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Poison Study
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Study Series: Book 1

Poison Study (2005) (edit title/settings)

by Maria V. Snyder (Author) (edit contributors)

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Description edit see section history

Choose: A quick death . . . or slow poison . . .
About to be executed for murder, Yelena is offered an extraordinary reprieve.
She'll eat the best meals, have rooms in the palace -- and risk assassination by anyone trying to kill the Commander of Ixia.
As Yelena tries... read more

Summary edit see section history

Magic is illegal in the North. Any sorcerer found is caught and executed. Decreed by the Commander who overthrew the tyrannical King who was also a magician. We first meet the protagonist Yelena in the dungeon for killing some unknown person. She freely admits it, because this man was evil. As... read more (warning: may contain spoilers)

Magic is illegal in the North. Any sorcerer found is caught and executed. Decreed by the Commander who overthrew the tyrannical King who was also a magician. We first meet the protagonist Yelena in the dungeon for killing some unknown person. She freely admits it, because this man was evil. As she is taken up to be executed, a plot twist is introduced as the death of the Commander's food taster. The guidelines are, when a food taster dies, the next person scheduled to be executed has the option of continuing with the execution or attempting the training under Valek. Valek trains the new tasters, and he is a complex character. Being the Commander's most trusted adviser, he has a reputation as ruthless, heartless, and a murderer. Yelena gets to know Valek, and he even saves her from a magicians attack. Valek and her develop a relationship as Yelena is being targeted by Southern Magicians. Yelena herself is a magician, taken from the South when she was a little girl. Yelena, being the lovable character she is, makes friends in the soldiers ranks as she trains with them every day, with Valek's approval. Through the story, readers find out why Yelena was in jail in the first place, and why magic is such a danger to the Commander. There are several little plot twists along the way, such as Valek's imperviousness to magic itself. Who can Yelena trust in a world of deception?

Characters edit see section history

  • Yelena Liana Zaltana: Narrator and Main Character. Sent to prison for killing Reyad and chosen as the next food taster. Trained to taste poisons. Often referred to as a Rat & enjoys acrobatics.
  • Valek: The Commander's personal security chief and leader of the vast intelligence network for the territory of Ixia, Poison Master, Trained Killer, Assassin. Often described as a Cat. Magic doesn't effect him.
  • Commander Ambrose: Commander of Ixia. Only person to have killed a snow cat. Strongly dislikes magic.
  • General Brazell: General of MD 5. Controlled the orphanage Yelena grew up in. Reyad's father.
  • Reyad: General Brazell's only son. Killed by Yelena
  • Margg: Personal House Keeper to the Commander and Valek. Dislikes Yelena.
  • Rand: Master Cook at the castle.
  • Mogkan: Friend to Reyad and adviser to General Brazell.
  • Irys Jewelrose: Master level magician from Sitia.
  • Janco: Soldier in the Commander's army.
  • Ardenus (Ari): Soldier in the Commander's army.
  • Maren: Maren is a captain in the commanders army who teaches Yelena how to fight with a bow. Calls Yelena 'Puker' for a while
Show all 12 characters
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Quotes edit see section history

  • “I am not a fool.”
    Yelena
  • “To Yelena, our newest food taster. May you last longer than your predecessor.”
    Valek
  • “Only Valek would consider an attempt on my life a fascinating diversion.”
    Yelena
  • “Oh yeah. Like you could hear me over your specially trained ‘woodland-animal footsteps,’” Rough Voice countered. “It was like listening to two deer humping each other.”
    Rough Voice
  • “His movements were so graceful that I wondered if he had been a dancer, but his words betrayed to me that his fluid gestures were those of a trained killer.”
    Yelena
  • “The only reason Valek was interested in me, I thought as I walked through the dim corridors, was because I was a puzzle for him to solve”
    Yelena
  • Popular Highlights from Kindle Customers
  • “Everyone makes choices in life. Some bad, some good. It’s called living, and if you want to bow out, then go right ahead. But don’t do it halfway. Don’t linger in whiner’s limbo,”
    Highlighted by 42 Kindle customers
  • ‘Sieges weathered, fight together, friends forever’?”
    Highlighted by 36 Kindle customers
  • “You have my attention. But give me what I want, and you can have everything.”
    Highlighted by 32 Kindle customers
  • “But you’ve slipped under my skin, invaded my blood and seized my heart.” “That sounds more like a poison than a person,” was all I could say. His confession had both shocked and thrilled me. “Exactly,” Valek replied. “You have poisoned me.”
    Highlighted by 27 Kindle customers
  • “You once said I wasn’t ready to believe your reason for killing Reyad. I’ll believe you now.” “But I’m not ready to tell you,” I said and left the room.
    Highlighted by 27 Kindle customers
  • “Ari said you screamed and raved a lot while he took care of you. In fact, he said that if Reyad was alive today, he’d gut the bastard without a moment’s hesitation. I just thought you might want to know.” Janco gave me a brotherly kiss on the forehead and left.
    Highlighted by 18 Kindle customers
  • “An execution order hasn’t kept us apart before. There are ways to get around it. We will be together.” “Is that an order?” “No, a promise.”
    Highlighted by 18 Kindle customers
  • I didn’t want or expect this. But I couldn’t resist you.”
    Highlighted by 16 Kindle customers
  • I understood that Valek’s loyalty to the Commander was without question. His blue eyes held a fierce determination and I knew in my soul that Valek would take his own life after he had taken mine.
    Highlighted by 12 Kindle customers
  • And there’s been no one in this world that I care for more. Until now.”
    Highlighted by 11 Kindle customers
Show all 16 quotes from this book

Setting & Locations edit see section history

First Sentence edit see section history

Locked in darkness that surrounded me like a coffin, I had nothing to distract me from my memories.

Table of Contents edit see section history

Chapters One to Thirty Two

Glossary edit see section history

Series & Lists edit see section history

This is book 1 of 6 in Study Series. (standard series)

Followed by Magic Study.

Authors & Contributors edit see section history

  1. Maria V. Snyder (Author)

First Edition edit see section history

Original Language: English
Publisher: Harlequin - Luna
Country: Canada
Publication Date: October 1, 2005
ISBN: 0778327116
Page Count: 409

Classification edit see section history

Notes for Parents edit see section history

Reading Level: Adults

I originally thought this was a Young Adult book due to Yelena's young age and the plot of the book. But it definitely IS NOT. It has very mature subject matter.

Links to Supplemental Material edit see section history

More Books Like This edit see section history

   
  • Graceling
  • Storm Glass
  • Sea Glass
  • Fire Study
  • Magic Study
  • Spy Glass

Books Influenced by This Book edit see section history

   
  • Fire Study
  • Sea Glass
  • Spy Glass
  • Magic Study
  • Storm Glass
  • Touch of Power

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