Storm Glass by Maria V. Snyder (Storm Glass Trilogy, Book 1)

From Amazon.ca:

As a glassmaker and a magician-in-training, Opal Cowen understands trial by fire. Now it's time to test her mettle. Someone has sabotaged the Stormdancer clan's glass orbs, killing their most powerful magicians. The Stormdancers—particularly the mysterious and mercurial Kade—require Opal's unique talents to prevent it happening again. But when the mission goes awry, Opal must tap in to a new kind of magic as stunningly potent as it is frightening. And the further she delves into the intrigue behind the glass and magic, the more distorted things appear. With lives hanging in the balance—including her own—Opal must control powers she hadn't known she possessed…powers that might lead to disaster beyond anything she's ever known.

My Thoughts:

I love Maria Snyder. Her Study Trilogy is one of my favourite fantasy series of all time, so I was very happy when this spin-off trilogy was released. It follows a character that briefly figures into Fire Study, so it was nice to see a lot of the same characters in this new series. Yelena even plays a role. She was the main character from the first trilogy. Opal Cowen is the main character in this series, but she also brings in other characters to the trilogy. Opal is a magician-in-training, but things are not going very well for her. They know that she has an ability, but the general method of teaching is not working. She is starting to get very discouraged, but her life is about to change very drastically. When events do not go exactly as she has planned, though, she comes to understand her true potential. It makes her a very powerful magician and a very scary one.

One of the reasons why I was not entirely sure about Snyder when she first started being released is that she is technically marketed by a romance company. It is done very well, though. There is romance in the first trilogy and there is potential for romance in this series. Opal has a lot of men in her life, so I imagine that one of them will be left standing by the end of the trilogy. I am glad that I didn't let the romance-issue preventing from reading this series, though, because it is so good! I don't think I liked this book quite as much as her previous works, but that could change as the trilogy progresses. As I am writing this I own the second book, but haven't had a chance to read it yet. The books are being released very quickly, so there is not a lot of wait time.

With great characters, an interesting storyline, and a great leading lady I have very high hopes for this trilogy. If you have no read Snyder before, you really should! I apologize for the briefness of this review. I should have wrote it long ago, but didn't get to it and now the book is not very fresh in my memory.