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Book Reviews of Phoenix and Ashes (Elemental Masters, Bk 4)

Phoenix and Ashes (Elemental Masters, Bk 4)
Phoenix and Ashes - Elemental Masters, Bk 4
Author: Mercedes Lackey
PBS Market Price: $8.09 or $4.19+1 credit
ISBN-13: 9780756402723
ISBN-10: 0756402727
Publication Date: 10/4/2005
Pages: 432
Rating:
  • Currently 3.9/5 Stars.
 120

3.9 stars, based on 120 ratings
Publisher: DAW
Book Type: Paperback
Reviews: Amazon | Write a Review

18 Book Reviews submitted by our Members...sorted by voted most helpful

reviewed Phoenix and Ashes (Elemental Masters, Bk 4) on + 308 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
Story started slowly but it got better as it went on
reviewed Phoenix and Ashes (Elemental Masters, Bk 4) on + 63 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
Eleanor has been bound to the hearth by her evil stepmother, Alison, an Elemental Earth Master. As Eleanor begins to come into her own power as an Elemental Fire Master, she learns to circumvent the bond holding her to her home & hearth. She must hurry if she is to save the man she loves from death by Alison's minions
reviewed Phoenix and Ashes (Elemental Masters, Bk 4) on + 24 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
In the middle of a fantasy novel about magic and romance, I encountered some of the most realistic and honest writing dealing with the horror of WWI. Welcome and surprising. Not the most accesable novels in this series, but one of the best.
reviewed Phoenix and Ashes (Elemental Masters, Bk 4) on + 522 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
Lot of explanation about class during WWI, and morals, and tarot - while telling an allegory of Cinderella, and the wicked stepmother
dbs avatar reviewed Phoenix and Ashes (Elemental Masters, Bk 4) on + 329 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
Another entry in the Elemental Master series, though stands alone as well. A little depressing, recognizable elements of venerable old fairy tales, porbably not my favorite in the series, though I enjoyed it.
reviewed Phoenix and Ashes (Elemental Masters, Bk 4) on + 57 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
I'm enjoying this fairy tale series. It isn't serious reading, but it is fun.
reviewed Phoenix and Ashes (Elemental Masters, Bk 4) on + 27 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
Solid story in a historical context in the classic Lackey style.
reviewed Phoenix and Ashes (Elemental Masters, Bk 4) on + 30 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
Another wonderful book by one of the most consistant and inventive authors in the fantasy field. I learned more about World War I in England from this book than I did from my history classes in high school and college. And the mythic elements are handled with Mercedes' usual dexterity.
reviewed Phoenix and Ashes (Elemental Masters, Bk 4) on
Helpful Score: 1
The retelling of Cinderalla story with a magical twist set in the backround of WWI era england. Another wonderful book in the Elemental Masters Series.
reviewed Phoenix and Ashes (Elemental Masters, Bk 4) on
#3 in the Elemental Masters series. Really love her books
Pb-Patch avatar reviewed Phoenix and Ashes (Elemental Masters, Bk 4) on + 42 more book reviews
I have truly enjoyed this series and this is my favorite. The setting of WWI England is honest and believable as are the characters. Very well plotted and drawn out. Even though it is loosely based as a Cinderella story complete with wicked stepmother and evil stepsisters it is definitely a realistic dramatic story in a wartime setting. There is, as always with Lackey, romance, elements of fantasy and complete systems of magic thrown in.

What I don't understand about this series is why most lists of this series, with this site being the exception, list this as book 3 instead of book 4. The series list inside my copy of "The Wizard of London" claims that it is the 4th book when it is in actuality the 5th. For some reason it lists book 1 as "The Serpents Shadow" and completely drops the actual first book "The Fire Rose" off the list.

Oh well, just wondering. I have read book 2, 3, 4, and 6 of the series and loved them all.
reviewed Phoenix and Ashes (Elemental Masters, Bk 4) on + 22 more book reviews
Fantasy story laid over the real world. Great series, very hard to put down.
reviewed Phoenix and Ashes (Elemental Masters, Bk 4) on + 15 more book reviews
A Cinderella story with magic in Mercedes Lackey fashion.
stephanie13w avatar reviewed Phoenix and Ashes (Elemental Masters, Bk 4) on + 300 more book reviews
I couldn't get into this at all. Maybe someone else would like this.
reviewed Phoenix and Ashes (Elemental Masters, Bk 4) on + 10 more book reviews
really liked this magical, elemental twist on the old Cinderella story.
reviewed Phoenix and Ashes (Elemental Masters, Bk 4) on + 24 more book reviews
LOVE this series, this book is excellent!
reviewed Phoenix and Ashes (Elemental Masters, Bk 4) on + 1453 more book reviews
The magical characters in this book experience the everyday issues of sorrow and pain.  Sexism and war with their ramifications are part of the story, too.  It's another look at the Cinderella tale with wicked stepsisters and stepmother, revised to fit the theme the author uses.  Visit the imaginary town of Broom in rural England where its small population diminshes even more with the onset of war.  The "prince" of this telling suffers from the horrors he has seen.  Home trying to recover from the mental and physical anguish he continues to experience, he has become a recluse.  Of course, the ruthless stepmother is set on marrying one of her daughters to him for his wealth.  She will stop at nothing to achieve that end, including dark magic.

I loved this tale as I loved so many stories this author shares with readers.  It had been awhile since I picked up a read by Lackey but I enjoyed it every bit as much as I have other tales from this author's pen.  If you like fantasy don't miss the Elemental Masters series.  
Readnmachine avatar reviewed Phoenix and Ashes (Elemental Masters, Bk 4) on + 1477 more book reviews
Lackey's mixture of magic creatures existing in WWI England is incredibly slow to get off the ground, and not even her well-drawn portrait of a tormented hero can save it.