Gift of the Unmage (Worldweavers: Book 1)

The review written by E. Hill matches my opinions perfectly. This book is full of wonder. I loved it and was glad I didn't need to wait to read the sequel. The characters felt real; the opponents were original yet familiar. Grandmother Spider and the other Southwestern mythology added a great hook. Highly recommended.

This book was a perfect mixture of Madeline L'Engle's a Wrinkle In Time, old native american folklore, with some Hogwarts academy thrown in. Thea is the main character of the book and she wonderfully portrays a young woman who is unsure of herself in society and at home. This book made me think and I loved it!!! A part of me related whole heartedly with Thea, I too doubted my place at home and in society when I was her age. I too had to (and still do) ask why?, to every thing and anything. I will warn you that this book isn't a light read, but if you are looking for a book that is going to make you feel good and make you think about life (or your supposed life path is) then this is the book for you.

"Gift of the Unmage" is the first book in a YA trilogy aimed at an audience that wants more from fantasy than a standard kids-defeat-evil theme. What sets this book over and above other YA books in the genre (a certain boy wizard comes to mind) is the inner conflict. Thea is a real teen, with real doubts, uncertainties, and questions about herself and the situations she faces. The enemies aren't all externalized Bad Guys Out To Destroy The World; there are inner demons that must be faced as well. Anyone who has gone through the teenage years, or is going through them, will instantly recognize the confusion and turmoil that goes along with being human. And that is ultimately the best part of the book: Thea is human. She doesn't always do the right thing, and she faces the consequences of her actions when through the best of intentions she makes a wrong choice. Again, unlike the boy wizard books where everyone is the same at the end of the books as they were at the beginning, Thea changes, grows, and learns from her mistakes. If I had a complaint, it is that the book is not long enough. There are numerous plot threads, external and internal, and at the end I was wishing for another couple hundred pages to watch the playful weaving move towards the upcoming major conflict. I'm sure that is what will happen in Book 2, but it is going to be difficult to wait for Book 2 to hit the shelves.

I was trying to describe your writing to my fiance', and I did it like this: "Well, this latest book seems as if it is going to be your standard coming-of-age magician tale, but then you realize it is so much more. It is philosophy, it is science fiction, and it is beautiful."

Against the backdrop of multiworlds a young wizard who is supposed to be incredibly gifted with magic struggles to to find out why she has none at all.Her future without magic looks bleak until she finds others like herself.A blend of ancient mythology and modern technology gives this tale a panorama of highly enjoyable,page turning reading.I am waiting impatiently for the next volume of Thea's quest for her power.