I enjoyed them, but they are not the best in their genre or anything. ( )

I read Poison Study and Magic Study both a couple of years ago and at the end of '08 to prep for reading Fire Study. I loved them all. They're great fantasy with just a hint of romance. Yelena and her boss, Valek are such interesting and cool characters. Unfortunately, I think Fire Study is the last one, I've heard she's working on a new series that might be vaguely connected. I hope you check them out!

Forgive me for writing the same review for all three books in this series! But they're all awesome. ;-p

Not quite as good as the first two books in the series. Lagged a bit in the first half. Great story though and wonderful characters. Some expected twists and turns but largely, a wonderful end to the series (although I do believe this could be extended without too much effort). Yelena and the crew were awesome. ( )

I was so sad to finish this series. I so love Yelena and Valek. They are wonderful characters. Watching Yelena grow from the young lady ready to die by hangman's noose grow to become such a strong heroine was exciting. She is a heroine that has fears and isn't afraid to admit it.

She is far from perfect, thank goodness, I can't stand a perfect heroine. It takes too much fun from the story. Yelena growing relationship with her family has been fun to watch, it was nice to see her ...more I was so sad to finish this series. I so love Yelena and Valek. They are wonderful characters. Watching Yelena grow from the young lady ready to die by hangman's noose grow to become such a strong heroine was exciting. She is a heroine that has fears and isn't afraid to admit it.

She is far from perfect, thank goodness, I can't stand a perfect heroine. It takes too much fun from the story. Yelena growing relationship with her family has been fun to watch, it was nice to see her admit that she might need someone else.

To be a Soulfinder was scary and poor Yelena had no clue what it meant or how to handle it. First she wouldn't ask for help then it wasn't there when she needed it the most. Read no further because I am going to add a spoiler which I normally don't. At first when Yelena thought she would have to give up Valek, and then when she thought he was dead it was heart wrenching. I felt for her and I felt sorry for myself because I have grown rather attached to the jerk. And I especially love her relationship with Kiki her horse. A better best friend a girl can never find. ( )

Yelena Zaltana is a Soulfinder, a rare magician who can control others’ souls. She takes her new label with some trepidation, as previous Soulfinders in Sitian history were hated and wreaked havoc on the country, and she finds that there are those who are wary of her as a result. Nevertheless, Yelena is unable to spend much time developing her magical powers, as there are more pressing concerns: a group of rogue citizens and magicians—among which are Yelena’s old nemeses—are using ancient and horrible blood magic to strengthen their powers.

These rogue magicians, called Warpers, seem to have enormous influence, for they’ve convinced the Sitian Council that Yelena is a danger to Sitia. Yelena and her friends are forced to temporarily find refuge in Ixia, where Yelena exists in a state of paranoia about the trustworthiness of those she loves. Ever doubtful of her magical capabilities and intentions, Yelena must still use what she knows to stop the rogue magicians from starting a war that could devastate both Sitia and Ixia.

While neither Magic Study (Book 2) nor FIRE STUDY (Book 3) live up to the extraordinariness that was her debut, Poison Study, I still have to say that Maria Snyder’s ability to tell a unique story is unparalleled, and that I remain a staunch fan. Yelena’s world remains engaging and unforgettable, whether as a standalone with the first novel or as a whole series.

FIRE STUDY is slightly shaky where characterization is concerned. Yelena undergoes a period of self-doubt and paranoia, shutting out those beloved to her and us readers in an attempt to protect herself from what she believes to be her inevitable end. Normally I wouldn’t complaining about characters undergoing such identity crises, but it was difficult to pull off in the Study series since we are so attached to all the characters.

The adventure and plot in FIRE STUDY is straightforward hardcore fantasy, unrelenting swift—you’ll lose your footing if you aren’t familiar with the previous book in the series, Magic Study, and if you don’t pay attention. That being said, this book provides a solid conclusion to what has been a satisfying trilogy, even if the ending may be a little too swift and easy for those who are well-read in fantasy.

Overall, I have no regrets about picking up the Study series. Maria Snyder is solidly one of my favorite authors now, able to provide us with a fully exciting fantasy featuring likable characters. I will not hesitate to pick up any of her future books, and you shouldn’t either! ( )