Prince of Magic: Linda Winstead Jones

Independent Ariana Kane Varden, daughter of the Sun Witch, has never let family duty keep her from reaching her dreams. She learned the practice of her gift, the power to heal others, at her mother's knee. And now she is the palace healer, tending to her emperor...

The last prophecy of magician Sian Chamblyn's late grandfather points to Ariana as the one to save Columbyana from a growing evil. While he prepares for the fight of her life, Sian intends to remain undistracted by his sensuously beautiful protégé. But in the heat of battle--and passion--diligence might be his downfall...

This story had its good sides and its definite pitfalls. To the credit of the author, she has woven an enchanting fantasy world full of magic and intrigue in this tale of good versus evil. The descriptive writing in this book is beautifully done, making it easy for the reader to visualize the workings of battle and magic, even for those that do not often dabble in the fantasy realm.

However, on the downside, I was disappointed in the plot, especially the ending. It seemed as if the story was hastily cut off with no closure. While I understand that the battle is not over and will continue into the next installment in the series, a story such as this should have conclusions to stand alone on its own. By reading the excerpt for the next story in the series, it looks as though the next episode will center around characters other than Ariana and Sian, which leaves an empty void in regards to what happens with these two characters.

If you plan to read the entire series, then by all means, please indulge your senses with this tale. But if you're looking for a good singular fantasy romance, I recommend that you look elsewhere as this book does not stand on its own.

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Publisher: Berkley (March 6, 2007)
ISBN: 0425214486
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