The Spirit Lens: A Novel of the Collegia Magica

by Carol Berg

Book Overview

View our feature on Carol Berg's The Spirit Lens. A brand new fantasy trilogy from an author who "brilliantly brings out her characters" (Denver Post). For Portier de Savin-Duplais, failed student of... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0451463110
• Release Date: January 2010
• Publisher: Ace
• Length: 480 Pages
• Weight: 0.85 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.0" x 1.0" x 6.0"

Customer Reviews

Definitely Magic

I have to add my praises. Carol Berg does it again. Or more accurately, she does it again even better than before. At first, I wasn't sure about this one. I had to work hard as I read, the style seemed cumbersome and contrived, and it only flowed for me when there was dialogue. I would have put it down, but I was completely intrigued by story and characters and so I plodded on. Against my better judgement, I persisted and continued to read. And suddenly, I'm not sure when, I became so involved that I loved the style, and marveled at her use of language. By the time I reached the last few pages, I read slowly and carefully, trying to make it last. I sat for a long time after reading the last page, savoring the story, the characters, the mood, the language, the style, the brilliance of her story and her story telling. Wow!! How does she do it?? Well, needless to say, I can't wait for the next installment. For a few evenings,snuggled in my bed, by the light of my reading lamp, I was totally transported, intrigued, delighted, moved, in fact, I was spellbound. Who can ask for more from an author? This is a hard act to follow. I don't think I can begin to read anything else and as I never go to sleep without reading I may, in fact, just have to pick it up again, begin at the beginning and read it once more.

I can't wait for the sequel

Berg's been a favorite author of mine since I read Transformation, so I was excited to see that she's written a new novel. The Spirit Lens was another great example of Berg's storytelling. I particularly love the way she incorporates non-traditional heroes, and Portier is no exception. He's a very proper man, more a librarian (to the bone) than typical adventurer, but with dreams of greatness that make him very human and relatable. My only real problem with this book is that I felt it ended too soon--things really built up to a cresendo, and, while the book stops at a very obvious place as far as the story goes, it stops right in the middle of the personal growth of its key characters. Which means I'll just have to wait for the sequel to see how the story continues!

Engaging

While in many ways this story had many of the "usual suspects" I feel that Ms. Berg has woven them together in just the right way as to make them new and interesting. The world of "Spirit Lens" is a lovely mix of science and magic on the verge of change. Feeling very much like fithteenth century Europe without being an "alternative history". As always Ms. Berg has masterfully used the first person voice weaving a tale that feels as if you are hearing it from a good friend. She builds the tension constantly and you come to suspect everyone; even after you've finished reading. Which leads to my only complaint - that I have to wait for the next book! This books is closer to the feel of her The Bridge of D'Arnath books rather than the Lighthouse series.

Superb

I feel like a broken record every time I sit down to write a review of another one of Carol Berg's books. I'm convinced at this point that she's the best fantasy author working today. Her plots are consistently excellent, her protagonists fascinating, and her world-building superb. This novel introduces us to three new heroes: Portier, librarian turned sleuth, tasked by the king to investigate a lethal magical conspiracy; Ilario, the queen's half-brother and court fop; and Dante, a mage of tremendous ability and uncertain temperament. Watching these three interact is worth the price of admission all on its own. Unlike an earlier reviewer, I found Portier to be an extremely engaging narrator, and was right there with him as he doggedly wrestled with the crippling aftereffects of a decade-old trauma. As with all of Ms. Berg's heroes, he and the others possess an innate decency that it's impossible not to respond to. (Even Dante, I think, in spite of what he finds it necessary to do to further their investigation.) As for the plot--Ms. Berg is careful to seed the ground with a maddening array of clues regarding what the conspiracy is aiming for and who might be involved in it, without giving very much away. I have a feeling that all of this is leading up to what will eventually be a tremendous finale, and I'm already impatiently awaiting her next volume. Highly recommended. Really, you can't do better than this if you're a fantasy fan.

A fantastic introduction to a compelling new world

I am consistently impressed by Carol Berg's skill at crafting deep, intricate worlds full of mystery and intrigue, with memorable, unique characters and unpredictable plots. "The Spirit Lens" is no different. Like most of her previous novels, it is told from a first-person perspective by a narrator who is shamed, fallen, and largely overlooked by the world around him. It also continues Ms. Berg's engaging tradition of protagonists pursuing answers to deep, complex mysteries and antagonists of unknown identity; indeed, this novel is the most direct "detective" story she has written to date. Portier de Savin-Duplais, distant cousin to the king, is charged with discovering the truth behind a failed assassination attempt. He is aided by the queen's foppish half-brother and a wildly independent mage. From the start, we are drawn into a world of dangerous duplicity, where no one can truly be trusted, not even the fellow investigators. The characters are all very vivid and fully rendered, with flaws and complexities that make it difficult to label anyone unequivocally "good" or "evil." Some of the mysteries turn out just the way we expect them to, others surprise us completely, but in a believable way. In other words, this is a very well-crafted mystery that keeps the reader guessing. One of the strengths of this story, compared with some of Ms. Berg's other works, is that we are eased into the world at just the right pace. In the past, I have been somewhat overwhelmed by the myriad names of people and places, as well as other intricacies of the world of the books--especially in the first several chapters. "The Spirit Lens," while maintaining a quick and engaging pace, manages to introduce people and places gradually, allowing us to keep them all straight without difficulty. In addition, the larger, deeper mysteries to be solved--also a staple of Ms. Berg's books--reveal themselves gradually, which also helps keep the plot from getting overwhelmingly complicated. Lastly, I am impressed by the ending of the book. When reading the first book of a trilogy or series, I always fear that I will be left feeling unsatisfied by its conclusion, with a compelling cliffhanger but no sense of resolution. Fortunately, "The Spirit Lens" manages to wrap up enough of the threads of its plot arc to feel largely resolved, but leaves plenty of mysteries still to be solved in the coming books. I eagerly await the next installment, and I do not feel cheated with an incomplete story. My recommendation: For anyone who has read and enjoyed books by Carol Berg before, this one will surely not disappoint. It remains to be seen whether this will become my favorite Carol Berg series, but it definitely has potential. For those new to her novels, I think this is as good a place to start as any--that is, unless you just don't have the patience to wait around until the remaining books are published to find out the rest of the story. Happy reading!