she is being treated. Although Eleanor has fallen for the neighborhood Baron--who also happens to be a war hero and an Air Mage, she can't tell him what is wrong. But if she can only make it to the costume ball, she hope she'll discover real allies.

Author Mercedes Lackey retells the Cinderella fairy tale with an interesting twist of elemental magic. After a somewhat slow first half, with way too much of Eleanor feeling sorry for herself, thinking that she is being treated no better than a servant--as if it's okay to treat servants like that but not her--and a strangely powerful but helpless Allison who can't simply accomplish what she needs by magic but must somehow gain the support of others, Lackey picks up the pace. The use of the Tarot in Eleanor's dream-training is fascinating and worth even more time than Lackey put into it. The story rushes to an exciting conclusion as Allison proves ready to take any step necessary for her success--no matter what the cost to those around her.

I was delighted to see another book in the Elemental Masters series from Mercedes Lackey. It follows the same timeline as established in the previous titles and allows cameo appearances by some of the earlier established characters. In and of itself, of course, it's a deliberate reprise of the Cinderella story and marvellously well done. I also liked the way she managed to capture what must have been the prevailing mood in WW1 England and the revolutionary changes that conflict precipitated. Beyond that the plotting is deft and professional and the characterizations are entirely believable and sympathetic - even the villains are plausible and the sort of people you're glad to not have as neighbours. Once again I'm delighted with Mercedes Lackey's homages to the work of Dorothy L. Sayers - Lord Peter's experience in the Great War for Reggie (being buried alive in the dirt of the battlefield and subsequent shell-shock) and the references to "Gaudy Night" (which ranks among the top ten of my favourite books), particulary the shirt-front popping incident (Aunt April is a lovely reincarnation of Miss Letitia Martin, Shrewsbury's Dean) and the reference to the "Derby winner hitched to a plow" (Catherine Freemantle/Bendick in "Gaudy Night" and Eleanor here, of course). The only criticism I have, in fact, is not in the writing of the book, but in the copy-editing by the publisher. It's irritating to be reading along and finding errors that should have been caught in the copy-editing stage. Aside from that, altogether a most satisfying and immensely enjoyable read.

As usual Lackey has written an engrossing story, this time very loosely comparable to Cinderella.
Eleanor Robinson is forced by the wicked Earth magic of her stepmother, Allison, to be the household drudge to her and her daughters; very nastily forced, through the chopping of her little finger and it being buried under the hearth stone.
Years later and in the midst of the worst of WWI, Eleanor is still chained to the hearth, but begins to discover she can push the bonds. When the wicked ones travel to London, she makes further discoveries through the stirring of her own fire magic and the help of her stepmother, the village witch/nurse.
At the same time Reginald Fenyx, an Air Master returns home scarred in both body and mind by the war and a horrifying accident involving his torture by earth elementals.
The scene is set for romance and drama, as Reggie and Eleanor find each other and fight their own demons and the evil Allison.
This was a gripping tale, the only thing wrong was that the author made 'the mixture too rich' and tried to jam in far too much. Too much of every conceivable type of magic, and also too much of trying to also be a social commentary.
Minor niggles, but they did detract from the story.

Lackey's retelling of the Cinderella story is inventive and gripping -- like everything else of hers that I've read, it was difficult to put down once I got started. I haven't read the other books in the Elemental Masters series, but I certainly will now.

I always enjoy Lackey's rather fresh view on magical theory -- she retains enough of the old, familiar traditions, but adds her own twists on the rules regulating magic and the ways it can manifest. As a student of Tarot, I also appreciated the attention given to it in this novel. It's clear that Lackey really knows her stuff.

The setting was also very well-handled; Lackey obviously did a lot of research on England in the first World War, and it shows. The place, people, and details are all evocatively drawn, without ever reading too much like a history book. Everyone seems quite real, even when they are fantastical as well.

I only had a few complaints, and they were mostly minor. A few clunky sentences or overuse of phrases cluttered certain sections, but none so badly as to be truly distracting. The pacing could be a bit slow -- it felt like the plot took a long time to get where it was going. This may be augmented for readers who have no interest in the Tarot; long diversions are devoted to its study and meanings, and are, it must be admitted, largely superfluous to the plot. They are interesting and informative, however, and never bring the book to a complete halt.

Overall, I give this four out of five stars for having a few small issues, but mostly being a very worthwhile read. Recommended to fans of Lackey and anyone looking for a somewhat atypical fantasy novel.

The idea behind this series is really unique and refreshing. Lackey gives a modern magical twist to classic fairy tales. She even at points manages to strip them of their disney sweetness, and bring back echoes of their Grimm origins (the scene with the glove left me with that same shiver of revulsion that the originla fairy tale produced.
So why wouldI only give this latest entry into the elemental masters series 3 stars? For me the major problem, as is often the case in Lackey's work is the pacing. She is very adept at getting a reader involved in a story, often times it is near impossible for me to put her books down. She spends a great deal of time developong plot and characters, building to a climax... and here is where the reader is let down. Her endings are usually slipshod and it seems hastily thrown together. She devotes so much to building up to a climax that is usually a page or two of action followed by a saccharine epilogue that ultimately adds up to they all lived happily ever after, leaving the reader feeling ultimately cheated and let down.

While World War I rages in Europe, in Broom, England widower Charles Robinson is a successful merchant raising his daughter Eleanor. One day he returns from a business trip with a surprise for Eleanor; he introduces her new "mother" his wife Alison and her two daughters. Almost immediate after the nuptials, he signs on for trench warfare and dies in combat.

Alison, a dark Earth Master, binds Eleanor to the house with an obedience spell. Meanwhile former pilot and Air Master Reggie Fenyx returns home believing he lost his magical prowess when he was tormented by earth elementals. Though depressed the family ball is coming up and he will play the role of good host. Eleanor, who has loved Reggie, begins serendipitously to learn to use her skill as a Fire Master. If Alison finds out what she is doing too soon she knows she is doomed, but perhaps at the ball Reggie will realize she is his life mate and together combining the power of fire and air with love they can defeat earth.

This is an intriguing retelling of Cinderella that combines history and fantasy to tell an adult fairy tale. Alison is a terrifically sinister malevolence while Eleanor is her perfect unsure opponent and slave. Reggie suffers from battle fatigue that has sapped him of his natural abilities leaving him magically impaired, which makes him an interesting protagonist. Though the story line at times is overwhelmed with historical details that seem unnecessary even if they provide in most cases a World War I era ambience, Mercedes Lackey provides a fine rendition of the classic tale with her latest Elemental Masters novel.

Harriet Klausner

Third in the Elemental Masters series, which began with The Serpent's Shadow and followed with The Gates of Sleep, this story is the modern day (WWI era) telling of Cinderella. I enjoyed the story and the imagination that Lackey uses in her theories and practice of magic. Of the four entries into this series, The Serpent's Shadow was my favorite, although I liked a lot of the fourth novel, as well. Eleanor Robinson is the daughter of a local businessman who is surprised one day by the arrival of a step-mother and two spoiled step-sisters. The war begins and her middle-aged father signs up and dies suddenly, leaving Eleanor at the mercy of her new family. Her wicked step-mother magically binds Eleanor to the hearth of the cottage, ensuring her obedience and servitude. Prince Charming is an Air Master who was a pilot in the war who was wounded in action. The two had grown up in the same area, and to overcome the major obstacles and injuries in their lives, they end up together and in love - but sometimes it takes more than love to conquer all - it takes magic!

Having looked at other reviews, I know I am not alone in my disappointment in Lackey's "Gates of Sleep." I was pleased, therefore, to find "Phoenix and Ashes" an improvement. I enjoyed the story, and finished it in one day. The protagonists were likeable characters that one can feel for, and the villains are quite evil. Most of my sympathy, though, went to war-torn England. Lackey portrayed the plight of the nation and her people beautifully in this book. This is not to say that this is one of Lackey's best efforts. As a retelling of a familiar tale, it is very predictable. This handicap is never overcome. The story moves straight ahead to its inevitable conclusion with few surprises. The romance is better developed than the one in "Gates of Sleep," but there is still no passion and little romance. The ending was not as horribly abrupt as those in many of her recent books, but it was still a bit rushed. On the whole, it was a good book, but not the best that Mercedes Lackey can put forth. Come on Misty, pay attention to your fans and give us something great!