Prince of Magic by Linda Winstead Jones

The firstborn children of the Fyne witches have finally come into their own, each with a special gift . . .

Independent Ariana Kane Varden, daughter of the Sun Witch, has never let family duty from reaching her dreams. She learned the practice of her gift, the power to heal others, at her mother's knee. And now she is the palace healer, tending to her emperor . . .
The last prophesy of magician Sian Chamblyn's late grandfather points to Ariana as the one to save Columbyana from a growing evil. Sian has hightailed it from lands afar to deliver the message. While he prepares her for the fight of her life, Sian intends to remain undistracted by his sensuously beautiful protégée. But in the heat of battle—and passion—diligence might be his downfall . . .

My Thoughts

Prince of Magic is the first book in the Children of the Sun trilogy, the follow-up to the sensational trilogy, Sisters of the Sun.

In the land of Columbyana, darkness is spreading and an unspeakable evil threatens the land. Sian Chamblyn, a great wizard and grandson of a powerful magician, journeys to the Emperor to relay his grandfather’s final prophecy – The Prophecy of the Firstborn. The prophecy states that the first born children of three fine women will fight and save Columbyana from this evil – an evil that has taken control of the Emperor’s son, Prince Ciro. Sian is expecting a seasoned warrior to lead the fight and is surprised and shocked to discover that the leader is a woman named Ariana.

Ariana is the first-born daughter of the Sun Witch, Sophie. She has been the healer of Emperor Arik, using what she can to keep the ailing emperor alive. Neither Sian nor Ariana believe she has what it takes to lead the army but they accept fate and work together to train for the battle that is yet to come. They are drawn to each other from the beginning, and slowly begin to believe in each other and fall in love. But Sian holds a secret that could destroy their romance before it even begins.

After reading the Sisters of the Sun trilogy, I quickly ran out and bought this one. Once again, I was taken to a land of magic, mystery and passion. The land of Columbyana did not seem like a fictional land as the author paints a descriptive picture and you are transported there. Prince of Magic was emotional, passionate, action-packed and magical. This written story line provides closure to Ariana's segue and sets the stage for the next Fyne witch to continue the war against evil.

If you are a fan of the fantasy genre, you will not be disappointed. I strongly recommend it.