Review: “Magic Revealed,” Linsey Hall

Pros: Kick-ass heroines; imaginative fight scenes
Cons: Some inconsistencies
Rating: 4 out of 5

Linsey Hall’s Magic Revealed (Dragon’s Gift: The Seeker Book 3) is an enjoyable installment in the Dragon’s Gift world. Del is part of a magic Triumvirate along with her sisters-by-choice Cass and Nix. She represents Death, and as such is beginning to discover powers such as travelling through portals to the Underworlds. As a FireSoul like her sisters she can absorb the powers of those she kills, and she’s starting to take on the powers of the demons she’s been fighting. In the original five-book The Huntress sub-series Del died to help her friends win a battle against a terrible monster. In book one of The Seeker sub-series she came back to the land of the living with the handsome Warden of the Underworlds (Roarke) hot on her trail. He agreed to wait to take her back until they found and defeated a super-powerful demon, but by the time they’d succeeded he’d realized he couldn’t do that to her, and allowed her to stay. In book two, Del found herself besieged by demons drawn to the powers she stole from an Ubilaz demon. In order to get her own magic under control, she spoke with a seer who told her there was a block on her control of her powers. She ended up hunting down a powerful artifact that would help her.

In book three, Del is on a treasure hunt with Nix when she’s rocked by a weird feeling that drives her to her knees. When it happens again and again she finally figures out it’s Draka trying to reach out to her. She also starts having dreams of her childhood, in which her distant and powerful parents seem to have little regard for her and only Draka speaks to her kindly. After determining that Draka’s in trouble, Del sets out with her friends and Roarke to find and rescue Draka. But of course, nothing is ever so simple, and it’s time for Del to learn more about her past–and her fate.

I have some trouble with Del’s ability to bring the past back to life. It’s this weird thing where the past and present collide, and sometimes it seems like it’s a temporary thing that fades when the magic’s done, but sometimes it seems like Del can change the past? Huh? It’s awkward as hell and I wish Hall hadn’t worked in the whole change-the-past aspect of it. It’s just too finicky and easy to screw up if you aren’t really really careful. And, well, sometimes Hall isn’t entirely careful with her details. (Still waiting for an explanation as to why people will use bows and arrows but not guns in these books.)

That said, watching Del master her magics and gain new ones is fun. She and her friends are turning into a walking magical arsenal; Nix has got to be getting magic envy while waiting for her own sub-series. Also, the fight scenes are still fantastic, with plenty of magic-slinging and whole armies of demons ready to be squished at our heroes’ feet.

Best of all is the sheer kick-assery of our heroines. Their honeys are partners and teammates, not super-protectors. The guys so far respect their women. I think Roarke and Del have more chemistry than Aidan and Cass. Also note that while there is a touch of romance in these series, it’s not the dominant theme and is PG-rated. I also love Del’s weird fetish for good luck charms! The series is a little formulaic as urban fantasies go, but it’s just plain fun and I’m enjoying it so far.

• Dragon’s Gift: The Huntress (5 Book Series)
• Dragon’s Gift: The Seeker Complete Series: An Urban Fantasy Boxed Set
• Dragon’s Gift: The Protector Complete Series: Books 1 – 5