Poison Study

The book you don't see coming

Magic Study is the book that you see in the store and you think ...hmmm cool name way better cover art than the rest of my SF/Fantasy collection...I wonder. You pick it up, flip through the pages, don¿t really read any and decide it is probably a gimmick. Then you buy it anyway because the cover is Sooo pretty (and maybe hate yourself a little for being so shallow). You go home, sit on the sofa then read the first page. After than you can't possibly move for the next few hours and finally come up for air with a horrible neck cramp and the utter satisfaction that comes with being in the middle of a great story. You decide that it was your amazing subconscious book-radar that led you to your purchase, not a pretty cover. It has enough of the regular markers of the genre to make it a comfortable read but it is told in such a fresh way with very original twists that make it completely new and enjoyable. Yelena's is a world you will not want to leave. The story continues at full speed through the sequel Magic Study which tells a very new tale but still upholds the quality of the first. The third book Fire Study should prove to continue this tradition upon its release.

10 out of 10 people found this review helpful.

How do authors come up with this stuff??

This is still, since I read it last year, one of my favorite stories. I read a review on it and gave it a go, with trepidation. "ANOTHER magic book...well, okay," is what I opened the book thinking. The next few hours went by without my knowledge. I eventually had to apologize to my family for neglecting them, and again, when I was grumpy because I didn't get a wink of sleep that night. When people tell me something is THAT fantastic, I am almost always disappointed, because I build it up as something amazing in my head. So I say this hoping that doesn't happen to you, "Read this book. You'll be better for it. I was not disappointed." If you need to fall in love with an idea, a character, a thought, a rather hot hero, then this series is it. It will inspire you to be more brave and take chances in your own life.

5 out of 5 people found this review helpful.

A Must Read

Poison Study is the first of the three book Study Series. The life of a woman sentenced to death is hard. But even harder is the life of a woman saved from the hangman's noose. In the land of Ixia where protecting herself from harm landed Yelena in prison. Just when she thought her life was about to end Valek, Ixia's Master Spy/Assassin to the rescue. But like every thing else in life there is a catch. The noose might have been a kinder death. Valek only saved her in order for her to become the Commander's food tester. A job that could be a death sentence itself. If someone tried to kill the Commander by poisoning his food she would be the first to go. Yelena's plan to except the food tasters job and then escape to a better life is soon foiled by Valek. When Yelena is poisoned by a substance known only to Valek, she is forced to stay in order to get the daily antiote, that with out would mean her death. Yelena is soon caught up in the intrigue of palace life. With an enemy around every corner. As life wasn't hard enough Yelena begins to show tell tale signs of being able to use magic. Which in Ixia is a death sentence in itself. She is forced to trust Valek in order to survive. Yelena and Vaelk fall in love. But can there be a happy ever after. A magic using food taster and the spy of Ixia, death could be around the corner for either of them. A climatic set of events unfold that shows to the world that Yelena is able to use magic. The Commander then sentences her to death, and then gives her time to escape. With Irys the forth magician of Sitia she escapes to Sitia to find out about herself, and her life before she was kidnapped fourteen years ago. Can love survive magic and a death sentence. With a standing order of death for Yelena in Ixia and and order of death for Valek in Sitia can their love survive. Check out Magic Study and Fire Study 'coming March 2008' to find out.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Decent beginning to a terrible series

I read through this book rather quickly, however when I moved on to magic and fire study the series tapered off rather quickly. This book was the best of the three, however I do not recommend the series.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Definitely Recommend

This was a very intriguing story about a young woman who was sentenced to death for a murder which happened in self defense. She was sentenced to death because the sentence for any murder in Ixia is death. On her way to her execution, she gets the opportunity to work as a food taster, taster of poisons, for the Commander of Ixia instead of death.
As Yelena, our young heroine, learns and studies poison, her character develops into a strong, smart, confident, women. It is amazing how she develops such heroic qualities throughout the story.
I would recommend reading this book. It contains action, adventure, mystery and romance. I look forward to reading the second book Magic Study!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

WOW!!!!

This book is amazing!!!!! When i first saw it at B&B, i was like 'eh, i'll give it a try i guess', but WOW! This book is about a girl named Yelena and how she is origanlly sent to be hanged, because she killed MD-5 General's son, Reyad, but is given a chance to live as being the food taster for the Commander. When she decides to take this opportunity, she is given lessons by Valek, to learn all the different poisons so in any case if the commander's food is poisoned she would know what type of poison it is. But as the story goes along, she gains enemy's that is out to get her, inculding the General. And during this whole time she starts getting feeling's for Valek. This story has many twist that you will never see coming, and you would want to read this story over and over again. Plus seeing the romantic twined of Valek and Yelena come is extremely sweet. Trust me you will love this series!!!!!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

A reviewer

Poison Study is an entrancing novel by budding author Maria V. Snyder. The fantasy setting and charismatic characters capture the reader as the plot follows the adventures of Yelena, a criminal who barely escapes execution and becomes poison taster for the Commander, ruler of the country of Ixia. The story is a wonderful brew of action, magic, and romance as Yelena struggles to come to terms with her past and the growing attraction to her employer, the notorious assassin Valek. Every reader of young adult fiction and fantasy should read this exciting novel, as well as the sequel, Magic Study. Magic Study is a wonderful follow up to the first book, with its complex plot that keeps you on your toes and hungry for more.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Poison Study was a book that completely enthralled me in its uni

Poison Study was a book that completely enthralled me in its uniqueness. The premise was absolutely intriguing: the idea of a woman being saved from certain death by execution. The catch? She has to serve as a poison taste-tester for the Commander of her country, a job that puts her life in danger on a daily basis. Furthermore, to prevent her from reneging on her deal, each day she is fed a poison called Butterfly’s Dust, ensuring that she must appear for her antidote in order to live.

Like most female protagonists of a fantasy series, Yelena is no ordinary girl. Her resilience and quick thinking on her feet is not the only thing that gets her out of several life-or-death situations; it is also the fact that she is unknowingly one of the last possessors of magic in Ixia, a place which forbids the use of any magical abilities on punishment of death. I really liked this element of the story, especially the fact that the neighboring country to Ixia is a magic-using country, which causes all kinds of problems politically. Another thing I really appreciated about Yelena as a character was that she didn’t stand by and let others do the fighting for her. Once she was freed from prison, she began learning how to defend herself from those who wanted to harm her. She took charge of her situation as best she could and that, combined with her intelligence, ended up saving not only her life on several occasions but also the lives of her countrymen. You know me; I love my strong female characters! Yelena is no exception, and that made this book all the more enjoyable to read.

Poison Study was a quick, fun read that kept me eagerly turning the pages. You can read this book in one sitting, and it contains all the elements necessary for a good read: action, romance, a strong heroine, a compelling love interest, and a rich world in which the plot takes place. Snyder has created something quite special here, and I look forward to reading the next book in the series.

Thrilling Ride Wonderful characters that come off the page, a d

Thrilling Ride

Wonderful characters that come off the page, a dark twist that festers throughout the novel, this is a fantastical ride that will sweep you into another world.

This book is so very original and consuming. I loved every minut

This book is so very original and consuming. I loved every minute of it. Twists you'll never see coming. It's one of my favorite books of all time. I couldn't put it down and bought the other 2 books immediately after finishing this one. As soon as you open the book you hit the ground running and you don't stop or stall until you close the third book's cover and sigh because you have the feeling you always get when reading a great book and reaching it's bittersweet end.

Fasinating!!!

Shivers, obsession, sleepless nights—these are the results not of one of the milder poisons that novice food-taster Yelena must learn during her harrowing job training but of newcomer Snyder's riveting fantasy that unites the intelligent political focus of George R.R. Martin with a subtle yet potent romance. Through a stroke of luck, Yelena escapes execution in exchange for tasting the food of the Commander, ruler of Ixia. Though confined to a dank prison cell and doomed to a painful death, Yelena slowly blooms again, caught up in castle politics. But some people are too impatient to wait for poison to finish off Yelena. With the help of Valek, her steely-nerved, cool-eyed boss and the Commander's head of security, she soon discovers that she has a starring role to play in Ixia's future—a role that could lead to her being put to death as a budding magician even if she hits each cue perfectly.

At the beginning of the book, Yelena is on the cutting block - literally - she's next in line for the noose for committing the sin of murder. Yet, at the last moment, she is offered the position of the Commander's food taster and she jumps at it. What she doesn't learn is that this position is NOT held for long due to the many poisons often placed within the Commander's meal, thus, the cursed position is always forced upon a soon-to-be executed prisoner. While secretly plotting to escape her new occupation, she is trained by Valek (the Commander's master strategist) to smell, see, and experience the side effects of what poisons she is consuming - not enjoyable lessons for a girl with strong & stubborn survival instincts.

I found this book intriguing and somewhat refreshing to read. The time-setting, character backgrounds, and story plot was fascinating as well. Plus - the reader, throughout Poison Study, becomes aware that Yelena is hiding a secret that she herself can do magic, an even bigger sin during her time. There's also so many twists and hidden surprises throughout Poison Study, that I found it hard to stop reading at the end of a chapter - something I always love in a book. It's indeed different from most stories out there, but I'm excited to check out the next book - Magic Study - in the series.

Likes: How ruthless Valek can be . . . yummy!

Dislikes: How frustrated you get at Yelena's previous benefactor and those under his command.

Poison study

Is this book for preteens or teens?

Great YA novel

Yelena is charged with murder and is awaiting noose. When a guard comes and leads her to the chief of security's office, she is expecting the end. What she doesn't expect is for Valek to offer her a job instead. If she accepts his offer, she will be the food taster for the commander making sure that his food isn't poisoned, and if it is identifying it in time so that Valek can find the culprit. For her "services" her life will be spared from the noose and she will live a rather comfortable life in comparison.

I really enjoyed this story and the magical world the the author has created. There are magician, spies and Valek... someone whom cannot be effected by magic. I liked the addition of the secondary characters and the author did a great job keeping them interactive throughout the duration of the story.

Another aspect of the story that I really enjoyed was the connection between Yelena and Valek. As the story progresses you start to notice Valek softening around Yelena and how he acts differently around her. However, when he is around her he tries to maintain and uninterested demeanor.

Interesting read

I liked this plot. Once i started i really couldnt put the book down I just had to see where the plot went. I hope her other books live up to this one.

Love this book.

Hope she writes more with Valek and Yelena!!!

Awesome read-I highly recommend

The book has enough twists, turns, and suspense to keep anyone entertained. Murder, poison, magic, love, intrigue...it's got it all.

My fav book

I couldnt put it down the first time reading it and still cant when i rearead it! Its my fave book of all time and always will be.

great idea, poor execution

The premise is marvelous ad even the story itself is interesting amd woven well. However, the writing itself is terrible. Since this is a debut novel, I'd like to be forgiving, but I'm not ur i hav it in me for this one. This work has no sense of subtlety, is too dependent on forced dialogue, fails to

0 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Amazing! A must read!

One of my all time favorite series. The studies are rich in character, detail and personality. I laughed and cried and fell in love with many of the characters. Maria is an amazing author and I have read all her work to date cant wait for her next book!

Rainbows Sprouting From My Head

Maria's writing makes rainbows spring from my head. :) This book was different, empowering, and captivating! I would recommend this to all the fantasy, scifi, and dystopian fans.