Nameless Magery

Rating:
Summary: 'Golden Bough' vs. 'Dungeons and Dragons' Sorcery
Review: "Nameless Magery" is one of kind: the heroine practices a sort of Samoan magery. She finds 'mana' (or 'ller' as it is called in this book) everywhere, and comes from a world where the king reigns for a single year and is then killed and eaten by his successor. Her planet is invaded and she escapes to a world where magic is viewed as a power that can only be controlled by a few (male) mages. It makes for a wonderful conflict between the heroine, Lisane and the male mages and wannabe mages who feel an obligation to 'train' her. Once I started reading "Nameless Magery" I couldn't put it down, and read through to the end. I hope there is a sequel for Turner's idiosyncratic, uninhibited, and squabbling magicians to once again display their very special magic. Thank goodness for a wise-cracking, sensible heroine who isn't afraid of losing her magic if she loses her maidenhead!

Rating:
Summary: A different kind of fantasy read
Review: A had my doubts when i picked this up, its a different kind of fantasy then those that i usually read. But dont let a strange cover fool you. Delia Marshall Turner gives you a different perspective on many different things, Lisane has the ability to see magic. And when Lisane, the virgin queen of her people, finally forsakes her virginity and does it with her magician guide Simon, the author doesnt describe it as a blissful event like most writers do, she takes it more in a factual way, only telling how inexperienced her partner and self were, sure she explains a few of the sensations, but i found it lacking. And when Simon deserts Lisane and Detter i couldnt help but want Lisane to stay with him and become his wife, i mean its posible right? She was the future queen of her people. In Lisane's true dreams hey didnt always come true, she never hooked up with Detter like it simulated. Also, Delia Marshall Turner has a wide vocabulary, i just thought that ought to be known, so when you read this i would keep a dictionary at hand. And in the end of this book i wondered why in Lisane finally ended up with Kaihan. He's a bald man whos lived a century or two. They just didnt seem to fit, the two of them. Overall i found it a gripping book full of twists, but at the end i felt oddly unsatisfied, and wished the story would continue to a more complete resolution.

Rating:
Summary: R-rated
Review: All of the other reviewers commented on how great the book is, but they skip how parts of this book are pretty R-rated.

Rating:
Summary: I wrote a book that I wanted to read.
Review: As a life-long reader of SF and fantasy, I often searched the shelves for a particular type of book and came away frustrated. The type of book I like should have a strong, funny female heroine, plenty of action and romance, it should be original and fresh, and it should provoke thought. So even though I was in graduate school with a family and a full-time job, when I came up with the idea for this book I just had to write it--so I could read it! I think that you'll enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. My second book, "Of Swords And Spells," set in the same universe, is due out in February. Please feel free to drop me a line with your comments.

Rating:
Summary: Refreshing!
Review: Delia Marshall Turner is an amazing writer. I strongly recommend this, Nameless Magery, along with its companion, Swords and Spells (tragically out of print! Try half.com). Despite my affection for the genre, I bypass 90% of fantasy books, which are usually self-important and cliche-riddled. Not so with these books! I laughed on almost every page, and it didn't take me long to get through them. The characters are interesting, the story witty and engaging and meaningful. Ignore the comments about explicit sex (these are high quality books, *very* far from the trashy smut implied!)-clearly the reviewers who wrote them don't watch t.v., see movies or advertisements, read the covers of magazines in the supermarket line, or read many popular books written within the past 50 years or so. Otherwise, they certainly wouldn't have been so harsh!

Rating:
Summary: Rare SF/Fantasy novel without being rote or formulaic
Review: First, I must confess, I do know the author. She's a neat lady, and a fellow fencer, which is why I bought the book. I bought it, vaguely cringing in an anticipation of having to come up with vaguely positive but nebulous things to say about it when next she and I met at some tournament. Much to my amazement, and intense relief, she didn't write another generic fantasy novel that I could predict everything before I'd finished the first chapter. There are some standard elements to the novel, magic, outcast persons breaking the norm, and a journey or two, but apart from that, the characters and story line take on a life of their own, moving in different ways and avoiding imitation. Truly an entertaining read, and once I started it, I did not want to put it down (fortunately I was on a a long airplane ride, and didn't have to). Also to my delight, it's a stand-alone novel, not part of yet another trilogy that becomes a 10-book series. Delia does tell me that a secon! ! d novel in the same universe will be forthcoming, she assures me it is NOT a sequel, bless her. From a fantasy novel fan who's given up on the genre for the most part, I have to say, buy this book, read it.....(and no, I won't loan anyone my copy....support struggling authors, buy your own).

Rating:
Summary: delightful and compelling
Review: Great read. The best thing, as in all good books, is the author's voice. Consistent, knowing, genuine. The plot was captivating and had plenty of surprises. Lots of interesting ideas about magic and about the development of a young girl. Great characters, plenty of squabbling. I actually found it hard to put down (and I can be very jaded). Loved it. Two snaps up, with a twist. Hope she writes another soon.

Rating:
Summary: Yay!
Review: How can you not love a book with a first chapter entitled "In Which I Don't Eat a Rat"? Fascinating and funny, "Nameless Magery" is one of the most original fantasy novels I've read in a long time (and my current collection boasts over 700 fantasy novels). The plot was entertaining enough, though the last few chapters seemed pretty rushed--the author could have added another 50-100 pages without going overboard. But this book would have been great if the plot involved nothing more than the characters sitting around clipping their toenails! I mean, EVERY character in the book was interesting--I'd be happy to read a novel dedicated to each one: Simon, Detter, Kaihan, Jens & Annesil, Charonne, and Gelmas. Not to mention the whole story of Mennenkaltenei and the Enforcers. Just SO much here! Lisane is the type of heroine found too-rarely in fantasy literature: strong, sensible, able to see the humor around her. And the rendition of magic in this novel is nothing short of brilliant: the same magic, viewed through the eyes and cultures of two different worlds. What to Lisane is a sentient natural being, a religious entity almost, is simply raw magical, mysterious power to the mages. Thus, Lisane's friendly communication with the magic succeeds where the mages arcane rituals fail. Amazing, and totally original! As an English major, I also have to applaud the author for the creation of a unique pronoun to refer to the sentient engery force: lle. Creating a nominitive (lle) and an objective (ller) case for the energy worked wonders in communicating just how much the force is a part of the Mennenkalts' world. Magic, in their world, is not an "it". It is "lle." And that's all that need be said of ller. Brilliant! I await Marshall Turner's next novel with great excitement!

Rating:
Summary: Yay!
Review: How can you not love a book with a first chapter entitled "In Which I Don't Eat a Rat"? Fascinating and funny, "Nameless Magery" is one of the most original fantasy novels I've read in a long time (and my current collection boasts over 700 fantasy novels). The plot was entertaining enough, though the last few chapters seemed pretty rushed--the author could have added another 50-100 pages without going overboard. But this book would have been great if the plot involved nothing more than the characters sitting around clipping their toenails! I mean, EVERY character in the book was interesting--I'd be happy to read a novel dedicated to each one: Simon, Detter, Kaihan, Jens & Annesil, Charonne, and Gelmas. Not to mention the whole story of Mennenkaltenei and the Enforcers. Just SO much here! Lisane is the type of heroine found too-rarely in fantasy literature: strong, sensible, able to see the humor around her. And the rendition of magic in this novel is nothing short of brilliant: the same magic, viewed through the eyes and cultures of two different worlds. What to Lisane is a sentient natural being, a religious entity almost, is simply raw magical, mysterious power to the mages. Thus, Lisane's friendly communication with the magic succeeds where the mages arcane rituals fail. Amazing, and totally original! As an English major, I also have to applaud the author for the creation of a unique pronoun to refer to the sentient engery force: lle. Creating a nominitive (lle) and an objective (ller) case for the energy worked wonders in communicating just how much the force is a part of the Mennenkalts' world. Magic, in their world, is not an "it". It is "lle." And that's all that need be said of ller. Brilliant! I await Marshall Turner's next novel with great excitement!

Rating:
Summary: Average
Review: I bought this book based on the excellent reviews I read here. I was mildly entertained but the characters would have been interesting if they were better developed. For example, the character Detter clearly had reason to be disturbed. She wrote about his masochistic behavior without really delving into the reasons for it. I did not warm up to any of the characters and I also grew annoyed with the supposedly major crises which were resolved within pages. Not the worst book I've read but not worth the hype. I suspect she can do better.