Stolen Magic
by M. J. Putney
July 2006
ISBN-0-345-47690-5
Read an excerpt
Read the unpublished prologue
Stolen Magic has been named one of the Top Ten Romances of the Year
by BOOKLIST, the magazine of the American Library Association
Review Quotes
STOLEN MAGIC
"(A) spellbinding romantic fantasy...Putney’s skill as a historical romance novelist serves her well in the depiction of London and the subplot featuring a gifted developer of the steam engine. The love that grows between Simon and Meg...includes some wonderfully steamy moments. (R)aises anticipation for the next installment."
Publishers Weekly
“Brilliantly pairing romance with fantasy, love with magic, and real history with speculative fiction, M. J. Putney has created another masterpiece of a series to rival her straight historical romances, the Fallen Angels. STOLEN MAGIC is eminently enjoyable by itself, and A KISS OF FATE can be read first or second. No one should miss getting in at the beginning of this riveting new series. May it run for years to come.”
Jane Bowers, Romance Reviews Today
"Mary Jo Putney's writing has always been magical; now that she has turned her hand to the telling of a fantasy tale, it sparkles on the page. Stolen Magic has to be one of the most delightful reads of the year, a witty, finely-crafted tale that enchants from beginning to end. As always, Putney's intelligent wordsmithing, scholarship, eye for detail and ability to bring to life irresistible characters adds up to enjoyment on every page. Fast-moving and fun!"
--Elizabeth Haydon, Symphony of the Ages series
"Magic meets science, love wars with duty, and power claims its due in this lush and fast-paced romantic fantasy novel. Seamlessly weaving together the Age of Enlightenment with the destiny of mages, Stolen Magic immerses the reader in a richly detailed world of strong-willed characters and the volatile sorcery that threatens to destroy them. This author, who has long been one of my favorite romance writers, has now become one of my favorite fantasy novelists!"
--Laura Resnick, author of The White Dragon and The Destroyer Goddess |
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A year has passed since the hardcover release of Stolen Magic, and you know what that means: paperback edition! The mass market version is a July release and should be in stores now. Stolen Magic is published by sff publisher Del Rey and I’m told the paperbacks should be in the sff section. But—the hardcover edition last summer was frequently shelved in romance, so the paperback could potentially be shelved in either fantasy or romance. You might need to check both sections if you’re looking.
The world of the Guardians is a place very much like the historical world we know, but—there’s magic behind the scenes. The Guardians are human with magical powers that tend to run in families. Sworn to use their powers for the betterment of mankind, they influence the history we know—and being human, they make their share of mistakes. They also understand passion and the terrible conflicts that can arise between love and duty.
And with magic at their command, Guardian women can be the equals of their men!
STOLEN MAGIC is the tale of Simon Malmain, Lord Falconer, who is the enforcer of Guardian law among his fellows. A routine mission to confront a rogue Guardian who has misused his powers turns disastrous when Falconer’s quarry, Lord Drayton, captures Simon in a transformation spell that can only be released by Drayton—or death. Aid arrives in the form of Meg, a fey young woman who first traps, then frees, Simon.
Need for each other’s magic binds them together—and releases the more ancient magic of passion. But desire cannot be satisfied until the rogue mage is stopped, for Drayton has a diabolical plan that will profoundly alter the course of Britain’s society and future. Even the combined power of Simon and Meg may not be enough to stave off catastrophe. Only a desperate act of love may win back the future—or destroy all they hold dear.
As a special bonus, I’m posting the original prologue that I wrote for Stolen Magic. My editor suggested I didn’t really need it, and she was right: I didn’t. But for those of you who enjoy a glimpse behind the curtain, here is the prologue.
In other news, I working away on the next Guardian novel for Del Rey. I won’t tell you the working title since that might change, but the story features Jean Macrae, who was a secondary character in the first two Guardian novels. This is the biggest, most complex Guardian story yet, but the theme is worthy of the effort, I think. I hope you agree next summer when the book is published!
Happy reading always—
Mary Jo Putney
M. J. Putney at the Acropolis |
