Elemental Masters
This article needs additional citations for verification. (February 2008) |
Author | The Fire Rose) DAW Books (others) |
---|---|
Publication date | October 1995–present |
Media type | Print (hardback & paperback) |
Pages | 9 |
Elemental Masters is a fantasy series by American writer
Books
- The Fire Rose (1995, ISBN 0-671-87750-X), based on Beauty and the Beast
- The Serpent's Shadow (2001, ISBN 0-7564-0061-9), based on Snow White
- The Gates of Sleep (2002, ISBN 0-7564-0101-1), based on Sleeping Beauty
- Phoenix And Ashes (2004, ISBN 0-7564-0272-7), based on Cinderella
- The Wizard of London (October 2005, ISBN 0-7564-0174-7), based on The Snow Queen
- Reserved for the Cat (October 2007, Puss in Boots
- Unnatural Issue (June 2011, ISBN 978-0756405755), based on Donkeyskinor similar tale
- Home From the Sea (June 2012, ISBN 978-0756407278), based on East of the Sun and West of the Moon, Tam Lin, and The Great Silkie of Sule Skerry
- Steadfast (June 2013, Steadfast Tin Soldier
- Blood Red (June 2014, Red Riding Hood
- From a High Tower (June 2015, ISBN 978-0756408985), based on Rapunzel
- A Study in Sable (June 2016,
- A Scandal in Battersea (October 2017,
- The Bartered Brides (October 2018,
- The Case of the Spellbound Child (December 2019,
- Jolene (December 2020, "
- The Silver Bullets of Annie Oakley (January 2022, ISBN 9780756412180)
Baen Books published The Fire Rose[2] before the series was established as such. DAW Books published the remaining titles, inaugurating the "Elemental Masters" moniker and numeration. Hence Serpent's Shadow is the first numbered title in the series.[3]
In addition to the main books, two anthologies (Elemental Magic released in December 2012, and Elementary released in December 2013) have been published, containing works by various fantasy and science fiction authors set in the Elemental Masters universe.[4][5]
World
The setting of the "Elemental Masters" is an alternative Earth during the early 1900s. The main and perhaps sole difference between this world and our reality is that magic exists, controlled by those who have mastery over the four classical elements (fire, air, water, earth). The majority of the tales take place in England, with
Magic
The world of the "Elemental Masters" is home to two main types of
Elemental magic
Elemental magic is the most commonly seen form of magic in the series, with every book having at least a couple of elemental masters as major characters, with one serving as the antagonist. The masters' abilities are tied with their ability to see and control spirits of a particular elemental affinity. Different regions of the world have different Elementals. Elemental magicians are classed by their affinity (Earth, Air, Fire, and/or Water) and by their mastery of their magic; one can be an Elemental Magician or an Elemental Master. It is mentioned in Blood Red that there is a fifth kind of magic, Spirit, which has no Masters, as the Masters of this element would be able to control the very angels of heaven, and as such no master can be born of this element. This is later proven to not be the case in "A Study In Sable", which features a Master of Spirit who uses a violin to summon spirits and communicate with them.
The Power of Ice and Necromancy
The power of Ice can be seen as a partial exception of the normal abilities of an Elemental mage. Ice can be controlled by a skilled master of Fire, with cold being the inverse of heat. As seen in
Similarly, Necromancy, the power of death, in
The Talented
Most of the details given about the talented (those who have some degree of psychic abilities) are seen in
Sensitives
Details are given in
Other forms of magic
While psychics, wizards and elemental masters are portrayed as the more common magic users in the western world, the series also focuses on other forms of power such as the Hindu sorcerers of India and the various spirits of the world (such as the fey of England and avatars of the Hindu gods).[6]
Variation on fairy tale models
Each book in the series is loosely based on a famous
References
- ^ Elemental Masters series listing at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database, page 2
- ^ The Fire Rose title listing at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database
- ^ Elemental Masters series listing at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database
- The Serpent’s Shadow title listing at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database
- The Gates of Sleep title listing at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database
- Phoenix and Ashes title listing at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database
- The Wizard of London title listing at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database
- Reserved For the Cat title listing at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database
- ^ "Publication: Elemental Magic: All-New Tales of the Elemental Masters". isfdb.org.
- ^ "Publication: Elementary". isfdb.org.
- ^ Lackey, Mercedes. The serpents's shadow - Young Adult Review - Book Review | Kliatt | Find Articles at BNET.com