As beautiful and poetic as the novel was to read in places, anyone who doesn't know the Shades of Magic books should read these first. V.E. Schwab's worlds are unique and yet in many ways the same. And still, the author knows how to draw her readers into its fascination. Not with spectacle or a loud tone, but with its brilliant style, the magical use of words, and some very well-created characters who capture the readers´ hearts in their very own way.
Threads Of Power-Die Feinen Fäden Der Magie*
by V. E. SchwabThreads Of Power #1
Translation Sara Riffel, Petra Huber, Alexandra Jordan
Original Title The Fragile Threads Of Power
Publisher Fischer TOR on October 25, 2023
Genre Fantasy
Pages 731
Format Hardcover
Source Fischer TOR
Goodreads
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There were once four worlds, each vibrant with magic, connected by a single city: London. But the magic grew too quickly and forced the residents to isolate themselves from each other. Since then, there are only a few who can travel through all four worlds. Kell Maresh from Red London and Delilah Bard from Gray London are the last Antari, the last planeswalkers. Until a tinkerer named Tes comes across an artifact that would allow all humans to visit any of the four worlds. Attracted by the endless possibilities, rebels, criminals, and magicians set out on their trail. Tes must prevent the artifact from falling into the wrong hands at all costs. Because the consequences would be terrible.
Story
Tes has the incredible talent to not only see the fine threads of magic but also to repair them. She doesn't even need any tools. But when others discover this ability and understand what is possible with it, Tes is in great danger. Because their talent arouses desire.
Style
V. E. Schwab's writing style sounds like a beautiful melody. Almost poetic and fascinated me. By naming each place and stating the year, you immediately know where you are in the plot. This was also necessary for me because I only partially know the history of the Shades of Magic series. So it was very helpful in finding my way around.
Characters
They are basically the characters that also appear in the Shades of Magic books. With Ren, the daughter of Rhy, and Tes, the tinkerer, the author has added two new ones. Ren is smart and a great little girl, Tes is more of a quiet, quiet teenager who lives very secretly. Both give the novel their own charm.
Conclusion
A beautiful novel that is best read only after you have already read the earlier volumes of the Shades of Magic series. Otherwise, the picture will be out of round and not entirely logical. Apart from that, the author's incredibly diverse and profound fantasy comes into its own here. V.E. Schwab masters High Fantasy in her very own way and presents full-bodiedness rounded off in an elegant, sonorous finish.
Happy reading
*Fischer TOR kindly provided me this book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. Thank you. Therefore, the cover of the German edition is shown first in this review.
Deutsche Rezension
Stil
Der Schreibstil von V. E. Schwab klingt wie eine wunderschöne Melodie. Beinahe schon poetisch und hat mich fasziniert. Durch die Nennung jeden Ortes und der Angabe von Jahren weiß man sofort, wo man sich in der Handlung befindet. Das war bei mir auch nötig, da ich die Vorgeschichte aus der Shades of Magic Serie nur teilweise kenne. So war es sehr hilfreich beim Zurechtfinden.
Charaktere
Es sind im Prinzip die Figuren, die auch in den Shades of Magic Büchern auftauchen. Mit Ren, der Tochter von Rhy und Tes, der Tüftlerin hat die Autorin noch zwei neue hinzugefügt. Ren ist pfiffig und ein großartiges kleines Mädchen, Tes eher ein ruhiger stiller Teenager, der sehr im Verborgenen lebt. Beide geben dem Roman ihren eigenen Charme.
Resultat
Ein schöner Roman, den man besser erst dann lesen sollte, wenn man die früheren Bände der Shades of Magic Serie bereits gelesen hat. Sonst wird das Bild unrund und nicht ganz logisch. Abgesehen davon kommt hier die unglaublich vielfältige und tiefgründige Fantasy der Autorin voll zum Zug. V.E. Schwab beherrscht die High Fantasy auf ihre ganz eigene Weise und präsentiert Vollmundigkeit abgerundet in einem eleganten, klangvollen Abgang.
*This book was published in the English language by Tor Books on September 26, 2023
Victoria Schwab
Victoria (V.E.) Schwab is the author of the »World Walker« trilogy and the New York Times bestseller series »Vicious & Vengeful«. Born in 1987 she is the product of a British mother, a Beverly Hills father, and a southern upbringing. Schwab has a penchant for tea and BBC shows, and a serious and well-documented case of insatiable wanderlust. When she's not wandering the streets of Paris or climbing any hill in England, she's sitting in the back of a café, spinning on her stories.
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