Soprano Sorceress by L.E. Modesitt Jr.

I have really enjoyed the Recluse series and picked up the Soprano Sorcereress with the hopes of having a new series to read. I am so disappointed. The primary problem is illogical character motivation. The main character is unbelieveable.

A second problem is the limited attention detail. Unlike the detailed 'rules' of magic set up in the recluse series, magic in the Spellsong series appears to have no logic. The main character has almost ultimate power with no apparant limits to her magic. Throughout the book, every time she sings a song she successfully achieves whatever it is she is trying to achieve, be it making a new dress or wiping out 10,000 enemy soldiers. YET, at the same time, she chooses not to use magic to do things like make a bathtub for her room (altough she frequently laments the lack of a bathtub). At the begining of the book, Modesitt begins upon the theme that 'perfect composition' is required in order for a spell to work out, but this does not hold true as Anna never fails in her casting (not once!). If this theme were carried through, it would have really helped the story (as magic would be a challange and something that has limits) but somehow it is lost.

Really, I have to say do not bother reading this, go read your Recluse books again, or read Jordon's Wheel of Time series (slow moving but briliant) or perahps even Goodkinds series (Similar in writing style to the Recluse series). DONT read the Soprano Sorceress!

The Soprano Sorceress is decent, beginning with the cliched transported to a magical world from earth plot. The book starts off fresh, but gradually slows down near the end where readers must sift through endless dialogue that does little to spice up the book. You will more or less simply wait for Anna to decimate her foes, and later read through paragraphs of her emotional turmoil.

But do not misunderstand, the Soprano Sorcereress is a good read, though somewhat monotonous at times.

The book is superb, the second book I have read by Mosesitt and perhaps my favorite. It is a little hard to keep up with the characters but otherwise portrayed well. I find that even the lightest description is enthralling bringing a vivid image to my mind. The battle scenes coulds use a bit of work and some of the plot but I have yet to read the next book so I may be surprised.