Magic Thief of Gavalos (Cerny)

Magic Thief of Gavalos  (Sequel to Shield of Paladine)
Barbara T. Cerny, 2015
Strategic Book Publishing
495 pp.
ISBN-13: 9781631359415


Summary
Because of Hestia’s unspeakable betrayal, Zeus unwittingly creates his own mortal enemy and sets the path to his own destruction.

Seventeen years have passed on Earth and Amorgos calls Pierre and Elise Tonnelier once again. Through their children’s antics, they find themselves back to a place they never wanted to be. Amorgos is bereft of magic and Elise, as the Redeemer, finds herself reluctantly leading the races to save their world as she finds herself trying to save her marriage.

French teens Elam and Illieya Tonnelier and their friend, Chace Bagot, do the one thing they have been told to never do – touch the Sword of the Western Sun. Its portal stone sends them first to Amorgos and then the Shield of the Palidine sends them to a world worse than Amorgos - Olympus. There they face the gods of Greek mythology and are set on a quest to destroy the most powerful witch who has ever lived, Zeus.

Magic Thief of Gavalos picks up where Shield of the Palidine finishes. This incredible adventure chronicles two journeys: a second of Elise and Pierre on Amorgos and five years in the lives of Illieya, Elam, and Chace as they battle witches and each other. Both groups must come to terms with themselves and their relationships to save Amorgos, Olympus, and their families.

Author Bio
• Birth—N/A
• Where—Denver, Colorado, USA
• Education—A.S., Mesa State College; B.S., Arizona State University; M.S., Lehigh University
• Currently—Oakwood, Ohio


Author Barbara T. Cerny grew up in Grand Junction, Colorado, which at that time was a small town of 30,000 people.

She left that little burg to see the world, garner three college degrees, and to serve in the US Army. After eight years on active duty and fourteen years in the reserves, she retired as a lieutenant colonel in 2007.

While deployed to the Middle East in 2005, Ms. Cerny finally figured out she had to get going on the real love of her life, writing. She wrote her first two novels during that time and hasn’t stopped. She is presently working on novels number seven, eight, and nine.

When not writing, Ms. Cerny works as an information technology specialist and supervisor for the US Air Force. She lives with her loving husband, their two active teenagers, two needy cats, and two turtles. The turtles patiently watch her write and listen to her intently as she discusses plot lines with them. (From the author.)

Visit the author's website.
Follow Barbara on Facebook...and Twitter.

Book Reviews
(5 Stars) Barbara T. Cerny has created a magical world that rivals that of Tolkien’s Middle Earth in Shield of the Palidine and its sequel, Magic Thief of Gavalos. With a concise summary of the first book as a prologue, you can easily get into the new story, whether you have read the previous one or not. Fantastic creatures, a difficult quest, soaring emotions and intense action keep you enthralled as you follow Elam, Illieya and Chace through torments and triumphs on an alien world. Thoroughly absorbing, Magic Thief of Gavalos is a book you can’t put down. The depth of the author's insight and the emotions portrayed are amazing!
Melinda Hills - Readers' Favorite


I really enjoyed it. It was sadly ironic that the loss of magic on Amorgos was caused by Pierre tossing the shield out of the window to save Elise's life at the end of the first book. But what a great foundation for this fascinating story! It was brilliant to have all the magic that Illieya & Chace brought from Olympus restore the magic on Amorgos! Gave me goosebumps! I loved how Illieya's role as a magic thief and Chace's role as a magic vessel complemented each other. The battle scenes are so good—both when they were trying to capture the creatures on Amorgos and the battle at the mithril mine on Olympus and especially the final battle with the Pantheon. These would play out wonderfully in a movie. [Barbara Cerny has] such a talented imagination!
Ruth Woodman, beta reader

Discussion Questions
1. MToG is a sequel. Could it stand on its own or does it need the Shield of the Palidine to be complete? Do you like series better? Why/why not?

2. Illieya is an intellectual with disdain for those around her that aren’t as well read. Why do you think she was this way? Would the story have been better or worse if Illieya had been more like her brother?

3. Zeus tortures the three teenagers for information on the portal stone and Chace’s inexplicable ability to survive. What was your reaction to this torture? Was it needed? Did it set the stage properly or go to far?

4. What did you think of the ensemble cast of characters? Did they overwhelm you or add fun and flavor? And you imagine a pixie and a giant having a conversation?

5. Is it possible to lose your love like Pierre and Elise did yet find it again? Were you cheering for them or wondering if separation would be best? Would you want to take romance advice from all the male creatures like Pierre tried to?

6. The author really went back and forth between Illieya ending up with Latar or with Chace. Did she make the right decision to have her end up with the other human? Was it right for Elam to end up with Selene? She waited for him for five years until he turned 18. Is this realistic?

7. As the battle in Edessa unfolded, when Chace took off his helmet, was he giving Zeus the middle finger or trying to say something else? What did Elam's comments in French to Zeus portray?

8. Did you find the ending with the female witch taking Zeus's place interesting?  How should that play into a future book?
(Questions courtesy of the author.)

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