Last week, I talked about arguably the biggest and most popular series ever written. This week, I’m changing it up a bit to talk about the magical system in one of my FAVORITE indie books, the Crown of Stones trilogy by C.L. Schneider, who I’m sure is tired of me talking about her already. #sorrynotsorry

In the trilogy, magic is an addiction and Ian Troy is definitely fighting the good fight against it. Using magic sucks the life out of everything around him, and when he used it to defeat an army, he ended up taking half of his own army with him. Ten years later, he’s haunted by the deaths he caused–and the pull of magic that still eats at him.

I love the magical system in this series because it’s unlike anything I’ve read before. Magic having a horrible price, and being so very addictive, is a brilliant parallel to drug abuse and addiction. You really watch him struggle against the need to use, and the guilt that comes with knowing what happens if he does. It’s a truly fascinating set-up that Schneider has constructed, and we’re all just lucky to play in it.

If you haven’t yet checked it out, click on the book covers to find out more!