The Crown of Stones: Magic-Price by C.L. Schneider – Review by Sarah Oakes

Magic-Price by C.L. Schneider
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A great read about temptation. Ian Troy is a Shinree, one of a race of magical beings. Ten years ago, he stopped a war with dark magic and paid the price. Now, he roams the world, helping out where he can. When pursuing an assassin, he discovers there may be more to magic than he imagined. As events unravel, Ian finds friends and foes alike and struggles to resist the addiction of magic. Can he use magic for good or will he pay the price of death and destruction once again?
A great read. Well developed plot with twists and turns that I just couldn’t put down. Well developed characters like Ian as a strong warrior but with his anxieties underneath. Great cast of supporting characters like the sarcastic but kind Malaq or the supportive Jarryd.
I loved the visual detail throughout the novel like with the destruction and the use of grey and dark colours draining even the description of life. Or the scenes with the eldrings later on as gothic and monstrous and beautiful, wonderfully written. Or the swamp with its mud and bogs with their sounds and smells so vivid its as if you’re actually there.
A great example of world building with a range of magical beings in a fantasy world with their own rules and laws and histories.i also liked the sense of geography with its islands and swamps and mountains giving the reader a sense of the world as .harsh and unforgiving.
I also liked the use of suspense with details revealed slowly to make you want to keep on reading to find out the truth.The only issue I would raise is that there was some reptition with ians guilt which could have been reduced. Overall, a great read and I would give four stars.

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