The Wizard of London (Elemental Masters, Book 4)

By way of introduction (that mark of sensibility and proper writing!) I, the writer of this scathing review, give you this:
It may seem difficult for you, dear reader, to believe, after perusing this review, that I myself have ever gleaned even an iota of enjoyment from reading one of the esteemed Mercedes Lackey's novels. Allow me to assure you, then, that she exhibits what some might deem a skill, even a talent, for writing in many (but not most; no, this author is no latterday Charles Dickens, much do I bemoan his passing!) of her books and short stories.

Sadly, "The Wizard of London" is not a member of that valued group.

In this so-called novel, Lackey has transparently attempted to take her well-noted "eloquence" to a new level, perhaps in the spirit of old-fashioned proper English speech and mannerisms, and in the process she has drastically neglected good character development, plot, flow and, in places, proper grammar: in short, all of those things with which a tale fulfills its hallowed purpose of enjoyable, intelligent literature, and without which it languishes, a misbegotten wreck of words ill-written.

Her sentences are overdone and her paragraphs padded and fluffed; and due to the almost painfully amateurish foreshadowing present throughout, one feels, not too far into the heart of the book, that one must know all the various pathways the plot will take well in advance of its actual occurance. It so happens that the ending is in fact something of a surprise, mayhap even a twist; but that I cannot attribute to Lackey's innate skill as a writer; rather, it is due to the fact that the "ending" (or should I say the undercooked, pathetic excuse for such) is anticlimactic and somewhat random. All in all, this book simply does not work: it appears to have been thrown together, nay, stitched in a manner haphazard and rude, as of one of Frankenstein's abominable monsters. (For the sake of propriety, it must be noted that this is a phenomenon sometimes observed when authors who are usually at least competent in their chosen field of work attempt to expand successful short stories or novellas into full novels; for an example, see "Blood Music" by Greg Bear.)

I could declaim yet more, and I daresay I would, but there exist reviews to be read in abundance, and even I do not possess such audacious feelings of self-worth as to assume that my words are worth much more of your time than you have just spent reading them. And thus I must bid you, dear readers, a fond adieu, and you, Ms. Lackey, a farewell somewhat lacking (oh ho! do mine eyes detect a pun? Surely `twas innocently meant and benevolent in intention!) in such good feelings. May your books never blight my shelves again, wretched woman!

(One last point: if this review was overwritten and difficult to read, it's got nothing on "The Wizard of London".)

Mercedes Lackey's The Fire Rose was a treat, but the Elemental Masters series seems to have gone downhill. I've ordered Phoenix and Ashes to give the series one last try, but my hopes are not high.

Today I finished The Wizard of London, and wish I hadn't bothered. I agree with other reviewers of the series, who noted that Lackey is in serious need of an editor. (Someone forbid this woman the use of italics and dashes, please!) Past successes should not allow her such free rein. She also shouldn't chop up those past successes and attempt to blend them into a new novel. It just doesn't work, any more than those horrifying Disney straight-to-DVD animated "sequels".

Others have complained that her previous effort, The Gates of Sleep, stuck to its fairy tale model too closely, allowing no room for character or plot development. The Wizard of London, if anything, strays too far from its basis in The Snow Queen; however, Lackey doesn't take advantage of that space. We're left with a meandering story full of irritatingly self-righteous heroes, overblown stereotypes, confusing sideplots, and errors. Lackey even calls one of her main characters, Alderscroft, "Ashcroft" at one point. The child heroes are nearly two-dimensional and their oddly mature behavior is conveniently explained away by the observation that they have "old souls". Their bird companions are even less believable (disappointing, given Lackey's own fascination with and presumable knowledge of birds).

Lackey's imagination and a few mild, unexpected plot twists, including the lack of a saccharine consummation of new romance, are all that save this review from a single star. But I'd recommend supporting your local used bookstore or using an online used-book service, to save yourself the guilt of having shelled out far too much for a recycled fantasy.

I was hesitant to read this book in the Elemental Masters series after disliking the previous one so much, but based on the cover blurb I thought I'd give it a try. Strangely enough I liked most of the characters and the general plot (although it called to mind 'The Little Princess' far too easily).

The villain of the piece seemed to be building up to what could have been a very exciting and volitale plot device....indeed I was hoping up until the last 15 pages or so that something MOMENTOUS was going to happen (I was even hoping for a cliffhanger leading to a second novel installment) only to find.....

Yet another "pull the rabbit out of the hat, bow to the nice people and bring down the curtain" ending to a Mercedes Lackey book. I was almost as disappointed as I was with the ending of M. Faber's 'Crimson Petal & The White'.

If you've never read any of Mercedes Lackey's books then pick up almost any of the Valdemar series, the Bardic Voices series or her Luna publications book 'The Fairy Godmother'. These showcase the author at her best and are well worth reading. I'll be re-reading my own copies of her older books too and remembering the glory days.

Gripping, and engaging tale of psychics, ancient spirits, and elemental magic in London, and in the bucolic English countryside. It can stand alone, or be a part of the Elemental Masters series.

It also helps that you've read The Snow Queen.

I have yet to find a book by Mercedes Lackey that I haven't thoroughly enjoyed, and this one fulfills the promise of its predecessors. Though it's called Volume 4 of the Elemental Masters series, they tend to be written out of chronological order (its predecessor, [[ASIN:0756402727 Phoenix and Ashes (Elemental Masters, Book 3)]], is set during World War I) and can be read that way. The focus is on the Harton School for Boys & Girls, run by Frederic and Isabelle Harton, who have returned to England after a long sojourn in India to offer a sanctuary to the children of their own kind--the "Psychics," who are distinct from the "Mages" in that the latter use learned magic while the former have inborn gifts of various types. The two classes seldom associate with each other, but they are forbidden to attack each other either. The Harton School takes in the young of English men and women serving all over the Empire, primarily India, and gives them a home and the kind of loving attention they've been accustomed to, as well as schooling in matters mundane and otherwise, teaching them how to control and use whatever powers they may have. Sarah Jane Lyon-White, whose parents are medical missionaries in Africa, is sent to the Hartons because she "has gifts we cannot train"--she's a medium who can see and speak to ghosts. In short order she acquires a roommate and best friend in the little Cockney street-sparrow Nan Killian, in whom Isabelle senses unusual gifts also. When Sarah Jane's mother comes all the way from Africa to deliver her beloved parrot, Grey, and Nan befriends Neville, one of the famous ravens of the Tower of London, the stage is set for the events of the story.

After helping to expose a fraudulent medium, the two girls are lured to an empty house in Belgrave Square, where they are attacked by a Thing which at first blush might be mistaken for one of H. P. Lovecraft's Great Old Ones and are rescued by the Hartons and their Muslim servant Selim--and by Nan, who suddenly manifests her adult Warrior-of-the-Light form. While the Hartons try to learn who was responsible for the ruse and why, the whole school is invited to relocate to a country estate for a month, where rehearsals for Shakespeare's [[ASIN:0743477545 A Midsummer Night's Dream (The New Folger Library Shakespeare)]] bring them to the attention of Puck, a.k.a. Robin Goodfellow and the Oldest of the Old Ones. Then David Alderscroft, a powerful Fire Mage who in his youth came very close to marrying Isabelle, comes to attend an extended house party at the estate next door. But what David himself doesn't know is that his respected "mentor," Lady Cordelia Bryce-Coll, is using him for sinister purposes of her own. Puck is the first to become aware of this, and his friendship with Nan and Sarah draws them into the effort to save Alderscroft from himself--and from a fate that may destroy much that is good about England.

Lackey has clearly done her research into Late Victorian England: she conveys a great sense of place, although she's made one small error in attributing Kipling's [[ASIN:0141321628 Just So Stories (Puffin Classics)]] to Victoria's reign (they were in fact first published in 1902, the year after the Queen's death). She also, as always, makes her magic seem both believable and logical, with ironclad rules of its own and a hidden society of magic-users (though Alderscroft hopes to raise them to a position of greater power in secular affairs). The school she describes is both unique and fascinating, and the relationship between Frederic, Isabelle, and their three male servants and fellow-Warriors--Agansing, a Ghurka; Karamjit, a Sikh; and Selim, a Muslim, all of whom live together and with the Buddhist and Hindu staff in perfect amity and are "sworn brothers" to one another and to Frederic--is splendidly portrayed. Puck/Robin is a wonderful character and Lady Cordelia is a villain who'll make your skin crawl, yet she's also a three-dimensional person with very human motivations. The pace is episodic at first, then suddenly alters to a racing climax such that you wonder how the author intends to resolve the situation in the few pages she has left. If you've never read the Elemental Masters (or, for that matter, anything of Lackey's) before, this would be an impressive point at which to start. (Note: Chapter 4, in a slightly different form, was originally published in the anthology [[ASIN:0446679623 Murder by Magic: Twenty Tales of Crime and the Supernatural]].) Highly recommended.

As a previous reviewer wrote, I quickly read through the book, hoping to get to some momentous ending. Instead, it just...ended.

I love most of Lackey's work, but I think she tried to do too much with this one. Too many characters. Too many ideas. Not enough of what makes her such a good writer.

I was disappointed in this book somewhat, being a huge fan of the author. I enjoyed the school scenes and the interplay between Sarah and Nan, but so much of this book felt tacked on. The antagonist was a grossly underdeveloped afterthought of a character and the climax of the book just...wasn't.

Don't get me wrong, it's an entertaining read, and anyone who enjoys the series and Lackey's style will probably enjoy it, but it simply wasn't up to par with some of the other books in the series.

When Isabelle's heart was broken by David Alderscroft, a young Elemental Master who was rising in his power and fame within the magical society of London, she fled to India where she found true love with a commoner like herself. Now, she and Frederick have returned to London where they've opened up a school for children who, like themselves, are not masters of magic but rather possessors of more occult talents including extrasensory perception and prophecy. It is to this school that little Sarah, a youngster who possesses a few remarkable gifts, is sent by her parents who are concerned both for her safety in their home of India and for her education in the occult arts. At the school, which is staffed by a rainbow of cultures including Hindu and Buddhist, Sarah finds a home filled with love and understanding, where she begins to thrive. It is not long before she's helping others, including a young girl named Nan who has been abandoned by her mother and forced to beg for a living. Nan, too, has some interesting gifts and the friendship that blossoms between the two is strengthened by their individual talents. Unfortunately, those very talents have roused the anger of a formidable foe in London, one who will stop at nothing to destroy the threat that the two little girls present to her plans for power and immortality. Using Isabelle's former flame as her pawn, she is ruthless in her quest for domination. Can Isabelle, Frederick, Sarah, Nan and the rest of the school's staff, with a little help from two very special birds and one very powerful "godling", stand against her icy wrath? Or will they, too, be frozen and relegated to the nether world to which she's sent scores of children before them?

The first two thirds of this book was wonderful and promising. I enjoyed getting to "meet" little Sarah and Nan and see the changes that came over each of them as their friendship developed and as they benefited from the teaching at the school. Isabelle's own story was also interesting, though I couldn't help but feel that David's character was lacking. He didn't provoke any strong feelings in me and it was hard to really root for him as a protagonist (or even to boo at him as an antagonist!) Because not much of the book is dedicated to him, that was not such a huge flaw that it detracted from the majority of the novel. However, as the focus shifts more towards him at the end, it caused the final scenes to be something of an anti-climax. I couldn't help but feel that the author had built up a great deal of tension surrounding the little girls then suddenly shifted the action toward David, losing my interest in the process and making the denouement a letdown. An okay book but certainly not one of the better in the series and NOT an example of what Mercedes Lackey can do at her best!

Nan is an Irish child living in the slums of London. Before her drunk mother can sell her into slavery, she is rescued by the headmistress of a boarding school. Nan is given a spot at the school. Nan speaks in thick ebonics, so the staff teach her to speak english as a second language.

Later, the headmistress is caught up in some kind of plot involving her ex-boyfriend. they retreat to the countryside, and free the headmistress's ex-boyfriend from the enthrallment of evil.

This last book was boring because, it was the same as the others in this series, starts out ok, gets boring in the middle, the last couple of chapters some excitment, but not much, was glad when it was done.