Charmed Sphere

A new idea

Charmed Sphere is the first book by Catherine Asaro I ever read. I love this book so much I have read it repeatedly. Story about a girl who isn't the best mage but the best mage with emotions. Ends up falling in love with someone she can't have and saves her kingdom because of her special ability. A different look at a genre that has been done over and over again. Recommend to anyone who loves fantasy, and great conflict and explosive endings.

Best Book Ever

This book sparked my imagination to a world I've never known before. I never wanted the story to end. I cried in some parts, I'll admit it. But the love was so strong I felt like I was Chime herself.

Muller Is My Sweetie

A captivating romance with battle and passion, this book is so good I had it finished in two nights. There is not one part of the book that is boring and lacking in action. Chime is a doll and a classic charactor. The author tries to make you feel for the other charactors but she's just so incredable and misunderstood, except by Muller, whom if a real person would totally be my guy. He's sweet and honestly pretty boy, but that's o.k. If I could I'd make sure everyone in the world had the chance to read this because it is charmed from begining to end.

Simply Amazing...

I took this book with me over seas. I could NOT put it down. It took a while for me to get into it at the start, but once I got past that, I wasnt going to stop. On a bus, while the way to another part of the country I read it for a full five hours, then I was sad that I had finished it, so I started it again. It's an amazing book that puts you into a whole different, enchanted world, where dreams can come true, and the impossible can happen. I cant walk by my book shelf and see it, and not want to pick it up and read it again. IT'S AMAZING! READ IT!!! lol...

Wonderfuly Compelling and Imaginative

This book captures the reader from start to finish. The second you open the book you are thrown into Aronsdale without a second glance. You simply fall in love with the characters and the plot, you even find yourself laughing out loud or at the edge of your chair trying to decifer what will happed next. Asaro makes it as though your reminising on your own life looking back on a memory, the discriptions are so vivid and alive! A truely wonderful tale.

Wow! You can't even put it down!

From first page to last, I couldn't put this book down! Quickly you were engaged with the characxters and the plot was very intriguing. If you love magical worlds with a great storyline, then you will love this book. A must read!

New shape to magic and the powers we wish we had!

After reading 2 of the skolian novels, I had to try something else Mrs. Asaro also wrote. The world is simple and easy to learn, which is nice after so many decades of worlds from so many other authors, but the characters were far richer and deeper than expected, and the point of view storytelling was artistic and enjoyable. I anticipate greatly the next read in this series. Thank you so much for a wonderful 3 days. I hated going to work instead of reading this novel.

Engrossing and Entertaining Fare

Trying to find new authors, since I have a habit of reading faster than new books are published, I was enchanted by this book. Having never read anything by Ms. Asaro, I was immediately pulled into the story and fascinated by the world that she had created. The pace of the book is excellent. The only troubling section is the lack of complete character development - especially in the secondary figures (Iris and Jarid particularly). Overall, I recommend this book.

Beautifully written adult fairytale

When the King and his retinue came to Jacob¿s Vale searching for mages, Chine tried to hide since she didn¿t want to leave the family orchard and go to Castle Suncroft. Della No-Cozen, the mage-mistress immediately saw how much power she had and persuaded her to come to the castle to learn how to use her abilities properly. The king¿s nephew and heir, Prince Muller is expected to marry Chine, but he doesn¿t want to wed anyone nor become king..................................... Chine also doesn¿t want to be queen and the thought of marrying the prince is ludicrous until she comes to know him. Muller quickly falls in love with his betrothed but Della finds Iris, another mage more powerful than Chine and Iris locates Javid the king¿s grandson thought to have died fourteen years ago. Muller and Chine are both chagrined and happy to realize they won¿t be monarchs but they still have a very important role to play in the kingdom. King Varquelle of Harsdown plans to invade and annex the land of Aronsdale with the help of his powerful mage, Anvil and it will take the special powers of Chine and Muller to stop them if they can learn to control their magic................................ Readers will love this epic romantic fantasy that reads like an adult fairy tale. There are two couples who must overcome many obstacles before they can admit their love for one another and it is fascinating watching them slowly mature into heroic figures to be admired. This is a very different kind of work than Catherine Asara¿s science fiction novels involving the Skalian Empire, but this novel is just as engrossing and enthralling............................. Harriet Klausner

Very good...

Chime was not princess material, and even less queen material. Yet it was this wild country girl who attracted Della No Cozen's attention. Her power was the strongest she had ever felt, and therefore, no matter what Chime herself wanted, she was destined to marry the heir apparent to the throne, Muller, the king's nephew. Despite her reluctant consent, Chime escapes at her first opportunity, heading into the forest where she meets an enigmatic young man. The two feel an almost instant attraction, though neither gives the other their true name. That makes for an awkward scene when they find out that they are betrothed to one another. ....................... Though their meeting was rocky, soon Muller and Chime discover they do love one another, but their romance is complicated when a second young woman with even greater potential is found. Fortunately, Muller's long lost cousin is also found. Jarid may be blind, deaf, and dumb, but he is the true heir; and he will have to face a war with enemy kingdoms who will stop at nothing to defeat his. ............................ **** The two lead couples of this unusual romance form a strong set of characters to guide the story. Each one faces challenges and matures in ways that complement the other three. Friendship and love are proven to be the most powerful charms that will save the day. ****

stunning romantic fantasy novel

I picked this up because it looked interesting, and I had never read any of Catherine Asaro's works before, except for the novella in Charmed Destinies, which was also excellent. Anyhow, I bought it, took it home, and started to read it that night . . .when I looked at the clock it was somewhere around 2:30 and I had to stop reading so I could wake up for work. I finished it the next afternoon. This is a wonderful novel with very real characters and a superb plot. I loved the way Muller and Chime meet for the first time and the way she, Iris, Jarid, and their servants interacts with each other. The shape-magic theme is well-done also, an interesting new take on magic. I would recommend this to anyone who likes a good fantasy interspersed with a good love story, actually two good loves stories--for Jarid and Iris' romance is just as compelling as Muller's and Chime's.

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