BATTLE MAGIC

Nancy Wu does a commendable job narrating this story, set in Pierce's magical world of The Winding Circle. Wu fluidly pronounces the difficult words, names, and places, such as "Gyongxe," where the Living Circle religion's home temple is located. Wu's clearly enunciated, distinctly American accent helps the listener grasp the complicated plot and alternate world, which has an Asian ambiance. This story features plant mages Briar and Rosethorn and stone mage Evvy, who are traveling to view Eastern gardens. During their travels, they meet the cruel emperor of Yanjing; rescue his slave, Parahan; and discover a plot for war against Gyongxe. Character voices and accents are a bit inconsistent, sometimes creating confusion as to who is speaking. Even so, Wu keeps the listener's attention with her engaging narration. M.M.G. © AudioFile 2014, Portland, Maine [Published: MARCH 2014]