Allreaders.com
Author Jane Routley booklist (click here)

Book Review By Debbie
Mage Heart by Jane Routley

Dion was just an ordinary young girl when she came to the attention of Michael, a great mage. Michael bought her from her mother to see if it was possible to train a female to be a mage. Michael completely takes over Dion's life as she has no other friends or teachers. When Dion is older, she cannot really remember a life before Michael. She knows that she has often been a disappointment to him and fears what will become of her now that Michael is dead. There is no place for a female mage in Gallia and Dion doesn't really have any training as a healer, the only acceptable role for a female with magicial powers. So it is a relief to the Dean of the School of Magic when the Duke calls on her to protect his favorite mistress, Kitten Avignon, from a necromancer with a grudge.

Dion tries to refuse, terrified that she will lose all that is left to her now - her unsullied reputation. After all, how can she be seen to consort with the women of the "honey sisterhood" and not be thought a courtesan herself? However, when the necromancer sends an assassin into the College of Magics to kill Dion, she has no choice but to move in with Kitten and accept the physical protection that that will provide her.

Dion is ill prepared for the world of political intrigue in which she finds herself and struggles to fit Kitten's view of the world and Michael's view together. But Dion has a bigger problem, she has somehow called a Demon to her and the Demon will do anything to cross over into Dion's world where innocent prey abounds. Dion both fears and desires the demon's power, but she knows that to use demon magic is the worst kind of necromancy. Matters are further complicated when she meets the mesmerizing Andre Gregorov, a sophisticated foreigner who claims to be passionately in love with her. But who is he really and why does he want her? Dion soon discovers that nothing and no one is what it appears. Can she have the confidence in herself to make the right choices and to use her great magical gift to protect those most important to her?


Plot & Themes
Tone of book - very upbeat
FANTASY or SCIENCE FICTION? - fantasy world/fantasy past
Coming of age Yes
Youngster becomes - a powerful magician
Romance Yes
Romance plotlets: - falling in love with the enemy
Inner Struggle Yes
Plotlet: - coping with mental/magical powers
Is this an adult or child's book? - Adult or Young Adult Book
Descript. of chases or violence - 20 %
planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 30 %
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 30 %
Descript. of society, phenomena (tech), places - 20 %

Main Character
Identity: - Female
Profession/status:
Age: - a teen
If magical mental powers: - can cast many different spells

Main Adversary
Identity: - magical being
Age: - long-lived adults
Profession/status:
Has magical powers? Yes
Magical/mental powers of main antagonist: - can change shapes - mind reading - super strength - can cast all sorts of spells - can read emotions - is very quick
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - an above average amount
How sensitive is this character?
Sense of humor - Cynical sense of humor
Intelligence - Very much smarter than other characters

Setting
Earth setting: - during "Tolkien" (fairytime) times
Takes place on Earth? Yes

Writing Style
Accounts of torture and death? - moderately detailed references to deaths
Sex in book? Yes
What kind of sex: - vague references only - descript of kissing
How much dialogue? - roughly even amounts of descript and dialog
Back To Main Menu