A couple of "Cybermage" reviews are in...
Thea and her fellow students at the Wandless Academy are back for another year and another adventure in this third book in the Worldweavers series. A mysterious cube, thought to belong to Nikola Tesla, has been acquired by the FBM, Federal Bureau of Magic, and Thea is asked to unlock its secrets. Little does Thea suspect that in unlocking the elemental cube, she and her friends will become intimately involved in the life of the famed scientist. Alexander again combines the ancient magics of the First World with the newer magic afforded by cyberspace. Thea and her friends use computers to move effortlessly from time to time and place to place. Cyberspace permits those lost to be brought back, if only in some holographic form. Although magic plays a role in the saga, it is not of the spell-casting type. Rather it is a careful use of knowledge of the past with the tools at hand. The magic resides more in the individual person, in this case Thea and her friends, than in some instrument. Significant lessons about the value of one's integrity, of the importance of keeping promises, and the consequences of standing up for one's beliefs are also at the heart of this novel, a fantasy that does not lose its focus on the humans at its core. Strong female characters will draw more girls than boys, but this series should enjoy crossover appeal. Reviewer: Teri S. Lesesne
Thea Winthrop returns to the Wandless Academy in the fall and is drawn immediately into another adventure when the Federal Bureau of Magic asks for help. She and her friends discover that a mysterious cube contains the personality and powers of an elemental mage. Their efforts to save him from hostile forces propel the story. The fast-paced plot and nonstop suspense are enhanced by Thea's growth into a stronger mage and warier person-changes precipitated by the betrayal of her trust by the FBM and her enlisting an acerbic, very smart Wandless student as an advisor. The climax and resolution, which involve both the alien Alphiri and mythical beings from the Earth's past, demand a strong suspension of disbelief but do provide reader satisfaction. Recurrent characters and settings provide a satisfactory link among volumes of the trilogy (Worldweavers: Spellspam, 2008) but don't make this one work as a stand-alone novel. Buy it to keep the fans happy. (Fantasy. 12 & up)
Well, Kirkus SORT of liked it... [grin]