Lost (Magic Thief Series #2)

by Sarah Prineas, Antonio Javier Caparo (Illustrator)

Overview

In The Magic Thief: Lost, the second book in Sarah Prineas’s acclaimed middle grade fantasy series, wizard’s apprentice Conn is forced to improvise after he loses his locus magicalicus—with explosive results!

Never mix fire with magic!

Conn may only be a wizard's apprentice, but even he knows it's dangerous to play with fire . . . especially around magic. His master, Nevery, warns him that it could all blow up in his face. Besides, they have bigger problems to deal with. There is evil afoot in the city of Wellmet, an evil that isn't human.

But Conn is drawn to the murmurs he hears every time he sets off an explosion—something is trying to talk to him, to warn him. When none of the wizards listen, Conn takes matters into his own hands. His quest to protect everything he loves brings him face-to-face with a powerful sorcerer-king and a treachery beyond even his vivid imagination.

Diana Wynne Jones, author of Howl's Moving Castle, praised this middle grade fantasy series filled with magic and wonder, saying of the first book: "I couldn't put it down. Wonderful, exciting stuff."

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780061375897
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	05/12/2009
Series:	Magic Thief Series , #2
Pages:	400
Product dimensions:	5.94(w) x 7.44(h) x 1.31(d)
Lexile:	690L (what's this?)
Age Range:	10 - 13 Years

About the Author

Sarah Prineas lives in the midst of the corn in rural Iowa, where she wrangles dogs, cats, chickens, and goats, goes on lots of hikes, and finds time to write. She is also the author of Ash & Bramble, a retelling of Cinderella. She is married to a physics professor and has two kids. You can visit Sarah online at www.sarah-prineas.com.

Editorial Reviews

In this thrilling sequel to The Magic Thief, Conn, "a gutterboy from the streets of Twilight," continues to seek solutions and instead finds trouble. Still the unconventional apprentice of Nevery Flinglas, Magister of Wellmet, Conn, having lost his "locus magicalicus" (the stone that allows him to commune with the magic), is forced to improvise when his hometown is threatened by the sorcerer-king Aspeling. To further complicate matters, Conn gets exiled from Wellmet for using pyrotechnics, the Dutchess's daughter is in danger and Conn's "embero" spell turns him into bird instead of a cat. Conn has a heart of gold, but struggles with his past reputation as a thief, and his reluctance to work with a partner holds him back ("I wasn't sure, exactly, what diplomacy was"). Like its predecessor, this story is interspersed with letters and journal entries, as well as skillful etchings, giving readers an intimacy with the characters. Eloquent and suspenseful, this follow-up doesn't disappoint. Ages 10-up.
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Publishers Weekly

Gr 4–6—At the conclusion of the first volume, wizard's apprentice Conn lost his locus device, which he used to communicate with his city's magic, so at the start of this volume he resorts to pyrotechnic experiments to communicate with Wellmet's magic instead. After his experiments go awry, he is exiled and joins a mission to the city of Desh, which may be the source of the evils plaguing Wellmet. With help from his friend Lady Rowan, leader of the mission, Conn uses his street smarts and his knowledge of magic to try to understand who is behind the malevolent Shadowmen. His goals and guesses are opposed by a variety of characters, leading to intrigue and conflict. Prineas's detailed magic has its own logic, and an abundance of clues to the evil will intrigue and confuse readers as they try to solve the mystery along with the protagonist. Conn's first-person narrative is paired with letters from his mentor and other characters, allowing Prineas to reach beyond the limits of the main character's viewpoint. Conn's relationship with Rowan continues to grow, providing both humor for the story and depth to both characters. A fun read for fans of fantastic adventures.—Beth L. Meister, Milwaukee Jewish Day School, WI

School Library Journal

Apprentice magician Conn battles a new magical threat while continuing to drive friend and foe alike mad with irritation in this headlong sequel. As the clueless magicians of the local college continue to deny reality, a rising tide of attacks from Dementor-like Shadowmen prompts the Duchess to send her daughter Rowan to the distant desert city of Desh to see if it has been similarly afflicted. Having blown up his home in a pyrotechnic experiment and left beloved bodyguard/nanny/cook Benet badly injured, remorseful Conn invites himself along-and soon finds evidence that the sorcerer-king of Desh is hiding something ugly indeed. Told in a mix of narrative and correspondence, the tale hurtles along to a climax in which Conn deals Evil a sharp setback that also sets up the next episode. Readers of the opener will understand the sometimes complex relationships better than latecomers, but the sequel stands sturdily on its own, and Conn, equally gifted at picking locks and being a thorn in the side of all, remains a vivid, memorable lead. (maps, recipes, thumbnail bios) (Fantasy. 11-13)

Kirkus Reviews