Review: My Absolute Favorite!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 04 22, 2012
They've done it again.  The dynamic and talented writing team of S. A. Archer and S. Ravynheart continue to raise the bar on the collection of stories that they have authored in regards to the magical and conflict ridden world of the Sidhe.  After having read the previous novellas (Book one -Aftershock (Rise of the Unseelie urban fantasy series)and Book two -Scars of Silver (Rise of the Unseelie urban fantasy series),) the talent of these two writers causes me to be very drawn to the central characters in each line.  Are you addicted yet?  I know I am.  And what a yummy cover!  What I continue to appreciate about these authors and their work is their ability to keep me guessing.  To keep me wondering and asking, "What's going to happen in the next story?"  And that speaks a lot to their talent of whetting my curiosity so that I am impatient for the next story.In Eyes of Magic, the story picks up again with the story of Malcolm, a young earthborn Unseelie Sidhe who has been rescued from the horrible abuse and captivity at the hands of goblins.  All Malcolm wanted to do was discover more about himself and what it meant to be a Sidhe, since his parents kept him completely sheltered.  But what a price Malcolm had to pay for his curiosity!  The scars he acquired at the hands of the Changeling who both kidnapped and made a prisoner of him are not only physical, but deeply ingrained into Malcolm's psyche as well.  Which makes his quest for self discovery even more difficult and heartbreaking.Donovan has taken Malcolm to the safe haven he has created for other earthborns to develop and fine tune their unique aspects of magic and to continue seeking out other earthborns.  There, it is Donovan's hope that Malcolm will be able to heal in more ways than one.  The process of healing this battered young Sidhe will be a long one, but one that I think readers will truly rally behind.  Through the quirks of the other earthborns that Malcolm meets, as well as Donovan's continued patience in establishing trust, this story begins that incredible healing process.  Part of that process is being able to discover just exactly what special aspect of magic he possesses.  He's observed, from a self-imposed distance, all of the eccentricities of the others as they seemingly show off their magical talents with ease.  What kind of magic does he possess? What if his magic isn't as impressive as the others? Or worse, what if he's broken and doesn't have any magic?  Such very real worries that made my heart break for him.  How many of us have had our own feelings of self doubt as we encounter something new and unfamiliar?Malcolm's path will not be easy and there will be many times that he will stumble.  Being unable to forget his past will largely influence his future.  But much like a caterpillar that undergoes a stunning metamorphosis, I think we will see Malcolm begin to find the answers he needs in order to better understand himself as a Sidhe.  And of course after having finished the story I am going to try to patiently wait for Archer and Ravynheart to release the next one! ;)