Lost

A highly enjoyable continuation of the events of the first book, expanding the cast of characters, the scope of the world, and the complexity of the plot.

Some of my favorite bits:

Conn and his understated personality. He keeps so much inside, but there's just enough insight that I felt for him greatly, particularly at a certain point midway through when some very bad things happen, and at the end. There was one paragraph at the end that just got me in the heart, because the whole book had (at least in my mind) built up to it. I love that!

Rowan. I enjoyed getting to see more of her and (because I am a romantic sap) I am already eagerly anticipating how the relationship between she and Conn will develop in future books as she and Conn show more get a little older. Especially with Argent in the mix (I was very glad to see Rowan already putting Argent in his place though, heh).

The underlying mystery. I'm intrigued by the way magic seems to work in this series and particularly Conn's relationship to the magic of Wellmet and the various animals that are associated with the magics. I am looking forward to learning more about what is really going on in book 3. Also, the dragons! show less

I loved this book LIKE PIE. Which is pretty much how I felt about the first book in the series as well, but it was just so delicious to read more about Conn and Nevery and Rowan and others I'd come to love from Book 1 -- plus some new characters (or newly developed ones, like Argent) who are interesting in their own right. The pace of the story clips along as briskly as ever (and there's plenty going on), but never too fast that there's no time to develop the characters. Conn goes through a lot in this book, emotionally as well as physically, and his internal struggle is so (typically for Conn) understated yet so well done I nearly cried. He's such an amazing character -- almost completely Withheld from the outside, with obvious faults show more of secrecy, arrogance and stiff-necked pride, but the first-person narration keeps you from misunderstanding his motives, and it's practically impossible not to love the kid. (Though not a kid for long -- he's growing up! But not so fast that my eight-year-old son couldn't identify with him, which is a good balance, I think.)There are still some aspects of the story's logic I'm not clear on, but I'm pretty sure those will clear up with a re-reading (particularly once I get my hands on the finished copy, which I understand has some significant changes from the ARC that I read). Anyway, I can see no reason that readers of the original MAGIC THIEF won't enjoy this one every bit as much -- or, as my son did, even more. show less

I stampeded through this in a day, and it was great fun; still I had a few complaints that made me give this 4 stars instead of five. Here's a list!

1. I felt Conn's actions were crossing the line from go-getter to selfish and thoughtless more than once (meaning he did things that were obviously pretty stupid and put a lot of other people in danger); there was also a bit of Harry Potter syndrome going on as Conn just KNEW better than anyone else and rushed headlong into things despite several trustworthy people cautioning him in a quite reasonable fashion.

2. Another thing that reminded me of HP was the wonky balance of power, meaning the antagonists leveled up or were presented as stronger while the protagonists didn't, but still fights show more etc. always worked out (think HP and friends defeating Death Eaters with the Expelliarmus spell). There was also a lot of bumbling around on the side of people who were supposed to be professional fighters and guards that wasn't really believable to me, and I couldn't quite swallow the fact that Rowan (as the heiress of the duchess) kept being in the midst of things with approximately 3 people accompanying her for safety.

3. Kerrrrn. I liked her character in the first book, but this time I thought she was being used as a portable obstacle or something. One moment there was some sort of development, a sort of grudging acceptance of Conn, and the next she was back to being mindlessly antagonistic. I found that slightly annoying. Not her, but the shifting back and forth between the two without any obvious reasons. I hope she'll be allowed to unfold in the later books.

4. Not enough Benet.

5. Needs more Nevery snark.

I still *really* liked the book, it was a good adventure, an easy read and a fun story, and I regret nothing. I'm already looking forward to the next part, and the 4th part (next year, I think?), and if things keep up, I'll be reading this until the author gets tired of it. show less

Our intrepid hero Conn from The Magic Thief returns in the second installment in Sarah Prineas' trilogy. Without a locus magicalicus any longer, Conn, a former thief and on-again, off-again wizard's apprentice, realizes that he can communicate with magic through small-scale explosions. That's how Conn comes to realize that Wellmet's magic stands in grave danger. Wellmet has already been infested with strange shadow creatures who, like Medusa, turn their victims into stone. Conn realizes that the shadow creatures and the unearthly danger to Wellmet's magic come from the same source: the neighboring city of Desh.

Conn's adventures before and after heading off on the dangerous journey to Desh don't quite measure up to the excitement of the show more first book in the fantasy trilogy; however, readers will still thoroughly enjoy the further adventures of Conn; his friend, the royal Rowan, and Conn's master, the wizard Nevery Flinglas. While readers will enjoy the return of old friends, Conn makes a few unexpected new ones in this book, too.

The novel ends in a cliffhanger, so be sure you've purchased the final book in the Magic Thief trilogy, Found, before you come to the end! show less

Annoyingly I read this book without reading the one before it - I ordered it not realising it was different from "The Magic Thief" which I had intended to buy. When it arrived I read it anyway, and have now added the book I intended to read to my wish list!

That ought to amount to a recommendation. This book was good enough for me to want to fill in the gaps.

I read this straight after reading Angie Sage's Physik, and that was perhaps unfortunate, as Angie Sage's books are so good it was hard for me to put that out of my mind when reading this book - and comparisons are inevitable. This book lacks the wacky humour of Angie Sage, and the storyline is less involved. Characterisations are not as deep either.

But despite those comparisons, show more this is still a very good story. A fast paced adventure with plenty to endear it to its intended audience. For instance, the chapters are riddle with secret runic messages to decode, and there are some wonderfully interesting recipes at the end!

Ultimately I would say this book would appeal to a slightly younger readership than the Septimus Heap books - say 7+, although it could still be enjoyed by much older children.

(Always the problem with adding reading ages to books - it puts off the older readers who would still love it. nevertheless, children 9 or 10+ may prefer Septimus Heap). show less

Because Connwaer sacrificed his locus magicalicus to defend his city, he is no longer a sorcerer. How could he be, without anything to channel the magic through? But when Conn experiments with pyrotechnics (blowing things up... not the best pastime), he thinks he can hear the magic speaking to him. It's urgent, and its scared. Conn knows it has something to do with the shadowmen that are threatening his city of Wellmet, but how could he do anything?
A pyrotechnic experiment gone wrong guides him in the right direction: he's banished.

Based on the cover, I would say The Magic Theif: Lost is a cheesy kids book lacking orginiality and full of cheesy lines and and a cheesy plot. But my thoughts after actually reading the book are quite show more different.
Yes, TMTL is a kids' book, so don't expect deep writing. But despite that, the plotline really is interesting. I'm almost rather embarrassed to say I couldn't put it down. (I actually tried to hide the cover and the big font when I took it places, so I could read it without people knowing I was intensely interested in a kids' book about a magic theif.... haha). It's the classic story about the classic gutterboy who is more than he seems, but what I liked was that Conn didn't lose his gutterboy nature and become "super magician" and civilized. He's spunky and sucks at swordcraft. But, he's excellent at picking locks and pockets, which are talents a gutterboy would have. He doesn't change. He's still the gutterboy, but a sorcerer gutterboy. I rather like that.
The dialogue is easy and witty.
There's a strong sense of good and bad.
The prose doesn't run off in different directions, but keeps track.
It's in first person, but there isn't gushy details of Conn's feelings.

In all, if I had read The Magic Theif: Lost when I was younger, I'm sure it would have been one of my favorite books. show less

Conn has discovered that magic can be connected to by something other than power stones and now there are shadows killing people on the streets. His experiments go awry and he is exiled. Finding himself on a mission to Desh, a desert city, occupied by shadows and run by a shadow-king he doesn't know who to trust.

It didn't draw me in as much as the first book and it did feel sometimes that Conn was collecting plot tokens but the end left me wondering what next.