Study Series
| Maria V. Snyder | |
|---|---|
| Born | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States |
| Residence | Pennsylvania |
| Education | Penn. State University, B.S Meteorology; M.F.A. Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University |
| Occupation | Author |
| Children | 2, boy and girl |
| Website | www |
Maria V. Snyder is an American fantasy author best known for her Study Series. Her first novel, Poison Study, was published on October 2005, and won the 2006 Compton Crook Award for Best First Novel. the next two books in the series are Magic Study and Fire Study. Snyder then released another trilogy of books, the Glass series, following the character Opal Cowan from the Study Series. The books in the series are Storm Glass, Sea Glass and Spy Glass respectively. On 24 February, Snyder went back to the main characters of the Study Series and released the first book of he next trilogy, the Soulfinder Series, the first book of which is Shadow Study. Aside from writing, her interests include "traveling, photography, making jewelry, and volleyball."
The first book in this series introduces the reader to Yelena, a young woman (20) who committed the murder of her torturer. It starts off in the Ixian dungeons where Yelena is having trouble stopping her gruesome memories from coming back to her. She is then taken to Valek, Commander Ambrose's Chief of Security, to await her execution. She is given a choice of execution or becoming the Commander's food taster. Yelena accepts becoming the food taster and the book continues the adventure Yelena has to oblige to, it eventually leads to the killing of Mogkan – Kangom, a dangerous magician – and Valek admitting his love to her.
The second book in the series continues with Yelena's life, she is taken by a Master Magician to find her family in the Southern lands of Sitia. Yelena reunites with her mother, father and an untrusting brother who is determined to obtain the information that would make Yelena guilty of being an Ixian spy. Yelena is taken to the Keep to learn more about her magic and how to control her unique powers. An Ixian Delegation arrives and Yelena is reunited with her lover, Valek and they form a plan in which Yelena can obtain more information about certain people(s).
The third study book is the last in the series and follows the task to silence all Sitians who have knowledge of blood magic. Yelena's magical abilities lead to the truthful rumour of her being a soulfinder, this rare type of magician with the power to stop the Warpers and Roze Featherstone. Yelena is reunited with her lover once more and almost loses him midway through the book. Valek survives the flames of the giant fire and comes back to Yelena where she is working out a very shaky plan with Ari, Janco and Leif. The war ends up coming to an end and Ixia and Sitia are saved from blood magic once Yelena uses Opal's unique magic to entrap the Warper's souls in glass prisons that Valek later hides.
There are currently three short stories in this series as well; they are listed in the Short stories section, below, with links to on-line copies.
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