Steel by Carrie Vaughn

After losing an important fencing competition, Jill starts to rethink her future and what she wants out of life. While her family is on vacation in the Bahamas, she finds an old, corroded spear tip in the sand and puts it in her pocket. But when it sends her back in time, she ends up on an actual pirate ship and has to sign on as a crew member. Pirate life is less glamorous that she expected - and dangerous, as she finds herself holding a live rapier for the first time. But Jill is determined to get home one way or another, if only she can figure out how...

I enjoyed this story and it was a fairly quick read. The characters and settings are very realistic, but not entirely predictable. I would recommend this to fantasy fans of all ages who enjoy stories about pirates, time travel, or strong female characters.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: A Posse of Princesses, Young Warriors, The Two Princesses of Bamarre, or Rampant

Young Warriors edited by Tamora Pierce and Josepha Sherman

This is a collection of short stories around the theme of young warriors, including:

• The Gift of Rain Mountain by Bruce Holland Rogers
• The Magestone by S. M. and Jan Stirling
• Eli and the Dybbuk by Janis Ian
• Heartless by Holly Black
• Lioness by Pamela F. Service
• Thunderbolt by Esther Friesner
• Devil Wind by India Edghill
• The Boy Who Cried "Dragon!" by Mike Resnick
• Student of Ostriches by Tamora Pierce
• Serpent's Rock by Laura Anne Gilman
• Hidden Warriors by Margaret Mahy
• Emerging Legacy by Doranna Durgin
• An Axe for Men by Rosemary Edghill
• Acts of Faith by Lesley McBain
• Swords That Talk by Brent Hartinger

Although these stories have a common theme, they all approach it differently with settings across many places on Earth and beyond, and throughout time as well. Some of the stories are historical (not fantasy) but most of them have magic or fantasy elements. I found it interesting to see the ways in which different authors approached the idea of "warriors" - not all of the characters fight with weapons, but all of them fight for something. I would recommend this collection to fantasy fans who enjoy thought-provoking stories and coming-of-age tales.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: Rampant, Dark Mirror series, Knight & Rogue novels, or The Seer and the Sword

Moon Flights by Elizabeth Moon

This is a collection of 15 sci fi/fantasy short stories:

• If Nudity Offends You -- Louanne discovers that someone in the trailer park has been stealing her electricity and they're going to pay...
• Gifts -- Dall Drop-hand leaves home to search for adventure; before he leaves, his sister gives him a bit of wood shaped like a knife and her gift could make all the difference
• Politics -- Gunny Vargas is a member of a marine company charged with keeping a landing site safe from hostile aliens, but the real enemy might be closer to home
• And Ladies of the Club -- When the king decides to charge taxes on women's breastplates, the lady warriors of the Ladies' Aid & Armor Society (LA & AS) will need to find a creative solution
• Accidents Don't Just Happen--They're Caused -- Peka is a consulting engineer assigned to a space station to improve the design and prevent accidents, but she's living under the shadow of her mother, who literally wrote the book(s) in the field
• New World Symphony -- Georges Mantenon is a specially-trained musician on his first assignment; his job is to musically represent a newly-discovered world, but it may be more challenging than he dreamed
• No Pain, No Gain -- Girls and women all over the kingdom wake up one morning to discover that their toned arms, legs, and stomachs have been replaced with flabby ones by magic; the members of the LA & AS will have to track down the people responsible and put things to rights
• Hand to Hand -- Ezera comes home after being at war to see her twin sister play in the symphony, but she isn't prepared for what she will hear
• Tradition -- A naval story from World War I
• Fool's Gold -- Cavernous Dire has accidentally been turned into a dragon, and he isn't happy about it; Mirabel Stonefist and the LA & AS decide to rescue him, but they aren't happy about it, either
• Judgment -- When Ker finds some egg-shaped rocks filled with crystals, he starts to feel uneasy, but he can't stop his soon-to-be father-in-law from taking them home
• Gravesite Revisited -- When the clanspeople discover that witches from the future are digging up their graves, they must rethink their traditions
• Sweet Charity -- The annual LA & AS Charity Ball is coming up and this year, Krystal Winterborn is determined to be named Queen of the Ball - no matter what
• Welcome to Wheel Days -- Planning a planet-wide festival is a massive undertaking, particularly since you never know what's going to go wrong...
• Say Cheese -- The Vatta brothers are on their first run, determined that they deserve a place in the family business of space merchants, but one of them may have ruined everything with an ill-fated purchase of cheese to sell

This is a very diverse collection of short stories, although it is definitely weighted toward war and fighters. I enjoyed most of the stories which range from relatively fluffy fantasy tales (such as the stories about the Ladies Aid & Armor Society) to deep, introspective science fiction. If you like both science fiction and fantasy - or if you've thought about branching out a bit - short stories can be a good way to go. I would recommend this to fantasy fans looking for short stories, particularly those who like darker, serious stories in addition to lighter ones.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: A Posse of Princesses, Rampant, The Abhorsen Trilogy, or Half Human

Daughter of the Flames by Zoe Marriott

Badly burned and orphaned by fires when she was young, Zira has been raised in a temple where she has been training to become a warrior priestess and protect the faith of her people, the Ruan. The invading forces of the Sedorne people have oppressed and terrorized the Ruan people since the day of the fires, and Zira longs to fight back and free her country. But now, as she turns sixteen, Zira finds that she may get her wish, but that it will be a long and difficult road as she discovers who she truly is and looks for the strength to work with her enemy to end the oppression for all.

This was an interesting book and the plot takes several turns as Zira learns what it means to grow up and to become a leader. I enjoyed finding out where the story would go and the characters were written very realistically. I would recommend this to fantasy readers who like books with strong female characters.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: A Posse of Princesses, Rampant, or Song of the Lioness Quartet

Poison Study and Magic Study by Maria V. Snyder

In Poison Study, Yelena is on her way to hang for murder; instead, she is offered an alternate fate. If she would prefer, she can have a permanent position in the palace with all of her needs taken care of. The catch is that she'll be working as the food taster for the Commander until one of his meals becomes her last. Yelena seizes the opportunity but finds the position less tenable when Valek, the chief of security, poisons her with Butterfly's Dust - only a daily dose of the antidote will keep her alive. With no chance of escape, Yelena discovers that her life is in danger from even more sources: her past still haunts her and a plot involving magic (in a country where magic is illegal) seems to center around her. Yelena must work fast to keep one step ahead before she ends up dead, one way or another...

In Magic Study, Although Yelena's fate has changed dramatically after the events in Ixia, she still has plenty of people out to kill her: an execution order is in effect in Ixia because of her magic, but the magicians training her will kill her if she cannot learn to control her abilities sufficiently. Meanwhile, her parents welcome her with open arms, but not all southerners are willing to accept her so quickly, including her brother. Rumors that she is a northern spy and assassin follow her all the way to the Citadel where students train as magicians. Plots crop up at every turn and suddenly, Yelena discovers that there are just as many complications awaiting her in Sitia as she had left behind. Luckily, she's up for a challenge.

I'm definitely enjoying this series - it's original and intriguing. The characters are well thought-out and the plot is complex but not confusing. I did feel as though some of the character relationships in the first book were a bit forced and unnatural and also that some of the plot in the second book seemed a little repetitive. Overall, however, I like these books and would recommend them to other fantasy readers - particularly those looking for something with a little political intrigue and 'spy work' or for something a bit out of the ordinary.

The third book in the series, Fire Study, is set to release in March 2008. For more information and excerpts from all of these books, you can visit Maria V. Snyder's homepage.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: Spirit Fox, Song of the Lioness Quartet, or The Last Apprentice

Series about Tortall by Tamora Pierce


All of the books in this posting take place within a universe created by the author, centered around the country of Tortall. Each series can stand alone, although several of the characters appear in multiple story lines, so some of the 'back-story' is in previous books.

• Song of the Lioness Quartet:
  

  1. Alanna, the First Adventure - Alanna of Trebond is getting shipped off to school to learn how to be a lady and her twin brother is off to start his training to be a knight. But that's the last thing either of them wants, so they conspire to switch places: Alanna will pretend to be 'Alan' and earn her shield while Thom studies to be a mage. Training is difficult - and so is hiding her real sex, but Alanna is determined to get through her first four years as a page.

  
  

  2. In the Hands of the Goddess - Alanna continues her training as Prince Jonathan's squire. Throughout those four years, she discovers even more difficulties, including war with a neighboring country, but also has help since the Great Mother Goddess has decided to adopt Alanna as one of her own. Soon, the young squire will find that being a Chosen one of the gods is incredibly complicated...

  
  

  3. The Woman Who Rides Like a Man - The newly knighted 'Lioness' leaves Corus to let outrage die down, now that her identity has come to light. She finds far more than she bargained for when she kills a Bazhir mage and the tribe forces her to take his place. Alanna must face her fears about magic and learn that there's more to being a knight than just swordfights.
  

  
  

  4. Lioness Rampant - Although Tortall is a strong country, they are threatened by political upsets all around. The only way to unite and consolidate Tortall's power under Jonathan's rule is for Alanna to bring home the Dominion Jewel - a mythical gem that a ruler can use to bond the land of an entire country to the Crown. The path to get the Jewel, and then bring peace to Tortall is long and difficult, but Alanna can do it if anyone can.
  

  
  



• The Immortals Quartet:
  (This series mentions some of the same characters - like the King - but can stand alone.)
  

  1. Wild Magic - When Veralidaine Sarrasi goes to the horse fair looking for a job, she never dreamed that she would meet people who could see her true potential - although she doesn't have the Gift, she's a wild mage. Daine has the power to talk to animals and even shift into their shapes. When Numair Salmalín (the most powerful mage known in Tortall or elsewhere) discovers her talents, he teaches her to use them and Daine finds herself thrust in the midst of adventures.

  
  

  2. Wolf Speaker - Daine gets word from the wolf pack that she used to live with (when she was first orphaned) that the humans in their valley are destroying the land where the pack hunts. Numair and Daine (now with the dragon kit Skysong in tow) head out to help them, but when they get there, they discover that the problem is far worse than they imagined: treason. Suddenly, it's up to them, with the help of the wolf pack, to save Tortall.

  
  

  3. The Emperor Mage - When Tortall sends a delegation to Carthak to forge an agreement between the countries, Daine goes with them, to look at the Emperor's prized birds. But when she gets there, a forgotten local goddess, the Graveyard Hag, decides that Daine presents the perfect opportunity to make herself known to the people again. Temporarily given the power to bring dead animals back to life, Daine suddenly discovers that when the gods meddle, her life becomes far more complicated. Her only hope is to find a way to fix the situation fast...

  
  

  4. In the Realms of the Gods - During an attack from some particularly nasty Immortals, Daine almost dies and wakes up in the realm of the immortals where she finally meets her father and discovers that her mother has become a low-level goddess herself. Unfortunately, she and Numair (who got pulled in with her) can't stay long because their friends in Tortall need their help in the war. Although it's difficult, the two must trek across the immoral realms to find the dragons, who might be able to take them back. It turns out, however, that where they /are/ isn't much safer than where they're headed. Getting home is going to be a challenge.

  
  



• Protector of the Small
  (This series is also a stand-alone, but there are more characters from the Lioness series)
  

  1. First Test - Although it is no longer illegal for girls to earn their shields, none have trained to become knights. Keladry of Mindelin has decided to be the first. After living with her parents in the Yamani Islands as diplomats, Kel understands the importance of training and what it will take to be a knight. Her parents agree, but Kel discovers that, unlike the other pages, she'll be on probation for a year, simply because she's a girl. Although she's frustrated by the injustice, Kel is determined to prove that she can keep up with the boys - and maybe surpass them.

  
  

  2. Page - Having survived the first year, Kel gets permission to continue her knightly training, but she discovers that making it this far doesn't mean any of it is easier. Kel still struggles with her fear of heights, but she works hard in her studies and continues to prove her worth, slowly gaining the trust of her fellow pages. She'll have to put her skills to work, though as she ends her first four years.

  
  

  3. Squire - Kel is excited when Raoul of Goldenlake chooses her to be his squire. Together, they set off on the royal progress, training and fighting in tournaments. Occasionally, there are adventures, however - like the one that lands Kel with a baby griffin that only she can take care of. Although her four years as squire are difficult, it all comes down to the final test of knighthood; everyone is waiting to see if Kel will make it past the Chamber of the Ordeal and be the first (legal) Lady Knight.

  
  

  4. Lady Knight - Having earned her shield, Kel gets sent to a distant outpost where she has to build a refugee camp from scratch. Although it takes more work than she had expected, Kel soon becomes attached to 'her' people. When their peace is threatened, Kel takes on the 'killing machines' that she saw in the Chamber of the Ordeal. It will be her biggest challenge yet, but Kel is not about to abandon the people that she has sworn to protect.

  
  



• Trickster's Choice & Trickster's Queen
  (The main character is Alanna's daughter, so reading the other series helps, but isn't necessary)
  
  

  1. Alianne of Pirate's Swoop is the daughter of Alanna, the King's Champion (the Lioness) and George Cooper, the King's spymaster. Her mother hopes that she will find something thing occupy her time, but since Aly doesn't want to be a knight or learn to be a proper 'lady,' Alanna is at a loss. What Aly really wants to do is become a field agent for her father, but neither parent will let her spy. When Aly sails away to visit friends, she gets abducted by pirates and sold as a slave. Suddenly, her world has turned upside down. It gets even more interesting when a local god (who claims to be her father's patron) makes her a bet: if she can keep the household's children alive through the end of the summer, Kyprioth (the god) will send her home. He assures that she will have help from him and from the crows (who are the animals of his domain). Aly takes the bet, although it will take all the spying skills that she has learned to keep her end of the bargain.
  

  2. In the sequel, Trickster's Queen, Aly has agreed to stay in the Copper Isles as the spymaster for the raka movement. Now that the family has moved back to Rajmuat, plans to put Sarai on the throne have stepped up. Aly's talents come in handy as she coordinates the activities and information of her spies throughout the city, slowly working to bring down the regents. Now, with the help of raka servants and the crow warriors, it looks like it might finally happen.

  
  

Tamora Pierce is one of my favorite authors; these are books that I come back to time and again when I need something good to read. Each of these series features unique, but realistic characters that are hard to forget - particularly the strong, self-possessed heroines. The setting has a sort of King Arthur feel, with knights, monsters, and magic (albeit different from the sort Merlin used), but it is set in a fantasy world. The only thing that occasionally annoys me about these books is that each series seems to cover less time, which means I tend to be left wondering what happens next and wishing there were another book. Despite that, I would recommend any of these books to fantasy readers.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: Tales of the Five Hundred Kingdoms, Poison Study, Howl's Moving Castle, or The Last Apprentice

Lady in Gil by Rebecca Bradley

Tigrallef isn't supposed to be a hero - his brother has that job. But then an accident means that he is next in line to reclaim his homeland. Years ago, an ancestor of Tig's family brought peace and prosperity to Gil that lasted more than 900 years. Then came the Sherkin invasion that destroyed their ways of life and sent the royal family into exile; only a member of the royal family has the power to restore Gil to its former glory, but so far, many have failed. No one expects Tig to succeed - he's a memorian who spends all his time in the archives, not a knight in shining armor. But when Tig arrives in Gil, he discovers that while many things are worse than he expected, an underground group called the Web has been established inside Gil and just might give him the keys to save the country after all.

Overall, this was a decent book. Everything seemed very realistic - I liked that the characters were all very human and the situations in Gil were described rather graphically. I don't think I would count this amongst my favorite books, but it was pretty good. The plot was definitely not predictable which made it an interesting read, but it was not a fluffy book - it's about a lot of the negative aspects of humanity with explicit descriptions of poverty and life under hostile rule. I would, however, recommend this to fantasy readers who are looking for something serious and a little different.

Note: There are at least two sequels: Scion's Lady and Lady Pain, although I have not read those yet. I'll be sure to comment on them if I do.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: Fly By Night, Poison Study, Keys to the Kingdom, or Annals of the Western Shore