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Review Summaries
"In an act of hubris, railroad tycoon and Firemaster Jason Cameron attempts a spell for which he is magically unsuited. The spell fails, and his body is warped into a shape halfway between a man and a wolf. Jason shuts himself up in his elaborate mansion with only his elemental servants and his apprentice as company.
Determined to reverse the damage wrought by the spell, Jason finds himself in need of a linguistic expert to transcribe his magical grimoires. He sends for Rose Hawkins, a medieval scholar whose father's death has left her in impoverished circumstances and in need of employment. Rose believes that she has been employed as a governess, but upon her arrival, it is revealed to her that she is to translate strange and esoteric documents to a man she is to never see. Jason hopes to keep Rose in the dark about the existence of magic, but Rose soon learns the truth. Eventually, Rose comes face to face with her mysterious employer, and feelings between the two begin to grow.
In the meantime, Jason's apprentice, Paul du Mond, forms an alliance with Simon Beltaire, Jason's magical rival, and the two plot against Jason. Paul has his own unsavory plans involving Rose, and when his actions provoke a wolflike rage in Jason, Rose flees the mansion for the city—right into Beltaire's territory. And in the midst of the great earthquake of 1906, Jason confronts Beltaire, while trying to obtain the means to restore his human form, and save the woman he loves.
"
Quortoth, Resident Mercedes Lackey Scholar
"Rosalind Hawkins is an impoverished medieval scholar, employed as a governess by a mysterious rail baron. It emerges that her employer is a gruff sorceror, transformed by a spell into a pain-wracked beast and surrounded by enemies waiting to take advantage of his current weakness. Rosalind must discover her own inner magic to save him, and finds herself falling in love with him also. This book is a cunning retelling of the 'Beauty and the Beast' fable, set in turn of the century San Francisco."
Emily Veinglory, Resident Mercedes Lackey Scholar
"Rose Hawkins needs a job and there are few options for a woman with a scholarly bent during her time period. Seeing no other choice, she accepts a job that turns out not to be what she thought it was. She ends up doing some very odd research for a rich man named Jason Cameron. He needs her help to find a cure for his condition, a way to reverse the half man, half human form his pride and his spells gave him. Rose has to wrap her logical mind around the idea of magic. Jason doesn't have much time, though; he's afraid of how much of his personality is becoming like that of a wolf, and he's afraid that, very soon, his worst enemy will discover his current weakness and attach him."
Melissa Cookson, Resident Mercedes Lackey Scholar
"Rose Hawkins, an orphaned University student in turn of the century Chicago, travels to San Francisco to do research for the elusive millionaire, Jason Cameron. Little does she know that the research is magical in nature, as Jason struggles to find a cure for his animalistic condition. This retelling of Beauty and the Beast is romantic and definitely enjoyable."
Valerie Frankel, Resident Mercedes Lackey Scholar
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Overall Review
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Plot
Composition of Book Descript. of chases or violence - 10% planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 40% Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 30% Descript. of society, phenomena (tech), places - 20%
FANTASY or SCIENCE FICTION?
- fantasy world/fantasy past
Romance
Yes
Tech./$$$/Info hunt
Yes
Stealing/recovering/destroying
- cure/disease/bioweapon
Lifeform altered?
Yes
Kind of alteration:
- Magically turned into another being
Is this an adult or child's book?
- Adult or Young Adult Book
Human/magical couple?
Yes
Main Character
Identity:
- Female
Profession/status:
- scholar
Age:
- 20's-30's
Has magical/special powers?
Yes
Magical/mental powers of main character:
- can talk to animals
- fire/lightning/weather cntrl
- can cast many different spells
Is this an ordinary person caught up in events?
Yes
How sensitive is this character?
- middling sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
- Very much smarter than other characters
Physique
- average physique
Main Adversary
Identity:
- Male
Age:
- 20's-30's
Profession/status:
- mage/magician
Has magical powers?
Yes
Magical/mental powers of main antagonist:
- fire/thunder/weather cntrl
- can cast all sorts of spells
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- a little/some
- an average amount
How sensitive is this character?
- mean, arrogant
Sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Average intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- average physique
Setting
Earth setting:
- 19th century
Takes place on Earth?
Yes
Style
Person?
- mostly 3rd
- rotating 1st
Accounts of torture and death?
- moderately detailed references to deaths
Sex in book?
Yes
What kind of sex:
- vague references only
How much dialogue?
- roughly even amounts of descript and dialog
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