Cast in Secret (Chronicles of Elantra, Book 3) | 
 enlarge | Author: Michelle Sagara
Publisher: Luna
Category: Book
List Price: $6.99
Buy New: $3.35
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New (32) Used (7) from $2.54
Avg. Customer Rating:  29 reviews
Sales Rank: 32886
Media: Mass Market Paperback
Edition: Reprint
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 528
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.5
Dimensions (in): 6.5 x 4.2 x 1.4
ISBN: 0373802838
Dewey Decimal Number: 813
EAN: 9780373802838
ASIN: 0373802838
Publication Date: August 1, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Shipping: International shipping available
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Product Description
Still avoiding magic whenever possible, Private Kaylin Neya relished investigating a run-of-the-mill theft. Until she found out the mysterious stolen box had been taken from Elani Street, where the mages and charlatans mingled, and it was sometimes hard to tell the difference between the two. And since the box was ancient, without a keyhole, and held tremendous darkness inside, Kaylin knew unknown forces were again playing with her destiny—and her life.…
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| Customer Reviews: Read 24 more reviews...
 Worth reading November 29, 2008
CAST IN SECRET has not garnered the most positive reviews from Michelle Sagara's (or West's) fans, and it is not the best book she has written, but it is still a solid addition to this series. True, it doesn't advance the romantic relationship between Kaylin and Severn or elucidate at all the relationship between Kaylin and Nightshade, nor does it demonstrate that Kaylin's recent travails have upped her maturity by much. It does, however, tell us much more about the nature of Elantra than we knew before, and this series is "The Chronicles of Elantra," not "The Chronicles of Kaylin Neya." We learn more about the history of the world, about the social and psychic life of the Tha'alani, about the inclinations and politics of dragons, and about how thoroughly magic rules this world. It's a big and complicated world, and it's clear Sagara has a lot more she wants to tell us about it. I don't get any sense at all that this series is stalled or that Sagara is out of ideas, and I don't even feel all that impatient about the rate at which Elantra's secrets are dribbling out.
My biggest criticism of the book is that, behind their forbidding, tentacled exteriors, Tha'alani are jarringly nice, all sweetness and light--not something you'd expect in this world. There's a rationale for this niceness, which has to do with the way people develop when their minds are completely open to all of their peers. Still, I didn't expect to encounter cuddly Ewoks in nasty Elantra.
In response to all of the people who are complaining about Kaylin's impulsiveness and alleged immaturity, I'd like to point out that (1) the first three novels take place over a period of around two months, total, so she hasn't had a lot of time to mellow; (2) she's roughly 20, which means that she shouldn't be acting like a 12-year-old, but most of the U.S. thinks that she's still too young to handle alcohol responsibly; (3) her impulsive, stubborn, propriety-tweaking style is meant (I would argue) to show that she resists the strictures of a social order that is unfair, very hierarchical, and only nominally just; and (4) this style helps drive the plot and provide a foil for the nose-in-the-air types she deals with on a day-to-day basis. None of this is very subtle, of course; it could be more artfully done, but while Sagara can be subtle, a lot of the time she chooses not to be.
In any event, if all you liked about the first two books was the hints of romance, I would understand if you didn't like this book. If, however, you are a fan of fantasy world-building, I think you will find this book worth reading. By the way, my score of 3 stars is really a 3.5 stars rating, signifying an OK but not outstanding novel.
 Excellent Book October 15, 2008
I have enjoyed every book in this series and I cannot wait for the next one.
 No secret here! October 5, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Okay, I have read all her stories and have liked them all, My only disappointment is that she is not learning her Magic fast enought. She has the respect of two immortal races, pluse thre mortal races. She has magice that not even the immortals have every seen. But she can't control it.
It really hard to review her stories without just snerking them to death and I don't want to do that. Now this review is hindered by the fact that I have just read the sequel to this story yesterday. LOL. So let that tell you if you are reader of this series then this book does not stop me. I will still read her. lol. It probably deserve more then four star and if I was reviewing it immediately after reading it. Then I would of probably given it five.
A very good read, a good fantasy world, good action. Has a little feel of Steven Burst serie That included Dragon.
 Nothing there June 11, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
I'm on page 81 and can't make hide nor hair of it. There is nothing compelling me to continue so will return to library.
Sorry. Borinng book.
 Drag May 9, 2008
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
I enjoyed the previous 2 books in the series. Although the romance side scarely moved at all, the story plot was intense. The actions and mysteries were captivating.
And then it kind of just flopped over and died in the third book.
I have to admit, I didn't even finish reading the book this time. The story dragged on, and it just didn't seem interesting anymore. Kaylin is doing nothing but running around like a silly child, and no one bothers to explain or ...just do anything.
I remember a fellow reviewer, who commented quite correctly, that Kaylin should seriously be properly fed and given a suitablt salary, as she was suppose to be some famous and important "lady" now.
To carry on a bit further, the story plot was great, however, the author's style and skill on creating and protraying the characters is a tad ineffective. I still have no memory of how characters look like, what their personalities are like etc. A common problem for many authors, its either great plot, non-existent characterization, vice versa.
I really can't read on, and I noticed that the fourth book is also coming out. As a reader who puts equal empasis on both plot and characterization, I believe I won't be able to continue following the series.
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